bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent advances in compatibilization strategies of wood-polymer composites by isocyanates
Authors: Hejna Aleksander , Przybysz-Romatowska Marta , Kosmela Paulina , Zedler Łukasz , Korol Jerzy , Formela Krzysztof
Published: July 2020

Wood-polymer composites technologies are gaining more and more attention in the scientific community, positively affecting the increase in their industrial applications, for example, automotive, building, 3D printing, etc. Many research works are focused on the improvement in matrix–lignocellulosic filler interactions to produce highly filled composites with satisfying performance properties. In this field of research, using isocyanates due to their versatile structure and functionality seems to be a very promising approach. This paper aims at reporting on recent advances in compatibilization strategies of wood-polymer composites by isocyanates. Particular attention is focused on the correlation between isocyanate structure, as well as modification conditions on the matrix–lignocellulosic filler interactions and their impact on the structure–property relationships of wood-polymer composites. Furthermore, limitations and future research trends related to applications of isocyanate to wood-polymer composites technologies are also discussed.
The effective thermal conductivity of double-reinforced composites
Authors: Höller Johannes , Niedermeyer Jan , Redenbach Claudia , Ecke Nicholas , Schlarb Alois K. , Andrä Heiko , Klein Peter
Published: July 2020

Polymer based composite materials have a great potential for applications in tribology as dry lubricants since the components comprising the composition may be chosen to fit to various tribological requirements. It is however well known that heat transfer and thermal effects are important for such systems. Systematic experimental studies of temperature effects are time consuming and expensive. In this work, we use a numerical homogenization approach in order to study the principal influence of key composite descriptors of fiber and particle reinforced PEEK on the homogenized heat conductivity. It turns out that the sensitivity of this key parameter on the descriptors can be nicely fitted to a regression model and thus allows for interpolation in the sense of a structure-property-relationship.
Prevention of unwanted recombination at damaged replication forks
Authors: Lehmann Carl P. , Jiménez-Martín Alberto , Branzei Dana , Tercero José Antonio
Published: July 2020

Homologous recombination is essential for the maintenance of genome integrity but must be strictly controlled to avoid dangerous outcomes that produce the opposite effect, genomic instability. During unperturbed chromosome replication, recombination is globally inhibited at ongoing DNA replication forks, which helps to prevent deleterious genomic rearrangements. This inhibition is carried out by Srs2, a helicase that binds to SUMOylated PCNA and has an anti-recombinogenic function at replication forks. However, at damaged stalled forks, Srs2 is counteracted and DNA lesion bypass can be achieved by recombination-mediated template switching. In budding yeast, template switching is dependent on Rad5. In the absence of this protein, replication forks stall in the presence of DNA lesions and cells die. Recently, we showed that in cells lacking Rad5 that are exposed to DNA damage or replicative stress, elimination of the conserved Mgs1/WRNIP1 ATPase allows an alternative mode of DNA damage bypass that is driven by recombination and facilitates completion of chromosome replication and cell viability. We have proposed that Mgs1 is important to prevent a potentially harmful salvage pathway of recombination at damaged stalled forks. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of how unwanted recombination is prevented at damaged stalled replication forks.
Twitter in der Kardiologie
Authors: Linz Dominik , Duncker David
Published: July 2020

Besonders Twitter hat in der kardiologischen Community an Popularität und Einfluss gewonnen. Twitter ist ein sinnvolles und dynamisches Medium zur Kommunikation, Vernetzung und Weiterbildung für forschende, lehrende und klinisch tätige Kardiologinnen und Kardiologen. Dieser Artikel soll am Beispiel von Twitter Kardiologen eine praktische Handlungsanleitung bieten, um dieses soziale Netzwerk in Zukunft erfolgreich und professionell nutzen zu können, und verdeutlichen, wie man sich über aktuelle Technologien und neue Studienergebnisse auf dem Laufenden halten kann.
The prognostic value of leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein (Lgr5) and its impact on clinicopathological features of colorectal cancer
Authors: Gzil Arkadiusz , Zarębska Izabela , Jaworski Damian , Antosik Paulina , Durślewicz Justyna , Maciejewska Joanna , Domanowska Ewa , Skoczylas-Makowska Natalia , Ahmadi Navid , Grzanka Dariusz , Szylberg Łukasz
Published: July 2020

Introduction

Colorectal cancer (CRC) constitutes one of the most prevalent malignancies in the world. Recent research suggests that cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for tumor cell’s malignant behavior in CRC. This study has been designed to determinate clinical implications of CSC markers: CD44, DCLK1, Lgr5, and ANXA2 in CRC.

Materials and methods

The study was performed on tissue samples which were collected from 89 patients undergoing colectomy. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks with representative tumor areas were identified and corded. Immunohistochemical staining was performed using anti-CD44, anti-LGR5, anti-ANXA2, and anti-DCLK1 antibodies. The H-score system was utilized to determine the immunointensity of CRC cells.

Results

The lower expression of Lgr5 was significantly correlated with the presence of lymph-node metastases (p = 0.011), while high expression of Lgr5 was statistically significant in vascular invasion in examined cancer tissue samples (p = 0.027). Moreover, a high H-score value of Lgr5 expression was significantly related to a reduced overall survival rate (p = 0.043).

Conclusion

Our results suggest a strong relationship between CSC marker Lgr5 and vascular invasion, presence of lymph-node metastasis, and overall poor survival. The presence of Lgr5 might be an unfavorable prognostic factor, and its high level in cancer tissue is related to an aggressive course. This marker could also be used to access the effectiveness of the treatment.
On the Benefits of Populations for the Exploitation Speed of Standard Steady-State Genetic Algorithms
Authors: Corus Dogan , Oliveto Pietro S.
Published: July 2020

It is generally accepted that populations are useful for the global exploration of multi-modal optimisation problems. Indeed, several theoretical results are available showing such advantages over single-trajectory search heuristics. In this paper we provide evidence that evolving populations via crossover and mutation may also benefit the optimisation time for hillclimbing unimodal functions. In particular, we prove bounds on the expected runtime of the standard ($$\mu +1$$

μ
+
1

) GA for OneMax that are lower than its unary black box complexity and decrease in the leading constant with the population size up to $$\mu =o\left( \sqrt{\log n}\right) $$

μ
=
o

log
n

. Our analysis suggests that the optimal mutation strategy is to flip two bits most of the time. To achieve the results we provide two interesting contributions to the theory of randomised search heuristics: (1) A novel application of drift analysis which compares absorption times of different Markov chains without defining an explicit potential function. (2) The inversion of fundamental matrices to calculate the absorption times of the Markov chains. The latter strategy was previously proposed in the literature but to the best of our knowledge this is the first time is has been used to show non-trivial bounds on expected runtimes.
Psychiatric morbidity, somatic comorbidity and substance use in an adolescent psychiatric population at 3-year follow-up
Authors: Gårdvik Kari Skulstad , Rygg Marite , Torgersen Terje , Lydersen Stian , Indredavik Marit Sæbø
Published: July 2020

Knowledge is scarce on the course of psychiatric disorders in adolescence. We aimed to assess changes in the frequency of psychiatric disorders, somatic disorders, pain, and substance use in a clinical psychiatric cohort from adolescence to young adulthood. This study is part of the Health Survey in Department of Children and Youth, St. Olavs Hospital, Norway. At age 13–18 years, 717 (43.5% of eligible) participated in the first study visit (T1) in 2009–2011, 549 were reassessed 3 years later with telephone interview (T2), and 464 had diagnostic evaluation at both time points. Data included: ICD-10 diagnoses (T1), DSM-IV diagnoses (T2), self-reported pain and substance use (T1 and T2). The overall rate of psychiatric disorders decreased (T1 vs. T2: 94.8% vs. 72.2%, p < 0.001); while, an increased rate of anxiety disorders was marked among girls (37.5% vs. 55.9%, p < 0.001), with accompanying raised frequencies of psychiatric comorbidity (14.1% vs. 42.6%, p < 0.001), somatic comorbidity (9.4% vs. 19.5%, p = 0.001), chronic pain (31.6% vs. 49.4%, p < 0.001), smoking, alcohol use and trying illicit drugs. Chronic pain, smoking and trying illicit drugs were associated with persisting psychiatric disorders, with highest risk differences for girls (RD = 25.4%, p = 0.002, RD = 15.6%, p = 0.008, RD = 18.0%, p = 0.001, respectively). Three out of four adolescents still had a psychiatric disorder after 3 years. Unlike boys, girls had an increasing rate of anxiety disorders and comorbidities. Chronic pain, smoking and trying illicit drugs were associated with persisting psychiatric disorders. Despite methodological limitations, these findings emphasize the importance of early targeted intervention for adolescents with psychiatric disorders.
Letter to the Editor of the Journal of Artificial Organs: The flaws in the detail of describing methods, comparing patient cohorts and interpreting results
Authors: Maier Sven , Klemm Rolf , Beyersdorf Friedhelm , Benk Christoph
Published: July 2020

We read with great interest the article written by Murphy et al. (J Artif Organs 22:286–293, 2019). We acknowledge the authors contribution. However, the results presented may be difficult to interpret due to several missing information and therefore may not support the conclusions. Therefore, the results of this publication should be viewed very critically.
Lower risk of primary Sjogren’s syndrome in patients with dengue virus infection: a nationwide cohort study in Taiwan
Authors: Chang Chi-Ching , Yen Yu-Chun , Lee Cheng-Yi , Lin Chiou-Feng , Huang Chao-Ching , Tsai Ching Wen , Chuang Ting-Wu , Bai Chyi-Huey
Published: July 2020

The data concerning the association between dengue viruses (DV) infection and autoimmune diseases (ADs) remain unclear and are scarce. This nationwide population-based cohort study assessed the risk of ADs among patients with DV infection. We analyzed Taiwanese medical data from the Registry of the National Notifiable Disease Reporting System of Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control between 1998 and 2015 and identified patients with DV infection. From the entire general population data in the National Health Insurance Research Database, we randomly selected a comparison cohort that was individual matching by age, sex, residence, and index date. We analyzed the risk of ADs using a Cox proportional hazards regression model stratified by sex, age, and residence. We enrolled 29,365 patients with DV infection (50.68% men; mean age, 44.13 years) and 117,460 age-, sex-, and residence-matched controls in the present study. The incidence rates of organ-specific ADs were nonsignificantly higher in the DV cohort than in the non-DV control cohort. An approximately 70% lower risk of primary Sjogren syndrome (pSS) was evident in the DV cohort than in the non-DV control cohort with an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.30 (95% confidence interval 0.13–0.67) after adjusting for comorbidities in matched design. By contrast, the other systemic ADs were nonsignificantly lower in the DV cohort than in the non-DV control cohort. This nationwide long-term cohort study demonstrated that patients with DV infection had a lower risk of primary Sjogren syndrome than those without DV infection.

Key Points• This retrospective, longitudinal cohort observational study shows that patients with DV infection had a lower risk of pSS than those without DV infection.• The DV cohort had an approximately 70% lower risk of pSS than the control group, with a multivariate-adjusted HR of 0.30.• On the basis of this result, we contended that DV infection has a protective effect that reduces the risk of pSS.
The management of adult appendicitis during the COVID-19 pandemic: an interim analysis of a UK cohort study
Authors:   The COVID: HAREM (Had Appendicitis, Resolved/Recurred Emergency Morbidity/Mortality) Collaborators Group, Javanmard-Emamghissi H. , Boyd-Carson H. , Hollyman M. , Doleman B. , Adiamah A. , Lund J. N. , Clifford R. , Dickerson L. , Richards S. , Pearce L. , Cornish J. , Hare S. , Lockwood S. , Moug S. J. , Tierney G. M.
Published: July 2020

Background

Acute appendicitis (AA) is the most common general surgical emergency. Early laparoscopic appendicectomy is the gold-standard management. SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) brought concerns of increased perioperative mortality and spread of infection during aerosol generating procedures: as a consequence, conservative management was advised, and open appendicectomy recommended when surgery was unavoidable. This study describes the impact of the first weeks of the pandemic on the management of AA in the United Kingdom (UK).

Methods

Patients 18 years or older, diagnosed clinically and/or radiologically with AA were eligible for inclusion in this prospective, multicentre cohort study. Data was collected from 23rd March 2020 (beginning of the UK Government lockdown) to 1st May 2020 and included: patient demographics, COVID status; initial management (operative and conservative); length of stay; and 30-day complications. Analysis was performed on the first 500 cases with 30-day follow-up.

Results

The patient cohort consisted of 500 patients from 48 sites. The median age of this cohort was 35 [26–49.75] years and 233 (47%) of patients were female. Two hundred and seventy-one (54%) patients were initially treated conservatively; with only 26 (10%) cases progressing to an operation. Operative interventions were performed laparoscopically in 44% (93/211). Median length of hospital stay was significantly reduced in the conservatively managed group (2 [IQR 1–4] days vs. 3 [2–4], p < 0.001). At 30 days, complications were significantly higher in the operative group (p < 0.001), with no deaths in any group. Of the 159 (32%) patients tested for COVID-19 on admission, only 6 (4%) were positive.

Conclusion

COVID-19 has changed the management of acute appendicitis in the UK, with non-operative management shown to be safe and effective in the short-term. Antibiotics should be considered as the first line during the pandemic and perhaps beyond.
The effects of information overload on online conversation dynamics
Authors: Gunaratne Chathika , Baral Nisha , Rand William , Garibay Ivan , Jayalath Chathura , Senevirathna Chathurani
Published: July 2020

The inhibiting effects of information overload on the behavior of online social media users, can affect the population-level characteristics of information dissemination through online conversations. We introduce a mechanistic, agent-based model of information overload and investigate the effects of information overload threshold and rate of information loss on observed online phenomena. We find that conversation volume and participation are lowest under high information overload thresholds and mid-range rates of information loss. Calibrating the model to user responsiveness data on Twitter, we replicate and explain several observed phenomena: (1) Responsiveness is sensitive to information overload threshold at high rates of information loss; (2) Information overload threshold and rate of information loss are Pareto-optimal and users may experience overload at inflows exceeding 30 notifications per hour; (3) Local abundance of small cascades of modest global popularity and local scarcity of larger cascades of high global popularity explains why overloaded users receive, but do not respond to large, highly popular cascades; 4) Users typically work with 7 notifications per hour; 5) Over-exposure to information can suppress the likelihood of response by overloading users, contrary to analogies to biologically-inspired viral spread. Reconceptualizing information spread with the mechanisms of information overload creates a richer representation of online conversation dynamics, enabling a deeper understanding of how (dis)information is transmitted over social media.
The Role of Direct Strategy Instruction and Indirect Activation of Self-Regulated Learning—Evidence from Classroom Observation Studies
Authors: Dignath Charlotte , Veenman Marcel V. J.
Published: July 2020

Despite the consensus about the importance of self-regulated learning for academic as well as for lifelong learning, it is still poorly understood as to how teachers can most effectively support their students in enacting self-regulated learning. This article provides a framework about how self-regulated learning can be activated directly through strategy instruction and indirectly by creating a learning environment that allows students to regulate their learning. In examining teachers’ instructional attempts for SRL, we systematically review the literature on classroom observation studies that have assessed how teachers support their students’ SRL. The results of the 17 retrieved studies show that in most classrooms, only little direct strategy instruction took place. Nevertheless, some teachers provided their students with learning environments that require and thus foster self-regulated learning indirectly. Based on a review of classroom observation studies, this article stresses the significance of (1) instructing SRL strategies explicitly so that students develop metacognitive knowledge and skills to integrate the application of these strategies successfully into their learning process, and (2) the necessity of complementing classroom observation research with data gathered from student and teacher self-report in order to obtain a comprehensive view of the effectiveness of teacher approaches to support SRL. Finally, we discuss ten cornerstones for future directions for research about supporting SRL.
Identification and characterization of Pseudomonas syringae pv. mori affecting white mulberry (Morus alba) in Poland
Authors: Krawczyk Krzysztof , Łochyńska Małgorzata
Published: July 2020

The white mulberry (Morus albaL.) is particularly valued in Asia and Europe because its leaves serve as fodder for the mulberry silkworm (Bombyx moriL.) in the production of raw silk (sericulture). However, the health of silkworm caterpillars producing silk fibres, and the quality of their cocoons depend strongly on fodder quality. Moreover, this plant is also valuable in the food and pharmaceutical industries, where high-quality herbal material is required. In one of the Polish mulberry plantations, trees with chlorotic, angular leaf spots and blotches were observed. The disease multiplied in spring in humid conditions and spread to developing blossoms and leaves. Leaves were collected during two growing seasons (2017–2018) from 18-year-old trees cultivated at the Experimental Farm of the Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants in Petkowo, Poland (52°12′40″N 17°15′31″E). Leaf lesions exhibited bacterial streaming, and bacterial colonies were readily isolated on tryptic soy agar. Biochemical (Biolog Gen III system v. 2.8.0), molecular (16S rDNA andgyrB genes), and pathogenicity testing in the greenhouse identified the causal agent asPseudomonas syringae. This bacterial species was the most abundant in each of the sample tested. To our knowledge this is the first description and characterization ofP. syringaeaffecting mulberry trees not only in Poland but throughout Europe. Our aim was to point out the importance of plant diseases caused by bacteria. This finding serves as a warning for the phytosanitary services in Europe and for the sericulture industry that a new disease threat has appeared for European mulberry crops.
Fathers’ Involvement with Their Children Before and After Separation
Authors: Haux Tina , Platt Lucinda
Published: July 2020

Changes in fathering over the last decades have led to substantially more involvement of fathers in their children’s upbringing. At the same time, high rates of parental separation and subsequent loss of contact fuel concern about separated fathers’ role in their children’s lives. Underlying such concern is the assumption that separation represents a discontinuity in fathers’ parenting. This paper investigates whether fathers’ pre- and post-separation paternal involvement is linked: are fathers with lower levels of contact after separation those who were less involved fathers when co-resident? To answer this question, we draw on a nationally representative UK longitudinal study of children born in 2000–2001 to interrogate the links between fathering before and after separation for 2107 fathers, who separated from their child’s mother before the child was age 11. We show that fathers who were more involved parents prior to separation tend to have more frequent contact after separation, adjusting for other paternal and family characteristics. The size of this association between pre- and post-separation fathering is, however, modest, and even among more involved fathers, intensity of contact declines over time.
Of Rebels and Disobedients: Reflections on Arendt, Race, Lawbreaking
Authors: Çubukçu Ayça
Published: July 2020

Hannah Arendt valued the unprecedented, the unexpected, and the new, yet in essays crafted at the end of the rebellious 1960s, struggled to square this valuation with a palpable desire for law and order. She lamented that criminality had overtaken American life, accused the police of not arresting enough criminals, and charged ‘the Negro community’ with standing behind what she named black violence. At once, she praised ‘the white rebels’ of the student movement in the United States for their courageous acts of disobedience. This essay explores how differential Arendt’s treatment of lawbreaking action was in an effort to understand how ‘certain sections of the population’ in the United States could appear to stand for criminality rather than civil disobedience to her mind. It examines how Arendt’s reflections on the ostensibly non-racial subjects of civil disobedience and lawbreaking were underwritten by racial, when not racist, ways of thinking. The essay also raises a larger question: to the extent that the concept of civil disobedience involves limits, how are those limits drawn to the exclusion of certain kinds of actors and their particular claims in the public realm? Pondering this question through Arendt, it concludes that in her theorization of civil disobedience, Arendt was profoundly limited by the fabulous tale that the United States is an exceptional land of freedom and democracy in the world.
Ferromagnetic core coil hysteresis modeling using fractional derivatives
Authors: Sowa Marcin , Majka Łukasz
Published: July 2020

The modeling of a ferromagnetic core coil magnetic hysteresis has been considered. The measurement basis consisted of waveforms that have been recorded for various levels of the iron core saturation levels. The investigated models included classical cases as well as models including a nonlinear fractional coil. The possibilities of solutions for transient problems including such models have been recalled. The details of the estimation process have been described next, where each model evaluation made use of an original methodology dealing with periodic steady states. The influence of the model response on parameter changes has also been studied. Further on the parameter estimation procedure has been described, and the results for the various models have been presented.
A Riemannian Optimization Algorithm for Joint Maximum Likelihood Estimation of High-Dimensional Exploratory Item Factor Analysis
Authors: Liu Yang
Published: July 2020

There has been regained interest in joint maximum likelihood (JML) estimation of item factor analysis (IFA) recently, primarily due to its efficiency in handling high-dimensional data and numerous latent factors. It has been established under mild assumptions that the JML estimator is consistent as both the numbers of respondents and items tend to infinity. The current work presents an efficient Riemannian optimization algorithm for JML estimation of exploratory IFA with dichotomous response data, which takes advantage of the differential geometry of the fixed-rank matrix manifold. The proposed algorithm takes substantially less time to converge than a benchmark method that alternates between gradient ascent steps for person and item parameters. The performance of the proposed algorithm in the recovery of latent dimensionality, response probabilities, item parameters, and factor scores is evaluated via simulations.
Flugangst aus der Erfahrung von wingwave®-Coaches
Authors: Naumenko Kristina , Niebuhr Frank , Steinhäuser Jost
Published: July 2020

Hintergrund

Flugangst ist eine häufige, isolierte Phobie. Zu etablierten Therapieformen wie kognitiver Verhaltenstherapie gehören auch Ansätze des „eye movement desensitization and reprocessing“ (EMDR). Das wingwave®-Coaching verwendet die EMDR-Intervention bei Flugangstklienten.

Methode

Mit dem Ziel, Hintergründe zu Flugangst aus der Erfahrung von wingwave®-Coaches zu explorieren, wurden 23 leitfadengestützte Interviews durchgeführt und mittels qualitativer Inhaltsanalyse ausgewertet.

Ergebnisse

Identifizierte Überkategorien waren Gründe, Emotionen als Trigger und Ursachen einer Flugangst. Die Ursachen lagen oft in der Vergangenheit der Betroffenen und waren nicht spontan erinnerlich, da sie häufig keinen direkten Zusammenhang zur Flugangst aufwiesen.

Diskussion

Die etablierten Therapien im Bereich Flugangst berücksichtigen diese Ursachen hinter Flugangst kaum. Zukünftig wäre zu prüfen, ob die Behandlung der Ursachen hinter Flugangst zu länger anhaltenden Erfolgen führt.
Überzeugungen und Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen im Umgang mit kultureller Diversität in ihrem Zusammenspiel mit sprachpädagogischen Förderstrategien
Authors: Kurucz Csaba , Hachfeld Axinja , Groeneveld Imke , Roßbach Hans-Günther , Anders Yvonne
Published: July 2020

Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die Überzeugungen und die Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen in Bezug auf kulturelle Diversität von frühpädagogischen Fachkräften. Es wurde (1) untersucht, inwieweit multikulturelle Überzeugungen und diversitätsspezifische Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen miteinander in Beziehung stehen und sich im zeitlichen Verlauf verändern, und (2) in welchem Zusammenhang die beiden Konstrukte mit der wahrgenommenen Wichtigkeit verschiedener sprachpädagogischer Förderstrategien in Kindertageseinrichtungen stehen. Dazu wurden in einer Längsschnittstudie 251 frühpädagogische Fachkräfte mit spezieller sprachpädagogischer Qualifikation zu zwei Messzeitpunkten befragt. Die Ergebnisse des Strukturgleichungsmodells zeigten, dass multikulturelle Überzeugungen und diversitätsspezifische Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen in Zusammenhang stehende, aber eigenständige Konstrukte sind, die auf unterschiedliche Weise mit der eingeschätzten Wichtigkeit alltagsintegrierter und additiver Sprachförderansätze in kulturell diversen Gruppen assoziiert sind. So konnte für die multikulturellen Überzeugungen – im Vergleich zu den diversitätsspezifischen Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen – ein signifikanter Zusammenhang zu der intendierten alltagsintegrierten sprachlichen Förderung festgestellt werden. Die Ergebnisse werden abschließend vor dem Hintergrund ihrer Relevanz für zukünftige Forschung und die Ausbildung frühpädagogischer Fachkräfte diskutiert.
A novel sensitivity analysis on friction spot joining process performed on aluminum\polycarbonate sheets by simulation
Authors: Serratore Giuseppe , Gagliardi Francesco , Martín Clara Argerich , Pinilo Ruben Ibanez , Cueto Elias , Filice Luigino , Chinesta Francisco
Published: July 2020

The manufacturing research has been focusing on the improvement of product performance and lightweight design. The synergic effects between material properties and manufacturing solutions have been considered, extensively. Specifically, joining techniques have been developing with the aim to propose new suitable solutions considering dissimilarities in the properties of the materials that have to be combined. Setting of new manufacturing routes is, therefore, a demanding task. In this direction, there are several methods available in the scientific literature that are focused on sensitivity analysis or optimization/minimization techniques to reduce the necessary attempts or to find a solution/correlation among big data. In this work, the goal of obtaining high joint efficiency between Aluminum and Polycarbonate sheets by the Friction Spot Joining process is considered as a case study. This process must face two main issues, i.e., the mechanical, physical and chemical compatibilities between the parts and the integrity protection of the polymeric sheet near the joining area. The process parameters influences were analysed using numerical simulations performed by a commercial FE code. The number of executed analyses was reduced with a planned DoE. From these results, the Code2Vect algorithm was employed with the aim to visualize, efficiently, high-dimensional data and to evaluate the influences of some identified parameters on the process answer. Finally, a transfer function involving the input and output quantities of interest was derived in a compact representation by a Newton Raphson minimization technique.
International law and human security in a kaleidoscopic world
Authors: Gilder Alexander
Published: July 2020

International law is being challenged by a multitude of new actors and networks that do not fit within the traditional Westphalian system. Similarly, security is increasingly undermined by, for example, economic, health, and environmental threats that can affect individuals’ daily lives and know no state boundaries. This is the kaleidoscopic world as outlined by Edith Brown Weiss. The concept of ‘human security’ has been advanced to inform decision-making on threats to security in the interest of individuals in a bottom-up manner. This article looks forward to methods that can counter what could be perceived as a legitimacy crisis in international law. First, some of the current challenges which international law faces are explained ranging from globalisation, the declining state-based order, and decentralised security threats. Second, the concept of human security is defined, and its contents expounded. Lastly, the thesis is advanced that a conceptual framework of human security can reorientate international law to be responsive to the kaleidoscopic world by using UN peace operations as an example of where human security could have a profound impact.
Steiner symmetrization for anisotropic quasilinear equations via partial discretization
Authors: Brock F. , Díaz J.I. , Ferone A. , Gómez-Castro D. , Mercaldo A.
Published: July 2020

In this paper we obtain comparison results for the quasilinear equation

−\mathrm{\Delta }_{p,x}u−u_{yy} = f

with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions by Steiner rearrangement in variable
x
, thus solving a long open problem. In fact, we study a broader class of anisotropic problems. Our approach is based on a finite-differences discretization in
y
, and the proof of a comparison principle for the discrete version of the auxiliary problem

AU−U_{yy} \leq \int _{0}^{s}f

, where

AU = (n\omega _{n}^{1/ n}s^{1/ n^{′}})^{p}(−U_{ss})^{p−1}

. We show that this operator is T-accretive in

L^{\infty }

. We extend our results for

−\mathrm{\Delta }_{p,x}

to general operators of the form

−\mathrm{div}(a(|\mathrm{∇}_{x}u|)\mathrm{∇}_{x}u)

where
a
is non-decreasing and behaves like

| \cdot |^{p−2}

at infinity.
Modulatory Activities of Plant Extracts on Jellyfish Cytotoxicity
Authors: Cornara Laura , Mariottini Gian Luigi , Giordani Paolo , Smeriglio Antonella , Trombetta Domenico , Guida Lucrezia , Lavorano Silvia , Burlando Bruno
Published: July 2020

Introduction

The potential efficacy of selected plant extracts to counteract the dermal toxicity of jellyfish envenomation was investigated using an in vitro cell culture model.

Methods

We studied plant extracts from Carica papaya, Ananas comosus, and Bouvardia ternifolia, known for their antivenom properties, in pairwise combinations with tissue homogenates of the jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca, Phyllorhiza punctata, and Cassiopea andromeda, to evaluate modulations of jellyfish cytotoxic effects. L929 mouse fibroblasts were incubated with pairwise jellyfish/plant extract combinations and examined by MTT assay (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide).

Results

C papaya and A comosus significantly lowered the cytotoxicity of P noctiluca and P punctata but induced a slight worsening of C andromeda cytotoxicity. Conversely, B ternifolia was protective against P punctata, ineffective against P noctiluca, and worsened C andromeda cytotoxicity.

Conclusions

Data showed species-specific and contrasting effects of plant extracts, suggesting that those containing protease activities, namely A comosus and C papaya, are more effective in lowering the cytotoxicity of jellyfish venom containing toxic peptidic factors such as phospholipase A. However, all examined plants require further investigation in vivo to evaluate their ability to counteract jellyfish injury to the skin.
COVID-19 Response in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons From Uganda
Authors: Lumu Ivan
Published: July 2020

The prolongation of the Ebola epidemic may have allowed some countries to prepare and respond to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. In Uganda, the surveillance structure built for Ebola virus disease (EVD) has become a pillar in the COVID-19 response. This testing and tracing apparatus has limited disease spread to clusters with zero mortality compared with the neighboring East African countries. As more sub-Saharan countries implement social distancing to contain the outbreak, the interventions should be phased and balanced with health risk and socioeconomic situation. However, having a decision-making matrix would better guide the response team. These initial lessons from EVD-experienced Uganda may be helpful to other countries in the region.
The impact of healthcare associated infections on mortality and length of stay in Singapore—A time-varying analysis
Authors: Cai Yiying , Lo Jamie Jay-May , Venkatachalam Indumathi , Kwa Andrea L. , Tambyah Paul A. , Hsu Li Yang , Barnett Adrian , Marimuthu Kalisvar , Graves Nicholas
Published: July 2020

Objective:

Methods that include the time-varying nature of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) avoid biases when estimating increased risk of death and excess length of stay. We determined the excess mortality risk and length of stay associated with HAIs among inpatients in Singapore using a multistate model that accommodates the timing of key events.

Design:

Analysis of existing prospective cohort study data.

Setting:

Seven public acute-care hospitals in Singapore.

Patients:

Inpatients reviewed in a HAI point-prevalence survey (PPS) conducted between June 2015 and February 2016.

Methods:

We modeled each patient’s admission over time using 4 states: susceptible with no HAI, infected, died, and discharged alive. We estimated the excess mortality risk and length of stay associated with HAIs, with adjustment for the baseline characteristics between the groups for mortality risk.

Results:

We included 4,428 patients, of whom 469 had ≥1 HAI. Using a multistate model, the expected excess length of stay due to any HAI was 1.68 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15–2.21 days). Surgical site infections were associated with the longest excess length of stay of 4.68 days (95% CI, 2.60–6.76 days). After adjusting for baseline differences, HAIs were associated with increased hazards of in-hospital mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.32; 95% CI, 1.09–1.65) and decreased hazards in being discharged (aHR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.67–0.84).

Conclusions:

HAIs are associated with increased length of hospital stay and mortality in hospitalized patients. Avoiding nosocomial infections can improve patient outcomes and free valuable bed days.
The mediating effect of introjected motivation on the relation between perfectionism and academic burnout
Authors: Choi Hyunju , Cho Soohyun , Kim Jiwon , Kim Eunjoo , Chung Jihyun , Lee Sang Min
Published: July 2020

Maladaptive perfectionism and controlled motivation are vulnerability factors for burnout. This study examined the relationships between two aspects of perfectionism (high standards, discrepancy), four academic motivational orientations (intrinsic, identified, introjected, extrinsic), and academic burnout. The target population was 12th graders in South Korea, and a total of 950 participants were recruited using cluster sampling. Data were collected from three waves of longitudinal study. In particular, the mediating role of academic motivation (T2) in the link between perfectionism (T1) and academic burnout (T3) was tested using structural equation modelling. The results indicated that introjected motivation mediated the relationship between perfectionism and burnout. Specifically, both high standards and discrepancy were positively associated with introjected motivation, and in turn, introjected motivation was positively associated with burnout. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
The use of geological, geomorphological and soil mapping products in palaeolandscape reconstructions for the Netherlands
Authors: Pierik Harm Jan , Cohen Kim M.
Published: July 2020

Geological, geomorphological and soil maps provide important information on the substrate as well as on the past and present physical landscape. For the intensely studied Netherlands coastal plain and Rhine–Meuse delta, many such map datasets have been compiled over the last two centuries. These mapping materials comprise older and younger legacy datasets, often fragmented over regions. They have been compiled within various research traditions and by various parties, involving geologists, soil scientists, geomorphologists and landscape archaeologists. The maps and datasets summarise overwhelming amounts of underlying data accumulated over the last few centuries, and are therefore valuable for reconstructing past landscapes.

Digital-infrastructure developments have enhanced possibilities for recombining existing and new data over the last few decades, e.g. through GIS solutions such as palaeogeographical base maps, from which multiple derived map products can be generated. Integration of thematic information from various source maps and underlying data is needed to use the accumulated data diversity to its full potential and to answer applied and fundamental scientific questions. Using diverse information to compile or update maps, however, requires awareness of legacy surveying strategies and the state of knowledge at the time the original data and maps were produced. This paper reviews the soil, geological and geomorphological mapping traditions. We evaluate their products, underlying data and the reasoning behind their compilation, focusing on their use in conventional and digital palaeogeographical mapping. This helps get the most out of large quantities of legacy and modern data, a major challenge for surface and substrate digital mapping in the big-data era.
Megahertz emission of massive early-type stars in the Cygnus region
Authors: Benaglia P. , De Becker M. , Ishwara-Chandra C. H. , Intema H. T. , Isequilla N. L.
Published: July 2020

Massive, early-type stars have been detected as radio sources for many decades. Their thermal winds radiate free–free continuum and in binary systems hosting a colliding-wind region, non-thermal emission has also been detected. To date, the most abundant data have been collected from frequencies higher than 1 GHz. We present here the results obtained from observations at 325 and 610 MHz, carried out with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, of all known Wolf-Rayet and O-type stars encompassed in area of$\sim$15 sq degrees centred on the Cygnus region. We report on the detection of 11 massive stars, including both Wolf-Rayet and O-type systems. The measured flux densities at decimeter wavelengths allowed us to study the radio spectrum of the binary systems and to propose a consistent interpretation in terms of physical processes affecting the wide-band radio emission from these objects. WR 140 was detected at 610 MHz, but not at 325 MHz, very likely because of the strong impact of free–free absorption (FFA). We also report—for the first time—on the detection of a colliding-wind binary system down to 150 MHz, pertaining to the system of WR 146, making use of complementary information extracted from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research GMRT Sky Survey. Its spectral energy distribution clearly shows the turnover at a frequency of about 600 MHz, that we interpret to be due to FFA. Finally, we report on the identification of two additional particle-accelerating colliding-wind binaries, namely Cyg OB2 12 and ALS 15108 AB.
What You See Is Not Always What You Get: Bargaining before an Audience under Multiparty Government
Authors: MARTIN LANNY W. , VANBERG GEORG
Published: July 2020

Party elites in coalition governments are acutely aware that the deals they strike will be critically evaluated by their supporters, and that they risk losing support if they are perceived as ineffective negotiators. This has a powerful influence on the bargains parties strike. Because most supporters are unaware of the complex aspects of bargains and instead rely on simple heuristics to evaluate their most visible features, parties have incentives to meet supporter expectations primarily on easily observable outcomes. To do so, they make trade-offs on less observable outcomes. This implies that the more visible features of a bargain typically do not accurately reflect the relative success of parties in coalition negotiations. We evaluate our argument using original data on the office rewards and policy risks of portfolio allocation in 16 parliamentary democracies. Our findings support our argument, and they have important implications for the nature of representation under multiparty government.
Wildfire Exposure Increases Pro-Environment Voting within Democratic but Not Republican Areas
Authors: HAZLETT CHAD , MILDENBERGER MATTO
Published: July 2020

One political barrier to climate reforms is the temporal mismatch between short-term policy costs and long-term policy benefits. Will public support for climate reforms increase as climate-related disasters make the short-term costs of inaction more salient? Leveraging variation in the timing of Californian wildfires, we evaluate how exposure to a climate-related hazard influences political behavior rather than self-reported attitudes or behavioral intentions. We show that wildfires increased support for costly, climate-related ballot measures by 5 to 6 percentage points for those living within 5 kilometers of a recent wildfire, decaying to near zero beyond a distance of 15 kilometers. This effect is concentrated in Democratic-voting areas, and it is nearly zero in Republican-dominated areas. We conclude that experienced climate threats can enhance willingness-to-act but largely in places where voters are known to believe in climate change.
From Suspect Statement to Legal Decision Making
Authors: Tersago Pieter , Vanderhallen Miet , Rozie Joëlle , McIntyre Sara-Jane
Published: July 2020

Abstract. Notwithstanding that confessions are considered the “Queen of evidence,” how judges actually weigh suspects’ statements in reaching their decision remains relatively unknown. This study sought to examine how Belgian judges determine the evidential value of a suspect’s statement, specifically how they evaluate the statement’s: (a) admissibility and validity and (b) interaction with other pieces of evidence. To shed light on this legal decision-making process, 100 Belgian burglary case files were examined, and semi-structured interviews were undertaken with ten Belgian judges. The findings suggest that: the judge’s evaluation of a suspect’s statement differs depending on the outcome of the statement; how a statement is obtained does not appear to be an essential aspect of evidence evaluation; judges expend more effort to falsify denials than confessions; and only when they fail to falsify the denial is an acquittal granted.
Assessing the Positioning Performance Under the Effects of Strong Ionospheric Anomalies With Multi‐GNSS in Hong Kong
Authors: Lu Yangwei , Wang Zhenjie , Ji Shengyue , Chen Wu
Published: July 2020

Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) precise positioning performance will be strongly affected under severe ionospheric anomaly conditions. The combination of multi‐GNSS can increase the available observations and improve the geometry of continuously tracked satellites. This paper focuses on assessing the positioning performance with the combination of Global Positioning System (GPS), Global'naya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikova Sistema (GLONASS), and BeiDou System (BDS) around the St. Patrick's Day geomagnetic storm (9–18 March) in 2015 in Hong Kong. The rate of total electron content (TEC) index (ROTI) indicates severe ionospheric anomalies before the superstorm, while it was absent during the main phase of the storm in Hong Kong. Furthermore, strong scintillation events on signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) and multipath (MP) observables are observed during ionospheric anomalies period. Then the performance of single‐point positioning (SPP) and precise point positioning (PPP) with multi‐GNSS is shown. The ionospheric scintillation events may reduce pseudorange accuracy but affect SPP performance a little in this study, while the PPP accuracy is vastly decreased due to the subsequent reconvergence caused by frequent cycle slip (CS). Compared to PPP solutions with GPS only, the accuracy is improved significantly with the combination of multi‐GNSS.
Soil and Air Temperature Calibrations Using Branched GDGTs for the Tropical Andes of Colombia: Toward a Pan‐Tropical Calibration
Authors: Pérez‐Angel Lina C. , Sepúlveda Julio , Molnar Peter , Montes Camilo , Rajagopalan Balaji , Snell Kathryn , Gonzalez‐Arango Catalina , Dildar Nadia
Published: July 2020

Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) are bacterial cell membrane lipids that, when preserved in sedimentary archives, can be used to infer continental paleotemperatures. Although commonly used global calibrations capture a relationship between the distribution of brGDGTs and temperature, they underestimate temperatures for tropical regions as much as ~16°C. Furthermore, some global calibrations reach saturation at around 24–25°C, and, in general, they have root‐mean‐squared errors (RMSEs ≈ ~4°C) that are too large for them to resolve small variations in paleoclimate variability in tropical regions. We present an in situ regional calibration of soil brGDGTs along altitudinal transects on both flanks of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia in the northern tropical Andes that spans ~3,200 m in elevation and 17°C and 19°C in mean annual soil and air temperatures, respectively. These new soil and air regional calibrations yield RMSEs of 1.5°C and 1.9°C, respectively. When combined with existing data from elsewhere in the tropics, the integrated data (n = 175) not only fit a linear calibration with a RMSE of 2.7°C but also fit a nonlinear calibration with a RMSE of 2.2°C. These calibrations allow for a more precise and reliable reconstruction of past temperatures in the tropics than global calibrations.