bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pediatric lymphoma patients in Malawi present with poor health‐related quality of life at diagnosis and improve throughout treatment and follow‐up across all Pediatric PROMIS‐25 domains
Authors: Ellis Grace K. , Chapman Hutton , Manda Agness , Salima Ande , Itimu Salama , Banda Grace , Seguin Ryan , Manda Geoffrey , Butia Mercy , Huibers Minke , Ozuah Nmazuo , Tilly Alyssa , Stover Angela M. , Basch Ethan , Gopal Satish , Reeve Bryce B. , Westmoreland Katherine D.
Published: August 2021

Background

Patient‐reportedoutcomes (PROs) that assess health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) are increasingly important components of cancer care and research that are infrequently used in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA).

Methods

We administered the Chichewa Pediatric Patient‐Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Pediatric (PROMIS)‐25 at diagnosis, active treatment, and follow‐up among pediatric lymphoma patients in Lilongwe, Malawi. Mean scores were calculated for the six PROMIS‐25 HRQoL domains (Mobility, Anxiety, Depressive Symptoms, Fatigue, Peer Relationships, Pain Interference). Differences in HRQoL throughout treatment were compared using the minimally important difference (MID) and an ANOVA analysis. Kaplan–Meier survival estimates and Cox hazard ratios for mortality are reported.

Results

Seventy‐five children completed PROMIS‐25 surveys at diagnosis, 35 (47%) during active treatment, and 24 (32%) at follow‐up. The majority of patients died (n = 37, 49%) or were lost to follow‐up (n = 6, 8%). Most (n = 51, 68%) were male, median age was 10 (interquartile range [IQR] 8–12), 48/73 (66%) presented with advanced stage III/IV, 61 (81%) were diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma and 14 (19%) Hodgkin lymphoma. At diagnosis, HRQoL was poor across all domains, except for Peer Relationships. Improvements in HRQoL during active treatment and follow‐up exceeded the MID. On exploratory analysis, fair‐poor PROMIS Mobility <40 and severe Pain Intensity = 10 at diagnosis were associated with increased mortality risk and worse survival, but were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Pediatric lymphoma patients in Malawi present with poor HRQoL that improves throughout treatment and survivorship. Baseline PROMIS scores may provide important prognostic information. PROs offer an opportunity to include patient voices and prioritize holistic patient‐centered care in low‐resource settings.
Spatial variation of migrant‐native mortality differentials by duration of residence in Belgium: A story of partial convergence
Authors: Neels Karel , Wood Jonas , Surkyn Johan , Gadeyne Sylvie
Published: August 2021

Previous studies have repeatedly shown that all‐cause mortality is subject to spatial variation within countries and that acculturation of migrant mortality to native patterns occurs gradually with increasing duration of residence. This suggests that spatial variation in mortality is likely to differ between migrants and natives and that the migrant mortality advantage may be subject to strong variation between local settings. Using longitudinal microdata from the Belgian census, the population register, and the tax registers for 2011–2015, this article contributes to our understanding of migrant‐native mortality differentials by considering subnational spatial variation in the mortality advantage, settlement patterns of migrant groups, and varying degrees of acculturation by duration of residence. Consistent with the health selection hypothesis and the migration as a rapid health transition hypothesis, spatial variation in all‐cause mortality is limited among migrants with durations of residence under 30 years, resulting in strong variation of the mortality advantage between districts. Partial convergence to the spatial pattern of natives emerges among first generation migrants with durations of residence exceeding 30 years, as well as the intermediate and second generation. In Belgium, the country‐level mortality advantage can be partially accounted for by the settlement pattern of the migrant population in districts characterised by high native mortality and large migrant‐native differentials in all‐cause mortality.
The Potassium‐Assisted P‐Type Characteristics of Tin Oxide in Solution‐Processed High‐Performance Metal Oxide Thin‐Film Transistors
Authors: Nam Sooji , Lee Su-Jae , Pi Jae-Eun , Yang Jong-Heon , Hwang Chi-Sun , Cho Sung Haeng
Published: August 2021

Developing high‐performance p‐type metal‐oxide semiconductors comparable to n‐type ones has opened a new window for the realization of transparent, flexible, and low‐power integrated circuits in large‐area electronics. Herein, the fabrication of solution‐processed p‐type metal‐oxide thin‐film transistors (TFTs) with excellent device performance at low temperatures using a novel material is reported. Potassium (K) content is introduced into the tin oxide precursor solution to stabilize the tin (II) oxide (SnO) phase rather than the tin (IV) oxide (SnO2) phase during thin‐film formation. The optimized K‐doped SnO (K‐SnO) TFTs exhibit outstanding electrical performance, with a maximum Hall mobility of 51 cm2 V−1 s−1 and a field‐effect hole mobility of 2.3 cm2 V−1 s−1. The achievement of the solution‐processed K‐SnO TFTs not only provides a significant step toward the development of complementary metal‐oxide semiconductor circuits, but also represents a feasible approach for low‐cost flexible p‐type metal‐oxide electronics.
A Review of the Evidence on Tier 1 Instruction for Readers With Dyslexia
Authors: Shanahan Timothy
Published: August 2021

In this article, I provide an examination of research evidence concerning the effects of classroom instruction (Tier 1) for students with dyslexia and other reading problems. I discuss the suitability and limitations of different types of research evidence that may be used to determine how best to support the learning of these students in the classroom (e.g., studies of the effects of classroom instruction on average reading achievement, studies of special interventions for students with reading problems). I then examine research on the impact on learning of amount of classroom instruction, the curriculum or content of classroom instruction, and the quality of classroom instruction. Because the preponderance of research has focused on what needs to be taught to students to improve their reading achievement, in that portion of the review, I focus on the results of 32 meta‐analyses rather than individual studies. These meta‐analyses addressed a wide range of topics, including phonemic awareness, decoding, oral reading fluency, reading comprehension strategies, writing, and various aspects of language and text structure. Finally, I provide a best estimate of beneficial approaches to classroom instruction for students with dyslexia and identify gaps and limitations in this evidentiary base.
Advancement towards Antibiotic Remediation: Heterostructure and Composite materials
Authors: Bhattacharyya Puja , Basak Sanchari , Chakrabarti Sandip
Published: August 2021

Today's world is on the verge of antibiotic pollution by humans, veterinary therapeutics polluting our water body, and on account of the scarcity in advanced water treatment techniques in the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). It is of enormous importance to have an insight into various kinds of antibiotics and their attributes. The primary aspects of antimicrobial resistance caused by antibiotic pollution in the environment have been briefly enlightened. Here the nature and occurrence of antibiotics accumulation in the environment and a world pollution scenario have been illustrated. Adsorption and photocatalysis are the most standard techniques used for remediation. The well‐known nano photocatalyst heterostructure materials Titanium dioxide (TiO2), bismuth (Bi) materials are also utilized as the main frame materials for the composites and heterostructures. Alternatively, the porous carbon‐based materials and metal‐organic framework (MOF) materialsare entitled to their excellent adsorption capability. This review portrays comprehensive insight into the advances and breakthroughs made so far by different heterostructures and nanocomposite materials for antibiotics removal and provides a road map to future researchers towards a more efficient water treatment system.
Cross‐Coupling‐Cyclocondensation Reaction Sequence to Access a Library of Ring‐C Bridged Pyrimidino‐tetrahydrothebaines and Pyrimidinotetrahydrooripavines
Authors: Finke Anastasija O. , Ravaeva Marina Y. , Krasnov Vyacheslav I. , Cheretaev Igor V. , Chuyan Elena N. , Baev Dmitry S. , Shults Elvira E.
Published: August 2021

Ring‐C bridged 1‐(pyrimidinyl)tetrahydrothebaines were convenience synthesized by a consecutive three‐component alkynylation–cyclocondensation sequence starting from 1‐ethynyl‐7α,8α‐(2,5‐dioxo‐N‐phenylpyrrolidino)‐[3,4‐h]‐6,14‐endo‐etheno‐tetrahydrothebaine, aroyl chlorides, and amidinium hydrochlorides. Several derivatizations and transformations of selected 1‐pyrimidinyl substituted tetrahydrothebaines were carried out. The analgesic activity of new type of hybrid compounds in the tail‐flick test in rats was evaluated. The data revealed that the antinociceptive potency was stroungly depended on the nature of the substituent in the C‐6 position of the pyrimidine nucleus. Docking study was undertaken to gain insight into the possible binding mode with the μ‐opioid receptor.
Eco‐Friendly and Scalable Synthesis of Fullerenols with High Free Radical Scavenging Ability for Skin Radioprotection
Authors: Zhao Maoru , Wang Chengyan , Xie Jiani , Ji Chao , Gu Zhanjun
Published: August 2021

Radiation dermatitis is a common but torturous side effect during radiotherapy, which greatly decreases the life quality of patients and potentially results in detrimental cessation of tumor treatment. Fullerenol, known as “free radical sponge,” is a great choice for skin radioprotection because of its broad‐spectrum free radical scavenging performance, good chemical stability, and biosafety. In this work, a facile scalable and eco‐friendly synthetic method of fullerenols by catalyst assistant mechanical chemistry strategy is provided. As no organic solvent or high concentration of acid and alkali is introduced to this synthetic system, large‐scale (>20 g) production of fullerenols with high yield (>95%) is obtained and no complicated purification is required. Then, the skin radioprotective performance of fullerenols is systematically explored for the first time. In vitro results indicate that fullerenols significantly block the reactive oxygen species‐induced damage and enhance the viability of irradiated human keratinocyte cells. In vivo experiments suggest that medical sodium hyaluronate hydrogels loaded with fullerenols are suitable for skin administration and powerfully mitigate radiodermatitis via effectively protecting epidermal stem cells. The work not only provides an efficient gram‐scale and eco‐friendly synthetic method of fullerenols, but also promotes the development of fullerenols as potential skin radioprotectors.
Understanding Electrical Conduction and Nanopore Formation During Controlled Breakdown
Authors: Fried Jasper P. , Swett Jacob L. , Nadappuram Binoy Paulose , Fedosyuk Aleksandra , Sousa Pedro Miguel , Briggs Dayrl P. , Ivanov Aleksandar P. , Edel Joshua B. , Mol Jan A. , Yates James R.
Published: August 2021

Controlled breakdown has recently emerged as a highly appealing technique to fabricate solid‐state nanopores for a wide range of biosensing applications. This technique relies on applying an electric field of approximately 0.4–1 V nm−1 across the membrane to induce a current, and eventually, breakdown of the dielectric. Although previous studies have performed controlled breakdown under a range of different conditions, the mechanism of conduction and breakdown has not been fully explored. Here, electrical conduction and nanopore formation in SiNx membranes during controlled breakdown is studied. It is demonstrated that for Si‐rich SiNx, oxidation reactions that occur at the membrane‐electrolyte interface limit conduction across the dielectric. However, for stoichiometric Si3N4 the effect of oxidation reactions becomes relatively small and conduction is predominately limited by charge transport across the dielectric. Several important implications resulting from understanding this process are provided which will aid in further developing controlled breakdown in the coming years, particularly for extending this technique to integrate nanopores with on‐chip nanostructures.
Ta2Ni3Se8: 1D van der Waals Material with Ambipolar Behavior
Authors: Choi Kyung Hwan , Jeong Byung Joo , Jeon Jiho , Chung You Kyoung , Sung Dongchul , Yoon Sang Ok , Chae Sudong , Kim Bum Jun , Oh Seungbae , Lee Sang Hoon , Woo Chaeheon , Dong Xue , Ghulam Asghar , Ali Junaid , Kim Tae Yeong , Seo Minji , Lee Jae‐Hyun , Huh Joonsuk , Yu Hak Ki , Choi Jae‐Young
Published: August 2021

In this study, high‐purity and centimeter‐scale bulk Ta2Ni3Se8 crystals are obtained by controlling the growth temperature and stoichiometric ratio between tantalum, nickel, and selenium. It is demonstrated that the bulk Ta2Ni3Se8 crystals could be effectively exfoliated into a few chain‐scale nanowires through simple mechanical exfoliation and liquid‐phase exfoliation. Also, the calculation of electronic band structures confirms that Ta2Ni3Se8 is a semiconducting material with a small bandgap. A field‐effect transistor is successfully fabricated on the mechanically exfoliated Ta2Ni3Se8 nanowires. Transport measurements at room temperature reveal that Ta2Ni3Se8 nanowires exhibit ambipolar semiconducting behavior with maximum mobilities of 20.3 and 3.52 cm2 V−1 s−1 for electrons and holes, respectively. The temperature‐dependent transport measurement (from 90 to 295 K) confirms the carrier transport mechanism of Ta2Ni3Se8 nanowires. Based on these characteristics, the obtained 1D vdW material is expected to be a potential candidate for additional 1D materials as channel materials.
Improving Na/Na3Zr2Si2PO12 Interface via SnOx/Sn Film for High‐Performance Solid‐State Sodium Metal Batteries
Authors: Yang Jiayi , Xu Henghui , Wu Jingyi , Gao Zhonghui , Hu Fei , Wei Ying , Li Yuyu , Liu Dezhong , Li Zhen , Huang Yunhui
Published: August 2021

Sodium (Na) metal batteries have attracted much attention due to their rich resources, low cost, and high energy density. As a promising solid electrolyte, Na3Zr2Si2PO12 (NZSP) is expected to be used in solid‐state Na metal batteries addressing the safety concerns. However, due to the poor contact between NZSP and the Na metal, the interfacial resistance is too large to gain proper performance for practical solid‐state batteries (SSBs) application. Here, a SnOx/Sn film is successfully introduced to improve the interface between Na and NZSP for enhancing the electrochemical performance of SSBs. As a result, the Na/NZSP interfacial resistance is dramatically reduced from 581 to 3 Ω cm2. The modified Na||Na symmetric cell keeps cycling over 1500 h with an overpotential of 40 mV at 0.1 mA cm–2 at room temperature. Even at current densities of 0.3 and 0.5 mA cm–2, the cell still maintains an excellent cyclability. When coupled with NaTi2(PO4)3 and a Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode, the full‐cell demonstrates a good performance at 0.2 C and 1 C, respectively. The present work provides an effective way to solve the interface issue of SSBs.
Solar LFR system with new cavity reflector employing DO model
Authors: Ebrahimpour Zahra , Farshad Seyyed Ali , Sheikholeslami Mohsen
Published: August 2021

In current context, to achieve lower heat loss in Linear Fresnel reflector (LFR) unit, innovative configuration for cavity has been offered. This cavity consists of one hot circular wall and two inclined adiabatic walls. The below wall is made of glass and connect with outside air flow. The operating fluid is air and its features were temperature dependent. Inclination angle (θ), wind speed and circular wall temperature are variable factors. Both thermal and irreversibility behavior were analyzed in outputs. Finite volume method (FVM) was utilized for such 2D problem involving radiation source term. The incident radiation contours were reported which were obtained by implement of discrete ordinates (DO) model. Verification was done with comparing data with that of previous numerical publication. Stream function augments about 87.5% with augmentation of θ while changing the hot temperature cannot affect the strength of the eddy. Radiation mode is directly relevant to temperature difference, so lower glass temperature provides lower incident radiation. At lowest Th, augment of θ offers reduction in glass temperature and incident radiation about 2.27% and 12.94%. Given θ = 120o, reduce of Tr makes cold temperature to increase about 20.59%. Owing to augmentation of heat loss with rise of Th, θ and wind speed; all factors have direct relation with Nu and Nur. Temperature of circular wall has highest influence on Nu. With assumption of minimum values of other factors, Nu augments 19.63% and 65.07% with rise of hext and θ while it declines about 89.59% with increase of Tr. Irreversibility decreases about 86.38% with rise of Tr when θ = 120o, hext = 20. Given Th = 673 K, hext = 20, total entropy augments about 6.75% with employing greater angle.
Theories of Meaning for the Internet of Things
Authors: Färber Michael , Svetashova Yulia , Harth Andreas
Published: August 2021

In this chapter, we consider the theoretical foundations for representing knowledge in the Internet of Things context. Specifically, we consider (1) themodel-theoretic semantics(i.e.,extensional semantics), (2) thepossible-world semantics(i.e.,intensional semantics), (3) thesituation semantics, and (4) thecognitive/distributional semantics. Given the peculiarities of the Internet of Things, we pay particular attention to (a) perception(i.e., how to establish a connection to the world), (b) intersubjectivity(i.e., how to align world representations), and (c) thedynamicsof world knowledge (i.e., how to model events). We come to the conclusion that each of the semantic theories helps in modeling specific aspects, but does not sufficiently address all three aspects simultaneously.
The Making of Evident Expertise: Transforming Chemical Analytical Methods into Judicial Evidence
Authors: Carrier Marcus B.
Published: August 2021

This article investigates the question of how forensic toxicologists established the credibility of chemical analytical methods in poisoning lawsuits in the nineteenth century. After encountering the problem of laypersons in court, forensic toxicologists attempted to find strategies to make their evidence compelling to an untrained audience. Three of these strategies are discussed here: redundancy, standard methods, and intuitive comprehensibility. Whereas redundancy was not very practical and legally prescribed standard methods were not very popular with most forensic toxicologists, intuitive comprehensibility proved effective and popular. This strategy relied on employing methods which did not require chemical knowledge to be understandable. The methods aimed to generate a visual aid and to be obvious in their results. Two forms of this strategy are discussed here: the presentation of the actual material and explicit comparison. I argue that this shift towards presenting forensic toxicology expertise as evident represents an important step in the history of forensic expertise.
The globalization theorem for the Curvature-Dimension condition
Authors: Cavalletti Fabio , Milman Emanuel
Published: August 2021

The Lott–Sturm–Villani Curvature-Dimension condition provides a synthetic notion for a metric-measure space to have Ricci-curvature bounded from below and dimension bounded from above. We prove that it is enough to verify this condition locally: an essentially non-branching metric-measure space $$(X,\mathsf {d},{\mathfrak {m}})$$

(
X
,
d
,
m
)

(so that $$(\text {supp}({\mathfrak {m}}),\mathsf {d})$$

(
supp
(
m
)
,
d
)

is a length-space and $${\mathfrak {m}}(X) < \infty $$

m
(
X
)
<
∞

) verifying the local Curvature-Dimension condition $${\mathsf {CD}}_{loc}(K,N)$$

CD

loc

(
K
,
N
)

with parameters $$K \in {\mathbb {R}}$$

K
∈
R

and $$N \in (1,\infty )$$

N
∈
(
1
,
∞
)

, also verifies the global Curvature-Dimension condition $${\mathsf {CD}}(K,N)$$

CD
(
K
,
N
)

. In other words, the Curvature-Dimension condition enjoys the globalization (or local-to-global) property, answering a question which had remained open since the beginning of the theory. For the proof, we establish an equivalence between $$L^1$$

L
1

- and $$L^2$$

L
2

-optimal-transport–based interpolation. The challenge is not merely a technical one, and several new conceptual ingredients which are of independent interest are developed: an explicit change-of-variables formula for densities of Wasserstein geodesics depending on a second-order temporal derivative of associated Kantorovich potentials; a surprising third-order theory for the latter Kantorovich potentials, which holds in complete generality on any proper geodesic space; and a certain rigidity property of the change-of-variables formula, allowing us to bootstrap the a-priori available regularity. As a consequence, numerous variants of the Curvature-Dimension condition proposed by various authors throughout the years are shown to, in fact, all be equivalent in the above setting, thereby unifying the theory.
Impact of Tumor Burden Score on Conditional Survival after Curative‐Intent Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multi‐Institutional Analysis
Authors: Elfadaly Ahmed N. , Tsilimigras Diamantis I. , Hyer J. Madison , Paro Alessandro , Bagante Fabio , Ratti Francesca , Marques Hugo P. , Soubrane Olivier , Lam Vincent , Poultsides George A. , Popescu Irinel , Alexandrescu Sorin , Martel Guillaume , Workneh Aklile , Guglielmi Alfredo , Hugh Tom , Aldrighetti Luca , Endo Itaru , Pawlik Timothy M.
Published: August 2021

Background

The impact of tumor burden score (TBS) on conditional survival (CS) among patients undergoing curative‐intent resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been examined to date.

Methods

Patients who underwent liver resection of HCC between 2000 and 2017 were identified from a multi‐institutional database. The impact of TBS and other clinicopathologic factors on 3‐year conditional survival (CS3) was examined.

Results

Among 1,040 patients, 263 (25.3%) patients had low TBS, 668 (64.2%) had medium TBS and 109 (10.5%) had high TBS. TBS was strongly associated with OS; 5‐year OS was 39.0% among patients with high TBS compared with 61.1% and 79.4% among patients with medium and low TBS, respectively (p < 0.001). While actuarial survival decreased as time elapsed from resection, CS increased over time irrespective of TBS. The largest differences between 3‐year actuarial survival and CS3 were noted among patients with high TBS (5‐years postoperatively; CS3: 78.7% vs. 3‐year actuarial survival: 30.7%). The effect of adverse clinicopathologic factors including high TBS, poor/undifferentiated tumor grade, microvascular invasion, liver capsule involvement, and positive margins on prognosis decreased over time.

Conclusions

CS rates among patients who underwent resection for HCC increased as patients survived additional years, irrespective of TBS. CS estimates can be used to provide important dynamic information relative to the changing survival probability after resection of HCC.
Similar biomechanical properties of four tripled tendon graft models for ACL reconstruction
Authors: Pavan Davide , Morello Federica , Monachino Francesco , Rovere Giuseppe , Camarda Lawrence , Pitarresi Giuseppe
Published: August 2021

Purpose

The present study tested and compared the biomechanical properties of four different triplicate graft tendon techniques.

Methods

32 tripled tendons from the common extensor muscle of bovine fingers were tested on a material testing machine, passing the end loop over a metal rod of a clevis connected to the load cell on the upper side, and fixing the lower end to a clamp. The samples were divided into four groups: (A) tripled with a free end sutured only to one of the two fixed bundles (B) tripled with a free end positioned between the two fixed strands and sutured to both (C) tripled with an S-shape and all the three strands sutured together at the upper and lower extremities of the graft (D) partially quadrupled with the free end sutured together with the other three bundles at the upper extremity. Each sample was pretensioned at 50 N for 10 min and then subjected to 1000 load control cycles between 50 and 250 N. Finally, each sample was subjected to a load to failure test.

Authors also present some preliminary results on the feasibility of a non-contact and full-field Thermoelastic Stress Analysis technique, based on Infrared Thermography, to evaluate the level of stress on the whole graft, and hence on each strand, during fatigue loading.

Results

Eighty five percent of the samples failed at the level of the clamp. The cyclical elongation progressively decreased in all the samples and there was a simultaneous increase in stiffness. An increased stiffness was noted between Group 2 vs Group 3 and Group 2 vs Group 4 at the 500th and 1000th cycle. The failure loads were as follows: (a) 569.10 N, (b) 632.28 N, (c) 571.68 N, (d) 616.95 N. None of the parameters showed a statistically significant difference between the four groups.

Conclusion

This study reported similar biomechanical behavior of four different models of tripled grafts suitable for ACL reconstruction. In addition, the biomechanics of overall tripled tendon grafts seems more affected by the viscoelastic property of the tendon itself rather than the preparation method.
A novel keyframe extraction method for video classification using deep neural networks
Authors: Savran Kızıltepe Rukiye , Gan John Q. , Escobar Juan José
Published: August 2021

Combining convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and recurrent neural networks (RNNs) produces a powerful architecture for video classification problems as spatial–temporal information can be processed simultaneously and effectively. Using transfer learning, this paper presents a comparative study to investigate how temporal information can be utilized to improve the performance of video classification when CNNs and RNNs are combined in various architectures. To enhance the performance of the identified architecture for effective combination of CNN and RNN, a novel action template-based keyframe extraction method is proposed by identifying the informative region of each frame and selecting keyframes based on the similarity between those regions. Extensive experiments on KTH and UCF-101 datasets with ConvLSTM-based video classifiers have been conducted. Experimental results are evaluated using one-way analysis of variance, which reveals the effectiveness of the proposed keyframe extraction method in the sense that it can significantly improve video classification accuracy.
Corporate Green Bonds: Understanding the Greenium in a Two-Factor Structural Model
Authors: Agliardi Elettra , Agliardi Rossella
Published: August 2021

A novel structural model is developed to understand the determinants of green bond prices and the so-called ‘greenium’, that is, the premium that bondholders are willing to pay to invest in green securities rather than conventional ones. The presence of a greenium makes green bonds relatively cheap vehicles to fund environmentally sustainable projects and thus contributes to the shift to a green economy. Yet, evidence on the greenium is mixed and the determinants of green bond yields are not fully understood. In this model two sources of uncertainty are introduced, that is, of cash flows of the firm and of the effectiveness of the financed green projects. The adoption of two risk factors brings in some mathematical complexity but allows for a better modelling of the multi-facet nature of these financial instruments. Our model is rich enough to generate both a positive and a negative premium, as both have been detected in the empirical literature. Thus, we shed light on possible heterogeneity concerning the existence of a greenium in the green bond universe. Moreover, we show how green bonds affect the issuer’s creditworthiness, depending on the correlation of the green project with the core business of the firm and study their impact on investors’ portfolio allocation.
Mobile microphone robust acoustic feature identification using coefficient of variance
Authors: Hashim Nik Nur Wahidah Nik , Ezzi Mugahed Al-Ezzi Ahmed , Wilkes Mitchell D.
Published: August 2021

One of the most challenging techniques for speech analysis applications in mobile phones is acoustic feature extraction. The adverse environment noises, diversity of microphone specifications, and various recording software have a significant effect on the values of the extracted acoustic features. In this study, we investigate the robustness of different types of acoustic features related to time-based, frequency-based, and sustained vowel using 11 different mobile recording devices. 49 recordings of subjects reciting the Rainbow Passage and 25 recordings of sustained vowel /a/ were collected. By way of synchronous recording, we analyzed and compared the extracted 253-dimensional acoustic feature vectors in order to examine how consistent the data values between the different recording devices. The variability of data values was measured using the method of coefficient of variance. Data values with low variability were identified to be from features such as the transition parameters, amplitude modulation, contrast, Chroma, mean fundamental frequency and formants. These groups of features turn out to be more reliable than others in their dependency on the recording device specifications.
Social categories in the making: construction or recruitment?
Authors: Reijula Samuli
Published: August 2021

Real kinds, both natural and social categories, are characterized by rich inductive potential. They have relatively stable sets of conceptually independent projectable properties. Somewhat surprisingly, even some purely social categories (e.g., ethnicity, gender, political orientation) show such multiple projectability. The article explores the origin of the inductive richness of social categories and concepts. I argue that existing philosophical accounts provide only a partial explanation, and mechanisms of boundary formation and stabilization must be brought into view for a more comprehensive account of inductively rich social categories.
Advances in CD-CAT: The General Nonparametric Item Selection Method
Authors: Chiu Chia-Yi , Chang Yuan-Pei
Published: August 2021

Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) is characterized by its high estimation efficiency and accuracy, in contrast to the traditional paper-and-pencil format. CAT specifically for cognitive diagnosis (CD-CAT) carries the same advantages and has been seen as a tool for advancing the use of cognitive diagnosis (CD) assessment for educational practice. A powerful item selection method is the key to the success of a CD-CAT program, and to date, various parametric item selection methods have been proposed and well-researched. However, these parametric methods all require large samples, to secure high-precision calibration of the items in the item bank. Thus, at present, implementation of parametric methods in small-scale educational settings, such as classroom, remains challenging. In response to this issue, Chang, Chiu, and Tsai (Appl Psychol Meas 43:543–561, 2019) proposed the nonparametric item selection (NPS) method that does not require parameter calibration and outperforms the parametric methods for settings with only small or no calibration samples. Nevertheless, the NPS method is not without limitations; extra assumptions are required to guarantee a consistent estimator of the attribute profiles when data conform to complex models. To remedy this shortcoming, the general nonparametric item selection (GNPS) method that incorporates the newly developed general NPC (GNPC) method (Chiu et al. in Psychometrika 83:355–375, 2018) as the classification vehicle is proposed in this study. The inclusion of the GNPC method in the GNPS method relaxes the assumptions imposed on the NPS method. As a result, the GNPS method can be used with any model or multiple models without abandoning the advantage of being a small-sample technique. The legitimacy of using the GNPS method in the CD-CAT system is supported by Theorem 1 proposed in the study. The efficiency and effectiveness of the GNPS method are confirmed by the simulation study that shows the outperformance of the GNPS method over the compared parametric methods when the calibration samples are small.
Effect of drying, blanching, pickling and maceration on the fate of 40K, total K and 137Cs in bolete mushrooms and dietary intake
Authors: Falandysz Jerzy , Meloni Daniela , Fernandes Alwyn R. , Saniewski Michał
Published: August 2021

The effects of blanching, blanching and pickling and maceration on the leaching of 137Cs and 40K from the flesh of three edible bolete mushroom species—Boletus edulis, Leccinum scabrum and Leccinum versipelle—were investigated. Significant (p < 0.05) decreases in activity were observed but varied depending on the treatment. Relative to fresh mushrooms, blanching decreased the activity concentration of 137Cs by 15 ± 13%, and of 40K, by 16 ± 7%, but blanching and pickling (vinegar) reduced activity more effectively, by 55 ± 8% and 40 ± 20% respectively. The corresponding losses of 137Cs and 40K through maceration of dried, powdered mushrooms were 38 ± 11% and 35 ± 14% ww, respectively. These results indicate that traditional domestic processing methods may not be as efficient at excluding 137Cs radioactivity as shown in some other studies. The activity concentration of 137Cs in a typically sized (100 g) portion of a processed mushroom (sourced from nearshore regions of the southern Baltic Sea coast near Gdańsk in 2015) meal was projected to be low, i.e. in the range of 0.51 to 12 Bq kg−1 ww. The corresponding effective dose of 137Cs from blanched, blanched and pickled and macerated mushrooms per capita was also assessed to be low, from 0.001 to 0.010 μSv. Nutritionally, the median concentration of potassium (330 mg) in 100 g portions of blanched or pickled mushrooms would account for around 7% of the adequate adult daily intake.

Graphical abstract
Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) for cancer screening: recommendations for use
Authors: Petralia Giuseppe , Zugni Fabio , Summers Paul E. , Colombo Alberto , Pricolo Paola , Grazioli Luigi , Colagrande Stefano , Giovagnoni Andrea , Padhani Anwar R. ,   On behalf of the Italian Working Group on Magnetic Resonance
Published: August 2021

Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) is currently recommended for cancer screening in adult and paediatric subjects with cancer predisposition syndromes, representing a substantial aid for prolonging health and survival of these subjects with a high oncological risk. Additionally, the number of studies exploring the use of WB-MRI for cancer screening in asymptomatic subjects from the general population is growing. The primary aim of this review was to analyse the acquisition protocols found in the literature, in order to identify common sequences across published studies and to discuss the need of additional ones for specific populations. The secondary aim of this review was to provide a synthesis of current recommendations regarding the use of WB-MRI for cancer screening.
Analysing Diversion Processes in German Secondary Education: School-Track Effects on Educational Aspirations
Authors: Bittmann Felix , Schindler Steffen
Published: August 2021

Educational aspirations can be regarded as a predictor of final educational attainment, rendering this construct highly relevant for analysing the development of educational inequalities in panel data settings. In the context of the German tracked secondary school system, we analysed school-track effects on the development of educational aspirations. Using data from five consecutive waves of the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), we selected a sample of high-performing students with initially high aspirations. Our results indicate that pupils in the nonacademic track or with a low social origin tend to lower their aspirations significantly more often than pupils in the academic track or pupils with a high social origin. With mediation analyses, we demonstrate that these differences can be attributed to learning environments at the school level. We also show that the downward adjustment of aspirations in the nonacademic track is less pronounced for students from highly educated families than for students from low-education family backgrounds.
High-Sensitive Numerical Gas Detection Using LSPR Effect and Fano Resonance in a Slotted MDM Structure
Authors: Liu Hai , Zhao Benlei , Zhang Xu , Zhang Hancheng , Wu Bo , Tang Shoufeng
Published: August 2021

A high-sensitive numerical measurement of methane based on the combined use of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and Fano resonance in a slotted metal-dielectric-metal (MDM) periodic structure is numerically investigated. A groove is etched in an original MDM structure to excite the diploe mode at both sides of the groove, and the coherent coupling of two dipole modes is enhanced to realize a fast response, which is beneficial to gas-sensing. The influence of geometric parameters on the reflection spectra and methane sensitivity are analyzed to obtain optimal geometry. Moreover, an etching ring is introduced on the top metal to further raise the coupling area and coupling strength. The Fano resonance is subtly integrated into the optimized structure with asymmetry to achieve greater gas sensitivity. After the introduction of the Fano resonance, the field enhancement caused by the LSPR effect becomes greater and the methane sensitivity can reach up to 8.421 nm/% in numerical calculations, which increases 56.8% more than that of the original one. The combined use of the LSPR and Fano resonance in an optimized MDM structure provides an effective method for high-sensitive gas detection.
Testing General Relativity with black hole X-ray data: a progress report
Authors: Bambi Cosimo
Published: August 2021

Einstein’s theory of General Relativity is one of the pillars of modern physics. For decades, the theory has been mainly tested in the weak field regime with experiments in the Solar System and observations of binary pulsars. Thanks to a new generation of observational facilities, the past 5 years have seen remarkable changes in this field and there are now numerous efforts for testing General Relativity in the strong field regime with black holes and neutron stars using different techniques. Here I will review the work of my group at Fudan University devoted to test General Relativity with black hole X-ray data.
Initial logarithmic coefficients for functions starlike with respect to symmetric points
Authors: Zaprawa Paweł
Published: August 2021

In this paper, we obtain the bounds of the initial logarithmic coefficients for functions in the classes $${\mathcal {S}}_S^*$$

S
S
∗

and $${\mathcal {K}}_S$$

K
S

of functions which are starlike with respect to symmetric points and convex with respect to symmetric points, respectively. In our research, we use a different approach than the usual one in which the coeffcients of f are expressed by the corresponding coeffcients of functions with positive real part. In what follows, we express the coeffcients of f in $${\mathcal {S}}_S^*$$

S
S
∗

and $${\mathcal {K}}_S$$

K
S

by the corresponding coeffcients of Schwarz functions. In the proofs, we apply some inequalities for these functions obtained by Prokhorov and Szynal, by Carlson and by Efraimidis. This approach offers a additional benefit. In many cases, it is easily possible to predict the exact result and to select extremal functions. It is the case for $${\mathcal {S}}_S^*$$

S
S
∗

and $${\mathcal {K}}_S$$

K
S

.
Bulk and compound-specific δ13C and n-alkane indices in a palustrine intermontane record for assessing environmental changes over the past 320 ka: the Padul Basin (Southwestern Mediterranean realm)
Authors: Ortiz José E. , Torres Trinidad , Delgado Antonio , Valle Maruja , Soler Vicente , Araujo Rafael , Rivas María R. , Julià Ramón , Sánchez-Palencia Yolanda , Vega-Panizo Rogelio
Published: August 2021

Here we provide valuable information about the palaeoenvironmental evolution of Southwestern Mediterranean region during the last ca. 320 ka through a biomarker-based study of the longest continuous continental Quaternary record in the Iberian Peninsula. The n-alkane content and δ13C values of these lipids were measured in 300 samples taken from the uppermost 55 m of the Padul Basin (PB) record. The δ13C signal of long-chain n-alkanes was a reliable proxy for C4/C3 terrestrial vegetation composition in the basin, as emergent macrophytes made a minor contribution to these homologues. In contrast, the δ13C values of C23 and C25 alkanes reflected mainly phases of increasing water level of the lacustrine/palustrine water body since aquatic macrophytes contain a large proportion of these compounds. Low δ13C values were attributed to a marked contribution of plants using the C3 photosynthetic pathway. Intervals with the lowest δ13C values were attributed to an important input of angiosperms, although they could also be explained by changing environmental conditions or environmental stress, as large shifts in δ13C occurred in long-chain homologues typically abundant in terrestrial plants. Shifts in δ13C of medium-chain homologues reflected limited CO2 availability induced by water temperature, salinity, pH, enhanced productivity, low atmospheric pCO2, or stagnant barriers, rather than the abundance of aquatic macrophytes. Our results also suggest enhanced isotopic fractionation during lipid synthesis by aquatic macrophytes within MIS 7 and the Holocene, leading to increased δ13C values of bulk OM and of long-chain n-alkanes. Hence, the δ13C logs were ideal for studying the contribution of aquatic macrophytes to the lipid and isotopic composition of sediments and for the reconstruction of palaeoenvironmental conditions. These results confirmed that C4 plants had a low presence in the PB. Comparison with biomarker analysis and pollen data of the PB and other records of the Southwestern Mediterranean revealed that δ13C values of bulk OM and of long-chain n-alkanes reflected global climatic oscillations during MIS 7 and the episodes Heinrich Events 3, 2, 1 and Younger Dryas.
Quantum-accessible reinforcement learning beyond strictly epochal environments
Authors: Hamann A. , Dunjko V. , Wölk S.
Published: August 2021

In recent years, quantum-enhanced machine learning has emerged as a particularly fruitful application of quantum algorithms, covering aspects of supervised, unsupervised and reinforcement learning. Reinforcement learning offers numerous options of how quantum theory can be applied, and is arguably the least explored, from a quantum perspective. Here, an agent explores an environment and tries to find a behavior optimizing some figure of merit. Some of the first approaches investigated settings where this exploration can be sped-up, by considering quantum analogs of classical environments, which can then be queried in superposition. If the environments have a strict periodic structure in time (i.e. are strictly episodic), such environments can be effectively converted to conventional oracles encountered in quantum information. However, in general environments, we obtain scenarios that generalize standard oracle tasks. In this work, we consider one such generalization, where the environment is not strictly episodic, which is mapped to an oracle identification setting with a changing oracle. We analyze this case and show that standard amplitude-amplification techniques can, with minor modifications, still be applied to achieve quadratic speed-ups. In addition, we prove that an algorithm based on Grover iterations is optimal for oracle identification even if the oracle changes over time in a way that the “rewarded space” is monotonically increasing. This result constitutes one of the first generalizations of quantum-accessible reinforcement learning.
Structural assessment of bridges through ambient noise deconvolution interferometry: application to the lateral dynamic behaviour of a RC multi-span viaduct
Authors: García-Macías Enrique , Ubertini Filippo
Published: August 2021

Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) is becoming a mature and widespread technique for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of engineering structures. Nonetheless, while proved effective for global damage assessment, OMA-based techniques can hardly detect local damage with little effect upon the modal signatures of the system. In this context, recent research studies advocate for the use of wave propagation methods as complementary to OMA to achieve local damage identification capabilities. Specifically, promising results have been reported when applied to building-like structures, although the application of Seismic Interferometry to other structural typologies remains unexplored. In this light, this work proposes for the first time in the literature the use of ambient noise deconvolution interferometry (ANDI) to the structural assessment of long bridge structures. The proposed approach is exemplified with an application case study of a multi-span reinforced-concrete (RC) viaduct: the Chiaravalle viaduct in Marche Region, Italy. To this aim, ambient vibration tests were performed on February 4

$$^{\text {th}}$$

th

and 7

$$^{\text {th}}$$

th

2020 to evaluate the lateral and longitudinal dynamic behaviour of the viaduct. The recorded ambient accelerations are exploited to identify the modal features and wave propagation properties of the viaduct by OMA and ANDI, respectively. Additionally, a numerical model of the bridge is constructed to interpret the experimentally identified waveforms, and used to illustrate the potentials of ANDI for the identification of local damage in the piers of the bridge. The presented results evidence that ANDI may offer features that are quite sensitive to damage in the bridge substructure, which are often hardly identifiable by OMA.
Mixing Worlds
Authors: Liang Jiafang
Published: August 2021

Overview

Spatial and shape data represented by 3D digital models have become a central component of our archaeological datasets. Immersive visual and audio interaction with these models offers an intuitive way to use these data. The mixing of the virtual with the real world suits archaeological work particularly well, and the technologies of augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) enable this type of interaction. Much past work on these technologies has involved public engagement, but they also hold the potential for valuable deployment directly in archaeological practice and research, especially the seamless integration offered by MR. This review examines the range of experiments archaeologists are currently undertaking with AR and MR, and it looks to the future applications of these technologies.
“Subtle, vicious effects”: Lillian Steele Proctor's Pioneering Investigation of Gifted African American Children in Washington, DC
Authors: Terzian Sevan G.
Published: August 2021

This essay examines the first detailed study of gifted African American youth: Lillian Steele Proctor's master's thesis from the late 1920s on Black children in Washington, DC. Unlike formative research on gifted children by educational psychologists, Proctor's investigation emphasized children's experiences at school, home, and community in determining their abilities, opportunities, and accomplishments. Proctor's work also anticipated African American intellectuals’ critiques of racist claims about intelligence and giftedness that would flourish in the 1930s. In focusing on the nation's capital, her investigation drew from a municipality with a high proportion of African American residents that was segregated by law. Proctor pointed directly to systemic racism as both contributing to the relative invisibility of gifted African American youth and in thwarting opportunities to realize their intellectual potential. In an environment of racial subordination and segregation, these gifted children found themselves excluded from cultural resources and educational opportunities.