bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PBRE: A Rule Extraction Method from Trained Neural Networks Designed for Smart Home Services
Authors: Qiu Mingming , Najm Elie , Sharrock Rémi , Traverson Bruno
Published: July 2022

Designing smart home services is a complex task when multiple services with a large number of sensors and actuators are deployed simultaneously. It may rely on knowledge-based or data-driven approaches. The former can use rule-based methods to design services statically, and the latter can use learning methods to discover inhabitants’ preferences dynamically. However, neither of these approaches is entirely satisfactory because rules cannot cover all possible situations that may change, and learning methods may make decisions that are sometimes incomprehensible to the inhabitant. In this paper, PBRE (Pedagogic Based Rule Extractor) is proposed to extract rules from learning methods to realize dynamic rule generation for smart home systems. The expected advantage is that both the explainability of rule-based methods and the dynamicity of learning methods are adopted. We compare PBRE with an existing rule extraction method, and the results show better performance of PBRE. We also apply PBRE to extract rules from a smart home service represented by an NRL (Neural Network-based Reinforcement Learning). The results show that PBRE can help the NRL-simulated service to make understandable suggestions to the inhabitant.
Normalization of ZZ instanton amplitudes in minimal string theory
Authors: Eniceicu Dan Stefan , Mahajan Raghu , Murdia Chitraang , Sen Ashoke
Published: July 2022

Abstract

We use insights from string field theory to analyze and cure the divergences in the cylinder diagram in minimal string theory with both boundaries lying on a ZZ brane. We focus on theories with worldsheet matter consisting of the (2, p) minimal model plus Liouville theory, with total central charge 26, together with the usual bc-ghosts. The string field theory procedure gives a finite, purely imaginary normalization constant for non-perturbative effects in minimal string theory, or doubly non-perturbative effects in JT gravity. We find precise agreement with the prediction from the dual double-scaled one-matrix integral. We also make a few remarks about the extension of this result to the more general (p′, p) minimal string.
De Sitter microstates from T$$ \overline{T} $$ + Λ2 and the Hawking-Page transition
Authors: Coleman Evan , Mazenc Edward A. , Shyam Vasudev , Silverstein Eva , Soni Ronak M. , Torroba Gonzalo , Yang Sungyeon
Published: July 2022

Abstract

We obtain microstates accounting for the Gibbons-Hawking entropy in dS3, along with a subleading logarithmic correction, from the solvable T$$ \overline{T} $$

T
¯

+ Λ2 deformation of a seed CFT with sparse light spectrum. The microstates arise as the dressed CFT states near dimension ∆ = c/6, associated with the Hawking-Page transition; they dominate the real spectrum of the deformed theory. We exhibit an analogue of the Hawking-Page transition in de Sitter. Appropriate generalizations of the T$$ \overline{T} $$

T
¯

+ Λ2 deformation are required to treat model-dependent local bulk physics (subleading at large central charge) and higher dimensions. These results add considerably to the already strong motivation for the continued pursuit of such generalizations along with a more complete characterization of T$$ \overline{T} $$

T
¯

type theories, building from existing results in these directions.
Odd dimensional nonlocal Liouville conformal field theories
Authors: Kislev Amitay C. , Levy Tom , Oz Yaron
Published: July 2022

Abstract

We construct Euclidean Liouville conformal field theories in odd number of dimensions. The theories are nonlocal and non-unitary with a log-correlated Liouville field, a $$ \mathcal{Q} $$
Q
-curvature background, and an exponential Liouville-type potential. We study the classical and quantum properties of these theories including the finite entanglement entropy part of the sphere partition function F, the boundary conformal anomaly and vertex operators’ correlation functions. We derive the analogue of the even-dimensional DOZZ formula and its semi-classical approximation.
The Effect of Inhaled Air Particulate Matter SRM 1648a on the Development of Mild Collagen-Induced Arthritis in DBA/J Mice
Authors: Nowak Bernadeta , Majka Grzegorz , Śróttek Małgorzata , Skałkowska Anna , Marcinkiewicz Janusz
Published: July 2022

Air pollution is considered to be one of a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) is commonly used as a mouse model of human RA. However, the impact of specific particulate matter (PM) components on the incidence and severity of RA has still not been established. The aim of this study was to develop an experimental model of CIA suitable to test arthritogenicity of inhaled PM. A mild form of CIA was induced in DBA1/J mice inhaled with various components of SRM 1648a PM. The incidence and severity of arthritis was assessed, and the selected serum markers of autoimmunity and inflammation were determined. Clinical arthritis was observed from the booster CII immunisation onward. Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, a diagnostic marker of RA, were detected in serum of these mice. All inhaled pollutants, crude PM, PM with reduced organic content, ferric, and silica nanoparticles markedly increased CIA incidence and severity. The fastest progression of CIA development was caused by crude PM and was linked to enhanced serum levels of anti-CII IgG, the prominent arthritogenic autoantibodies. On the other hand, inhaled nanoparticles enhanced serum levels of TNFα, a major proinflammatory arthritogenic cytokine. We recommend this experimental model of mild CIA to test the mechanisms of arthritis exacerbation by inhaled air pollutants. Further studies are necessary to determine whether PM-aggravated arthritis is caused by inflammatory mediators translocated from inflamed lung into systemic circulation or whether PM translocated into the bloodstream directly exacerbate joint inflammation.
Uncertainty principles with error term in Gelfand–Shilov spaces
Authors: Dicke Alexander , Seelmann Albrecht
Published: July 2022

In this note, an alternative approach to establish observability for semigroups based on their smoothing properties is presented. The results discussed here reproduce some of those recently obtained in [arXiv:2112.01788], but the current proof allows to get rid of several technical assumptions by following the standard complex analytic approach established by Kovrijkine combined with an idea from [arXiv:2201.02370].
Quadratic rational maps with integer multipliers
Authors: Huguin Valentin
Published: July 2022

In this article, we prove that every quadratic rational map whose multipliers all lie in the ring of integers of a given imaginary quadratic field is a power map, a Chebyshev map or a Lattès map. In particular, this provides some evidence in support of a conjecture by Milnor concerning rational maps that have an integer multiplier at each cycle.
Feeding of Marine Zooplankton on Microplastic Fibers
Authors: Köster Marion , Paffenhöfer Gustav-Adolf
Published: July 2022

The goal of our study was to examine the effects of low abundances of nylon fibers on feeding rates of calanoid copepods (Crustacea, Copepoda) and doliolids (Tunicata, Thaliacea) in the presence of diatoms at near environmental concentration levels. In addition, we examined microscopically the fecal pellets produced by copepods and doliolids in the presence of fibers. Adult females of the calanoidEucalanus pileatusand early gonozooids ofDolioletta gegenbauri(both of similar dry weight) cleared the diatomRhizosolenia alataat similar rates. Nylon fibers were cleared at higher rates byDolioletta gegenbauricompared toEucalanus pileatus. Examination of fecal pellets revealed that copepods and doliolids could ingest the about 300 µm long fibers. The latter also ingested the occasionally occurring fibers of > 1 mm length. It appears that in seawater fiber abundances of about seven fibers ml−1did not have a negative effect on feeding of eitherE. pileatusorD. gegenbauri. As doliolids and copepods remove plastic fibers from seawater by packing them into their pellets, they might play a role in the reduction of microplastic pollution and the microplastic transfer from the water column to the seafloor. Calanoid copepods may limit ingesting fibers by not perceiving them, as compared to doliolids which do not seem to be able to avoid ingesting them.
Wirkung der multimodalen rheumatologischen Komplexbehandlung bei Patienten mit axialer Spondyloarthritis
Authors: Kiltz U. , Wiatr T. , Kiefer D. , Baraliakos X. , Braun J.
Published: July 2022

Hintergrund

Die multimodale rheumatologische Komplexbehandlung (MRKB) beruht auf einem akutstationären Versorgungskonzept zur Behandlung von Patienten mit klinisch relevanten Funktionseinschränkungen und Schmerzexazerbationen, die durch rheumatische und muskuloskeletale Erkrankungen bedingt sind. Patienten mit axialer Spondyloarthritis (axSpA) einschließlich der ankylosierenden Spondylitis (AS) leiden häufig unter solchen Gesundheitsproblemen. Regelmäßige Bewegungsübungen und physikalische Therapiemaßnahmen sind ein wichtiger Pfeiler im Behandlungsmanagement. Mit dem ASAS Health Index (ASAS HI) können die globale Funktionsfähigkeit und Gesundheit von axSpA-Patienten erfasst werden. Die Trennschärfe des ASAS HI für nichtpharmakologische Therapieänderungen ist bisher noch nicht nachgewiesen worden.

Zielsetzung

Evaluation der im Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet durchgeführten MRKB und des ASAS HI für nichtpharmakologische Therapiemaßnahmen bei Patienten mit axSpA. Als primärer Endpunkt wurde eine Verbesserung des ASDAS ≥ 1,1 festgelegt. Hierbei wurde angenommen, dass > 25 % der Patienten diesen Schwellenwert erreichen.

Methoden

Konsekutiv eingeschlossene Patienten mit aktiver axSpA und relevanten Funktionseinschränkungen wurden im Rahmen einer MRKB 14 Tage stationär behandelt. Alle Patienten beantworteten am ersten (V1) und am 14. Tag (V2) des Aufenthalts Fragebögen zu Schmerzen (NRS), Krankheitsaktivität (BASDAI, ASDAS) und Funktion (BASFI, ASAS HI). Die klinische Untersuchung erfolgte mittels BASMI und eine Messung des C‑reaktiven Proteins (CRP) zu beiden Zeitpunkten.

Ergebnisse

Die prospektiv eingeschlossenen 66 Patienten hatten ein mittleres Alter von 47,2 Jahren (SD 14,2), eine Symptomdauer von ca. 20 Jahren, 65,3 % waren Männer und 75 % HLA B27+, das CRP war bei 41,3 % erhöht. Die Krankheitsaktivität zu V1 war erhöht: BASDAI 5,6 (1,8), ASDAS 3,1 (0,9), während Funktionsfähigkeit und Mobilität vermindert waren: BASFI 3,5 (1,8), BASMI 5,6 (2,1), ASAS HI 8,4 (3,4). Im Verlauf verbesserte sich das globale Patientenurteil (NRS 0–10) von 6,9 (1,7) zu V1 auf 4,8 (1,8) zu V2 und der Schmerz von 6,9 (1,9) auf 4,7 (2,0) (alle p < 0,001). Auch die Krankheitsaktivität nahm zu V2 ab: BASDAI 4,1 (1,9), ASDAS 2,4 (1,0), Funktion und Mobilität waren auch verbessert: BASFI 4,3 (2,4), BASMI 2,7 (1,6), ASAS HI 6,5 (3,8) (alle p < 0,001).

Schlussfolgerung

In dieser Studie konnte die Wirksamkeit einer 2‑wöchigen MRKB gemäß OPS 8–983,1 hinsichtlich wichtiger patientenzentrierter Outcomes (PRO) nachgewiesen und frühere Studienergebnisse konnten bestätigt werden. In diesem Rahmen war auch der ASAS-HI veränderungssensitiv.
Effect of substrate on the proliferation of Myxobolus cerebralis in the mitochondrial lineages of the Tubifex tubifex host
Authors: Baxa Dolores V. , Nehring R. Barry
Published: July 2022

The study goal was to examine the effects of sand and mud on the propagation of Myxobolus cerebralis, the whirling disease agent, in four mitochondrial 16S ribosomal DNA lineages (I, III, V, VI) of its oligochaete host, Tubifex tubifex (Tt). In all the lineage groups held continuously in either substrate (non-shifted) or transferred from sand to mud (shifted), substrate influenced parasite proliferation only in lineage III. Sporogenesis and release of triactinomyxon spores (TAMs) were more prevalent in lineage III Tt in mud compared to sand. Low-infection prevalence and lack of parasite development in lineage I is associated with the greater number of resistant worms and were not affected by substrate type. Substrate did not impact Tt from lineages V and VI that failed to develop any parasite stages in either substrate even after shifting from sand to mud. The relationship between the microbial community in the substrate and parasite proliferation in lineage III was described but not analyzed due to small sample size. Substrate-associated bacteria were hypothesized as essential dietary source for the oligochaete host feeding selectively on fine (mud)-microflora. Progeny was produced by all lineage groups shifted to mud with disparate survival profiles in lineage V and VI and high mortalities in lineage III. Our study demonstrates that substrate type can alter parasite proliferation in lineage III. Conversely, parasite development and infectivity were not altered in lineage V and VI that are refractory to the parasite nor among the more resistant phenotypes (I), regardless of substrate type.
JCOPE-FGO: an eddy-resolving quasi-global ocean reanalysis product
Authors: Kido Shoichiro , Nonaka Masami , Miyazawa Yasumasa
Published: July 2022

In the present research, we provide a brief description and assessment of the oceanic fields analyzed in the newly developed eddy-resolving quasi-global ocean reanalysis product, named the Japan Coastal Ocean Predictability Experiments-Forecasting Global Ocean (JCOPE-FGO). This product covers the quasi-global ocean with a horizontal resolution of 0.1° × 0.1°. Validations of analyzed temperature and salinity fields by JCOPE-FGO against in situ observations revealed that our product can capture various aspects of observed hydrographic structures in the world ocean, including frontal structures near the surface and thermohaline properties of water masses, as well as their spatiotemporal variability. Furthermore, we have assessed dynamical fields analyzed in JCOPE-FGO using satellite altimeters and surface drifters, and found that our product can represent the mean state and variability of the upper ocean circulation in many regions. A notable feature of JCOPE-FGO is the inclusion of an updated global river runoff, and impacts of river forcing have been assessed by an additional reanalysis experiment without river forcing. We found that the removal of continental river discharge leads to dramatic changes in the near-surface salinity and related fields around river mouths of large rivers, but large changes are mostly confined to narrow regions near the coast. As an example of the substantial impact of river runoff, we discuss the dispersion of low-salinity water from the Mississippi river to the Gulf of Mexico: a comparison between the analyzed salinity fields from both reanalysis products with those from satellite observations demonstrated that the inclusion of river runoff is essential for an accurate representation of its seasonal variability. Several key issues that warrant further improvements are discussed for future development.
Genes of the Ubiquitin Proteasome System Qualify as Differential Markers in Malignant Glioma of Astrocytic and Oligodendroglial Origin
Authors: Vriend Jerry , Klonisch Thomas
Published: July 2022

We have mined public genomic datasets to identify genes coding for components of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) that may qualify as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets in the three major glioma types, astrocytoma (AS), glioblastoma (GBM), and oligodendroglioma (ODG). In the Sun dataset of glioma (GEO ID: GSE4290), expression of the genes UBE2S and UBE2C, which encode ubiquitin conjugases important for cell-cycle progression, distinguished GBM from AS and ODG. KEGG analysis showed that among the ubiquitin E3 ligase genes differentially expressed, the Notch pathway was significantly over-represented, whereas among the E3 ligase adaptor genes the Hippo pathway was over-represented. We provide evidence that the UPS gene contributions to the Notch and Hippo pathway signatures are related to stem cell pathways and can distinguish GBM from AS and ODG. In the Sun dataset, AURKA and TPX2, two cell-cycle genes coding for E3 ligases, and the cell-cycle gene coding for the E3 adaptor CDC20 were upregulated in GBM. E3 ligase adaptor genes differentially expressed were also over-represented for the Hippo pathway and were able to distinguish classic, mesenchymal, and proneural subtypes of GBM. Also over-expressed in GBM were PSMB8 and PSMB9, genes encoding subunits of the immunoproteasome. Our transcriptome analysis provides a strong rationale for UPS members as attractive therapeutic targets for the development of more effective treatment strategies in malignant glioma.

Graphical abstract

Ubiquitin proteasome system and glioblastoma:

E1—ubiquitin-activating enzyme, E2—ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, E3—ubiquitin ligase. Ubiquitinated substrates of E3 ligases may be degraded by the proteasome. Expression of genes for specific E2 conjugases, E3 ligases, and genes for proteasome subunits may serve as differential markers of subtypes of glioblastoma.
Biodiesel production from transesterification of Australian Brassica napus L. oil: optimisation and reaction kinetic model development
Authors: Hazrat M. A. , Rasul M. G. , Khan M. M. K. , Ashwath N. , Fattah I. M. R. , Ong Hwai Chyuan , Mahlia T. M. I.
Published: July 2022

Edible oil-based feedstocks based biodiesel is still leading the industry around the world. Canola oil (Brassica napus L.) contributes significantly to that race. Process optimisation and the development of reaction kinetic models of edible oil feedstocks are still required since the knowledge of kinetics is needed for designing industrial facilities and evaluating the performance of catalysts during transesterification or other related processes in a biorefinery. This research focuses on the transesterification process for biodiesel production because of its higher output efficiency, reactivity with feedstock, techno-economic feasibility in terms of FFA content, and environmental sustainability. The response surface method with the Box–Behnken model was used to optimise the process. Multivariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) was also performed to investigate the effectiveness of the regression model. The optimal process conditions were found to be 5.89 M methanol, 0.5% (w/w) KOH, 60 °C and 120 min. The predicted yield was 99.5% for a 95% confidence interval (99.1, 99.9). The experimental yield was 99.6% for these conditions. Two different kinetic models were also developed in this study. The activation energy was 16.9% higher for the pseudo-first-order irreversible reaction than for the pseudo-homogenous irreversible reaction. Such a comprehensive analysis will assist stakeholders in evaluating the technology for industrial development in biodiesel fuel commercialisation.
Realising Meaningful Human Control Over Automated Driving Systems: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Authors: de Sio Filippo Santoni , Mecacci Giulio , Calvert Simeon , Heikoop Daniel , Hagenzieker Marjan , van Arem Bart
Published: July 2022

The paper presents a framework to realise “meaningful human control” over Automated Driving Systems. The framework is based on an original synthesis of the results of the multidisciplinary research project “Meaningful Human Control over Automated Driving Systems” lead by a team of engineers, philosophers, and psychologists at Delft University of the Technology from 2017 to 2021. Meaningful human control aims at protecting safety and reducing responsibility gaps. The framework is based on the core assumption that human persons and institutions, not hardware and software and their algorithms, should remain ultimately—though not necessarily directly—in control of, and thus morally responsible for, the potentially dangerous operation of driving in mixed traffic. We propose an Automated Driving System to be under meaningful human control if it behaves according to the relevant reasons of the relevant human actors (tracking), and that any potentially dangerous event can be related to a human actor (tracing). We operationalise the requirements for meaningful human control through multidisciplinary work in philosophy, behavioural psychology and traffic engineering. The tracking condition is operationalised via a proximal scale of reasons and the tracing condition via an evaluation cascade table. We review the implications and requirements for the behaviour and skills of human actors, in particular related to supervisory control and driver education. We show how the evaluation cascade table can be applied in concrete engineering use cases in combination with the definition of core components to expose deficiencies in traceability, thereby avoiding so-called responsibility gaps. Future research directions are proposed to expand the philosophical framework and use cases, supervisory control and driver education, real-world pilots and institutional embedding
Phenomenological reflections on grief during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Ratcliffe Matthew
Published: July 2022

This paper addresses how and why social restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic have affected people’s experiences of grief. To do so, I adopt a broadly phenomenological approach, one that emphasizes how our experiences, thoughts, and activities are shaped by relations with other people. Drawing on first-person accounts of grief during the pandemic, I identify two principal (and overlapping) themes: (a) deprivation and disruption of interpersonal processes that play important roles in comprehending and adapting to bereavement; (b) disturbance of an experiential world in the context of which loss is more usually recognized and negotiated. The combination, I suggest, can amount to a sort of “grief within grief”, involving a sense of stasis consistent with clinical descriptions of prolonged grief disorder.
Reproductive Burden and Its Impact on Female Labor Market Outcomes in India: Evidence from Longitudinal Analyses
Authors: Tiwari Chhavi , Goli Srinivas , Rammohan Anu
Published: July 2022

We use nationally representative data from two waves of the Indian Human Development Survey to examine the role of inter-temporal changes in fertility behavior in influencing female labor market outcomes. Our multivariate regression estimates show that an increase in the number of children reduces labor force participation and earnings. We further investigated the impact of fertility changes on transitions from the labor market. The results show that women who had more than three children in both rounds of the survey had a 3.5% points higher probability of exiting from the labor market than their counterparts with two or fewer children net of other socio-demographic factors. Disaggregated analyses by caste, economic, educational status, and region show that the probability of dropping out of the labor market due to fertility changes varies by region and is greater for non-poor and primary to secondary schooling women and those from socially disadvantaged castes than poor, non-educated, and socially advantageous women.
Starting high school? On the origins of secondary education in Spain, 1857–1901
Authors: Insa-Sánchez Pau , Díez-Minguela Alfonso
Published: July 2022

The development of modern educational systems radically altered the way knowledge and skills were transmitted. Yet, while elementary schooling rapidly expanded in late 19th and early twentieth centuries, secondary education struggled to find its way. This was also the case in Spain where, despite a growing demand, the provision of public secondary education during the second half of the 19th century was rather limited. As a result, private education, and especially that promoted by the Church, rushed to fill in the gap. Using a new database with municipal-level data, we examine what drove the expansion of private schools. As expected, demand-pull factors were critical. Still, the interplay between local forces and private agents should not be overlooked, especially as the State lacked the financial muscle and political will to broaden access to secondary education, whereas the Church was searching for a niche from which to consolidate its position in the nascent liberal society.
The Toxicological Risk Assessment (TRA) of Total Chromium Impurities in Menthae piperitae tinctura (Mentha x piperita L., folium) Available in Polish Pharmacies Including Regulatory Approaches with Special Emphasis of Cr Speciation and Genotoxicity
Authors: Jurowski Kamil , Krośniak Mirosław
Published: July 2022

Chromium is pharmacologically active and is not an essential element but is still very intriguing and demanding from the point of view of toxicological risk assessment. Especially as an elemental impurity in final pharmaceuticals. The aim of this article is toxicological risk assessment (TRA) of total Cr impurities in Menthae piperitae tinctura (Mentha x piperita L., folium) available in Polish pharmacies including triple approach. Obtained raw/basal results shows that impurities of total Cr impurities were present in all investigated pharmaceutical with Mentha x piperita L., folium. but at a relatively low level (in the range: 0.39–2.14 µg/L). The regulatory strategy based on the ICH Q3D (R1) elemental impurities guidelines confirms that all the requirements of the analyzed products meet the European Medicine Agency (EMA) requirements. Obtained results obtained show that the estimated maximum daily exposure to Cr (ng/day) are variable between the samples (0.521–3.792 ng/day), but at a relatively low level (< 4.0 ng/day).The final step confirms the safety of analyzed pharmaceuticals, because the comparison of the estimated results with the oral PDE value for Cr in final drugs suggested by the ICH Q3D guideline (10,700 µg/day) show that all the products are below this value. The approach based on the margin of exposure (MoE) for children and adults also confirms the safety of all the products with Mentha x piperita L., (in all cases MoE >  > 10 000). It can be concluded that all the samples analyzed should not represent any health hazard to patients due to Cr impurities. To our knowledge, this is the first study about application of comprehensive TRA of total Cr impurities in phytopharmaceuticals with Mentha x piperita L., folium available in European pharmacies. Additionally, we confirm the safety of Cr impurities by applying triple regulatory strategy without the application of an expansive and demanding HPLC-ICP-MS technique for Cr speciation.
SCFAs Ameliorate Chronic Postsurgical Pain–Related Cognition Dysfunction via the ACSS2-HDAC2 Axis in Rats
Authors: Li Zhen , Sun Tianning , He Zhigang , Li Zhixiao , Zhang Wencui , Wang Jie , Xiang Hongbing
Published: July 2022

Patients with chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) frequently exhibit comorbid cognitive deficits. Recent observations have emphasized the critical effects of gut microbial metabolites, like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), in regulating cognitive function. However, the underlying mechanisms and effective interventions remain unclear. According to hierarchical clustering and 16S rRNA analysis, over two-thirds of the CPSP rats had cognitive impairment, and the CPSP rats with cognitive impairment had an aberrant composition of gut SCFA-producing bacteria. Then, using feces microbiota transplantation, researchers identified a causal relationship between cognitive-behavioral and microbic changes. Similarly, the number of genera that generated SCFAs was decreased in the feces from recipients of cognitive impairment microbiota. Moreover, treatment with the SCFAs alleviated the cognitive-behavioral deficits in the cognitively compromised pain rats. Finally, we observed that SCFA supplementation improved histone acetylation and abnormal synaptic transmission in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), hippocampal CA1, and central amygdala (CeA) area via the ACSS2 (acetyl-CoA synthetase2)-HDAC2 (histone deacetylase 2) axis. These findings link pain-related cognition dysfunction, gut microbiota, and short-chain fatty acids, shedding fresh insight into the pathogenesis and therapy of pain-associated cognition dysfunction.
„Wohlfahrtsstaat und Infrastruktur – das Soziale organisieren“
Authors: Leitner Sigrid
Published: July 2022

Der deutsche Sozialstaat organisiert soziale Sicherung traditionell auf zwei höchst unterschiedliche Weisen: Zum einen über die erwerbsarbeitszentrierten staatlichen Sozialversicherungen, die typische Risiken im Lebenslauf für alle Erwerbstätigen und ihre Familien absichern, zum anderen über eine bedarfsgeprüfte Existenzsicherung und individualisierte Hilfen im Einzelfall. Diese wohlfahrtsstaatliche Komplementärkonstruktion ist durch sozioökonomische Veränderungsprozesse unter Druck geraten: Ein verringertes Wirtschaftswachstum, steigende Arbeitslosigkeit und die Alterung der Gesellschaft führten zu steigenden Ausgaben in der Sozialpolitik, die nicht durch ein entsprechendes Einnahmenwachstum kompensiert werden konnten. Sowohl das Sozialversicherungs- als auch das Grundsicherungssystem wurde entsprechend angepasst, wobei es nicht nur um die Kürzung von Sozialleistungen ging, sondern auch die normativen Sicherungsziele neu ausgerichtet wurden. Der reformierte Sozialstaat setzt auf Aktivierung, Eigenverantwortung und Selbstbestimmung – und zwar in allen Bereichen. Damit stellt sich auch grundsätzlich die Frage, inwiefern der deutsche Wohlfahrtsstaat in seiner Gesamtheit noch in der Lage ist, soziale Problemlagen aufzufangen. Aus einer ganzheitlichen Perspektive wird dafür plädiert, die Fragmentierung des sozialen Sicherungssystems zu überwinden und auf Basis von konkreten Problemkonstellationen die Organisation des Sozialen neu zu denken.
Compositing of Coffee Silverskin with Carbon Rich Materials Leads to High Quality Soil Amendments
Authors: Picca Giuseppe , Plaza César , Madejón Engracia , Panettieri Marco
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Coffee silverskin (CS) is the integument covering the raw coffee bean, representing the primary waste product of the coffee-roasting industry. Despite the growing attention in seeking potential reuse of this material, the majority of CS is commonly used as a firelighter or discharged to landfills. The study aimed to test co-composting as a low-cost solution that meets the circular economy paradigms proposed by the European Union.

Methods

Four composting mixtures were prepared mixing CS with pruning waste and biochar at different ratios, aiming to maximize the amount of compostable CS per batch and monitored for 60 days.

Results

The contents of macro-, micro- and trace elements of the final composts matched the strictest requirements of the Spanish national regulation on compost quality (Class A amendments), proving that CS composts area high-value amendment rich in N and K.

Despite the highly phytotoxic effect of CS raw material, the seed germination tests showed that all the mature composts exhibited phytostimulant properties allowing their harmless application to the soil. The four composts had a high water holding capacity (237–351% dw) and they are likely to promote the persistence of plant-available water in the soil.

Conclusion

The present study showed that composting the whole CS produced in Europe would lead to a recovery of 2420–3481 tons of nitrogen and 1873 tons of potassium, reducing the dependency on mineral fertilizers, thus meeting the growing demand for sustainable and low-cost amendments.

Graphical Abstract
The Doxastic Heuristic and the Consequence Account of the Epistemic Side-Effect Effect
Authors: Paprzycka-Hausman Katarzyna , Maćkiewicz Bartosz , Kuś Katarzyna , Zaręba Marta
Published: July 2022

We discuss two philosophical explanations of the epistemic side-effect effect: the doxastic heuristic account (Alfano et al. The Monist 95 (2): 264–289, 2012) and the consequence account (Paprzycka-Hausman Synthese 197: 5457–5490, 2020). We argue that the doxastic heuristic account has problems with explaining knowledge attributions in cases where the probability that the side effect will occur is low and where the side effect does not ultimately occur. It can explain why there is a difference between the harm and the help cases but it cannot explain why people are willing to attribute knowledge in the harm cases. Such attributions can be explained on the consequence account, which takes knowledge attributions in norm-violation cases to be due to the increased salience of a consequence-awareness claim (knowledge that a possible consequence of the chairman’s action is that the environment would be harmed). We report the results of a new study that tests the predictions of both accounts. In some conditions, people attribute knowledge of the side effect even in cases where the chairman does not have the relevant belief. This result directly contradicts the central tenet of the doxastic heuristic account. Linear regression models of knowledge attribution that correspond to the two accounts were compared. The addition of different justification options significantly contributes to the predictive power of the statistical model. The consequence account can explain the pattern of justifications better than the doxastic heuristic account. Our findings support the consequence account and pose a challenge to the proponents of the doxastic heuristic account.
Some Thoughts on AI Stimulated by Michael Wooldridge’s Book “The Road to Conscious Machines. The Story of AI”
Authors: Bodmer W. F.
Published: July 2022

Following a brief over view of the contents of Michael Wooldridge's book I give an account of my own background in computing and AI. I then cover a range of topics stimulated by reading the book including machine learning's relationship to AI, applications to medical areas, the need to consider probabilistic effects on decisions, the importance of self-reproduction and whether AI can be made moral. I finish with a discussion of the mind–brain relationship and what makes us human.
Status and Social Capital: A Cross-Sectional Quantitative Investigation of Flood Survivors in South Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Akbar Muhammad Siddique , Safdar Muhammad Rizwan , Yousaf Farhan Navid , Aldrich Daniel P.
Published: July 2022

A growing body of evidence underscores that social capital mitigates the impact of natural hazards such as floods. But we know less about the distribution of social ties in developing countries regularly hit by shocks. Our study examined the differences between demographic groups in South Punjab, Pakistan affected by the 2010 floods, comparing respondents’ levels of social capital measured through proxies such as received social support, perceived community cohesion, accessibility to leadership, and general level of trust. We carried out univariate and multivariate analyses of factors including gender, education, occupation, landholding, family size, annual income, number of livestock, and home stability. Using data collected in face-to-face interviews with 450 flood survivors, our analysis showed no statistically significant difference in the flood victims’ scores on all four scales based on gender and family size. However, education, occupation, landholding, annual income, and home stability statistically correlated with levels of social capital. Respondents with high levels of education, high levels of land, higher home stability, and a government job typically had higher scores in all four measurements of social ties. Our results show strong inequality in the distribution of social capital, with better connections and assistance coming to those who already have better socioeconomic positions in society.
Cannabisgebrauch bei Jugendlichen
Authors: Skala Katrin , Trabi Thomas , Fuchs Martin , Gössler Ralf , Haas-Stockmair Christian-Wilhelm , Kriechbaumer Nicole , Leitner Monika , Ortner Nora , Reiter Melanie , Müller Christian , Wladika Wolfgang
Published: July 2022

Fragestellung

Cannabis ist die, von österreichischen Jugendlichen am häufigsten konsumierte, illegalisierte Droge. Aufgrund der, in den letzten Jahren erfolgten schrittweise Entkriminalisierung bis hin zur Legalisierung in vielen europäischen Ländern möchte die ÖGKJP auf ausgewogene und wissenschaftlich basierte Art und Weise Stellung zur komplexen Thematik des Cannabisge- und Missbrauchs bei Jugendlichen beziehen.

Methodik

Die Medline mit jeweils dem spezifischen Unterthema angepassten Suchen auf aktuelle Studien durchsucht. Weiters wurden aus anerkannten Kompendien zitiert.

Ergebnisse

Während gelegentlicher Freizeitkonsum von Cannabis bei Erwachsenen mit abgeschlossener Hirnreifung und ohne Risikoprofil für psychische Störungen relativ harmlos sein dürfte, können frühzeitigem Konsumbeginn mit regelmäßigem Konsum sowie die zunehmend verfügbaren, hochpotenten Cannabis-Sorten zu expliziten und zum Teil irreversiblen neurokognitiven Hirnfunktionsstörungen führen.

Schlussfolgerung

Eine gesetzliche Freigabe des Cannabis-Konsums für Jugendliche aufgrund der Risken der zu erwartenden Schäden im Bereich der Gehirnentwicklung abzulehnen. Zugleich gilt es aber, vernünftige gesetzliche Regelungen zu etablieren, die der Tatsache, dass über 30 % aller europäischen Jugendlichen gelegentlich Cannabis konsumieren, adäquat begegnen kann. Wir sprechen uns hier auch klar dafür aus, Cannabiskonsumenten nicht zu kriminalisieren und gefährdeten und suchtkranken Cannabiskonsumenten die benötigte Unterstützung zukommen zu lassen.
MTHSA-DHEI: multitasking harmony search algorithm for detecting high-order SNP epistatic interactions
Authors: Tuo Shouheng , Li Chao , Liu Fan , Li Aimin , He Lang , Geem Zong Woo , Shang JunLiang , Liu Haiyan , Zhu YanLing , Feng ZengYu , Chen TianRui
Published: July 2022

Genome-wide association studies have succeeded in identifying genetic variants associated with complex diseases, but the findings have not been well interpreted biologically. Although it is widely accepted that epistatic interactions of high-order single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) [(1) Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) are mainly deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence polymorphisms caused by variants at a single nucleotide at the genome level. They are the most common type of heritable variation in humans.] are important causes of complex diseases, the combinatorial explosion of millions of SNPs and multiple tests impose a large computational burden. Moreover, it is extremely challenging to correctly distinguish high-order SNP epistatic interactions from other high-order SNP combinations due to small sample sizes. In this study, a multitasking harmony search algorithm (MTHSA-DHEI) is proposed for detecting high-order epistatic interactions [(2) In classical genetics, if genes X1 and X2 are mutated and each mutation by itself produces a unique disease status (phenotype) but the mutations together cause the same disease status as the gene X1 mutation, gene X1 is epistatic and gene X2 is hypostatic, and gene X1 has an epistatic effect (main effect) on disease status. In this work, a high-order epistatic interaction occurs when two or more SNP loci have a joint influence on disease status.], with the goal of simultaneously detecting multiple types of high-order (k1-order, k2-order, …, kn-order) SNP epistatic interactions. Unified coding is adopted for multiple tasks, and four complementary association evaluation functions are employed to improve the capability of discriminating the high-order SNP epistatic interactions. We compare the proposed MTHSA-DHEI method with four excellent methods for detecting high-order SNP interactions for 8 high-orderepistatic interaction models with no marginal effect (EINMEs) and 12 epistatic interaction models with marginal effects (EIMEs) (*) and implement the MTHSA-DHEI algorithm with a real dataset: age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The experimental results indicate that MTHSA-DHEI has power and an F1-score exceeding 90% for all EIMEs and five EINMEs and reduces the computational time by more than 90%. It can efficiently perform multiple high-order detection tasks for high-order epistatic interactions and improve the discrimination ability for diverse epistasis models.
A faster dynamic convergency approach for self-organizing maps
Authors: Jamil Akhtar , Hameed Alaa Ali , Orman Zeynep
Published: July 2022

This paper proposes a novel variable learning rate to address two main challenges of the conventional Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) termed VLRSOM: high accuracy with fast convergence and low topological error. We empirically showed that the proposed method exhibits faster convergence behavior. It is also more robust in topology preservation as it maintains an optimal topology until the end of the maximum iterations. Since the learning rate adaption and the misadjustment parameter depends on the calculated error, the VLRSOM will avoid the undesired results by exploiting the error response during the weight updation. Then the learning rate is updated adaptively after the random initialization at the beginning of the training process. Experimental results show that it eliminates the tradeoff between the rate of convergence and accuracy and maintains the data's topological relationship. Extensive experiments were conducted on different types of datasets to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. First, we experimented with synthetic data and handwritten digits. For each data set, two experiments with a different number of iterations (200 and 500) were performed to test the stability of the network. The proposed method was further evaluated using four benchmark data sets. These datasets include Balance, Wisconsin Breast, Dermatology, and Ionosphere. In addition, a comprehensive comparative analysis was performed between the proposed method and three other SOM techniques: conventional SOM, parameter-less self-organizing map (PLSOM2), and RA-SOM in terms of accuracy, quantization error (QE), and topology error (TE). The results indicated the proposed approach produced superior results to the other three methods.
Plant Species Interactions in the Rhizosphere Increase Maize N and P Acquisition and Maize Yields in Intercropping
Authors: Schwerdtner Ulrike , Spohn Marie
Published: July 2022

The aim of the study was to examine interspecific plant interactions that contribute to plant nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) acquisition and are likely the reason for overyielding in intercropping. We conducted a field and a rhizobox experiment with the same soil. Maize (Zea mays L.) was grown alone or intercropped with the companions faba bean (Vicia faba L.), soy (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), blue lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.), or white mustard (Sinapis alba L.). We determined the isotopic N signature (δ15N) of maize as well as soil parameters (pH, phosphatase activity, nitrate) in the field experiment. We analyzed phosphatase activities and rhizosphere pH by soil zymography and pH imaging in the rhizobox experiment. Maize N and P contents were larger in intercropping than monocropping, especially with soy and lupin in the field, indicating intercropping advantages for maize N and P acquisition. Intercropping with legumes decreased maize δ15N in the field, suggesting that 11–20% of maize aboveground biomass N was transferred from legumes to maize. Soil zymography revealed high phosphatase activities in the rhizosphere of lupin and faba bean. pH imaging showed a rhizosphere alkalinization by mustard, and a rhizosphere acidification by faba bean. These changes in the companions’ rhizosphere likely mobilized P and were also beneficial for maize in intercropping. Taken together, our study provides evidence that the companions’ ability to mobilize N and P in the rhizosphere promotes increases in maize nutrient contents and causes maize overyielding in intercropping and thus can contribute to fertilizer savings.
A note on exponential Riesz bases
Authors: Caragea Andrei , Lee Dae Gwan
Published: July 2022

We prove that if$$I_\ell = [a_\ell ,b_\ell )$$Iℓ=[aℓ,bℓ),$$\ell =1,\ldots ,L$$ℓ=1,…,L, are disjoint intervals in [0, 1) with the property that the numbers$$1, a_1, \ldots , a_L, b_1, \ldots , b_L$$1,a1,…,aL,b1,…,bLare linearly independent over$${\mathbb {Q}}$$Q, then there exist pairwise disjoint sets$$\Lambda _\ell \subset {\mathbb {Z}}$$Λℓ⊂Z,$$\ell =1, \ldots , L$$ℓ=1,…,L, such that for every$$J \subset \{ 1, \ldots , L \}$$J⊂{1,…,L}, the system$$\{e^{2\pi i \lambda x} : \lambda \in \cup _{\ell \in J} \, \Lambda _\ell \}$${e2πiλx:λ∈∪ℓ∈JΛℓ}is a Riesz basis for$$L^2 ( \cup _{\ell \in J} \, I_\ell )$$L2(∪ℓ∈JIℓ). Also, we show that for any disjoint intervals$$I_\ell $$Iℓ,$$\ell =1, \ldots , L$$ℓ=1,…,L, contained in [1, N) with$$N \in {\mathbb {N}}$$N∈N, the orthonormal basis$$\{e^{2\pi i n x} : n \in {\mathbb {Z}}\}$${e2πinx:n∈Z}of$$L^2[0,1)$$L2[0,1)can be complemented by a Riesz basis$$\{e^{2\pi i \lambda x}: \lambda \in \Lambda \}$${e2πiλx:λ∈Λ}for$$L^2(\cup _{\ell =1}^L \, I_{\ell })$$L2(∪ℓ=1LIℓ)with some set$$\Lambda \subset (\frac{1}{N} {\mathbb {Z}}) \backslash {\mathbb {Z}}$$Λ⊂(1NZ)\Z, in the sense that their union$$\{e^{2\pi i \lambda x} : \lambda \in {\mathbb {Z}}\cup \Lambda \}$${e2πiλx:λ∈Z∪Λ}is a Riesz basis for$$L^2 ( [0,1) \cup I_1 \cup \cdots \cup I_L )$$L2([0,1)∪I1∪⋯∪IL).
Architecture and Material Politics in the Fifteenth-century Ottoman Empire
Authors: Blessing Patricia
Published: July 2022

In this book, Patricia Blessing explores the emergence of Ottoman architecture in the fifteenth century and its connection with broader geographical contexts. Analyzing how transregional exchange shaped building practices, she examines how workers from Anatolia, the Mediterranean, the Balkans, and Iran and Central Asia participated in key construction projects. She also demonstrates how drawn, scalable models on paper served as templates for architectural decorations and supplemented collaborations that involved the mobility of workers. Blessing reveals how the creation of centralized workshops led to the emergence of a clearly defined imperial Ottoman style by 1500, when the flexibility and experimentation of the preceding century was levelled. Her book radically transforms our understanding of Ottoman architecture by exposing the diverse and fluid nature of its formative period. It also provides the reader with an understanding of design, planning, and construction processes of a major empire of the Islamic world.
Treaty for a Lost City
Authors: Lim C. L.
Published: July 2022

The Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed in 1984 and transferred control of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China from the 1st July 1997. This sets the scene for the establishment of the Special Administrative Region (SAR) in Hong Kong, which has been at the heart of the civil unrest in 2019-2020, culminating in the National Security Law on 30 June 2020. In the 25th anniversary year of the handover of Hong Kong, C. L. Lim uses British archival sources to re-examine the Joint Declaration, the negotiations that led up to it, and its resounding significance that continues to the present day. Beginning with Margaret Thatcher's preparations for her Beijing trip, the book takes a chronological approach and offers a valuable, single-volume history of the Joint Declaration. In light of tumultuous current events in Hong Kong, Lim provides a vital, clear explanation of the legal complexities that have underpinned the relationships between China, Hong Kong and Britain since 1979.