bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Leaving No One Behind’ – Sustainable Development of Sámi Reindeer Husbandry in Norway
Authors: Johnsen Kathrine I. , Eira Inger Marie Gaup , Mathiesen Svein Disch , Oskal Anders
Published: December 2022

Within pastoral systems there is deep knowledge of the dynamics of the landscape and nature; and the Sámi traditional reindeer herding understanding of sustainable reindeer husbandry holds adaptive mechanisms for dealing with changing conditions in nature and extreme weather events. The Norwegian state has had policies for sustainable reindeer husbandry since the early 1990s. This chapter discusses two conceptualizations of sustainable reindeer husbandry – that of the state and that based on Sámi traditional reindeer herding knowledge. Based on public documents and empirical data from a workshop where herders shared observations and reflections from an extreme winter event (goavvi) in Finnmark 2019/2020, we discuss the different knowledge systems and tools for dealing with change embedded in the two conceptualizations. Norway is a strong supporter of the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development building on the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’, yet herders argue that policies and regulations for sustainable reindeer husbandry policies make their livelihoods vulnerable to climate change and other types of environmental change. The gap between the state’s and the participating herders’ understanding of ‘sustainability’ and tools for maintaining the wellbeing of the herd create misunderstandings and mistrust between the actors. Moreover, state decisions undermine the traditional knowledge and practices and push herders to practice a ‘Norwegianized’ type of pastoralism. In the current public management of reindeer husbandry, Sámi traditional reindeer herding knowledge and practices have been left behind.
Towards the Creation of Effective Partnerships with the Private Sector for Sustainable Development
Authors: Shimoda Yukimi
Published: December 2022

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were launched to promote partnerships to enhance developmental effectiveness. This is especially apparent in Goal 17. The private sector is one of the prospective partners for the realisation of a sustainable society. Collaboration with it has accelerated internationally to challenge various development issues through businesses. This trend is impelled by both the public and private sectors, whose activities have different aims and purposes. Both multilateral and bilateral donors, including Japan, have planned and implemented various development projects in collaboration with untraditional partners, such as corporations. This chapter examines how partnerships with the private sector have been formed, focusing on Japan. First, it briefly studies international initiatives to understand the process by which previously separated entities—public and private sectors—gradually move closer to solve development problems. It then explores the way the Government of Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, who are responsible for the public sector, have come to create or support projects in collaboration with companies. Their shift in the direction of international development responds to international calls for sustainable development. The chapter concludes by discussing the prospect of partnership with the private sector to realise the sustainable future that the SDGs aim to create.
Education in SDGs: What is Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education?
Authors: Tonegawa Yoshiko
Published: December 2022

Education was positioned as Goal 4 (i.e., SDG4) in SDGs. SDG4 aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” The lack of education and the inability to read and write often limit access to information and disadvantage the livelihoods of people. From the perspective of acquiring knowledge and skills, along with developing human resources, it is clear that the elements of education are present across all 17 SDGs. In other words, education is a cross-cutting discipline that influences a variety of areas (Kitamura et al. 2014) and, as such, plays an important role in achieving all SDGs. The main objective of this chapter is to examine “inclusive and equitable quality education.” First, this chapter provides a brief overview of international trends in educational cooperation from 1945 to 2015, covering the Education for All (EFA), Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and SDGs. It then discusses “inclusive and equitable quality education,” the core of SDG4. It specifically addresses discussions on equity, inclusion, and the quality of education. Furthermore, the quality of education is examined from four perspectives: school environment, educational attainment, learning achievement, and non-cognitive skills. This chapter also presents the case of education for children with disabilities in Ethiopia.

[This chapter was written by modifying the following chapter: Tonegawa Y (2018) “Kokusai kyouiku kyouryoku (International cooperation in education)” in Yamada M (ed) Atarashii kokusai kyouryoku ron (New international cooperation theory), Revised edition, Akashi Shoten, Tokyo]
Social Impacts of Infrastructure Construction: Sociological Approaches to Development
Authors: Hamamoto Atsushi
Published: December 2022

This chapter helps readers unfamiliar with sociology to obtain a concrete picture of what a sociological approach to development is. It presents arguments based not only on previous research in the English-speaking world, but also on research trends in Japan. Sociological studies of development can be divided into two fields based on their disciplinary origins and research orientation: ‘Sociology of Development’ and ‘Development Sociology’. First, this chapter explains the difference between these research areas. Furthermore, as a case study, the issue of displacementand resettlement induced by dam construction is presented to examine what kind of sociological analysis has been conducted in these research areas. Accordingly, the author presents research perspectives that are considered unique to sociology in development issues: power relations among actors at development sites; secondary, indirect, mid-, and long-term impacts of development projects; macro–micro linkages among international, national, and regional transformations; and values, culture, and discourse on development. Finally, a discussion is presented on the role of sociological research in the debate on sustainability and how it can play a significant part.
Applying a Random Forest Approach to Imbalanced Dataset on Network Monitoring Analysis
Authors: Chen Qian , Zhang Xing , Wang Ying , Zhai Zhijia , Yang Fen
Published: December 2022

Since the rapid growth of big data technology and the continuous development of information technology in recent years, the significance of network security monitoring is increasing consistently.
As one of the major tools to secure the system environment, organizations use various monitoring devices to govern the utilities of networks, hardware and applications. Meanwhile, massive and redundant data are produced by these devices constantly, which make a huge problem for analysts and scientists who are willing to extract useful information from them, and even impact the accuracy and efficiency of the monitoring systems. In this paper, we employ random forest algorithm and propose an ensemble learning model under certain scenarios with fixed data features. We use a preprocessing method to balance positive and negative samples, and then use 6 different intrusion detection systems as weak classifiers, which satisfy the rules of “partial sampling” and “partial features selection” of ensemble learning. Finally, we test three combination strategies, including relative majority voting, weighted voting and stacking, to combine the predictions. Experiments show that stacking has a better performance than the other two, with a score of 98.25% in recall, and achieves a 47.91% precision.
On the optimal domain for minimizing the buckling load of a clamped plate
Authors: Stollenwerk Kathrin
Published: December 2022

We prove the existence of an optimal domain for minimizing the buckling load among all, possibly unbounded, open subsets of$${\mathbb {R}}^n$$Rn($$n\ge 2$$n≥2) with given measure. Our approach is based on the extension of a two-dimensional existence result of Ashbaugh and Bucur and on the idea of Alt and Caffarelli to focus on the eigenfunction.
Speech comprehension in noise—considerations for ecologically valid assessment of communication skills ability with cochlear implants
Authors: Hey Matthias , Mewes Alexander , Hocke Thomas
Published: December 2022

Background

Nowadays, cochlear implant (CI) patients mostly show good to very good speech comprehension in quiet, but there are known problems with communication in everyday noisy situations. There is thus a need for ecologically valid measurements of speech comprehension in real-life listening situations for hearing-impaired patients. The additional methodological effort must be balanced with clinical human and spatial resources. This study investigates possible simplifications of a complex measurement setup.

Methods

The study included 20 adults from long-term follow-up after CI fitting with postlingual onset of hearing impairment. The complexity of the investigated listening situations was influenced by changing the spatiality of the noise sources and the temporal characteristics of the noise. To compare different measurement setups, speech reception thresholds (SRT) were measured unilaterally with different CI processors and settings. Ten normal-hearing subjects served as reference.

Results

In a complex listening situation with four loudspeakers, differences in SRT from CI subjects to the control group of up to 8 dB were found. For CI subjects, this SRT correlated with the situation with frontal speech signal and fluctuating interference signal from the side with R2 = 0.69. For conditions with stationary interfering signals, R2 values <0.2 were found.

Conclusion

There is no universal solution for all audiometric questions with respect to the spatiality and temporal characteristics of noise sources. In the investigated context, simplification of the complex spatial audiometric setting while using fluctuating competing signals was possible.
Potential protective effect of 3,3′-methylenebis(1-ethyl-4-hydroxyquinolin-2(1H)-one) against bleomycin-induced lung injury in male albino rat via modulation of Nrf2 pathway: biochemical, histological, and immunohistochemical study
Authors: Hafez Sara Mohamed Naguib Abdel , Saber Entesar Ali , Aziz Neven Makram , Kamel Maha Yehia , Aly Ashraf A. , Abdelhafez El-Shimaa M. N. , Ibrahim Manar Fouli Gaber
Published: December 2022

Acute lung injury is a serious condition accounting for the majority of acute respiratory failure. Bleomycin (BLM) is an antibiotic that was first described as a chemotherapeutic agent. 3,3′-methylenebis(1-ethyl-4-hydroxyquinolin-2(1H)-one) was reported to have anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and anti-oxidative properties. The current work aimed to assess the possible protective effects and the mechanism of protection of 3,3′-methylenebis-(1-ethyl-4-hydroxyquinolin-2(1H)-one) on BLM-induced lung injury in addition to the effect and underlying mechanisms of nuclear factor-erythroid-related factor 2 pathway against this injury. Rats were equally divided into four groups: control group, BLM group, 1-ethyl-4-hydroxyquinolin-2(1H)-one-treated group, and BLM with 1-ethyl-4-hydroxyquinolin-2(1H)-one-treated group. At the end of the work, the blood samples were proceeded for biochemical study. Lung specimens were obtained for biochemical, histological, and immunohistochemical study. The results exhibited a significant increase in both malondialdehyde and tumor necrotic factor-α with a significant decrease in glutathione, superoxide dismutase, IL 10, surfactant protein A, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 in BLM group. The lung histological results showed various morphological changes in the form of disturbed architecture, inflammatory cell infiltration, and intraluminal debris. This group also displayed a significant increase in the mean surface area fraction of anti-cleaved caspase 3, while group IV exhibited amelioration in the previously mentioned parameters and histological alternations that were induced by BLM. It could be concluded that 3,3′-methylenebis(1-ethyl-4-hydroxyquinolin-2(1H)-one) has anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic protective effects against BLM-induced lung injury.
CCR and CAR Algebras are Connected Via a Path of Cuntz–Toeplitz Algebras
Authors: Kuzmin Alexey
Published: December 2022

For$$q \in {\mathbb {R}}$$q∈R,$$|q| < 1$$|q|<1we consider the universal enveloping$$C^*$$C∗-algebra of a$$*$$∗-algebra ofq-canonical commutation relations (q-CCR), which is generated by$$a_1, \ldots , a_n$$a1,…,ansubject to the relations$$\begin{aligned} a_i^* a_j = \delta _{ij} 1 + q a_j a_i^* . \end{aligned}$$ai∗aj=δij1+qajai∗.It has a distinguished representation$$\pi _F$$πFcalled the Fock representation, which is believed to be faithful. In this article we denote the image of the universal enveloping$$C^*$$C∗-algebra ofq-CCR in the Fock representation by$$\beth _{n,q}$$ℶn,q. The question whether$$C^*$$C∗-isomorphism$$\beth _{n,q} \simeq \beth _{n,0}$$ℶn,q≃ℶn,0holds has been considered in the literature and proved for$$|q| < 0.44$$|q|<0.44. In this article we show that$$\beth _{n,q} \simeq \beth _{n,0}$$ℶn,q≃ℶn,0for$$|q| < 1$$|q|<1.
Duplicate prescriptions in the emergency department: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Heck Johannes , Krichevsky Benjamin , Groh Adrian , Schulze Westhoff Martin , Laser Hans , Gerbel Swetlana , Strunz Patrick-Pascal , Schumacher Carsten , Klietz Martin , Stichtenoth Dirk O. , Höner zu Siederdissen Christoph , Krause Olaf
Published: December 2022

Purpose

To determine the nature and frequency of duplicate prescriptions (DPs) in the emergency department (ED) by utilization of a novel categorization of DPs which differentiates between appropriate DPs (ADPs) and potentially inappropriate DPs (PIDPs).

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, adult patients who presented to the ED for internal medicine of a large university hospital in northern Germany in 2018 and 2019 were screened for the presence of DPs. Descriptive statistical methods were used to characterize the nature and frequency of PIDPs compared to the frequency of ADPs.

Results

A total of 4208 patients were enrolled into the study. The median age of the study population was 63 years (interquartile range (IQR) 48–77), 53.9% were female. The patients took a median of 5 drugs (IQR 3–9). 10.9% of the study population were affected by at least one PIDP (at least one grade-1 PIDP: 6.1%; at least one grade-2 PIDP: 4.5%; at least one grade-3 PIDP: 1.1%). Non-opioid analgesics accounted for the majority of grade-1 PIDPs, while inhalatives were most frequently responsible for grade-2 and grade-3 PIDPs. Nearly half of the study population (48.6%) displayed at least one ADP.

Conclusion

PIDPs pose a frequent pharmacological challenge in the ED. The medication review should comprise a systematic screening for PIDPs with a particular focus on non-opioid analgesics and inhalatives. ADPs were detected more frequently than PIDPs, questioning the predominant notion in the medical literature that DPs are exclusively deleterious.
Initial experience on abdominal photon-counting computed tomography in clinical routine: general image quality and dose exposure
Authors: Becker Benjamin V. , Kaatsch Hanns Leonhard , Nestler Kai , Overhoff Daniel , Schneider Julian , Dillinger Daniel , Piechotka Joel , Brockmann Marc A. , Ullmann Reinhard , Port Matthias , Scherthan Harry , Waldeck Stephan
Published: December 2022

Objectives

Photon-counting computed tomography has lately found its way into clinical routine. The new technique could offer substantial improvements regarding general image quality, image noise, and radiation dose reduction. This study evaluated the first abdominal examinations in clinical routine and compared the results to conventional computed tomography.

Methods

In this single-center retrospective study, 66 patients underwent photon-counting and conventional abdominal CT. Four radiologists assessed general image quality, image noise, and image artifacts. Signal-to-noise ratio and dose properties of both techniques within the clinical application were compared. An ex vivo phantom study revealed the radiobiological impact by means of DNA double-strand break foci in peripheral blood cells by enumerating γ-H2AX+53BP1 foci.

Results

General image quality in accordance with the Likert scale was found superior for photon-counting CT (4.74 ± 0.46 vs. 4.25 ± 0.54; p < 0.001). Signal-to-noise ratio (p < 0.001) and also dose exposure were higher for photon-counting CT (DLP: 419.2 ± 162.2 vs. 372.3 ± 236.6 mGy*cm; p = 0.0435). CT exposure resulted in significantly increased DNA damage in comparison to sham control (p < 0.001). Investigation of the average foci per cell and radiation-induced foci numbers revealed significantly elevated numbers (p = 0.004 and p < 0.0001, respectively) after photon-counting CT.

Conclusion

Photon-counting CT in abdominal examinations showed superior results regarding general image quality and signal-to-noise ratio in clinical routine. However, this seems to be traded for a significantly higher dose exposure and corresponding double-strand break frequency. Optimization of standard protocols in further clinical applications is required to find a compromise regarding picture quality and dose exposure.

Key Points

• Photon-counting computed tomography promises to enhance the diagnostic potential of medical imaging in clinical routine.

• Retrospective single-center study showed superior general image quality accompanied by higher dose exposure in initial abdominal PCCT protocols compared to state-of-the-art conventional CT.

• A simultaneous ex vivo phantom study revealed correspondingly increased frequencies of DNA double-strand breaks after PCCT.
Delayed primary anastomosis for repair of long-gap esophageal atresia: technique revisited
Authors: Friedmacher Florian
Published: December 2022

The operative management of patients born with long-gap esophageal atresia (LGEA) remains a major challenge for most pediatric surgeons, due to the rarity and complex nature of this malformation. In LGEA, the distance between the proximal and distal esophageal end is too wide, making a primary anastomosis often impossible. Still, every effort should be made to preserve the native esophagus as no other conduit can replace its function in transporting food from the oral cavity to the stomach satisfactorily. In 1981, Puri et al. observed that in newborns with LGEA spontaneous growth and hypertrophy of the two segments occur at a rate faster than overall somatic growth in the absence of any form of mechanical stretching, traction or bouginage. They further noted that maximal natural growth arises in the first 8–12 weeks of life, stimulated by the swallowing reflex and reflux of gastric contents into the lower esophageal pouch. Since then, creation of an initial gastrostomy and continuous suction of the upper esophageal pouch followed by delayed primary anastomosis at approximately 3 months of age has been widely accepted as the preferred treatment option in most LGEA cases, generally providing good functional results. The current article offers a comprehensive update on the various aspects and challenges of this technique including initial preoperative management and subsequent gap assessment, while also discussing potential postoperative complications and long-term outcome.
Effects of psychological treatments on functioning in people with Schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Bighelli Irene , Wallis Sofia , Reitmeir Cornelia , Schwermann Felicitas , Salahuddin Nurul Husna , Leucht Stefan
Published: December 2022

Functioning is recognized as a key treatment goal in alleviating the burden of schizophrenia. Psychological interventions can play an important role in improving functioning in this population, but the evidence on their efficacy is limited. We therefore aimed to evaluate the effect of psychological interventions in functioning for patients with schizophrenia. To conduct this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched for published and unpublished randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, BIOSIS, Cochrane Library, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), ClinicalTrials.gov and the Study register of the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group. The outcome functioning was measured with validated scales. We performed random-effects pairwise meta-analysis to calculate standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We included 58 RCTs (5048 participants). Psychological interventions analyzed together (SMD =  – 0.37, 95% CI  – 0.49 to  – 0.25), cognitive behavioral therapy (30 RCTs, SMD =  – 0.26, 95% CI  – 0.39 to  – 0.12), and third wave cognitive-behavioral therapies (15 RCTs, SMD =  – 0.60, 95% CI  – 0.83 to  – 0.37) were superior to control in improving functioning, while creative therapies (8 RCTs, SMD = 0.01, 95% CI  – 0.38 to 0.39), integrated therapies (4 RCTs, SMD =  – 0.21, 95% CI  – 1.20 to 0.78) and other therapies (4 RCTs, SMD =  – 0.74, 95% CI  – 1.52 to 0.04) did not show a benefit. Psychological interventions, in particular cognitive behavioral therapy and third wave cognitive behavioral therapies, have shown a therapeutic effect on functioning. The confidence in the estimate was evaluated as very low due to risk of bias, heterogeneity and possible publication bias.
Plasma GDF15 levels associated with circulating immune cells predict the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor treatment and prognosis in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Hong Green , Sun Pureum , Chung Chaeuk , Park Dongil , Lee Song-I , Kim Nayoung , Lee Seong Eun , Lee Jeong Eun , Kang Yea Eun , Kang Da Hyun
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Although increased plasma growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF15) levels have been reported in patients with various cancers, the predictive role of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in advanced cancers remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate GDF15 levels as a predictive marker in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and analyze their association with immune cell populations.

Methods

This study included 87 patients with advanced NSCLC receiving anti-PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors between March 2018 and May 2020. Blood samples were obtained immediately before and months after PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor administration.

Results

The objective response rate (ORR) was significantly higher in the low GDF15 than in the high GDF15 group (39.2% vs. 15.3%, P = 0.013). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly longer in the low GDF15 than in the high GDF15 group (13.2 [95% CI 7.6–18.9] vs. 7.2 [95% CI 4.8–9.6] months, P = 0.048). Moreover, plasma GDF15 levels negatively correlated with PD-1+/CD8+ T cells (r = − 0.399, P = 0.003) and positively with PD-1+/Treg cells (r = 0.507, P < 0.001) and PD-1+Treg/CD4+ T cells (r = 0.439, P < 0.001). The ORR was significantly higher in the group with decreased GDF15 from baseline than in the increased GDF15 group (37.2% vs. 10.0%, P = 0.026). The median PFS was significantly longer in the decreased GDF15 group (14.8 [95% CI 10.4–19.2] vs. 5.9 [95% CI 2.8–9.0] months, P = 0.002). Plasma GDF15 levels were associated with PD-1+CD8+ T cells and PD-1+ Treg cells.

Conclusion

Plasma GDF15 could be a potential biomarker for predicting the efficacy and survival benefit of immunotherapy in advanced NSCLC.
Both climate sensitivity and growth trend of European beech decrease in the North German Lowlands, while Scots pine still thrives, despite growing sensitivity
Authors: Diers Marco , Weigel Robert , Leuschner Christoph
Published: December 2022

Key message

Beech and pine respond differently to climate change. June precipitation is of particular influence for beech, and February/March temperature for pine.

Climate warming exposes forests to increasing abiotic stress, demanding for difficult silvicultural decisions about the right choice of future timber species. Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica) are major timber species in the North German Lowlands, which have suffered from recent hot droughts, thus raising concern about their suitability for future production forests in the region. We investigated the climate sensitivity of tree growth and long-term growth trends of ten paired beech and pine forests along a precipitation gradient in the North German Lowlands with the aim to compare the species’ climate sensitivity and to search for species-specific climatic thresholds. In the majority of beech stands, basal area increment (BAI) has lost its positive trend since the 1980s or growth declined since then, while the BAI of pine has continually increased. Long-term change in June precipitation is in the study region a more important determinant of beech growth trends than the amount of MAP, while pine growth is largely dependent on the warmth of February/March. Yet, pine growth is also sensitive to dry mid summers, with sensitivity increasing toward low MAP. Climate sensitivity of growth has significantly declined since the 1980s in beech, while the dominant drought signal of June persisted in pine. We conclude that recent climate change is affecting radial growth of beech and pine differently with both species revealing signs of vulnerability to hot droughts, suggesting for the drier part of the study region the preference of more drought-tolerant hardwood timber species over beech and pine.
Adding the neuro to cognition: from food storing to nest building
Authors: Healy Susan D.
Published: December 2022

Typically, investigations of animal cognition couple careful experimental manipulations with examination of the animal’s behavioural responses. Sometimes those questions have included attempts to describe the neural underpinnings of the behavioural outputs. Over the past 25 years, behaviours that involve spatial learning and memory (such as navigation and food storing) has been one context in which such dual or correlated investigations have been both accessible and productive. Here I review some of that work and where it has led. Because of the wealth of data and insights gained from that work and song learning before it, it seems that it might also be useful to try to add some neurobiology to other systems in animal cognition. I finish then, with a description of recent work on the cognition and neurobiology of avian nest building. It is still relatively early days but asking questions about the cognition of nest building has already shown both neural correlates of nest building and that learning and memory play a much greater role in this behaviour than previously considered. While it is not yet clear how putting these components together will be synergistic, the examples of song learning and food storing provide encouragement. Perhaps this might be true for other behaviours too?
Data-driven innovation development: an empirical analysis of the antecedents using PLS-SEM and fsQCA
Authors: Hossain Mohamamd Alamgir , Quaddus Mohammed , Hossain Md Moazzem , Gopakumar Gopika
Published: December 2022

Data-driven innovation (DDI) is a primary source of competitive advantage for firms and is a contemporary research priority. However, what facilitates the development of DDI has largely been understudied in literature. Through a systematic literature review, this study finds technological, organizational, and environmental variables under the TOE framework, which would drive effective DDI development. We thus develop a research model, which is tested using survey data from 264 Australian firms engaged in DDI development. The data have been analysed using both symmetric (partial least squares based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM)) and asymmetric (fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA)) methods. The mixed method enhances the confidence in our empirical analyses of the antecedent variables of DDI development. PLS-SEM has revealed that technological readiness (i.e., data quality and metadata quality), and organizational absorptive capacity and readiness (i.e., technology-oriented leadership and availability of IT skilled professionals) affect DDI development. Our fsQCA results complement and extend the findings of PSL-SEM analysis. It reveals that quality of data and metadata, technology-oriented leadership, and exploitation capacity individually are necessary—but are not sufficient—conditions for high DDI development. Further, it identifies three different solutions each for small, medium, and large firms by combining the TOE factors. Additionally, this study suggests that the TOE framework is more applicable to small firms, on DDI context. Findings of our study have been related with theoretical and practical implications.
Is blockchain a cure for peer-to-peer lending?
Authors: Yan Wangcheng , Zhou Wenjun
Published: December 2022

The blockchain, a decentralized ledger system, has been considered a revolutionary technology to transform businesses, including the financial markets. As peer-to-peer (P2P) lending is also known for decentralization in the sense that individuals borrow from and lend to each other directly, bypassing traditional banks, we explore the possibility and benefits of blockchains in P2P lending. We first provide an economic analysis of existing P2P lending problems, including herding and platform-borrower collusion, with and without the blockchain mechanism. We note that, compared with the existing markets, blockchain-backed P2P lending is highly effective in privacy preservation and borrower quality distinction. Since the role of intermediaries is eliminated in the blockchain world, the chance of platform-borrower collusion is also minimized. Moreover, we show that borrowers and lenders can expect additional surplus when the origination fee in traditional P2P lending is replaced with a smaller tokenization cost and when borrowers present a more accurate financial incentive in a smart contract. With the smart contract, borrowers are allowed to propose optimal interest rates based on their creditworthiness and capacity of repayment while detailed personal information is not required. Additionally, we demonstrate that small investors’ surplus can be further enhanced due to the elimination of herding.
Sedimentary, littoral and planktic diatoms show different diversity patterns and assembly mechanisms in mountain lakes of the northern European Alps
Authors: Ossyssek Stefan , Hofmann Andrea Maria , Geist Juergen , Raeder Uta
Published: December 2022

This study analysed diversity patterns of sedimentary, littoral and planktic diatoms in 43 mountain lakes in the northern European Alps and identified processes that contribute to these patterns. Linear regression models showed a significant increase of sedimentaryα-diversity with lake area and conductivity and a negative trend with increasing elevation, whilst the littoral diatomα-diversity increased significantly with conductivity and lake water temperature. Planktic diatomα-diversity significantly decreased with lake area and depth. August water temperature, total phosphorus, conductivity and lake depth explained a significant part of the variation and were significantly correlated with pairwiseβ-diversities in the data sets, but spatial and shared effects of space and environment were more important for planktic and littoral diatoms. A null model approach based on assemblages’ dissimilarities revealed that the structure of littoral and planktic assemblages was predominantly stochastic. In contrast, sedimentary diatoms were formed by both deterministic and stochastic processes. Abundant and widespread species contributed a large part to the assemblageβ-diversity. The results point to a stronger role of niche assembly in sedimentary than for littoral and planktic diatoms. Dispersal limitation, in turn, is likely to contribute to the spatial patterns and stochastic assembly processes observed for littoral and planktic diatoms.
Influence of a 265 °C heat treatment on the residual stress state of a PBF-LB/M AlSi10Mg alloy
Authors: Roveda Ilaria , Serrano-Munoz Itziar , Mishurova Tatiana , Madia Mauro , Pirling Thilo , Evans Alexander , Klaus Manuela , Haubrich Jan , Requena Guillermo , Bruno Giovanni
Published: December 2022

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB/M) additive manufacturing (AM) induces high magnitude residual stress (RS) in structures due to the extremely heterogeneous cooling and heating rates. As the RS can be deleterious to the fatigue resistance of engineering components, great efforts are focused on understanding their generation and evolution after post-process heat treatments. In this study, one of the few of its kind, the RS relaxation induced in an as-built PBF-LB/M AlSi10Mg material by a low-temperature heat treatment (265 °C for 1 h) is studied by means of X-ray and neutron diffraction. Since the specimens are manufactured using a baseplate heated up to 200 °C, low RS are found in the as-built condition. After heat treatment a redistribution of the RS is observed, while their magnitude remains constant. It is proposed that the redistribution is induced by a repartition of stresses between the α-aluminium matrix and the silicon phase, as the morphology of the silicon phase is affected by the heat treatment. A considerable scatter is observed in the neutron diffraction RS profiles, which is principally correlated to the presence (or absence) ofpocketsof porosity developed at the borders of the chessboard pattern.
The Effect of COVID-19 Restrictions on Routine Activities and Online Crime
Authors: Johnson Shane D. , Nikolovska Manja
Published: December 2022

Objectives

Routine activity theory suggests that levels of crime are affected by peoples’ activity patterns. Here, we examine if, through their impact on people’s on- and off-line activities, COVID-19 restriction affected fraud committed on- and off-line during the pandemic. Our expectation was that levels of online offending would closely follow changes to mobility and online activity—with crime increasing as restrictions were imposed (and online activity increased) and declining as they were relaxed. For doorstep fraud, which has a different opportunity structure, our expectation was that the reverse would be true.

Method

COVID-19 restrictions systematically disrupted people’s activity patterns, creating quasi-experimental conditions well-suited to testing the effects of “interventions” on crime. We exploit those conditions using ARIMA time series models and UK data for online shopping fraud, hacking, doorstep fraud, online sales, and mobility to test hypotheses. Doorstep fraud is modelled as a non-equivalent dependent variable, allowing us to test whether findings were selective and in line with theoretical expectations.

Results

After controlling for other factors, levels of crime committed online were positively associated with monthly variation in online activities and negatively associated with monthly variation in mobility. In contrast, and as expected, monthly variation in doorstep fraud was positively associated with changes in mobility.

Conclusions

We find evidence consistent with routine activity theory, suggesting that disruptions to people’s daily activity patterns affect levels of crime committed both on- and off-line. The theoretical implications of the findings, and the need to develop a better evidence base about what works to reduce online crime, are discussed.
Joint replenishment meets scheduling
Authors: Györgyi Péter , Kis Tamás , Tamási Tímea , Békési József
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we consider a combination of the joint replenishment problem (JRP) and single-machine scheduling with release dates. There is a single machine and one or more item types. Each job has a release date, a positive processing time, and it requires a subset of items. A job can be started at time t only if all the required item types were replenished between the release date of the job and time point t. The ordering of item types for distinct jobs can be combined. The objective is to minimize the total ordering cost plus a scheduling criterion, such as total weighted completion time or maximum flow time, where the cost of ordering a subset of items simultaneously is the sum of a joint ordering cost, and an additional item ordering cost for each item type in the subset. We provide several complexity results for the offline problem, and competitive analysis for online variants with min–sum and min–max criteria, respectively.
MAP inference algorithms without approximation for collective graphical models on path graphs via discrete difference of convex algorithm
Authors: Akagi Yasunori , Marumo Naoki , Kim Hideaki , Kurashima Takeshi , Toda Hiroyuki
Published: December 2022

Collective graphical model (CGM) is a probabilistic model that provides a framework for analyzing aggregated count data. Maximum a posteriori (MAP) inference of unobserved variables under given observations is one of the essential operations in CGM. Because the MAP inference problem is known to be NP-hard in general, the current mainstream approach is to solve an alternative problem obtained by approximating the objective function and applying continuous relaxation. However, this approach has two significant drawbacks. First, the quality of the solution deteriorates when the values in the count data are negligible due to the inaccuracy of Stirling’s approximation. Second, the application of continuous relaxation causes the violation of integrality constraints. This paper proposes novel algorithms for MAP inference in CGMs on path graphs to overcome these problems. Our method is based on the discrete difference of convex algorithm (DCA); DCA is a general framework to minimize the sum of a convex function and a concave function by repeatedly minimizing surrogate functions. Utilizing the particular structure of path graphs, we efficiently solve the surrogate function minimization by minimum convex cost flow algorithms. Furthermore, our approach also leads to a new method of solving another important task; MAP inference of the sample size in CGM on path graphs. Our method is naturally applicable to this task, allowing us to design very efficient algorithms. Experimental results on synthetic and real-world datasets show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.
Resident Astrocytes can Limit Injury to Developing Hippocampal Neurons upon THC Exposure
Authors: Krassnitzer Maria , Boisvert Brooke , Beiersdorf Johannes , Harkany Tibor , Keimpema Erik
Published: December 2022

Cannabis legalization prompted the dilemma if plant-derived recreational drugs can have therapeutic potential and, consequently, how to address their regulation and safe distribution. In parallel, the steady worldwide decriminalization of cannabis and the enhanced content of its main psychoactive compound Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), exposes populations to increasing amounts of cannabis and THC across all ages. While adverse effects of cannabis during critical stages of fetal neurodevelopment are investigated, these studies center on neurons alone. Thus, a gap of knowledge exists on how intercellular interactions between neighboring cell types, particularly astrocytes and neurons, could modify THC action. Here, we combine transcriptome analysis, transgenic models, high resolution microscopy and live cell imaging to demonstrate that hippocampal astrocytes accumulate in the strata radiatum and lacunosum moleculare of the CA1 subfield, containing particularly sensitive neurons to stressors, upon long term postnatal THC exposure in vivo. As this altered distribution is not dependent on cell proliferation, we propose that resident astrocytes accumulate in select areas to protect pyramidal neurons and their neurite extensions from pathological damage. Indeed, we could recapitulate the neuroprotective effect of astrocytes in vitro, as their physical presence significantly reduced the death of primary hippocampal neurons upon THC exposure (> 5 µM). Even so, astrocytes are also affected by a reduced metabolic readiness to stressors, as reflected by a downregulation of mitochondrial proteins. Thus, we find that astrocytes exert protective functions on local neurons during THC exposure, even though their mitochondrial electron transport chain is disrupted.
Manipulation, machine induction, and bypassing
Authors: De Marco Gabriel
Published: December 2022

A common style of argument in the literature on free will and moral responsibility is the Manipulation Argument. These tend to begin with a case of an agent in a deterministic universe who is manipulated, say, via brain surgery, into performing some action. Intuitively, this agent is not responsible for that action. Yet, since there is no relevant difference, with respect to whether an agent is responsible, between the manipulated agent and a typical agent in a deterministic universe, responsibility is not compatible with the truth of determinism. In response, some theorists have argued that there is a relevant difference, and have developed two sorts of accounts of that difference: bypassing views, and manipulator-focused views. Manipulator-focused views suggest that the difference concerns the presence of a manipulator, whereas bypassing views suggest that the relevant difference concerns the fact that the action issues from attitudes that the manipulated agent acquired in a way that bypassed her capacities for control over her mental life. One sort of case used to decide between these sorts of accounts is a case of machine induction, which is just like a manipulation case, yet the change in the agent is the result of some natural force. Against the received view, Xiaofei Liu argues that such cases pose problems for bypassing views, and favor manipulator-focused views instead. This paper addresses Liu’s arguments, as well as a variety of cases, concluding that cases of machine induction do not provide motivation for a bypassing theorist to adopt a manipulator-focused view.
Nitrogen doped carbonaceous materials as platinum free cathode electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)
Authors: Ayyubov Ilgar , Tálas Emília , Berghian-Grosan Camelia , Románszki Loránd , Borbáth Irina , Pászti Zoltán , Szegedi Ágnes , Mihály Judith , Vulcu Adriana , Tompos András
Published: December 2022

Comparison of physicochemical properties and electrocatalytic behavior of different N-doped carbonaceous materials as potential catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was attended. Ball-milling of graphite with melamine and solvothermal treatment of graphite oxide, graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) with ammonia were used as preparation methods. Elemental analysis and N2 physisorption measurements revealed the synthesis of N-doped materials with strongly different morphological parameters. Contact angle measurements proved that all three samples had good wettability properties. According to analysis of XRD data and Raman spectra a higher nitrogen concentration corresponded to a smaller size of crystallites of the N-doped carbonaceous material. Surface total N content determined by XPS and bulk N content assessed by elemental analysis were close, indicating homogenous inclusion of N in all samples. Rotating disc electrode tests showed that these N-doped materials weremuch less active in acidic medium than in an alkaline environment. Although the presence of in-plane N species is regarded to be advantageous for the ORR activity, no particular correlation was found in these systems with any type of N species. According to Koutecky–Levich analysis, both the N-containing carbonaceous materials and the reference Pt/C catalyst displayed a typical one-step, four-electron ORR route. Both ball-milled sample with high N-content but with low SSA and solvothermally synthesized N-GNP with high SSA but low N content showed significant ORR activity. It could be concluded that beside the total N content other parameters such as SSA, pore structure, structural defects, wettability were also essential for achieving high ORR activity.
CC-IFIM: an efficient approach for incremental frequent itemset mining based on closed candidates
Authors: Magdy Maged , Ghaleb Fayed F. M. , Mohamed Dawlat A. El A. , Zakaria Wael
Published: December 2022

Frequent itemset mining (FIM) is the crucial task in mining association rules that finds all frequent k-itemsets in the transaction dataset from which all association rules are extracted. In the big-data era, the datasets are huge and rapidly expanding, so adding new transactions as time advances results in periodic changes in correlations and frequent itemsets present in the dataset. Re-mining the updated dataset is impractical and costly. This problem is solved via incremental frequent itemset mining. Numerous researchers view the new transactions as a distinct dataset (partition) that may be mined to obtain all of its frequent item sets. The extracted local frequent itemsets are then combined to create a collection of global candidates, where it is possible to estimate the support count of the combined candidates to avoid re-scanning the dataset. However, these works are hampered by the growth of a huge number of candidates, and the support count estimation is still imprecise. In this paper, the Closed Candidates-based Incremental Frequent Itemset Mining approach, or CC-IFIM, has been proposed to decrease candidate generation and improve the accuracy of the global frequent itemsets that are retrieved. The proposed approach is able to prune several produced candidates in earlier steps before performing any further computations. To improve the accuracy of the computation of the support count of the produced candidates, the similarity between partitions has been evaluated using just the local closed candidates rather than all candidates. The experimental findings demonstrated that the CC-IFIM approach is superior to its competitors in terms of efficiency and accuracy.
Oxidative Treatment of Paper Mill Effluent by TiO2 Photocatalysis and Photo-Fenton Reagent
Authors: Bulskaya Ina , Fytianos Konstantinos
Published: December 2022

The pulp and paper industry have historically been one of the world’s largest consumers of freshwater resources and producers of wastewater discharges. More than 250 chemicals have been identified in effluents including chlorine-based organic and other toxic compounds. Some of these are resistant to biological degradation such as color-related compounds. The goal of this study was to analyze the real wastewater from the paper mill and to suggest a photocatalytic treatment method in order to reduce the organic pollutants load. The efficiency of the commonly used treatment photocatalytic processes (photo-TiO2 and photo-Fenton reagent) on the treatment of real paper mill effluent was investigated. Additionally, the performance of TiO2 photocatalytic reactions with and without the addition of hydrogen peroxide was also examined. For the experiment, a 500 mL pyrex UV reactor and a 125-W high-pressure mercury lamp, surrounded by pyrex filter blocking wavelengths below 290 nm were used. The approach has been applied for the treatment of effluents produced from a papermaking industry.