bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intermolecular Charge‐Transfer Luminescence by Self‐Assembly of Pyridinium Luminophores in Solutions
Authors: Leduskrasts Kaspars , Suna Edgars
Published: October 2021

Designing a luminophore for application both in solution and in the solid state is a highly challenging task given the distinct nature of intermolecular interactions in these phases. In this context, we demonstrate that self‐assembly of non‐emissive charged pyridinium luminophores enables luminescence in solutions through a mechanism that is characteristic for the crystal state. Specifically, protonation of pyridine luminophore subunits in a solution promotes oligomer formation through intermolecular π+‐π interactions, leading to an intermolecular charge‐transfer type luminescence. The luminescence turn‐on by protonation is utilized for a highly efficient solution‐state luminescent sensing of hydrogen chloride and sulfonic acids (TfOH, TsOH and MsOH) with detection limits spanning the range from 0.06 to 0.33 ppm. The protonation followed by self‐assembly results in a bathochromic shift of the emission from 420 nm to 550 nm.
Single crystal, Hirshfeld surface, DFT analyses of (E)‐2‐(2‐chloro‐6‐fluorobenzylidene)hydrazinecarbothioamide: Elastase inhibition and DNA binding studies
Authors: Ujan Rabail , Arshad Nasima , Perveen Fouzia , Abbas Qamar , Channar Pervaiz Ali , Saeed Aamer , Farooqi Shahid I. , Channar Kashif Ali , Hökelek Tuncer , Flörke Ulrich
Published: October 2021

Here, a new (E)‐2‐(2‐chloro‐6‐fluorobenzylidene)hydrazinecarbothioamide hybrid 3 is reported for synthesis by using simple protocol. Compound was characterized, and its crystal structure was resolved by single crystal X‐ray analysis. The molecular structure showed perfect planarity with the 2,6‐halogen atoms disordered over the two positions. Hirshfeld surface (HS) analysis indicated H‐bonding and van der Waals interactions as leading intermolecular interactions in the crystal structure with most important contributions as H … H (24.10%), H … S/S … H (20.80%) and H … Cl/Cl … H (13.50%). Density functional theory (DFT) analysis further highlighted on molecular orbital's energy transitions and comparison of absorption maxima with experimentally calculated λmax. Crystal was evaluated against elastase enzyme by using molecular docking and in vitro enzyme inhibition methods. An intuitive look at elastase inhibition demonstrated higher binding efficacy and lower IC50. Results from both studies have shown potent inhibitory activity of 3 against elastase. Kb and ΔG for 3‐DNA complex evaluated from molecular docking and UV/visible spectroscopy efficiently complemented each other, and the binding mode observed through docked structure was verified by viscometry. Theoretical and experimental investigations have provided evidence of substantial binding of the title compound with the DNA via intercalation.
Process safety management and process hazard analysis implementation progress in Pakistan chemical process industries
Authors: Rashid Muhammad Imran , Tabish Asif Nadeem , Athar Muhammad
Published: October 2021

Pakistan is a developing country and has various chemical process industries to fulfill the local demands of numerous chemical products. In order to maintain the uninterrupted production from these industries, safety protocols need to be implemented. Safety progress must be studied with passage of time to identify the gaps and to decide the future actions. In this article, process safety in various chemical process industries (CPIs) of Pakistan is investigated regarding process safety management (PSM) and process hazard analysis (PHA). The covered industries include mainly fertilizer complexes, food processing plants, gas and oil processing plants, oil refineries, petrochemical plants, polymer processing plants, paper industries, tire industries, and sugar industries. This research will help in addressing the weaknesses. A comparative analysis of all considered CPIs is provided graphically. Overall analysis of all industries depicts that more emphasis on three categories is required, namely (1) documents upgradation and staff communication, (2) PHA revision and auditing, (3) PHA recommendations documentation and implementation. Provided suggestions, the implementation of PSM and PHA in Pakistan CPIs is expected to enhance, which may lead to a substantial increase in productivity of these industries without accidents.
Pharmacometric analysis of seasonal influenza epidemics and the effect of vaccination using sentinel surveillance data
Authors: Otani Yuki , Kasai Hidefumi , Tanigawara Yusuke
Published: October 2021

The identification of influenza epidemics and assessment of the efficacy of vaccination against this infection are major challenges for the implementation of effective public health strategies, such as vaccination programs. In this study, we developed a new pharmacometric model to evaluate the efficacy of vaccination based on infection surveillance data from the 2010/2011 to 2018/2019 influenza seasons in Japan. A novel susceptible‐infected‐removed plus vaccination model, based on an indirect response structure with the effect of vaccination, was applied to describe seasonal influenza epidemics using a preseasonal collection of data regarding serological H1 antibody titer positivity and the fraction of virus strains. Using this model, we evaluated Kin (a parameter describing the transmission rate of symptomatic influenza infection) for different age groups. Furthermore, we defined a new parameter (prevention factor) showing the efficacy of vaccination against each viral strain and in different age groups. We found that the prevention factor of vaccination against influenza varied among age groups. Notably, children aged 5–14 years showed the highest Kin value during the 10 influenza seasons and the greatest preventive effect of vaccination (prevention factor = 70.8%). The propagation of influenza epidemics varies in different age groups. Children aged 5–14 years most likely play a leading role in the transmission of influenza. Prioritized vaccination in this age group may be the most effective strategy for reducing the prevalence of influenza in the community.
Electrochemical Performance of NiCo2O4 Spinel Cathodes for Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
Authors: Thaheem Imdadullah , Ali Shamshad , Waqas Muhammad , Hussain Ayaz , Soomro Afaque Manzoor , Bhutto Zuhaibuddin , Shah Syed Ali Raza , Muhammad Wazir , Shah Jalal
Published: October 2021

It is a great challenge to develop the highly efficient cathode material for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) at intermediate temperature, while high electronic conductivity, good thermal and chemical compatibility, and superior electrochemical performance of the AB2O4‐type spinel is attractive electrode material. Herein, the NiCo2O4 spinel is developed using the glycine‐nitrate process (GNP) method as a cathode material for IT SOFCs. The characterization of the phase structure, microstructure, and electrochemical performance are done using X‐ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results show that NiCo2O4 exhibited a single cubic structure and good chemical compatibility with a ((Sc2O3)0.1(CeO2)0.01(ZrO2)0.89) (ScCeSZ) electrolyte material at 900 °C for 10 h. Furthermore, a NiO–YSZ anode |NiO–YSZ, AFL | ScCeSZ |NiCo2O4 SOFC cell exhibits the maximum power density (MDP) of 0.73 and 1.04 W cm−2 at 750 and 800 °C, respectively. These results recommend the spinel‐structured NiCo2O4 is a potential cathode material for IT SOFC application.
The effect of red pepper/capsaicin on blood pressure and heart rate: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of clinical trials
Authors: Shirani Fatemeh , Foshati Sahar , Tavassoly Mohammad , Clark Cain C. T. , Rouhani Mohammad Hossein
Published: October 2021

Several studies have assessed the effect of red pepper on blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) and reported controversial results. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta‐analysis of clinical trials that evaluated the effect of red pepper/capsaicin consumption on BP and HR. Medline, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were systematically searched, from database inception to August 2020, to ascertain clinical trials that evaluated the effects of red pepper or capsaicin on systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), or HR. Pooled effect size was calculated using a random‐effects method. We performed subgroup analyses to discern probable sources of between‐study heterogeneity. Meta‐analysis showed no significant effect of red pepper/capsaicin on SBP (0.43 mmHg, 95% CI: −1.15 to 2.01), DBP (−0.45 mmHg, 95% CI: −2.14 to 1.24), and HR (−0.60 bpm, 95% CI: −1.97 to 0.78). Although between‐study heterogeneity was high for SBP and DBP, we could not discern the potential sources of heterogeneity. In conclusion, red pepper/capsaicin had no effect on BP and HR. The findings should be interpreted with caution because between‐study heterogeneity was high. Further well‐designed and high‐quality studies are required to investigate the efficacy and safety of red pepper/capsaicin supplement on BP and HR.
Lifetime estimation for optocouplers using accelerated degradation test
Authors: Kang Minkoo , Lee Sunjae , Park Heedo , Jang Joongsoon , Park Sangchul , Kim Jong‐Ho , Yoo Chan‐Sei
Published: October 2021

Instrumentation and control systems significantly affect the safety and reliability of nuclear power plants. In this study, we analyze the cause of failure of the electronic card constituting the instrumentation and control system as it is the most typical reason for the failure of optocouplers. The lifetime of optocouplers must be predicted accurately to ensure high‐reliability nuclear power plants. While acceleration tests have been performed to predict the lifetime of optocouplers more efficiently, it is preferable to perform accelerated degradation tests rather than accelerated life tests. In this paper, accelerated degradation tests are performed on optocouplers at various temperatures and voltages. To derive the degradation curve model of the optocoupler using the results of accelerated degradation tests, we use the most suitable model from OriginLab. The parameter values of the proposed degradation curve model are calculated by applying the Arrhenius model and Weibull distribution, and the lifetime of the optocoupler is estimated by using the proposed degradation curve model.
Graphene Confers Ultralow Friction on Nanogear Cogs
Authors: Mescola Andrea , Paolicelli Guido , Ogilvie Sean P. , Guarino Roberto , McHugh James G. , Rota Alberto , Iacob Erica , Gnecco Enrico , Valeri Sergio , Pugno Nicola M. , Gadhamshetty Venkataramana , Rahman Muhammad M. , Ajayan Pulickel , Dalton Alan B. , Tripathi Manoj
Published: October 2021

Friction‐induced energy dissipation impedes the performance of nanomechanical devices. Nevertheless, the application of graphene is known to modulate frictional dissipation by inducing local strain. This work reports on the nanomechanics of graphene conformed on different textured silicon surfaces that mimic the cogs of a nanoscale gear. The variation in the pitch lengths regulates the strain induced in capped graphene revealed by scanning probe techniques, Raman spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulation. The atomistic visualization elucidates asymmetric straining of CC bonds over the corrugated architecture resulting in distinct friction dissipation with respect to the groove axis. Experimental results are reported for strain‐dependent solid lubrication which can be regulated by the corrugation and leads to ultralow frictional forces. The results are applicable for graphene covered corrugated structures with movable components such as nanoelectromechanical systems, nanoscale gears, and robotics.
Advances and Potentials of NiOx Surface Treatments for p−i−n Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Tiwari Nidhi , Arianita Dewi Herlina , Erdenebileg Enkhtur , Narayan Chauhan Ram , Mathews Nripan , Mhaisalkar Subodh , Bruno Annalisa
Published: October 2021

The performances of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) largely depend on the perovskite compositions and the selection of electron and hole transport layers (ETLs and HTLs). The p‐type NiO
x
films are largely used as HTLs in p‐i‐n PSCs, thanks to their high transparency, processing versatility, cost‐effectiveness, and easy integration within tandem devices. Several studies have shown that surface modifications on NiO
x
films remove the surface defects, increase the NiO
x
conductivity, and alter the band offset, consequently improving the interfaces between NiO
x
films and the perovskite active layer. Indeed, besides improving the NiO
x
intrinsic properties, the surface treatments also lead, in many cases, to superior perovskite quality driving high photovoltaic performance.
Potential‐Induced Degradation in High‐Efficiency n‐Type Crystalline‐Silicon Photovoltaic Modules: A Literature Review
Authors: Yamaguchi Seira , Van Aken Bas B. , Masuda Atsushi , Ohdaira Keisuke
Published: October 2021

n‐Type crystalline‐silicon (c‐Si) photovoltaic (PV) cell modules attract attention because of their potential for achieving high efficiencies. The market share of n‐type c‐Si PV modules is expected to increase considerably, with wide use in PV systems, including large‐scale PV systems, for which the system bias is set as markedly high. Such a high system bias leads to performance losses known as potential‐induced degradation (PID). By virtue of many researchers’ efforts, the PID behaviors, mechanisms, and preventive measures against PID have been well documented in conventional p‐type c‐Si modules. Researchers recently started to investigate PID in high‐efficiency c‐Si solar cells including n‐type c‐Si PV modules. Yet, the understanding of PID phenomena remains incomplete. Herein, a literature review of PID in high‐efficiency n‐type c‐Si PV modules is provided as a resource elucidating the current status of related research and remaining unresolved issues. This report mainly presents discussion of PID in several kinds of n‐type c‐Si PV modules in terms of materials science. PID phenomena are described as divided into some degradation modes. Details present a review of their respective degradation modes, degradation behaviors, proposed mechanisms, and potential measures against degradation. Remaining open issues and anticipated future studies are also summarized.
The Multi‐Objective Robust Optimization Design of Ultra‐High Efficiency Induction Machine
Authors: Liu Liwen , Li Hongmei , Yu Tian , Wang Jiabing , Wang Jinyu
Published: October 2021

The induction machine (IM) has advantages of simple structure, low cost, reliable operation, and convenient maintenance, and the application of ultra‐high efficiency IM could effectively improve the energy utilization rate and realize the emission reduction. Therefore, in this paper, the radial skewed rotor and the stator energy‐saving winding are first designed to improve the efficiency of IM. Then the Taguchi method, differential evolution algorithm, sequential subspace multi‐objective optimization, and 6σ evaluation criterion are integrated to realize the multi‐objective robust optimization design (MOROD). In the proposed MOROD scheme, the combined surrogate model is also researched to reduce the calculation burden during the optimization process. Furthermore, the MOROD scheme is applied to the design of a 22 kW, four poles ultra‐high efficiency IM to validate its effectiveness. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Hardware Implementation of MQTT Broker and Precise Time Synchronization Using IoT Devices
Authors: Yamamoto Koutarou , Fukuhara Akihiro , Nishi Hiroaki
Published: October 2021

In recent years, while internet of things (IoT) devices and cloud computing environments have been penetrated, the increase in communication latency and concentration of traffic caused by data centers has deteriorated the quality of some network services. Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) is a well‐known protocol for exchanging messages between dedicated applications. MQTT employs a publish–subscribe model in which a broker mediates communication between IoT devices and applications. To improve service quality, the processing latency of the broker should be reduced. Moreover, the broker's throughput must be increased. IoT devices, in particular, must maintain a highly accurate time to provide some IoT services. This study proposed hardware implementation of MQTT broker and evaluated the accuracy of an MQTT‐based time synchronization method. The proposed MQTT architecture's hardware resource utilization is also provided. We confirmed that our implementation achieved high throughput, low latency, and low jitter MQTT broker, which satisfies the smart city services for automated drive and power control, which must be less than a few milliseconds. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
‘Gold standard care’ is an unhelpful term
Authors: Skipper Alison , Gray Carol , Serlin Ruth , O'Neill Dan , Elwood Clive , Davidson Jane
Published: October 2021

Members of Veterinary Humanities UK argue that the vet professions should move away from using the term ‘gold standard care’ and instead adopt ‘contextualised care’, which acknowledges that different treatment pathways are able to offer equally acceptable patient journeys in different contexts.
Wildlife Agency Trust and Perceived Risks From Chronic Wasting Disease
Authors: Vaske Jerry J. , Needham Mark D. , Miller Craig A.
Published: October 2021

We examined the extent that hunters’ perceptions of risks related to chronic wasting disease (CWD) and trust in state wildlife agencies to address CWD were related to their demographic (sex, age, education, residence) and hunting (CWD presence, type of hunter, years hunting in state, harvest) characteristics. Demographic and hunting characteristics have been suggested by some managers and researchers to be strongly related to perceived risks and trust in wildlife agencies. We obtained data from a mail survey (n = 9,567) of hunters in 8 states (2004). Demographic and hunting characteristics were statistically related to both risk and trust, but the relationships were complex for several reasons. First, although the demographic variables were significantly related to both risk and trust in 11 of the 15 tests, almost all of the effect sizes (η) were minimal (<0.100;  = 0.051). For the hunting characteristics, 11 of the 12 tests were significant (P ≤ 0.038), but the average effect size was only 0.059. Second, hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that although 65% of the beta coefficients (another effect size indicator) were significant (P < 0.001), the average standardized regression coefficient was only 0.066 (minimal). Third, not all demographic and hunting characteristics were related to risk and trust in the same manner. For example, in the regression models, sex was never statistically significant. Other variables (resident of the state, education, harvest) were always significant. Finally, allR2(explained variance) were <5%. The weak relationships between demographic and hunting characteristics and both risk and trust suggest that managers should be cautious when targeting communication messages about CWD to specific subgroups of hunters based on these characteristics. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.
Employee-Driven Innovation to Fuel Internal Software Startups: Preliminary Findings
Authors: Tkalich Anastasiia , Moe Nils Brede , Sporsem Tor
Published: October 2021

To keep up with the pace of innovation, established companies are increasingly relying on internal software startups. However, succeeding with such startups is a challenging task because internal startups need to find a balance between the interests of the company and the interest of the innovator. One approach that is argued to strengthen innovation in existing companies is employee-driven innovation (EDI). This study explores this argument by examining two internal software startups in companies aligned with the principles of EDI and with a strong focus on innovation. The preliminary findings indicate that startups with EDI are characterized by commitment towards innovation, cooperative orientation, and autonomy. The findings suggest that internal software startups may be strengthened when the parent companies practice EDI.
Towards a Framework to Guide the Creation of Development Practices for Software Startups
Authors: Melegati Jorge
Published: October 2021

The research on software startups has increased lately, focusing on describing how these companies’ unique context influences development practices. The next step for research is the creation of specific practices for these companies grounded in scientific results. An obstacle in this path is which dependent variable these novel practices should improve. A natural answer is these companies’ success. This position paper reviews the literature on new ventures and startups’ success to show that telling if a startup is successful or not is a complex issue. As a solution to this problem, this paper proposes a conceptual framework, suggesting that novel practices should improve success determinants or reduce inhibitors rather than focusing on the startups’ success. Three examples illustrate the framework’s use: hypotheses engineering, microservices, and BizDev. The identification of contributors and inhibitors for success of software startups could enrich the framework and indicate possible avenues for the creation of development practices specific tailored for these companies.
Multiple Roles of Middle Managers in Agile Project Governance: An Activity Theory Perspective
Authors: Uwadi Maduka C.
Published: October 2021

Project governance (PG) is an important activity in agile software development (ASD) projects. Middle managers (MMs) are part of the governance structure in ASD projects. PG and middle management phenomena in ASD projects are under-researched and not fully understood. This ongoing study aims to fill a gap by investigating the roles of MMs in agile PG through the lens of Activity Theory. The study adopts a qualitative and interpretive case study approach. To date, the study has identified 24 roles that MMs perform during agile PG.
Impact of Design and Deployment Technique on the Hydrodynamic Resistance of Flow Diverters
Authors: Gyürki Dániel , Csippa Benjamin , Paál György , Szikora István
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Despite the high efficacy of flow diverters (FD) in treating sidewall intracranial aneurysms, failures are reported. One of the physical factors determining efficacy is the flow reducing capacity of the FD that is currently unknown to the operator. Our aim was to measure the flow reducing capacity expressed as the hydrodynamic resistance (HR), the metallic surface area (MSA) and pore density (PD) of two different FD designs and quantitatively investigate the impact of sizing and the deployment technique on these parameters.

Methods

Altogether 38 Pipeline (Medtronic) and P64 (Phenox) FD‑s were implanted in holder tubes by a neurointerventionist in nominally sized, oversized and longitudinally compressed or elongated manners. The tubes were placed in a flow model with the flow directed across the FD through a side hole on the tube. HR was expressed by the measured pressure drop as the function of the flow rate. Deployed length, MSA and PD were also measured and correlated with the HR.

Results

Both PD and MSA changed with varying deployment length, which correlates well with the change in HR. Oversizing the device by 1 mm in diameter has reduced the HR on average to one fifth of the original value for both manufacturers.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates experimentally that different FD designs have different flow diverting capacities (HR). Parameters are greatly influenced by radial sizing and longitudinal compression or elongation during implantation. Our results might be useful in procedure planning, predicting clinical outcome, and in patient-specific numerical flow simulations.
Estimating the reduction in US mortality if cigarettes were largely replaced by e-cigarettes
Authors: Lee Peter N. , Fry John S. , Gilliland Stanley , Campbell Preston , Joyce Andrew R.
Published: October 2021

Background

Recent estimates indicated substantially replacing cigarettes by e-cigarettes would, during 2016–2100, reduce US deaths and life-years lost (millions) by 6.6 and 86.7 (Optimistic Scenario) and 1.6 and 20.8 (Pessimistic). To provide additional insight we use alternative modelling based on a shorter period (1991–2040), four main smoking-associated diseases, deaths aged 30–79 years, and a full product history. We consider variations in: assumed effective dose of e-cigarettes versus cigarettes (F); their relative quitting rate (Q); proportions smoking after 10 years (X); and initiation rate (I) of vaping, relative to smoking.

Methods

We set F = 0.05, X = 5%, Q = 1.0 and I = 1.0 (Main Scenario) and F = 0.4, X = 10%, Q = 0.5 and I = 1.5 (Pessimistic Scenario). Sensitivity Analyses varied Main Scenario parameters singly; F from 0 to 0.4, X 0.01% to 15%, and Q and I 0.5 to 1.5. To allow comparison with prior work, individuals cannot be dual users, re-initiate, or switch except from cigarettes to e-cigarettes.

Results

Main Scenario reductions were 2.52 and 26.23 million deaths and life-years lost; Pessimistic Scenario reductions were 0.76 and 8.31 million. These were less than previously, due to the more limited age-range and follow-up, and restriction to four diseases. Reductions in deaths (millions) varied most for X, from 3.22 (X = 0.01%) to 1.31 (X = 15%), and F, 2.74 (F = 0) to 1.35 (F = 0.4). Varying Q or I had little effect.

Conclusions

Substantial reductions in deaths and life-years lost were observed even under pessimistic assumptions. Estimates varied most for X and F. These findings supplement literature indicating e-cigarettes can importantly impact health challenges from smoking.
City-scale energetics: window on adaptive thermal insulation in North American cities
Authors: Hill Richard W. , Grezlik Maxwell , Muhich Timothy E. , Humphries Murray M.
Published: October 2021

Previous research demonstrated that cities are similar to individual mammals in their relationship between the rate of energy use for heating and outdoor air temperature (Ta). At Tas requiring heating of indoor living spaces, the energy-Ta plot of a city contains information on city-wide thermal insulation (I), making it possible to quantify city-wide I by use of the city as the unit of measure. We develop methods for extracting this insulation information, deriving the methods from prior research on mammals. Using these methods, we address the question: in North America, are cities built in particularly cold locations constructed in ways that provide greater thermal insulation than ones built in thermally more moderate locations? Using data for 42 small and medium-size cities and two information-extraction methods, we find that there is a statistically significant inverse relationship between city-wide I and T10-year, the average city Ta over a recent 10-year period (range of T10-year: − 11 to 26 °C). This relationship represents an energy-conserving trend, indicating that cities in cold climates have greater built-in thermal insulation than cities in warm climates. However, the augmentation of insulation in cold climates is only about half as great as would be required to offset fully the increased energy cost of low Tas in a cold climate, and T10-year explains just 5–11% of the variance in measured insulation, suggesting that cities in North America vary greatly in the extent to which thermal insulation has been a priority in city development.
A control-theoretic perspective on optimal high-order optimization
Authors: Lin Tianyi , Jordan Michael I.
Published: October 2021

We provide a control-theoretic perspective on optimal tensor algorithms for minimizing a convex function in a finite-dimensional Euclidean space. Given a function$$\varPhi : {\mathbb {R}}^d \rightarrow {\mathbb {R}}$$Φ:Rd→Rthat is convex and twice continuously differentiable, we study a closed-loop control system that is governed by the operators$$\nabla \varPhi $$∇Φand$$\nabla ^2 \varPhi $$∇2Φtogether with a feedback control law$$\lambda (\cdot )$$λ(·)satisfying the algebraic equation$$(\lambda (t))^p\Vert \nabla \varPhi (x(t))\Vert ^{p-1} = \theta $$(λ(t))p‖∇Φ(x(t))‖p-1=θfor some$$\theta \in (0, 1)$$θ∈(0,1). Our first contribution is to prove the existence and uniqueness of a local solution to this system via the Banach fixed-point theorem. We present a simple yet nontrivial Lyapunov function that allows us to establish the existence and uniqueness of a global solution under certain regularity conditions and analyze the convergence properties of trajectories. The rate of convergence is$$O(1/t^{(3p+1)/2})$$O(1/t(3p+1)/2)in terms of objective function gap and$$O(1/t^{3p})$$O(1/t3p)in terms of squared gradient norm. Our second contribution is to provide two algorithmic frameworks obtained from discretization of our continuous-time system, one of which generalizes the large-step A-HPE framework of Monteiro and Svaiter (SIAM J Optim 23(2):1092–1125, 2013) and the other of which leads to a new optimalp-th order tensor algorithm. While our discrete-time analysis can be seen as a simplification and generalization of Monteiro and Svaiter (2013), it is largely motivated by the aforementioned continuous-time analysis, demonstrating the fundamental role that the feedback control plays in optimal acceleration and the clear advantage that the continuous-time perspective brings to algorithmic design. A highlight of our analysis is that we show that all of thep-th order optimal tensor algorithms that we discuss minimize the squared gradient norm at a rate of$$O(k^{-3p})$$O(k-3p), which complements the recent analysis in Gasnikov et al. (in: COLT, PMLR, pp 1374–1391, 2019), Jiang et al. (in: COLT, PMLR, pp 1799–1801, 2019) and Bubeck et al. (in: COLT, PMLR, pp 492–507, 2019).
Controlling hallucinations at word level in data-to-text generation
Authors: Rebuffel Clement , Roberti Marco , Soulier Laure , Scoutheeten Geoffrey , Cancelliere Rossella , Gallinari Patrick
Published: October 2021

Data-to-Text Generation (DTG) is a subfield of Natural Language Generation aiming at transcribing structured data in natural language descriptions. The field has been recently boosted by the use of neural-based generators which exhibit on one side great syntactic skills without the need of hand-crafted pipelines; on the other side, the quality of the generated text reflects the quality of the training data, which in realistic settings only offer imperfectly aligned structure-text pairs. Consequently, state-of-art neural models include misleading statements –usually called hallucinations—in their outputs. The control of this phenomenon is today a major challenge for DTG, and is the problem addressed in the paper. Previous work deal with this issue at the instance level: using an alignment score for each table-reference pair. In contrast, we propose a finer-grained approach, arguing that hallucinations should rather be treated at the word level. Specifically, we propose a Multi-Branch Decoder which is able to leverage word-level labels to learn the relevant parts of each training instance. These labels are obtained following a simple and efficient scoring procedure based on co-occurrence analysis and dependency parsing. Extensive evaluations, via automated metrics and human judgment on the standard WikiBio benchmark, show the accuracy of our alignment labels and the effectiveness of the proposed Multi-Branch Decoder. Our model is able to reduce and control hallucinations, while keeping fluency and coherence in generated texts. Further experiments on a degraded version of ToTTo show that our model could be successfully used on very noisy settings.
Dynamical analysis of diversity in rule-based open source network intrusion detection systems
Authors: Asad Hafizul , Gashi Ilir
Published: October 2021

Diverse layers of defence play an important role in the design of defence-in-depth architectures. The use of Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) are ubiquitous in this design. But the selection of the “right” IDSs in various configurations is an important decision that the security architects need to make. Additionally, the ability of these IDSs to adapt to the evolving threat-landscape also needs to be investigated. To help with these decisions, we need rigorous quantitative analysis. In this paper, we present a diversity analysis of open-source IDSs, Snort and Suricata, to help security architects tune/deploy these IDSs. We analyse two types of diversities in these IDSs; configurational diversity and functional diversity. In the configurational diversity analysis, we investigate the diversity in the sets of rules and the Blacklisted IP Addresses (BIPAs) these IDSs use in their configurations. The functional diversity analysis investigates the differences in alerting behaviours of these IDSs when they analyse real network traffic, and how these differences evolve. The configurational diversity experiment utilises snapshots of the rules and BIPAs collected over a period of 5 months, from May to October 2017. The snapshots have been collected for three different off-the-shelf default configurations of the Snort IDS and the Emerging Threats (ET) configuration of the Suricata IDS. The functional diversity investigates the alerting behaviour of these two IDSs for a sample of the real network traffic collected in the same time window. Analysing the differences in these systems allows us to get insights into where the diversity in the behaviour of these systems comes from, how does it evolve and whether this has any effect on the alerting behaviour of these IDSs. This analysis gives insight to security architects on how they can combine and layer these systems in a defence-in-depth deployment.
A multidimensional adapted process model of teaching
Authors: Metsäpelto Riitta-Leena , Poikkeus Anna-Maija , Heikkilä Mirva , Husu Jukka , Laine Anu , Lappalainen Kristiina , Lähteenmäki Marko , Mikkilä-Erdmann Mirjamaija , Warinowski Anu ,   in collaboration with, Iiskala Tuike , Hangelin Sanna , Harmoinen Sari , Holmström Anni , Kyrö-Ämmälä Outi , Lehesvuori Sami , Mankki Ville , Suvilehto Pirjo
Published: October 2021

In the present study, we aimed to specify the key competence domains perceived to be critical for the teaching profession and depict them as a comprehensive teacher competence model. An expert panel that included representatives from seven units providing university-based initial teacher education in Finland carried out this process. To produce an active construction of a shared understanding and an interpretation of the discourse in the field, the experts reviewed literature on teaching. The resulting teacher competence model, the multidimensional adapted process model of teaching (MAP), represents a collective conception of the relevant empirical literature and prevailing discourses on teaching. The MAP is based on Blömeke et al.’s, Zeitschrift für Psychologie, 223, 3–13, (2015) model which distinguishes among teacher competences (referring to effective performance of teachers’ work), competencies (knowledge, skills, and other individual competencies underlying and enabling effective teaching), and situation-specific skills of perceiving, interpreting, and making decisions in situations involving teaching and learning. The implications of the MAP for teacher education and student selection for initial teacher education are discussed.
Asymptotic Behavior of Ground States and Local Uniqueness for Fractional Schrödinger Equations with Nearly Critical Growth
Authors: Cassani Daniele , Wang Youjun
Published: October 2021

We study quantitative aspects and concentration phenomena for ground states of the following nonlocal Schrödinger equation
$(-{\Delta })^{s} u+V(x)u= u^{2_{s}^{*}-1-\epsilon } \ \ \text {in}\ \ \mathbb {R}^{N},$

(
−
Δ
)

s

u
+
V
(
x
)
u
=

u

2

s

∗

−
1
−
𝜖

in

ℝ

N

,
where 𝜖 > 0, s ∈ (0,1), $2^{*}_{s}:=\frac {2N}{N-2s}$

2

s

∗

:
=

2
N

N
−
2
s

and N > 4s, as we deal with finite energy solutions. We show that the ground state u𝜖 blows up and precisely with the following rate $\|u_{\epsilon }\|_{L^{\infty }(\mathbb {R}^{N})}\sim \epsilon ^{-\frac {N-2s}{4s}}$
∥

u

𝜖

∥

L

∞

(

ℝ

N

)

∼

𝜖

−

N
−
2
s

4
s

, as $\epsilon \rightarrow 0^{+}$
𝜖
→

0

+

. We also localize the concentration points and, in the case of radial potentials V, we prove local uniqueness of sequences of ground states which exhibit a concentrating behavior.
Those Who Pay the Piper Calls the Tune: Meta-Organisation and Capacities of the Third Sector in Migration Policies
Authors: Čada Karel , Numerato Dino , Hoření Karina
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we examine the changing landscape of migration policy work conducted by civil society organisations (CSOs) in the Czech Republic. We focus on how funding opportunities affect CSOs’ policy work, long-term planning and everyday practices. Through a qualitative analysis of 15 interviews with representatives of non-governmental organisations and 11 interviews with policy stakeholders, we explored the critical and reflexive strategies adopted by CSOs. A crucial role in developing critical capacity seems to stem from umbrella organisations—organisations whose members are organisations. With respect to CSOs’ strong dependency on the state, umbrella organisations might serve as shields protecting individual organisations from direct conflicts with governmental policies and institutions. In the end, we assume that meta-organisations potentially function as important vehicles for the reflexive development and evolution of organisations and decrease transaction costs for the organisation field.
Fatal anogenital exenteration of the intestine
Authors: Preuss Vanessa , Wöllner Kirsten , Vennemann Benedikt , Fieguth Armin , Hagemeier Lars , Klintschar Michael
Published: October 2021

A case of a sadistically motivated homicide with extraordinary injuries is reported. A 32-year-old woman was naked with signs of severe blunt trauma and oral, vaginal and anal penetration. At the crime scene, the intestine lay next to the woman without connection to the body. During the trial before the criminal court, the perpetrator admitted fisting and inserting several objects into the vagina, anus and oral cavity. Moreover, after anal and vaginal insertion of the hands, large parts of the intestine were torn and pulled out through the anus and the vagina. The results of the forensic pathological examination and additional investigation are discussed and compared with the pertinent literature. This extraordinary case of a sadistically motivated homicide ended with a final judgment that is extremely rare in German jurisdiction.
Follow *the* science? On the marginal role of the social sciences in the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Lohse Simon , Canali Stefano
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we use the case of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe to address the question of what kind of knowledge we should incorporate into public health policy. We show that policy-making during the COVID-19 pandemic has been biomedicine-centric in that its evidential basis marginalised input from non-biomedical disciplines. We then argue that in particular the social sciences could contribute essential expertise and evidence to public health policy in times of biomedical emergencies and that we should thus strive for a tighter integration of the social sciences in future evidence-based policy-making. This demand faces challenges on different levels, which we identify and discuss as potential inhibitors for a more pluralistic evidential basis.
Drug target inference by mining transcriptional data using a novel graph convolutional network framework
Authors: Zhong Feisheng , Wu Xiaolong , Yang Ruirui , Li Xutong , Wang Dingyan , Fu Zunyun , Liu Xiaohong , Wan XiaoZhe , Yang Tianbiao , Fan Zisheng , Zhang Yinghui , Luo Xiaomin , Chen Kaixian , Zhang Sulin , Jiang Hualiang , Zheng Mingyue
Published: October 2021

A fundamental challenge that arises in biomedicine is the need to characterize compounds in a relevant cellular context in order to reveal potential on-target or off-target effects. Recently, the fast accumulation of gene transcriptional profiling data provides us an unprecedented opportunity to explore the protein targets of chemical compounds from the perspective of cell transcriptomics and RNA biology. Here, we propose a novel Siamese spectral-based graph convolutional network (SSGCN) model for inferring the protein targets of chemical compounds from gene transcriptional profiles. Although the gene signature of a compound perturbation only provides indirect clues of the interacting targets, and the biological networks under different experiment conditions further complicate the situation, the SSGCN model was successfully trained to learn from known compound-target pairs by uncovering the hidden correlations between compound perturbation profiles and gene knockdown profiles. On a benchmark set and a large time-split validation dataset, the model achieved higher target inference accuracy as compared to previous methods such as Connectivity Map. Further experimental validations of prediction results highlight the practical usefulness of SSGCN in either inferring the interacting targets of compound, or reversely, in finding novel inhibitors of a given target of interest.
YTHDF1 promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of prostate cancer cells by regulating TRIM44
Authors: Li Weijian , Chen Gaohuang , Feng Zhenyu , Zhu Baoyi , Zhou Lilin , Zhang Yuying , Mai Junyan , Jiang Chonghe , Zeng Jianwen
Published: October 2021

Background

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignancies in men. YTHDF1 may play an important role in promoting PCa progression, but there is no reports to date on YTHDF1 function in PCa.

Objective

This study explored whether YTHDF1 could regulate TRIM44 in PCa cells.

Methods

By querying the TCGA database, we evaluated YTHDF1 expression in PCa, the OS and DFS of YTHDF1, and the correlation between YTHDF1 and TRIM44 in PCa. We constructed vectors to interfere with YTHDF1 expression and overexpress TRIM44 to examine the role of YTHDF1 and TRIM44 in PCa cells. Differentially expressed mRNAs were identified by mRNA sequencing. The levels of YTHDF1, TRIM44, LGR4, SGTA, DDX20, and FZD8 were measured by qRT-PCR and WB was used to determine YTHDF1 and TRIM44 expression. A CCK-8 assay was used to assess cell proliferation. A Transwell chamber assay was used measure cell migration and invasion ability.

Results

YTHDF1 was highly expressed in both Pca tissues and cells. PCa patient prognosis with high YTHDF1 expression was relatively poor. Cell function experiments showed that inhibiting YTHDF1 expression decreased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that YTHDF1 may promote PCa cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by modulating TRIM44 expression. Cell function experiments further verified that YTHDF1 promoted PCa cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by regulating TRIM44.

Conclusions

YTHDF1 enhances PCa cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by regulating TRIM44.
Ultra-processed Foods, Weight Gain, and Co-morbidity Risk
Authors: Crimarco Anthony , Landry Matthew J. , Gardner Christopher D.
Published: October 2021

Purpose of Review

The purpose of this review is to provide an update on the available data regarding the associations of Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption with food intake and possible underlying mechanisms relating UPF consumption to weight gain and co-morbidities.

Recent Findings

In primarily observational studies, UPF consumption is consistently associated with an increased risk for weight gain among adults and children and increased risk for adiposity-related co-morbidities in adults. In a single mechanistic study, consumption of UPFs led to increased energy intake and weight gain relative to whole foods.

Summary

UPFs tend to be more energy-dense than nutrient-dense, and UPF consumption is associated with increased adiposity and co-morbidity risk. These data suggest that recommendations to limit UPF consumption may be beneficial to health — though further mechanistic studies are needed.
Prozess- und strukturorientierte Klassenführungsmaßnahmen von Lehrpersonen im Anfangsunterricht – Ergebnisse zur zeitlichen Stabilität von Beobachterratings innerhalb und zwischen 90-minütigen Unterrichtseinheiten
Authors: Gabriel-Busse Katrin , Jentsch Armin , Lipowsky Frank
Published: October 2021

Der Erfassung des Unterrichtsqualitätsmerkmals Klassenführung durch Beobachterratings wurde in den letzten Jahren vor allem im Rahmen von Studien in der Sekundarstufe viel Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt. Hier liegt ausreichend Evidenz für eine eher geringe bis moderate Variabilität der Klassenführung zwischen mehreren Unterrichtsstunden gemessen im Abstand von wenigen Wochen und Monaten vor. Bislang kaum untersucht wurde die Frage nach der Variabilität der Klassenführung innerhalb von Unterrichtseinheiten (Doppelstunden), d. h. innerhalb von inhaltlich und methodisch aufeinander aufbauenden Unterrichtsstunden, die zeitlich direkt nacheinander beobachtet wurden. Des Weiteren liegen keine Studien vor, in denen die zeitliche Stabilität einzelner Klassenführungsmerkmale auf Itemebene (prozess- versus strukturorientierte Maßnahmen der Klassenführung) für den Anfangsunterricht der Grundschule untersucht wurde. Die hier dargestellte Studie knüpft an diese Desiderate an und untersucht die Stabilität einzelner Klassenführungsmerkmale sowohl innerhalb von 90-minütigen Unterrichtseinheiten als auch über zwei im Abstand von 12 Monaten beobachteten Unterrichtseinheiten. Die Klassenführung wurde von 21 Lehrpersonen im 1. und 2. Schuljahr jeweils zwei Mal in einer Doppelstunde (jeweils nach 45 Minuten) videobasiert erfasst. Zwei geschulte Beobachter/innen schätzten unabhängig voneinander sechs Klassenführungsmerkmale (prozess- vs. strukturorientierte Merkmale) reliabel ein. Die Ergebnisse deuten auf Unterschiede in der Variabilität zwischen prozess- und strukturorientierten Klassenführungsmerkmalen innerhalb der 90-minütigen Unterrichtseinheiten. Eine große Variabilität in den Beobachterratings zur Klassenführung zeigt sich – wie erwartet – zwischen 12 Monate auseinanderliegen Unterrichtseinheiten. Die Befunde werden im Zusammenhang mit der Wahl der Analyseebene (Item- vs. Skalenebene) und der Konzeptualisierung der Klassenführung im Anfangsunterricht diskutiert.
Distinguishing regular and singular black holes in modified gravity
Authors: Demyanova Aleksandra , Rayimbaev Javlon , Abdujabbarov Ahmadjon , Han Wenbiao
Published: October 2021

This paper is devoted to investigate the possible ways of distinguishing regular and singular black holes (BHs) in modified gravity (MOG) called regular MOG (RMOG) and Schwarzschild MOG (SMOG) BHs through observational data from twin peak quasiperiodic oscillations (QPOs) which are generated by test particles in stable orbits around the BHs. The presence of MOG field causes to sufficiently the mpeak in effective potential for a radial motion of test particles. The effect of MOG parameter on specific angular momentum and energy has also studied. As a main part of the paper, we focus on investigations of QPOs around SMOG and RMOG BHs in RP model and the relations of upper and lower frequencies of twin peak QPOs in SMOG and RMOG BH models together with extreme rotating Kerr and Schwarzschild BH. Moreover, possible parameters for the central BHs of the objects GRS J1915 + 105 and XTE 1550 – 564 have also obtained numerically in the relativistic precession (RP) model. Finally, we provide comparisons of the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) and the orbits where twin peak QPOs with the ratio 3:2 taken place and show that QPOs can not be generated at/inside ISCO and there is a correlation between the radius of ISCO and QPO orbits.