bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of additives in influencing heating and melting of polymers during thermoforming
Authors: Garapati Nagasree , Gupta Rakesh K.
Published: October 2022

The heating stage in thermoforming of amorphous and semi‐crystalline polymers was analyzed for constant heat flux conditions using an energy balance model; candidate polymers were high impact polystyrene and isotactic polypropylene. Using an analytical solution, temperature differences as large as 100°C were predicted to arise between the surface and the interior of the sheet being thermoformed for conditions chosen in this work, and these can limit the heat flux being used. A Matlab program was used to compute temperature and crystallinity profiles for crystal melting. Melting took almost as much time as required to heat the surface of the film to the crystal melting point. High thermal conductivity additives, such as calcium carbonate and graphene, can provide temperature uniformity, and the additive uniformity can be verified using thermogravimetric analysis. The ability of these additives to provide temperature uniformity and to reduce energy consumption and heating time is determined in a quantitative manner. Both additives improve heat transfer, and, at the same added volume fraction, graphene is more effective. However, calcium carbonate has a lower cost. The role of density, specific heat, thermal conductivity, and amount of the polymers and additives in influencing temperature and crystallinity profiles was explored, and methods of carrying out thermoforming in an energy efficient manner are proposed.
Distributional regression modeling via generalized additive models for location, scale, and shape: An overview through a data set from learning analytics
Authors: Marmolejo‐Ramos Fernando , Tejo Mauricio , Brabec Marek , Kuzilek Jakub , Joksimovic Srecko , Kovanovic Vitomir , González Jorge , Kneib Thomas , Bühlmann Peter , Kook Lucas , Briseño‐Sánchez Guillermo , Ospina Raydonal
Published: October 2022

The advent of technological developments is allowing to gather large amounts of data in several research fields. Learning analytics (LA)/educational data mining has access to big observational unstructured data captured from educational settings and relies mostly on unsupervised machine learning (ML) algorithms to make sense of such type of data. Generalized additive models for location, scale, and shape (GAMLSS) are a supervised statistical learning framework that allows modeling all the parameters of the distribution of the response variable with respect to the explanatory variables. This article overviews the power and flexibility of GAMLSS in relation to some ML techniques. Also, GAMLSS' capability to be tailored toward causality via causal regularization is briefly commented. This overview is illustrated via a data set from the field of LA.

This article is categorized under:

Application Areas > Education and Learning

Algorithmic Development > Statistics

Technologies > Machine Learning
Use of live streaming systems in field‐based learning
Authors: McCay Shelby D. , Lopez Roel R. , Sansom April C. , Farrell Christina M. , Holmes Jared M. , Lopez Angelica , Cathey James C.
Published: October 2022

Field‐based learning is a key element in wildlife management curriculum as it is a valuable teaching tool for natural resource topics. There are multiple constraints that restrict use of field‐based learning techniques in wildlife programs that have been complicated by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Many academic programs were forced to rapidly transition to online instruction, but despite these difficulties, there was a need to provide interactive, in the field learning opportunities for students. This necessity resulted in the development of a live streaming system to provide an interactive learning experience (Leopold Live!). In this case study, we describe the technology used in Leopold Live! to augment an online, wildlife habitat management course at Texas A&M University, and the associated challenges and adjustments needed to improve delivery in the future. We conclude that Leopold Live! serves as a potential method to meet the challenge of providing interactive, field‐based learning in a distance education setting.
Hybrid surveying of radiation and magnetic impacts on Maxwell fluid with MWCNT nanotube influence of two wire loops
Authors: Fatehinasab Reza , Shafiee Hamid , Afshari Mohammad , Pasha Pooya
Published: October 2022

In this paper, the effects of Maxwell nanoliquid transmission with MWCNT nanotube are investigated over two circular wires with opposite currents and a stretching sheet. The innovation of this paper is the examination of MWCNT nanotube temperature and nanofluid velocity and also magnetic potential and magnetic effect in the three different places of two circular wires on the sheet. The finite element method is utilized for calculating differential equations. By increasing the distance from two wires on the stretching sheet, the amount of MWCNT nanotube temperature increased, and a large vortex forms at the bottom of the sheet. Overall, the MWCNT nanotube velocity around the two circular wires at the beginning of the sheet is 46.09% higher than the middle of the sheet and 20% higher than the end of the sheet, also the MWCNT nanotube magnetic potential around the two circular wires at the beginning of the sheet is 13.40% higher than the middle of the sheet and 23% higher than the end of the sheet. The second part of the essay relates to the using response surface methodology (RSM) method in the Design‐Expert software. Based on the results obtained from the MWCNT nanotube velocity graphs and the heat transfer cantors, and magnetism effects in the Design‐Expert software, the best optimization occurred for u = 0.07, T = 1.15, and H = 4.531.
A Historical Lineage of Sad and Mad Women
Authors: Thelandersson Fredrika
Published: October 2022

Women’s affective states have a long history of being pathologized under names like neurasthenia, hysteria, and schizophrenia. In culture, the sad and mad woman has appeared as various popular figures: the Victorian madwoman, the hysteric, the schizophrenic, and the Prozac-consuming American woman of the 1990s, to name a few. This chapter traces a brief history of how women’s mental health has been pathologized in the American and European West, and accounts for feminist interpretations of these various pathologizations. I hope to show that mental illness diagnoses are neither completely discursive (socially and linguistically constructed) nor fixed neurological truths (biological facts of life that always look the same), but emerge and take shape in a complex interplay between sociocultural discourses and an ever-developing medical science.
Social Media Sadness: Sad Girl Culture and Radical Ways of Feeling Bad
Authors: Thelandersson Fredrika
Published: October 2022

This chapter turns to social media platforms and looks at the figure of the sad girl as she emerged online as an indirect response to a popular culture overtly focused on happiness. It discusses how she appeared on primarily Tumblr and Instagram, exploring the general sad girl discourses on these platforms as well as some examples that received extra attention. These include the artist Audrey Wollen and her sad girl theory, the girl group Sad Girls Y Qué, the Instagram club Sad Girls Club, the social media brand My Therapist Says, and prominent Instagram accounts. Here I look at the critical and acritical tendencies within the figure, acknowledging both the potentially subversive aspects of the activist-oriented sad girls and the more commercialized versions of popular sad girls. This chapter explores how Tumblr sad girls might be seen as resting in sadness; how relatability is employed as a political strategy by some Instagram sad girls; the ambivalence of normalization; and the limits of using commercial social media platforms for meaningful social action.
Conclusion
Authors: Thelandersson Fredrika
Published: October 2022

This final chapter is a conclusion that discusses how, across the three sites, conversations around depression, anxiety, and general mental illness have taken shape post-2008. By tying together the constructions of mental health in magazines, among celebrities, and on social media, the conclusion highlights how a changing media landscape and neoliberal calls for self-optimization have made way for a profitable vulnerability that exists in tension with more radical understandings of psychic wellbeing. I end the chapter with a brief contemplation about the future of mediated mental health.
An equivalent formulation of 0-closed sesquilinear forms
Authors: Corso Rosario
Published: October 2022

In 1970, McIntosh introduced the so-called 0-closed sesquilinear forms and proved a corresponding representation theorem. In this paper, we give a simple equivalent formulation of 0-closed sesquilinear forms. The main underlying idea is to consider minimal pairs of non-negative dominating forms.
Seasonally variable interactions between dissolved organic matter and mineral particles in an agricultural river
Authors: Groeneveld Marloes , Kothawala Dolly N. , Tranvik Lars J.
Published: October 2022

Streams and rivers form an important link in the global carbon cycle by transporting and transforming large amounts of carbon imported from terrestrial ecosystems to the oceans. Since streams in agricultural areas often experience increased concentrations of suspended mineral particles from soil erosion, they are important sites where dissolved organic carbon (DOC) may be adsorbed to particles and retained in the sediment. As the extent of adsorption varies with the molecular composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM), which is seasonally variable, we expect also the fraction of organic material that adsorbs to mineral particles to fluctuate over time. We sampled the agriculturally impacted River Fyrisån (Sweden) monthly during 1 year, and measured DOC concentration and DOM composition based on several optical properties. At each sampling occasion, we estimated the potential for adsorption by exposing the samples to a reference clay. The potential for adsorption was greatest when riverine DOM had the most terrestrial character, as this fraction of the DOM pool was selectively adsorbed to clay surfaces. The extent of adsorption was negatively related to the concentration of base cations, most notably calcium. We suggest that the observed relationships between the potential for adsorption, DOM composition and base cations are linked by discharge. A bioavailability test at one sampling occasion suggested that DOM remaining after exposure to clay particles was more biodegradable. This implies that adsorption may alter the degradation potential of DOM remaining in solution, which could have far reaching effects on the fate of organic carbon.
Identification and validation of a key genomic region on chromosome 6 for resistance to Fusarium stalk rot in tropical maize
Authors: Rashid Zerka , Babu Veerendra , Sharma Shyam Sundar , Singh Pradeep Kumar , Nair Sudha Krishnan
Published: October 2022

Key message

A key genomic region was identified for resistance to FSR at 168 Mb on chromosome 6 in GWAS and haplotype regression analysis, which was validated by QTL mapping in two populations.

Fusarium stalk rot (FSR) of maize is an economically important post-flowering stalk rot (PFSR) disease caused by Fusarium verticillioides. The pathogen invades the plant individually, or in combination with other stalk rot pathogens or secondary colonizers, thereby making it difficult to make accurate selection for resistance. For identification and validation of genomic regions associated with FSR resistance, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted with 342 maize lines. The panel was screened for FSR in three environments using standard artificial inoculation methodology. GWAS using the mixed linear model corrected for population structure and kinship was done, in which 290,626 SNPs from genotyping-by-sequencing were used. A total of 7 SNPs, five on chromosome 6 showing strong LD at 168 Mb, were identified to be associated with FSR. Haplotype regression analysis identified 32 haplotypes with a significant effect on the trait. In a QTL mapping experiment in two populations for validating the identified variants, QTLs were identified with confidence intervals having overlapped physical coordinates in both the populations on chromosome 6, which was closely located to the GWAS-identified variants on chromosome 6. It makes this genomic region a crucial one to further investigate the possibility of developing trait markers for deployment in breeding pipelines. It was noted that previously reported QTLs for other stalk rots in maize mapped within the same physical intervals of several haplotypes identified for FSR resistance in this study. The possibility of QTLs controlling broad-spectrum resistance for PFSR in general requires further investigation.
Critical review of polymer and hydrogel deposition methods for optical and electrochemical bioanalytical sensors correlated to the sensor’s applicability in real samples
Authors: Bauer Meike , Duerkop Axel , Baeumner Antje J.
Published: October 2022

Sensors, ranging from in vivo through to single-use systems, employ protective membranes or hydrogels to enhance sample collection or serve as filters, to immobilize or entrap probes or receptors, or to stabilize and enhance a sensor’s lifetime. Furthermore, many applications demand specific requirements such as biocompatibility and non-fouling properties for in vivo applications, or fast and inexpensive mass production capabilities for single-use sensors. We critically evaluated how membrane materials and their deposition methods impact optical and electrochemical systems with special focus on analytical figures of merit and potential toward large-scale production. With some chosen examples, we highlight the fact that often a sensor’s performance relies heavily on the deposition method, even though other methods or materials could in fact improve the sensor. Over the course of the last 5 years, most sensing applications within healthcare diagnostics included glucose, lactate, uric acid, O2, H+ ions, and many specific metabolites and markers. In the case of food safety and environmental monitoring, the choice of analytes was much more comprehensive regarding a variety of natural and synthetic toxicants like bacteria, pesticides, or pollutants and other relevant substances. We conclude that more attention must be paid toward deposition techniques as these may in the end become a major hurdle in a sensor’s likelihood of moving from an academic lab into a real-world product.

Graphical abstract
Examining the synergistic effects of a cognitive control video game and a home-based, self-administered non-invasive brain stimulation on alleviating depression: the DiSCoVeR trial protocol
Authors: Dechantsreiter Esther , Padberg Frank , Morash Alon , Kumpf Ulrike , Nguyen Arthur , Menestrina Zeno , Windel Fabienne , Burkhardt Gerrit , Goerigk Stephan , Morishita Takuya , Soldini Aldo , Ahissar Shira , Cohen Tamar , Pasqualotto Angela , Rubene Linda , Konosonoka Liene , Keeser Daniel , Zill Peter , Assi Razan , Gardier Rémy , Viñals Roser , Thiran Jean-Philippe , Segman Ronen , Benjamini Yuval , Bonne Omer , Hummel Friedhelm Christoph , Bavelier Daphne , Rancans Elmars , Nahum Mor
Published: October 2022

Enhanced behavioral interventions are gaining increasing interest as innovative treatment strategies for major depressive disorder (MDD). In this study protocol, we propose to examine the synergistic effects of a self-administered home-treatment, encompassing transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) along with a video game based training of attentional control. The study is designed as a two-arm, double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled multi-center trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04953208). At three study sites (Israel, Latvia, and Germany), 114 patients with a primary diagnosis of MDD undergo 6 weeks of intervention (30 × 30 min sessions). Patients assigned to the intervention group receive active tDCS (anode F3 and cathode F4; 2 mA intensity) and an action-like video game, while those assigned to the control group receive sham tDCS along with a control video game. An electrode-positioning algorithm is used to standardize tDCS electrode positioning. Participants perform their designated treatment at the clinical center (sessions 1–5) and continue treatment at home under remote supervision (sessions 6–30). The endpoints are feasibility (primary) and safety, treatment efficacy (secondary, i.e., change of Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores at week six from baseline, clinical response and remission, measures of social, occupational, and psychological functioning, quality of life, and cognitive control (tertiary). Demonstrating the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of this novel combined intervention could expand the range of available treatments for MDD to neuromodulation enhanced interventions providing cost-effective, easily accessible, and low-risk treatment options.

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04953208.
The limits to growth: how large can subaqueous, flow-transverse bedforms ultimately become?
Authors: Flemming Burg
Published: October 2022

Based on field and experimental evidence, the average initial spacing (seed wavelength) of flow-transverse bedforms (ripples and dunes) appears to lie between 80 and 130 grain diameters (L = 80–130Dmm). Starting with an average initial spacing of L = 100Dmm, subsequent bedform growth proceeds by amalgamation of two successive bedforms, which results in a doubling of the spacing in each step. Geometric principles dictate that the combined volume of two smaller bedforms lacks about 40% of the volume required for a fully developed amalgamated bedform. The missing volume is gained by excavation of the troughs, i.e., by lowering the base level. Where base level lowering is prevented by the presence of a coarse-grained armor layer or hard ground pavement, the larger amalgamated bedform remains sediment starved. In its simplest form, bedform growth proceeds by continuous doubling of the spacing in response to increases in flow velocity, the process being reversible in response to flow decelerations. Bedform growth terminates when the shear velocity (u*) at the crest reaches the mean settling velocity (ws) of the sediment. At this point, 40% of the bed material is in suspension, at which point the missing volume can no longer be compensated by trough excavation. In shallow water, maximum bedform size is dictated by the water depth, whereas in deep water, bedforms can potentially grow to their ultimate size. Evaluation of bedform data from deep water settings suggests that the largest two-dimensional, flow-transverse bedforms in terms of grain size (phi) can be approximated by the equations: lnLmax = 13.72–4.03Dphi and lnHmax = 9.95–3.47Dphi for grain sizes <  ~ 0.2 mm (> ~ 2.32 phi), with L and H representing bedform spacing and height in meters and D the grain size in phi. For grain sizes >  ~ 0.2 mm (< ~ 3.23 phi), the corresponding relationships are lnLmax = 6.215–0.69 Dphi and lnHmax = 3.18–0.56Dphi, with notations as before, or in terms of grain diameters in mm: Lmax = 5 × 105Dmm.
Implementation of Lost & Found, An Intervention to Reengage Patients Out of HIV Care: A Convergent Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Analysis
Authors: Linthwaite Blake , Kronfli Nadine , Lessard David , Engler Kim , Ruppenthal Luciana , Bourbonnière Emilie , Obas Nancy , Brown Melodie , Lebouché Bertrand , Cox Joseph ,   the CVIS clinical team
Published: October 2022

Being out of HIV care (OOC) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We assessed implementation of Lost & Found, a clinic-based intervention to reengage OOC patients. OOC patients were identified using a nurse-validated, real-time OOC list within the electronic medical records (EMR) system. Nurses called OOC patients. Implementation occurred at the McGill University Health Centre from April 2018 to 2019. Results from questionnaires to nurses showed elevated scores for implementation outcomes throughout, but with lower, more variable scores during pre-implementation to month 3 [e.g., adoption subscales (scale: 1–5): range from pre-implementation to month 3, 3.7–4.9; thereafter, 4.2–4.9]. Qualitative results from focus groups with nurses were consistent with observed quantitative trends. Barriers concerning the EMR and nursing staff shortages explained reductions in fidelity. Strategies for overcoming barriers to implementation were crucial in early months of implementation. Intervention compatibility, information systems support, as well as nurses’ team processes, knowledge, and skills facilitated implementation.
Short-time cold atmospheric pressure plasma exposure can kill all life stages of the poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, under laboratory conditions
Authors: Rüster Vanessa , Werner Henrik , Wieneke Stephan , Avramidis Georg , ten Bosch Lars , Krause Eike Tobias , Strube Christina , Bartels Thomas
Published: October 2022

In the present study, the acaricidal effects of cold atmospheric pressure plasma treatment on poultry red mites of different developmental stages have been investigated under laboratory conditions using a dielectric barrier discharge system. A total of 1890 poultry red mites and 90 mite eggs, respectively, were exposed to the plasma under various parameter settings with a single plasma pulse generated using the gas mixture of the ambient air at atmospheric pressure. The results showed that all developmental stages of the poultry red mite could be killed by cold atmospheric pressure plasma treatment. Plasma exposure to mite eggs resulted in a complete 100% hatch inhibition regardless of the parameter settings. Post-exposure mortality rates of larvae, nymphs and adults showed significant differences after utilization of plasma at 10 W for 1.0 s. In addition, the mortality rate increased with progressing time after plasma exposure. An average mortality rate of 99.7% was observed after 12 h in all mites exposed to plasma, regardless of the selected plasma parameter, developmental stage, and nutritional status of the mites. Cold atmospheric pressure plasma has an acaricidal effect on all developmental stages of Dermanyssus gallinae, suggesting that it could be developed to an effective method for the control of poultry red mites in laying hen husbandry.
Long-term preserved mycelium establishes the presence of Cryphonectria carpinicola in the Balkans and of Cryphonectria radicalis in Bulgaria
Authors: Cornejo Carolina , Risteski Mihajlo , Sotirovski Kiril , Rigling Daniel
Published: October 2022

Around the world, isolate collections in mycological institutes have long preserved valuable specimens and information for science. In the present study, we determine Cryphonectria-like taxonomic rarities in our 10–24 years old isolate collection from the Balkans to link preserved dry mycelium with DNA data. Using ITS sequences, we confirm for the first time the occurrence of Cryphonectria carpinicola on a Carpinus tree in the Balkans and extend the range of Cryphonectria radicalis found on Castanea sativa to Bulgaria. The oldest specimen examined dates from 1998 and molecularly confirms the first reported finding of Cryphonectria radicalis for North Macedonia.
Recent advances in graves ophthalmopathy medical therapy: a comprehensive literature review
Authors: Li Xueting , Li Senmao , Fan Wanlin , Rokohl Alexander C. , Ju Sitong , Ju Xiaojun , Guo Yongwei , Heindl Ludwig M.
Published: October 2022

Graves ophthalmopathy (GO), which occurs in autoimmune thyroid disease, can reduce patients’ quality of life due to its impact on visual function, physical appearance, and emotional health. Corticosteroids have been the first-line treatment for GO. More recently, the pathogenesis of GO has made significant progress. Various targeting biological agents and immunosuppressive agents make GO management more promising. Fully understanding GO pathogenesis and precise clinical management are beneficial for the prognosis of patients. Therefore, we conducted a comprehensive review of the medical management of GO and summarized research developments to highlight future research issues.
Complex group rings and group C$$^*$$-algebras of group extensions
Authors: Öinert Johan , Wagner Stefan
Published: October 2022

Let N and H be groups, and let G be an extension of H by N. In this article, we describe the structure of the complex group ring of G in terms of data associated with N and H. In particular, we present conditions on the building blocks N and H guaranteeing that G satisfies the zero-divisor and idempotent conjectures. Moreover, for central extensions involving amenable groups we present conditions on the building blocks guaranteeing that the Kadison–Kaplansky conjecture holds for the group C$$^*$$

∗

-algebra of G.
Socioeconomic and Medical Vulnerabilities Among Syrian Refugees with Non-communicable Diseases Attending Médecins Sans Frontières Services in Irbid, Jordan
Authors: Carrion-Martin Antonio Isidro , Alrawashdeh Ahmad , Karapanagos Georgios , Mahmoud Refqi , Ta’anii Nashaat , Hawari Mais , Dittmann Stefanie , Hammad Luna , Huisman Geertje , Sherlock Mark , Reddy Amulya
Published: October 2022

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are high-prevalence health problems among Syrian refugees. In 2014, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) identified unmet NCD care needs and began providing free-of-charge services for Syrian refugees in Irbid, Jordan. This study aimed to describe current socioeconomic and medical vulnerabilities among MSF Irbid Syrian refugee patients and their households and raise awareness of their ongoing health needs that must be addressed. A cross-sectional survey among Syrian refugees attending MSF NCD services in Irbid Governorate, Jordan was conducted by telephone interviews in January 2021 to query sociodemographic characteristics, economic situation, self-reported NCD prevalence, and Ministry of Health (MoH) policy awareness. Descriptive analysis of indicators included proportions or means presented with 95% confidence intervals. The survey included 350 patient-participants in 350 households and 2157 household members. Mean age was 28.3 years. Only 13.5% of household members had paid or self-employed work; 44% of households had no working members. Mean monthly income was 258.3 JOD (95%CI: 243.5–273.1) per household. Mean expenditures were 320.0 JOD (95%CI: 305.1–334.9). Debt was reported by 93% of households. NCD prevalence among adults was 42% (95%CI: 40–45). Hypertension was most prevalent (31.1%, 95%CI: 28.7–33.7), followed by diabetes (21.8%, 95%CI: 19.7–24.1) and cardiovascular diseases (14.4%, 95%CI: 12.6–16.4). Only 23% of interviewees were aware of subsidized MoH rates for NCD care. Twenty-nine percent stated they will not seek MoH care, mainly due to the unaffordable price. Our findings highlight increased vulnerability among MSF Irbid Syrian refugee NCD patients and their households, including: an older population; a high percentage of unemployment and reliance on cash assistance; higher proportion of households in debt and a high number of households having to resort to extreme coping mechanisms when facing a health emergency; and a higher proportion of people with multiple comorbid NCDs and physical disability. Their awareness of subsidised MoH care was low. MoH care is expected to be unaffordable for many. These people are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality. It is vital that health actors providing care for Syrian refugees take action to reduce their risk, including implementing financial support mechanisms and free healthcare.
Teaching automation with Factory I/O under a competency-based curriculum
Authors: Vargas Hector , Heradio Ruben , Donoso Matias , Farias Gonzalo
Published: October 2022

Some of the most critical competencies students need to acquire to become control engineers require performing practices under actual industrial conditions. This means that they must not only master the theoretical aspects of the discipline but also acquire skills and attitudes to face unpredictable real-world situations. Software tools such as Matlab/Simulink are widely used to train the design and validation of controllers, but they fail to provide real industrial contexts. Nowadays, there are 3D simulation tools that support recreating industrial environments to a remarkable extent, making them very attractive for university courses. Nevertheless, their application in engineering courses is scarce yet. This paper presents a methodological framework for seizing into competency-based courses one of these simulation tools, called Factory I/O. Our approach was evaluated in a master’s course on Industrial PID Control at Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso (PUCV) in Chile. The evaluation comprised the qualitative analysis of students’ grades over four consecutive course editions and the qualitative study of students’ opinion on Factory I/O educational value. The objectives of our evaluation were (i) testing if Factory I/O helped students develop skills hard to practice in academic contexts, such as detecting faults or recognizing the importance of having well-defined operation protocols; (ii) validating our methodology for competency-based courses; and (iii) surveying our students about Matlab/Simulink and Factory I/O strengths/weaknesses to teach control engineering. According to the results, (a) Factory I/O complements Simulink by providing an adequate virtual environment to learn the aforementioned skills; and (b) our methodology supports courses’ continuous improvement through the statistical analysis of students’ achievements at different abstraction levels.
Analysis of material susceptibility in silicon on insulator waveguides with combined simulation of four-wave mixing and linear mode coupling
Authors: Höfler Ulrike , Kernetzky Tasnad , Hanik Norbert
Published: October 2022

We derive propagation equations modeling third-order susceptibility-induced nonlinear interaction and linear mode coupling in waveguides. We model material susceptibility with Raman and electronic response which include approximations suited for optical communications. We validate our model by comparing numerical integration of the propagation equations to continuous wave measurements of a silicon on insulator waveguide.
Stuck in between. Phenomenology’s Explanatory Dilemma and its Role in Experimental Practice
Authors: Casper Mark-Oliver , Haueis Philipp
Published: October 2022

Questions about phenomenology’s role in non-philosophical disciplines gained renewed attention. While we claim that phenomenology makes indispensable, unique contributions to different domains of scientific practice such as concept formation, experimental design, and data collection, we also contend that when it comes to explanation, phenomenological approaches face a dilemma. Either phenomenological attempts to explain conscious phenomena do not satisfy a central constraint on explanations, i.e. the asymmetry between explanans and explanandum, or they satisfy this explanatory asymmetry only by largely merging with non-phenomenological explanation types. The consequence of this dilemma is that insofar as phenomenological approaches are explanatory, they do not provide an own type of explanation. We substantiate our two claims by offering three case studies of phenomenologically inspired experiments in cognitive science. Each case study points out a specific phenomenological contribution to experimental practice while also illustrating how phenomenological approaches face the explanatory dilemma we outline.
Does ageing make life simpler? The dynamics, covariates, and implications of complexity of time-use patterns in late adulthood
Authors: Jarosz Ewa
Published: October 2022

Ageing affects individuals’ daily behaviours. Functional and social limitations increase, while the pool of possible activities and individuals’ ability to switch between tasks decline. If older adults lose ability to perform certain activities and do not substitute them with others, the complexity of their daily time-use sequences will decline. Studies show that having less complex behaviours and being in less complex environments are associated with poorer cognitive performance, worse intellectual functioning, and lower wellbeing. This study looks at complexity of everyday time-use patterns of older adults, aged 65 and above. A pooled sample of 25,495 time-use diaries came from four nationally representative time-use surveys: German (2012/2013), Polish (2013/2014), Finnish (2009/2010), and British (2014/2015). Using multivariable linear regression we investigated how complexity was related to individuals’ age, gender, education and income, area of residence, household composition, and disability status. Complexity generally declined in later life but its mean levels and the steepness of this decline differed across countries. Controlling for age, complexity was significantly lower for men and lower-educated individuals, as well as for individuals with disabilities and those living in larger households. Most older adults want to live rich and engaged lives. Individuals having significantly less complex sequences may be at an increased risk of functional, cognitive or social decline, and lower overall wellbeing. Looking at sequence complexity may offer unique insight into older adults’ overall functioning in later life.
The interaction mechanism of cesium with water on the SrTiO3(100) surface at room temperature
Authors: Kamaratos Mattheos , Giotopoulou Εleftheria , Vlachos Dimitrios
Published: October 2022

The interaction of water with cesium on the strontium titanate surface SrTiO3(100), was studied, mainly by means of work function measurements and thermal desorption spectroscopy. The catalytic role of cesium with respect to the dissociation of water on surface was investigated, by applying two different adsorption processes at room temperature (RT): (1) The adsorption of water on the cesium covered surface (sequential adsorption), and (2) the co-adsorption process (simultaneous adsorption) on surface. Based on the results and by adopting the Lewis acid–base model, we conclude that during the sequential adsorption the water molecules are mostly adsorbs non-dissociatively on surface, without oxidizing the alkaline overlayer. This seems to be due, first to the strong interaction between the alkaline adatoms and the substrate, and secondly to the limited maximum pre-deposited amount of cesium (≤ 0.45 ML). Instead, water dissociation appears to merely occur on defective sites of the substrate in accordance with previous studies. For a full cesium layer covered surface, the adsorbed water retracts the metallicity of cesium due to electrostatic interactions. In contrast to the sequential adsorption, during the co-adsorption process the oxidation of cesium takes place above a critical coverage of cesium (≥ 0.45 ML). It appears that the co-adsorbed cesium with water modifies the surface potential providing an effective template for cesium oxide, Cs2O development. Based on that, we suggest a catalytic reaction of water dissociation according to the Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism. Finally, we propose atomistic adsorption models for both processes of cesium with water adsorption.
Technology-driven surrogates and the perils of epistemic misalignment: an analysis in contemporary microbiome science
Authors: Suárez Javier , Boem Federico
Published: October 2022

A general view in philosophy of science says that the appropriateness of an object to act as a surrogate depends on the user’s decision to utilize it as such. This paper challenges this claim by examining the role of surrogative reasoning in high-throughput sequencing technologies (technology-driven surrogates) as they are used in contemporary microbiome science. Drawing on this, we argue that, in technology-driven surrogates, knowledge about the type of inference practically permitted and epistemically justified by the surrogate constrains their use and thus puts a limit to the user’s intentions to use any object as a surrogate for what they please. Ignoring this leads to a serious epistemic misalignment, which ultimately prevents surrogative reasoning. Thus, we conclude that knowledge about the type of surrogate reasoning that the technologies being used allow is fundamental to avoid misinterpreting the consequences of the data obtained with them, the hypothesis this data supports, and what these technologies are surrogates of.
Milk production performance of Ankole crossbreds and Holstein Friesian cattle in different production environments of Rwanda
Authors: Manzi Maximillian , Ntawubizi Martin , Hirwa Claire d’andre , Strandberg Erling
Published: October 2022

The aim of the study was to assess the productive performance of dairy cattle in three different agro-ecological zones of Rwanda: Congo-Nile/Western (WAZ), Central plateau/Central (CAZ), and Eastern plateau/East Agro-ecological Zones (EAZ). A single-visit multi-subject survey was conducted to obtain information on the dairy cattle performance from 51 farms. The breed groups were classified as Ankole x Holstein Friesian (AF), other Ankole crossbreds (AX), and pure Holstein Friesian (F). The F had higher (p < 0.001) milk yield than AF in all zones except EAZ and AF had higher (p < 0.0001) milk yield than AX in all zones. Across all zones, F produced 9 L more than AX and 6 L more than AF per day. Cows from EAZ had the highest average milk yield; however, it was not significantly different from CAZ. The difference that was observed between AF in EAZ and AF in the other two zones indicates that agro-ecological zones should not only be the target in livestock development activities rather additional factors such as feed availability at farm level, social economic, and market infrastructure should be considered in Rwanda.
Photo-Fenton oxidation of cylindrospermopsin at neutral pH with LEDs
Authors: Ortiz David , Munoz Macarena , Garcia Jorge , Cirés Samuel , de Pedro Zahara M. , Quesada Antonio , Casas Jose A.
Published: October 2022

Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is a potent cyanobacterial toxin found in freshwaters worldwide. In this work, the feasibility of the photo-Fenton process under neutral pH using light emitting diodes as irradiation source for the removal of this hazardous cyanotoxin from freshwater was investigated. The impact of the kind of iron chelating agent (ethylenediamine-N, N′-disuccinic acid vs. ethylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid) as well as the effect of the main operating conditions viz. H2O2 dose, Fe(III) load, initial CYN concentration, and Fe(III):EDDS molar ratio on the performance of the process was systematically evaluated. EDDS was selected as the most appropriate iron chelating agent considering the kinetics of the process and the environmental impact (Vibrio fischeri and Artemia salina). Under optimized conditions ([H2O2] = 30 mg L−1; [Fe(III)] = 5 mg L−1; Fe(III):ligand = 1:0.5 (molar ratio)), complete removal of CYN was achieved in 15-min reaction time. Furthermore, the catalytic system showed to be effective in real water matrices (river and reservoir waters) spiked with CYN. Although the presence of inorganic ions (mainly HCO3−/CO32−) and dissolved organic carbon decreased the oxidation rate of CYN due to scavenging reactions and iron coordination, respectively, complete elimination of the cyanotoxin was achieved in all cases. The fate of EDDS along the process was also evaluated to demonstrate that the catalytic system investigated, apart from its effectiveness, warrants the complete absence of residues after reaction. Therefore, the proposed system constitutes a promising method for cyanotoxin treatment either as a drinking water treatment step in conventional plants or as a potential remediation strategy in the natural environment.
From the water sources of the Tibetan Plateau to the ocean: State of nutrients in the Changjiang linked to land use changes and climate variability
Authors: Zhang Jing , Zhang Guosen , Du Yanan , Zhang Anyu , Chang Yan , Zhou Yingchun , Zhu Zhuoyi , Wu Ying , Zhang Zaifeng , Liu Sumei
Published: October 2022

Anthropogenic activity is an important driver of changes in the chemistry of nutrients (N, P, and Si) over watersheds at the sub-continental scale (e.g., 106 km2) and can markedly modify their seaward fluxes to the global ocean. In the present study, we reviewed the current status of nutrient chemistry in Changjiang (Yangtze River) based on data collected through 11 expeditions along a river course spanning 4,500 km and 15–20 major tributaries during 1997–2016 as well as monthly monitoring at the river mouth since 1980. The data were analyzed together with published results in the literature to synthesize the recent developments and current state of nutrients in the Changjiang. Previously published results from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau head waters were included to realize the systematics of nutrients for the whole drainage basin. Here, we showed that tributaries of the upper reaches of watersheds collectively determine the regime with high concentration and skewed species ratio of nutrients in the Changjiang mainstream, producing profound effects over a water course of 2,000–2,500 km further downstream and until the river mouth. Moreover, using data across the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) during 2003–2016, we evaluated the trapping and/or amplifying effects of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) on nutrient chemistry. Tide-influenced river delta contributed an additional 20% dissolved inorganic phosphorus and 5–10% dissolved inorganic nitrogen and dissolved silicates to the seaward flux, dramatically affecting the stoichiometry of nutrients at the river mouth. Next, based on compiled data on supply and export, legacy nutrients were evaluated. Both nitrogen and phosphorus are in the accumulation phase over the watersheds, and the legacy nutrient fluxes are much higher than the annual riverine seaward fluxes. Finally, we demonstrated that the seaward fluxes of anthropogenic nutrients from the Changjiang exceed those from other top 10 largest rivers on this planet, which can be attributed to land use changes in the China over the last three to four decades.
1H, 13C, 15N backbone resonance assignment of apo and ADP-ribose bound forms of the macro domain of Hepatitis E virus through solution NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Politi Maria D. , Gallo Angelo , Bouras Georgios , Birkou Maria , Canard Bruno , Coutard Bruno , Spyroulias Georgios A.
Published: October 2022

The genome of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is 7.2 kilobases long and has three open reading frames. The largest one is ORF1, encoding a non-structural protein involved in the replication process, and whose processing is ill-defined. The ORF1 protein is a multi-modular protein which includes a macro domain (MD). MDs are evolutionarily conserved structures throughout all kingdoms of life. MDs participate in the recognition and removal of ADP-ribosylation, and specifically viral MDs have been identified as erasers of ADP-ribose moieties interpreting them as important players at escaping the early stages of host-immune response. A detailed structural analysis of theapoand bound to ADP-ribose state of the native HEV MD would provide the structural information to understand how HEV MD is implicated in virus-host interplay and how it interacts with its intracellular partner during viral replication. In the present study we present the high yield expression of the native macro domain of HEV and its analysis by solution NMR spectroscopy. The HEV MD is folded in solution and we present a nearly complete backbone and sidechains assignment forapoand bound states. In addition, a secondary structure prediction by TALOS + analysis was performed. The results indicated that HEV MD has aα/β/αtopology very similar to that of most viral macro domains.
Academic and Social Behaviour Profile of the Primary School Students who Possess and Play Video Games
Authors: Vázquez-Cano E. , Ramírez-Hurtado J. M. , Díez-Arcón P. , Pascual-Moscoso C.
Published: October 2022

The aim of this research was to analyze the typologies of primary education students with regard to possession and use of video games, and the possible psycho-emotional and educational implications. To identify the different typologies, a latent class model using Latent Gold v4.5 software was applied in order to model relations between the variables observed, assuming that the structure of underlying relations was explained by a latent categorical variable (not observed). The results revealed two clearly differentiated clusters: one formed of boys who get better marks in Mathematics, usually play video games with gaming consoles for the TV screen, usually play video games online with friends, play video games for more than two hours at weekends, feel very happy when playing video games, and whose first choice of free-time activity is to play video games; the other consisted of girls who get better marks in Spanish Language and Literature, usually play video games on a tablet, usually with a family member, play video games for more than two hours at weekends, feel very happy playing video games, though to a slightly lesser extent than boys, and whose first choice of free-time activity is not usually to play video games.
A novel message passing neural network based on neighborhood expansion
Authors: Xue Yanfeng , Jin Zhen , Apasiba Abeo Timothy
Published: October 2022

Most message passing neural networks (MPNNs) are widely used for assortative network representation learning under the assumption of homophily between connected nodes. However, this fundamental assumption is inconsistent with the heterophily of disassortative networks (DNs) in many real-world applications. Therefore, we propose a novel MPNN called NEDA based on neighborhood expansion for disassortative network representation learning (DNRL). Specifically, our NEDA first performs neighborhood expansion to seek more informative nodes for aggregation and then performs data augmentation to speed up the optimization process of a set of parameter matrices at the maximum available training data with minimal computational cost. To evaluate the performance of NEDA comprehensively, we perform several experiments on benchmark disassortative network datasets with variable sizes, where the results demonstrate the effectiveness of our NEDA model. The code is publicly available at https://github.com/xueyanfeng/NEDA.
Detection of dangerous events on social media: a critical review
Authors: Jamil M. Luqman , Pais Sebastião , Cordeiro João
Published: October 2022

The usability of the events information on social media has been widely studied recently. Several surveys have reviewed the specific type of events on social media using various techniques. Most of the existing methods for event detection are segregated as they approach certain situations that limit the overall details of events happening consecutively on social media while ignoring the crucial relationship between the evolution of these events. Numerous events that materialize on the social media sphere every day before our eyes jeopardize people’s safety and are referred to by using a high-level concept of dangerous events. The front of dangerous events is broad, yet no known work exists that fully addresses and approaches this issue. This work introduces the term dangerous events and defines its scope in terms of practicality to establish the origins of the events caused by the previous events and their respective relationship. Furthermore, it divides dangerous events into sentiment, scenario, and action-based dangerous events grouped on their similarities. The existing research and methods related to event detection are surveyed, including some available events datasets and knowledge-base to address the problem. Finally, the survey is concluded with suggestions for future work and possible related challenges.