bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Infra lightweight concrete: A decade of investigation (a review)
Authors: Elshahawi Mahmoud , Hückler Alex , Schlaich Mike
Published: August 2020

Around a decade ago, the first realistic mix of infra lightweight concrete (ILC) was developed and used in the construction of the façades of a family house in Berlin. Since then, it has been demonstrated that ILC represents a promising lightweight concrete material of dry density less than 800 kg/m3 and possesses both good thermal insulation characteristics and a sufficient load bearing resistance. Such a unique combination makes it a competitive alternative to the conventional multilayer façades common nowadays in terms of robustness, durability, energy saving and ease of construction. In addition, it opens up innovative architectural horizons. The chief aim of this review is to present the current state of knowledge and the development of ILC over the last decade. A further and equally important consideration is to shed light on scientific gaps and issues that require additional investigation. Accordingly, wide comparisons between numerous mixes as to ingredients, density, strength and thermal conductivity are conducted. The review shows how the mechanical and thermal properties of ILC have improved considerably over time. It also reveals, however, how the understanding of the structural behavior of ILC could be improved through further discussions.
Conclusions: Criminal Policy on Illicit Tobacco Trade Between Scylla of Health Concerns and Charybdis of Fiscal Interests
Authors: Buczkowski Konrad , Nowak Celina
Published: August 2020

This chapter summarizes the research findings presented in the chapters on national criminal policies above in this volume. It also puts forward some recommendations to national policy makers aimed at improving national criminal policies on illicit tobacco trade.
The Python’s Lunch: geometric obstructions to decoding Hawking radiation
Authors: Brown Adam R. , Gharibyan Hrant , Penington Geoff , Susskind Leonard
Published: August 2020

Abstract

According to Harlow and Hayden [arXiv:1301.4504] the task of distilling information out of Hawking radiation appears to be computationally hard despite the fact that the quantum state of the black hole and its radiation is relatively un-complex. We trace this computational difficulty to a geometric obstruction in the Einstein-Rosen bridge connecting the black hole and its radiation. Inspired by tensor network models, we conjecture a precise formula relating the computational hardness of distilling information to geometric properties of the wormhole — specifically to the exponential of the difference in generalized entropies between the two non-minimal quantum extremal surfaces that constitute the obstruction. Due to its shape, we call this obstruction the ‘Python’s Lunch’, in analogy to the reptile’s postprandial bulge.
Triggering long-lived particles in HL-LHC and the challenges in the first stage of the trigger system
Authors: Bhattacherjee Biplob , Mukherjee Swagata , Sengupta Rhitaja , Solanki Prabhat
Published: August 2020

Abstract

Triggering long-lived particles (LLPs) at the first stage of the trigger system is very crucial in LLP searches to ensure that we do not miss them at the very beginning. The future High Luminosity runs of the Large Hadron Collider will have increased number of pile-up events per bunch crossing. There will be major upgrades in hardware, firmware and software sides, like tracking at level-1 (L1). The L1 trigger menu will also be modified to cope with pile-up and maintain the sensitivity to physics processes. In our study we found that the usual level-1 triggers, mostly meant for triggering prompt particles, will not be very efficient for LLP searches in the 140 pile-up environment of HL-LHC, thus pointing to the need to include dedicated L1 triggers in the menu for LLPs. We consider the decay of the LLP into jets and develop dedicated jet triggers using the track information at L1 to select LLP events. We show in our work that these triggers give promising results in identifying LLP events with moderate trigger rates.
Experimental assessment of failure criteria for the interaction of normal stress perpendicular to the grain with rolling shear stress in Norway spruce clear wood
Authors: Akter Shaheda T. , Bader Thomas K.
Published: August 2020

The anisotropic material behavior of wood, considered as a cylindrically orthotropic material with annual rings, leads to several different failure mechanisms already under uniaxial stresses. Stress interaction becomes important in the engineering design of structural elements and is often predicted by failure criteria based on uniaxial properties. The prediction quality of failure criteria has been assessed with longitudinal shear stress interaction, though less is known on rolling shear stress in interaction with stress perpendicular to the grain. The study aims at investigating the corresponding mechanical behavior of Norway spruce (Picea abies) clear wood by validating failure envelopes for stress combinations in the cross-sectional plane, based on experimental investigations. For this purpose, a test setup that controls the stress interaction and loading of clear wood along pre-defined displacement paths needed to be developed. Experimentally defined failure states could then be compared to failure surfaces predicted by the phenomenological failure criteria. Material behavior was quantified in terms of stiffness, strength, and elastic and post-elastic responses on dog-bone shaped specimens loaded along 12 different displacement paths. A comparison with failure criteria for two nominal compressive strain levels showed that a combination of failure criteria would be required to represent the material behavior and consider the positive effect of compressive stresses on the rolling shear strength. The findings of this work will contribute to studying local stress distribution of structural elements and construction details, where stress interactions with rolling shear develop.
The origin and composition of carbonatite-derived carbonate-bearing fluorapatite deposits
Authors: Broom-Fendley Sam , Siegfried Pete R. , Wall Frances , O’Neill Mary , Brooker Richard A. , Fallon Emily K. , Pickles Jonathan R. , Banks David A.
Published: August 2020

Carbonate-bearing fluorapatite rocks occur at over 30 globally distributed carbonatite complexes and represent a substantial potential supply of phosphorus for the fertiliser industry. However, the process(es) involved in forming carbonate-bearing fluorapatite at some carbonatites remain equivocal, with both hydrothermal and weathering mechanisms inferred. In this contribution, we compare the paragenesis and trace element contents of carbonate-bearing fluorapatite rocks from the Kovdor, Sokli, Bukusu, Catalão I and Glenover carbonatites in order to further understand their origin, as well as to comment upon the concentration of elements that may be deleterious to fertiliser production. The paragenesis of apatite from each deposit is broadly equivalent, comprising residual magmatic grains overgrown by several different stages of carbonate-bearing fluorapatite. The first forms epitactic overgrowths on residual magmatic grains, followed by the formation of massive apatite which, in turn, is cross-cut by late euhedral and colloform apatite generations. Compositionally, the paragenetic sequence corresponds to a substantial decrease in the concentration of rare earth elements (REE), Sr, Na and Th, with an increase in U and Cd. The carbonate-bearing fluorapatite exhibits a negative Ce anomaly, attributed to oxic conditions in a surficial environment and, in combination with the textural and compositional commonality, supports a weathering origin for these rocks. Carbonate-bearing fluorapatite has Th contents which are several orders of magnitude lower than magmatic apatite grains, potentially making such apatite a more environmentally attractive feedstock for the fertiliser industry. Uranium and cadmium contents are higher in carbonate-bearing fluorapatite than magmatic carbonatite apatite, but are much lower than most marine phosphorites.
Mensch-Computer-Interaktion als zentrales Gebiet der Informatik – Bestandsaufnahme, Trends und Herausforderungen
Authors: Koch Michael , Ziegler Jürgen , Reuter Christian , Schlegel Thomas , Prilla Michael
Published: August 2020

Mensch-Computer-Interaktion (MCI) beschäftigt sich mit Fragen rund um die benutzer- und kontextegerechte Gestaltung von IT-Systemen. Ohne MCI ist die vielbeschworene digitale Transformation nicht möglich, da Systeme, die nicht benutzbar (gebrauchstauglich) sind, für ihre Nutzer wertlos oder sogar gefährlich sind – erst Nutzbarkeit schafft Nutzen! In diesem Beitrag sammeln wir einige Beispiele dafür, wo und wie MCI in der Entwicklung zukünftiger IT-Systeme relevant ist – von nutzerzentrierter künstlicher Intelligenz über benutzbare Sicherheit, cyberphysische Systeme und digital Arbeit hin zu Augmented Reality und Virtual Reality.
Patient anxiety of verticalization on day 0 after a Cesarean section
Authors: Prokopowicz Anna , Korzeniewska Aleksandra , Byrka Katarzyna
Published: August 2020

Purpose

The ERAS protocol recommends fast mobilization of a patient along with providing psychological comfort; however, early verticalization can generate mental discomfort. In the post-operative period after Caesarean section (CC), a patient may experience pain, anxiety and negative affect. The main aim of the study was to investigate levels of patient anxiety concerning verticalization on day 0 after CC using. Also, the dependence between anxiety of verticalization and the following: pain, anxiety as a permanent disposition, resistance to pain, negative and positive emotions, and positive orientation was described.

Methods

The study included 150 women on day 0 after their CC. The measurement of anxiety concerning verticalization, pain, and also negative and positive emotions was conducted twice. During the first measurement, variables such as anxiety levels as a constant disposition, level of pain resistance and positive orientation were also monitored.

Results

Patients upon arrival at the post-operative room declared a higher level of anxiety of verticalization (p < 0.05) (Median = 4; IQR = 5) when compared to 6 h after surgery (Median = 3; IQR = 4). A weak correlation of anxiety and pain was noted (r = 0.264; p < 0.01) in the second measurement. In both measurements, negative emotions and pain resistance proved to be the strongest variables explaining anxiety concerning verticalization.

Conclusions

Low levels of pain experienced by a patient after CC do not explain the variance in anxiety of verticalization. The use of the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) of anxiety allows care givers to gain patients' psychological perspective in different moments after CC.
Seizures at the onset of aneurysmal SAH: epiphenomenon or valuable predictor?
Authors: Darkwah Oppong Marvin , Bastias Marcela Jara , Pierscianek Daniela , Droste Leonie , Dinger Thiemo F. , Ahmadipour Yahya , Rauschenbach Laurèl , Quesada Carlos , Chihi Mehdi , Dammann Philipp , Forsting Michael , Wrede Karsten H. , Sure Ulrich , Jabbarli Ramazan
Published: August 2020

Objective

Seizures at the onset (SAO) of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) occur in up to one of every five cases. To date, there is no consensus on causal background and clinical value of these early bleeding-related seizures. This study aimed to analyze the predictors and the impact of SAO in aSAH.

Methods

All aSAH patients from the institutional observational cohort (01/2003–06/2016) were retrospectively reviewed. Patients’ charts and emergency protocols from first responders were screened for the occurrence of seizures in the first 24 h after aSAH. Patients’ baseline characteristics and occurrence of post-hemorrhagic complications were analyzed. Outcome endpoints included in-hospital mortality and poor outcome at 6-month follow-up (modified Rankin Scale > 3).

Results

Of 984 patients included in the final analysis, SAO occurred in 93 cases (9.5%) and were independently associated with younger age (< 51 years, p < 0.001), WFNS grade ≥ 4 (p < 0.001), aneurysm characteristics (location at the proximal branch of the anterior cerebral artery [p = 0.037] and irregular sac [p = 0.019]) and admission body temperature > 38.3 ℃ (p = 0.008). There was an association between SAO and early complications (early infarcts [p = 0.004] and primary decompressive craniectomy [p = 0.024]). Only in the subgroup analysis restricted to the younger individuals, SAO independently predicted poor outcome of aSAH (p = 0.002).

Significance

Onset seizures following aSAH are rare and most likely related to the severity of early brain injury. Particularly, younger individuals are not only at higher risk for SAO, but are also prone to poor outcome in case of aSAH accompanied with SAO.

Trial registration number

German clinical trial registry (DRKS, unique identifier: DRKS00008749, 06/09/2015)
Effects of emixustat hydrochloride in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy: a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 study
Authors: Kubota Ryo , Jhaveri Chirag , Koester John M. , Gregory Jeffrey K.
Published: August 2020

Purpose

To evaluate the effects of oral emixustat hydrochloride on pro-angiogenic and inflammatory cytokines in the aqueous humor, as well as other ophthalmic parameters, in subjects with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Methods

Twenty-three patients with PDR, with or without diabetic macular edema (DME), were assigned to emixustat or placebo in daily oral doses ranging from 5 to 40 mg over a step-up titration period, for 84 days. The main outcome measures included levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TGFβ-1, and VEGF in the aqueous humor.

Results

Seven of 12 subjects (58%) who were randomized to emixustat and 11 of 12 subjects (92%) who were randomized to placebo completed the study. No statistically significant differences between treatment groups were observed for changes in any of the aqueous humor cytokines tested. However, median VEGF levels were slightly reduced in the emixustat but not the placebo group (− 70.0 pg/mL versus + 42.7 pg/mL, or − 11.8% versus + 6.7%). In a post hoc analysis of all subjects (with or without DME), statistically significant differences between treatment arms in mean changes from baseline in central subfield thickness (CST; emixustat − 11.9 μm, placebo + 36.2 μm; P = 0.076) and total macular volume (TMV; emixustat − 0.13 mm3, placebo + 0.23 mm3; P = 0.026) were observed, both favoring emixustat. Emixustat’s safety profile was consistent with prior studies (i.e., the adverse events of delayed dark adaptation and visual impairment were more common in subjects treated with emixustat).

Conclusion

Although this pilot study did not demonstrate statistically significant differences in changes in aqueous humor cytokine levels between the emixustat and placebo groups, VEGF levels were slightly reduced in the emixustat but not in the placebo group. In addition, statistically significant differences favoring the emixustat group were observed in CST and TMV among all subjects. These data warrant further investigation of emixustat’s potential therapeutic effects in diabetic retinopathy.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02753400 (April 2016)
A study on flow decomposition methods for scheduling of electric buses in public transport based on aggregated time–space network models
Authors: Olsen Nils , Kliewer Natalia , Wolbeck Lena
Published: August 2020

Over the past few years, many public transport companies have launched pilot projects testing the operation of electric buses. The basic objective of these projects is to substitute diesel buses with electric buses within the companies’ daily operations. Despite an extensive media coverage, the share of electric buses deployed still remains very small in practice. In this context, new challenges arise for a company’s planning process due to the considerably shorter ranges of electric buses compared to traditional combustion engine buses and to the necessity to recharge their batteries at charging stations. Vehicle scheduling, an essential planning task within the planning process, is especially affected by these additional challenges. In this paper, we define the mixed fleet vehicle scheduling problem with electric vehicles. We extend the traditional vehicle scheduling problem by considering a mixed fleet consisting of electric buses with limited driving ranges and rechargeable batteries as well as traditional diesel buses without such range limitations. To solve the problem, we introduce a three-phase solution approach based on an aggregated time–space network consisting of an exact solution method for the vehicle scheduling problem without range limitations, innovative flow decomposition methods, and a novel algorithm for the consideration of charging procedures. Through a computational study using real-world bus timetables, we show that our solution approach meets the requirements of a first application of electric buses in practice. Since the employment of electric buses is mainly influenced by the availability of charging infrastructure, which is determined by the distribution of charging stations within the route network, we particularly focus on the influence of the charging infrastructure.
Definition of 3D rainfall thresholds to increase operative landslide early warning system performances
Authors: Rosi Ascanio , Segoni Samuele , Canavesi Vanessa , Monni Antonio , Gallucci Angela , Casagli Nicola
Published: August 2020

Intensity–duration rainfall thresholds are commonly used in regional-scale landslide warning systems. In this manuscript, 3D thresholds are defined also considering the mean rainfall amount fallen in each alert zone (MeAR, mean areal rainfall) in Emilia Romagna region (Northern Italy). In the proposed 3D approach, thresholds are represented by a plane instead of a line, and the third dimension allows to indirectly account for the influence of complex rainfall patterns. MeAR values are calculated according to different time periods ranging from 7 to 30 days, and all threshold parameters are calibrated independently for the 8 alert zones in which the region is divided. The approach was validated and compared with classical intensity–duration thresholds, finding that the 3D threshold may be used to get better performances, especially in terms of a consistent reduction of false alarms:− 20 to − 86%, depending on the alert zone and the selected MeAR duration. These results open new encouraging perspectives for the development of the regional warning system that is operated in the study area.
Impact of cultivation strategy, freeze-drying process, and storage conditions on survival, membrane integrity, and inactivation kinetics of Bifidobacterium longum
Authors: Haindl Regina , Neumayr Alexandra , Frey Anika , Kulozik Ulrich
Published: August 2020

Bifidobacterium longum, one of the main microorganisms in the human gut, is used as an adjunct to lactic acid starter cultures or sold as a probiotic product. Therefore, Bifidobacterium longum cell suspensions get freeze-dried with protective additives to prevent activity losses. To date, investigations covering growth and inactivation kinetics of Bifidobacterium longum during the whole process (cultivation, drying, and storage) have been lacking. In this study, the effect of cultivation conditions and shelf temperature as well as the influence of protectants (maltodextrin, glucitol, trehalose) at various concentrations on cell survival during freeze-drying was assessed. Drying was followed by a storage at + 4 °C and + 20 °C for 70 days to evaluate inactivation kinetics. The impact of the different factors was assessed by measuring surival rate and residual moisture content at various points of time over the whole process. In parallel cell membrane integrity and glass transition were determined to reveal inactivation effects. Cultivation strategy had a strong influence on survival with a huge potential for process improvement. A pH of 6.0 at the growth optimum of the strain provides better conditions regarding cell survival after drying than free acidification (non-regulated pH conditions). During the drying step, membrane leakage due to the removal of water is the main reason for the inactivation in this process step. In this study, the highest survival of 49% was obtained with cells dried at + 35 °C shelf temperature with an addition of maltodextrin (75% bacterial dry matter, w/w). The results show that Bifidobacterium longum cells are mostly inactivated during drying, whereas storage conditions at + 4 °C with an addition of 75% BDM maltodextrin relative to bacterial dry mass prevent cell loss completely.
Hypervitaminosis A Following the Ingestion of Fish Liver: Report on 3 Cases from the Poison Control Center in Marseille
Authors: Schmitt Corinne , Domangé Bastien , Torrents Romain , de Haro Luc , Simon Nicolas
Published: August 2020

In European countries, vitamin A toxicity is most often the result of an excessive intake of vitamin supplements and rarely the consequence of the ingestion of a large carnivorous fish liver. We report 3 cases of vitamin A poisoning after fish liver ingestion in mainland and overseas France. The patients were a 12-y-old girl, a 36-y-old pregnant woman, and a 62-y-old man. They experienced headache, nausea, emesis, and desquamation. Laboratory examination showed a high serum retinol level in the girl. The woman’s pregnancy progressed to a miscarriage. This case series shows that this kind of poisoning is not restricted to the polar regions. In patients presenting with flushing combined with signs of intracranial hypertension, accurate questioning of the patient’s diet is crucial to avoid misdiagnosis and unnecessary examinations. Pregnant women or women of child-bearing age should be informed of the risk to pregnancy in the case of excessive fish liver ingestion.
Impact of Land Rental Market Participation on Smallholder Farmers’ Commercialization: Panel Data Evidence from Northern Ethiopia
Authors: Tesfay Menasbo Gebru
Published: August 2020

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of participation in the land rental market on smallholder farmers’ commercialization using farm household panel data in Tigrai, Ethiopia. Regression results reveal that 1 hectare increase in area rented in by tenant households leads to a 60% increase in the likelihood of participation in the output market as a crop seller and increases the marketed output sold by tenant households by US$ 200/year. The results appear to indicate that land rental market in the land scarcity economy to some extent contributes positively in the facilitation of transformation toward smallholders’ commercialization.
Utilization of cumulative antibiograms for public health surveillance: Trends in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae susceptibility, Massachusetts, 2008–2018
Authors: Vo Quynh T. , Klevens R. Monina , Bolstorff Barbara , Barton Kerri , Cumming Melissa , Blumenthal Jennifer A. , Troppy T. Scott , Gerth Joseph M. , DeMaria Alfred
Published: August 2020

Background:

Antimicrobial resistance is an urgent public health threat. Identifying trends in antimicrobial susceptibility can inform public health policy at the state and local levels.

Objective:

To determine the ability of statewide antibiogram aggregation for public health surveillance to identify changes in antimicrobial resistance trends.

Design:

Facility-level trend analysis.

Methods:

Crude and adjusted trend analyses of the susceptibility of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae to particular antibiotics, as reported by aggregated antibiograms, were examined from 2008 through 2018. Multivariable regression analyses via generalized linear mixed models were used to examine associations between hospital characteristics and trends of E. coli and K. pneumoniae susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone.

Results:

E. coli and K. pneumoniae showed inverse trends in drug susceptibility over time. K. pneumoniae susceptibility to fluoroquinolones increased by 5% between 2008 and 2018 (P < .05). In contrast, E. coli susceptibility declined during the same period to ceftriaxone (6%), gentamicin (4%), and fluoroquinolones (4%) (P < .05). When compared to Boston hospitals, E. coli isolates from hospitals in other regions had a >4% higher proportion of susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and a >3% higher proportion of susceptibility to ceftriaxone (P < .05). Isolates of K. pneumoniae had higher susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (>3%) and ceftriaxone (>1.5%) in all regions when compared to Boston hospitals (P < .05).

Conclusions:

Cumulative antibiograms can be used to monitor antimicrobial resistance, to discern regional and facility differences, and to detect changes in trends. Furthermore, because the number of years that hospitals contributed reports to the state-level aggregate had no significant influence on susceptibility trends, other states should not be discouraged by incomplete hospital compliance.
Partisan Context and Procedural Values: Attitudes Towards Presidential Secrecy Before and after the 2016 US Election
Authors: Berliner Daniel
Published: August 2020

What shapes attitudes towards procedural rules that constrain executive power? This letter argues that procedural values are contextual: A function of who is in power. Supporters of those in power prefer fewer procedural constraints, while opposition supporters prefer greater. This study reports the results of a unique test using data from the 2016 Cooperative Congressional Election Survey. Respondents were asked, in both pre- and post-election waves, if they thought it should be ‘easier or harder for the president to keep documents secret from the public’. The panel design makes it possible to track individual changes following the shift in political context. The results show evidence of a partisan ‘flip’ in attitudes following the election, with Republicans becoming less likely – and Democrats more likely – to prefer additional constraints on presidential secrecy. However, this partisan ‘flip’ is present only among higher political knowledge respondents.
Introduction: Burdens and Beginnings: Rebuilding East and West Germany after Nazism
Authors: Hagemann Karen , Jarausch Konrad H. , Hof Tobias
Published: August 2020

The introduction discusses the state of the current research on the post-1945 history of East and West Germany, explains the agenda of the special issue and discusses its main topics. The focus is the politics of survival in the chaos of collapse and the controversial debates about the agenda of the reconstruction. In these discussions different visions competed, from the restoration of traditions to efforts of a post-fascist modernization. The introduction questions the postwar success narrative by discussing the “burdens” of the Nazi past, such as Nazi perpetrators, displaced people, expellees and refugees, including the returning German-Jewish survivors. It also engages with the problems of the Cold War division by exploring the “new beginnings”, which were debated in relation to the past of Nazi, Weimar, and Imperial Germany, among them: cultural diplomacy, welfare policy and eldercare, family policy and gender roles, and popular culture. The essay calls for more comparative and transnational research of the postwar era, especially in the areas of the integration into the Cold War blocs, the postwar shifting of borders and peoples, narratives of victimhood, and memory tropes about the war and postwar.
Representing a “Better Germany”: Competing Images of State and Society in the Early Cultural Diplomacy of the FRG and GDR
Authors: Hillaker Lorn
Published: August 2020

In the early years of the FRG and GDR, cultural diplomacy was largely defined by each country's need to establish a role for itself within its respective Cold War bloc. In the sphere of foreign policy, competition between East and West Germany to achieve recognition both from Western states and the so-called Third World was heightened by the FRG's Hallstein Doctrine (1955–1970). Cultural diplomacy offered a route outside traditional channels of diplomacy to convince foreign politicians to support or at least have favorable views of either German state. The cultural diplomatic media of this early period focused on each state's rebuilding and adherence to international treaties as well as on countering the legacy of the Second World War. As division continued into the 1950s, cultural diplomacy on each side of the iron curtain worked to cultivate an image of a peaceful, friendly state superior both to its Nazi predecessor and to its rival across the German-German border, setting the terms for an image-building contest that would continue throughout the Cold War.
Returning to Stay? Jews in East and West Germany after the Holocaust
Authors: Sinn Andrea A.
Published: August 2020

To better understand the position of Jews within Germany after the end of World War II, this article analyzes the rebuilding of Jewish communities in East and West Germany from a Jewish perspective. This approach highlights the peculiarities and sometimes sharply contrasting developments within the Jewish communities in the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic, from the immediate postwar months to the official East-West separation of these increasingly politically divided communities in the early 1960s. Central to the study are the policies of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, which exemplify the process of gradual divergence in the relations between East and West German Jewish communities, that, as this article demonstrates, paralleled and mirrored the relations between non-Jewish Germans in the two countries.
Checking trust: observing social capital at the individual level
Authors: Banerjee Vasabjit , Holmes Carolyn E.
Published: August 2020

Social capital research has measured the concept in two distinct ways: through direct reporting by participants in cross-national surveys and the presence of associative organisations. Both strategies raise difficulties: the former restricts comparability and assumes group stability; the latter relies on literal translation and uses direct questioning. We problematise these approaches and argue that the ratio of ‘check-points’ where individuals are asked to demonstrate adherence to rules, and ‘trust-points’ where such proofs are not required, can better measure social capital. Moreover, the unevenness of social capital between groups is perceptible by ‘fast-lanes’ that differentially treat individuals based on identity. Evidence from a field survey and observational evidence in South Africa is presented.
Student activism and channels of political communication in 1126
Authors: Ming-kin Chu
Published: August 2020

How did students at the Imperial University (taixue 太學) in the late Northern Song comment on politics in response to political crises caused by the Jurchen invasion and what enabled them to do so? Through a comparison of 14 memorials submitted by university students and personnel to Emperor Qinzong, this paper examines the ways in which students submitted their petitions, the responsiveness of the court towards their appeals, students’ political sensitivities as well as the channels by which they accessed political information. A close examination of the memorials reveals that students were highly responsive to the rapidly changing political circumstances. Such responsiveness, I would argue, owes much to the presence of different communication channels that facilitated the circulation of political information within literati circles.
Valuing Alzheimer's disease drugs: a health technology assessment perspective on outcomes
Authors: Bauer Annette , Wittenberg Raphael , Ly Amanda , Gustavsson Anders , Bexelius Christin , Tochel Claire , Knapp Martin , Nelson Mia , Sudlow Catherine
Published: August 2020

Objectives

Due to the nature of Alzheimer's disease (AD), health technology assessment (HTA) agencies might face considerable challenges in choosing appropriate outcomes and outcome measures for drugs that treat the condition. This study sought to understand which outcomes informed previous HTAs, to explore possible reasons for prioritizations, and derive potential implications for future assessments of AD drugs.

Method

We conducted a literature review of studies that analyzed decisions made in HTAs (across disease areas) in three European countries: England, Germany, and The Netherlands. We then conducted case studies of technology assessments conducted for AD drugs in these countries.

Results

Overall, outcomes measured using clinical scales dominated decisions or recommendations about whether to fund AD drugs, or price negotiations. HTA processes did not always allow the inclusion of outcomes relevant to people with AD, their carers, and families. Processes did not include early discussion and agreement on what would constitute appropriate outcome measures and cut-off points for effects.

Conclusions

We conclude that in order to ensure that future AD drugs are valued appropriately and timely, early agreement with various stakeholders about outcomes, outcome measures, and cut-offs is important.
The concept of resilience and the evaluation of hybrid courts
Authors: Wiebelhaus-Brahm Eric
Published: August 2020

In this article, I explore the concept of resilience and its relevance for evaluating hybrid court design and the impact of hybrid courts in societies that have experienced periods of mass violence or repression. I begin by tracing the evolution of the concept of resilience from the fields of materials science and ecology to human responses to natural and human-made disasters. Then, I examine the implications of how one defines the concept for the policy recommendations that should be provided to the architects and staff of hybrid courts. From there, I assess how the way one conceives of resilience shapes the assessment of the circumstances under which hybrid courts are more likely to be beneficial for violence-affected societies. I conclude by reflecting upon the utility of adopting resilience language in the study of hybrid courts. Resilience may be seductive conceptually because it provides a vision of empowerment and autonomy for victims and affected communities. However, resilience thinking is also consistent with neoliberal prescriptions that are contrary to the realization of the type of emancipatory justice that many hybrid court advocates seek.
Frozen–thawed cleavage stage versus blastocyst stage embryo transfer in high responder patients
Authors: Eftekhar Maryam , Mohammadi Banafsheh , Tabibnejad Nasim , Mortazavi Lahijani Maryam
Published: August 2020

Clinical outcomes following frozen–thawed cleavage embryo transfer versus frozen–thawed blastocyst transfer in high responder patients undergoingin vitrofertilisation/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles are still debated. In a retrospective study, 106 high responder patients who were candidate for ‘freeze-all embryos’ were recruited. Frozen–thawed embryos were transferred at the cleavage stage (n= 53) or the blastocyst stage (n= 53). Clinical pregnancy was considered as the primary outcome and chemical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, implantation rate, and fertilization rate, as well as miscarriage rate, were measured as the secondary outcome. Clinical (47.2% vs. 24.5%), chemical (56.6% vs. 32.1%), and ongoing pregnancy rates (37.7% vs. 17%) as well as implantation rates (33.6% vs. 13.5%) were significantly higher in the blastocyst group compared with the cleavage group respectively (P< 0.05). Miscarriage rate was comparable between groups (P> 0.05). Transfer of frozen–thawed embryos at the blastocyst stage was preferable in the high responder patients to increase implantation, pregnancy and live birth rates compared with cleavage stage embryo transfer.
Analysis and design of inclined fractal defected ground-based circularly polarized antenna for CA-band applications
Authors: Gupta Sonal , Patil Shilpee , Dalela Chhaya , Kanaujia Binod Kumar
Published: August 2020

Design of single-feed circularly polarized (CP) microstrip antenna is proposed in this article. The design employs the concept of E-shape patch with inclined fractal defected ground structure (IFDGS), which can improve the impedance bandwidth, gain, and axial ratio (AR) bandwidth. The excellent enhanced impedance bandwidth, axial ratio bandwidth, and gain are achieved by an inclined E-shaped fractal etched on the ground plane. The parameter studies of the E-shaped IFDGS are given to illustrate the way to obtain CP radiation. The third iterative IFDGS is fabricated on easily available FR4 substrate with a size of 0.494 λ0 × 0.494 λ0 × 0.019 λ0 (λ0 is the wavelength in free space at 3.624 GHz). The measured results verify the simulated results and show good agreement. The proposed antenna shows an impedance bandwidth of 12.7% at a centre frequency of 3.47 GHz and 3-dB AR bandwidth for this band is 2.39% at a centre frequency of 3.626 GHz. The measured peak gain for the proposed antenna is found as 8.1 dBi. The proposed antenna can be suitable for mobile WIMAX operation (IEEE 802.16e-2005 standard), wireless communication in CA-band and FCC.
Accelerated Greenland Ice Sheet Mass Loss Under High Greenhouse Gas Forcing as Simulated by the Coupled CESM2.1‐CISM2.1
Authors: Muntjewerf Laura , Sellevold Raymond , Vizcaino Miren , Ernani da Silva Carolina , Petrini Michele , Thayer‐Calder Katherine , Scherrenberg Meike D. W. , Bradley Sarah L. , Katsman Caroline A. , Fyke Jeremy , Lipscomb William H. , Lofverstrom Marcus , Sacks William J.
Published: August 2020

The Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) is now losing mass at a rate of 0.7 mm of sea level rise (SLR) per year. Here we explore future GrIS evolution and interactions with global and regional climate under high greenhouse gas forcing with the Community Earth System Model version 2.1 (CESM2.1), which includes an interactive ice sheet component (the Community Ice Sheet Model v2.1 [CISM2.1]) and an advanced energy balance‐based calculation of surface melt. We run an idealized 350‐year scenario in which atmospheric CO2 concentration increases by 1% annually until reaching four times pre‐industrial values at year 140, after which it is held fixed. The global mean temperature increases by 5.2 and 8.5 K by years 131–150 and 331–350, respectively. The projected GrIS contribution to global mean SLR is 107 mm by year 150 and 1,140 mm by year 350. The rate of SLR increases from 2 mm yr−1 at year 150 to almost 7 mm yr−1 by year 350. The accelerated mass loss is caused by rapidly increasing surface melt as the ablation area expands, with associated albedo feedback and increased sensible and latent heat fluxes. This acceleration occurs for a global warming of approximately 4.2 K with respect to pre‐industrial and is in part explained by the quasi‐parabolic shape of the ice sheet, which favors rapid expansion of the ablation area as it approaches the interior “plateau.”
Recent Activity of Nyiragongo (Democratic Republic of Congo): New Insights From Field Observations and Numerical Modeling
Authors: Burgi P.‐Y. , Boudoire G. , Rufino F. , Karume K. , Tedesco D.
Published: August 2020

Nyiragongo volcano is known for its active lava lake and for socioeconomic issues arising from future possible eruptive events having major impacts on the community living in the Virunga region. The 2020 field expedition inside the summit crater has allowed the collection of unprecedented field observations to state on the current activity. Since the February 2016 intracrater event, the crater floor level has been rising much faster than during the 2010–2016 period. The current activity is reminiscent of the 1970–1972 and 1994–1995 periods preceding the lava lake drainage events in 1977 and 2002. Numerical simulations, successfully validated with data over the past 30 years, show that the rising of the crater floor could slow down in the next months/years and reach a critical equilibrium. Based on the past eruptive history and on the current activity, a flank eruption in the March 2024 to November 2027 interval could be a possible scenario.
Irreversibility of Marine Climate Change Impacts Under Carbon Dioxide Removal
Authors: Li Xinru , Zickfeld Kirsten , Mathesius Sabine , Kohfeld Karen , Matthews J. B. Robin
Published: August 2020

Artificial carbon dioxide removal (CDR) from the atmosphere has been proposed as a measure for mitigating climate change and restoring the climate system to a target state after exceedance (“overshoot”). This research investigates to what extent overshoot and subsequent recovery of a given cumulative CO2 emissions level by CDR leaves a legacy in the marine environment using an Earth system model. We use RCP2.6 and its extension to year 2300 as the reference scenario and design a set of cumulative emissions and temperature overshoot scenarios based on other RCPs. Our results suggest that the overshoot and subsequent return to a reference cumulative emissions level would leave substantial impacts on the marine environment. Although the changes in sea surface temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen are largely reversible, global mean values and spatial patterns of these variables differ significantly from those in the reference scenario when the reference cumulative emissions are attained.
WeatherBench: A Benchmark Data Set for Data‐Driven Weather Forecasting
Authors: Rasp Stephan , Dueben Peter D. , Scher Sebastian , Weyn Jonathan A. , Mouatadid Soukayna , Thuerey Nils
Published: August 2020

Data‐driven approaches, most prominently deep learning, have become powerful tools for prediction in many domains. A natural question to ask is whether data‐driven methods could also be used to predict global weather patterns days in advance. First studies show promise but the lack of a common data set and evaluation metrics make intercomparison between studies difficult. Here we present a benchmark data set for data‐driven medium‐range weather forecasting (specifically 3–5 days), a topic of high scientific interest for atmospheric and computer scientists alike. We provide data derived from the ERA5 archive that has been processed to facilitate the use in machine learning models. We propose simple and clear evaluation metrics which will enable a direct comparison between different methods. Further, we provide baseline scores from simple linear regression techniques, deep learning models, as well as purely physical forecasting models. The data set is publicly available at https://github.com/pangeo‐data/WeatherBench and the companion code is reproducible with tutorials for getting started. We hope that this data set will accelerate research in data‐driven weather forecasting.
Mitomycin C enhanced the efficacy of PD-L1 blockade in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Luo Min , Wang Fang , Zhang Hong , To Kenneth K. W. , Wu Shaocong , Chen Zhen , Liang Shaobo , Fu Liwu
Published: August 2020

Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint inhibitors are promising therapeutic agents for treating cancers but the response rate is <20%. Some chemotherapeutic drugs could also activate an anticancer immune response to kill cancer cells, apart from their direct cytotoxicity. Our study investigated the combination of chemotherapeutic drugs with PD-L1 antibody to enhance the response rate of PD-L1 blockade. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells were pre-treated with mitomycin C (MMC) and then co-cultured with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to investigate the effect of the combination of MMC with PD-L1 antibody. The drug combination was also evaluated in vivo in Lewis lung cancer (LLC) cells-bearing C57BL/6 mice. MMC increased the expressions of PD-L1 and MHC-I in NSCLC cells in vitro and in vivo and enhanced the cytotoxic effect of lymphocytes on NSCLC in vitro. In LLC-bearing mouse model, the combination of MMC and PD-L1 antibody was found to be more effective in retarding tumor growth and prolonging overall survival than either single treatment alone, which was associated with increased lymphocyte infiltration and granzyme B release. Mechanistically, MMC activated the ERK pathway, which subsequently enhanced the binding of c-JUN to the PD-L1 promoter and recruited its co-factor STAT3 to increase PD-L1 expression. The upregulated ERK pathway was shown to activate p65 to increase the MHC-I expression. MMC was shown to enhance the efficacy of PD-L1 blockade in NSCLC cells. Further study is warranted to translate the findings to clinical application.
Short-term metreleptin treatment of patients with anorexia nervosa: rapid on-set of beneficial cognitive, emotional, and behavioral effects
Authors: Milos Gabriella , Antel Jochen , Kaufmann Lisa-Katrin , Barth Nikolaus , Koller Antonia , Tan Susanne , Wiesing Urban , Hinney Anke , Libuda Lars , Wabitsch Martin , von Känel Roland , Hebebrand Johannes
Published: August 2020

To examine the hypothesis that normalization of low circulating leptin levels in patients with anorexia nervosa ameliorates hyperactivity, three seriously ill females with hyperactivity were treated off-label with metreleptin (recombinant human leptin) for up to 14 days. Drive for activity, repetitive thoughts of food, inner restlessness, and weight phobia decreased in two patients. Surprisingly, depression improved rapidly in all patients. No serious adverse events occurred. Due to obvious limitations of uncontrolled case series, placebo-controlled clinical trials are mandatory to confirm the observed rapid onset of beneficial effects. Our findings suggest an important role of hypoleptinemia in the mental and behavioral phenotype of anorexia nervosa.
A newly synthesized highly stable Ag/N-carbon electrode for enhanced desalination by capacitive deionization
Authors: He Yingjie , Huang Lei , Zhao Yixian , Yang Weichun , Hao Taixu , Wu Bichao , Deng Haoyu , Wei Dun , Wang Haiying , Luo Jian
Published: August 2020

A new Ag@C electrode with Ag–Nx structure was synthesized, which exhibits a high Cl− electrosorption capacity of 75.3 mg g−1 and long-term recycling stability in CDI processes.
Novel MoS2 quantum dots as a highly efficient visible-light driven photocatalyst in water remediation
Authors: Chen Linjer , Hsieh Shu-Ling , Kuo Chia-Hung , Hsieh Shuchen , Chen Wei-Hsiang , Chen Chiu-Wen , Dong Cheng-Di
Published: August 2020

The novel MoS2 QDs showed ultrafast degradation towards contaminants and were easy to recycle.
Facile synthesis of aqueous-dispersed luminescent nanosheets from non-layered lanthanum hexaboride
Authors: John Saju K. , Anappara Aji A.
Published: August 2020

Nanosheets were synthesised by incorporating probe sonication and grinding of an aqueous dispersion of non-layered lanthanam hexaboride.
A novel strategy to alleviate medium acidosis for simultaneously yielding more bacterial cellulose and electricity
Authors: Wang Qing , Tian Dong , Hu Jinguang , Zeng Yongmei , Shen Fei
Published: August 2020

Bacterial cellulose (BC), a fascinating and renewable polymer, can be applied widely in various bio-based materials.
Micro-mechanical prediction of the effect of surfactant concentration and external friction on the visco-elasto-plastic response of an aqueous foam
Authors: Zaccagnino Francesca , Cox Simon
Published: August 2020

The present model predicts rheological response of dry aqueous foam, including as a novelty the dissipative effects at the interface.
Oscillation and self-propulsion of Leidenfrost droplets enclosed in cylindrical cavities
Authors: Yi Pyshar , Thurgood Peter , Nguyen Ngan , Abdelwahab Haneen , Petersen Phred , Gilliam Christopher , Ghorbani Kamran , Pirogova Elena , Tang Shi-Yang , Khoshmanesh Khashayar
Published: August 2020

We show the evolution of unique dynamic modes and the self-propulsion of Leidenfrost droplets when placed in a metallic disk with offset radial grooves.
Poroelasticity of highly confined hydrogel films measured with a surface forces apparatus
Authors: Degen George D. , Chen Yen-Tsung , Chau Allison L. , Månsson Lisa K. , Pitenis Angela A.
Published: August 2020

The influence of poroelasticity on the contact mechanics of thin polyacrylamide films was investigated with a surface forces apparatus (SFA).
Computational screening of efficient graphene-supported transition metal single atom catalysts toward the oxygen reduction reaction
Authors: Li Lei , Huang Rao , Cao Xinrui , Wen Yuhua
Published: August 2020

Transition metal single atoms anchored on nitrogen-doped graphene toward the oxygen reduction reaction have been screened.