bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Melittin inhibits tumor cell migration and enhances cisplatin sensitivity by suppressing IL‐17 signaling pathway gene LCN2 in castration‐resistant prostate cancer
Authors: Yan Rucheng , Dai Weiwei , Mao Yuanshen , Yu Guopeng , Li Wenfeng , Shu Minfeng , Xu Bin
Published: July 2023

Background

Melittin is a small molecule polypeptide extracted from the abdominal cavity of bees, which is used to treat inflammatory diseases and relieve pain. However, the antitumor effect of melittin and its mechanisms remain unclear, especially in castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

Methods

Through CCK‐8 assay, colony formation assay, wound healing assay and Transwell migration assay, we explored the effect of melittin on CRPC cell lines. In addition, with microarray analysis, gene ontology analysis and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes analysis, this study identified key genes and signaling pathways that influence the growth of PC‐3 cells. Meanwhile, the effect of melittin on CRPC was also verified through subcutaneous tumor formation experiments. Finally, we also tested the relevant indicators of human prostate cancer (PCa) specimens through immunohistochemistry and H＆E stating.

Results

Here, melittin was verified to inhibit the cell proliferation and migration of CPRC. Moreover, RNA‐sequence analysis demonstrated that Interleukin‐17 (IL‐17) signaling pathway gene Lipocalin‐2 (LCN2) was downregulated by melittin treatment in CRPC. Further investigation revealed that overexpression of LCN2 was able to rescue tumor suppression and cisplatin sensitivity which melittin mediated. Interestingly, the expression of LCN2 is highly related to metastasis in PCa.

Conclusions

In brief, our study indicates that LCN2 plays an oncogenic role in CRPC and melittin may be selected as an attractive candidate for CRPC therapy.
Conserved functions of prion candidates suggest a primeval role of protein self‐templating
Authors: Zajkowski Tomasz , Lee Michael D. , Sharma Siddhant , Vallota‐Eastman Alec , Kuska Mikołaj , Malczewska Małgorzata , Rothschild Lynn J.
Published: July 2023

Amyloid‐based prions have simple structures, a wide phylogenetic distribution, and a plethora of functions in contemporary organisms, suggesting they may be an ancient phenomenon. However, this hypothesis has yet to be addressed with a systematic, computational, and experimental approach. Here we present a framework to help guide future experimental verification of candidate prions with conserved functions to understand their role in the early stages of evolution and potentially in the origins of life. We identified candidate prions in all high‐quality proteomes available in UniProt computationally, assessed their phylogenomic distributions, and analyzed candidate‐prion functional annotations. Of the 27 980 560 proteins scanned, 228 561 were identified as candidate prions (~0.82%). Among these candidates, there were 84 Gene Ontology (GO) terms conserved across the three domains of life. We found that candidate prions with a possible role in adaptation were particularly well‐represented within this group. We discuss unifying features of candidate prions to elucidate the primeval roles of prions and their associated functions. Candidate prions annotated as transcription factors, DNA binding, and kinases are particularly well suited to generating diverse responses to changes in their environment and could allow for adaptation and population expansion into more diverse environments. We hypothesized that a relationship between these functions and candidate prions could be evolutionarily ancient, even if individual prion domains themselves are not evolutionarily conserved. Candidate prions annotated with these universally occurring functions potentially represent the oldest extant prions on Earth and are therefore excellent experimental targets.
Comparative Study on Thermal and Laser Sintering of Silver Nanocubes and Silver Nanoplates
Authors: Hui Zhuang , Liu Xueru
Published: July 2023

Compared with silver nanowires and silver nanospheres, silver nanocubes and silver nanoplates with larger curvature structures like sharp vertices and edges have great potential in optical applications. In general, the controllable joining of silver nanomaterials has become an effective way to change the electrical and optical properties of silver nanomaterials in recent years. However, urgent research on the controllable joining of silver nanocubes or silver nanocubes is still rarely reported. After being thermal treated at 250 °C for 8 min, a good joining among silver nanocubes can be obtained without significant damage to the cubic structure. For laser sintering, with the increase of laser energy input, silver nanocubes gradually transform to spherical particles. Joining among few particles can be observed when silver nanocubes are scanned by 5 W of laser at 1.0 mm s−1. Obvious joining among silver nanocubes can be obtained by thermal treating at 300 °C for 5 min and laser scanning at 7 W at 0.2 mm s−1. Thermal heating is more suitable for forming different degrees of connection between silver nanocubes or between silver nanocubes, while laser treatment is suitable for changing the shape of silver nanocubes or silver nanocubes without obvious connection.
Hydrogen Incorporation in Semiconductors
Authors: Nickel Norbert H.
Published: July 2023

In many materials, the presence of hydrogen influences the structural and electronic properties. An equilibrium model based on statistical mechanics is presented that describes the unintentional incorporation of hydrogen. As an example, the H concentration in four different semiconductors, namely, c‐Si, c‐Ge, ZnO, and β‐Ga2O3, is measured using H effusion. The measured H concentration ranges from to  cm. From the effusion data, the position of the H chemical potential and the H binding energies are derived.
Impact of minimally invasive surgery on surgical outcomes for obese women with endometrial cancer following robotic surgery introduction; a single centre study
Authors: Drymiotou Stefania , Dokmeci Melin , Chandrasekaran Dhivya , Jeyarajah Arjun , Brockbank Elly
Published: July 2023

Background

The aim was to assess the surgical outcomes in obese women with endometrial cancer following robotic surgery introduction in a London tertiary gynaecological cancer unit.

Methods

Data was prospectively collected for 281 women undergoing endometrial cancer surgery in 2016, 2018 and 2019 (robotic surgery was introduced in November 2017).

Results

The proportion of obese and morbidly obese patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery (MIS) significantly increased following robotic surgery introduction from 43.8% to 69.6% (p < 0.001). Overall robotic surgery operating time was not affected by higher body mass index (r = 0.177, 95% CI −0.068–0.402). There was no difference in the length of stay or in the frequency and severity of complication rates between obese, morbidly obese and non‐obese populations undergoing MIS.

Conclusion

Robotic surgery led to a significant rise in MIS and improved surgical outcomes for obese and morbidly obese women with endometrial cancer within 12 months of its introduction.
Outlier‐resistant quantized control for T‐S fuzzy systems under multi‐channel‐enabled round‐robin protocol and deception attacks
Authors: Zha Lijuan , Huang Tao , Liu JinLiang , Xie Xiangpeng , Tian Engang
Published: July 2023

In this study, the security quantized control problem is investigated for discrete‐time Takagi‐Sugeno (T‐S) fuzzy systems with deception attacks based on the multi‐channel‐enabled round‐robin (MCERR) protocol. The MCERR protocol breaks through the limitation in the well‐known RR protocol where only one signal can be transmitted at every turn. Under MCERR protocol, multiple transmission channels are put to use and a set of sensor nodes can gain access to network. Considering the random deception attacks and the measurement outliers, a new system model is established and a sufficient condition is derived to ensure the stability of the discussed system. Furthermore, an outlier resistant observer‐based controller which can mitigate the impact of deception attacks is developed. Besides, the concrete expressions of observer gains and controller gains are obtained. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method can be validated by simulation results.
Perspectives of racialized immigrant communities on adaptability to climate disasters following the UN Roadmap for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030
Authors: Subroto Sujoy , Datta Ranjan
Published: July 2023

Climate Change‐induced risk events intensify vulnerability and disproportionately affect regions and racialized immigrant communities. Understanding the multiple dimensions of disaster and risk, especially how these are embedded in a broader social‐political context, and translated into risk management strategies, have now been identified as priority areas under Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 and UN Research Roadmap for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030. Drawing on a relational intersectional approach, this study explores the meanings of climate change disasters and risk reduction strategies from a racialized immigrant community's (i.e., Bangladeshi‐Canadian) lived experiences in Calgary, Canada. From our relational research, we learned that extreme climate events (such as forest fires/wildfires, heat waves, flash floods, severe colds, hailstorms, etc.) are the most common stressors unevenly impacting the household economy, physical health, and mental and psychological wellbeing of the racialized immigrant community in Calgary. The community's compounded vulnerability to disaster risks is further aggravated due to their intersectional positionality and structural inequality (systematic marginalization) rooted in the lack of explicit anti‐racist policy guidelines in Canada. The community members adapt diverse strategies (mostly reactive) based on their family income, severity and frequency of the exposure to risks, social support system, geographic location (residence), cultural practices, and involvement with community networks. While proposing solutions, they suggested that community‐engaged tailored disaster intervention strategy could play an instrumental role in addressing social vulnerability (determinants) and enhancing adaptive capacity at the local level. Moreover, this study calls for a more holistic account of the differential vulnerability context to better understand the structural root causes and emphasizes that upscaling land‐based practices and knowledge transmission, ensuring deliberate participation of visible minorities, fostering collective action and integrating local community associations into all stages of disaster management should be the priority for the state agencies to support long‐term resilience.
Artificial intelligence for Sustainable Development Goals: Bibliometric patterns and concept evolution trajectories
Authors: Singh Aakash , Kanaujia Anurag , Singh Vivek Kumar , Vinuesa Ricardo
Published: July 2023

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) as a field has impacted almost all aspects of human life. More recently it has found a role in addressing developmental challenges, specifically the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, there are not enough systematic studies on analysis of the role of AI research towards the SDGs. Therefore, this article attempts to bridge this gap by identifying the major bibliometric trends and concept‐evolution trajectories in the area of AI applications for sustainable‐development goals. The research publication data for the last 20 years in the areas of artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, and so forth, is obtained and computationally analysed using a framework comprising bibliometrics, path analysis and content analysis. The findings show an incremental trend in overall publications on the application of AI for SDGs across the different regions of the world. SDGs 3 (good health & well‐being) and 7 (affordable and clean energy) are found as the areas with the most applications of AI. In SDG3, the literature reflects application of AI techniques such as deep learning for precision and personalised medicine while in SDG7, a number of studies have employed AI techniques for the integration of systems for efficient generation of solar power and improving the energy efficiency of a building. Furthermore, SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 13 (climate action), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions) are the other SDGs where AI approaches and techniques are applied. The analytical results present a detailed insight of application of AI for achieving the SDGs.
Sequentially Controlled Recognition of Different Proteins Using Programmable Protein Imprinted Nanospheres
Authors: Wang Mingqi , Fa Shixin , Zhang Guoxian , Yu Jiate , Zhang Qiuyu
Published: July 2023

Although protein imprinted materials with multiple templates are developed to selectively separate different proteins, it is difficult to achieve the programmed adsorption and separation of different proteins using one material, because the available protein imprinted materials are constructed through irreversible crosslinking and their structures are unprogrammable and non‐reconstructive. Herein, a novel nanosphere (MS@PTL‐g‐PNIPAM) is designed, which not only is temperature and pH responsive but also can dynamically reversibly crosslink/de‐crosslink under ultraviolet light of different wavelengths. With the help of the dynamically reversible photo‐crosslinking, the nanospheres can be repeatedly programmed into protein imprinted nanospheres toward different target proteins. Moreover, the prepared imprinted nanospheres can easily achieve the controlled rebinding and release of target proteins, benefiting from the introduced temperature‐ and pH‐responsive moieties. As a consequence, this study realizes the specific separation of different target proteins from protein mixture and the real bovine blood sequentially by programming one material. It is resource saving, time saving, recyclable, and it will provide convenience for protein imprinted materials to use in the blood purification, drug delivery, and virus detection.
Nitrogen‐Doped Titanium Carbide (Ti3C2Tx) MXene Nanosheet Stack For Long‐Term Stability and Efficacy in Au and Ag Recovery
Authors: Jung Youngkyun , Seok Shi‐Hyun , Jung Kyung‐Won , Park Jaeeun , Kwon Soon‐Yong , Choi Jae‐Woo
Published: July 2023

The development of efficient adsorbents for the practical recovery of precious metals from electronic waste is vital to advanced energy/environment industries. Ti3C2Tx MXene‐based materials are promising adsorbents for aqueous environments; however, the highly defective and super hydrophilic nature of the MXene surface hinders its practical applications. Here, we report that nitrogen‐doped MXene (N‐MXene) nanosheet stacks, prepared via high‐energy planetary ball milling under N2 purging, exhibited a long‐term stable and excellent recovery capability for Au and Ag ions via the nitrogenation of defective vacancies. Notably, these microscale nanosheets could facilitate the sustainable production of Au and Ag from secondary sources, exhibiting a high recovery rate and capability (1198 mg g−1 for Au and 1528 mg g−1 for Ag), long‐term stable storability (21 d), and high selectivity (Kd of 1.67 × 106 for Au and 2.07 × 107 for Ag). Furthermore, the reversible redox chemistry of N‐MXene facilitated its repeated use in adsorption/desorption cycles.
Effect of Citric Acid Modification on Physio‐Chemical, Structural, Rheological, Thermal Properties, and In Vitro Digestibility of Amaranthus paniculatus (Rajgeera) Starch
Authors: Yadav Pooja , Sabith Muhammed , Bosco S. John Don
Published: July 2023

In this study, starch is treated with different concentrations of citric acid (CA, 5, 10, 20, and 30 g/100 g dry basis) which leads to the production of citrate starch. The effect of CA concentration on physio‐chemical, structural, rheological, thermal properties, and digestibility is analyzed. A Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy Stands for FTIR peak at 1728 cm−1 is observed, indicating ester bond formation between CA and starch molecules. A nonsignificant change in the crystalline pattern is observed between native and citrate starch, whereas a decrease in relative crystallinity from 15.75% to 6.91% is observed. With the increase in the degree of substitution, gelatinization decreases, and gelatinization's enthalpy (ΔH) decreases from 13.72 to 9.63 J g−1. The rapid digestible starch (RDS) decreases by CA treatment, whereas slow digestible starch (SDS) and resistant starch (RS) increase significantly from 32.81 g/100 g dry basis to 39.45 g/100 g dry basis and 9.87 g/100 g dry basis to 25.26 g/100 g dry basis, respectively.
Effects of nano titanium and nano silica on high‐strength concrete properties incorporating heavyweight aggregate
Authors: Abu el‐Hassan Khaled , Hakeem Ibrahim Y. , Amin Mohamed , Tayeh Bassam A. , Zeyad Abdullah M. , Agwa Ibrahim Saad , Elsakhawy Yara
Published: July 2023

This investigation aims to study the effect of replacing 100% of fine and coarse aggregates with heavyweight aggregates and adding nano titanium (NT) and nano silica (NS) on shielding against radiation and on the mechanical and transport properties of heavyweight high‐strength concrete (HWHSC). In this study, 20 mixes were prepared that included the use of hematite and steel slag (SS) aggregate with NS or NT used as additions to mixes by the ratio 1% and 3% from cement weight. To study the effect of the total replacement of aggregates and the addition of nanomaterials (NMs) on the properties of HWHSC, to study engineering properties the slump, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, and modulus of elasticity were applied. Density, chloride permeability, sorptivity coefficient, water permeability, and microstructure tests were also performed. To study the efficiency of shielding against radiation, linear attenuation coefficient, mass attenuation coefficient, mean‐free path, half‐value layer, and tenth‐value layer of different gamma‐ray sources of radiation 137Cs 662 (keV) and 60Co 1332 (keV) were applied. The results showed that the 100% SS and hematite replacement as coarse and fine aggregates with 3% (NS or NT) achieved the best mechanical and transport properties compared to other mixtures. While the highest density of the string containing hematite and SS was achieved with 3% of NT, with a density of 3384 kg/m3. The highest compressive strength of more than 116 MPa was achieved for the included mixture of 3% NS. The highest attenuation of gamma‐ray radiation was achieved with the application of hematite and SS aggregates with 3% of NT.
Computed tomographic appearance, surgical management and outcome in a case of canine primary prostatic hemangiosarcoma
Authors: Clark Jory , Spinner Maureen , Gallaher Hayley M , Perry Karen
Published: July 2023

An 8‐year‐old, neutered, male rottweiler presented for evaluation of pollakiuria and a large abdominal mass. Computed tomographic evaluation revealed a large caudal abdominal mass occupying the pelvic inlet, obscuring the prostate, as well as concurrent hepatic nodules. A prostatectomy, urethrotomy and liver biopsies were performed. Pollakiuria resolved, and the patient was discharged on Day 4 post‐operatively. Histopathological evaluation was consistent with primary prostatic hemangiosarcoma with no metastasis. The dog acutely decompensated 26 days post‐operatively and was re‐evaluated. Peritoneal effusion prompted computed tomographic re‐examination. An amorphous mass in the region of the previous prostatectomy site and changes to the previously normal urinary bladder wall and colon were identified. Concurrently, contrast extravasation from a urinary bladder wall defect was present. Uroabdomen was confirmed, suspected secondary to neoplastic infiltration. The dog was humanely euthanased. This is the first report to describe the computed tomographic appearance, surgical management and short‐term outcome of canine primary prostatic hemangiosarcoma.
Structure and photochromic properties of two cadmium coordination polymers derived from viologen ligands
Authors: Yang Fengyi , Chen Jiali , Wang Junwen , Liu Jinjian
Published: July 2023

Two novel 1D Cd‐based coordination polymers (CPs) {[Cd(MQ)(HBTC)(H2O)2] ⋅ (H2BTC) ⋅ 4H2O}n (1) and {[Cd(AQ)(HBTC)(H2O)Br] ⋅ 2H2O}n (2) have been prepared in the reaction of Cd2+ with different viologen ligands such as 1‐methyl‐4,4′‐bipyridinium bromide (MQBr) or 1‐amyl‐4,4′‐bipyridinium bromide (AQBr) in the presence of 1,3,5‐benzenetricarboxylic acid (H3BTC). The Cd2+ ions are bridged by HBTC2− anions to take shape a 1D configuration for two CPs. Additionally, 1 and 2 both show photochromism due to the photoinduced electron transfer (ET) from electron‐rich O atoms to electron‐deficient viologen moieties. Compared with 2, compound 1 has a rapid photoresponsive rate. The different photochromic behaviors have been discussed adequately.
The Zintl Concept Applied to Intergrowth Structures: Electron‐Hole Matching, Stacking Preferences, and Chemical Pressures in Pd5InAs
Authors: Kraus Joseph D. , Van Buskirk Jonathan S. , Fredrickson Daniel C.
Published: July 2023

Enumerating the potential stacking sequences of layers is a fundamental way to account for the structure diversity of solid state compounds. In many cases, these stacking variations represent polymorphs with only small energetic differences. Here, we examine a compound for which the preferred stacking pattern instead reveals key aspects about its chemical bonding: Pd5InAs. Its structure is based on the intergrowth of slabs of the AuCu3 and PtHg2 (or alternatively, fluorite) structure types. Two basic stacking arrangements are available to this compound, represented by the Pd5TlAs and HoCoGa5 structure types. DFT total energy calculations reveal that the former outcompetes the latter by a staggering 0.65 eV/formula unit. Through a combination of DFT‐reversed approximation Molecular Orbital (DFT‐raMO) and DFT‐Chemical Pressure (DFT‐CP) analysis we trace this preference to two factors. First, with DFT‐raMO analysis, we derive a Zintl‐like bonding scheme of Pd5InAs. This scheme, along with the inspection of selected crystal orbitals, is then connected to preferred stacking through the coordination environments of the Pd atoms at the interface between the Pd−In and Pd−As layers. In the hypothetical HoCoGa5‐type and observed Pd5InAs‐type structures, different Pd coordination environments arise at the interfaces. The hypothetical structure features square planar PdIn2As2 units, in each of which the same 4d‐orbital serves in the Pd sublattice's role as both Lewis acid (for interactions with the As) and Lewis base (for interactions with the In). In the observed structure, tetrahedral PdIn2As2 units occur instead, so that these contradictory roles are distributed to separate 4d‐orbitals, leading to more effective bonding. DFT‐CP analysis illustrates that this driving force for the Pd5TlAs‐type arrangement is supplemented by a favorable alignment of the packing tensions in the parent structures. Altogether, the resulting picture demonstrates how the reaction of simple intermetallic structures to form intergrowths can be guided by recognizable chemical interactions.
Business Model Design
Authors: Slama Dirk
Published: July 2023

The development and validation of a (more or less) detailed business model is usually the first step in the journey towards developing a new smart, connected product or solution. The business model will usually play a central role in product development, while in solution development, it will be most likely more basic. This chapter looks at tools and best practices for developing AIoT-specific business models, with a focus on the product perspective (Fig. 12.1).
Organization
Authors: Slama Dirk
Published: July 2023

The final perspective in the AIoT Business Execution discussion is on the organization, which needs to support the creation and operation of AIoT-enabled products or solutions. The organizational setup is a potential Achilles’ heel: if this is not done properly, the entire initiative can be derailed. A number of different factors play a role here, from cultural aspects to proper alignment of the organizational structure with the key architectural elements of the product or solution. Owing to the large differences between Digital OEM and Digital Equipment operations from the organizational perspective, both will be discussed individually in this chapter.
Designing Smart Connected Products and Solutions with AIoT
Authors: Slama Dirk
Published: July 2023

An important element in the development lifecycle is the end-to-end design of the product or solution. The design section will provide a set of detailed templates that can be used here. These templates support the key viewpoints developed by the Digital Playbook: Business Viewpoint, UX Viewpoint, Data/Functional Viewpoint, and Implementation Viewpoint. These design viewpoints must be aligned with the agile product development perspective, in particular the story map as the top-level work breakdown. They will have to be updated frequently to reflect any learning from the implementation sprints. This means that they can only have a level of detail that permits them to do this (Fig. 19.1).
Artificial Intelligence 101
Authors: Slama Dirk
Published: July 2023

This chapter provides an Artificial Intelligence 101, including a basic overview, a summary of Supervised, Unsupervised and Reinforcement Learning, as well as Deep Learning and Artificial Neural Networks (Fig. 2.1).
AIoT Pipelines
Authors: Slama Dirk
Published: July 2023

Pipelines have become an important concept in many development organizations, especially from a DevOps perspective. This chapter introduces the concept of AIoT pipelines and discusses pipeline aggregations.
AIoT.exe
Authors: Slama Dirk
Published: July 2023

The starting point of the discussion on technical execution following will be a deep dive into our topics from the AIoT 101 section, namely, AI, Data, Digital Twin, IoT, and Hardware: the key ingredients of many AIoT products and solutions. Each topic will be specifically looked at from the execution perspective (hence the play with “*.exe”), with a focus on both technology and organization. For each topic, we will also discuss how the technical pipeline and pipeline organization should be addressed and how it can all be integrated (mainly through the IoT perspective) (Fig. 24.1).
Holistic AIoT DevOps
Authors: Slama Dirk
Published: July 2023

The introduction of DevOps — together with Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) — has fundamentally changed the way software is developed, integrated, tested, and deployed. DevOps and CI/CD are key enablers of agile development. However, today’s DevOps practices predominantly focus on cloud and enterprise application development. For successful AIoT products, DevOps will need to be extended to include AI and IoT (Fig. 27.1).
Reliability & Resilience
Authors: Slama Dirk
Published: July 2023

Ensuring a high level of robustness for AIoT-based systems is usually a key requirement. Robustness is a result of two key concepts: reliability and resilience (“R&R”). Reliability concerns designing, running and maintaining systems to provide consistent and stable services. Resilience refers to a system’s ability to resist adverse events and conditions (Fig. 29.1).
Data 101
Authors: Slama Dirk
Published: July 2023

Data are the foundation for almost all digital business models. AIoT adds sensor-generated data to the picture. However, in its rawest form, data are usually not usable. Developers, data engineers, analytics experts, and data scientists are working on creating information from data by linking relevant data elements and giving them meaning. By adding context, knowledge is created [5]. In the case of AIoT, knowledge is the foundation of actionable intelligence (Fig. 3.1).
BaseABC: Addressing the AIoT Long Tail in I4.0 (Bürkert)
Authors: Hlubek Nikolai
Published: July 2023

This case study highlights how Bürkert Fluid Control Systems, a successful I4.0 SME, masters the AIoT long tail by applying the BaseABC method. The case study was authored by Dr. Nikolai Hlubek, who works as a Senior Data Scientist at Bürkert Fluid Control Systems and develops new data-driven products. The author has a PhD in physics and has been using data science for more than 15 years to tackle various topics. As an example, before joining Bürkert Fluid Control Systems, he developed a real-time ionospheric monitoring service for the German Aerospace Center.
Digital Equipment Operator
Authors: Slama Dirk
Published: July 2023

The Digital Equipment Operator utilizes AIoT to optimize how they operate physical assets or equipment. Goals often include asset performance optimization and process improvements. Examples of Digital Equipment Operators include manufacturers, electricity grid operators, railroad operators, and mining companies. This chapter introduces the concept of the The Digital Equipment Operator in detail, again following the why, what, how structure from the Introduction (Fig. 8.1).
Platforms
Authors: Slama Dirk
Published: July 2023

From Airbnb to Amazon and Uber, digital platforms have disrupted many industries, including travel, retail, music and others. From an AIoT point of view, we are interested in digital platforms that connect to physical assets and products. An AIoT platform operator does not necessarily have to manufacture or operate the physical assets. This is why platforms are covered independently of the Digital OEM and Digital Equipment Operator roles introduced earlier, even though the approaches can of course also be combined. This chapter provides an overview of the different concepts and looks again at the why, what, and how of platforms (Fig. 9.1).
Switzerland
Authors: Schaltegger Christoph A. , Schmid Lukas A.
Published: July 2023

Switzerland’s federal system features an internationally unmatched pattern of widespread revenue autonomy and administrative fragmentation on subnational levels of government. In combination with strong participatory institutions, the resulting tax competition among cantons and municipalities widely restricts excessive tax burdens and induces fiscal restraint. A comprehensive institutional framework at the federal level sets boundaries to ensure that tax competition is not at the expense of fiscally weaker cantons. Yet Swiss fiscal federalism is more fragile than it seems. Despite many institutional barriers to centralization, there is a persistent trend to allocate an increasing number of responsibilities with the federal government. In addition, the fiscal equalization scheme sets disincentives for fiscally weaker cantons possibly increasing disparities in the future. Reform proposals should seek to strengthen fiscal equivalence and prevent a system in which cantons are merely executing federal regulation.
United States
Authors: Garcia-Milà Teresa , McGuire Therese J.
Published: July 2023

The fiscal federal system in the United States is highly decentralized with strong revenue-raising authority as well as a high degree of spending discretion at the state and local levels. The result is a remarkable amount of diversity in tax structures and spending across the states, a characteristic we document in this chapter. Federal grants to state and local governments are important for financing specific programs, but unlike many other federations, there is no federal grant whose purpose is to redistribute resources across states. We highlight and discuss trends in the size of the government, the vertical distribution across levels of government, and the composition of spending. Like many other countries, the United States faces challenges associated with an aging population and rising healthcare costs. All three levels of government face the tasks of providing income security for the aging population and of how to fund education and other desired services as spending on healthcare continues to rise.
Comparative Perspectives on Fiscal Federalism Systems
Authors: Tremblay Jean-François
Published: July 2023

This chapter presents a comparative analysis of central elements of fiscal federalism systems in the eleven countries surveyed in previous chapters. The analysis examines the assignments of expenditure responsibilities among orders of governments, the allocation of taxation powers, regulatory functions, intergovernmental transfer systems, and mechanisms for macroeconomic management including fiscal rules, restrictions on subnational government borrowing, and instruments for tax harmonization. The analysis highlights the diversity of fiscal federalism systems as well as common features, and emphasizes how fiscal arrangements impact fiscal decentralization, the revenue-raising autonomy of subnational governments, fiscal disparities across subnational units, accountability, and fiscal discipline, among others.
Republic of India
Authors: Alok V. N.
Published: July 2023

The chapter deals with the salient features of India’s federal fiscal architecture which is regarded, by many, as unitary in nature. Like other federations, India’s multi-level fiscal system is characterized by two kinds of imbalances, i.e. vertical (due to mismatch in expenditure responsibilities and taxation powers to union, state and local governments) and horizontal (due to high degree of disparities among sub-national governments in their fiscal capacities and fiscal needs). The chapter narrates the structure, process and interplay of institutions including successive union and state finance commissions and their treatments to correct various fiscal asymmetries. It also summarizes the recent reforms in intergovernmental fiscal relations including the system of fiscal transfers, equity and efficiency concerns, role of political institutions and public debts to understand India’s federal finance.
Italy
Authors: Alber Elisabeth , Valdesalici Alice
Published: July 2023

Italy’s system of fiscal federalism and financial relations is comparable to an inverted pendulum that, unlike a normal pendulum that is stable when hanging downwards, is unstable and must be actively balanced to remain upright. For now, it is balanced by applying a torque at the pivot point that is centrally steered, and not by moving the pivot point horizontally as part of a feedback system in which its multiple actors enter dialogue on an equal footing. What is meant by this, and which factors or developments speak for this argument, is the subject of this paper. The paper offers a contextual analysis of the reasons and development of Italy’s unequal regional economies, and it discusses recent turning points regarding the allocation of expenditure responsibilities, taxation powers, and mechanisms of equalization, both in relation to the regional and the local level of government.
Navigating Archipelagos
Authors: Kullberg Christina
Published: July 2023

This chapter situates travel writing in the Caribbean region, looking at how geography might enter productively in travel narratives as a point of entanglement. Using Glissant’s notion of archipelagic thinking alongside Henri Lefebvre’s and Michel de Certeau’s theories of the construction of space, it argues that whereas the travelers sought to territorialize the islands, the archipelago drew them into more erratic movements, which impacted on the ways in which they presented the Caribbean. Indigenous ways of life notably introduce ruptures in the narrative of conquest. The chapter starts with an analysis of how travelers negotiated their representation of space with an existing European island imaginary. The next section offers an examination of the limitations of discursive acts of control, such as naming, at the point of encounter of the histories, cultures, and geographies of the region. The last two sections look at spatial practices following de Certeau’s distinction between mapping and touring space. It pays attention to movements between islands and interrogates how ways of practicing space both draw from and are contrasted with other ways of living the archipelago.
Other Tongues
Authors: Kullberg Christina
Published: July 2023

This chapter examines languages as a third point of entanglement that has both spatial and temporal ramifications while at the same time being sites where domination is both sustained and disrupted. It starts by describing the linguistic reality of the islands in the seventeenth century discussing how the plurilingualism that existed caused challenges for the narratives, which had to abide to contemporary aesthetics. The analysis show that travelers engaged with languages as praxes and were forced into conceiving languages as processual constantly changing in relation to other languages, existing languages as well as languages in the making. Focusing principally on Breton’s dictionary, it demonstrates how travelogues testify to the inherent creativity in language crossings. The second section looks at the inclusion of direct speech in travelogues as framed within codes of representation that dramatized Indigenous and enslaved peoples, staging them for particular purposes and following rhetorical conventions. The final section challenges these formal forms of representation looking at scenes of exchanges in everyday life asking how this expression of control over other peoples’ expression also turned into sites where others would “talk back.” Throughout the chapter, Glissant’s thoughts on the role of language in the shaping of French Caribbean Baroque as well as Sarduy’s reading of Baroque language will be made operative together with theories around hetero- and translingualism.
Conclusion… or Alternative Beginnings
Authors: Kullberg Christina
Published: July 2023

This book set out to challenge the silence of a messy period of Caribbean history by relocalizing early colonial travel writing to the Caribbean and by paying attention to textual disjunctions and temporal overlaps. The concluding chapter offers a discussion about what the readings of early modern travel writings might entail for (French) Caribbean literary history. More precisely, it teases out the possibility of putting this past to work in terms of alternative beginnings for a literature that has to a large extent been governed by a colonial distant center. The chapter gathers the findings that have been made throughout the critical readings of travel writing, synthesizing how archipelagic geography, self as site of mediation and influence, and, most importantly languages allow a new understanding of how the shaping of imperial and racial power was constructed in the narratives while also being disrupted by other forces and by creativity. It further engages in a broader discussion of how to retrieve traces from the archive while resisting nostalgia and sentimentality, by interrogating the works of scholars such as Saidiya Hartman, Simon Gikandi, and David Scott, along with Édouard Glissant.
Marine Mammals and Interactions with Debris in the Northeastern Atlantic Region: Synthesis and Recommendations for Monitoring and Research
Authors: James Neil A. , Große Anika
Published: July 2023

Marine plastic pollution is a global problem, affecting a wide variety of marine organisms through the processes of ingestion and entanglement. Despite numerous reports of entanglement and ingestion of plastic debris by marine mammals, there is a lack of clear understanding regarding the spatial distribution and drivers of interactions between marine mammals and marine plastics in the northeastern Atlantic area. To address this, we undertook a synthesis of the published and grey literature in order to acquire information on known documented cases of ingestion of, or entanglement with, debris relating to marine mammals. We found that 62% of the 37 species present in the region were reported to have either ingested, or become entangled in, debris. There was a predominance of threadlike plastic related to entanglement, but it was also present in the ingestion data. However, we observed a great deal of inconsistency regarding the reporting of marine mammal–debris interactions. We therefore highlight the need for and recommend the development of a standardised approach to recording debris interacting with marine mammals.
Possible Applications for Waste Fishing Nets in Construction Material
Authors: Bertelsen Ida Maria Gieysztor , Lima Ana Teresa Macas , Ottosen Lisbeth Mølgaard
Published: July 2023

Research on the use of recycled plastics in construction materials has increased over the last decade. The major trends and recycling applications for plastic waste in construction materials are reviewed in this chapter with a special focus on the use of discarded fishing nets as reinforcing material. The experimental part of this project included the characterization of discarded fishing nets of polyethylene with the aim of discovering new recycling alternatives for the use of fishing nets as reinforcement in different types of construction materials. The fishing net material was added either in the form of fibers or as pieces of net. The characterization of the polyethylene fibers showed that the material properties were in the same range as some commercially available fibers used in construction materials. The influence of the addition of fishing nets to construction materials was evaluated based on the mechanical performance and early-age shrinkage properties of cement-based mortars, gypsum, and earth-based adobe bricks. The results showed that the addition of fishing net fibers improved the post-crack performance of all types of tested construction materials, but the most prominent gain in mechanical properties was obtained for the earth-based adobe bricks. The addition of fibers was also found to mitigate shrinkage deformations and cracking of cement-based and earth-based materials.
The Influence of Involvement and Attribute Importance on Purchase Intentions for Green Products
Authors: Mark Pasquine , Richard Glavee-Geo , Olena Kachurovska , Gusti Ariatmaja I.
Published: July 2023

Consumer interest is driving growth in the use of greener products, such as those using recycled materials. However, several outstanding questions remain regarding purchase intentions for green products. One current debate regards the role of age, with some findings showing older consumers are more willing to purchase green products, and other studies to the contrary. There are also a number of studies with differing results regarding the role of product involvement. We conduct an experiment and use conjoint analysis to test for the influence of age and involvement on purchase intentions for green products. We find that younger consumers are more likely to purchase green products if they are affordable. We also observe that being green can directly lead to higher purchase intentions for a low involving affordable product, whereas the green attribute is one of several attributes a consumer evaluates for a high involving affordable product.
Role of Resource Users’ Knowledge for Developing Realistic Strategies for a Circular Economy for Plastics from the Norwegian Fishing Sector
Authors: Deshpande Paritosh C.
Published: July 2023

The complexity of resource management often demands an integration of transdisciplinary methods to find sustainable solutions. The absence of aggregated scientific information threatens holistic and robust resource management. Contrary to traditional resource management studies, the involvement and engagement of resource users are prioritized here. As resource users and stakeholders are significant, yet unexplored sources of information, this study presents a stepwise approach that includes resource users’ local ecological knowledge in gathering the information necessary for resource management. The framework’s application is then demonstrated in the case of plastic fishing gear deployed by the commercial fishing fleet of Norway. The insights from stakeholders were used to ascertain potential barriers and opportunities in establishing circular and sustainable management strategies for Fishing gear resource management in Norway.
Developing a Circular Economy for Fishing Gear in the Northern Periphery and Arctic Region: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: James Neil A.
Published: July 2023

There is growing concern regarding the extent and impact of marine litter waste. One particularly troublesome ocean waste fraction consists of abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear, including fishing nets. The relentless increase of marine litter is particularly pertinent to countries of Northern Europe and the Arctic region, which currently have limited business opportunities and associated supply chains capable of recycling or reusing this material. In this chapter, we outline the difficulties and opportunities in establishing a circular economy for fishing nets in Northern Europe and the Arctic, with a focus on experience and successful practices established through transnational and collaborative projects.
Life Cycle Assessment of Fishing and Aquaculture Rope Recycling
Authors: Tippett Arron Wilde
Published: July 2023

In this chapter, we assess the environmental footprint of the production of recycled plastic granulate made of waste ropes from the fishing/aquaculture industries. The end-of-life treatment of waste fishing and aquaculture gear is an important factor in solving the marine plastic crisis. The improvement of waste management on land is thought to be one of the key strategies for tackling marine plastic challenges. Moreover, in terms of the circular economy, recycling is viewed as a more desirable end-of-life treatment than incineration and landfilling. Meanwhile, it is important to understand the environmental impacts of recycling processes to avoid problem shifting. The publication of environmental impact data on the recycling of fishing/aquaculture gear can assist policy makers and waste managers, amongst other stakeholders, in making decisions about end-of-life treatments. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a standardised methodology for the assessment of the environmental impacts of a product across its full life cycle, from raw material acquisition through to end-of-life phases. In this chapter, we perform an LCA of fishing and aquaculture rope recycling. We begin with the acquisition of waste polypropylene/polyethylene (PP/PE) ropes from the fishing and aquaculture industries, move to the production of recycled granulate and end with delivery to the customer. We assess the environmental footprint of 1000 kg of PP/PE granulate across a range of impact categories, including global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), and eutrophication potential (EP). The core processes account for 40% of the total GWP emissions with the upstream and downstream processes accounting for 30% of the emissions each. A critical contributor to GWP emissions from PP/PE rope recycling comes from diesel production and consumption across the product life cycle. Finally, the global warming potential, acidification potential, and eutrophication potential of recycled PP/PE are significantly lower when compared to virgin PP and PE.
One-Time Pad
Authors: Lugrin Thomas
Published: July 2023

The one-time pad is a simple cipher. It ensures a perfect form of confidentiality known as perfect secrecy by combining a plaintext and a key of the same length with the exclusive-or (XOR) operator to produce a ciphertext. It is interesting from a theoretical point of view, but it could be more complex and questionable to use in practice. One-time pad is very appealing because of its perfect secrecy property. However, it lacks basic security properties shared by standard ciphers, namely authentication and integrity. In practice, its usage is rare and limited to circumstances where perfect secrecy is of utmost importance and integrity and authenticity can be guaranteed by other means.