bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Costs and benefits of interventions aimed at major infectious disease threats: lessons from the literature
Authors: Kellerborg Klas , Brouwer Werner , van Baal Pieter
Published: August 2020

Pandemics and major outbreaks have the potential to cause large health losses and major economic costs. To prioritize between preventive and responsive interventions, it is important to understand the costs and health losses interventions may prevent. We review the literature, investigating the type of studies performed, the costs and benefits included, and the methods employed against perceived major outbreak threats. We searched PubMed and SCOPUS for studies concerning the outbreaks of SARS in 2003, H5N1 in 2003, H1N1 in 2009, Cholera in Haiti in 2010, MERS-CoV in 2013, H7N9 in 2013, and Ebola in West-Africa in 2014. We screened titles and abstracts of papers, and subsequently examined remaining full-text papers. Data were extracted according to a pre-constructed protocol. We included 34 studies of which the majority evaluated interventions related to the H1N1 outbreak in a high-income setting. Most interventions concerned pharmaceuticals. Included costs and benefits, as well as the methods applied, varied substantially between studies. Most studies used a short time horizon and did not include future costs and benefits. We found substantial variation in the included elements and methods used. Policymakers need to be aware of this and the bias toward high-income countries and pharmaceutical interventions, which hampers generalizability. More standardization of included elements, methodology, and reporting would improve economic evaluations and their usefulness for policy.
Computing technical capacities in the European entry-exit gas market is NP-hard
Authors: Schewe Lars , Schmidt Martin , Thürauf Johannes
Published: August 2020

As a result of its liberalization, the European gas market is organized as an entry-exit system in order to decouple the trading and transport of natural gas. Roughly summarized, the gas market organization consists of four subsequent stages. First, the transmission system operator (TSO) is obliged to allocate so-called maximal technical capacities for the nodes of the network. Second, the TSO and the gas traders sign mid- to long-term capacity-right contracts, where the capacity is bounded above by the allocated technical capacities. These contracts are called bookings. Third, on a day-ahead basis, gas traders can nominate the amount of gas that they inject or withdraw from the network at entry and exit nodes, where the nominated amount is bounded above by the respective booking. Fourth and finally, the TSO has to operate the network such that the nominated amounts of gas can be transported. By signing the booking contract, the TSO guarantees that all possibly resulting nominations can indeed be transported. Consequently, maximal technical capacities have to satisfy that all nominations that comply with these technical capacities can be transported through the network. This leads to a highly challenging mathematical optimization problem. We consider the specific instantiations of this problem in which we assume capacitated linear as well as potential-based flow models. In this contribution, we formally introduce the problem of () and prove that it is -complete on trees and -hard in general. To this end, we first reduce the problem to for the case of capacitated linear flows in trees. Afterward, we extend this result to with potential-based flows and show that this problem is also -complete on trees by reducing it to the case of capacitated linear flow. Since the hardness results are obtained for the easiest case, i.e., on tree-shaped networks with capacitated linear as well as potential-based flows, this implies the hardness of for more general graph classes.
Comparison of 3D and 2D late gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging in patients with acute and chronic myocarditis
Authors: Polacin M. , Kapos I. , Gastl M. , Blüthgen C. , Karolyi M. , von Spiczak J. , Eberhard M. , Baessler B. , Alkadhi H. , Kozerke S. , Manka R.
Published: August 2020

We compared a fast, single breath-hold three dimensional LGE sequence (3D LGE) with an established two dimensional multi breath-hold sequence (2D LGE) and evaluated image quality and the amount of myocardial fibrosis in patients with acute and chronic myocarditis. 3D LGE and 2D LGE (both spatial resolution 1.5 × 1.5 mm2, slice-thickness 8 mm, field of view 350 × 350 mm2) were acquired in 25 patients with acute myocarditis (mean age 40 ± 18 years, 7 female) and 27 patients with chronic myocarditis (mean age 44 ± 22 years, 9 female) on a 1.5 T MR system. Image quality was evaluated by two independent, blinded readers using a 5-point Likert scale. Total myocardial mass, fibrotic mass and total fibrotic tissue percentage were quantified for both sequences in both groups. There was no significant difference in image quality between 3D und 2D acquisitions in patients with acute (p = 0.8) and chronic (p = 0.5) myocarditis. No significant differences between 3D and 2D acquisitions could be shown for myocardial mass (acute p = 0.2; chronic p = 0.3), fibrous tissue mass (acute p = 0.7; chronic p = 0.1) and total fibrous percentage (acute p = 0.4 and chronic p = 0.2). Inter-observer agreement was substantial to almost perfect. Acquisition time was significantly shorter for 3D LGE (24 ± 5 s) as compared to 2D LGE (350 ± 58 s, p < 0.001). In patients with acute and chronic myocarditis 3D LGE imaging shows equal diagnostic quality compared to standard 2D LGE imaging but with significantly reduced acquisition time.
Multimodal machine translation through visuals and speech
Authors: Sulubacak Umut , Caglayan Ozan , Grönroos Stig-Arne , Rouhe Aku , Elliott Desmond , Specia Lucia , Tiedemann Jörg
Published: August 2020

Multimodal machine translation involves drawing information from more than one modality, based on the assumption that the additional modalities will contain useful alternative views of the input data. The most prominent tasks in this area are spoken language translation, image-guided translation, and video-guided translation, which exploit audio and visual modalities, respectively. These tasks are distinguished from their monolingual counterparts of speech recognition, image captioning, and video captioning by the requirement of models to generate outputs in a different language. This survey reviews the major data resources for these tasks, the evaluation campaigns concentrated around them, the state of the art in end-to-end and pipeline approaches, and also the challenges in performance evaluation. The paper concludes with a discussion of directions for future research in these areas: the need for more expansive and challenging datasets, for targeted evaluations of model performance, and for multimodality in both the input and output space.
Diagnosing Insensitivity to Scope in Contingent Valuation
Authors: Lopes Ana Faria , Kipperberg Gorm
Published: August 2020

Sensitivity to scope is considered a desirable property of contingent valuation studies and often treated as a necessary condition for validity. We first provide an overview of scope insensitivity explanations put forth in the environmental valuation literature. Then we analyze data from a contingent valuation survey eliciting willingness-to-pay to prevent oil spills of four different magnitudes in Arctic Norway. In the baseline analysis, the scope inference is ambiguous. There is only statistical difference in willingness to pay to avoid a very large versus small oil spill (NOK 1869 and NOK 1086, respectively). However, further explorations show that several confounding factors suggested in the literature influence the scope inference. The scope sensitivity improves when we control for subjective probabilities of amenity provision, exclude respondents based on the debriefing questions, take into consideration the sample sizes, and impose diminishing marginal utility. Overall, the analysis supports an emerging view in the contingent valuation literature suggesting that statistical scope insensitivity is not a sufficient reason for deeming a study invalid.
Evaluation of “Healthy Way to Grow”: An Obesity Prevention Program in Early Care and Education Centers
Authors: Ramos Manica F. , Weber Jennifer , Thompson Joy A. , Werk Lloyd , Shuell Julie , Woods Kenza , Bamdad Tiffany
Published: August 2020

The aim of this study was to test a training and technical assistance program in early care and education (ECE) center-based programs focused on obesity prevention – Healthy Way to Grow (HWTG). After completing a self-assessment, ECE programs develop actionable policies to improve the wellness environment. Then, they receive individualized one-on-one support from a local, trained Child Care Specialist to develop, implement, and monitor policies. Three hundred and sixty ECE programs participated in HWTG for at least one year. Center-level outcomes were examined pre- and post-intervention, including the number of policies, wellness educational opportunities offered (to staff, families, and children), and monitoring wellness practices. A subset of centers was followed for five years to determine if the program results were sustained over time. Study findings revealed that after participating in HWTG for one year, centers developed more policies, provided more educational opportunities, and more frequently monitored wellness practices at ECE centers. Even with reduced training and technical assistance in years two through five of the program, centers were able to maintain gains in improvements to wellness environments. These findings provide evidence for the effectiveness of the HWTG wellness program and offer insights into how to support ECE programs to improve wellness environments.
Insight: The Key to Faster Progress in Science
Authors: East Robert , Ang Lawrence
Published: August 2020

In scientific work we rightly attach great importance to the testing of predictions from theoretical ideas. We should also attach great importance to the generation of those ideas since these are necessary precursors to advancement in science. Insight plays a substantial role in the generation of ideas and is correspondingly important. It seems that insights are difficult to form and often delayed. We should study how constraints on insight can be reduced and whether the customary objectives in science give enough weight to procedures that may generate insights. This paper offers some suggestions on how to achieve this (We previously published a paper arguing that new ideas are important in any discipline and that some disciplines, such as medicine and psychology, were over-emphasising the testing of ideas, usually by experiment, and needed to look to methods that generated more new ideas than experiments (East and Ang in Aust Mark J, 25(4):334–340, 2017). That way, there would be more to test. Subsequently, we thought that the paper could have spent more time on the circumstances underpinning insight and this paper is the outcome of that thinking).
Determinants of small-scale farmers’ choice and adaptive strategies in response to climatic shocks in Vhembe District, South Africa
Authors: Kom Zongho , Nethengwe N. S. , Mpandeli N. S. , Chikoore H.
Published: August 2020

Climate change is one of the multiple challenges facing all categories of farmers globally. However, African farmers are the most sensitive in respect of climate variability and change. Climate change impacted negatively on crop production and the livelihoods of the local farmers. In black township South Africa, agricultural activities are highly dominated by small-scale farmers, whose farming system is highly vulnerable to changes in climate. This paper presents the analysis of how small-scale farmers employed adaptation strategies in response to climate change and determinants of small-scale households’ choices of coping and adaptation approach to climate variability and change in Vhembe District, South Africa. Multi nominal logit model was used on a surveyed of 224 local farmers. Farmers’ socio-economic attributes, was used in response to climate changes and further, households have adaptation strategies both on-farm and off-farm approach. Such approaches were; drought-tolerant seeds, shorter cycle crops, diversification of crops, changing planting dates, small-scale irrigation, migrating to urban areas and involvement in petty business. The results of the findings reveals that the significant drivers affecting choice of adaptation approach include climate information, gender, farm size, education level, farmer experience, decreasing rainfall and increases in temperature as farmers’ determinant choices of adaptation to climate change. While, on the other hand, off-farm resources, headed households and age had no significant impact on the choice of coping and adaptation approach to climate change. Therefore, policy makers in the local municipality should play a significant role by enhancing adaptation strategies appropriate for particular climatic shock on the study area.
Natural Projection as Partial Model Checking
Authors: Costa Gabriele , Galletta Letterio , Degano Pierpaolo , Basin David , Bodei Chiara
Published: August 2020

Verifying the correctness of a system as a whole requires establishing that it satisfies a global specification. When it does not, it would be helpful to determine which modules are incorrect. As a consequence, specification decomposition is a relevant problem from both a theoretical and practical point of view. Until now, specification decomposition has been independently addressed by the control theory and verification communities throughnatural projectionandpartial model checking, respectively. We prove that natural projection reduces to partial model checking and, when cast in a common setting, the two are equivalent. Apart from their foundational interest, our results build a bridge whereby the control theory community can reuse algorithms and results developed by the verification community. Furthermore, we extend the notions of natural projection and partial model checking from finite-state to symbolic transition systems and we show that the equivalence still holds. Symbolic transition systems are more expressive than traditional finite-state transition systems, as they can model large systems, whose behavior depends on the data handled, and not only on the control flow. Finally, we present an algorithm for the partial model checking of both kinds of systems that can be used as an alternative to natural projection.
Why Do Individuals Engage in In-Play Sports Betting? A Qualitative Interview Study
Authors: Killick Elizabeth A. , Griffiths Mark D.
Published: August 2020

Increasing technological advancements and changing consumer behavior has resulted in individuals having access to a wider range of online gambling markets and sporting events than ever before. Sports betting in real time has been aided by the accessibility of smartphone devices. Consequently, the popularity of live sports betting (i.e., ‘in-play’ betting) has spread across Europe and around the rest of world. The aim of the present exploratory study was to examine attitudes and opinions towards online sports betting. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 males and 2 females aged between 21 and 32 years. Participants were asked a range of semi-structured interview questions based on pre-determined topic areas. Socio-demographic data were collected and the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) was used to assess problem gambling. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis in order to identify themes. Analysis of the transcripts identified several notable areas including the ease of engaging in in-play sports betting, motivations for engaging in in-play sports betting (including increased excitement, demonstrating knowledge/skill and response to live odds), and different reasons for using the ‘cash-out’ feature. The findings will contribute to the design of future research investigating in-play sports betting behaviours.
Peers and Homophobic Attitudes in Adolescence: Examining Selection and Influence Processes in Friendships and Antipathies
Authors: la Roi Chaïm , Dijkstra Jan Kornelis , Kretschmer Tina , Savickaitė Rūta , Veenstra René
Published: August 2020

Homophobic attitudes and behavior are a widespread problem among adolescents, but what the role of peer relationships such as friendships and antipathies is in shaping these attitudes remains unclear. Therefore, this study examined to what extent homophobic attitudes are influenced by friends’ and foes’ homophobic attitudes, and whether homophobic attitudes serve as a selection criterion for the formation of friendships and antipathies. Participants came from three Dutch high schools across two waves (wave 1 November 2014, wave 2 March/April 2015, ages 11–20,N = 1935, 51.5% girls). Stochastic actor-oriented models were estimated for testing hypotheses. The results showed that adolescents adjusted their homophobic attitudes to their friends’ homophobic attitudes, but homophobic attitudes were not consistently related to friendship selection. Further, findings indicated that being dissimilar in homophobic attitudes increased the likelihood to dislike cross-sex peers. Together, the findings suggest that adolescents’ homophobic attitudes were to some extent subject to peer influence, but homophobic attitudes did not steer who adolescents befriended or disliked.
Resource and Grade Control Model Updating for Underground Mining Production Settings
Authors: Prior Ángel , Benndorf Jörg , Mueller Ute
Published: August 2020

A key requirement for the mining industry is the characterization of the spatial distribution of geometallurgical properties of the ore and waste in a mineral deposit. Due to geological uncertainty, resource models are crude representations of reality, and their value for forecasting is limited. Information collected during the production process is therefore of high value in the mining production chain. Models for mine planning are usually based on exploration information from an initial phase of the mineral extraction process. The integration of data with different supports into the resource or grade control model allows for continuous updating and is able to provide estimates that are more accurate locally. In this paper, an updating algorithm is presented that integrates two types of sensor information: sensors characterizing the exposed mine face, and sensors installed in the conveyor belt. The impact of the updating algorithm is analysed through a case study based on information collected from Reiche-Zeche, a silver–lead–zinc underground mine in Freiberg, Germany. The algorithm is implemented for several scenarios of a grade control model. Each scenario represents a different level of conditioning information prior to extraction: no conditioning information, conditioning information at the periphery of the mining panel, and conditioning information at the periphery and from boreholes intersecting the mining panel. Analysis is performed to compare the improvement obtained by updating for the different scenarios. It becomes obvious that the level of conditioning information before mining does not influence the updating performance after two or three updating steps. The learning effect of the updating algorithm kicks in very quickly and overwrites the conditioning information.
Building Thinking Machines by Solving Animal Cognition Tasks
Authors: Crosby Matthew
Published: August 2020

In ‘Computing Machinery and Intelligence’, Turing, sceptical of the question ‘Can machines think?’, quickly replaces it with an experimentally verifiable test: the imitation game. I suggest that for such a move to be successful the test needs to berelevant, expansive, solvable by exemplars, unpredictable, and lead toactionableresearch. The Imitation Game is only partially successful in this regard and its reliance on language, whilst insightful for partially solving the problem, has put AI progress on the wrong foot, prescribing a top-down approach for building thinking machines. I argue that to fix shortcomings with modern AI systems a nonverbal operationalisation is required. This is provided by the recent Animal-AI Testbed, which translates animal cognition tests for AI and provides a bottom-up research pathway for building thinking machines that create predictive models of their environment from sensory input.
Personalized models for facial emotion recognition through transfer learning
Authors: Rescigno Martina , Spezialetti Matteo , Rossi Silvia
Published: August 2020

Emotions represent a key aspect of human life and behavior. In recent years, automatic recognition of emotions has become an important component in the fields of affective computing and human-machine interaction. Among many physiological and kinematic signals that could be used to recognize emotions, acquiring facial expression images is one of the most natural and inexpensive approaches. The creation of a generalized, inter-subject, model for emotion recognition from facial expression is still a challenge, due to anatomical, cultural and environmental differences. On the other hand, using traditional machine learning approaches to create a subject-customized, personal, model would require a large dataset of labelled samples. For these reasons, in this work, we propose the use of transfer learning to produce subject-specific models for extracting the emotional content of facial images in the valence/arousal dimensions. Transfer learning allows us to reuse the knowledge assimilated from a large multi-subject dataset by a deep-convolutional neural network and employ the feature extraction capability in the single subject scenario. In this way, it is possible to reduce the amount of labelled data necessary to train a personalized model, with respect to relying just on subjective data. Our results suggest that generalized transferred knowledge, in conjunction with a small amount of personal data, is sufficient to obtain high recognition performances and improvement with respect to both a generalized model and personal models. For both valence and arousal dimensions, quite good performances were obtained (RMSE = 0.09 and RMSE = 0.1 for valence and arousal, respectively). Overall results suggested that both the transferred knowledge and the personal data helped in achieving this improvement, even though they alternated in providing the main contribution. Moreover, in this task, we observed that the benefits of transferring knowledge are so remarkable that no specific active or passive sampling techniques are needed for selecting images to be labelled.
β-Lapachone Induces Acute Oxidative Stress in Rat Primary Astrocyte Cultures that is Terminated by the NQO1-Inhibitor Dicoumarol
Authors: Steinmeier Johann , Kube Sophie , Karger Gabriele , Ehrke Eric , Dringen Ralf
Published: August 2020

β-lapachone (β-lap) is reduced in tumor cells by the enzyme NAD(P)H: quinone acceptor oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) to a labile hydroquinone which spontaneously reoxidises to β-lap, thereby generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress. To test for the consequences of an acute exposure of brain cells to β-lap, cultured primary rat astrocytes were incubated with β-lap for up to 4 h. The presence of β-lap in concentrations of up to 10 µM had no detectable adverse consequences, while higher concentrations of β-lap compromised the cell viability and the metabolism of astrocytes in a concentration- and time-dependent manner with half-maximal effects observed for around 15 µM β-lap after a 4 h incubation. Exposure of astrocytes to β-lap caused already within 5 min a severe increase in the cellular production of ROS as well as a rapid oxidation of glutathione (GSH) to glutathione disulfide (GSSG). The transient cellular accumulation of GSSG was followed by GSSG export. The β-lap-induced ROS production and GSSG accumulation were completely prevented in the presence of the NQO1 inhibitor dicoumarol. In addition, application of dicoumarol to β-lap-exposed astrocytes caused rapid regeneration of the normal high cellular GSH to GSSG ratio. These results demonstrate that application of β-lap to cultured astrocytes causes acute oxidative stress that depends on the activity of NQO1. The sequential application of β-lap and dicoumarol to rapidly induce and terminate oxidative stress, respectively, is a suitable experimental paradigm to study consequences of a defined period of acute oxidative stress in NQO1-expressing cells.
Asynchronous parametric excitation: validation of theoretical results by electronic circuit simulation
Authors: Karev Artem , Hagedorn Peter
Published: August 2020

A validation of recent theoretical results on the stability effects of asynchronous parametric excitation is presented. In particular, the coexistence of both resonance and anti-resonance at each combination resonance frequency is to be confirmed on a close-to-experiment simulation model. The simulation model reproduces the experimental setup developed by Schmieg in 1976, remaining the only experimental study on asynchronous excitation to this day. The model consists of two oscillating electronic circuits with feedback-free coupling through parametric excitation. In contrast to a mechanical system, the phase relations of the parametric excitation terms in an electronic system can be easily adjusted. The implementation of the simulation model is performed in the electronic circuit simulation software LTspice. The electronic model itself is first validated against the experimental results obtained by Schmieg and is then used to confirm the theoretical findings. The results of the electronic circuit simulation show excellent qualitative and quantitative agreement with analytical approximations confirming the coexistence of resonance and anti-resonance effects near a combination resonance frequency.
Non-dispensing pharmacist integrated in the primary care team: effect on the quality of physician’s prescribing, a non-randomised comparative study
Authors: Sloeserwij Vivianne M. , Zwart Dorien L. M. , Hazen Ankie C. M. , Poldervaart Judith M. , Leendertse Anne J. , de Bont Antoinette A. , Bouvy Marcel L. , de Wit Niek J. , de Gier Han J.
Published: August 2020

Background Especially in elderly with polypharmacy, medication can do harm. Clinical pharmacists integrated in primary care teams might improve quality of pharmaceutical care. Objective To assess the effect of non-dispensing clinical pharmacists integrated in primary care teams on general practitioners’ prescribing quality. Setting This study was conducted in 25 primary care practices in the Netherlands. Methods Non-randomised, controlled, multi-centre, complex intervention study with pre-post comparison. First, we identified potential prescribing quality indicators from the literature and assessed their feasibility, validity, acceptability, reliability and sensitivity to change. Also, an expert panel assessed the indicators’ health impact. Next, using the final set of indicators, we measured the quality of prescribing in practices where non-dispensing pharmacists were integrated in the team (intervention group) compared to usual care (two control groups). Data were extracted anonymously from the healthcare records. Comparisons were made using mixed models correcting for potential confounders. Main outcome measure Quality of prescribing, measured with prescribing quality indicators. Results Of 388 eligible indicators reported in the literature we selected 8. In addition, two more indicators relevant for Dutch general practice were formulated by an expert panel. Scores on all 10 indicators improved in the intervention group after introduction of the non-dispensing pharmacist. However, when compared to control groups, prescribing quality improved solely on the indicator measuring monitoring of the renal function in patients using antihypertensive medication: relative risk of a monitored renal function in the intervention group compared to usual care: 1.03 (95% CI 1.01–1.05, p-value 0.010) and compared to usual care plus: 1.04 (1.01–1.06, p-value 0.004). Conclusion This study did not demonstrate a consistent effect of the introduction of non-dispensing clinical pharmacists in the primary care team on the quality of physician’s prescribing.

This study is part of the POINT-study, which was registered at The Netherlands National Trial Register with trial registration number NTR‐4389.
Correction to: Resolving Zeckhauser’s paradox
Authors: Pawitan Yudi , Isheden Gabriel
Published: August 2020

On page 599 in the original publication of the article.
System Dynamics Modelling of the Global Extraction, Supply, Price, Reserves, Resources and Environmental Losses of Mercury
Authors: Sverdrup Harald Ulrik , Olafsdottir Anna Hulda
Published: August 2020

How mercury flows from geological sources to society and to the environment was modelled for this study. The industrial dynamics of mercury was modelled and included in the integrated assessment model WORLD7. The simulated mercury losses were used as input for a simplified global model for environmental pollution. The outputs were analysed and used to assess mercury pollution amounts and supply to society. In fossil fuels, there are a potential stock of 2 million tons in coal and other hydrocarbons, and 450,000 tons of that could be released to the environment if the fossil fuels are all to be burned. Such release would potentially cause major environmental damage and a significant human health risk. The simulations suggest that environmental mercury flows may peak in 2025, and slowly decline as mercury gets immobilized in nature. The simulations show that the pollution from technical use is eliminated by putting the 2013 Minimata Convention into effect, but that environmental pollution from fossil fuels combustion and from environmental re-emissions will remain a significant problem for the next decades.
Adaptive Context-Aware Energy Optimization for Services on Mobile Devices with Use of Machine Learning
Authors: Nawrocki Piotr , Sniezynski Bartlomiej
Published: August 2020

In this paper we present an original adaptive task scheduling system, which optimizes the energy consumption of mobile devices using machine learning mechanisms and context information. The system learns how to allocate resources appropriately: how to schedule services/tasks optimally between the device and the cloud, which is especially important in mobile systems. Decisions are made taking the context into account (e.g. network connection type, location, potential time and cost of executing the application or service). In this study, a supervised learning agent architecture and service selection algorithm are proposed to solve this problem. Adaptation is performed online, on a mobile device. Information about the context, task description, the decision made and its results such as power consumption are stored and constitute training data for a supervised learning algorithm, which updates the knowledge used to determine the optimal location for the execution of a given type of task. To verify the solution proposed, appropriate software has been developed and a series of experiments have been conducted. Results show that as a result of the experience gathered and the learning process performed, the decision module has become more efficient in assigning the task to either the mobile device or cloud resources.
Modellierung der Effekte lernzielorientierter Tests nach dem Prinzip des mastery measurement innerhalb einer digitalen, formativen Leistungsmessung
Authors: Maier Uwe
Published: August 2020

Mastery measurements sind kurze, kriterienorientierte, formative Tests zur Messung von Schülerleistungen in hierarchisch strukturierten Lerndomänen. Obwohl viele digitale Lernmaterialien dieses Testprinzip nutzen, sind Zusammenhänge zwischen mastery measurments und weiterführenden Lernprozessen bisher kaum Gegenstand empirischer Forschung. In dieser Studie werden deshalb die Effekte lernzielorientierter Tests innerhalb eines Moodle-Kurses zu Rechtschreibung und Grammatik untersucht. Als Datengrundlage dienen die im Moodle-Kurs anfallenden Bewertungen und Log-Daten von 407 Schülerinnen und Schülern aus 18 Realschul- und Gymnasialklassen (Jahrgangsstufe 6–9). Die Effekte des mastery measurement auf Feedbacknutzung, Lernaktivitäten im Kurs und Lernfortschritt wurden mit einem Bayes’schen Netz auf Ebene einzelner Test-Folgetest-Sequenzen modelliert. Es zeigte sich, dass eine Feedbacknutzung zusammen mit dem Nachlesen von Regeln und gezielten Übungen die Wahrscheinlichkeit eines Lernfortschritts innerhalb einer Test-Folgetest-Sequenz deutlich erhöht.
Systems entrepreneurship: a conceptual substantiation of a novel entrepreneurial “species”
Authors: Schlaile Michael P. , Urmetzer Sophie , Ehrenberger Marcus B. , Brewer Joe
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we explore the notion of systems entrepreneurship in the context of innovation systems (IS) dedicated to transformations towards sustainability. To this end, our paper draws primarily but not exclusively on the leverage points concept, which was originally proposed by Donella H. Meadows and recently refined by sustainability scientists. More precisely, we flesh out four general propositions about the systems entrepreneurial process that serve as a starting point for illuminating how systems entrepreneurs can intervene at deep leverage points to introduce a dedication to sustainability in IS. The paper touches the important issues of directionality, formal institutions, as well as information flows and network structure that have received insufficient attention from researchers, policymakers, and practitioners aiming at transformations towards sustainability (e.g., funders and other support organizations). Taken as a whole, the paper serves as a conceptual basis for further theoretical and empirical work on systems entrepreneurs and dedicated IS. It should be read as a reminder that the fundamentally uncertain processes of systemic change call for collaborative efforts that transcend mental and organizational boundaries.
The coronavirus pandemic as an analogy for future sustainability challenges
Authors: Engler John-Oliver , Abson David J. , von Wehrden Henrik
Published: August 2020

The current coronavirus outbreak may provide an illustrative analogy for sustainability challenges, exemplifying how challenges such as climate change may become wicked problems demanding novel and drastic solution attempts.
A review of measurement methods for peracetic acid (PAA)
Authors: Cheng Chen , Li Haodong , Wang Jinling , Wang Hualin , Yang Xuejing
Published: August 2020

Peroxyacetic acid has been widely used in food, medical, and synthetic chemical fields for the past several decades. Recently, peroxyacetic acid has gradually become an effective alternative disinfectant in wastewater disinfection and has strong redox capacity for removing micro-pollutants from drinking water. However, commercial peroxyacetic acid solutions are primarily multi-component mixtures of peroxyacetic acid, acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and water. During the process of water treatment, peroxyacetic acid and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) often coexist, which limits further investigation on the properties of peroxyacetic acid. Therefore, analytical methods need to achieve a certain level of selectivity, particularly when peroxyacetic acid and hydrogen peroxide coexist. This review summarizes the measurement and detection methods of peroxyacetic acid, comparing the principle, adaptability, and relative merits of these methods.
Kidney Is Essential for Blood Pressure Modulation by Dietary Potassium
Authors: Su Xiao-Tong , Yang Chao-Ling , Ellison David H.
Published: August 2020

Eating more potassium may reduce blood pressure and the occurrence of other cardiovascular diseases by actions on various systems, including the vasculature, the sympathetic nervous system, systemic metabolism, and body fluid volume. Among these, the kidney plays a major role in the potassium-rich diet–mediated blood pressure reduction.

Purpose of Review

To provide an overview of recent discoveries about the mechanisms by which a potassium-rich diet leads to natriuresis.

Recent Findings

Although the distal convoluted tubule (DCT) is a short part of the nephron that reabsorbs salt, via the sodium-chloride cotransporter (NCC), it is highly sensitive to changes in plasma potassium concentration. Activation or inhibition of NCC raises or lowers blood pressure. Recent work suggests that extracellular potassium concentration is sensed by the DCT via intracellular chloride concentration which regulates WNK kinases in the DCT.

High-potassium diet targets NCC in the DCT, resulting in natriuresis and fluid volume reduction, which are protective from hypertension and other cardiovascular problems.
Can Periodontal Disease Be Considered Linked to Obesity and Lipoinflammation? Mechanisms Involved in the Pathogenesis Occurrence
Authors: Nicolin Vanessa , Costantinides Fulvia , Vettori Erica , Berton Federico , Marchesi Giulio , Rizzo Roberto , Di Lenarda Roberto
Published: August 2020

Obesity is a systemic disease, associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disorders, type 2 diabetes, cancer, asthma, and osteoarthritis. Overweight and obesity have been suggested to be associated with periodontitis as published in studies and narrative summaries. Obesity and periodontal diseases are very prevalent in the world, and both can lead to severe chronic health conditions and impair people’s life quality. Knowledge of how immune mechanisms and inflammatory responses are regulated is critical for understanding the pathogenesis of complex diseases, such as periodontitis. In conditions of overweight, it has been demonstrated that approximately 70–80% of individuals present an adipose tissue turnover that is both structurally and functionally causing of the systemic inflammatory reaction. The objective of this review is to explore the influence of lipoinflammation. The effects of lipoinflammation and obesity on development of periodontal disease are reported together with the exploration of the mechanisms of interaction between these two diseases.
‘A Spaniard in essence: Seneca and the Spanish Volksgeist’
Authors: Baldwin Oliver
Published: August 2020

Throughout the 19th century, Europe underwent processes of profound national reconfiguration, which provoked the creation of modern nation-states and nationalism. As other European countries, Spain also resorted to the re-appropriation of Greco-Roman antiquity in order to reaffirm its national narrative of identity after its own national crisis, the so-called Disaster of 1898, with which Spain lost its overseas empire. Seneca appeared at this time as the embodiment of the Spanish Volksgeist, the spirit of the Spanish people and nation, in Angel Ganivet’s Idearium español, first published in 1897. This article shall explore how Seneca was conceived, and later re-appropriated and reshaped, as the embodiment of Spanishness, by intellectual and political circles of a nation in mid-reconfiguration. Through an analysis of Ganivet’s theory of senequismo and its influence on Spanish historiography, thought and culture during the early 20th century, we shall be able to better ascertain the cultural, historic and social impact in Spain of Angel Ganivet’s statement that ‘Seneca is not a Spaniard, a son of Spain, by chance, he is a Spaniard in essence’.
Ascariasis, Amebiasis and Giardiasis in Mexican children: distribution and geographical, environmental and socioeconomic risk factors
Authors: Zavala Gerardo A. , van Dulm Eline , Doak Colleen M. , García Olga P. , Polman Katja , Campos-Ponce Maiza
Published: August 2020

The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the geographical distribution of Ascariasis, Amebiasis and Giardiasis, and to identify specific geographical, socioeconomic and environmental factors that are associated with the incidence of these infections in Mexican children. We made use of publicly available data that was reported by federal organizations in Mexico for the year 2010. The contribution of geographical, socioeconomic and environmental factors to the incidence of infections was assessed by a multivariable regression model using a backwards selection procedure. A. lumbricoides incidence was associated with mean minimum temperature of the state, the state-wide rate of households without access to piped water and toilet, explaining 77% of the incidence of A. lumbricoides infections. Mean minimum precipitation in the state, the rate of households without access to a toilet, piped water and sewage system best explained (73%) the incidence of E. histolytica infections. G. lamblia infections were only explained by the latitude of the state (11%). In addition to the well-known socioeconomic factors contributing to the incidence of A. lumbricoides and E. histolytica we found that temperature and precipitation were associated with higher risk of infection.
Selbstberichtete Praktiken von Lehrkräften im inklusiven Mathematikunterricht – Eine Interviewstudie
Authors: Prediger Susanne , Buró Sarah
Published: August 2020

Wie Lehrkräfte ihren inklusiven Mathematikunterricht ausgestalten, wird im Modell der gegenstandsbezogenen Expertise dadurch charakterisiert, welche Praktiken sie zur Bewältigung typischer didaktischer Anforderungssituationen nutzen: Lernvoraussetzungen identifizieren und diagnostizieren, differenzieren, fördern und gemeinsames Lernen anregen. Die qualitative Interviewstudie untersucht die selbstberichteten Praktiken der Lehrkräfte bzgl. der zugrundeliegenden inklusionsbezogenen Orientierungen und Wahrnehmungs- und Denkkategorien. Interviewt werden 17 Lehrkräfte, die ihre Praktiken beschreiben und reflektieren, und zwar alle zur gleichen Unterrichtseinheit „Prozente verstehen“ (Klasse 7). Die qualitative Analyse rekonstruiert fünf typische Leitkategorien: soziale Teilhabe, Beschäftigung, Aufgabenbewältigung, inhaltliche Teilhabe und stufengerechte Lernzuwächse, zwischen denen die Lehrkräfte wechseln. Die Analyse zeigt, wie sich diese Leitkategorien in den Praktiken genauer ausprägen.
Ontologies and Data Management: A Brief Survey
Authors: Schneider Thomas , Šimkus Mantas
Published: August 2020

Information systems have to deal with an increasing amount of data that is heterogeneous, unstructured, or incomplete. In order to align and complete data, systems may rely on taxonomies and background knowledge that are provided in the form of an ontology. This survey gives an overview of research work on the use of ontologies for accessing incomplete and/or heterogeneous data.
Modeling eelgrass spatial response to nutrient abatement measures in a changing climate
Authors: Bobsien Ivo C. , Hukriede Wolfgang , Schlamkow Christian , Friedland René , Dreier Norman , Schubert Philipp R. , Karez Rolf , Reusch Thorsten B. H.
Published: August 2020

For many coastal areas including the Baltic Sea, ambitious nutrient abatement goals have been set to curb eutrophication, but benefits of such measures were normally not studied in light of anticipated climate change. To project the likely responses of nutrient abatement on eelgrass (Zostera marina), we coupled a species distribution model with a biogeochemical model, obtaining future water turbidity, and a wave model for predicting the future hydrodynamics in the coastal area. Using this, eelgrass distribution was modeled for different combinations of nutrient scenarios and future wind fields. We are the first to demonstrate that while under a business as usual scenario overall eelgrass area will not recover, nutrient reductions that fulfill the Helsinki Commission’s Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) are likely to lead to a substantial areal expansion of eelgrass coverage, primarily at the current distribution’s lower depth limits, thereby overcompensating losses in shallow areas caused by a stormier climate.
Influence of MoSi2 on oxidation protective ability of TaB2-SiC coating in oxygen-containing environments within a broad temperature range
Authors: Ren Xuanru , Lv Junshuai , Li Wei , Hu Yuwen , Sun Ke , Ma Can , Chu Hong’ao , Wang Weiguang , Xu Leihua , Li Ziyu , Feng Peizhong
Published: August 2020

TaB2-SiC coating modified by different content of MoSi2 was fabricated on graphite substrate with SiC inner coating by liquid phase sintering to elevate the anti-oxidation capability of the TaB2-SiC coatings. As compared to the sample with the TaB2—40wt%SiC coating, the coating sample modified with MoSi2 exhibited a weight gain trend at lower temperatures, the fastest weight loss rate went down by 76%, and the relative oxygen permeability value reduced from about 1% to near 0. More importantly, the large amount of SiO2 glass phase produced over the coating during oxidation was in contact with the modification of MoSi2, which was proved to be beneficial to the dispersion of Ta-oxides. A concomitantly formed continuous Ta-Si-O-B compound glass layer showed excellent capacity to prevent oxygen penetration. However, when the TaB2 content was sacrificed to increase the MoSi2 content, the relative oxygen permeability of the coating increased instead of decreased. Thus, on the basis of ample TaB2 content, increasing the MoSi2 content of the coating is conducive to reducing the relative oxygen permeability of the coatings in a broad temperature region.
Black Lives Matter Principles as an Africentric Approach to Improving Black American Health
Authors: Anderson-Carpenter Kaston D.
Published: August 2020

Although public health has made substantial advances in closing the health disparity gap, Black Americans still experience inequalities and inequities. Several theoretical frameworks have been used to develop public health interventions for Black American health; yet the existing paradigms do not fully account for the ontology, epistemology, or axiology of Black American populations. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement provides a basis for understanding the constructs that may contribute to Black American health. By drawing from the 13 BLM principles, this paper presents an alternative approach for developing, implementing, and evaluating public health interventions for Black populations in the USA. Furthermore, the approach may inform future public health research and policies to reduce health disparities within and across Black populations in the USA.
Gyroless Spin-Stabilization Controller and Deorbiting Algorithm for CubeSats
Authors: Morales Jose E. , Kim Jongrae , Richardson Robert R.
Published: August 2020

CubeSats are becoming increasingly popular in the scientific community. While they provide a whole new range of opportunities for space exploration, they also come with their own challenges. One of the main concerns is the negative impact which they can have in the space debris problem. Commonly lacking from attitude determination and propulsion capabilities, it has been difficult to provide CubeSats with means for active deorbiting. While electric propulsion technology has been emerging for its application in CubeSats, little or no literature is available on methods to enable it to be used for deorbiting purposes, especially within the tight constraints faced by these nanosatellites. We present a new and simple algorithm for CubeSat deorbiting, which proposes the use of novel electric propulsion technology with minimum sensing and actuation capabilities. The algorithm is divided into two stages: a spin-stabilization control; and a deorbiting-phase detection. The spin-stabilization control is inspired by the B-dot controller. It does not require gyroscopes, but only requires magnetometers and magnetorquers as sensors and actuators, respectively. The deorbiting-phase detection is activated once the satellite is spin-stabilized. The algorithm can be easily implementable as it does not require any attitude information other than the orbital information, e.g., from the Global Positioning System receiver, which could be easily installed in CubeSats. The effectiveness of each part of the algorithms is validated through numerical simulations. The proposed algorithms outperform the existing approaches such as deorbiting sails, inflatable structures, and electrodynamic tethers in terms of deorbiting times. Stability and robustness analysis are also provided. The proposed algorithm is ready to be implemented with minimal effort and provides a robust solution to the space junk mitigation efforts.