bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical modeling of the interaction between reinforcement and concrete at early age—A comparison between glass fiber reinforced polymer and steel rebars
Authors: Sdiri Ahlem , Kammoun Slim , Daoud Atef
Published: August 2020

This study has been undertaken for the assessment of steel/glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforced concrete mechanical behavior at an early stage. We developed a numerical model to describe the hydration process by using a chemo‐thermo‐mechanical scheme in ABAQUS finite element software. Mechanical properties of early age concrete versus hydration degree were determined using De Shutter's laws. The thermal and the autogenous strains are numerically implanted. Mazars elastic model was used to describe the concrete cracking. In addition, experimental validation of the established numerical model was performed and compared to the available literature. These data are selected for both plain and steel reinforced early age high‐strength concrete (HSC). Moreover, two mechanical boundary conditions were taken into account in accordance with the numerical simulations. Thermal conditions were considered in isothermal (20°C) and semiadiabatic conditions. Steel rebars were substituted by the GFRP under the same reinforcement percentages and configurations. The Interface between the steel and the GFRP reinforcement, and HSC was considered a perfect surface condition. Numerical predictions of the GFRP reinforcement were compared to those of steel reinforcement. Our results prove that the GFRP rebars restrain the concrete strains more than steel rebars. The GFRP rebar postpones concrete cracking compared to steel reinforcements. Furthermore, the concrete stress in the GFRP reinforced element is lower than the concrete stress in the RC steel.
Research on technology of performance improvement of basic magnesium sulfate cement—BMS
Authors: Zeng Xiangchao , Yu Hongfa
Published: August 2020

Basic magnesium sulfate cement (BMS) is a new type of magnesium cementitious material, which has similar advantages with magnesium oxychloride cement, such as lightweight, fast setting, high strength, wear resistance, and is not easy to absorb the moisture. It can widely replace magnesium oxychloride cement in the field of building insulation materials. In addition, the BMS has 2.5 times the flexural strength of Portland cement of the same strength grade, and its durability and reinforcement protection performance is similar to Portland cement, which also has a good application prospect in the field of civil engineering. The preparation and hydration process of BMS is reviewed in this paper. The microstructure and properties of BMS, magnesium oxychloride cement and magnesium oxysulfate cement are comparatively analyzed. The effects of content and activity of α‐MgO in the magnesium materials, the type of blending solution, the α‐MgO/MgSO4 ratio, the type and dosage of chemical admixture on the microstructure and properties of BMS were clarified. This paper is helpful for the application of BMS in civil engineering.
Atomistic modeling of electrocatalysis: Are we there yet?
Authors: Abidi Nawras , Lim Kang Rui Garrick , Seh Zhi Wei , Steinmann Stephan N.
Published: August 2020

Electrified interfaces play a prime role in energy technologies, from batteries and capacitors to heterogeneous electrocatalysis. The atomistic understanding and modeling of these interfaces is challenging due to the structural complexity and the presence of the electrochemical potential. Including the potential explicitly in the quantum mechanical simulations is equivalent to simulating systems with a surface charge. For realistic relationships between the potential and the surface charge (i.e., the capacity), the solvent and counter charge need to be considered. The solvent and electrolyte description are limited by the computational power: either molecules or ions are included explicitly or implicit solvent and electrolyte descriptions are adopted. The first option is limited by the phase‐space sampling that is at least 10 times too small to reach convergence, while the second is missing a realistic structuring of the interface. Both approaches suffer from a lack of validation against directly comparable experimental data. Furthermore, the limitations of density functional theory in terms of accuracy are critical for these metal/liquid interfaces. Nevertheless, the atomistic insight in electrocatalytic interfaces allows insights with unprecedented details. The joint theoretical and experimental efforts to design non‐noble hydrogen evolution catalysts are discussed as an example for the success of theory to spur and accelerate experimental discoveries.

This article is categorized under:

Structure and Mechanism > Reaction Mechanisms and Catalysis

Electronic Structure Theory > Density Functional Theory
New Pathways into Creative Work?
Authors: Taylor Stephanie , Luckman Susan
Published: August 2020

The experience of aspiring creative workers contrasts sharply with Paul Willis’s classic account of entry to working life from almost half a century ago, in his book, Learning to labour (1977). Creative work entails intellectual rather than physical effort. Unlike secure mid-twentieth-century manufacturing jobs, creative employment tends to be precarious, badly paid and individualised, without either the support or constraints of a collective workplace culture. The long hours of creative work, the pressure to be flexible and mobile, and the high level of personal investment sit uneasily with the claims of workers’ partners and dependents. However, the emotional labour involved in creative work and the pressure to be continuously positive, disclaiming difficulties, may involve a similar denial of self to that described by Willis, despite the much celebrated association of creativity with self-actualisation or its appeal to middle-class aspirants. This concluding chapter considers the pathways that are implied in accounts of contemporary creative work. This chapter questions the promise in the aspirational creative discourses of higher education and creative workplaces, but also notes the agency of workers in negotiating the ups and downs of creative employment. Finally, it considers the significance of a worker viewpoint of a creative pathway.
Quantum maximin surfaces
Authors: Akers Chris , Engelhardt Netta , Penington Geoff , Usatyuk Mykhaylo
Published: August 2020

Abstract

We formulate a quantum generalization of maximin surfaces and show that a quantum maximin surface is identical to the minimal quantum extremal surface, introduced in the EW prescription. We discuss various subtleties and complications associated to a maximinimization of the bulk von Neumann entropy due to corners and unboundedness and present arguments that nonetheless a maximinimization of the UV-finite generalized entropy should be well-defined. We give the first general proof that the EW prescription satisfies entanglement wedge nesting and the strong subadditivity inequality. In addition, we apply the quantum maximin technology to prove that recently proposed generalizations of the EW prescription to nonholographic subsystems (including the so-called “quantum extremal islands”) also satisfy entanglement wedge nesting and strong subadditivity. Our results hold in the regime where backreaction of bulk quantum fields can be treated perturbatively in GNħ, but we emphasize that they are valid even when gradients of the bulk entropy are of the same order as variations in the area, a regime recently investigated in new models of black hole evaporation in AdS/CFT.
Variational linearization of pure traction problems in incompressible elasticity
Authors: Mainini Edoardo , Percivale Danilo
Published: August 2020

We consider pure traction problems, and we show that incompressible linearized elasticity can be obtained as variational limit of incompressible finite elasticity under suitable conditions on external loads.
Model-based assessment of the impact of driver-assist vehicles using kinetic theory
Authors: Piccoli Benedetto , Tosin Andrea , Zanella Mattia
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we consider a kinetic description of follow-the-leader traffic models, which we use to study the effect of vehicle-wise driver-assist control strategies at various scales, from that of the local traffic up to that of the macroscopic stream of vehicles. We provide theoretical evidence of the fact that some typical control strategies, such as the alignment of the speeds and the optimisation of the time headways, impact on the local traffic features (for instance, the speed and headway dispersion responsible for local traffic instabilities) but have virtually no effect on the observable macroscopic traffic trends (for instance, the flux/throughput of vehicles). This unobvious conclusion, which is in very nice agreement with recent field studies on autonomous vehicles, suggests that the kinetic approach may be a valid tool for an organic multiscale investigation and possibly the design of driver-assist algorithms.
Heterosis-associated genes confer high yield in super hybrid rice
Authors: Lin Tianzi , Zhou Cong , Chen Gaoming , Yu Jun , Wu Wei , Ge Yuwei , Liu Xiaolan , Li Jin , Jiang Xingzhou , Tang Weijie , Tian Yunlu , Zhao Zhigang , Zhu Chengsong , Wang Chunming , Wan Jianmin
Published: August 2020

Key message

Heterosis QTLs, including qSS7 and qHD8, with dominance effects were identified through GBS and large-scale phenotyping of CSSLs and hybrid F1 populations in a paddy field.

Heterosis has contributed immensely to agricultural production, but its genetic basis is unclear. We evaluated dominance effects by creating two hybrid populations: a B-homo set with a homozygous background and heterozygous chromosomal segments and a B-heter set with a heterozygous background and homozygous segments. This was achieved by crossing a set of 156 backcrossed-derived chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) with their recurrent parent (9311), the male parent of the first super-high-yield hybrid Liangyoupei9 (LYP9), and with the female parent (PA64s) of the hybrid. The CSSLs were subjected to a genotyping-by-sequencing analysis to develop a genetic map of segments introduced from the PA64s. We evaluated the heterotic effects on eight yield-related traits in the hybrid variety and F1 populations in large-scale field experiments over 2 years. Using a linkage map consisting of high-density SNPs, we identified heterosis-associated genes in LYP9. Five candidate genes contributed to the high yield of LYP9, with qSS7 and qHD8 repeatedly detected in both B-hybrid populations. The heterozygous segments harboring qSS7 and qHD8 showed dominance effects that contributed to the heterosis of yield components in the hybrid rice variety Liangyoupei9.
Studying in vitro metabolism of the first and second generation of antisense oligonucleotides with the use of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Kilanowska Anna , Nuckowski Łukasz , Studzińska Sylwia
Published: August 2020

The aim of the present investigation was the analysis and identification of antisense oligonucleotide metabolism products after incubation with human liver microsomes regarding four different oligonucleotide modifications. Separation and detection methods based on the use of liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry were developed for this purpose. Firstly, the optimization of mass spectrometer parameters was done to select those which ensure the highest possible sensitivity of oligonucleotide analysis. This step was conducted for two chromatographic modes—ion pair chromatography and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography—due to their common application in oligonucleotide analysis. Based on sensitivity results, ion pair chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was selected for the separation of model oligonucleotide mixtures in order to verify its selectivity for N-deleted metabolite separation. Next, the developed method was applied in the examination of oligonucleotides in vitro metabolism. First, wide optimization of incubation parameters was conducted including the concentration of the reaction buffer components. Obtained results indicated that both 3′-exonucleases and 5′-exonucleases contributed to the biotransformation of oligonucleotides. Moreover, it may be concluded that the number of metabolites depends on oligonucleotide modification and consequently its resistance to enzymatic attack. Thus, the number of the oligonucleotide metabolites decreased with the decrease of the resultant polarity of oligonucleotide caused by chemical modification.
Concepts in immuno-oncology: tackling B cell malignancies with CD19-directed bispecific T cell engager therapies
Authors: Viardot Andreas , Locatelli Franco , Stieglmaier Julia , Zaman Faraz , Jabbour Elias
Published: August 2020

The B cell surface antigen CD19 is a target for treating B cell malignancies, such as B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia and B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The BiTE® immuno-oncology platform includes blinatumomab, which is approved for relapsed/refractory B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia and B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia with minimal residual disease. Blinatumomab is also being evaluated in combination with other agents (tyrosine kinase inhibitors, checkpoint inhibitors, and chemotherapy) in various treatment settings, including frontline protocols. An extended half-life BiTE molecule is also under investigation. Patients receiving blinatumomab may experience cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity; however, these events may be less frequent and severe than in patients receiving other CD19-targeted immunotherapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy. We review BiTE technology for treating malignancies that express CD19, analyzing the benefits and limitations of this bispecific T cell engager platform from clinical experience with blinatumomab.
Structural colors with angle-insensitive optical properties generated by Morpho-inspired 2PP structures
Authors: Zyla Gordon , Kovalev Alexander , Gurevich Evgeny L. , Esen Cemal , Liu Ying , Lu Yongfeng , Gorb Stanislav , Ostendorf Andreas
Published: August 2020

This paper describes how two-photon polymerization was used to generate biomimetic nanostructures with angle-insensitive coloration inspired by the blue butterflies of Morpho. Less angle dependence was achieved by engineering the structures with a certain degree of disorder, which delimited them from classical photonic crystals. Variations in the processing parameters enabled the color hue to be controlled. In this context, blue, green, yellow, and brown structures were demonstrated. Reflection spectra of the structures were simulated and studied experimentally in a broad range of incident angles. Additionally, a molding technique was performed as a potential scale-up strategy. The application of such biomimetic structures is discussed.
More than a reposition tool: additional wire cerclage leads to increased load to failure in plate osteosynthesis for supracondylar femoral shaft fractures
Authors: Bliemel Christopher , Anrich Dan , Knauf Tom , Oberkircher Ludwig , Eschbach Daphne , Klasan Antonio , Debus Florian , Ruchholtz Steffen , Bäumlein Martin
Published: August 2020

Introduction

Surgical treatment of supracondylar femoral fractures can be challenging. An additional wire cerclage is a suggested way to facilitate fracture reduction prior to plate osteosynthesis. Denudation to the periosteum remains a problematic disadvantage of this procedure.

This study analyzed the effect of an additional wire cerclage on the load to failure in plate osteosynthesis of oblique supracondylar femoral shaft fractures.

Materials and methods

On eight pairs of non-osteoporotic human femora (mean age 74 years; range 57–95 years), an unstable AO/OTA 32-A2.3 fracture was established. All specimens were treated with a polyaxially locking plate. One femur of each pair was randomly selected to receive an additional fracture fixation with a wire cerclage. A servohydraulic testing machine was used to perform an incremental cyclic axial load with a load to the failure mode.

Results

Specimens stabilized with solely plate osteosynthesis failed at a mean load of 2450 N (95% CI: 1996–2904 N). In the group with an additional wire cerclage, load to failure was at a mean of 3100 N (95% CI: 2662–3538 N) (p = 0.018).

Compression deformation with shearing of the condyle region through cutting of screws out of the condylar bone was the most common reason for failure in both groups of specimens. Whereas axial stiffness was comparable between both groups (p = 0.208), plastic deformation of the osteosynthesis constructs differed significantly (p = 0.035).

Conclusions

An additional wire cerclage significantly increased the load to failure. Therefore, an additional cerclage represents more than just a repositioning aid. With appropriate fracture morphology, a cerclage can significantly improve the strength of the osteosynthesis.
Incidence and severity of electric scooter related injuries after introduction of an urban rental programme in Vienna: a retrospective multicentre study
Authors: Moftakhar Timon , Wanzel Michael , Vojcsik Alexander , Kralinger Franz , Mousavi Mehdi , Hajdu Stefan , Aldrian Silke , Starlinger Julia
Published: August 2020

Purpose

Electric scooters (e-scooters) are an emerging way of mobility in cities around the world. Despite quickly rising numbers of e-scooters, limited studies report on incidence and severity of e-scooter-associated injuries. The aim of our study was to report on these injuries and identify potential protective measures to ultimately decrease e-scooter-associated morbidity.

Methods

We performed a retrospective multicentre study including all patients, who were admitted to three major trauma departments in Vienna from May 2018 to September 2019. We analysed patients’ data, including demographics, injury pattern, types of injury and subsequent treatment.

Results

A total number of 175 patients (115 males, 60 females) sustained e-scooter-associated injuries. Patients’ mean age was 34.4 years [4–74]. While the mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 3.4, 11 patients presented with an ISS ≥ 9 and 2 patients with an ISS ≥ 16. ISS increased with age. Older patients (≥ 40 years) presented a significantly higher ISS than younger patients (< 40 years) (P = 0.011). Seventy-one patients (40.6%) sustained major injuries affecting head (35.2%) and upper extremities (36.6%). Twenty-three patients (13.1%) required surgery leading to hospitalization of 11 days on average [1–115]. E-scooter-associated injuries increased during late afternoon plateauing at 8.00 pm. However, the largest share of patients (39.2%) sustained their injuries during early night (8.00 pm to 1.59 am) with especially young adults (19–39 years) being at risk.

Conclusion

The popularity of rideshare e-scooters across cities worldwide seems to be on the rise, so are e-scooter-associated injuries. These injuries should be considered high-energy trauma affecting primarily head and upper extremity; indeed, 17.7% sustained major head injuries. Therefore, the mandatory use of a helmet seems to be adequate to decrease head injury-associated morbidity. Ultimately, given the remarkably high rates of nighttime injuries, an e-scooter ban during night could further cut injury numbers in half.
Comparative efficacy of first-line therapeutic interventions for achalasia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Facciorusso Antonio , Singh Siddharth , Abbas Fehmi Syed M. , Annese Vito , Lipham John , Yadlapati Rena
Published: August 2020

Background

Several interventions with variable efficacy are available as first-line therapy for patients with achalasia. We assessed the comparative efficacy of different strategies for management of achalasia, through a network meta-analysis combining direct and indirect treatment comparisons.

Methods

We identified six randomized controlled trials in adults with achalasia that compared the efficacy of pneumatic dilation (PD; n = 260), laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM; n = 309), and peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM; n = 176). Primary efficacy outcome was 1-year treatment success (patient-reported improvement in symptoms based on validated scores); secondary efficacy outcomes were 2-year treatment success and physiologic improvement; safety outcomes were risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), severe erosive esophagitis, and procedure-related serious adverse events. We performed pairwise and network meta-analysis for all treatments, and used GRADE criteria to appraise quality of evidence.

Results

Low-quality evidence, based primarily on direct evidence, supports the use of POEM (RR [risk ratio], 1.29; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 0.99–1.69), and LHM (RR, 1.18 [0.96–1.44]) over PD for treatment success at 1 year; no significant difference was observed between LHM and POEM (RR 1.09 [0.86–1.39]). The incidence of severe esophagitis after POEM, LHM, and PD was 5.3%, 3.7%, and 1.5%, respectively. Procedure-related serious adverse event rate after POEM, LHM, and PD was 1.4%, 6.7%, and 4.2%, respectively.

Conclusions

POEM and LHM have comparable efficacy, and may increase treatment success as compared to PD with low confidence in estimates. POEM may have lower rate of serious adverse events compared to LHM and PD, but higher rate of GERD.
Paradoxical home temperatures during cold weather: a proof-of-concept study
Authors: Ryti Niilo R. I. , Korpelainen Anton , Seppänen Olli , Jaakkola Jouni J. K.
Published: August 2020

There is substantial epidemiological evidence on the associations between cold weather and adverse health effects. Meteorological alarm systems are being developed globally, and generalized protective advice is given to the public based on outdoor exposure parameters. It is not clear how these shared outdoor exposure parameters relate to the individual-level thermal exposure indoors, where the majority of time is spent. We hypothesized a priori that there are opposite correlations between indoor and outdoor temperatures in residential apartments. Apartments were classified into 3 categories according to their response to declining outdoor temperature: under-controlled apartments cool down, controlled apartments maintain constant indoor temperature level, and over-controlled apartments warm up. Outdoor and indoor temperatures were measured in 30-min intervals in 417 residential apartments in 14 buildings in Kotka, Finland, between February and April 2018 with outdoor temperatures ranging from − 20.4 °C to + 14.0 °C. Different apartment types were present in all buildings. Floor and orientation did not explain the divergence. Indoor temperatures below the limit value + 20 °C by building code occurred in 26.2%, 7.9%, and 23.6% of the under-controlled, controlled, and over-controlled apartments, some in conjunction with increasing outdoor temperatures. Indoor temperatures above the limit + 25 °C occurred but were more rare. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that while the home environment may be a source of thermal stress during cold weather, generalized advice for adjusting the heating may lead to paradoxical exposures in some cases. More elaborate conceptualizations of everyday thermal exposures are needed to safely reduce weather-related health risks using shared meteorological alarm systems.
Oral health-related impact profile of patients treated with fixed, removable, and telescopic dental prostheses in student courses—a prospective bicenter clinical trial
Authors: Liebermann Anja , Erdelt K. , Lente I. , Edelhoff D. , Schmitter M. , Winter A.
Published: August 2020

Objectives

To analyze the oral health-related impact profile in patients treated with three different types of dental prosthesis in student courses.

Materials and Methods

This prospective bicenter clinical trial was conducted with 151 patients being treated with fixed (n = 70), removable (n = 61), or telescopic dental prostheses (n = 20) in clinical student courses of two German universities from October 2018 to October 2019. All patients completed three standardized German versions of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-G49/53) before prosthetic treatment (T0), at control after 1 week (T1), and after 3 months (T2), divided into five dimensions: (a) appearance, (b) oral function, (c) psychosocial impact, (d) linguistic limitations, and (e) orofacial pain. Data were analyzed with Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Wilcoxon signed-rank, Kruskal–Wallis, Mann–Whitney, and Cronbach’s alpha tests.

Results

Within T0–T1 and T0–T2, greater improvements were determined for removable compared with fixed dental prostheses for the dimensions’ oral function (p ≤ 0.014), linguistic limitations (p ≤ 0.016), and appearance (p ≤ 0.003). No significant differences were found between fixed and telescopic dental prostheses (p ≥ 0.104) or between removable (partial dental prosthesis with clasps and complete dental prosthesis) and telescopic dental prostheses (p ≥ 0.100). Within T1–T2, a significant improvement in orofacial pain could be determined (p = 0.007).

Conclusions

Restorations presented an improvement in oral health-related quality of life. Removable dental prostheses showed better improvement than fixed ones in various dimensions.

Clinical relevance

Knowledge about the influence of oral health-related quality of life on the three different types of prosthesis used in student courses can be of decisive help in dental consultations.
Developmental Course and Risk Factors of Physical Aggression in Late Adolescence
Authors: Henriksen Marit , Skrove Marit , Hoftun Gry Børmark , Sund Erik R. , Lydersen Stian , Tseng Wan-Ling , Sukhodolsky Denis G.
Published: August 2020

This study examined risk factors of physical aggression during transition from early to late adolescence using a two-wave longitudinal study. Specifically, we examined if risk factors in early adolescence predict physically aggressive behavior starting in late adolescence and why some adolescents desist physical aggressive behavior while others do not. The study sample consisted of 2289 Norwegian adolescents (1235 girls) who participated in the Young-HUNT1 study (mean age 14.5) and the follow-up study 4 years later, Young-HUNT2 study (mean age 18.4). One in six young adolescents reported engaging in physical fights. Moreover, physical aggression in early adolescence was significantly associated with male gender, attention problems, academic problems, being bullied, drinking alcohol, and smoking. Male gender and heavy drinking during early adolescence increased the risk for newly emerging aggressive behavior in late adolescence, whereas heavy drinking during early adolescence was a predictor for persistent versus desisting aggressive behavior in late adolescence.
A statistical analysis of time trends in atmospheric ethane
Authors: Friedrich Marina , Beutner Eric , Reuvers Hanno , Smeekes Stephan , Urbain Jean-Pierre , Bader Whitney , Franco Bruno , Lejeune Bernard , Mahieu Emmanuel
Published: August 2020

Ethane is the most abundant non-methane hydrocarbon in the Earth’s atmosphere and an important precursor of tropospheric ozone through various chemical pathways. Ethane is also an indirect greenhouse gas (global warming potential), influencing the atmospheric lifetime of methane through the consumption of the hydroxyl radical (OH). Understanding the development of trends and identifying trend reversals in atmospheric ethane is therefore crucial. Our dataset consists of four series of daily ethane columns. As with many other decadal time series, our data are characterized by autocorrelation, heteroskedasticity, and seasonal effects. Additionally, missing observations due to instrument failure or unfavorable measurement conditions are common in such series. The goal of this paper is therefore to analyze trends in atmospheric ethane with statistical tools that correctly address these data features. We present selected methods designed for the analysis of time trends and trend reversals. We consider bootstrap inference on broken linear trends and smoothly varying nonlinear trends. In particular, for the broken trend model, we propose a bootstrap method for inference on the break location and the corresponding changes in slope. For the smooth trend model, we construct simultaneous confidence bands around the nonparametrically estimated trend. Our autoregressive wild bootstrap approach, combined with a seasonal filter, is able to handle all issues mentioned above (we provide R code for all proposed methods on https://www.stephansmeekes.nl/code.).
The Victim as Policy Agent? Exploring a Single Case from Denmark
Authors: Asmussen Ida Helene , Adrian Lin , Holmberg Lars , Johansen Louise Victoria
Published: August 2020

Criminal policy processes often appear abstract and illusive, but sometimes a single criminal incident causes traceable policy impact. This article is about such an incident. A victim of a grave, violent assault published an opinion piece in a national newspaper, which sparked considerable public debate and policy actions. Some policy actions were new, and others had previously been proposed but repeatedly discarded. Based on an empirical study of the victim’s opinion piece, the ensuing media debate, and subsequent policy actions, we explore why and how certain victim’s stories capture their audience and strike a responsive chord in the public and in politicians. In the article, we analyze how the victim presents the incident as a narrative, and we identify the central features of the media debate and trace its visible impact on victim policies and legislation. We explore how some elements of the story are silenced in the political aftermath and how other elements serve as capital for politicians in pursuing their own agendas. A closer look at the policy changes in the wake of this opinion piece reveals that the story legitimizes certain political decisions and ignores victims’ desire for structural changes. Our study adds to research of “political agenda setting” by investigating the narrative power of an individual case on policy-making and by exhibiting the complex interplay between an individual story, media attention, and policy-making.
Data extraction for epidemiological research (DExtER): a novel tool for automated clinical epidemiology studies
Authors: Gokhale Krishna Margadhamane , Chandan Joht Singh , Toulis Konstantinos , Gkoutos Georgios , Tino Peter , Nirantharakumar Krishnarajah
Published: August 2020

The use of primary care electronic health records for research is abundant. The benefits gained from utilising such records lies in their size, longitudinal data collection and data quality. However, the use of such data to undertake high quality epidemiological studies, can lead to significant challenges particularly in dealing with misclassification, variation in coding and the significant effort required to pre-process the data in a meaningful format for statistical analysis. In this paper, we describe a methodology to aid with the extraction and processing of such databases, delivered by a novel software programme; the “Data extraction for epidemiological research” (DExtER). The basis of DExtER relies on principles of extract, transform and load processes. The tool initially provides the ability for the healthcare dataset to be extracted, then transformed in a format whereby data is normalised, converted and reformatted. DExtER has a user interface designed to obtain data extracts specific to each research question and observational study design. There are facilities to input the requirements for; eligible study period, definition of exposed and unexposed groups, outcome measures and important baseline covariates. To date the tool has been utilised and validated in a multitude of settings. There have been over 35 peer-reviewed publications using the tool, and DExtER has been implemented as a validated public health surveillance tool for obtaining accurate statistics on epidemiology of key morbidities. Future direction of this work will be the application of the framework to linked as well as international datasets and the development of standardised methods for conducting electronic pre-processing and extraction from datasets for research purposes.
Soziale Arbeit in Neuland
Authors: Weber Sascha
Published: August 2020

Der Beitrag skizziert anhand der Beispiele Aufmerksamkeitsökonomie und Proprietarität, dass die Digitalisierung in ihren gesellschaftlichen Auswirkungen mit der Industrialisierung vergleichbar sein könnte. Daraus folgen soziale und politische Herausforderungen an die Soziale Arbeit und die Frage nach ihrem Mandat im virtuellen Raum.
AERODROM security climate: development and validation of the aerodrome security climate questionnaire (ADSECQ)
Authors: Pousette Anders , Matuszczyk Josefa Vega , Björk Kenneth , Törner Marianne
Published: August 2020

Large numbers of passengers and large amounts of goods are transported by air every year. This attracts the interest of terrorists, which poses high demands on aerodrome security. Technological solutions, and rules and regulations, have been widely implemented to detect security threats, but there is also a need for leading security indicators. Safety culture and climate have been identified as such leading indicators. The aim of this study was to develop and test a questionnaire instrument to measure aerodrome security climate. The development contained an expert focus group, expert panel, two pilot tests at four and five airports, respectively, and one full-scale study at nine Swedish commercial airports. The final instrument comprised 12 dimensions grounded in previous safety culture and climate research, and targeting three organizational levels. It had good psychometric properties and was validated against compliant as well as participative security behavior. We believe ADSECQ is suitable to evaluate the aerodrome security climate standard, pinpoint security climate areas for improvement, and evaluate the effect of interventions.
The worldwide physical height datum project
Authors: Barzaghi Riccardo , De Gaetani Carlo Iapige , Betti Barbara
Published: August 2020

The definition of a common global vertical coordinate system is nowadays one of the key points in Geodesy. With the advent of GNSS, a coherent global height has been made available to users. The ellipsoidal height can be obtained with respect to a given geocentric ellipsoid in a fast and precise way using GNSS techniques. On the other hand, the traditional orthometric height is not coherent at global scale. Spirit levelling allows the estimation of height increments so that orthometric heights of surveyed points can be obtained starting from a benchmark of known orthometric heights. As it is well known, this vertical coordinate refers to the geoid, which is assumed to be coincident to the mean sea level. By means of a tide gauge, the mean sea level is estimated and thus a point of known orthometric height is defined. This assumption, which was acceptable in the past, became obsolete given the level of precision which is now required. Based on the altimetry observation, one can precisely quantify the existing discrepancy between geoid and mean sea level that can amount to 1 ÷ 2 m at global scale. Therefore, different tide gauges provide biased estimates of the geoid, given the discrepancy between this equipotential surface and the mean sea level. Also, in the last years, another vertical coordinate was used, the normal height that was introduced in the context of the Molodensky theory. In this paper, a review of the existing different height systems is given and the relationships among them are revised. Furthermore, an approach for unifying normal height referring to different tide gauges is presented and applied to the Italian test case. Finally, a method for defining a physical height system that is globally coherent is discussed in the context of the definition of the International Height Reference System/Frame, a project supported by the Global Geodetic Observing System of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG). This project was established in 2015 during the XXVI IAG General Assembly in Prague as described in IAG Resolution no. 1 that was presented and adopted there.
Decentralized spectrum learning for radio collision mitigation in ultra-dense IoT networks: LoRaWAN case study and experiments
Authors: Moy Christophe , Besson Lilian , Delbarre Guillaume , Toutain Laurent
Published: August 2020

This paper describes the theoretical principles and experimental results of reinforcement learning algorithms embedded into IoT devices (Internet of Things), in order to tackle the problem of radio collision mitigation in ISM unlicensed bands. Multi-armed bandit (MAB) learning algorithms are used here to improve both the IoT network capability to support the expected massive number of objects and the energetic autonomy of the IoT devices. We first illustrate the efficiency of the proposed approach in a proof-of-concept, based on USRP software radio platforms operating on real radio signals. It shows how collisions with other RF signals are diminished for IoT devices that use MAB learning. Then we describe the first implementation of such algorithms on LoRa devices operating in a real LoRaWAN network at 868 MHz. We named this solution IoTligent. IoTligent does not add neither processing overhead, so it can be run into the IoT devices, nor network overhead, so that it requires no change to LoRaWAN protocol. Real-life experiments done in a real LoRa network show that IoTligent devices’ battery life can be extended by a factor of 2, in the scenarios we faced during our experiment. Finally we submit IoTligent devices to very constrained conditions that are expected in the future with the growing number of IoT devices, by generating an artificial IoT massive radio traffic in anechoic chamber. We show that IoTligent devices can cope with spectrum scarcity that will occur at that time in unlicensed bands.
Placodont remains (Sauropsida, Sauropterygia) from the Triassic of Hungary (Transdanubian Range and Villány Mountains)
Authors: Gere Kinga , Scheyer Torsten M. , Makádi László , Ősi Attila
Published: August 2020

New placodont remains from the Triassic of Hungary are described here. They come from two different tectonic units: the Transdanubian Range Unit representing Alpine type sedimentary basins and the Villány-Bihar Unit that was part of the southern passive margin of the European Plate during the Triassic. The fossils came from four stratigraphic levels with the oldest specimen, a maxilla fragment found in the upper Anisian of Forrás Hill, near Felsőörs (Transdanubian Range). Based on dental morphology, the specimen is referred to here as Paraplacodus broilii. This site is similar in age to the Monte San Giorgio (Switzerland and Italy) locality. A Carnian occurrence of placodonts from this tectonical unit is a dentary fragment and two isolated teeth referred to here as Placochelys placodonta. The youngest specimen from this unit is a placochelyid tooth fragment from the Rhaetian of the Keszthely Mountains (Transdanubian Range). The richest assemblage of new placodont remains is from the Ladinian of the Villány Mountains, southern Hungary. Cranial elements are referred to here as Cyamodus sp. Teeth from this site are similar to that of Cyamodus sp. described from Slovenia, and both assemblages are among the last occurrences of the genus in the European Triassic. The Villány site is considered as a gap locality because of the rarity of Ladinian placodont occurrences in the German-Alpine sedimentary basins.
Effect of Sodium Chloride, Sodium Nitrite and Sodium Nitrate on the Infectivity of Hepatitis E Virus
Authors: Wolff Alexander , Günther Taras , Albert Thiemo , Johne Reimar
Published: August 2020

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection can cause acute and chronic hepatitis in humans. The zoonotic HEV genotype 3, which is highly prevalent in Europe, is mainly transmitted by consumption of raw meat and raw meat products produced from infected pigs or wild boars. High salt concentrations represent an important measure to preserve meat products and to inactivate foodborne pathogens. Here, an HEV preparation in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) was subjected to different salt concentrations and the remaining infectivity was measured in a cell culture assay. Treatments with up to 20% sodium chloride for 24 h at 23 °C, with and without addition of 0.015% sodium nitrite or 0.03% sodium nitrate, did not lead to virus inactivation as compared to PBS only. Conditions usually applied for short-term and long-term fermented raw sausages were simulated by incubation at 22 °C for up to 6 days and at 16 °C for up to 8 weeks, respectively. Only 2% sodium chloride with 0.015% sodium nitrite showed a weak (< 1 log10), but significant, infectivity reduction after 2 and 4 days as compared to PBS only. Addition of 2% sodium chloride and 0.03% sodium nitrate showed a slight, but not significant, decrease in infectivity after 2 and 8 weeks as compared to PBS only. In conclusion, HEV is highly stable at high salt concentrations and at salt conditions usually applied to preserve raw meat products.
Utilizing a new eco-friendly drilling mud additive generated from wastes to minimize the use of the conventional chemical additives
Authors: Al-Hameedi Abo Taleb T. , Alkinani Husam H. , Alkhamis Mohammed M. , Dunn-Norman Shari
Published: August 2020

The cost of the drilling operation is very high. Drilling fluid presents 15 to 30% of the entire expense of the drilling process. Ordinarily, the major drilling fluids additives are viscosity modifiers, filtration control agents, and partial loss treatments. In this experimental work, full-set measurements under fresh and aged conditions, as well as high-temperature and high-pressure (HTHP) API filtration, were conducted to study the impacts of adding 0.5%, 1.5%, 2.5%, and 3.5% of black sunflower seeds’ shell powder (BSSSP) to spud mud. BSSSP of various grain sizes showed their ability to be invested for viscosity modifying, seepage loss controlling, and partial loss remediation. In addition to BSSSP eminent efficiency to be used as a multifunctional additive, the BSSSP is cheap, locally obtainable in commercial quantities, environmentally friendly additive and easy to grind into various desired grain sizes. Besides its outstanding strength to behave under conditions up to 30 h aged time and under 50 °C (122 °F) temperature, the utilization of powdered waste black sunflower shells in the drilling process and other industrial applications can reduce the effects of food waste on the environment and the personnel safety. To sum it up, experimental findings revealed that BSSSP can be used for multiple applications as a novel fibrous and particulate additive. The results elucidated BSSSP suitability in substituting or at least minimizing some of the traditional chemical materials utilized in the petroleum industry such as salt clay, polymers, and lost circulation materials (LCM).
Sixty-seven years of the Nash program: time for retirement?
Authors: Serrano Roberto
Published: August 2020

The Nash program is an important research agenda initiated in Nash (Econometrica 21:128–140, 1953) in order to bridge the gap between the noncooperative and cooperative counterparts of game theory. The program is thus turning sixty-seven years old, but I will argue it is not ready for retirement, as it is full of energy and one can still propose important directions to be explored. This paper completes and updates previous surveys, and suggests several directions for future research.
Synchronous robotic right hemicolectomy and subtotal gastrectomy
Authors: Carbone Fabio , Pace Ugo , Albino Vittorio , Leongito Maddalena , Delrio Paolo
Published: August 2020

About 4% of patients with stomach cancer diagnosis have synchronous colorectal cancer and some of these patients may require a synchronous surgical resection. So far, only few minimally invasive series of synchronous resections have been described. We investigated the feasibility and safety of the synchronous robotic resection of the right colon and stomach malignancies, trying to identify a standardised and reproducible technique. It is essential to carefully plan the operation and the trocars positioning to minimise the number of robotic dockings and be able to operate comfortably. Herein, we describe our approach, which is safe and effective in terms of minimal invasiveness and oncological radicality. Robotic surgery could be used with even more advantage in complex multi-organ resections, providing the surgeon with a better vision, a more accurate dissection and longer instruments, to offer the patient all the benefits of a minimal invasive surgery.
Measurement of the air-to-fuel ratio inside a passive pre-chamber of a fired spark-ignition engine
Authors: Wippermann Nicolas , Thiele Olaf , Toedter Olaf , Koch Thomas
Published: August 2020

This paper investigates the local air-to-fuel ratio measurement within the pre-chamber of a spark-ignition engine by determining the absorption of light from hydrocarbons using an infrared sensor. The measurement was performed during fired and motored engine operation points and compared to the more common exhaust lambda measurements. The experiment provided data to compare the mixture preparation in a hot and cold environment of pre-chamber and main combustion chamber. The experiment also gives an indication regarding the possible use of a pre-chamber sensor in a motored engine at higher boost pressures and fuel mass flows, operation points that would overheat the sensor in a fired engine. The work also includes the analysis of the fuel delivery into the pre-chamber of a direct and indirect injection engine. Furthermore, pressure and temperature measurement within the pre-chamber provides information about the critical sensor environment and helps to understand the gas exchange between the two volumes.
Using machine learning to predict links and improve Steiner tree solutions to team formation problems - a cross company study
Authors: Keane Peter , Ghaffar Faisal , Malone David
Published: August 2020

The team formation problem has existed for many years in various guises. One important challenge in the team formation problem is to produce small teams that have a required set of skills. We propose a framework that incorporates machine learning to augment a collaboration graph with latent links between collaborators. This is combined with the solution of Steiner tree problems to form small teams that cover a specified set of tasks. Our framework not only considers the size of the team but also the likelihood that team members are going to collaborate with each other. We demonstrate our results using data from the US Patent office covering two different companies’ inventor networks. The results show that this technique can reduce the size of suggested teams.
Marine Robots for Underwater Surveillance
Authors: Terracciano D.S. , Bazzarello L. , Caiti A. , Costanzi R. , Manzari V.
Published: August 2020

Purpose of Review

The paper reviews the role of marine robots, in particular unmanned vehicles, in underwater surveillance, i.e. the control and monitoring of an area of competence aimed at identifying potential threats in support of homeland defence, antiterrorism, force protection and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD).

Recent Findings

The paper explores separately robotic missions for identification and classification of threats lying on the seabed (e.g. EOD) and anti-intrusion robotic systems. The current main scientific challenge is identified in terms of enhancing autonomy and team/swarm mission capabilities by improving interoperability among robotic vehicles and providing communication networking capabilities, a non-trivial task, giving the severe limitations in bandwidth and latency of acoustic underwater messaging.

The work is intended to be a critical guide to the recent prolific bibliography on the topic, providing pointers to the main recent advancements in the field, and to give also a set of references in terms of mission and stakeholders’ requirements (port authorities, coastal guards, navies).