bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The pathophysiology of bilateral and multifocal Wilms tumors: What we can learn from the study of predisposition syndromes
Authors: Welter Nils , Brzezinski Jack , Treece Amy , Chintagumpala Murali , Young Matthew D. , Perotti Daniela , Kieran Kathleen , Jongmans Marjolijn C. J. , Murphy Andrew J.
Published: September 2022

Approximately 5% of patients with Wilms tumor present with synchronous bilateral disease. The development of synchronous bilateral Wilms tumor (BWT) is highly suggestive of a genetic or epigenetic predisposition. Patients with known germline predisposition to Wilms tumor (WT1 variants, Beckwith Wiedemann spectrum, TRIM28 variants) have a higher incidence of BWT. This Children's Oncology Group (COG)‐International Society for Pediatric Oncology (SIOP‐) HARMONICA initiative review for pediatric renal tumors details germline genetic and epigenetic predisposition to BWT development, with an emphasis on alterations in 11p15.5 (ICR1 gain of methylation, paternal uniparental disomy, and postzygotic somatic mosaicism), WT1, TRIM28, and REST. Molecular mechanisms that result in BWT are often also present in multifocal Wilms tumor (multiple separate tumors in one or both kidneys). We identify priority areas for international collaborative research to better understand how predisposing genetic or epigenetic factors associate with response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, oncologic outcomes, and long‐term renal function outcomes.
Stalking perpetration through the lens of the alternative DSM‐5 model for personality disorders
Authors: Gamache Dominick , Cloutier Marie‐Ève , Faucher Jonathan , Leclerc Philippe , Savard Claudia
Published: September 2022

Emerging dimensional models of personality disorders such as the Alternative DSM‐5 Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD) provide new opportunities to explore the associations between personality pathology and harmful interpersonal behaviours such as stalking perpetration. Two goals are pursued by this study: (a) To document associations between stalking, level of personality pathology, and pathological personality domains/facets; and (b) to determine the relative importance of maladaptive personality facets in the statistical prediction of stalking. Data from 1489 young adults (18–30 years old) from a community sample were analysed. Moderate positive significant correlations were found between stalking, level of personality pathology, and maladaptive personality domains. A clear gradient of severity of stalking behaviours was found across five severity degrees of personality pathology. Dominance analyses revealed that Deceitfulness was the most dominant statistical predictor in women. Unusual Beliefs and Experiences, a facet from the Psychoticism domain, made an important contribution in the prediction of stalking in men only. Impulsivity was a key predictor in both genders but more markedly in men. Results suggest that the AMPD represents a useful framework to study stalking perpetration. Identification of key personality predictors might prove relevant for identifying risk factors, underlying motives, and treatment targets for stalking perpetrators.
Industrial control system risk assessment standards and leading practices in the chemical industry
Authors: Cusimano John
Published: September 2022

There is no simple recipe for how to secure an industrial automation and control system (IACS) and there is good reason for this. It is because security is a matter of risk management. Every IACS presents a different risk to the organization depending upon the threats it is exposed to, the likelihood of those threats arising, the inherent vulnerabilities in the system, and the consequences if the system were to be compromised. Furthermore, every organization that owns and operates an IACS has a different tolerance for risk. The new ISA/IEC standard, 62443 Part 3‐2, Security Risk Assessment for System Design, strives to define a set of engineering measures that will guide an organization through the process of assessing the risk of a particular IACS and identifying and applying security countermeasures to reduce that risk to tolerable levels. This paper provides an overview of the purpose and objectives as well as an overview of the workflows and requirements defined in this standard.
Healthcare resource utilization and quality of life in patients with sarcoidosis‐associated pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Lawrie Allan , Hamilton Neil , Wood Steven , Exposto Fernando , Muzwidzwa Ruvimbo , Raiteri Louise , Beaudet Amélie , Muller Audrey , Sauter Rafael , Pillai Nadia , Kiely David G.
Published: September 2022

A retrospective, observational cohort study was conducted to generate real‐world evidence in adult patients diagnosed with sarcoidosis‐associated pulmonary hypertension (SAPH) at a referral center in England between 2012 and 2019. Data from the referral center electronic medical record database were linked to the National Health Service Hospital Episode Statistics database to collect and analyze patient demographics, clinical characteristics, comorbidities, treatment patterns, health‐related quality of life (HRQoL; assessed using the EmPHasis‐10 questionnaire), healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), costs, and survival. Sixty‐two patients with SAPH were identified. At diagnosis, 84% were in WHO functional class III and presented with significant pulmonary hemodynamic impairment. Cardiovascular and respiratory comorbidities were commonly reported prediagnosis. Median EmPHasis‐10 score at diagnosis was 34, indicative of poor HRQoL. In the 1st year after diagnosis, median (Q1, Q3) per‐patient HCRU was 1 (0, 2) all‐cause inpatient hospitalizations; 3 (2, 4) same‐day hospitalizations; and 9 (6, 11) outpatient consultations. In 24 patients who were hospitalized longer than 1 day in the 1st year after diagnosis, the median duration of hospitalization was 4 days. With a median follow‐up of 1.8 years, the median overall survival was 2.9 years. In this cohort of patients with SAPH, poor HRQoL and high HCRU were observed following diagnosis. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report on HRQoL and HCRU in patients with SAPH. More research is needed on treatment options for this population with high unmet needs.
Metal‐Air Field Emission Devices – Nano Electrode Geometries Comparison of Performance and Stability
Authors: Nirantar Shruti , Patil Basanagounda , Tripathi Durgesh C. , Sethu Nilamani , Narayanan Ramakrishnan V. , Tian Jie , Bhaskaran Madhu , Walia Sumeet , Sriram Sharath
Published: September 2022

Air‐channel devices have a special advantage due to the promise of vacuum‐like ballistic transport in air, radiation insensitivity, and nanoscale size. Here, achieving high current at low voltage along with considerable mechanical stability is a primary issue. The comparative analysis of four planar and metallic electrode‐pair geometries at 10 nm channel length is presented. The impact of nano‐electrode‐pair geometries on overall device performance is investigated. Air‐channel devices are operated at the ultra‐low voltage of 5 mV to demonstrate the device dynamics of air‐channel devices at low power. Investigations focus on the direct tunneling (DT) mechanism which is dominant in the low‐voltage regime. Comparative analysis of different electrode‐pair geometries reveals two orders of magnitude increment in the current just by modulating the electrode‐pair structure. Theoretical analysis suggests that the emission current is directly related to the active junction area within the metal‐air‐metal interface at the direct tunneling regime. The geometry‐dependent mechanical stability of different electrode pairs is compared by imaging biasing triggered nanoscale structural changes and pulsed biasing stress analysis. The results and claims are confirmed and consolidated with the statistical analysis. Experimental investigations provide strong directions for high‐performance and stable devices. In‐depth theoretical discussions will enable the accurate modeling of emerging low‐power, high‐speed, radiation‐hardened nanoscale vacuum electronics.
Characterizing conceptual understanding during design‐based learning: Analyzing students' design talk and drawings using the chemical thinking framework
Authors: Stammes Hanna , Henze Ineke , Barendsen Erik , de Vries Marc
Published: September 2022

Design‐based learning is considered a powerful way to help students apply and develop understanding of science concepts, but research has shown that the success of this approach is not a given. Examining students' understanding of science concepts in various design‐based learning contexts has thus continued to be an important field of research. To help advance such work, we explored the affordances of a novel analytic approach for studying data gathered in design‐based learning classrooms. We used the “chemical thinking framework,” specifically its “conceptual sophistication” dimension, to analyze 10th‐grade, chemistry students' design talk and drawings. We gathered this data during small‐group design planning and drawing activities in the classrooms of two teachers whose students were designing a product that harnesses chemical energy to change the temperature of a beverage or snack. The findings demonstrate that this analytic approach was able to reveal that students (implicitly) drew on their understanding of several chemistry concepts while designing. Moreover, it showed that students could use everyday as well as more sophisticated understandings regarding a given chemistry concept while designing. This study furthermore unveiled differences in what and how students' design talk and drawings may reveal use of conceptual understanding, and it showed that different student teams may use a unique combination of understandings during design planning and drawing. We describe how this study's analytic approach complements existing approaches in design‐based learning research, and how our findings provide implications for research and practice.
The spider web: Defense strategy for emerging market enterprises
Authors: Shah Abdul Qadir
Published: September 2022

This article synthesizes literature‐based anecdotal evidence and showcases a comprehensive defense strategy, the spider web strategy, for emerging market enterprises against developed market's multinational enterprises in the emerging market space. Just like the spider web, the spider web strategy delineates how local firms can defeat entering multinationals using local reality and gambits. The local firms can also cocoon critical resources, expertise, and processes. That will help them not only in winning in the local markets but also in their internationalization processes.
Animal models for epileptic foci localization, seizure detection, and prediction by electrical impedance tomography
Authors: Wang Rong , Zhu Wenjing , Liang Guohua , Xu Jiaming , Guo Jie , Wang Lei
Published: September 2022

Surgical resection of lesions and closed‐loop suppression are the two main treatment options for patients with refractory epilepsy whose symptoms cannot be managed with medicines. Unfortunately, failures in foci localization and seizure prediction are constraining these treatments. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT), sensitive to impedance changes caused by blood flow or cell swelling, is a potential new way to locate epileptic foci and predict seizures. Animal validation is a necessary research process before EIT can be used in clinical practice, but it is unclear which among the many animal epilepsy models is most suited to this task. The selection of an animal model of epilepsy that is similar to human seizures and can be adapted to EIT is important for the accuracy and reliability of EIT research results. This study provides an overview of the animal models of epilepsy that have been used in research on the use of EIT to locate the foci or predict seizures; discusses the advantages and disadvantages of these models regarding inducement by chemical convulsant and electrical stimulation; and finally proposes optimal animal models of epilepsy to obtain more convincing research results for foci localization and seizure prediction by EIT. The ultimate goal of this study is to facilitate the development of new treatments for patients with refractory epilepsy.

This article is categorized under:

Neuroscience > Clinical Neuroscience

Psychology > Brain Function and Dysfunction
Applications of AM
Authors: Godec Damir , Breški Tomislav , Katalenić Miodrag , Nordin Axel , Diegel Olaf , Kristav Per , Motte Damien , Tavčar Jože
Published: September 2022

In this chapter, three strategic domains of Additive Manufacturing application are presented: tool making, medicine and transportation, with main benefits and results obtained by application of AM. Chapter presents some of on-going or already finished project from mentioned AM application fields.
Medial pivot-based total knee arthroplasty achieves better clinical outcomes than posterior-stabilised total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Kato Michitaka , Warashina Hideki , Mitamura Shingo , Kataoka Akito
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Stability in the sagittal plane, particularly regarding anterior cruciate ligament compensation, and postoperative functionality and satisfaction remain issues in total knee arthroplasty. Therefore, this prospective study compared the clinical outcomes between medial-pivot-based and posterior-stabilised total knee arthroplasty based on anterior translation and clinical scores.

Methods

To assess outcomes of total knee arthroplasty for varus osteoarthritis, the anterior translation distance of the tibia relative to the femur was measured at 30 and 60° of flexion using a KS measure Arthrometer at 6 months postoperatively. The 2011 Knee Society Score, Forgotten Joint Score, visual analogue scale for pain, and range of motion were assessed at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively. The correlations among each score, anterior translation distance, range of motion, and visual analogue scale score for pain were investigated.

Results

The medial-pivot and posterior-stabilised groups comprised 70 and 51 patients, respectively. The medial-pivot group exhibited a significantly shorter anterior translation distance at 60° flexion than the posterior-stabilised group. Furthermore, the medial-pivot group achieved significantly better outcomes regarding the visual analogue scale for pain, 2011 Knee Society Score, and Forgotten Joint Score than the posterior-stabilised group. A significant negative correlation was observed between the anterior translation distance and the function score of the 2011 Knee Society Score, whereas a significant positive correlation was found between the anterior translation distance and flexion angle, and between the extension angle and score of the Forgotten Joint Score or 2011 Knee Society Score. Significant negative correlations were also found between the pain visual analogue scale and both the 2011 Knee Society Score and Forgotten Joint Score.

Conclusion

In total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis, the medial-pivot group displayed a shorter anterior translation distance than the posterior-stabilised group at 6 months postoperatively. The visual analogue scale score for pain was also significantly lower in the medial-pivot group than that in the posterior-stabilised group at both 6 months and 1 year postoperatively. Because a correlation was observed between the anterior translation distance and the function score, medial-pivot-based total knee arthroplasty was considered to significantly improve postoperative function compared to posterior-stabilised total knee arthroplasty.
Hypopharyngeal carcinoma in Finland from 2005 to 2014: outcome remains poor after major changes in treatment
Authors: Keski-Säntti Harri , Luukkaa Marjaana , Carpén Timo , Jouppila-Mättö Anna , Lehtiö Kaisa , Mäenpää Hanna , Vuolukka Kristiina , Vahlberg Tero , Mäkitie Antti
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Hypopharyngeal carcinoma (HPC) is typically diagnosed at late stages, the patients tend to have serious co-morbidities, distant relapses are frequent, and the related mortality remains high. The treatment paradigm of HPC has remarkably changed from primary surgical approach toward definitive, platinum-based concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Our aim was to analyze the HPC treatment approaches and outcome in a nationwide series and to make a comparison with a previously published corresponding nationwide patient cohort from the period 1990–1999.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed all patients diagnosed with HPC at the five university hospitals in Finland between 2005 and 2014.

Results

The cohort comprised 231 patients. Treatment with curative intent was offered for 175 (76%) patients and consisted of definitive radiotherapy (RT) or CRT in 156 (89%) patients, while 20 (11%) patients had primary surgery with or without adjuvant RT or CRT. The 5-year estimates for overall survival (OS) and disease specific survival (DSS) for the whole study group were 22.7% and 36.5%, respectively. For patients treated with curative intent, the 5-year estimates for OS and DSS were 29.4% and 44.3%, respectively.

Conclusions

The treatment approach of HPC in Finland has changed thoroughly, as in the 1990s, 63% of HPC patients with curative treatment intent underwent primary surgery with or without RT, while in the current study, the primary treatment approach was non-surgical in 89% of the patients. However, the survival figures have not changed and remain dismal, but most of the few surviving patients now can retain their larynx.
Long-term outcome and cancer incidence after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair
Authors: Ettengruber A. , Epple J. , Schmitz-Rixen Th. , Böckler D. , Grundmann R. T. ,   DIGG gGmbH
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The influence of cancer development on long-term outcome after elective endovascular (EVAR) vs. open repair (OAR) of non-ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) was investigated.

Methods

Patient survival and cancer incidence were recorded for 18,802 patients registered with the AOK health insurance company in Germany who underwent EVAR (n = 14,218) and OAR (n = 4584) in the years 2010 to 2016 (men n = 16,086, women n = 2716). All patients were preoperatively and in their history cancer-free.

Results

30.1% of EVAR and 27.6% of OAR patients (p ≤ .001) developed cancer after a follow-up period of up to 9 years (Kaplan–Meier estimated). Patients with cancer had a significantly less favorable outcome compared to patients with no cancer (HR 1.68; 95% CI 1.59–1.78, p < .001). After 9 years, the estimated survival of patients with and without cancer was 27.0% and 55.4%, respectively (p < .001). Survival of men and women did not differ significantly (HR 0.94; 95% CI 0.88–1.00, p = .061). In the Cox regression analysis (adjusted outcomes by operative approach, gender, age, and comorbidities), the postoperative cancer incidence was not significantly different between EVAR and OAR (HR 1.09; 95% CI 1.00–1.18, p = .051). However, EVAR showed an increased risk of postoperative development of abdominal cancer (HR 1.20; 95% CI 1.07–1.35, p = .002). 48.0% of all EVAR patients and 53.4% of all OAR patients survived in the follow-up period of up to 9 years. This difference was not significant (HR 0.96; 95% CI 0.91–1.02, p = .219).

Conclusion

Cancer significantly worsened the long-term outcome after EVAR and OAR, without significant differences between the two repair methods in the overall cancer incidence. However, the higher abdominal cancer incidence with EVAR can affect quality of life including oncological therapy and therefore should be considered when determining the indication for surgery, and the patient should be informed about it.
Mineral Raw Material Supply Chain Transparency and Traceability: Does Provenance Matter in the Supply Chain?
Authors: Dietrich Valentina , Melcher Frank
Published: September 2022

Raw material supply chains are complex systems. They build on the presence of economically mineable mineral commodities that will undergo several steps until they are finally being used as consumer products. Trustworthiness into the transparency of a supply chain is of increasing importance, both to upstream and downstream companies. Any deviation from best-practice and quality standards in mining, processing and production is critically looked at by consumers. Therefore, certification systems and proof of origin concepts have emerged within the past years, aiming at providing transparency to supply chains. The analytical proof of origin for mineral raw materials could be beneficial to certification schemes in several ways. It represents the least corruptible method of provenance analysis as it relates directly to the chemical composition of the raw material. Other methods, such as documents, tracers, or barcodes, can be outmanoeuvred in one way or another.
Towards improved global estimates and model representations of water storage in the unsaturated zone
Authors: Bunting S. Y. , Ascott M. J. , Gooddy D. C. , Bloomfield J. P.
Published: September 2022

The unsaturated zone is a globally important, dynamic water store, which affects water resources, agriculture and pollutant transport. Despite this, the magnitude of unsaturated zone water storage remains highly uncertain. This work provides the first global estimates of the magnitude of this store (1.0 x105 km3) in comparison to recent estimates of global modern groundwater (3.5x105 km3), before presenting a roadmap for improved representation of the unsaturated zone in global hydrological models.
Anreize zum Energiesparen als oberste Priorität
Authors: Übelmesser Silke
Published: September 2022

To address the distributional consequences of high inflation rates, measures are needed that target those most in need without distorting prices. The function of the price as scarcity signal is important to encourage energy saving. Direct price subsidies such as the fuel price rebate, on the contrary, are not helpful. In the medium term, supply-side measures are needed to overcome the bottlenecks in the supply chains. Other challenges, the impact of demographic change in particular, make this even more urgent. Sound public finances lead to greater resilience. Planning to reintroduce the debt brake is reasonable as the current distributional issues need to be solved within the current generation and not shifted to future ones.
Do commodity assets hedge uncertainties? What we learn from the recent turbulence period?
Authors: Hasan Md. Bokhtiar , Hossain Md. Naiem , Junttila Juha , Uddin Gazi Salah , Rabbani Mustafa Raza
Published: September 2022

This study analyses the impact of different uncertainties on commodity markets to assess commodity markets' hedging or safe-haven properties. Using time-varying dynamic conditional correlation and wavelet-based Quantile-on-Quantile regression models, our findings show that, both before and during the COVID-19 crisis, soybeans and clean energy stocks offer strong safe-haven opportunities against cryptocurrency price uncertainty and geopolitical risks (GPR). Soybean markets weakly hedge cryptocurrency policy uncertainty, US economic policy uncertainty, and crude oil volatility. In addition, GSCI commodity and crude oil also offer a weak safe-haven property against cryptocurrency uncertainties and GPR. Consistent with earlier studies, our findings indicate that safe-haven traits can alter across frequencies and quantiles. Our findings have significant implications for investors and regulators in hedging and making proper decisions, respectively, under diverse uncertain circumstances.
Backyard buzz: human population density modifies the value of vegetation cover for insect pollinators in a subtropical city
Authors: Persson Anna S. , Westman Amy , Smith Tobias J. , Mayfield Margaret M. , Olsson Peter , Smith Henrik G. , Fuller Richard
Published: September 2022

Urbanisation drives overall declines in insect pollinators. Although urban green spaces can provide suitable habitat for pollinators much remains to be learned about how urban landscapes either promote or negatively impact pollinators. We investigated how backyard design, local (100 m) and landscape (500 m) scale vegetation cover and human population density were associated with non-eusocial native bee species, eusocial bees (Apis melliferaandTetragonula spp.), and hoverflies, in residential green spaces of the subtropical city Brisbane, Australia. We found that associations between bee abundance and vegetation cover were moderated by human density, but the direction of this effect differed for non-eusocial and eusocial species. Non-eusocial bee abundance was positively associated with tree cover at local and landscape scales when human densities were low, but negatively so at high human population densities. We suggest this may be because the quality of vegetation for non-eusocial bees deteriorates as human density increases. In contrast, abundance of eusocial bees was negatively associated with increasing local cover of grass and shrubs at low levels of human density, but positively associated at high densities. This affinity to humans could partly be explained by domesticated “kept” hives. We found no effect of urban gradients on bee species richness. Hoverfly abundance was negatively related to human density and positively related to vegetation cover at local and landscape scales. At the backyard scale, both bee species richness and bee and hoverfly abundances were positively associated to flower abundance. Backyards with more vegetation cover had higher densities of non-eusocial bees. Our results thus support the idea that urban greening in densely populated areas at multiple spatial scales can benefit a range of insect pollinators.
Combination of Peglated-H1/HGFK1 Nanoparticles and TAE in the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Gao Dazhi , Xu Xiangxian , Liu Ling , Liu Li , Zhang Xiang , Liang Xianxian , Cen Lanqi , Liu Qian , Yuan Xiaoli , Yu Zhenghong
Published: September 2022

Transarterial embolization (TAE) constitutes the gold standard for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. The effect of combination of TAE and peglated-H1/HGFK1 nanoparticles was explored on hepatocellular carcinoma. MTT and Annexin V-FITC were used to determine the cell viability and apoptosis of HepG2, ml-1, LO2, and VX2 cells after the treatment of HGFK1. Next, the orthotopic rabbit was selected to establish the in situ models of VX2 hepatocellular carcinoma. Nanoparticles were synthesized with peglated-PH1 and used to deliver HGFK1 overexpressing plasmids. MRI was performed to monitor tumor volume after being treated with TAE. The protein expression levels of CD31, CD90, and Ki67 were determined by immunohistochemistry. H&E and TUNEL staining were used to determine the necrosis and apoptosis in vivo. HGFK1 significantly inhibited the proliferation and increased the apoptosis of HepG2 and ml-1 cells (P < 0.05). MRI on 14 days after modeling suggested that the tumor showed ring enhancement. MRI on 7 days and 14 days after interventional therapy showed that tumor volume was significantly inhibited after the treatment with TAE and HGFK1 (P < 0.05). The immunohistochemical results 7 days after interventional therapy indicated that the expressions of CD31, CD90, and Ki67 were significantly lower after treatment with TAE and HGFK1 (P < 0.05). TAE and HGFK1 all extended the survival period of rabbits (P < 0.05). PH1/HGFK1 nanoparticle is an innovative and effective embolic agent, which could limit angiogenesis post-TAE treatment. The combination of TAE with PH1/HGFK1 is a promising strategy and might alter the way that surgeons manage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
RNY3 modulates cell proliferation and IL13 mRNA levels in a T lymphocyte model: a possible new epigenetic mechanism of IL-13 regulation
Authors: Estravís Miguel , García-Sánchez Asunción , Martin Maria J. , Pérez-Pazos Jacqueline , Isidoro-García María , Dávila Ignacio , Sanz Catalina
Published: September 2022

Allergic asthma is the most common type of asthma. It is characterized by TH2 cell–driven inflammation in which interleukin-13 (IL-13) plays a pivotal role. Cytoplasmic RNAs (Y-RNAs), a variety of non-coding RNAs that are dysregulated in many cancer types, are also differentially expressed in patients with allergic asthma. Their function in the development of the disease is still unknown. We investigated the potential role of RNY3 RNA (hY3) in the TH2 cell inflammatory response using the Jurkat cell line as a model. hY3 expression levels were modulated to mimic the upregulation effect in allergic disease. We evaluated the effect of hY3 over cell stimulation and the expression of the TH2 cytokine IL13. Total RNA was isolated and retrotranscribed, and RNA levels were assessed by qPCR. In Jurkat cells, hY3 levels increased upon stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin. When transfecting with high levels of hY3 mimic molecules, cell proliferation rate decreased while IL13 mRNA levels increased upon stimulation compared to stimulated control cells. Our results show the effect of increased hY3 levels on cell proliferation and the levels of IL13 mRNA in Jurkat cells. Also, we showed that hY3 could act over other cells via exosomes. This study opens up new ways to study the potential regulatory function of hY3 over IL-13 production and its implications for asthma development.
The dynamic relationships among growth in the logistics industry, energy consumption, and carbon emission: recent evidence from China
Authors: Wang Xiaole , Dong Feng
Published: September 2022

In the post-pandemic era, there is a need to achieve the dynamic and coordinated development of growth in the logistics industry, energy consumption, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in China’s four major economic regions to ensure the high-quality development of green logistics in China. Using the data indicators of growth in the logistics industry, energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and fixed asset investment in 30 Chinese provinces from 2004 to 2018, a panel vector autoregressive model was established for the four major economic development regions of central, east, west, and northeast China. The model coefficients were estimated using the systematic generalized matrix estimation method (System-GMM), which was evaluated by a Granger causality test. The model coefficients were estimated using the System-GMM method, and the dynamic relationships between growth in the logistics industry, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions was obtained through a Granger causality test, impulse response analysis, and variance decomposition. The results showed that the growth of the logistics industry in the four major economic regions had a positive impact on energy consumption and CO2 emissions, with the degree of contribution being smaller in the east and central regions, and larger in the west and northeast regions. Fixed asset investment had a negative impact on energy consumption and CO2 emissions, with the degree of contribution being largest in the northeast, larger in the east than in the central region, and smallest in the west. Finally, according to the conclusion and analysis of the results, from the aspects of government guidance and policy support, low-carbon logistics technology innovation, and infrastructure investment, we propose the need to pay attention to the role of government guidance, accelerate the pace of energy adjustments using the structure of the logistics industry, and increase the investment in renewable energy infrastructure, while focusing on strengthening the cooperation between regions and exploring new models of low-carbon logistics development between regions. This will ensure that the country achieves its goal of reaching peak carbon by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.
Some homotypical closed varieties of semigroups
Authors: Nabi M. , Ahanger S. A. , Bano S. , Shah A. H.
Published: September 2022

We show that for each$$n\ge 2\in {\mathbb {N}}$$n≥2∈N, the varieties$${\mathbb {V}}_{n}=[x_1x_2x_3=x_1^nx_{i_1}x_{i_2}x_{i_3}]$$Vn=[x1x2x3=x1nxi1xi2xi3]whereiis any non-trivial permutation of$$\{1,2,3\}$${1,2,3}are closed. Further, we show that for each$$n\in {\mathbb {N}}$$n∈N, the varieties$${\mathcal {V}}_{n}=[x_1x_2x_3=x_1^nx_{i_1}x_{i_2}x_{i_3}]$$Vn=[x1x2x3=x1nxi1xi2xi3]whereiis any non-trivial permutation of$$\{1,2,3\}$${1,2,3}other than the permutation (231) are closed.
Prediction of high-speed train delay propagation based on causal text information
Authors: Liu Qianyi , Wang Shengjie , Li Zhongcan , Li Li , Zhang Jun , Wen Chao
Published: September 2022

The delay-causing text data contain valuable information such as the specific reasons for the delay, location and time of the disturbance, which can provide an efficient support for the prediction of train delays and improve the guidance of train control efficiency. Based on the train operation data and delay-causing data of the Wuhan–Guangzhou high-speed railway, the relevant algorithms in the natural language processing field are used to process the delay-causing text data. It also integrates the  train operating-environment information and delay-causing text information so as to develop a cause-based train delay propagation prediction model. The Word2vec model is first used to vectorize the delay-causing text description after word segmentation. The mean model or the term frequency-inverse document frequency-weighted model is then used to generate the delay-causing sentence vector based on the original word vector. Afterward, the  train operating-environment features and delay-causing sentence vector are input into the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) regression algorithm to develop a delay propagation prediction model. In this work, 4 text feature processing methods and 8 regression algorithms are considered. The results demonstrate that the XGBoost regression algorithm has the highest prediction accuracy using the test features processed by the continuous bag of words and the mean models. Compared with the prediction model that only considers the train-operating-environment features, the results show that the prediction accuracy of the model is significantly improved with multiple regression algorithms after integrating the delay-causing feature.
A novel dynamic reference point model for preference-based evolutionary multiobjective optimization
Authors: Lin Xin , Luo Wenjian , Gu Naijie , Zhang Qingfu
Published: September 2022

In the field of preference-based evolutionary multiobjective optimization, optimization algorithms are required to search for the Pareto optimal solutions preferred by the decision maker (DM). The reference point is a type of techniques that effectively describe the preferences of DM. So far, the reference point is either static or interactive with the evolutionary process. However, the existing reference point techniques do not cover all application scenarios. A novel case, i.e., the reference point changes over time due to the environment change, has not been considered. This paper focuses on the multiobjective optimization problems with dynamic preferences of the DM. First, we propose a change model of the reference point to simulate the change of the preference by the DM over time. Then, a dynamic preference-based multiobjective evolutionary algorithm framework with a clonal selection algorithm (ĝa-NSCSA) and a genetic algorithm (ĝa-NSGA-II) is designed to solve such kind of optimization problems. In addition, in terms of practical applications, the experiments on the portfolio optimization problems with the dynamic reference point model are tested. Experimental results on the benchmark problems and the practical applications show that ĝa-NSCSA exhibits better performance among the compared optimization algorithms.
A Public–Private Insurance Model for Disaster Risk Management: An Application to Italy
Authors: Perazzini Selene , Gnecco Giorgio , Pammolli Fabio
Published: September 2022

This paper proposes a public–private insurance model for earthquakes and floods in Italy in which the insurer and the government co-operate in risk financing. Our model departs from the existing literature by describing an insurance scheme intended to relieve the financial burden that natural events place on governments, while at the same time assisting individuals and protecting the insurance business. Hence, the business aims at maximizing social welfare rather than profits. Given the limited amount of data available on natural risks, expected losses per individual are estimated through risk-modeling. In order to evaluate the insurer’s loss profile, spatial correlation among insured assets is included. Our findings suggest that, when not supported by the government, private insurance might either financially over-expose the insurer or set premiums so high that individuals would fail to purchase policies. This evidence is stronger for earthquake risks, but it is considerable for floods too. We found that jointly managing the two perils alleviates the burden on public capitals by lowering the amount of capitals required and by keeping the probability of additional capital injections into the insurance reserves relatively low.
Humidity Sensing of Stretchable and Transparent Hydrogel Films for Wireless Respiration Monitoring
Authors: Liang Yuning , Ding Qiongling , Wang Hao , Wu Zixuan , Li Jianye , Li Zhenyi , Tao Kai , Gui Xuchun , Wu Jin
Published: September 2022

Respiratory monitoring plays a pivotal role in health assessment and provides an important application prospect for flexible humidity sensors. However, traditional humidity sensors suffer from a trade-off between deformability, sensitivity, and transparency, and thus the development of high-performance, stretchable, and low-cost humidity sensors is urgently needed as wearable electronics. Here, ultrasensitive, highly deformable, and transparent humidity sensors are fabricated based on cost-effective polyacrylamide-based double network hydrogels. Concomitantly, a general method for preparing hydrogel films with controllable thickness is proposed to boost the sensitivity of hydrogel-based sensors due to the extensively increased specific surface area, which can be applied to different polymer networks and facilitate the development of flexible integrated electronics. In addition, sustainable tapioca rich in hydrophilic polar groups is introduced for the first time as a second cross-linked network, exhibiting excellent water adsorption capacity. Through the synergistic optimization of structure and composition, the obtained hydrogel film exhibits an ultrahigh sensitivity of 13,462.1%/%RH, which is unprecedented. Moreover, the hydrogel film-based sensor exhibits excellent repeatability and the ability to work normally under stretching with even enhanced sensitivity. As a proof of concept, we integrate the stretchable sensor with a specially designed wireless circuit and mask to fabricate a wireless respiratory interruption detection system with Bluetooth transmission, enabling real-time monitoring of human health status. This work provides a general strategy to construct high-performance, stretchable, and miniaturized hydrogel-based sensors as next-generation wearable devices for real-time monitoring of various physiological signals.
Log-concavity in powers of infinite series close to $$(1 - z)^{-1}$$
Authors: Zhang Shengtong
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we use the analytic method of Odlyzko and Richmond to study the log-concavity of power series. If $$f(z) = \sum _n a_nz^n$$

f

(
z
)

=

∑
n

a
n

z
n

is an infinite series with $$a_n \ge 1$$

a
n

≥
1

and $$a_0 + \cdots + a_n = O(n + 1)$$

a
0

+
⋯
+

a
n

=
O

(
n
+
1
)

for all n, we prove that a super-polynomially long initial segment of $$f^k(z)$$

f
k

(
z
)

is log-concave. Furthermore, if there exists constants $$C > 1$$

C
>
1

and $$\alpha < 1$$

α
<
1

such that $$a_0 + \cdots + a_n = C(n + 1) - R_n$$

a
0

+
⋯
+

a
n

=
C

(
n
+
1
)

-

R
n

where $$0 \le R_n \le O((n + 1)^{\alpha })$$

0
≤

R
n

≤
O

(

(
n
+
1
)

α

)

, we show that an exponentially long initial segment of $$f^k(z)$$

f
k

(
z
)

is log-concave. This resolves a conjecture proposed by Letong Hong and the author, which implies another conjecture of Heim and Neuhauser that the Nekrasov-Okounkov polynomials $$Q_n(z)$$

Q
n

(
z
)

are unimodal for sufficiently large n.
On a hybrid continuum-kinetic model for complex fluids
Authors: Chertock A. , Degond P. , Dimarco G. , Lukáčová-Medvid’ová M. , Ruhi A.
Published: September 2022

In the present work, we first introduce a general framework for modelling complex multiscale fluids and then focus on the derivation and analysis of a new hybrid continuum-kinetic model. In particular, we combine conservation of mass and momentum for an isentropic macroscopic model with a kinetic representation of the microscopic behavior. After introducing a small scale of interest, we compute the complex stress tensor by means of the Irving-Kirkwood formula. The latter requires an expansion of the kinetic distribution around an equilibrium state and a successive homogenization over the fast in time and small in space scale dynamics. For a new hybrid continuum-kinetic model the results of linear stability analysis indicate a conditional stability in the relevant low speed regimes and linear instability for high speed regimes for higher modes. Extensive numerical experiments confirm that the proposed multiscale model can reflect new phenomena of complex fluids not being present in standard Newtonian fluids. Consequently, the proposed general technique can be successfully used to derive new interesting systems combining the macro and micro structure of a given physical problem.
A retrospective on research visits of Paul Butzer’s Aachen research group to Eastern Europe and Tenerife
Authors: Butzer Paul L. , Stens Rudolf L.
Published: September 2022

Our article “A retrospective on research visits of Paul Butzer’s Aachen research group to North America and Western Europe” [1] concerned the research visits, contacts and conference participations of members of the Chair “Lehrstuhl A für Mathematik” at Aachen to North America and Western Europe. This paper focuses on such research visits of the Aachen Chair and its group to Eastern Europe as well as to Tenerife. The Epilogue treats our top students, different research interests, and conferences on the occasion of PLB’s birthday anniversaries.
Optimizing intra-facility crowding in Wi-Fi environments using continuous-time Markov chains
Authors: Mizuno Shinya , Ohba Haruka
Published: September 2022

Various measures have been devised to reduce crowdedness and alleviate the transmission of COVID-19. In this study, we propose a method for reducing intra-facility crowdedness based on the usage of Wi-Fi networks. We analyze Wi-Fi logs generated continually in vast quantities in the ever-expanding wireless network environment to calculate the transition probabilities between the nodes and the mean stay time at each node. Subsequently, we model this data as a continuous-time Markov chain to determine the variance of the stationary distribution, which is used as a metric of intra-facility crowdedness. Therefore, we solved the optimization problem by using stay rate as a parameter and developed a numerical solution to minimize the intra-facility crowdedness. The optimization results demonstrate that the intra-facility crowding is reduced by approximately 30%. This solution can practically reduce intra-facility crowdedness as it adjusts people’s stay times without making any changes to their movements. We categorized Wi-Fi users into a set of classes using the k-means method and documented the behavioral characteristics of each class to help implement class-specific measures to reduce intra-facility crowdedness, thus enabling facility managers to implement effective countermeasures against crowdedness based on the circumstances. We present a detailed description of our computing environment and workflow used for the basic analysis of vast quantities of Wi-Fi logs. We believe this research will be useful for analysts and facility operators because we have used general-purpose data for analysis.
Eastern Philosophy of Religion
Authors: Harrison Victoria S.
Published: September 2022

This Element selectively examines a range of ideas and arguments drawn from the philosophical traditions of South and East Asia, focusing on those that are especially relevant to the philosophy of religion. The Element introduces key debates about the self and the nature of reality that unite the otherwise highly diverse philosophies of Indian and Chinese Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. The emphasis of this Element is analytical rather than historical. Key issues are explained in a clear, precise, accessible manner, and with a view to their contemporary relevance to ongoing philosophical debates.
A Philosophy of Playing Drum Kit
Authors: Smith Gareth Dylan
Published: September 2022

The author is a drummer with experience in a variety of musical genres and contexts, with emphasis on rock and related styles. This auto ethnographic Element presents the author's philosophy of playing drum kit. The text explains how playing drum kit matters to this musician and may resonate with others to whom making music matters in similar ways. The Element contains audio files of music in which the author plays drum kit in the ensemble settings described. There are photos of the author's drums and of him drumming. Based on June Boyce-Tillman's non-religious model of holistic spirituality and Tim Ingold's notion of correspondences, the author describes how playing drum kit enables him to experience transcendence – the magical nexus at which Materials, Construction, Values/Culture and Expression meet. Each of these domains, and the magic derived from their combination, is illustrated through examples of the author's live and recorded musical collaborations.
Multi-Directionality and Universality: Global Feminisms and International Law in the Twenty-First Century
Authors: Bennoune Karima
Published: September 2022

Advancing the goals of feminist international law in the twenty-first century requires renewed commitment to universality, and a deft multi-directionality. The iconic 1989 demonstration organized by British Asian women in support of the writer Salman Rushdie, condemned to death by a fatwa from Ayatollah Khomeini, provides a helpful metaphor. Campaigners from Southall Black Sisters and Women Against Fundamentalism led the protest carrying signs proclaiming: “A Women's Place Is in the World,” and “Our Tradition Is Struggle, Not Submission.”1 The women stood between two groups of men: a phalanx of British Muslim fundamentalist demonstrators denouncing Rushdie and calling for blasphemy laws, and white far right National Front protestors who opposed those fundamentalists with racist rhetoric. The women human rights defenders (WHRDs) challenged both groups of men, were threatened by both. Though encircled, they were determined to create their own space for multi-directional resistance.
On the ruin probability of a generalized Cramér–Lundberg model driven by mixed Poisson processes
Authors: Tomita Masashi , Takaoka Koichiro , Ishizaka Motokazu
Published: September 2022

We propose a generalized Cramér–Lundberg model of the risk theory of non-life insurance and study its ruin probability. Our model is an extension of that of Dubey (1977) to the case of multiple insureds, where the counting process is a mixed Poisson process and the continuously varying premium rate is determined by a Bayesian rule on the number of claims. We use two proofs to show that, for each fixed value of the safety loading, the ruin probability is the same as that of the classical Cramér–Lundberg model and does not depend on either the distribution of the mixing variable of the driving mixed Poisson process or the number of claim contracts.