bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Einleitung
Authors: Imlig Flavian
Published: September 2022

Die politische Bearbeitung von Bildung und Schule hat sich in den letzten rund 20 Jahren weltweit deutlich verändert. Im Kern dieser Veränderung steht eine Intensivierung der Wahrnehmung von Schulen aus einer ökonomischen Perspektive und eine erhöhte Aufmerksamkeit auf jenen Aspekten von Schule, die in der damit verbundenen Terminologie als Output beschrieben werden. Mit der politischen Bearbeitung von Schule anhand ihrer Ergebnisse und Wirkungen wurde die internationale Diskussion bildungspolitischer Fragen intensiviert und aktualisiert (Criblez & Glaser, 2011; Gonon, 1998). In der vorliegenden Arbeit stehen dabei die gestiegenen Ansprüche an die Effizienz und Transparenz staatlichen Handelns im Fokus, die auch Forderungen nach einem entsprechenden Monitoring und einer auf Ergebnissen basierenden Berichterstattung umfassen. Das Phänomen Bildungsmonitoring wird dabei für die Schweiz näher untersucht. Neben einer Bestandsaufnahme der damit verbundenen Programme und Produkte auf nationaler und kantonaler Ebene steht insbesondere die Frage nach der begrifflichen und inhaltlichen Fassung dieser Art politischer Betrachtung und Bearbeitung von Bildung und Schule im Zentrum.
Vorgehen und Methoden
Authors: Imlig Flavian
Published: September 2022

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird Bildungsmonitoring als Generierung und Verarbeitung von Daten und Informationen zuhanden bildungspolitischer Akteure mit Methoden qualitativer empirischer Sozialforschung untersucht. Die methodologischen Bezüge gehen in Richtung der qualitativ-historischen Forschung, der Politikfeldanalyse und der Hermeneutik. Ebenfalls eingesetzt werden Verfahren der Typisierung und der qualitativ-theoretischen Faktorenanalyse.
Dimensionen von Bildungsmonitoring
Authors: Imlig Flavian
Published: September 2022

Das Phänomen der Generierung und der Verarbeitung von Wissen im Dienste der politischen Bearbeitung von Bildung wird in einer qualitativ-theoretischen Dimensionalanalyse theoretisch verdichtet. Die vier Dimensionen benennen Merkmale, zu denen im empirischen Material verschiedene Ausprägungen auffindbar sind. Die Dimension von Zweck und Funktion verweist auf die politische Einbettung von Bildungsmonitoring-Dispositiven. Auf der Dimension der Instrumente stellt sich die Vielfalt und die Materialität des Wissens in Bildungsmonitoring dar. Auf der Dimension der Produkte werden Wissen und Zweckzuschreibungen verknüpft. Auf dieser Dimension entsteht der Informations- und Kommunikationscharakter von Bildungsmonitoring. Prozesse und Akteure schliesslich deuten darauf hin, dass hinter Bildungsmonitoring politische Intentionen und Gestaltungsabsichten stehen. Die Beschreibung einer Dimension erfolgt jeweils auf der internationalen, der nationalen und der kantonalen Ebene.
Bildungsmonitoring als Institutional work
Authors: Imlig Flavian
Published: September 2022

Die Generierung und Verarbeitung von Daten und Informationen zuhanden politischer Akteure wird im Folgenden als Institutional work dargestellt. Diese Perspektive ergänzt die qualitativ-theoretische Dimensionalanalyse und schliesst sowohl an die internationale Diskussion (Bormann et al., 2018) als auch an jüngere Theorieentwicklungen an (Houben, 2019; Langer & Brüsemeister, 2019a). Mit dem Institutional work-Konzept wird der Blick auf die Praxis von Akteuren und die Prozesse des Umgangs mit Institutionen geworfen. Die in Bildungsmonitoring vorzufindende Vermengung von Steuerungs- und Informationsaspekten wird in dieser Perspektive aufgenommen und als Wirkung über die Praxis involvierter Akteure theoretisch fassbar gemacht. Mit der Darstellung von Bildungsmonitoring als Institutional work wird zudem versucht, Governanceansatz und neo-institutionalistische Ansätze theoretisch zu verbinden.
Evolving Learner Support Systems
Authors: Panda Santosh
Published: September 2022

With changing scenarios in globalization, technologization, and conception of twenty-first-century learners and learning, distance teaching institutions are also gradually changing their delivery strategies and learner support systems. This is more visible in the following: from separation of course design and learner support to both forming an integral part of blended teaching-learning; from physical and geography-based operation to more technology-enabled networked operation; from largely behaviorist model to more of constructivist and connectivist models of course design and learner support; and from a humanistic support system to more of strategic support system. In these changing scenarios, however, the changes in academic practices have not kept pace with technology changes; and technology and market, rather than the scholarship of teaching and support, dominate the support discourse and practice. These developments raise various research questions which need to be investigated further. The analysis in the chapter shows that the future of distance and online learning vis-à-vis learner support is poised to shift from the “course material-tutoring” system to the “networked-interactive-intelligent” system, though both will continue for quite some time to come. Institutional leaders, faculty, and other stakeholders need to engage with further articulation and reflection toward evolving a quality, productive, pedagogy-led, and learner-friendly support system.
Newer Theories for Digital Learning Spaces
Authors: Downes Stephen
Published: September 2022

The emergence of newer theories for digital learning spaces occurs because of a general dissatisfaction with the theorizing of earlier generations of open and distance education (ODE). After an outline of the traditional conception of the requirements for a “learning theory,” this article traces the sources for this dissatisfaction in traditional theories such as behaviourism and cognitivism, then traces some theoretical attempts to address them. It identifies a range of emerging theories, including connectivist pedagogy, personal learning environments, and open educational practices, characterizing these in terms of their response to the original dissatisfaction. It then returns to the characterization of a “learning theory,” suggesting that in the light of this new work a reconceptualization of theory may be required.
$$ \mathcal{CP} $$ structure of the top-quark Yukawa interaction: NLO QCD corrections and off-shell effects
Authors: Hermann Jonathan , Stremmer Daniel , Worek Malgorzata
Published: September 2022

Abstract

Since its discovery at the Large Hadron Collider in 2012 the Higgs boson has arguably become the most famous of the Standard Model particles and many measurements have been performed in order to assess its properties. Among others, these include measurements of the Higgs boson’s $$ \mathcal{CP} $$
CP
state which is predicted to be $$ \mathcal{CP} $$
CP
-even. Even though a pure $$ \mathcal{CP} $$
CP
-odd state has been ruled out, a possible admixture of a $$ \mathcal{CP} $$
CP
-odd Higgs state has yet to be excluded. In this work we present predictions for the associated production of a leptonically decaying top quark pair and a stable Higgs boson pp → e+νeμ−$$ \overline{\nu} $$

ν
¯

μb$$ \overline{b} $$

b
¯

H with possible mixing between $$ \mathcal{CP} $$
CP
-even and $$ \mathcal{CP} $$
CP
-odd states at NLO in QCD for the LHC with $$ \sqrt{s} $$

s

= 13 TeV. Finite top-quark and gauge-boson width effects as well as all double-, single- and non-resonant Feynman diagrams including their interference effects are taken into account. We compare the behaviour of the $$ \mathcal{CP} $$
CP
-even, -odd and -mixed scenarios for the integrated fiducial cross-sections as well as several key differential distributions. In addition, we show that both NLO corrections and off-shell effects play an important role even at the level of integrated fiducial cross-sections and that these are further enhanced in differential distributions. Even though we focus here on the Standard Model Higgs boson, the calculations could be straightforwardly applied to models that have an extended Higgs-boson sector and predict the existence of $$ \mathcal{CP} $$
CP
-odd Higgs-like particles, such as the two-Higgs-doublet model.
Sleptonic SUSY: from UV framework to IR phenomenology
Authors: Agashe Kaustubh , Ekhterachian Majid , Liu Zhen , Sundrum Raman
Published: September 2022

Abstract

We study an attractive scenario, “Sleptonic SUSY”, which reconciles the 125 GeV Higgs scalar and the non-observation of superpartners thus far with potentially pivotal roles for slepton phenomenology: providing viable ongoing targets for LHC discovery, incorporating a co-annihilation partner for detectable thermal relic dark matter, and capable of mediating the potential muon g − 2 anomaly. This is accomplished by a modestly hierarchical spectrum, with sub-TeV sleptons and electroweakinos and with multi-TeV masses for the other new states. We study new elements in the UV MSSM realization of Sleptonic SUSY based on higher-dimensional sequestering and the synergy between the resulting gaugino-mediation, hypercharge D-term mediation and Higgs-mediation of SUSY-breaking, so as to more fully capture the range of possibilities. This framework stands out by harmoniously solving the flavor, CP and μ − Bμ problems of the supersymmetric paradigm. We discuss its extension to orbifold GUTs, including gauge-coupling and b-tau unification. We also develop a non-minimal model with extra Higgs fields, in which the electroweak vacuum is more readily cosmologically stable against decay to a charge-breaking vacuum, allowing a broader range of sleptonic spectra than in the MSSM alone. We survey the rich set of signals possible at the LHC and future colliders, covering both R-parity conservation and violation, as well as for dark matter detection. While the multi-TeV squarks imply a Little Hierarchy Problem, intriguingly, small changes in parameter space to improve naturalness result in dramatic phase transitions to either electroweak-preservation or charge-breaking. In a Multiverse setting, the modest unnaturalness may then be explained by the “principle of living dangerously”.
Electroweak corrections and shower effects to Higgs production in association with two jets at the LHC
Authors: Jäger Barbara , Scheller Johannes
Published: September 2022

Abstract

We present an implementation of the full electroweak H + 2 jets production process at hadron colliders in the framework of the POWHEG BOX, a public tool for the matching of fixed-order perturbative calculations with parton shower generators. Our implementation allows for the simultaneous description of vector-boson fusion and Higgsstrahlung contributions. NLO-QCD and electroweak corrections are taken into account and matched to QCD and QED showers, respectively. The size of the fixed-order QCD and electroweak corrections is found to be moderate, but dependent on the considered selection cuts. QCD shower effects slightly modify the NLO-QCD predictions and are most pronounced for distributions of non-tagging jets. The impact of QED shower effects is small.
The geometry of decoupling fields
Authors: Bah Ibrahima , Bonetti Federico , Leung Enoch , Weck Peter
Published: September 2022

Abstract

We consider 4d field theories obtained by reducing the 6d (1,0) SCFT of N M5-branes probing a ℂ2/ℤk singularity on a Riemann surface with fluxes. We follow two different routes. On the one hand, we consider the integration of the anomaly polynomial of the parent 6d SCFT on the Riemann surface. On the other hand, we perform an anomaly inflow analysis directly from eleven dimensions, from a setup with M5-branes probing a resolved ℂ2/ℤk singularity fibered over the Riemann surface. By comparing the 4d anomaly polynomials, we provide a characterization of a class of modes that decouple along the RG flow from six to four dimensions, for generic N, k, and genus. These modes are identified with the flip fields encountered in the Lagrangian descriptions of these 4d models, when they are available. We show that such fields couple to operators originating from M2-branes wrapping the resolution cycles. This provides a geometric origin of flip fields. They interpolate between the 6d theory in the UV, where the M2-brane operators are projected out, and the 4d theory in the IR, where these M2-brane operators are part of the spectrum.
The complex heavy-quark potential in an anisotropic quark-gluon plasma — Statics and dynamics
Authors: Dong Lihua , Guo Yun , Islam Ajaharul , Rothkopf Alexander , Strickland Michael
Published: September 2022

Abstract

We generalize a complex heavy-quark potential model from an isotropic QCD plasma to an anisotropic one by replacing the Debye mass mD with an anisotropic screening mass depending on the quark pair alignment with respect to the direction of anisotropy. Such an angle-dependent mass is determined by matching the perturbative contributions in the potential model to the exact result obtained in the Hard-Thermal-Loop resummed perturbation theory. An advantage of the resulting potential model is that its angular dependence can be effectively described by using a set of angle-averaged screening masses as proposed in our previous work. Consequently, one could solve a one-dimensional Schrödinger equation with a potential model built by changing the anisotropic screening masses into the corresponding angle-averaged ones, and reproduce the full three-dimensional results for the binding energies and decay widths of low-lying quarkonium bound states to very high accuracy. Finally, turning to dynamics, we demonstrate that the one-dimensional effective potential can accurately describe the time evolution of the vacuum overlaps obtained using the full three-dimensional anisotropic potential. This includes the splitting of different p-wave polarizations.
Positivity bounds on effective field theories with spontaneously broken Lorentz invariance
Authors: Creminelli Paolo , Janssen Oliver , Senatore Leonardo
Published: September 2022

Abstract

We derive positivity bounds on EFT coefficients in theories where boosts are spontaneously broken. We employ the analytic properties of the retarded Green’s function of conserved currents (or of the stress-energy tensor) and assume the theory becomes conformal in the UV. The method is general and applicable to both cosmology and condensed matter systems. As a concrete example, we look at the EFT of conformal superfluids which describes the universal low-energy dynamics of CFT’s at large chemical potential and we derive inequalities on the coefficients of the operators, in three dimensions, at NLO and NNLO.
Hecke relations, cosets and the classification of 2d RCFTs
Authors: Duan Zhihao , Lee Kimyeong , Sun Kaiwen
Published: September 2022

Abstract

We systemically study the Hecke relations and the c = 8k coset relations among 2d rational conformal field theories (RCFTs) with up to seven characters. We propose that the characters of any 2d RCFT — unitary or non-unitary — satisfying a holomorphic modular linear differential equation (MLDE) can be realized as either a Hecke image or the coset of a Hecke image with respect to a c = 8k theory. Benefited from the recent results on holomorphic modular bootstrap, we check this proposal for all admissible theories with up to five characters. We also find many new interesting Hecke relations. For example, the characters of WZW models (E6)2, (E7)2, ($$ {E}_{7\frac{1}{2}} $$

E

7

1
2

)2 can be realized as the Hecke images T13, T19, T19 of Virasoro minimal models Msub(7, 6), M(5, 4), Meff(13, 2) respectively. Besides, we find the characters associated to the second largest Fisher group Fi23 and the Harada-Norton group HN can be realized as the Hecke images T23, T19 of the product theories Meff(5, 2) ⊗ Meff(7, 2) and Meff(7, 2)⊗2 respectively. Mathematically, our study provides a great many interesting examples of vector-valued modular functions up to rank seven.
The dark (BPS) side of thermodynamics in Minkowski4
Authors: Hristov Kiril
Published: September 2022

Abstract

We explore the BPS limit of asymptotically flat black hole thermodynamics, drawing analogies with recent studies of black holes in anti-de Sitter space. Although ultimately motivated by supersymmetry and quantum gravity, the BPS limit is classically well-defined for the dyonic Kerr-Newman black holes in pure Einstein-Maxwell theory and various generalizations with additional scalars and gauge fields that admit embedding in $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 supergravity (for concreteness we consider the STU model). This limit is manifestly different from extremality as it includes a family of rotating Euclidean saddles that represent a (fictitious) thermal branch, smoothly connected with the extremal static Reissner-Nordström black hole and its generalizations with extra matter. We are able to evaluate unambiguously all BPS chemical potentials, finding constant imaginary angular velocity as a consequence of Wick rotation. In the mixed ensemble of fixed magnetic and varying electric charges, we derive the OSV formula that is crucial for the microscopic understanding of the system, and provide evidence that it should be interpreted as a fixed-point formula.
Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Antibodies Are Higher in Lupus Nephritis and Vasculitis than Other Glomerulonephritis Patients
Authors: Szymczak Maciej , Heidecke Harald , Żabińska Marcelina , Rukasz Dagna , Wiśnicki Krzysztof , Tukiendorf Andrzej , Krajewska Magdalena , Banasik Mirosław
Published: September 2022

Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) antibodies are considered non-HLA (human leukocyte antigen) antibodies connected with humoral rejection after kidney transplantation. The role of AT1R antibodies in the pathogenesis of glomerular diseases and systemic vasculitis is unknown. We assessed the level of AT1R antibodies in 136 patients with different types of glomerulonephritis and systemic vasculitis and we observed kidney function and proteinuria, serum albumin and total protein levels for 2 years. The mean levels of AT1R antibodies were the following: 6.00 ± 1.31 U/ml in patients with membranous nephropathy (n = 18), 5.67 ± 1.31 U/ml with focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (n = 25), 6.26 ± 2.25 U/ml with lupus nephropathy (n = 17), 10.60 ± 6.72 U/ml with IgA nephropathy (n = 14), 6.69 ± 2.52 U/ml with mesangial proliferative (non IgA) glomerulonephritis (n = 6), 6.63 ± 1.38 U/ml with systemic vasculitis (n = 56), including c-ANCA (anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies) vasculitis: 11.22 ± 10.78 U/ml (n = 40) and p-ANCA vasculitis: 12.65 ± 14.59 U/ml (n = 16). The mean AT1R antibodies level was higher in patients with lupus nephropathy and systemic vasculitis compared to glomerulonephritis groups. An inverse statistically significant correlation between AT1R antibodies and serum albumin (r =  − 0.51) in membranous nephropathy group was also found. Prospective analysis of creatinine levels indicated an increase of creatinine levels during time among patients with higher AT1R antibodies levels in p-ANCA vasculitis. Lupus nephropathy and systemic vasculitis patients may have high levels of AT1R antibodies. AT1R antibodies may be associated with the severity of membranous nephropathy and the course of p-ANCA vasculitis, although influence of concomitant factors is difficult to exclude.
Separation of the effects of two reduced height (Rht) genes and genomic background to select for less Fusarium head blight of short-strawed winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties
Authors: Akohoue Félicien , Koch Silvia , Plieske Jörg , Miedaner Thomas
Published: September 2022

Key message

FHB resistance shared pleiotropic loci with plant height and anther retention. Genomic prediction allows to select for genomic background reducing FHB susceptibility in the presence of the dwarfing allele Rht-D1b.

With the high interest for semi-dwarf cultivars in wheat, finding locally adapted resistance sources against Fusarium head blight (FHB) and FHB-neutral reduced height (Rht) genes is of utmost relevance. In this study, 401 genotypes of European origin without/with dwarfing alleles of Rht-D1 and/or Rht24 were analysed across five environments on FHB severity and the morphological traits such as plant height (PH), anther retention (AR), number of spikelets per ear, ear length and ear density. Data were analysed by combined correlation and path analyses, association mapping and coupling single- and multi-trait genome-wide association studies (ST-GWAS and MT-GWAS, respectively) and genomic prediction (GP). All FHB data were corrected for flowering date or heading stage. High genotypic correlation (rg = 0.74) and direct path effect (0.57) were detected between FHB severity and anther retention (AR). Moderate correlation (rg = − 0.55) was found between FHB severity and plant height (PH) with a high indirect path via AR (− 0.31). Indirect selection for FHB resistance should concentrate on AR and PH. ST-GWAS identified 25 quantitative trait loci (QTL) for FHB severity, PH and AR, while MT-GWAS detected six QTL across chromosomes 2A, 4D, 5A, 6B and 7B conveying pleiotropic effects on the traits. Rht-D1b was associated with high AR and FHB susceptibility. Our study identified a promising positively acting pleiotropic QTL on chromosome 7B which can be utilized to improve FHB resistance while reducing PH and AR. Rht-D1b genotypes having a high resistance genomic background exhibited lower FHB severity and AR. The use of GP for estimating the genomic background was more effective than selection of GWAS-detected markers. We demonstrated that GP has a great potential and should be exploited by selecting for semi-dwarf winter wheat genotypes with higher FHB resistance due to their genomic background.
Towards a domain-specific information architecture enabling the investigation and optimization of flexible production systems by utilizing artificial intelligence
Authors: Binder Christoph , Neureiter Christian , Lüder Arndt
Published: September 2022

The industrial domain is undergoing a major transformation, pushed forward by emerging technologies originating from research or industry. The resulting trend, better known by the term Industry 4.0, advances automation within these manufacturing companies by providing ubiquitous interconnection. This enables the integration of technologies mainly used in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Cyber-physical Systems (CPS) or Big Data with the goal to optimize production processes or facilitate intelligent decision-making. While those processes are progressively supported by methodologies coming from the area of artificial intelligence (AI) like machine learning algorithms, sustainable and consistent storing of production data becomes increasingly important. Concluding, production systems engineering and information engineering are correlating with each other, as the respective results could be used to the advantage of the respective other discipline. In order to address these issues while developing such flexible production systems, the Reference Architecture Model Industrie 4.0 (RAMI 4.0) has been introduced. However, practical applications are lacking as this standard is mainly described in theory, which makes it difficult to actually apply this framework. Thus, the main goal of this paper is to specify a detailed architecture description of the Information Layer to ensure the practical application of RAMI 4.0, which allows stakeholders to utilize model-based Systems Engineering (MBSE) for developing data aspects of industrial systems on the one hand and enable Information Engineering on the other hand. Supported by the concept of the Zachman Framework, the resulting architecture is applied and validated with the help of a real-world case study.
Bond graph model of line-start permanent-magnet synchronous motors
Authors: Mahmoudi Amin , Roshandel Emad , Kahourzade Solmaz , Vakilipoor Fardad , Drake Samuel
Published: September 2022

The bond-graph (BG) enables to model multi-physics systems in the energy domains. This paper shows that BG models are an alternative, more intuitive and simpler to interpret, graphical tool as compared to existing dynamic models for performance prediction of the line-start permanent-magnet synchronous motors (LSPMSMs). It includes electrical, magnetic, and mechanical energy domains where the stator windings, rotor bars, and permanent magnets are the main components of the model. The dynamical equations of the proposed BG are extracted and solved using the MATLAB ordinary differential equation solver for a sample LSPMSM. The dynamics of the studied LSPMSM is investigated under two operating conditions (1) a healthy motor and (2) a motor with broken rotor bars. The simulation results are compared with the finite-element analysis (FEA) as the most accurate method to simulate the electric motor behaviour. It is shown that the proposed BG model accurately predicts the performance parameters of the motor such as current, torque, and speed under various operating conditions. In addition to the modelling validation, the transient behavior of the LSPMSM are discussed to describe the possible reasons for its behaviour during transient and steady-state operating conditions.
Multisegment transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) combined with Ponte osteotomy in degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS) surgery: a minimum of five years’ follow-up
Authors: Qiu Hao , Chu Tong-wei , Niu Xiao-Jian , Zhang Ying , Yang Si-Zhen , Chen Wu-Gui
Published: September 2022

Purpose

To evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes of degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS) with the administration of multisegment transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) combined with Ponte osteotomy long-level fixation fusion, as well as to identify the factors affecting health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Methods

This was a retrospective single-centre study involving comprehensive clinical data. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), visual analog scale (VAS) outcomes, and Scoliosis Research Society (SRS-22) questionnaire were recorded to assess HRQOL. A correlation analysis was performed to determine the association between HRQOL and radiographic parameters.

Results

A total of 41 consecutive patients (15 males and 26 females) met the inclusion criteria with a follow-up of 8.62 ± 1.20 years. Factors associated with HRQOL were significantly improved post-operation. Global sagittal parameters, including the sagittal vertebral axis (SVA) and T1 pelvic angle (TPA), and local parameters, including apical vertebral translation (AVT) and apical vertebral rotation (AVR), were significantly improved at the last follow-up. Significantly strong correlations between each clinical and radiographic parameter were demonstrated. Moreover, a multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that the differences in AVT and AVR were significantly correlated with the difference in lumbar lordosis (LL), which was significantly correlated with the differences in SVA and TPA.

Conclusion

The surgical treatment of DLS with multisegment TLIF accompanied by Ponte osteotomy and long-level fixations improved the quality of life of patients with a long-term effect. AVR correction is an important factor for LL restoration that significantly correlates with improvements in the sagittal balance parameters SVA and TPA, which are key factors for guaranteeing good HRQOL.
Excess Mg in situ powder addition for enhancing critical current density of ex situ MgB2
Authors: Hapipi Nurhidayah Mohd , Chen Soo Kien , Shaari Abdul Halim , Kechik Mohd Mustafa Awang , Lim Kean Pah , Tan Kar Ban , Lee Oon Jew , Miryala Muralidhar
Published: September 2022

In this work, ex situ MgB2 bulks were added with (1.5 Mg + 2B) and sintered in an attempt to enhance its intergrain connectivity. The addition was varied within the range of 0–50 wt.%, and the sintering was undertaken at 700 °C, 800 °C, and 1000 °C, respectively, for 1 h. Superconducting critical temperature, Tc of the samples was determined to be around 38 K as shown by the temperature dependence of susceptibility measurement. It was found that critical current density, Jc increased with the increased amount of the addition. Jc was further enhanced to 2 × 104A cm2 (0 T, 20 K) as the sintering temperature was raised. The increase of Jc is due to improved grain coupling as a result of in situ formation of MgB2, which fills the voids and connects the ex situ MgB2 grains. Additionally, the grain coupling was further strengthened by solid-state self-sintering at higher temperatures. The increment of Jc was accompanied by a narrower width of double-step transition of Tc attributable to a more complete MgB2 phase formation of the samples as the sintering temperature was increased.

Graphical abstract
Analysis of associations between dietary patterns, genetic disposition, and cognitive function in data from UK Biobank
Authors: Schulz Christina-Alexandra , Weinhold Leonie , Schmid Matthias , Nöthen Markus M. , Nöthlings Ute
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Research suggests that diet influences cognitive function and the risk for neurodegenerative disease. The present study aimed to determine whether a recently developed diet score, based on recommendations for dietary priorities for cardio metabolic health, was associated with fluid intelligence, and whether these associations were modified by individual genetic disposition.

Methods

This research has been conducted using the UK Biobank Resource. Analyses were performed using self-report data on diet and the results for the verbal-numerical reasoning test of fluid intelligence of 104,895 individuals (46% male: mean age at recruitment 57.1 years (range 40–70)). For each participant, a diet score and a polygenic score (PGS) were constructed, which evaluated predefined cut-offs for the intake of fruit, vegetables, fish, processed meat, unprocessed meat, whole grain, and refined grain, and ranged from 0 (unfavorable) to 7 (favorable). To investigate whether the diet score was associated with fluid intelligence, and whether the association was modified by PGS, linear regression analyses were performed.

Results

The average diet score was 3.9 (SD 1.4). After adjustment for selected confounders, a positive association was found between baseline fluid intelligence and PGS (P < 0.001). No association was found between baseline fluid intelligence and diet score (P = 0.601), even after stratification for PGS, or in participants with longitudinal data available (n = 9,482).

Conclusion

In this middle-aged cohort, no evidence was found for an association between the investigated diet score and either baseline or longitudinal fluid intelligence. However, as in previous reports, fluid intelligence was strongly associated with a PGS for general cognitive function.
Olive pomace oil can improve blood lipid profile: a randomized, blind, crossover, controlled clinical trial in healthy and at-risk volunteers
Authors: González-Rámila Susana , Sarriá Beatriz , Seguido Miguel A. , García-Cordero Joaquín , Mateos Raquel , Bravo Laura
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study aimed to assess the effect of dietary consumption of olive pomace oil (OPO) on blood lipids (primary outcome) and other cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors (blood pressure, inflammation and endothelial function as secondary outcomes).

Methods

A randomized, controlled, blind, crossover intervention was carried out in healthy and at-risk (hypercholesterolemic) subjects. Participants consumed daily 45 g of OPO or high-oleic acid sunflower oil (HOSO) as control oil during 4 weeks.

Results

OPO significantly reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; P = 0.003) and apolipoprotein B (Apo B; P = 0.022) serum concentrations, and LDL/HDL ratio (P = 0.027) in healthy and at-risk volunteers. These effects were not observed with HOSO. Blood pressure, peripheral artery tonometry (PAT), endothelial function and inflammation biomarkers were not affected.

Conclusions

Regular consumption of OPO in the diet could have hypolipidemic actions in subjects at cardiovascular risk as well as in healthy consumers, contributing to CVD prevention.

Clinical trial registry

NCT04997122, August 8, 2021, retrospectively registered.
SDC4-rs1981429 and ATM-rs228590 may provide early biomarkers of breast cancer risk
Authors: Vuorinen Sofia I. , Okolicsanyi Rachel K. , Gyimesi Martina , Meyjes-Brown Jacob , Saini Deepa , Pham Son H. , Griffiths Lyn R. , Haupt Larisa M.
Published: September 2022

In Australia, 13% of women are diagnosed with breast cancer (BC) in their lifetime with approximately 20,000 women diagnosed with the disease in 2021. BC is characterised by complex histological and genomic influences with recent advances in cancer biology improving early diagnosis and personalised treatment interventions. The Phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase/Protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway is essential in apoptosis resistance, cell survival, activation of cellular responses to DNA damage and DNA repair. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are ubiquitous molecules found on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix with essential functions in regulating cell survival, growth, adhesion and as mediators of cell differentiation and migration. HSPGs, particularly the syndecans (SDCs), have been linked to cancers, making them an exciting target for anticancer treatments. In the PI3K/AKT pathway, syndecan-4 (SDC4) has been shown to downregulate AKT Serine/Threonine Kinase (AKT1) gene expression, while the ATM Serine/Threonine Kinase (ATM) gene has been found to inhibit this pathway upstream of AKT. We investigated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in HSPG and related genes SDC4, AKT1 and ATM and their influence on the prevalence of BC. SNPs were genotyped in the Australian Caucasian Genomics Research Centre Breast Cancer (GRC-BC) population and in the Griffith University–Cancer Council Queensland Breast Cancer Biobank (GU-CCQ BB) population. We identified that SDC4-rs1981429 and ATM-rs228590 may influence the development and progression of BC, having the potential to become biomarkers in early BC diagnosis and personalised treatment.
Hydrovolcanic activity on a continental shelf inferred from the subsurface diatreme- and crater-filling deposits of Jeju Island, Korea
Authors: Jeon Yongmun , Park Ki Hwa , Sohn Young Kwan
Published: September 2022

Jeju Island comprises numerous tuff rings and tuff cones and their reworked deposits in the subsurface, which formed on the ca. 120-m-deep Yellow Sea continental shelf under the fluctuating Quaternary sea levels. Tens of meter-thick and massive deposits were found by chance during groundwater drilling at three sites. These deposits are interpreted as either syn-eruptive diatreme-filling deposits or post-eruptive crater-filling deposits, both of hydromagmatic volcanoes. The diatremes were cut into shelf sediment, 70 to 250 m thick, and developed generally within it below the Quaternary sea levels. Abundant external water was therefore available for explosive magma-water interactions at shallow levels. The diatreme deposit in one core shows some features attributable to extreme wetness or water saturation of the diatreme fill, such as the matrix support of larger clasts, meager vertical changes in matrix content, and an absence of features related to particle adhesion. Fluidally shaped clasts with delicate reentrant margins in the core suggest minimal particle abrasion and breakage in a water-saturated and highly fluid slurry of tephra and water that was probably filling a shallow bowl-like diatreme, which is distinguished from both phreatomagmatic and kimberlite diatremes. The diatreme deposits in other cores comprise blocky and angular clasts in a sideromelane ash matrix, suggesting phreatomagmatic explosions at a deeper level. One of the cores contains collapsed deposits of thinly stratified tuff emplaced by pyroclastic surges, indicating that the diatreme is associated with an emergent tuff ring. Both Surtseyan and phreatomagmatic eruptions are therefore interpreted to have occurred on the shelf under the controls of fluctuating Quaternary sea levels. The subsurface diatremes suggest that there can be a variety of diatremes with different sizes, shapes, and material characteristics beneath the craters of hydromagmatic volcanoes, including not only maars but also tuff rings and tuff cones.
Surgery for brain metastases: radiooncology scores predict survival-score index for radiosurgery, graded prognostic assessment, recursive partitioning analysis
Authors: Wolfert Christina , Rohde Veit , Hussein Abdelhalim , Fiss Ingo , Hernández-Durán Silvia , Malzahn Dörthe , Bleckmann Annalen , Mielke Dorothee , Schatlo Bawarjan
Published: September 2022

Background

Radiooncological scores are used to stratify patients for radiation therapy. We assessed their ability to predict overall survival (OS) in patients undergoing surgery for metastatic brain disease.

Methods

We performed a post-hoc single-center analysis of 175 patients, prospectively enrolled in the MetastaSys study data. Score index of radiosurgery (SIR), graded prognostic assessment (GPA), and recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) were assessed. All scores consider age, systemic disease, and performance status prior to surgery. Furthermore, GPA and SIR include the number of intracranial lesions while SIR additionally requires metastatic lesion volume. Predictive values for case fatality at 1 year after surgery were compared among scoring systems.

Results

All scores produced accurate reflections on OS after surgery (p ≤ 0.003). Median survival was 21–24 weeks in patients scored in the unfavorable cohorts, respectively. In cohorts with favorable scores, median survival ranged from 42 to 60 weeks. Favorable SIR was associated with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.44 [0.29, 0.66] for death within 1 year. For GPA, the HR amounted to 0.44 [0.25, 0.75], while RPA had a HR of 0.30 [0.14, 0.63]. Overall test performance was highest for the SIR.

Conclusions

All scores proved useful in predicting OS. Considering our data, we recommend using the SIR for preoperative prognostic evaluation and counseling.
Simultaneous ultra-sensitive analysis of tamsulosin hydrochloride and tolterodine tartrate binary mixture in their dosage form via high-performance thin-layer chromatography with fluorimetric detection
Authors: Rizk M. , Mahmoud Zainab M. , Azab Marwa M.
Published: September 2022

A simple, sensitive, selective, and stability-indicating high-performance thin-layer chromatography method with fluorescence detection was developed for the analysis of a mixture of tamsulosin hydrochloride and tolterodine tartrate, used in the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia in their laboratory-prepared binary mixture and dosage form. The separation was employed on thin-layer chromatography silica gel 60 aluminum sheets. As developing system, ethyl acetate–n-hexane–diethylamine (9:3:1, V/V) was used. Tamsulosin and tolterodine had retention factors (RF) of 0.40 ± 0.03 and 0.85 ± 0.03, respectively. A 225 nm excitation wavelength was used for the fluorescence detection. Linearity was in the range of 10.0–200.0 and 100.0–900.0 ng/band for tamsulosin and tolterodine, respectively. The method was validated successfully according to the International Council for Harmonisation guidelines. Our suggested method for determining tamsulosin and tolterodine in their dosage forms and in the presence of their degradation products could be conveniently applied in quality-control laboratories.
Remittance flows and US monetary policy
Authors: Machasio Immaculate , Tillmann Peter
Published: September 2022

Remittance inflows are driven by macroeconomic conditions in the home and the host economies, respectively. In this paper, we study the effect of US monetary policy on remittance flows into economies in Latin American and the Caribbean. The role of Fed policy for remittances has not yet been studied. We estimate a series of panel local projections for remittance inflows into eight countries. A surprise change in US monetary conditions has a strong and highly significant negative effect on inflows. Our finding remains robust if we change the sample period or include additional variables. Hence, our paper establishes a remittance-channel through which the Fed affects the business cycle abroad.
Mode 4 restrictiveness and services trade
Authors: Shingal Anirudh
Published: September 2022

Despite the importance of services trade and “servicification” of economic activity, “Mode 4” accounted for only 2.9% of total services trade in 2017. While existing literature has estimated services trade costs, effects of barriers to Mode 4 trade have not yet been quantified. We contribute by constructing a composite index to quantify regulatory barriers to the movement of service suppliers, using qualitative information embedded in OECD data on services trade restrictions, and examining its relationship with services trade. Structural gravity estimates suggest that a one standard deviation rise in Mode 4 restrictiveness reduces bilateral services exports by 8%; the adverse effects are even larger for intermediate services exports. Results using aggregate data show that the constructed index is negatively correlated with services imports delivered non-digitally alluding to complementarities between modes of supply and cross-modal “effects”. Moreover, there is considerable heterogeneity in the results across services sectors in both aggregate and bilateral analysis.
Spatial outlier detection on discrete GNSS velocity fields using robust Mahalanobis-distance-based unsupervised classification
Authors: Magyar Bálint , Kenyeres Ambrus , Tóth Sándor , Hajdu István , Horváth Roland
Published: September 2022

GNSS velocity field filtering can be identified as a multidimensional unsupervised spatial outlier detection problem. To detect and classify the spatial outliers, we jointly interpret the horizontal and vertical velocity fields with the related standard deviations. We also describe the applied feature engineering process, which represents the underlying problem better than the initial attributes. According to this, we discuss the utilized algorithms and techniques, like the spatial- and non-spatial mapping functions, the k-nearest neighborhood (kNN) technique to retrieve the local environment of each GNSS station, as well as the principal component analysis (PCA) as a dimensionality reduction technique. We also assume that regular velocity field samples containing no outliers come from an approximate multivariate normal distribution (MVN) at the local scale. Regarding this, we evaluate the corresponding sample-wise distance related to model distribution, namely the Mahalanobis distance, with the estimation of the robust covariance matrix derived by the minimum covariant determinant (MCD) algorithm. Subsequently, we introduce the applied binary classification on the values of the derived robust Mahalanobis distances (RMD) which follows the χ2distribution. We also present three cases of artificially generated, pre-labeled synthetic velocity field datasets to perform cross-validation and comparison of the proposed RMD approach to other classification techniques. According to this, we found that k = 12 yields > 95% classification accuracy. While the compared methods have a mean classification accuracy of 96.2–99.8%, the advantage of the RMD approach is that it does not require pre-defined labels to indicate regular and outlier samples. We also demonstrate the proposed RMD based filtering process on a real dataset of the EUREF Permanent Network Densification velocity products. The RMD-based approach has been integrated into the EPN Densification as a quality checking algorithm. According to this, we also introduce a co-developed and regularly updated interactive webpage to disseminate the corresponding results.
Comprehensive registry of esophageal cancer in Japan, 2015
Authors: Watanabe Masayuki , Toh Yasushi , Ishihara Ryu , Kono Koji , Matsubara Hisahiro , Miyazaki Tatsuya , Morita Masaru , Murakami Kentaro , Muro Kei , Numasaki Hodaka , Oyama Tsuneo , Saeki Hiroshi , Tanaka Koji , Tsushima Takahiro , Ueno Masaki , Uno Takashi , Yoshio Toshiyuki , Usune Shiyori , Takahashi Arata , Miyata Hiroaki ,   The Registration Committee for Esophageal Cancer of the Japan Esophageal Society
Published: September 2022

Background

The registration committee for esophageal cancer in the Japan Esophageal Society (JES) has collected the patients' characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of patients who underwent any treatment during 2015 in Japan.

Methods

We analyzed patients' data who had visited the participating hospitals in 2015. We collected the data using the National Clinical Database with a web-based data collection system. We used the Japanese Classification of Esophageal Cancer 10th edition by JES and the TNM classification by the Union of International Cancer Control (UICC) for cancer staging.

Results

A total of 9368 cases were registered from 355 institutions in Japan. Squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma accounted for 86.7% and 7.4%, respectively. The 5-year survival rates of patients treated by endoscopic resection, concurrent chemoradiotherapy, radiotherapy alone, and esophagectomy were 87.2%, 33.5%, 24.2%, and 59.9%, respectively. Esophagectomy was performed in 5172 cases. Minimally invasive approaches were selected for 60.6%, and 54.4% underwent thoracoscopic esophagectomy. The operative mortality (within 30 days after surgery) was 0.79% and the hospital mortality was 2.3%. The survival curves showed an excellent discriminatory ability both in the clinical and pathologic stages by the JES system. The survival of pStage IV was better than IIIC in the UICC system because pStage IV included the patients with supraclavicular lymph node metastasis (M1 LYM).

Conclusion

We hope this report improves all aspects of diagnosing and treating esophageal cancer in Japan.
Genetic diversity and population structure of some Nigerian accessions of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.,) using DArT SNP markers
Authors: Osundare Opeyemi T. , Akinyele Benjamin O. , Odiyi Alexander C. , Paliwal Rajneesh , Oyatomi Olaniyi A. , Abberton Michael T.
Published: September 2022

Bambara groundnut is one of the crops with inadequate molecular research to show its full potentials. Previous studies showed morphological diversity with inadequate information to confirm genetic variations. In the quest to reveal the genetic potentials, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the selected accessions was extracted through leaf samples at 3 weeks old, using Dellaporta Miniprep for Plant DNA Isolation procedure. The high quality DNA was sequenced using Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT) markers to unlock diversity among Bambara groundnut of Nigerian origin. Cluster analysis (neighbor-joining clustering) of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP’s) were used to generate sub-population to show relatedness and differences. Seven sub-populations were generated with 5927 (50.13%) high quality DArT markers out of the 11,821 SNPs generated. This revealed high genetic diversity existed among the selected Bambara groundnut accessions in Nigeria. This also revealed that DArT markers were highly efficient in classifying the accessions based on molecular expressions. This study also identified markers responsible for genetic variation that could facilitate the characterization of larger collections for further utilization of genetic resources and most importantly Bambara groundnut for the purpose of crop improvement.