bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strong-field THz radiation-induced curing of composite resin materials in dentistry
Authors: Jin Jieqi , Xiong Hongting , Zhou Jiangping , Guang Mengkai , Wu Xiaojun
Published: April 2023

Dental caries is listed as one of the three major non-communicable diseases by the World Health Organization, and its main treatment method is to restore it by filling it with resin. At present, the visible light-cure method has the problems of non-uniform curing and low penetration efficiency, which makes the bonding area easy to develop marginal leakages, thus leading to secondary caries and requiring repeated treatment. In this work, through the strong terahertz (THz) irradiation-weak THz detection technique, it is found that the strong THz electromagnetic pulses can accelerate the curing process of the resin, and the weak-field THz spectroscopy can be used to monitor this dynamic change in real time, which will greatly promote the potential application of THz technology in dentistry.
Oblique multi-periscopic prism for field expansion of homonymous hemianopia
Authors: Falahati Mojtaba , Kurukuti Nish Mohith , Vargas-martin Fernando , Peli Eli , Jung Jae-Hyun
Published: April 2023

Oblique Fresnel peripheral prisms have been used for field expansion in homonymous hemianopia mobility such as walking and driving. However, limited field expansion, low image quality, and small eye scanning range limit their effectiveness. We developed a new oblique multi-periscopic prism using a cascade of rotated half-penta prisms, which provides 42° horizontal field expansion along with 18° vertical shift, high image quality, and wider eye scanning range. Feasibility and performance of a prototype using 3D-printed module are demonstrated by raytracing, photographic depiction, and Goldmann perimetry with patients with homonymous hemianopia.
Optical performance of a new design of a trifocal intraocular lens based on the Devil’s diffractive lens
Authors: Furlan Walter D. , Martínez-Espert Anabel , Montagud-Martínez Diego , Ferrando Vicente , García-Delpech Salvador , Monsoriu Juan A.
Published: April 2023

In this work, we propose a new diffractive trifocal intraocular lens design with focus extension, conceived to provide a high visual performance at intermediate distances. This design is based on a fractal structure known as the “Devil's staircase”. To assess its optical performance, numerical simulations have been performed with a ray tracing program using the Liou-Brennan model eye under polychromatic illumination. The simulated through the focus visual acuity was the merit function employed to test its pupil-dependence and its behavior against decentering. A qualitative assessment of the multifocal intraocular lens (MIOL) was also performed experimentally with an adaptive optics visual simulator. The experimental results confirm our numerical predictions. We found that our MIOL design has a trifocal profile, which is very robust to decentration and has low degree of pupil dependence. It performs better at intermediate distances than at near distances and, for a pupil diameter of 3 mm, it works like an EDoF lens over almost the entire defocus range.
ON and OFF receptive field processing in the presence of optical scattering
Authors: Breher Katharina , Neumann Antonia , Kurth Dominik , Schaeffel Frank , Wahl Siegfried
Published: April 2023

The balance of ON/OFF pathway activation in the retina plays a role in emmetropization. A new myopia control lens design uses contrast reduction to down-regulate a hypothesized enhanced ON contrast sensitivity in myopes. The study thus examined ON/OFF receptive field processing in myopes and non-myopes and the impact of contrast reduction. A psychophysical approach was used to measure the combined retinal-cortical output in the form of low-level ON and OFF contrast sensitivity with and without contrast reduction in 22 participants. ON responses were lower than OFF responses (ON 1.25 ± 0.03 vs. OFF 1.39 ± 0.03 log(CS); p < 0.0001) and myopes showed generally reduced sensitivities (myopes 1.25 ± 0.05 vs. non-myopes 1.39 ± 0.05 log(CS); p = 0.05). These findings remained unaffected by contrast reduction (p > 0.05). The study suggests that perceptual differences in ON and OFF signal processing between myopes and non-myopes exist but cannot explain how contrast reduction can inhibit myopia development.
Remote mmW photonic local oscillator delivery for uplink down-conversion in DML-based optical hybrid C-RAN fronthaul
Authors: Vallejo Luis , Bohata J. , Mora J. , Zvanovec S. , Ortega B.
Published: April 2023

In this work, we propose and demonstrate the remote delivery of a photonically generated local oscillator (LO) signal for uplink down-conversion in photonically generated millimeter-wave (mmW) signals over duplex centralized radio access network fronthaul. The technique, based on carrier-suppressed external modulation in a single Mach–Zehnder modulator, is employed for generating the mmW signals, which are distributed over hybrid optical links composed of fiber and free-space optics (FSO) prior to the radio wireless link at 42 GHz, and also for the uplink (UL) LO generation enabling the 38 GHz UL signal down-conversion. A 5G new radio (NR) quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) and 64-quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) signal transmission is successfully demonstrated using low-frequency directly modulated lasers for both the downlink and the UL mmW transmission, and thus a low-cost and simple intermediate frequency over fiber and FSO UL deployment are presented. The lowest achieved error vector magnitudes with the 5G NR signals at 100 MHz bandwidth in the proposed mmW UL schemes, including 10 km of optical fiber and a 1.1 m long FSO link, are 5.8% and 6% for QPSK and 64-QAM, respectively.
Non-line-of-sight multiple reflection underwater wireless optical communications channel model based on a capillary waves rough sea surface
Authors: Xu Shan , Yue Peng , Yi Xiang
Published: April 2023

In a non-line-of sight reflective underwater wireless optical communications (UWOC) link, the transmitted beam relies on reflections from the sea surface to propagate to the underwater receiver. Most previous research on reflective channels has sufficiently considered single reflections from a smooth or rough surface, while ignoring the effect of multiple reflections. In fact, a rough sea surface may cause the reflected photons to hit the sea surface again, which is referred as a multiple reflection process. To make up for deficiencies in the existing literature, we first construct a capillary waves rough sea surface model, and then present a multiple reflection channel model with the help of the Monte Carlo ray tracing approach. The path loss and channel impulse response (CIR) were further evaluated based on the model for different communications scenarios. Numerical results suggest that multiple reflections increase the path loss by more than about 5 dB, and reduce the CIR amplitude to less than one-third compared to a single reflection. The work done in this paper aims to provide theoretical support for UWOC system design.
Role played by port drains in a Maxwell fish-eye lens
Authors: Shen Q. , Gu C. , Li M. , Zhang X. , Xiong H. , Liu Y. , Jin L. , Wen M. , Wei Z.
Published: April 2023

The Maxwell fish-eye lens was proposed to reach super-resolution with the addition of a wave drain, and the interaction of multiple drains is theoretically predicted to improve subwavelength resolution further. In this paper, we discuss the role played by port drains in optical absolute instruments and verify by wave simulation that the coupling nature for the wave source and drain applies correctly in the picture of scanning imaging for an absolute instrument. This work has prospects for scanning near fields shaped from far-field wave propagation.
Sub-50 fs diode-pumped SESAM mode-locked Yb:SrF2 laser
Authors: Xue Wen-Ze , Loiko Pavel , Lin Zhang-Lang , Zeng Huang-Jun , Zhang Ge , Benayad Abdelmjid , Normani Simone , Camy Patrice , Mateos Xavier , Petrov Valentin , Wang Li , Chen Weidong
Published: April 2023

We report on sub-50 fs pulse generation from a passively mode-locked Yb:SrF2 laser pumped with a spatially single-mode, fiber-coupled laser diode at 976 nm. In the continuous-wave regime, the Yb:SrF2 laser generated a maximum output power of 704 mW at 1048 nm with a threshold of 64 mW and a slope efficiency of 77.2%. A continuous wavelength tuning across 89 nm (1006 – 1095 nm) was achieved with a Lyot filter. By implementing a SEmiconductor Saturable Absorber Mirror (SESAM) for initiating and sustaining the mode-locked operation, soliton pulses as short as 49 fs were generated at 1057 nm with an average output power of 117 mW at a pulse repetition rate of ∼75.9 MHz. The maximum average output power of the mode-locked Yb:SrF2 laser was scaled up to 313 mW for slightly longer pulses of 70 fs at 1049.4 nm, corresponding to a peak power of 51.9 kW and an optical efficiency of 34.7%.
Multi-millijoule class, high repetition rate, Yb:CALYO regenerative amplifier with sub-130 fs pulses
Authors: Petrov Lyuben S. , Georgiev Kaloyan , Velkov Dimitar , Trifonov Anton , Xu Xiaodong , Popmintchev Tenio , Buchvarov Ivan
Published: April 2023

We demonstrate a high-energy, 1 kilohertz, Yb-based, femtosecond regenerative amplifier in a chirped pulse amplification (CPA) architecture by using a single disordered Yb:CALYO crystal, providing 125 fs pulses of 2.3 mJ energy per pulse at a central wavelength of 1039 nm. The amplified compressed pulses, with a spectral bandwidth of 13.6 nm, represent the shortest ultrafast pulse duration reported to date for any multi-millijoule class,Yb-crystalline classical CPA system without additional spectral broadening techniques. We have demonstrated an increase in the gain bandwidth proportionally to the ratio of the excited to total Yb3+ ion densities. A net wider spectrum of the amplified pulses is the result of the interplay between the increased gain bandwidth and the gain narrowing. Finally, our broadest amplified spectrum of 16.6 nm, corresponding to a 96 fs transform limited pulse, can be expanded further to support sub-100 fs pulse durations and 1–10 mJ energies at 1 kHz.
Multi-view clustering by CPS-merge analysis with application to multimodal single-cell data
Authors: Zhang Lixiang , Lin Lin , Li Jia
Published: April 2023

Multi-view data can be generated from diverse sources, by different technologies, and in multiple modalities. In various fields, integrating information from multi-view data has pushed the frontier of discovery. In this paper, we develop a new approach for multi-view clustering, which overcomes the limitations of existing methods such as the need of pooling data across views, restrictions on the clustering algorithms allowed within each view, and the disregard for complementary information between views. Our new method, calledCPS-merge analysis, merges clusters formed by the Cartesian product of single-view cluster labels, guided by the principle of maximizing clustering stability as evaluated by CPS analysis. In addition, we introduce measures to quantify the contribution of each view to the formation of any cluster. CPS-merge analysis can be easily incorporated into an existing clustering pipeline because it only requires single-view cluster labels instead of the original data. We can thus readily apply advanced single-view clustering algorithms. Importantly, our approach accounts for both consensus and complementary effects between different views, whereas existing ensemble methods focus on finding a consensus for multiple clustering results, implying that results from different views are variations of one clustering structure. Through experiments on single-cell datasets, we demonstrate that our approach frequently outperforms other state-of-the-art methods.
Correlates of stress are interactive and not unidimensional: Evidence from U.S. college students early in the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Rezapour Mahdi , Browning Matthew H. E. M. , R. Larson Lincoln , Rigolon Alessandro
Published: April 2023

Studies have investigated various aspects of how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted college students’ well-being. However, the complex relationships between stress and its correlates have received limited attention. Thus, the main objective of this study is to evaluate multiplicative associations between stress and demographic, lifestyle, and other negative emotion factors during the pandemic. We used data from a survey with 2,534 students enrolled in seven U.S. universities and analyzed such data with generalized additive Tobit models and pairwise interaction terms. The results highlighted associations and interactions between myriad factors such as students’ social class, income, parental education, body mass index (BMI), amount of exercise, and knowing infected people in the student’s communities. For instance, we found that the associations between feeling irritable and sad due to the pandemic were interactive, resulting in higher associated stress for students with higher levels of parents’ education. Furthermore, associations between taking precautionary actions (i.e., avoiding travel and large gatherings) and stress varied with the intensity of negative feelings (i.e., sadness and irritability). Considering these interaction terms, the results highlighted a great inequality in pandemic-related stress within low income, lower social class, and higher BMI students. This study is among the earliest that employed a stratified approach with numerous interaction terms to better understand the multiplicative associations between different factors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brain tumor detection and segmentation: Interactive framework with a visual interface and feedback facility for dynamically improved accuracy and trust
Authors: Sailunaz Kashfia , Bestepe Deniz , Alhajj Sleiman , Özyer Tansel , Rokne Jon , Alhajj Reda
Published: April 2023

Brain cancers caused by malignant brain tumors are one of the most fatal cancer types with a low survival rate mostly due to the difficulties in early detection. Medical professionals therefore use various invasive and non-invasive methods for detecting and treating brain tumors at the earlier stages thus enabling early treatment. The main non-invasive methods for brain tumor diagnosis and assessment are brain imaging like computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. In this paper, the focus is on detection and segmentation of brain tumors from 2D and 3D brain MRIs. For this purpose, a complete automated system with a web application user interface is described which detects and segments brain tumors with more than 90% accuracy and Dice scores. The user can upload brain MRIs or can access brain images from hospital databases to check presence or absence of brain tumor, to check the existence of brain tumor from brain MRI features and to extract the tumor region precisely from the brain MRI using deep neural networks like CNN, U-Net and U-Net++. The web application also provides an option for entering feedbacks on the results of the detection and segmentation to allow healthcare professionals to add more precise information on the results that can be used to train the model for better future predictions and segmentations.
Community perceptions on challenges and solutions to implement an Aedes aegypti control project in Ponce, Puerto Rico (USA)
Authors: Pérez-Guerra Carmen L. , Rosado-Santiago Coral , Ramos Sue A. , Marrero Karla M. , González-Zeno Gladys , Miranda-Bermúdez Julieanne , Ortíz-Ortíz Marianyoly , Rivera-Amill Vanessa , Waterman Stephen , Paz-Bailey Gabriela , Sánchez-González Liliana
Published: April 2023

This study characterizes community perceptions on a large-scale project seeking to reduce the population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and prevent arboviral disease transmission in Ponce, Puerto Rico; and to leverage on these perceptions to make modifications to ensure effective project implementation. In 2017–2018 the team conducted informal interviews, focus groups, and in-depth interviews with leaders and residents of the communities, focusing on challenges and potential solutions to the project implementation. Possible challenges to the project implementation included the lack of geographic consistency between clusters defined by researchers and the participants’ description of the communities’ geographic boundaries. Few children living in the communities could affect the ability of the project to adequately measure arboviral disease incidence. Also, population attrition due to out-migration, and lack of community leaders and communication channels after Hurricane Maria could affect participation in project activities. Lack of trust on strangers was an important challenge due to criminal activity involving violence and drug use in some community areas. Solutions to the identified challenges included identifying emerging leaders and implementing community meetings to promote project activities. The information that community members provided helped us to understand the natural disasters’ impact on population attrition in these communities with a disproportionate impact in younger groups, resulting in an aging population. We identified lack of community organization and leadership and increasing number of abandoned houses that could turn into Aedes aegypti breeding sites. The formative work helped to better define the geographic areas that the study would cover, evaluate the acceptability of innovative vector control methods, and identify communication methods used by residents. With this information, challenges and potential solutions in recruiting participants were anticipated, and the community engagement and communications plans were developed. We recommend selecting clusters before research, because opinions towards mosquito control technologies could vary in added clusters.
Serum procalcitonin level is independently associated with mechanical ventilation and case-fatality in hospitalized COVID-19-positive US veterans–A potential marker for disease severity
Authors: Jeyapalina Sujee , Wei Guo , Stoddard Gregory J. , Sudduth Jack D. , Lundquist Margaret , Huntsman Merodean , Marquez Jessica L. , Agarwal Jayant P.
Published: April 2023

The Coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) has claimed over 6.8 million lives since first being reported in late 2019. The virus that causes COVID-19 disease is highly contagious and spreads rapidly. To date, there are no approved prognostic tools that could predict why some patients develop severe or fatal disease outcomes. Early COVID-19 studies found an association between procalcitonin (PCT) and hospitalization or duration of mechanical ventilation and death but were limited by the cohort sizes. Therefore, this study was designed to confirm the associations of PCT with COVID-19 disease severity outcomes in a large cohort. For this retrospective data analysis study, 27,154 COVID-19-positive US veterans with post-infection PCT laboratory test data and their disease severity outcomes were accessed using the VA electronic healthcare data. Cox regression models were used to test the association between serum PCT levels and disease outcomes while controlling for demographics and relevant confounding variables. The models demonstrated increasing disease severity (ventilation and death) with increasing PCT levels. For PCT serum levels above 0.20 ng/ml, the unadjusted risk increased nearly 2.3-fold for mechanical ventilation (hazard ratio, HR, 2.26, 95%CI: 2.11–2.42) and in-hospital death (HR, 2.28, 95%CI: 2.16–2.41). Even when adjusted for demographics, diabetes, pneumonia, antibiotic use, white blood cell count, and serum C-reactive protein levels, the risks remained relatively high for mechanical ventilation (HR, 1.80, 95%CI: 1.67–1.94) and death (HR, 1.76, 95%CI: 1.66–1.87). These data suggest that higher PCT levels have independent associations with ventilation and in-hospital death in veterans with COVID-19 disease, validating previous findings. The data suggested that serum PCT level may be a promising prognostic tool for COVID-19 severity assessment and should be further evaluated in a prospective clinical trial.
Preparing Australian Special Educators: Courses and Content
Authors:   Macquarie University, Stephenson Jennifer , Ganguly Rahul ,   Charles Sturt University, Kemp Coral ,   Macquarie University, Salisbury Catherine ,   Institute of Special Educators
Published: April 2023

The characteristics and content of post-graduate courses in special and/or inclusive teacher education in Australian universities were examined using publicly available material on university websites. Content analysis was guided by a set of content area elements covering desirable skills and knowledge for special educators that were identified in the Australian literature. The presence or absence of these content elements in each course and in core or elective units was coded for 28 courses from 21 universities. All or most courses covered generic content such as teaching strategies and evaluating and using research. However, more specialist content, such as explicit teaching strategies and instruction in literacy and numeracy, was absent from over half the courses. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of the limitations necessarily imposed by the inclusion of only publicly available online information.
ÖRGÜTSEL YAŞAM EVRELERİ İNSANLARIN YAŞAM EVRELERİNE BENZERLİK GÖSTERİR Mİ?
Authors: KEMİKKIRAN Nurcan , ÇINAR Esra
Published: April 2023

Bu çalışmanı amacı, insanların yaşam evreleri ve yaşamlarındaki önemli olayların örgütlere benzetilerek, örgütlerin yaşam evrelerini ve yaşamlarını etkileyen önemli süreçlerin farklı örgüt kuramları çerçevesinde kuramsal olarak tartışılmasıdır. Çalışma kapsamında, örgütlerin yaşam evreleri nasıl değişir sorusuna yanıt aranmıştır. Bu kapsamda; doğum, büyüme, hayatta kalma, bağımlılık ilişkileri, evlilik, ev alma, araba alma, mülk edinme, sosyal ilişkiler ve ölüm gibi bireylerin yaşamları boyunca deneyimlediği süreçler ile örgütsel evreler arasındaki benzerlik işlem maliyeti kuramı, koşul bağımlılık kuramı, kaynak bağımlılığı kuramı, kurumsal kuram, örgütsel ekoloji kuramı, sosyal ağ kuramı ve sosyal sermaye kuramı ile ilişkilendirilerek açıklanmıştır. İnsanların yaşam döngüsü doğum ile başlar ve ölüm ile sonra erer ve örgütler de aynı döngü içerisinde varlıklarını devam ettirmektedir. Bu döngü içerisinde insanlar bazı hayati faaliyetleri yerine getirmekte ve bazı süreçleri de deneyimlemektedir. Benzer şekilde örgütler de bu döngü içerisinde faaliyetlerini gerçekleştirmektedir. Bu döngünün anlaşılmasında farklı örgütsel kuramlar değişik bakış açıları sunarak bu döngünün birçok yönüyle anlaşılmasını sağlamaktadır.
OSMANLI’DAN CUMHURİYETE TÜRK GÜMRÜK SİSTEMİNİN EVRİMİ ÜZERİNE BİR DEĞERLENDİRME
Authors: KEÇE Mehtap , GÜL Osman Kubilay
Published: April 2023

İnsanoğlu tarih boyunca ilkel düzeyde ticaret ile uğraşmıştır. İlkel zamanlarda ticaret takas usulü ile olmuştur. İlerleyen dönemlerde siyasi sınırların çizilmesi ile ekonomik sınırlarda çizilmiştir. Devletler siyasi sınırlar içerisine giren ya da çıkan ticari faaliyetlerden gümrük vergisi adı altında çeşitli vergiler almışlardır. Gümrükler dünya üzerinde sanayi inkılabından sonra hızlı değişimler yaşamıştır. Sanayileşmede geciken toplumlarda, her alanda olduğu gibi, gümrüklerde de yıkıcı sonuçlar meydana gelmiştir.
Osmanlı Devleti’nin yıkılış sebeplerinden biri olan ekonomik bozukluğun birçok sebebi olmakla birlikte en önemlilerinden birisi sanayileşme ve bunun getirdiği gümrüklerdeki yıkım olarak kabul edilebilir. Zira sanayileşme hammadde ve pazar arayışına sebep olurken sanayileşmiş devletler siyasi sınırlarda uygulanan gümrük vergilerinden rahatsız olmuşlardır. Sanayileşmiş başka ülkelerle yaptıkları ticarette gerek ithalat gerekse ihracatta gümrük vergilerini kaldırmak ya da cüzi rakamlara düşürmek istemişlerdir. Bu durum Osmanlı gibi sanayileşmede gecikmiş ülkelerin ekonomik sistemlerini sarsmıştır.
Cumhuriyet dönemine geçerken ortaya çıkan yıkıcı gümrük uygulamalarını yeni Türk devletinin kurucuları Lozan’da kaldırmak için uğraşmışlardır. Ancak beş yıl gibi bir süre Osmanlı’dan devralınan gümrük vergilerinde değişiklik yapılamamıştır. Bu durum Cumhuriyet dönemi ekonomisini olumsuz etkilemiştir. 1928’den itibaren gümrüklerde Türkiye Cumhuriyeti istediği düzenlemeleri yapabilmiştir. Ancak bu tarihten itibaren ortaya çıkan dünya ekonomik buhranı Türk gümrüklerini olumsuz etkilemiştir.
Çalışmada Osmanlı’nın son dönemi ve Atatürk dönemi Türkiye’de gümrüklerin gelişimi ele alınmıştır.
Influences of smart glasses on postural control under single- and dual-task conditions for ergonomic risk assessment
Authors: Tenholt Jakob , Adam Stella , Laun Martin , Schiefer Christoph , Terschüren Claudia , Harth Volker , Karamanidis Kiros , Hartmann Ulrich , Friemert Daniel
Published: April 2023

Head worn displays have become increasingly popular at workplaces in logistics and assembly lines in recent years. Such displays are expected to improve productivity and safety at the workplace. However, their impact on balance in the workforce is still an open research question. Therefore, we investigated the influence of the Vuzix M400 and Realwear HMT1 smart glasses on postural control. A laboratory study was conducted with eleven participants. Balance parameters were recorded during bilateral quiet stance, together with parameters of cognitive load. The two different smart glasses used in this study were compared with a monitor and a tablet under single-task conditions and while performing a spatial 2-back task. As balance parameters, the prediction ellipse and sample entropy in anteroposterior as well as mediolateral direction of the center-of-pressure data were examined. No significant differences were observed in the cognitive task performance between the devices. The prediction ellipse of the smart glasses was smaller than the tablets but larger than the smartboard. The dynamic of sample entropy data suggests that the use of the spatial 2-back task induces postural sway in the participants. This effect was most profound when looking at the monitor and least recognizable in the data of the tablet.
Big data technology for computer intrusion detection
Authors: Chen Ying
Published: April 2023

In order to improve the ability of computer network intrusion detection, the big data technology for computer intrusion detection was studied. This research uses big data technology to build a network intrusion detection model, using clustering algorithms, classification algorithms, and association rule algorithms in data mining to automatically identify the attack patterns in the network and quickly learn and extract the characteristics of network attacks. The experimental results show that the recognition effect of the classification algorithm is obviously better than that of the clustering algorithm and the association rule. With the increase in the proportion of abnormal commands, the accuracy rate can still be maintained at 90%. As a compromise between the classification algorithm and the clustering algorithm, the accuracy rate of the association rule algorithm is basically maintained at more than 75%. It is proved that the big data technology oriented to computer intrusion detection can effectively improve the detection ability of computer network intrusion.
Melt-blended PLA/curcumin-cross-linked polyurethane film for enhanced UV-shielding ability
Authors: Fu Xuya , Zhang Tao , Zhang Wenshuo , Zhong Yuye , Fang Shuliang , Wang Guannan , Li Ying , Deng Yajun , Liu Xinghai , Li Houbin
Published: April 2023

Biomass films with ultraviolet (UV)-shielding ability have attracted considerable attention. Curcumin was introduced into castor oil-based polyurethane (CCPU) as a chain extender, which was melt with polylactic acid (PLA) as a reinforcement to obtain biomass UV-shielding film. The excellent UV absorption and antioxidant qualities of curcumin contributed to the impressive UV-shielding capacity (97.6% UV radiation absorption) and antioxidant (51% free radical scavenging) of PLA/CCPU-20 film. In the scanning electron microscopic images of film fracture, the mixing of CCPU elastomer into the PLA matrix caused the blend films to exhibit significant toughening fracture characteristics compared to the pure PLA film. The excellent thermal stability, low water swelling degree, and low water solubility of PLA/CCPU blend films were maintained after CCPU was added to the PLA matrix. Therefore, the PLA/CCPU blend films can be considered as a potential packaging material because of its favorable UV-shielding properties and film stability.
The ECB’s Transmission Protection Instrument and Fiscal Stability
Authors: Assenmacher Katrin
Published: April 2023

The ECB’s Transmission Protection Instrument (TPI) supports the effective transmission of the monetary policy stance throughout the euro area, which is a precondition for the ECB to deliver on its price stability mandate. If activated, the Eurosystem would purchase securities issued in jurisdictions that experience a deterioration in financing conditions not warranted by country-specific fundamentals. The TPI thereby complements other tools to counter risks to the transmission mechanism such as the Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme (PEPP) reinvestment flexibility and the Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) programme.
Mechanism and Observation of Pore Formation during Carbonitriding
Authors: Skalecki M. , Sommer M. , Steinbacher M. , Hoja S.
Published: April 2023

Carbonitriding enhances properties of many steels and is therefore an attractive alternative for surface hardening of steel components in the mechanical industry. However, pore formation in the carbon and nitrogen enriched surface layer may occur under certain process conditions. For a given steel and case depth specification, pore formation can be managed by reducing the nitrogen activity of the carbonitriding atmosphere below a defined limit, depending on process temperature and process time. Recent progress in process control allows automatic and independent adjustments of the carbon and nitrogen activities and corresponding potentials of the carbonitriding atmosphere. This study contributes to the practical evaluation of pore formation limits under selected carbonitriding conditions for a range of commonly used engineering steel grades.
The impact of cerclage placement on gestational length in women with premature cervical shortening
Authors: Borochov Hausner Noga , Baumfeld Yael , Yaniv-Salem Shimrit , Hamou Batel , Silberstein Tali
Published: April 2023

Objectives

Cervical insufficiency (CI) is a condition consistent with painless cervical dilatation that can lead to preterm delivery. Cervical cerclage is a procedure in which cervical suture is performed for preventing preterm labor in several indications. Late emergency cerclage is technically more challenging compared to elective cerclage, performed earlier during pregnancy, prior to cervical changes. Pregnancy outcomes with emergency cerclage were found to be improved in previous reports, but there is still inconclusive data. To assess the effectiveness and safety of emergency cerclage vs. conservative management with progesterone and/or bed resting, in preventing preterm birth and improving neonatal outcomes in women with clinically evident cervical insufficiency.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study conducted on all women diagnosed with cervical insufficiency between the 16th and 24th gestational week who met the inclusion criteria, from January 2012 to December 2018. Obstetric and neonatal outcomes: time from diagnosis to delivery, duration of pregnancy, birth weight and Apgar score, were compared between women who underwent cerclage and those who treated conservatively.

Results

Twenty eight women underwent emergency cerclage (cerclage group) and 194 managed with a conservative therapy, progesterone and/or bed rest (control group). Time from diagnosis to delivery 13 weeks vs. 8 weeks and birth weight 2,418 g vs. 1914 g were significantly higher in the first cohort. Average pregnancy duration was three weeks longer in the cerclage group, but that was not significant. No complications occurred in the cerclage group and no difference in mode of delivery were found.

Conclusions

Emergency cerclage is an effective and safe procedure in preventing preterm birth and prolongation of pregnancy, in women with cervical insufficiency in the late second trimester.
Installed performance seeking control based on supersonic variable inlet/engine coupling model
Authors: Wang Chen , Sun Ximing , Du Xian
Published: April 2023

With the advancement of the supersonic aero propulsion system, optimizing the combined performance of inlet/engine integration has become increasingly crucial. To solve the coupling inlet/engine problem, a quasi-one-dimensional inlet modeling and drag calculation method are proposed, integrated performance seeking control (PSC) based on the neighborhood-based speciation differential evolution-grey wolf optimizer (NSDE-GWO) is presented and quantitatively analyses the influence of variable geometry inlet regulation on performance. The results reveal that the optimization effect of the ramp angle adjustment is generally better than that of the bleed adjustment, and the NSDE-GWO hybrid algorithm achieves remarkable optimization solutions in all three different modes. The PSC with variable geometry inlet adjustment provides more additional potential for optimization compared with fixed geometry inlet, and the performance can be maximized by adjusting both the bleed adjustment and the ramp angle. This study maximizes the exploitation of potential and has theoretical guidance and practical engineering significance.
Fabrikumzüge im Rahmen von Reorganisationsprojekten
Authors: Nitsche Andreas , Stonis Malte , Nyhuis Peter
Published: April 2023

Die Realisierung eines geplanten Layoutkonzepts stellt eine komplexe Teilaufgabe innerhalb der Fabrikplanung dar. Insbesondere die zeitliche Anordnung der notwendigen Umzugsschritte unter Berücksichtigung vorhandener Restriktionen wird nach aktuellem Stand meist manuell ausgeführt. Eine methodische Planungsunterstützung könnte zu einer entscheidenden Reduzierung des Aufwands der Realisierungsvorbereitung beitragen. Daher wurde in einem Forschungsprojekt eine einfach anwendbare Methode zur Planung eines Fabrikumzugs für Reorganisationsprojekte entwickelt, welche von Unternehmen im praktischen Kontext angewendet werden kann.
ISAK: Ein flexibler Ansatz zur Optimierung von Prozessen in KMU
Authors: Stratidis Rafail , Marques-Fernandes Lygia , Zürn Siegfried
Published: April 2023

Das dynamische Umfeld, in dem Unternehmen heute agieren, sowie die rasante Entwicklung von neuen Technologien stellen Unternehmen vor große Herausforderungen. Es bedarf einer hohen Prozessflexibilität, um schnell auf neue Situationen und unerwartete Einflüsse reagieren zu können. Oftmals sind die in der wissenschaftlichen Literatur beschriebenen und von großen Unternehmen erfolgreich eingesetzten Methoden jedoch für KMU zu aufwändig. Hier setzt der einfach umzusetzende und sehr praxisorientierte ISAK-Ansatz an.
Budapest Residents’ Views on Smart City Developments as Revealed by a Questionnaire Survey
Authors:   Corvinus University of Budapest, Doctoral School of International Relations and Political Science, World Economics Doctoral Program, Fekete Krisztina Anna
Published: April 2023

The world is facing numerous global socio-economic and socio-environmental challenges. One of them is climate change, which through its complexity, affects all aspects of human life, the economy, and ecosystems. One of the main contributors to this climatic change is cities, through their share of the population, use of land for urban purposes, energy consumption, and emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs in CO2 equivalent). Therefore, cities are good/appropriate testing grounds for investigating innovative solutions to complex challenges and shaping city dwellers’ awareness. At present, one of these innovative approaches is the ‘smart city’ concept, which is mainly based on the development of digitalisation, and information and communications technology (ICT). As a combination of these two statements, this article examines two factors: 1) the main challenges of Budapest, according to its dwellers, and 2) the applicability of relevant available smart city solutions to improving inhabitants’ environmental consciousness. This study presents the results of quantitative research method that was conducted in 2022 among the city dwellers of Budapest. Based on the questionnaire – thus according to inhabitants’ opinions – the paper describes the main areas of urban development that should be focused on. According to the former, the main problems are intensive pollution, the heat island effect, and intensive land use. The main smart solutions, which have been implemented and are known by the residents, have limited educational potential for raising environmental awareness.
A mohácsi csata kései áldozatai. Jegyzetek a Mohács szimfóniához
Authors:   University of Pécs, Pap Norbert
Published: April 2023

The book includes several papers that will significantly advance the cause of research on Mohács, 1526. They contribute to the progress of the scientific programme “Mohács 1526–2026: Reconstruction and Memory”, which has been carried out over the last five years by the consortium of the ELKH Centre for Humanities and the University of Pécs. However, the findings of some of the authors are worthy of discussion, which is why this article has been written. The arguments presented in the text concentrate on two main areas: the first part of the text deals with the debate on the geographical features of the Mohács Plain and the areas and roads used by the armies marching through in 1526. The second part focuses on the political distortions of memory associated with the battle sites: how the Kádár party-state used Mohács for its own purposes in the 1970s and how it created a new ‘geography of memory’. The critique does not, however, cover all the papers in the volume, but only those that are in some way related to the two themes above.
Effect of Nomophobia on Cyberloafing Among Employees in Tourism Enterprises
Authors: Yildiz Sevcan , Kutlu Didem , Yildiz Raşit
Published: April 2023

Due to the dynamic nature of tourism, it is essential to follow and adopt the developing technology both to meet the changing demand structure and to facilitate the internal operation of the business. However, while technology has a positive effect on organizations in terms of travel, tourist flow and management, the employees’ internet access for non-work purposes during work time causes the development of cyberloafing and nomophobia behavior. Since information and communication technologies are used in every field of the tourism sector, it is thought that it will be important to examine the relationship between cyberloafing and nomophobia, specifically on the employees in the tourism sector. The main aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between nomophobia and cyberloafing among hotel employees. The research was conducted with a total of 300 employees in accommodation sector in Antalya, Turkey. According to the results of the study, it can be said that the nomophobic and cyberloafing levels of the hotel employees are moderate. The results revealed that nomophobia explained 34.2% of the variance in cyberloafing. The managerial implications are discussed based on the study results, and directions for future research are provided.
Timber imports to Norse Greenland: lifeline or luxury?
Authors: Guðmundsdóttir Lísabet
Published: April 2023

The native trees of Greenland are unsuitable for larger construction projects or shipbuilding. Instead, the Norse colonists (AD 985–1450) relied on driftwood and imported timber. The provenance and extent of these imports, however, remain understudied. Here, the author uses microscopic anatomical analyses to determine the taxa and provenance of wood from five Norse Greenlandic sites. The results show that while the needs of most households were met by local woodlands and driftwood, elite farms had access to timber imports from Northern Europe and North America. By demonstrating the range of timber sources used by the Greenland Norse, the results illustrate connectivity across the medieval North Atlantic world.
Global Infectious Diseases in March 2023: Monthly Analysis
Authors: Li Taihan , Luo Yi , Zou Jiazhen , Wu Yufan , Sun Yinfu , Xiang Qi , He Minjing , Zhang Shuqiong , Liu Dongliang , Li Guodan , Yu Wenjin , Su Qun , Gu Dayong
Published: April 2023

Infectious diseases pose a major burden on public health and economic stability among societies worldwide. For centuries, they have been among the leading causes of death and disability, and are currently presenting growing challenges to health security and human progress. This report focuses on global outbreaks of infectious diseases, relying on Shusi Tech’s Global Epidemic Information Monitoring System to systematically summarize outbreak timing and location in infected populations from February 24, 2023, to March 23, 2023. Therefore, surveillance of infectious diseases on a continental scale is important to assess, recognize and protect against the risks that these diseases may pose to animal, domestic animal and human health on a global scale.
Cryo‐EM structure of the polyphosphate polymerase VTC reveals coupling of polymer synthesis to membrane transit
Authors: Liu Wei , Wang Jiening , Comte‐Miserez Véronique , Zhang Mengyu , Yu Xuejing , Chen Qingfeng , Jessen Henning Jacob , Mayer Andreas , Wu Shan , Ye Sheng
Published: April 2023

The eukaryotic vacuolar transporter chaperone (VTC) complex acts as a polyphosphate (polyP) polymerase that synthesizes polyP from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and translocates polyP across the vacuolar membrane to maintain an intracellular phosphate (Pi) homeostasis. To discover how the VTC complex performs its function, we determined a cryo‐electron microscopy structure of an endogenous VTC complex (Vtc4/Vtc3/Vtc1) purified from Saccharomyces cerevisiae at 3.1 Å resolution. The structure reveals a heteropentameric architecture of one Vtc4, one Vtc3, and three Vtc1 subunits. The transmembrane region forms a polyP‐selective channel, likely adopting a resting state conformation, in which a latch‐like, horizontal helix of Vtc4 limits the entrance. The catalytic Vtc4 central domain is located on top of the pseudo‐symmetric polyP channel, creating a strongly electropositive pathway for nascent polyP that can couple synthesis to translocation. The SPX domain of the catalytic Vtc4 subunit positively regulates polyP synthesis by the VTC complex. The noncatalytic Vtc3 regulates VTC through a phosphorylatable loop. Our findings, along with the functional data, allow us to propose a mechanism of polyP channel gating and VTC complex activation.
RAF1 deficiency causes a lethal syndrome that underscores RTK signaling during embryogenesis
Authors: Wong Samantha , Tan Yu Xuan , Loh Abigail Yi Ting , Tan Kiat Yi , Lee Hane , Aziz Zainab , Nelson Stanley F , Özkan Engin , Kayserili Hülya , Escande‐Beillard Nathalie , Reversade Bruno
Published: April 2023

Somatic and germline gain‐of‐function point mutations in RAF, one of the first oncogenes to be discovered in humans, delineate a group of tumor‐prone syndromes known as the RASopathies. In this study, we document the first human phenotype resulting from the germline loss‐of‐function of the proto‐oncogene RAF1 (a.k.a. CRAF). In a consanguineous family, we uncovered a homozygous p.Thr543Met variant segregating with a neonatal lethal syndrome with cutaneous, craniofacial, cardiac, and limb anomalies. Structure‐based prediction and functional tests using human knock‐in cells showed that threonine 543 is essential to: (i) ensure RAF1's stability and phosphorylation, (ii) maintain its kinase activity toward substrates of the MAPK pathway, and (iii) protect from stress‐induced apoptosis mediated by ASK1. In Xenopus embryos, mutant RAF1T543M failed to phenocopy the effects of normal and overactive FGF/MAPK signaling, confirming its hypomorphic activity. Collectively, our data disclose the genetic and molecular etiology of a novel lethal syndrome with progeroid features, highlighting the importance of RTK signaling for human development and homeostasis.
50 shades of procurement: the European defense trilemma in defense procurement strategies
Authors: Droff Josselin , Malizard Julien
Published: April 2023

This article examines the strategic choices of countries regarding their acquisition of defense equipment, given the strategic and economic constraints that they have faced since the end of the Cold War. As Augustine’s laws make it increasingly complicated to develop and produce all the necessary weapons for a single country, countries must balance the wishful thinking of preserving industrial strategic autonomy and the cost of doing so under the constraint of meeting the needs of their armed forces. We discuss a trilemma of the European countries between independence, manageable costs, and economic spinoff. We analyze several procurement alternatives, including national production, European cooperative production, licensed production, off-the-shelf purchase, leasing, and capacity abandonment. Maximizing both strategic and economic advantages, is a myth. There is no “silver bullet” in terms of acquisition choice, and the returns on investment depend on countries’ preferences, goals, and markets.
Defense industrial bases (DIB) in six small NATO post-communist countries
Authors: Pernica Bohuslav , Dvorak Jaroslav , Lazar Zsolt , Taksás Balázs , Maskalík Alex
Published: April 2023

This article investigates the changes in the defense industrial base (DIB) of the small NATO post-communist countries: Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. It considers the historical development of their industries from the Soviet era and the developments caused by the Crimea and Ukraine conflicts. It finds that exports to the markets of the former communist Czechoslovakia continued for Czechia with the DIB owned and controlled by oligarchs—who have been able to leverage this power to influence defense policy. In Slovakia, the DIB is insignificant and mainly under the influence of Czechia. The Hungarian DIB is being redeveloped by the richest members of Hungarian society, through international joint ventures, with the aim of expanding exports. The DIBs of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania produce only what is needed by their national armed forces—which seems unlikely to change.
Hair Care in the Light of Selected Medieval Medical Treatises
Authors: Lisowska Karolina
Published: April 2023

In the Middle Ages, hair was an element of great interest to men and women. Subject to daily treatments and activities, they played an important role in everyone‘s life. In medical treatises, compendia and handbooks from the 12th to the 14th century were the subjects of theoretical considerations and practical advice. According to the prevailing humoral theory, their colour, length, shape, and loss or excessive growth were meticulously analysed and explained. Attention was drawn to the issue of hair dyeing and the possibility of changing the colour. Particular attention was paid to baldness and greying, giving practical advice and simple or more complex recipes to prevent these processes. The source base is the works of St. Hildegard of Bingen, pope John XXI, Vincent of Beauvais, Taddeo Alderotti and Bernard de Gordon. In these sawmills, the issue of hair was highlighted, which in the Middle Ages played a significant role in the lives of both women and men.