bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quick assessment of the potato chip crispness using the mechanical-acoustic measurement method
Authors: Xu Huili , Zhao Yong , Wu Xuyao , Wu Zhonghua
Published: November 2020

Traditional assessment method for the food crispness was sensory analysis which was time consuming and needed experienced panelists. Aiming to to develop a quick evaluation of the food crispness, a mechanical-acoustic testing method was proposed where two parameters-maximum force (Fmax) and maximum acoustic energy in unit time (SEmax) were applied to assess the crispness of dried potato chips. It was found the mechanical-acoustic testing was completed in about 1.2 s and the potato chips had a statistic distributions for Fmax and SEmax. The brand A potato chips had a statistic average Fmax of 13.48 N and SEmax of 93.51 mV·ms. Three kinds of potato chips can be effectively differentiated according to the statistic average SEmax and Fmax. Sensory “crispness” had a good correlation with the statistic average SEmax. This work shows that it is feasible for a quick measurement of the food crispness using this mechanical-acoustic method.
Algebro-geometric constructions of the Heisenberg hierarchy
Authors: Li Zhu
Published: November 2020

The Heisenberg hierarchy and its Hamiltonian structure are derived respectively by virtue of the zero-curvature equation and the trace identity. With the help of the Lax matrix, we introduce an algebraic curve

K
n

${\mathcal{K}}_{n}$

of arithmetic genus n, from which we define meromorphic function ϕ and straighten out all of the flows associated with the Heisenberg hierarchy under the Abel–Jacobi coordinates. Finally, we achieve the explicit theta function representations of solutions for the whole Heisenberg hierarchy as a result of the asymptotic properties of ϕ.
Stability analysis of conformable fractional-order nonlinear systems depending on a parameter
Authors: Naifar O. , Rebiai G. , Ben Makhlouf A. , Hammami M. A. , Guezane-Lakoud A.
Published: November 2020

In this paper, the stability of conformable fractional-order nonlinear systems depending on a parameter is presented and described. Furthermore, The design of a feedback controller for the same class of conformable fractional-order systems is introduced. Illustrative examples are given at the end of the paper to show the effectiveness of the proposed results.
Serre’s Property (FA) for automorphism groups of free products
Authors: Andrew Naomi
Published: November 2020

We provide some necessary and some sufficient conditions for the automorphism group of a free product of (freely indecomposable, not infinite cyclic) groups to have Property (FA).
The additional sufficient conditions are all met by finite groups, and so this case is fully characterised.
Therefore, this paper generalises the work of N. Leder [Serre’s Property FA for automorphism groups of free products, preprint (2018), https://arxiv.org/abs/1810.06287v1].
for finite cyclic groups, as well as resolving the open case of that paper.
The Role of Social Media in Disaster Recovery Following Hurricane Harvey
Authors: Page-Tan Courtney
Published: November 2020

Hurricane Harvey was social media's first real stress test as a disaster response and recovery mechanism. A confluence of conditions makes it an ideal case study of social media's role in disaster recovery: the lack of a government-issued evacuation order, a call from government leadership for willing and able volunteers with a boat or high-water vehicle to perform life-saving rescues, and wide-spread adoption of social media platforms in the Houston area. While research on online social networks and disasters continues to grow, social scientists know little about how these online networks transform during a crisis and, further, how they drive disaster outcomes. With two original datasets, this study investigates how Houston's online social network transformed during Hurricane Harvey (2017), and the relationship between social media activity and post-Harvey recovery. The findings of a social network analysis (N= 2,387,610) and subsequent statistical analyses reveal the Houston-area online social network grew denser, clustered, and more efficient during the disaster. A spatial analysis and three separate regression models of activity before, during, and after Hurricane Harvey reveal that among 333 Nextdoor Neighborhoods, hyperlocal social media activity was a statistically significant predictor of the rate of rebuilding in these geographically based online communities. These findings suggest that policy and decision-makers should invest into online and offline hyperlocal social networks well before a disaster strikes, and leverage resources and legislation to maintain and strengthen the telecommunications and energy infrastructure that supports access to social media and telecommunications infrastructure during a time of crisis.
Preparing the CDC Public Health Workforce for Emergency Response
Authors: Davis Xiaohong M. , Rouse Edward N. , Stampley Chaunté
Published: November 2020

A critical component of successful public health emergency responses is the availability of appropriate numbers of personnel with emergency response expertise. To achieve this, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) focused on strengthening training, personnel database systems, and responder outreach. To ensure availability of well-trained public health emergency responders, CDC and external partners coordinated training, planning, exercise, and evaluation activities; established the School of Preparedness and Emergency Response; and implemented Responder Training Tiers for response roles with defined functional competencies. For personnel information, CDC developed interoperable databases to streamline the search for specific staff expertise for a response. To improve responder outreach, CDC developed various mechanisms to efficiently identify and assign potential responders to responses. These measures work together to sustain a qualified workforce for public health emergencies, and may be helpful to other public health agencies for staffing and training of their response workforce.
Algorithms for CRT-variant of Approximate Greatest Common Divisor Problem
Authors: Cheon Jung Hee , Cho Wonhee , Hhan Minki , Kim Jiseung , Lee Changmin
Published: November 2020

The approximate greatest common divisor problem (ACD) and its variants have been used to construct many cryptographic primitives. In particular, the variants of the ACD problem based on Chinese remainder theorem (CRT) are being used in the constructions of a batch fully homomorphic encryption to encrypt multiple messages in one ciphertext. Despite the utility of the CRT-variant scheme, the algorithms that secures its security foundation have not been probed well enough.

In this paper, we propose two algorithms and the results of experiments in which the proposed algorithms were used to solve the variant problem. Both algorithms take the same time complexity $\begin{array}{}
\displaystyle
2^{\tilde{O}(\frac{\gamma}{(\eta-\rho)^2})}
\end{array}$ up to a polynomial factor to solve the variant problem for the bit size of samples γ, secret primes η, and error bound ρ. Our algorithm gives the first parameter condition related to η and γ size. From the results of the experiments, it has been proved that the proposed algorithms work well both in theoretical and experimental terms.
Orienting supersingular isogeny graphs
Authors: Colò Leonardo , Kohel David
Published: November 2020

We introduce a category of 𝓞-oriented supersingular elliptic curves and derive properties of the associated oriented and nonoriented ℓ-isogeny supersingular isogeny graphs. As an application we introduce an oriented supersingular isogeny Diffie-Hellman protocol (OSIDH), analogous to the supersingular isogeny Diffie-Hellman (SIDH) protocol and generalizing the commutative supersingular isogeny Diffie-Hellman (CSIDH) protocol.
Delegating a Product of Group Exponentiations with Application to Signature Schemes (Submission to Special NutMiC 2019 Issue of JMC)
Authors: Crescenzo Giovanni Di , Khodjaeva Matluba , Kahrobaei Delaram , Shpilrain Vladimir
Published: November 2020

Many public-key cryptosystems and, more generally, cryptographic protocols, use group exponentiations as important primitive operations. To expand the applicability of these solutions to computationally weaker devices, it has been advocated that a computationally weaker client (i.e., capable of performing a relatively small number of modular multiplications) delegates such primitive operations to a computationally stronger server. Important requirements for such delegation protocols include privacy of the client’s input exponent and security of the client’s output, in the sense of detecting, except for very small probability, any malicious server’s attempt to convince the client of an incorrect exponentiation result. Only recently, efficient protocols for the delegation of a fixed-based exponentiation, over cyclic and RSA-type groups with certain properties, have been presented and proved to satisfy both requirements.

In this paper we show that a product of many fixed-base exponentiations, over a cyclic groups with certain properties, can be privately and securely delegated by keeping the client’s online number of modular multiplications only slightly larger than in the delegation of a single exponentiation. We use this result to show the first delegations of entire cryptographic schemes: the well-known digital signature schemes by El-Gamal, Schnorr and Okamoto, over the q-order subgroup in ℤp, for p, q primes, as well as their variants based on elliptic curves. Previous efficient delegation results were limited to the delegation of single algorithms within cryptographic schemes.
Performance evaluation of a multihop WDM network with share-per-node L-WIXC architecture
Authors: Haque Munira , Majumder Satya P.
Published: November 2020

This paper investigates the impact of coherent and incoherent crosstalks on bit error rate of a multihop wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) transmission system with limited-wavelength-interchanging cross connects (L-WIXCs). The relation between the crosstalk and signal to crosstalk plus noise ratio at the receiver output is analyzed and redefined with an improved mathematical modeling. Quantitative analysis of the bit error rate (BER) in terms of system parameters like number of hops, number of fiber and number of wavelength channels per fiber are evaluated. The power penalty due to accumulated crosstalk at a given BER of 10−9 and the optimum system design parameters are also determined numerically. Results show that there is a significant power penalty of the order of 10–12 dB due to accumulated crosstalk depending on the number of hops. Maximum allowable number of hops at a given BER of 10−9 and number of input fibers are also evaluated.
Simulation performance signature evolution of optical inter satellite links based booster EDFA and receiver preamplifiers
Authors: Eid Mahmoud M. A. , Rashed Ahmed Nabih Zaki , El-din Ehab Salah
Published: November 2020

Aim and scope of this study is to simulate the performance signature of optical inter satellite links based booster Erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) and receiver preamplifiers. The study is simulated to demonstrated the effect of changing the propagation distances between satellites spacing based on the booster EDFA and receiver preamplifiers. Signal power amplitude, Max. Q factor, and min bit error rate are investigated against the input power variations.
Pharmaco-vigilance of oral MethylErgometrine prescriptions for delayed and secondary postpartum haemorrhage
Authors: Pallivalapila Abdul Rouf , Babarinsa Isaac A. , Al-Baloushi Mariam , Moursi Ahmed , Bayo Arabo , Thomas Binny , Mahmoud Mohd Mahmoud G
Published: November 2020

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to quantify the prescription of oral methergin tablets in a busy Women’s Hospital, assess the stated indications for such prescription and highlight the issues and safety profile of Methergin use especially in the postpartum patient.

Methods

Review of prescription data for oral Methergin and the corresponding annual figures on primary and secondary postpartum hemorrhage.

Results

Over a period of 5 years, oral Methergin prescriptions for delayed and secondary postpartum hemorrhage constituted less than 1% of the overall prescription in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, which ranged between 1214 and 2085 per year. The numbers were too few to ascertain any relationship with both types of postpartum hemorrhage. Although stated on the relevant Patient Information leaflet, no local or regional guideline on its use exist.

Conclusions

Specific and random trend monitoring of medications for continuing safety profile, risk benefit issues, or unapproved indication, may help in identifying, preventing and mitigating any medication safety matters. Clinical pharmacists in collaboration with physicians are well placed in conducting such pharmacovigilance activities to improve medication safety.
Post-fire phyllostomid assemblages in forest patches of the Pantanal wetland
Authors: Santos Carolina F. , Teixeira Reinaldo C. , Raizer Josué , Fischer Erich
Published: November 2020

We report on phyllostomid assemblages just after a wildfire and again three months later across burned and unburned forest patches. We recorded 10 species throughout the fire disturbance gradient, mainly determined by changes in the understory. Burned patches presented high abundance of predator bats right after fire, including gleaning insectivorous, carnivorous, and sanguivorous. Three months later, burned forests were empty of predators and dominated by large frugivores that occurred throughout the whole gradient in both periods. The fire appears to create ephemeral opportunity to predator phyllostomids right after its passage, but subsequent vegetation recovery seems to reduce diversity in burned forests.
Circular RNA hsa_circ_0007121 regulates proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition of trophoblast cells by miR-182-5p/PGF axis in preeclampsia
Authors: Gai Shukun , Sun Li , Wang Huiying , Yang Ping
Published: November 2020

Background

Mounting evidence has revealed that abnormal expression of circular RNAs play pivotal roles in many human diseases including preeclampsia (PE). While human sapiens circular RNA 0007121 (hsa_circ_0007121) has been verified to be downregulated in human placental tissues, the underlying mechanisms were still unclear. This research aims to investigate the effect and underlying mechanisms of hsa_circ_0007121 in preeclampsia.

Methods

The expression of hsa_circ_0007121, microRNA (miR)-182-5p, and placental growth factor (PGF) was assessed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in PE placentas relative to the expression in normal pregnancy placentas. After transfection, cell counting kit-8 assay was employed to detect cell proliferation. Cell migration and invasion were tested by the transwell assay. The relative level of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins in HTR-8/SVneo cells and PGF in placentas samples were measured by western blot. The relationship between miR-182-5p and hsa_circ_0007121 or PGF was predicated by circular RNA interactome or ENCORI and verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay.

Results

The levels of hsa_circ_0007121 and PGF were significantly declined in PE placental tissues and HTR-8/SVneo cells, whereas miR-182-5p had an opposite result. Downregulation of hsa_circ_0007121 obviously inhibited HTR-8/SVneo cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT, while upregulation of hsa_circ_0007121 promoted this process. Besides, miR-182-5p was a target gene of hsa_circ_0007121 and could target PGF. Further analysis indicated that hsa_circ_0007121 regulated the proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of HTR-8/SVneo cells via altering PGF expression by interacting with miR-182-5p.

Conclusion

Hsa_circ_0007121 mediated the progression of PE via miR-182-5p/PGF axis.
Dynamically controlling local field enhancement at an epsilon-near-zero/dielectric interface via nonlinearities of an epsilon-near-zero medium
Authors: Baev Alexander , Prasad Paras N. , Alam M. Zahirul , Boyd Robert W.
Published: November 2020

For p-polarized light incident on an interface between an ordinary dielectric and an epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) material, an enhancement of the component of the electric field, normal to this interface, has been shown to occur. This local field enhancement holds great promise for amplifying nonlinear optical processes and for other applications requiring ultrastrong local fields in epsilon-near-zero based technologies. However, the loss associated with the imaginary part of the dielectric constant of an epsilon-near-zero material can greatly suppress the field enhancement factor. In this study, we analyze, using density matrix formalism, the field enhancement factor for a saturable two-level system that exhibits second- and third-order nonlinearities. We show that, in such a system, an almost lossless ENZ response can arise as a consequence of saturable nonlinearity and that the local field enhancement factor can be readily controlled dynamically by adjusting the intensity of the incident electromagnetic wave. Our findings provide for the first time a pathway to design a material exhibiting an external field responsive epsilon-near-zero behavior for applications in nonlinear photonics.
Crystal structure of (2-amino-5-bromo-3-iodophenyl)(3-(4-chlorophenyl)oxiran-2-yl)methanone, C15H10BrClINO2
Authors: Maluleka Marole M. , Mphahlele Malose J.
Published: November 2020

C15H10BrClINO2, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 5.0083(2) Å, b = 9.7548(3) Å, c = 31.9640(10) Å, β = 92.576(2)°, V = 1560.02(9) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt(F) = 0.0416, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1059, T = 173 K.
Synthesis, crystal structure and optical property of 1,6-bis(p-tolylthio)pyrene, C30H22S2
Authors: Jing Nie , Jian-Hua Wei , Zhong-Hai Ni
Published: November 2020

C30H22S2, triclinic,

P

1
‾

$P‾{1}$

(no. 2), a = 7.5621(2) Å, b = 8.6787(3) Å, c = 9.8951(3) Å, α = 110.4180(10)°, β = 97.6810(10)°, γ = 108.8430(10)°, V = 553.33(3) Å3, Z = 1, R
gt(F) = 0.0413, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1160, T = 200(2) K.
Effect of SiO2 aerogels loading on photocatalytic degradation of nitrobenzene using composites with tetrapod-like ZnO
Authors: Yi Zhigang , Jiang Tao , Cheng Ying , Tang Qiong
Published: November 2020

To study the effect of improved adsorption property of tetrapod-like ZnO (T-ZnO) on its photocatalytic performance, a new composite was prepared by loading silica aerogels (SiO2(AG)) on the surface of T-ZnO via the sol–gel method. Various characterization methods showed that SiO2(AG) was uniformly loaded on the surface of T-ZnO, and the morphology as well as structural characteristics of SiO2(AG) and T-ZnO were not changed. Nitrobenzene (NB) was selected as the model pollutant, and the adsorption and photocatalytic properties of T-ZnO and SiO2(AG)/T-ZnO for NB were studied. The photocatalytic degradation processes of NB using T-ZnO and SiO2(AG)/T-ZnO followed the first-order reaction. Considering the initial moment reaction kinetic, the photocatalytic kinetic of SiO2(AG)/T-ZnO and T-ZnO was consistent with the Langmuir–Hinshelwood kinetic model, and reaction rate constant

k

SiO

2

AG

/
T-ZnO

′

>

k

T-ZnO

′

{k}_{{\text{SiO}}_{2}\left(\text{AG}\right)/\text{T-ZnO}}^{^{\prime} }\gt {k}_{\text{T-ZnO}}^{^{\prime} }

, adsorption rate constant

K

ad

SiO

2

(
AG
)
/
T-ZnO

{K}_{\text{ad}{\text{SiO}}_{2}(\text{AG})/\text{T-ZnO}}

> K
ad T-ZnO, which demonstrated that SiO2(AG) loading could increase T-ZnO adsorption to NB, then promoted its photocatalytic performance.
Classification and geovisualization process of soil data using a web-based spatial information system
Authors: Balla Dániel , Novák Tibor József , Kiss Emőke , Mester Tamás , Karancsi Gergő , Zichar Marianna
Published: November 2020

Because of the increased demand for information, the scientific community have published their results on the Internet over the last 20 years, adapting to society requirements. Due to the development of web-based spatial information soil systems, access to data on various themes and of varying quality has become substantially easier. The focus of our paper is to demonstrate a freely accessible and usable web-based soil database and soil information system (Soil Information and Soil Classifier System), which is suitable for geovisualization uploaded soil data and for determining reference soil groups (RSGs) in accordance with the World Reference Base of Soil Resources (WRB; RSG). In order to achieve this, we algorithmized the diagnostic soil classification process of the WRB, then we created decision trees to correspond input soil data to the WRB system. In order to facilitate geovisualization of the spatial data, the Keyhole Markup Language file format supported by Google API was applied.
Cluster analysis to the factors related to information about food fibers: A multinational study
Authors: Guiné Raquel P. F. , Correia Paula , Leal Marcela , Rumbak Ivana , Barić Irena C. , Komes Drazenka , Satalić Zvonimir , Sarić Marijana M. , Tarcea Monica , Fazakas Zita , Jovanoska Dijana , Vanevski Dragoljub , Vittadini Elena , Pellegrini Nicoletta , Szűcs Viktória , Harangozó Júlia , EL-Kenawy Ayman , EL-Shenawy Omnia , Yalçın Erkan , Kösemeci Cem , Klava Dace , Straumite Evita , Ferreira Manuela , Florença Sofia G.
Published: November 2020

The adequate intake of dietary fibers is essential to human health. Hence, this study intended to evaluate the level knowledge of about food fibers and investigate what factors might be associated with it. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample composed of 6,010 participants from ten different countries. The survey was based on a questionnaire of self-response, approved and complying with all ethical issues. The data collected were subjected to the factor analysis (FA) and the cluster analysis (CA). Validation was done by splitting the data set into two equal parts for confirmation of the results. FA concluded that ten from the 12 variables used to measure the knowledge about dietary fibre (DF) should be grouped into two dimensions or factors: one linked to health effects of DF (α= 0.854) and the other to its sources (α= 0.644). CA showed that the participants could be divided into three groups: Cluster 1 – good knowledge both about sources and health effects of DF; Cluster 2 – good knowledge about the sources of DF but poor knowledge about its health effects; Cluster 3 – poor knowledge both about sources and health effects of DF. The data were appropriate for the analysis by means of factor and CA, so that two factors and three clusters were clearly identified. Moreover, the cluster membership was found varying mostly according to the country, living environment, and level of education but not according to age or gender.
Political Humor in Ibn Mammātī'sKitāb al-Fāshūsh fi Aḥkām Qarâqûsh (The Decisions of Qarâqûsh)
Authors: Dowaidar Ibrahim
Published: November 2020

This study is an attempt to investigate medieval humor in the Ayyubid period (1171–1250). In a period of constant wars, terrible plagues, and turmoil, Ibn Mammātī wrote a pamphlet entitledKitāb al-Fāshūsh fi Aḥkām Qarâqûsh (stupidity, or the decisions of Qarâqûsh). It is a small volume which contains words and actions that Qarâqûsh could have said or done. The book is written as an attempt to ridicule one of the most important political leaders of the Ayyubid state Emir Qarâqûsh Ibn ‘Abd Allāh al-Asadī (surnamed as Bah’āaddīn Qarâqûsh) (n.d. – April 1201). The book is so influential that historical facts are overshadowed, and overwhelmed by the humorous anecdotes that branded Qarâqûsh forever as a symbol of a lunatic tyrant. This manuscript, however, is believed to be one of the oldest books on political humor in the Egyptian history (Al-Najjār 1978: 56). Therefore, using a critical discourse analysis perspective, the study seeks to examine and analyze humor and jokes in selected anecdotes from Ibn Mammātī’s book. I have drawn upon the three-dimensional model of discourse analysis developed by Norman Fairclough (1992a, 1995a, 1995b, 2001, 2003). The study aims to prove that this pamphlet has been used in the entire Islamic world in different epochs as a defense mechanism against all the ruthless sultans, kings, rulers, and presidents. I claim that these jokes have served as a sort of recreation for the people, as a means of peaceful protest, and as a silent cry against oppression and tyranny.
IUPAC/CITAC Guide: Evaluation of risks of false decisions in conformity assessment of a multicomponent material or object due to measurement uncertainty (IUPAC Technical Report)
Authors: Kuselman Ilya , Pennecchi Francesca R. , da Silva Ricardo J. N. B. , Hibbert David Brynn
Published: November 2020

Risks of a false decision on conformity of the chemical composition of a multicomponent material or object due to measurement uncertainty are defined using the Bayesian approach. Even if the conformity assessment for each particular component of a material is successful, the total probability of a false decision (total consumer’s risk or producer’s risk) concerning the material as a whole might still be significant. This is related to the specific batch, lot, sample, environmental compartment, or other item of material or object (specific consumer’s and producer’s risks), or to a population of these items (global consumer’s and producer’s risks). A model of the total probability of such false decisions for cases of independent actual (‘true’) concentrations or contents of the components and the corresponding measurement results is formulated based on the law of total probability. It is shown that the total risk can be evaluated as a combination of the particular risks in the conformity assessment of components of the item. For a more complicated task, i.e. for a larger number of components under control, the total risk is greater. When the actual values of the components’ concentrations or contents, as well as the measurement results, are correlated, they are modelled by multivariate distributions. Then, a total global risk of a false decision on the material conformity is evaluated by the calculation of integrals of corresponding joint probability density function. A total specific risk can be evaluated as the joint posterior cumulative function of actual property values of a specific item lying outside the multivariate specification (tolerance) domain when the vector of measured values obtained for the item is inside this domain. The effect of correlation on the risk is not easily predictable. Examples of the evaluation of risks are provided for conformity assessment of denatured alcohols, total suspended particulate matter in ambient air, a cold/flu medication, and a PtRh alloy.
High temperature machine: Characterization of materials for the electrical insulation
Authors: Lecointe Jean-Philippe , Duchesne Stéphane , Cozonac Dorin , Vélu Gabriel , Komeza Krzysztof
Published: November 2020

This paper aims to present and analyze the materials adapted to design a machine that can work with a high current density without any specific cooling system. In other words, the machine is equipped with material that supports high internal temperature, about 500°C. Candidate materials are selected and the authors indicate that inorganic insulation should be preferred for conductors and slot insulations. Tests are carried out on material selection through measurement of the turn-to-turn voltage, insulation resistances, and the parallel capacitances.
Review of research of nanocomposites based on graphene quantum dots
Authors: Kuznetsov Aleksey E.
Published: November 2020

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) belong to the vast and versatile family of carbon nanomaterials. Their unique position amongst versatile carbon nanoparticles (NPs) originates from the properties of quantum confinement and edge effects. GQDs are similar to conventional semiconductor QDs due to their tunable band gaps and high photoluminescence activity. However, GQDs have superior characteristics due to their excellent biocompatibility, low toxicity, good water dispersibility, large optical absorptivity, high fluorescence activity and photostability. These properties have generated significant interest in GQDs applications in various fields: nanosensor fabrication, drug delivery, photocatalysis, photovoltaics, and photodynamic therapy. Numerous GQD-based nanocomposites/nanohybrides have been synthesized and/or studied computationally. This review focuses on recent computational studies of various GQD-based nanocomposites/nanohybrides and systems which can be related to them.
Verschuldung und Investitionsschwäche der Kommunen
Authors: Beznoska Martin , Kauder Björn
Published: November 2020

Hohe Schuldenstände und im langfristigen Vergleich niedrige Investitionen sind symptomatisch für die Schieflage der Kommunalfinanzen in vielen Regionen Deutschlands. Die Autoren untersuchen die Ursachen der langfristigen Fehlentwicklungen in den kommunalen Budgets. Eine ökonometrische Analyse der nordrhein-westfälischen Kommunen, die exemplarisch für die kommunalen Finanzprobleme stehen, zeigt Determinanten von Investitionsausgaben und Verschuldung. Investitionen werden demnach von hohen Steuereinnahmen begünstigt und durch hohe Sozial- und Personalausgaben beeinträchtigt. Eine zentrale Stellschraube zur Entspannung kommunaler Haushalte sind die Sozialausgaben, über deren (Neu-) Aufteilung zwischen den föderalen Ebenen auch die regionalen Disparitäten abgebaut werden könnten. Um die Kommunen zukunftsfest zu machen, könnte man einen kommunalen Investitionsfonds auflegen, dessen Mittel ähnlich verteilt werden wie beim Zukunftsinvestitionsgesetz im Rahmen des Konjunkturpakets II nach der Finanzkrise 2008/2009.
Schulische Bildung zu Zeiten der Corona-Krise
Authors: Anger Christina , Plünnecke Axel
Published: November 2020

Zur Eindämmung der Corona-Pandemie wurden die Schulen in Deutschland und in vielen anderen Ländern im März geschlossen. Homeschooling sollte verhindern, dass die Leistungen der Schülerinnen und Schüler abnehmen und die Ungleichheit der Bildungsleistungen steigt. Fehlende Konzepte und Erfahrungen der Lehrkräfte mit digitalem Fernunterricht sowie Ausstattungsmängel ließen jedoch vermuten, dass größere Lerndefizite entstanden sein dürften. Eine erste Studie aus Belgien bestätigt diese Befürchtungen. Die Ergebnisse dürften sich auf Deutschland übertragen lassen, denn auch hier bestehen erhebliche Defizite an digitalgestützten Lehrkonzepten. Um Vorsorge für den Fall neuerlicher Schulschließungen zu treffen und die Lücken zumindest in Teilen wieder zu verringern, sollte man die Chancen der Digitalisierung zur Verbesserung des Unterrichts nutzen. Erste Impulse hat es bereits gegeben: Die Ausstattung mit digitalen Endgeräten bessert sich, Lehrplattformen stehen zur Verfügung, digitale Bildungsinhalte werden entwickelt. Auch der WLAN-Zugang an den Schulen soll in den kommenden Jahren im Zuge der praktischen Umsetzung des Digitalpakts verbessert werden. Als nächste Schritte gilt es die Lehrkräfte weiterzubilden, Feedback-Mechanismen zum Unterricht zu schaffen, die Lehrkräfte durch IT-Support zu unterstützen und Lerninhalte auf den Plattformen motivierend und effektiv darzureichen, begleitet durch wissenschaftliche Evaluation.
The basal ganglia corticostriatal loops and conditional learning
Authors: Yahya Keyvan
Published: November 2020

Brief maneuvering of the literature as to the various roles attributed to the basal ganglia corticostriatal circuits in a variety of cognitive processes such as working memory, selective attention, and category learning has inspired us to investigate the interplay of the two major basal ganglia open-recurrent loops, namely, visual and executive loops specifically the possible involvement of their overlap in conditional learning. We propose that the interaction of the visual and executive loops reflected through their cortical overlap in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DL-PFC), lateral orbitofrontal cortex (LO-PFC), and presupplementary motor area (SMA) plays an instrumental role preliminary first in forming associations between a series of correct responses following similar stimuli and then in shifting, abstracting, and generalizing conditioned responses. The premotor and supplementary motor areas have been shown essential to producing a sequence of movements while the SMA is engaged in monitoring complex movements. In light of the recent studies, we will suggest that the interaction of visual and executive loops could strengthen or weaken learned associations following different reward values. Furthermore, we speculate that the overlap of the visual and executive loops can account for the switching between the associative vs. rule-based category learning systems.
Application of mutual information estimation for predicting the structural stability of pentapeptides
Authors: Mikhalskii A. I. , Petrov I. V. , Tsurko V. V. , Anashkina A. A. , Nekrasov A. N.
Published: November 2020

A novel non-parametric method for mutual information estimation is presented. The method is suited for informative feature selection in classification and regression problems. Performance of the method is demonstrated on problem of stable short peptide classification.
A stable method for 4D CT-based CFD simulation in the right ventricle of a TGA patient
Authors: Vassilevski Yuri , Danilov Alexander , Lozovskiy Alexander , Olshanskii Maxim , Salamatova Victoria , Chang Su Min , Han Yushui , Lin Chun Huie
Published: November 2020

The paper discusses a stabilization of a finite element method for the equations of fluid motion in a time-dependent domain. After experimental convergence analysis, the method is applied to simulate a blood flow in the right ventricle of a post-surgery patient with the transposition of the great arteries disorder. The flow domain is reconstructed from a sequence of 4D CT images. The corresponding segmentation and triangulation algorithms are also addressed in brief.
Embodied ekphrasis of experience: Bodily rhetoric in mediating affect in interaction
Authors: Rautajoki Hanna , Toikkanen Jarkko , Raudaskoski Pirkko
Published: November 2020

The article investigates the rhetorical means of mediating affective experience in occasioned storytelling.

The completion of this article has been supported by The Emil Aaltonen Foundation and The Academy of Finland project (285144) The Literary in Life and The Academy of Finland project (326645) European Solidarities in Turmoil.

We are interested in the forms and aspects of bodily action in signifying and communicating a “para-factual experience” that was triggered by a real-life incident, but in fact only took place in a person’s imagination. We explore the case of a TV interview in which an American living in Finland narrates a personal, disturbing experience related to the news about 9/11. The story presents a visual scenario of the teller’s affective reaction towards two Muslim women in a grocery store. What is interesting in the story are its involuntary dimensions: the scenario portrays a picture of the teller that he finds unrecognizable and detached from his sense of self as a person. Even if the act was never actually realized, to the teller it felt real and compelling, as is manifest in the way he translates the scenario into a bodily performance. The teller not only uses his body to tell the story but momentarily turns the surrounding setting into a scene in the storyworld in which he plays the unidentified me. We call this physical performance of the imagined scene the embodied ekphrasis of experience.

In Semiotica, the rhetorical device of ekphrasis has appeared before (see Frosh 2003; Hopkins 2015; Nesselroth 2016; Sarapik 2009) from such literary and linguistic perspectives, as well as through the lens of media research and cultural studies, to which our application will add from the viewpoint of ethnomethodology and the social sciences.

Deploying research on multimodal interaction and intermediality, our empirical analysis explicates how the teller’s body, and not just words, build action, convey affective meaning, and resemiotize and mobilize a physical enactment of the past hypothetical scene.
Imago Dei: Metaphorical conceptualization of pictorial artworks within a participant-based framework
Authors: Poppi Fabio I. M. , Bolognesi Marianna , Ojha Amitash
Published: November 2020

This article presents an exploratory analysis of the metaphoric structure of five artistic paintings within “Think aloud” protocols, in which a group of 14 English speakers with a low self-rated level of expertise in art and history of art expertise were asked to verbalize all their thoughts, ideas and impressions of the artworks. The main findings of this study can be summarized as follows: (1) multiple interpretations for the same artwork are possible, (2) the interpretations of the metaphorical structures described by the participants often diverge from those advanced by the researchers. These findings challenge the methods by which metaphor identification and analysis in pictorials is currently approached. As a matter of fact, most of the research in pictorial metaphors tends to reduce stimuli such as artistic paintings to unique metaphoric interpretations generally produced by a single researcher by means of introspection. By addressing this methodological problem in metaphor research, this article contributes to the development of a theoretical and operational participant-based framework that takes into account the role of metaphoric conceptualization within the domain of art and art cognition.
Introduction: A sociosemiotic exploration of identity and discourse
Authors: Cheng Le , Ye Ning , Machin David
Published: November 2020

Among the categories of the telecom and internet frauds, the online romance scam is of particular concern for its sharp rise of victim numbers and the huge amount of cost. A social semiotic approach could be used to investigate the victim identity of the online romance scam from the aspects of the (re)construction and interpretation of discursive practices. The range of papers in this section shows that the study of text, context and the way that people use semiotic resources to produce communication, to create and manage events and to interpret them.
Re-exploring Language development and identity construction of Hui nationality in China: a sociosemiotic perspective
Authors: Yang Xiaolin , Li Jian
Published: November 2020

The present study attempts to investigate and analyze the relationship between the language used by the Hui nationality, its social situation, and identity construction from a sociosemiotic perspective, and makes a further discussion on the process of identity construction via language convergence, divergence, and maintenance. It goes further to put forward the distinction between social identity/ethnic identity and group identity/personal identity as well as the roles that language convergence and divergence have played within these identity constructions, proposes that language convergence and divergence are the two crucial language strategies utilized by people in code switching, therefrom constructing a dynamic balanced identity system recursively.
Utilisation of pain counselling in osteopathic practice: secondary analysis of a nationally representative sample of Australian osteopaths
Authors: Fitzgerald Kylie , Vaughan Brett , Fleischmann Michael , Pritchard Shane , Mulcahy Jane , Austin Phil
Published: November 2020

Objectives

Advice, reassurance and education are recommended as first line treatments for musculoskeletal pain conditions such as low back pain. Osteopaths are registered primary contact allied health professionals in the Australian healthcare system who primarily manage acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions. This study aimed to investigate the proportion of Australian osteopaths who do and do not utilise advice, reassurance and education (pain counselling) in their clinical practice, and determine the characteristics associated with the frequency of using pain counselling in clinical practice.

Methods

A secondary analysis of practice characteristics from a nationally representative sample of Australian osteopaths was undertaken. Participants completed a 27-item practice characteristics questionnaire between July-December 2016. Bivariate analyses were used to identify significant variables for inclusion in a backward multiple logistic regression model. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated for significant variables.

Results

Responses were received from 991 Australian osteopaths, representing 49% of the profession. Of these 264 (26.64%) indicated often utilising pain counselling, and 727 (73.36%) reported not often utilising pain counselling. Those who utilised pain counselling were more than twice as likely to report research evidence had a high impact on their clinical practice (OR 2.11), and nearly twice as likely to discuss physical activity with their patients (OR 1.84).

Conclusions

Pain counselling is under-utilised by nearly three quarters of the Australian osteopathic profession as a management strategy. Future studies are required to explore the reasons why most in the profession comprised in this sample are infrequently utilising this guideline recommendation. Given the frequency of chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions presenting to Australian osteopaths, strategies appear to be needed to advance the profession via professional development in accessing and using evidence-based care for pain conditions.
Postoperative opioids and risk of respiratory depression – A cross-sectional evaluation of routines for administration and monitoring in a tertiary hospital
Authors: Andersen Karoline Kolås , Kvarstein Gunnvald
Published: November 2020

Objectives

Opioids are the most potent analgesics in the treatment of postoperative pain. Respiratory depression is, however, a serious side effect. The aims of this study were to evaluate current practice and routines for post-operative administration of opioids in a Norwegian university hospital and to evaluate whether the clinical safeguards adequately protected patients’ safety regarding risk of respiratory depression.

Methods

The study had a retrospective cross-sectional design and included 200 patients, treated with opioids postoperatively. The patients were treated in a post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) before transferal to a surgical ward. Relevant data such as opioid dosages, routes of administration, sedation and respiratory function, routines for patient monitoring, and numbers of patients with opioid induced respiratory depression was collected.

Results

Two patients (1%) developed respiratory depression that needed naloxone to reverse the effect, and 32 patients (16%) had a respiratory rate (RR) <10/min, which may have been caused by opioids. In the PACU, the patient’s RR was evaluated on a routine base, but after transferal to a surgical ward RR documented in only 7% of the patients.

Conclusions

The lack of routines for patient monitoring, especially RR, represented a risk of not detecting opioid induced respiratory depression.
Umstrittene Säkularität
Authors: Schröder Stefan
Published: November 2020

Der vorliegende Beitrag diskutiert das Konzept eines säkularen Religionsunterrichts als fachdidaktischen Ausgangspunkt einer religionswissenschaftlich ausgerichteten schulischen Religionskunde. „Säkularität“ erweist sich in diesem Zusammenhang alscontested concept: Eine religionswissenschaftlich-konzeptionelle Perspektive, die Säkularität als eine weltanschaulich neutrale Metaperspektive interpretiert (Säkularität 1), steht idealtypisch einer individuell-identitätsformativen (Säkularität 2) sowie einer weltanschaulich-normativen (Säkularität 3) Interpretation eines säkularen Religionsunterrichts gegenüber, die in der schulpraktischen Wirklichkeit in Deutschland historisch dominieren. Der Artikel mündet in ein Plädoyer für einen differenzierteren und bewussteren bildungspolitischen Umgang mit einer säkularen Rahmung von Religion/en in religionsbezogenem Unterricht in Deutschland und eine Stärkung des von der Religionswissenschaft präferierten Säkularitätsverständnisses.
Three new cadmium(II) coordination compounds based on 2-(pyridin-3-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline: syntheses, structures and luminescence
Authors: Xu Bing , Han Zhong-Xi , Hu Huai-Ming
Published: November 2020

Three cadmium(II) coordination compounds, [Cd(pyip)2(CH3COO)2] (1), [Cd(pyip)2(cis-OH)2]·H2O (2) and [Cd(pyip)2(trans-OH)2]·3H2O (3), based on 2-(pyridin-3-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline (pyip) have been synthesized by a hydrothermal method and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compounds 1, 2 and 3 all appear as monomeric entities, which are further assembled into supramolecular networks by hydrogen bonding interactions. The Cd(II) centers in compounds 2 and 3 lie in distinct octahedral environments with the hydroxyl groups in cis- and trans-positions, respectively, leading to the generation of different structures . Photoluminescence studies of compounds 1–3 were also carried out.
Three of a kind? The non-isotypic triple CsCe[P2Se6], CsSm[P2Se6] and CsEr[P2Se6]
Authors: Schulz Beate M. , Lange Pia L. , Schleid Thomas
Published: November 2020

Three new compounds of the CsLn[P2Se6] family with Ln = Ce, Sm and Er have been prepared and structurally characterized. Plate-shaped, amber-colored single crystals of these cesium lanthanoid(III) hexaselenodiphosphates(IV) were obtained by heating stoichiometric amounts of Ln, P and Se with CsCl as a reactive flux in fused silica ampoules at 800 °C for four days. CsCe[P2Se6] crystallizes monoclinically in space group P21/c with a = 1297.86(9), b = 776.24(5), c = 1198.43(8) pm, β = 106.589(3)° and Z = 4. The structure is isotypic with that of KLa[P2Se6], the Cs+ cations being ten-fold coordinated by selenium atoms to form double layers of condensed [CsSe10]19− polyhedra. Ce3+ resides in a nine-fold coordination and the [CeSe9]15− polyhedra also form double layers parallel to (100). CsSm[P2Se6] crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group P212121 with a = 688.67(5), b = 754.48(5), c = 2215.21(15) pm and Z = 4. Its structure is isotypic with that of KY[P2Se6] and the Cs+ cations reside in an eleven-fold coordination of selenium atoms constituting monolayers of condensed [CsSe11]21− polyhedra within the (001) plane. Sm3+ exhibits an eight-fold coordination sphere of selenium atoms and the [SmSe8]13− polyhedra are also linked to build up parallel monolayers. CsEr[P2Se6] crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c again, but forms its own structure type with the lattice parameters a = 753.81(5), b = 1281.92(9), c = 1276.47(9) pm and β = 106.898(3)° and Z = 4. The Cs+ cations are twelve-fold coordinated by selenium atoms and erects a three-dimensional framework of condensed [CsSe12]23− polyhedra. The Er3+ cations show seven selenium atoms as neighbors and the [ErSe7]11− polyhedra are edge-connected to form discrete dimers [Er2Se12]18−. All three structures have similar ethane-like [P2Se6]4– anions in staggered conformation with bond lengths of 219–226 pm for d(P1–P2) and 213–222 pm for d(P–Se), which connect the Cs+ and Ln

3+
coordination polyhedra into three-dimensional crystal structures.