bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Erasable Photopatterning of Stilbene‐Based Metal‐Organic Framework Films
Authors: Li Na , Gu Zhi‐Gang , Zhang Jian
Published: March 2023

The development of photosensitive materials for erasable photopatterning is of significant interest in anti‐counterfeiting and information storage applications. Herein two kinds of stilbene‐based metal‐organic framework (MOF) films with layer by layer method for studying photopatterning is reported. The resulting 2D Zn2(sdc)2 MOF film (sdc = 4,4′‐stilbenedicarboxylate) exhibits excellent photosensitive features with a very short photoconversion time (<35 s) while the 3D MOF Zn4O(sdc)6 film does not have the property due to the fact that only parallel and short distance arrangement of olefin groups in the adjacent MOF layers can trigger [2+2] photocycloaddition. Furthermore, the Zn2(sdc)2 film indicates obvious reversible fluorescent photoswitch behavior between yellow and blue fluorescence emission, which can achieve high‐efficient, erasable photopatterning with various sizes (ca. 20 microns to decimeter). This study not only develops a new kind of photosensitive crystalline network film but also provides erasable photopatterning from macroscopic to microscopic in optical applications.
Plastic energy evaluation of bilinear SDOF systems with fluid viscous dampers
Authors: Sebaq Mohammed Samier , Zhou Ying , Song Ge , Xiao Yi
Published: March 2023

Current seismic practices are more concerned with dissipating a significant portion of seismic input energy than with lateral load resistance, as well as with determining seismic demands of structures using response spectra. This study aims to improve the knowledge of the plastic energy spectra (
) of single‐degree‐of‐freedom systems (SDOF) equipped with fluid viscous dampers (FVDs). This type of dampers is characterized by its supplemental damping ratio
and velocity power
. Using nonlinear dynamic analyses, the
and its ratio to the input energy (
) are determined using near‐field‐pulse, near‐field‐non‐pulse and far‐field ground motions. Parametric studies are conducted to investigate the effect of ground motion types, original system features and FVD characteristics on
spectra. The results show that ground motion types have a considerable influence on the
for systems with FVDs, while they are not effective for systems without FVDs. Increasing FVD nonlinearity (decreasing α) is more effective to reduce the
under near‐field‐non‐pulse and far‐field motions than under near‐field‐pulse ground motions for structures with
 > 1 s. The paper further developed a prediction equation for estimating
for SDOF systems without and with FVDs, which can serve as a useful tool to analyse structural damage for energy‐based seismic design.
Invariants of Multi-linkoids
Authors: Gabrovšek Boštjan , Gügümcü Neslihan
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we extend the definition of a knotoid to multi-linkoids that consist of a finite number of knot and knotoid components. We study invariants of multi-linkoids, such as the Kauffman bracket polynomial, ordered bracket polynomial, the Kauffman skein module, and the T-invariant in relation with generalized $$\Theta $$
Θ
-graphs.
Good clinical outcomes, a high level of patient satisfaction and an acceptable re-operation rate are observed 7–10 years after augmented hip abductor tendon repair
Authors: Ebert Jay R. , Jain Mikhil , Janes Gregory C.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

To investigate the clinical outcome, level of patient satisfaction, re-injury and re-operation rates of patients 7–10 years after augmented hip abductor tendon repair.

Methods

Between October 2012 and May 2015, 146 patients were referred to the senior author with symptomatic hip abductor tendon tears, of which 110 (101 female, 92%) were included in the current study and underwent hip abductor tendon repair augmented with LARS. Patients had a mean age of 63.2 years (range 43–82), body mass index of 27.8 (range 20.0–40.2) and duration of symptoms of 3.6 years (range 6 months–18 years). Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were evaluated pre-operatively and at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months, as well as 7–10 years post-operatively, including the Oxford Hip Score (OHS), 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), a Visual Analogue Pain Scale (VAS) evaluating the frequency (VAS-F) and severity (VAS-S) of hip pain, and patient satisfaction. Adverse events, surgical failures, revisions and subsequent treatments on the ipsilateral hip were reported.

Results

A significant improvement (p < 0.05) was observed for all PROMs and, while a mean deterioration was observed for all PROMs from 24 months to final review (7–10 years), these were not significant (n.s.). In the 90 patients retained and assessed at final review, 93% were satisfied with their hip pain relief and 89% with their ability to participate in recreational activities. Overall, 9 (of 110, 8.2%) surgical failures were observed over the 7–10-year follow-up period.

Conclusions

Good clinical scores, a high level of patient satisfaction and an acceptable re-injury rate were observed at 7–10 years after augmented hip abductor tendon repair, demonstrating satisfactory repair longevity.

Level of evidence

IV.
Near real-time global ionospheric total electron content modeling and nowcasting based on GNSS observations
Authors: Jin Xulei , Song Shuli
Published: March 2023

For the purposes of routinely providing reliable and low-latency Global Ionosphere Maps (GIMs), a method of estimating hourly updated near real-time GIM with a time latency of about 1–2 h based on a 24-h data sliding window of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) near real-time observations and real-time data streams was presented. On the basis of the implementation of near real-time GIM estimation, an hourly updated GIM nowcasting method was further proposed to improve the accurate of short-term total electron content (TEC) prediction. We estimated the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory near real-time GIM (SHUG) and nowcasting GIM (SHPG) in the solar relatively active year (2014) and quiet year (2021), and employed GIMs provided by the International GNSS Service, the Global Positioning System (GPS) differential slant TECs (dSTECs) extracted from global independent GNSS stations, and the vertical TECs (VTECs) inverted from satellite altimetry as the references to validate the estimated results. The GPS dSTECs evaluation results show that SHUG behaves fairly consistent with the rapid GIMs, with a discrepancy of less than 1 TEC unit (TECu) overall. The standard deviations (STDs) of SHUG with respect to Jason-2/-3 VTECs are no more than 10% over the majority of rapid GIMs due to the instability of observations. The performance of 1-h nowcasting SHPG is significantlybetter than the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) 1-day predicted GIM (C1PG). GPS dSTEC validation results indicate that 1-h nowcasting SHPG is 1 to 2 TECu more reliable than C1PG in eventful ionospheric electron activity regions, and it outperforms the C1PG by 10% overall versus Jason-2/-3 VTECs. The hourly updated SHUG and SHPG have relatively high reliability and low time latency, and thus can provide excellent service for (near) real-time users and offer more accurate TEC background information than daily predicted GIM for real-time GIM estimation.
Nomogram for predicting fulminant necrotizing enterocolitis
Authors: Li Weibo , Zhang Chen , Li Wenli , Qin Fanyue , Gao Xiang , Xu Falin
Published: March 2023

Background

Fulminant necrotizing enterocolitis (FNEC) is the most serious subtype of NEC and has a high mortality rate and a high incidence of sequelae. Onset prediction can help in the establishment of a customized treatment strategy. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a predictive nomogram for FNEC.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective observation to study the clinical data of neonates diagnosed with NEC (Bell stage ≥ IIB). Neonates were divided into the FNEC and NEC groups. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to construct the nomogram model. The performance of the nomogram was assessed using area under the curve, calibration analysis, and decision curve analysis.

Results

A total of 206 neonate cases were included, among which 40 (19.4%) fulfilled the definition of FNEC. The identified predictors were assisted ventilation after NEC onset; shock at NEC onset; feeding volumes before NEC onset; neutrophil counts on the day of NEC onset; and neutrophil, lymphocyte, and monocyte counts on day 1 after NEC onset. The nomogram exhibited good discrimination, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.884 (95% CI 0.825–0.943). The predictive model was well calibrated. Decision curve analysis confirmed the clinical usefulness of this nomogram.

Conclusion

A nomogram with a potentially effective application was developed to facilitate the individualized prediction of FNEC, with the hope of providing further direction for the early diagnosis of FNEC and timing of intervention.
Financial model construction of a cross-border e-commerce platform based on machine learning
Authors: Zhou Kan
Published: March 2023

With the development of informatization, traditional industries have been seriously impacted by cross-border e-commerce (CBEC), and the financial management mode no longer meets the needs of CBEC users. As cross-border electronic trading platforms face enormous financial data challenges, they need financial supervision and effective network risk protection. Artificial intelligence (AI) can effectively improve the financial accounting ability and resource integration of platforms. However, at present, the underdeveloped financial management system of CBEC platforms and problems, such as the running records of platform funds have seriously hindered the development of the financial standardization of platforms because the financial management system affects managers’ statistical analysis of financial data. Therefore, this paper analyzes the financial risks, the management problems and the causes of these problems of CBEC platforms and then uses AI to study the financial operation of CBEC platforms. Subsequently, this paper uses a machine learning (ML) algorithm to analyze the financial data clustering center and the security factor of the financial model. Finally, this paper proposes some corresponding strategies for financial model optimization and construction that can improve the information security and capital management of CBEC finance and promote the long-term development of CBEC platforms. The experimental results show that the classifier value and the safety factor of the financial model of CBEC platforms gradually increase under the ML algorithm. The mean value of the classifier value is approximately 1.14, and the mean value of the safety factor is approximately 1.37. Overall, the initial value of the classifier value of the platform financial model is 0.85, which increases to 1.41 on the seventh day, while the whole process increases by 0.56. The initial value of the safety factor of the platform financial model is 1.10, which increases to 1.64 on the seventh day, while the whole process increases by 0.54. The transaction information security and financial accounting accuracy of the CBEC platform financial model is better than that of the original financial model. The transaction information security is 10.4% higher than that of the original financial model, and the financial accounting accuracy is 10% higher than that of the original financial model. In other words, both AI and ML can promote the financial accounting standards and long-term development of CBEC platforms.
Dynamic capabilities of maritime infrastructure: conceptual design of merchant vessels with usability in crisis
Authors: Hirayama Satoshi , Ichinose Yasuo , Wanaka Shinnosuke , Moser Bryan , Hiekata Kazuo
Published: March 2023

Today’s social infrastructure, e.g., transportation, medical services, energy supply and distribution, may become temporarily unable to provide functions due to the damage to buildings or excessive congestion resulting from threats, such as natural disasters, rising sea levels, pandemics. Maritime-based responses, typified by hospital ships, are drawing attention as a method to mitigate these effects. However, while designing emergency infrastructure, it is necessary to consider not only the value of these systems in emergencies but also during normal times. This study adopts the systems approach, a set of methods to conduct decision-making when complex stakeholders’ relationships are involved. We focus on medical functions and propose a conceptual design for a flexible hospital ship with dynamic capability during emergencies as well as normal times. Specifically, we examine the optimal combination of ship type, size, navigation range during normal times, operations during emergencies, and contract approaches. Quantitative evaluation of utility during emergencies and economic efficiency are considered in tradeoff. In addition to the conventional cost-based study, we examined benefit–cost through ship sharing, in which ships are leased to the private sector as merchant vessels during normal times to generate revenue.
Combining and evaluating function-oriented solutions in model-based systems engineering
Authors: Irnich Lukas , Jacobs Georg , Zerwas Thilo , Konrad Christian
Published: March 2023

Increasing complexity and shorter innovation cycles require a rethink in the development of mechatronic products. A function-oriented development process using model-based systems engineering (MBSE) methods promises to identify technical solutions via solution-neutral functional architectures. Since each function can typically be realized by multiple, alternative solutions the combinatorial number of overall system solutions explodes. Existing MBSE approaches enable to establish functional architectures as well as support the verification of solutions. However, evaluating different solution combinations with the current state of research involves repetitive and time-consuming modeling which leads to a heuristic selection of potentially suboptimal solutions. In this paper, we present a method for the systematic and function-oriented composition and model-based evaluation of solution combinations. Alternative solutions are structured based on a functional architecture, so that each possible solution combination can be composed and simulated with a minimum of effort, considering physical interactions and the efficiency. Based on simulation results, solution combinations can be verified against requirements and evaluated striving for the best solution combination. The elaborated method extends an existing MBSE approach and is illustrated by the running example of an electrical coolant pump of a passenger vehicle.
Effect of generator torque ripple optimization on a geared wind turbine drivetrain
Authors: van Binsbergen Diederik , Valavi Mostafa , Nejad Amir R. , Helsen Jan
Published: March 2023

In this paper, the load effect of torque ripple reduction of a wind turbine generator is analyzed on the high-speed shaft gear stage and high-speed shaft bearings, which are the nearest components to the generator. Two generator designs with different torque ripples for the NREL 5‑MW reference wind turbine are considered. A decoupled analysis method is used, where global loads and torque ripple loads are used as input to a multibody model of the drivetrain in order to analyze the gear and bearing load response. Two different multibody models are considered in this work; one traditional decoupled model without generator inertia and one model with additional coupling and generator. For the model without generator inertia, statistical changes are observed for the load case with the largest torque ripple. This subsequently causes a limited increase in gear root bending damage and bearing fatigue damage. For the load case with the smallest torque ripple a limited statistical change and no damage increase is observed. For the model that includes the coupling and the generator, no statistical changes are observed between the simulation with the largest torque ripple and the smallest torque ripple. This is due to the torque ripple load that is expended to overcome the large inertia of the generator.
Virtual sensing of wind turbine hub loads and drivetrain fatigue damage
Authors: Mehlan Felix C. , Keller Jonathan , Nejad Amir R.
Published: March 2023

This paper presents a Digital Twin for virtual sensing of wind turbine aerodynamic hub loads, as well as monitoring the accumulated fatigue damage and remaining useful life in drivetrain bearings based on measurements of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and the drivetrain condition monitoring system (CMS). The aerodynamic load estimation is realized with data-driven regression models, while the estimation of local bearing loads and damage is conducted with physics-based, analytical models. Field measurements of the DOE 1.5 research turbine are used for model training and validation. The results show low errors of 6.4% and 1.1% in the predicted damage at the main and the generator side high-speed bearing respectively.
On a new methodology for testing full load responses of wind turbine drivetrains on a test bench
Authors: Siddiqui Muhammad Omer , Nejad Amir R. , Wenske Jan
Published: March 2023

Today’s nacelle test benches are facing several challenges regarding meeting the increasing demands of modern wind turbines, which have been growing rapidly in operational range, size, and complexity. These challenges include reproducing the demanded extreme loads, dynamic load bandwidth, power capacity, and cost of testing. This contribution presents a new testing approach to tackle some of the aforementioned challenges faced by existing nacelle test benches. The method is demonstrated in a case study involving experimental measurements and simulations of a multi-megawatt wind turbine drivetrain recently tested at the DyNaLab of Fraunhofer IWES. By combining high-fidelity simulation models and partial load tests, the proposed approach has shown high potential for representing the full load response of a wind turbine nacelle. The proposed testing methodology has potential for resolving some of the challenges being faced by modern test benches in terms of obtaining full load responses on a nacelle test bench with a possibility of reducing the cost of testing.
Extension of the system boundary of the Digital Twin onto the sensors of the Physical Twin through the introduction of redundant soft sensors
Authors: Fett Michel , Turner Eleanor , Breimann Richard , Kirchner Eckhard
Published: March 2023

The benefit of Digital Twins depends to a large extent on the quality of the sensor data provided. In many cases, sensor failures are only detected late in operation which can lead to serious consequences. For this reason, one approach to reduce the resulting safety issues is to use redundant sensor systems that monitor the same measureand. However, due to the additional sensors required, this is associated with additional financial and design effort.

In this publication an alternative strategy is presented, which provides a redundant sensor system with the help of soft sensors. Soft sensors use already installed physical sensors to anticipate a new measured variable via algorithms. They are often used to avoid placing sensors in inaccessible locations, but are used here to perform redundant computation of already existing metrics. The sensor data of physical and soft sensors are used as input variables for a Digital Twin. Here, these are compared with each other and can be critically questioned by the twin itself. This makes it possible to extend the system boundary of the Digital Twin to the sensors themselves and provided input variables can be checked for their validity. This allows sensor failures to be detected at an early stage and consequential damage to be averted.
Effects of wind field characteristics on pitch bearing reliability: a case study of 5 MW reference wind turbine at onshore and offshore sites
Authors: Rezaei Ashkan , Guo Yi , Keller Jonathan , Nejad Amir R.
Published: March 2023

This paper presents a study on pitch bearing basic rating life affected by wind field characteristics at both onshore and offshore wind sites. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory 5 MW reference wind turbine is selected for the study. Wind field characteristics including reference hub height mean wind speed, wind speed distribution, wind shear, and vertical inflow are studied. A decoupled approach is employed where global analysis is performed first. Second, the load effects from the global analysis are applied on a reference pitch bearing designed based on best industrial practices. For the case study onshore site, it is found that the Kernel density estimation best fits the wind distribution, while the International Electrotechnical Commission proposed distribution appears to be not suitable. Moreover, it is shown that the seed number has high effect on the bearing life in turbulence wind and the wind speeds around rated have the highest contribution in both bearing fatigue damage and extreme load failure. The results contribute to better understanding of the wind field characteristics on the pitch bearing life.
Outbreak of OXA-48-producing Enterobacteriaceae in a neonatal intensive care unit in Western Sweden
Authors: Hallbäck Erika Tång , Johnning Anna , Myhrman Sofia , Studahl Marie , Hentz Elisabet , Elfvin Anders , Adlerberth Ingegerd
Published: March 2023

In 2015, an outbreak caused by OXA-48-producing Enterobacteriaceae affected a neonatal intensive care unit at a Swedish University Hospital. The aim was to explore the transmission of OXA-48-producing strains between infants and the transfer of resistance plasmids between strains during the outbreak. Twenty-four outbreak isolates from ten suspected cases were whole-genome sequenced. A complete assembly was created for the index isolate (Enterobacter cloacae) and used as a mapping reference to detect its plasmids in the remaining isolates (17 Klebsiella pneumoniae, 4 Klebsiella aerogenes, and 2 Escherichia coli). Strain typing was performed using core genome MLST and SNP analysis. As judged from sequencing and clinical epidemiological data, the outbreak involved nine cases (two developed sepsis) and four OXA-48-producing strains: E. cloacae ST1584 (index case), K. pneumoniae ST25 (eight cases), K. aerogenes ST93 (two cases), and E. coli ST453 (2 cases). Two plasmids from the index strain, pEclA2 and pEclA4, carrying blaOXA48 and blaCMY-4, respectively, were traced to all K. pneumoniae ST25 isolates. Klebsiella aerogenes ST93 and E. coli ST453 harboured either only pEclA2, or both pEclA2 and pEclA4. One suspected case harbouring OXA-162-producing K. pneumoniae ST37 could be excluded from the outbreak. Once initiated by an E. cloacae strain, the outbreak was caused by the dissemination of a K. pneumoniae ST25 strain and involved inter-species horizontal transfer of two resistance plasmids, one of which carried blaOXA-48. To our knowledge, this is the first description of an outbreak of OXA-48-producing Enterobacteriaceae in a neonatal setting in northern Europe.
Low-level cationisation of cotton opens a chemical saving route to salt free reactive dyeing
Authors: Setthayanond Jantip , Netzer Felix , Seemork Kattika , Suwanruji Potjanart , Bechtold Thomas , Pham Tung , Manian Avinash P.
Published: March 2023

Cationisation of cellulose fibres has been studied extensively as an alternative to permit salt free reactive dyeing, however chemical balances of the cationisation reaction often are not taken into account. The chemical consumption of cationisation processes described in the literature is substantial and often over-compensates savings in salt in a conventional reactive dyeing. Besides very high consumption of chemicals the high level of cationisation generates problems of uneven dyeings and shade variations. In a new approach low concentrations of 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride (CHPTAC) were applied in a pad batch cationisation process for cotton fabric to achieve a low level cationisation. The cationic group content of the processed fibres ranged from 5 to 79 mmol kg−1. Exhaust dyeing experiments with Reactive Blue 19 demonstrated that a salt free reactive dyeing is possible with low cationic group content 14 mmol kg−1. The optimised low-level cationisation reduces the overall chemical consumption of the reactive dyeing, and thus represents a cleaner alternative to present reactive dyeing operations which are based on addition of high amounts of salt.
Integrative comparative analysis of avian chromosome evolution by in-silico mapping of the gene ontology of homologous synteny blocks and evolutionary breakpoint regions
Authors: Claeys Jules , Romanov Michael N. , Griffin Darren K.
Published: March 2023

Avian chromosomes undergo more intra- than interchromosomal rearrangements, which either induce or are associated with genome variations among birds. Evolving from a common ancestor with a karyotype not dissimilar from modern chicken, two evolutionary elements characterize evolutionary change: homologous synteny blocks (HSBs) constitute common conserved parts at the sequence level, while evolutionary breakpoint regions (EBRs) occur between HSBs, defining the points where rearrangement occurred. Understanding the link between the structural organization and functionality of HSBs and EBRs provides insight into the mechanistic basis of chromosomal change. Previously, we identified gene ontology (GO) terms associated with both; however, here we revisit our analyses in light of newly developed bioinformatic algorithms and the chicken genome assembly galGal6. We aligned genomes available for six birds and one lizard species, identifying 630 HSBs and 19 EBRs. We demonstrate that HSBs hold vast functionality expressed by GO terms that have been largely conserved through evolution. Particularly, we found that genes within microchromosomal HSBs had specific functionalities relevant to neurons, RNA, cellular transport and embryonic development, and other associations. Our findings suggest that microchromosomes may have conserved throughout evolution due to the specificity of GO terms within their HSBs. The detected EBRs included those found in the genome of the anole lizard, meaning they were shared by all saurian descendants, with others being unique to avian lineages. Our estimate of gene richness in HSBs supported the fact that microchromosomes contain twice as many genes as macrochromosomes.
Stochastic Approximation Procedures for Lévy-Driven SDEs
Authors: Seidler Jan , Týbl Ondřej
Published: March 2023

We consider a continuous-time Robbins–Monro-type stochastic approximation procedure for a system described by a (multidimensional) stochastic differential equation driven by a general Lévy process, and we find sufficient conditions for its convergence in terms of Lyapunov functions. While the jump part of the noise may spoil convergence to the root of the drift in some cases, we show that by a suitable choice of noise coefficients we obtain convergence under hypotheses on the drift weaker than those used in the diffusion case or convergence to a selected root in the case of multiple roots of the drift.
Role of particle rotation in sheared granular media
Authors: Ali Usman , Kikumoto Mamoru , Cui Ying , Ciantia Matteo , Previtali Marco
Published: March 2023

When granular assemblies are subject to external loads or displacements, particles interact with each other through contact and may exhibit translations and rotations. From a micromechanical perspective, particle rotations are an essential mechanism influencing the macroscopic behavior of granular materials. In this study, biaxial shearing tests were conducted on assemblies of dual-sized circular particles at different confining pressures. A high-precision image analysis method was developed to extract the particle-level motion of all the particles, including the rotational behavior. Experimental results showed that most of the particles exhibited rotations. Particles within the shear band exhibited more significant rotations and were characterized by low connectivity (number of contacts per particle). In contrast, the particles outside the shear band rotated lesser, only in the beginning stage of shearing. Every rotation in either direction is accompanied by an opposite rotation of almost the same magnitude in the neighboring region, and rotation clusters have been observed. Rotations in both directions are normally distributed within the assembly, and the average particle rotation is zero. The average rotations in both directions evolve symmetrically with major principal strain. Generally, the rotation rate (degrees per incremental strain) is observed to be maximum at the start of the shearing, and gradually it becomes constant toward the end of the shearing. The average value of the absolute cumulative rotation observed for whole particles is 18.6° at the end of shearing, i.e., 20% deviatoric strain. Smaller size particles tend to exhibit 67% higher rotations than bigger particles. Confining pressures have no significant effect on the rotational behavior of circular particles.
Template-Based Modelling of the Structure of Fungal Effector Proteins
Authors: Rozano Lina , Jones Darcy A. B. , Hane James K. , Mancera Ricardo L.
Published: March 2023

The discovery of new fungal effector proteins is necessary to enable the screening of cultivars for disease resistance. Sequence-based bioinformatics methods have been used for this purpose, but only a limited number of functional effector proteins have been successfully predicted and subsequently validated experimentally. A significant obstacle is that many fungal effector proteins discovered so far lack sequence similarity or conserved sequence motifs. The availability of experimentally determined three-dimensional (3D) structures of a number of effector proteins has recently highlighted structural similarities amongst groups of sequence-dissimilar fungal effectors, enabling the search for similar structural folds amongst effector sequence candidates. We have applied template-based modelling to predict the 3D structures of candidate effector sequences obtained from bioinformatics predictions and the PHI-BASE database. Structural matches were found not only with ToxA- and MAX-like effector candidates but also with non-fungal effector-like proteins—including plant defensins and animal venoms—suggesting the broad conservation of ancestral structural folds amongst cytotoxic peptides from a diverse range of distant species. Accurate modelling of fungal effectors were achieved using RaptorX. The utility of predicted structures of effector proteins lies in the prediction of their interactions with plant receptors through molecular docking, which will improve the understanding of effector–plant interactions.
Online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic: How university students’ perceptions, engagement, and performance are related to their personal characteristics
Authors: Kaspar Kai , Burtniak Kateryna , Rüth Marco
Published: March 2023

University students faced unexpected challenges in online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. Findings from early phases of the Covid-19 pandemic and before show that online learning experiences may vary from student to student and depend on several personal characteristics. However, the relative importance of different students’ personal characteristics for their online learning experiences at later phases of the Covid-19 pandemic is still unclear. This cross-sectional, correlational study investigates how personal characteristics of university students are related to five dimensions of online learning perception and to their engagement and performance in online courses. In an online survey, 413 students from German universities provided full information on their online learning experiences and personal characteristics in terms of demographic information, Big Five personality traits, self-regulation skills, three facets of self-efficacy, and two types of state anxiety. Results of multiple regression analyses show that students’ age was significantly positively related to all online learning perceptions and engagement in online courses. Our findings also confirm that self-regulation skills and academic and digital media self-efficacy are important factors in various online learning experiences. In contrast, students’ personality traits and state anxiety were less important for most online learning experiences. Noteworthy, several bivariate associations between personal characteristics and online learning experiences are not reflected in the multiple regression model. This underscores the need to consider relevant variables simultaneously to evaluate their relative importance and to identify key personal characteristics. Overall, our results show valuable starting points for theory development and educational interventions.
ESMO 2022: spotlight on new emerging treatment options in central nervous system tumors
Authors: Mair Maximilian J. , Berghoff Anna S.
Published: March 2023

Nearly 40 abstracts regarding tumors of the central nervous system were presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in September 2022. While no practice-changing data were shown, interesting early phase clinical trial results on immune-modulating agents, targeted treatments and other therapeutic modalities were revealed (Table 1). In this short review, we aim to summarize our personal highlights of the presented data and outline future perspectives in the field.
Tongue Ties or Fragments Transformed: Making Sense of Similarities and Differences between the Five Largest English-Speaking Jewish Communities
Authors: Bankier-Karp Adina L.
Published: March 2023

The subjects of Jewish identity and Jewish communal vitality, and how they may be conceptualized and measured, are the topics of lively debate among scholars of contemporary Jewry (DellaPergola 2015, 2020; Kosmin 2022; Pew Research Center 2021; Phillips 2022). Complicating matters, there appears to be a disconnect between the broadly accepted claim that comparative analysis yields richer understanding of Jewish communities (Cooperman 2016; Weinfeld 2020) and the reality that the preponderance of that research focuses on discrete communities.

This paper examines the five largest English-speaking Jewish communities in the diaspora: the United States of America (US) (population 6,000,000–7,600,000), Canada (population 393,500), the United Kingdom (UK) (population 292,000), Australia (population 118,000), and South Africa (population 52,000) (DellaPergola 2022). A comparison of the five communities’ levels of Jewish engagement, and the identification of factors shaping these differences, are the main objectives of this paper. The paper first outlines conceptual and methodological issues involved in the study of contemporary Jewry; hierarchical linear modeling is proposed as the suitable statistical approach for this analysis, and ethnocultural and religious capital are promoted as suitable measures for studying Jewish engagement. Secondly, a contextualizing historical and sociodemographic overview of the five communities is presented, highlighting attributes which the communities have in common, and those which differentiate them. Statistical methods are then utilized to develop measures of Jewish capital, and to identify explanatory factors shaping the differences between these five communities in these measures of Jewish capital. To further the research agenda of communal and transnational research, this paper concludes by identifying questions that are unique to the individual communities studied, with a brief exploration of subjects that Jewish communities often neglect to examine and are encouraged to consider. This paper demonstrates the merits of comparative analysis and highlights practical and conceptual implications for future Jewish communal research.
Influence of ozone gas on the khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) in stored wheat
Authors: Mahmoud M. A. , Abo Laban G. F. , Ibrahim I. S. , El-Dessouki W. A. , Metwaly K. H. , Saba R. M. , Zahra A. A.
Published: March 2023

Khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts, 1898 (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) is one of the most notorious pests of stored grains. This study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ozone against 2nd and 5th instars and adults of T. granarium in stored wheat kernels under laboratory conditions. Four ozone concentrations of 300, 600, 900, and 1200 parts per million by volume (ppmv) were used. The results revealed that the LC50 values were 249.76 ppmv for adult, 446.75 ppmv for 5th instar, and 275.30 ppmv for 2nd instar of T. granarium after 2 h exposure to ozone. No adults emerged when the ozone concentration was 1200 ppmv, while emergence was high in controls (91.20%) after a 1-h exposure period. The highest ozone concentration of 1200 ppmv resulted in strong grain protection against adult and 2nd and 5th instars, with a 0.63%, 0.73%, and 1.16% loss in grain weight, respectively. Chemical analysis of treated wheat kernels at a concentration of 1200 ppmv ozone showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in fat, moisture, ash, carbohydrate, fiber, and protein content of ozone-treated wheat kernels compared to untreated grain. Thus, ozone can be effectively used to control T. granarium and provides sufficient protection for stored wheat.
Co-designing innovative plantain cropping systems to support the diversity of agroecological pathways in Guadeloupe
Authors: Bezard Marie , Barlagne Carla , Diman Jean-Louis , Angeon Valérie , Morin Raphaël , Ozier-Lafontaine Harry , Andrieu Nadine
Published: March 2023

In the French West Indies, and particularly in Guadeloupe, agricultural policies mainly support the banana and sugarcane export sectors. However, driven by consumer demand, policy-makers are increasingly interested in developing local and agroecological food systems. Plantain (Musa spp., AAB), cultivated by a wide range of farmers, plays a key role in the diversification of local production and food systems, contributing to food security. However, important gaps in knowledge about plantain cropping systems are hindering the understanding of their contribution to the agroecological transition of farms. Farmers are also requesting more guidance from technical advisers and research. The aim of the work, presented in this article, was to co-design agroecological plantain cropping systems with farmers in order to fill this knowledge gap and to support local food systems. The co-design process was based on the characterization of the diversity of plantain farming systems, the evaluation of changes in practices implemented between 2017 and 2019, and the co-design of a system experiment. We identified six types of plantain farming systems defined by the role of plantain in the production strategy of the farm and a gradient of agroecology in plantain management practices. Our results also show progress toward agroecology between 2017 and 2019. Four innovative plantain cropping systems were designed based on a combination of existing knowledge held by farmers from the six types of farming systems. These results confirm that plantain cropping systems are contributing to the agroecological transition of farms in Guadeloupe and highlight that there are multiple possible agroecological transition pathways for plantain farmers. These results also provide a concrete example of integration of academic and non-academic knowledge for the co-design of agroecological systems.
A Systematic Review of the Different Calculation Methods for Measuring Jump Height During the Countermovement and Drop Jump Tests
Authors: Xu Jiaqing , Turner Anthony , Comfort Paul , Harry John R. , McMahon John J. , Chavda Shyam , Bishop Chris
Published: March 2023

Background

The heights obtained during the countermovement jump and drop jump tests have been measured by numerous studies using different calculation methods and pieces of equipment. However, the differences in calculation methods and equipment used have resulted in discrepancies in jump height being reported.

Objectives

The aim of this systematic review was to examine the available literature pertaining to the different calculation methods to estimate the jump height during the countermovement jump and drop jump.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature was undertaken using the SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PubMed electronic databases, with all articles required to meet specified criteria based on a quality scoring system.

Results

Twenty-one articles met the inclusion criteria, relating various calculation methods and equipment employed when measuring jump height in either of these two tests. The flight time and jump-and-reach methods provide practitioners with jump height data in the shortest time, but their accuracy is affected by factors such as participant conditions or equipment sensitivity. The motion capture systems and the double integration method measure the jump height from the centre of mass height at the initial flat foot standing to the apex of jumping, where the centre of mass displacement generated by the ankle plantarflexion is known. The impulse-momentum and flight time methods could only measure the jump height from the centre of mass height at the instant of take-off to the apex of jumping, thus, providing statistically significantly lower jump height values compared with the former two methods. However, further research is warranted to investigate the reliability of each calculation method when using different equipment settings.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that using the impulse-momentum method via a force platform is the most appropriate way for the jump height from the instant of take-off to the apex of jumping to be measured. Alternatively, the double integration method via a force platform is preferred to quantify the jump height from the initial flat foot standing to the apex of jumping.
A novel ensemble estimation of distribution algorithm with distribution modification strategies
Authors: Wang Xiaofei , Li Yintong , Liang Yajun , Wu Bi , Xuan Yongbo
Published: March 2023

The canonical estimation of distribution algorithm (EDA) easily falls into a local optimum with an ill-shaped population distribution, which leads to weak convergence performance and less stability when solving global optimization problems. To overcome this defect, we explore a novel EDA variant with an ensemble of three distribution modification strategies, i.e., archive-based population updating (APU), multileader-based search diversification (MSD), and the triggered distribution shrinkage (TDS) strategy, named E3-EDA. The APU strategy utilizes historical population information to rebuild the search scope and avoid ill-shaped distributions. Moreover, it continuously updates the archive to avoid overfitting the distribution model. The MSD makes full use of the location differences among populations to evolve the sampling toward promising regions. TDS is triggered when the search stagnates, shrinking the distribution scope to achieve local exploitation. Additionally, the E3-EDA performance is evaluated using the CEC 2014 and CEC 2018 test suites on 10-dimensional, 30-dimensional, 50-dimensional and 100-dimensional problems. Moreover, several prominent EDA variants and other top methods from CEC competitions are comprehensively compared with the proposed method. The competitive performance of E3-EDA in solving complex problems is supported by the nonparametric test results.
Picture fuzzy Additive Ratio Assessment Method (ARAS) and VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method for multi-attribute decision problem and their application
Authors: Fan Jianping , Han Dongshuai , Wu Meiqin
Published: March 2023

The purpose of this paper is to study the multi-attribute decision-making problem under the fuzzy picture environment. First, a method to compare the pros and cons of picture fuzzy numbers (PFNs) is introduced in this paper. Second, the correlation coefficient and standard deviation (CCSD) method is used to determine the attribute weight information under the picture fuzzy environment regardless of whether the attribute weight information is partially unknown or completely unknown. Third, the ARAS and VIKOR methods are extended to the picture fuzzy environment, and the proposed PFNs comparison rules are also applied in the PFS-ARAS and PFS-VIKOR methods. Fourth, the problem of green supplier selection in a picture-ambiguous environment is solved by the method proposed in this paper. Finally, the method proposed in this paper is compared with some methods and the results are analyzed.
State of the Art of Aviation Safety Reporting in Europe
Authors: da Costa Pappacena Lucas Fernandes , Conti Beatrice , Antoniciello Giuliano , Guglieri Giorgio
Published: March 2023

Since the introduction of Regulation (EU) No 376/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council in 2014, [1], EU Member States and EASA have been required to publish the Annual Safety Review (ASR). The ASR contains an overview of the safety statistics in each Member State, reporting numerical indicators and graphical representations. Its goal is to describe national aviation safety scenarios on which appropriate preventive measures can be based. Among the diversity of reporting practices within the EU Member States, it is possible to find a common set of criteria for the analysis of ASRs, to design homogeneous and data-driven safety measures across the continent. Currently, the main obstacles to our approach arise from the wide variety of reporting styles and the lack of shared guidelines for ASRs. This paper proposes a template to assist EU Member States in the process of producing their ASRs and presents a comparative analysis of a selected subset of these documents.
An energy-based deep splitting method for the nonlinear filtering problem
Authors: Bågmark Kasper , Andersson Adam , Larsson Stig
Published: March 2023

The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of deep learning for the solution of the nonlinear filtering problem. This is achieved by solving the Zakai equation by a deep splitting method, previously developed for approximate solution of (stochastic) partial differential equations. This is combined with an energy-based model for the approximation of functions by a deep neural network. This results in a computationally fast filter that takes observations as input and that does not require re-training when new observations are received. The method is tested on four examples, two linear in one and twenty dimensions and two nonlinear in one dimension. The method shows promising performance when benchmarked against the Kalman filter and the bootstrap particle filter.
CardioStart Online: A Virtual High School Tissue Engineering Course
Authors: Naik Jasmine , Grosberg Anna , King Christine
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we altered an in-person high school tissue engineering program to create a virtual course. Through this alteration, we aimed to show that online programs can still be engaging and at the same time provide greater accessibility and flexibility to students. This was achieved through utilizing Google classroom as a virtual platform for students to engage with course modules and assessments. After analyzing pre- and post-program survey responses in both the in-person and online offerings of the CardioStart program, it was found that students improved in their understanding of all of the tissue engineering topics that were introduced in the programs. Furthermore, when comparing the results from the in-person versus online offerings of the program, it was found that the level of student understanding and learning of these topics was similar across the in-person and online programs. We were also able to engage five times the number of students online as compared to the in-person program, which was conducted yearly for six summers. However, many students indicated that their experience would have been better if hands-on activities were included to supplement their knowledge of cell culture techniques after completing the course. The online program improved accessibility and scalability of the program compared to in-person workshops. Future work will consist of bridging this virtual course and the hands-on experiments performed during the in-person program to provide interested students access to laboratory experiences.