bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of zero‐point energy in simulating organic reactions with post‐transition state bifurcation
Authors: Tremblay Matthew T. , Yang Zhongyue J.
Published: January 2022

Ambimodal reactions involve a single transition state leading to multiple products. To assess the ratio of the bifurcation products, quasiclassical trajectories (QCTs) are initiated from transition state geometries that are randomly sampled using the zero‐point energy (ZPE) plus thermal energy of a molecule's vibrational modes. However, in the QCTs, the influence of ZPE percentage in the resulting bifurcation ratio and time gap between formation of bonds is not well understood. To benchmark the effect of varying the percentage of the molecules' inherent ZPE used in the simulation, three organic reactions with distinct mechanisms that all display post‐transition state bifurcation were selected. The three reactions studied include an intramolecular [6 + 4]/[4 + 2] cycloaddition, an asynchronous nitrene insertion, and an SN2/addition to a carbonyl on an α‐bromoketone. These reactions encompass various modes of bond formation and cleavage, offering a broad view of the influence of ZPE scaling in evaluating the product ratio resulted from post‐transition state bifurcation. Exploring means of tuning selectivity in simulation enables development of more accurate organic reaction modeling for synthetic prediction. This work will establish a basis for future QCT studies of organic reactions.
Growth and treatment of hydrogenated amorphous carbon nanoparticles in a low‐pressure plasma
Authors: Asnaz Oguz Han , Kohlmann Niklas , Folger Hauke , Greiner Franko , Benedikt Jan
Published: January 2022

A parallel‐plate, low‐pressure plasma for fundamental nanodusty plasma research is used to grow hydrogenated amorphous carbon nanoparticles using an argon‐acetylene gas mixture. The particles stay confined in the volume of the argon plasma after turning off the gas flow and the effects of prolonged treatment with noble gas (Ar) and reactive gas mixtures (Ar/, Ar/, or Ar/) are investigated using in situ infrared absorption spectroscopy. Additionally, ex situ scanning electron microscopy imaging of extracted nanoparticles is used to analyze their size and surface morphology. In 45 min of argon treatment, a size increase of about 50% is seen together with a decrease in  bonds and an increase in C═O bonds, indicating incorporation of oxygen from gas impurities into the particle material. All reactive gas mixtures lead to the expected etching of the nanoparticle material without any exchange reactions between gas‐phase deuterium and surface‐bonded hydrogen atoms. These results are important for in situ studies of nanoparticle clouds such as dust density wave diagnostics, but they also provide fundamental information about plasma interaction with a‐C:H material.
Time resolved study of ignition of microwave discharge in liquid hydrocarbons
Authors: Lebedev Yuri A. , Krashevskaya Galina V. , Batukaev Timur S. , Mikhaylyuk Andrey V.
Published: January 2022

Results of the study of acoustic phenomena and changes in the structure of the microwave (2.45 GHz) discharge in liquid hydrocarbons in time are presented. Discharge was ignited at the tip of microwave antennas with conical or rounded ends. Petroleum solvent Nefras was chosen as representative of liquid hydrocarbons. Electret microphone and high‐speed video cameras were used to study the discharge. It is shown that the discharge is always attached to the top of the cone in the case of the conical end of the antenna whereas ignition of the discharge generates in the gas part of the reactor a set of acoustic oscillations with frequencies corresponding to the characteristic oscillations of the reactor.
Ventilator versus manual hyperinflation in adults receiving mechanical ventilation: A systematic review
Authors: Valer Bruna Bampi , Bonczynski Guilherme Silva , Scheffer Karina Dornsbach , Ibrahim Forgiarini Soraia Genebra , Eibel Bruna , Lisboa Cordeiro André Luiz , Friedman Gilberto , Forgiarini Júnior Luiz Alberto
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Manual hyperinflation (MHI) or with a mechanical ventilator (VHI) are alternatives in bronchial hygiene therapy, in recent years several studies have emerged with the objective of verifying the effectiveness and safety of the techniques.

Objective

Systematically review and analyze the most recent studies in the literature on MHI and VHI, compare both techniques and demonstrate their effectiveness in bronchial hygiene therapy in mechanically ventilated patients.

Methods

We conducted this systematic review based on the PICO strategy and used the databases Ovid, LILACS, CINAHL, Pubmed and CENTRAL. Search, selection and analysis of randomized controlled trials on MHI, VHI or comparing both techniques. We performed a comparison on secretion elimination, static and dynamic compliance, oxygenation and clinical outcomes. The studies were analyzed by two independent evaluators.

Results

Nine articles were selected comparing MHI with usual care, demonstrating improved compliance in the MHI group, but with no impact on secretion removal. Four studies compared VHI with usual care, with three showing increased secretion elimination and compliance in the HVM group. Another four articles compared MHI with VHI but none of the studies showed superiority in terms of elimination of secretion and three studies found improvement in static compliance.

Conclusion

Both techniques have proven to be effective alternatives to bronchial hygiene therapy.
Visualization of the evolution of bubbles in the spray sheet discharged from the air‐induction nozzle
Authors: Gong Chen , Li Dongyang , Kang Can
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND

The air‐induction nozzle greatly reduces drift potential by increasing spray droplet size compared with a standard flat‐fan nozzle. The current study aims to reveal the mechanism behind the formation of large droplets through the air‐induction nozzle from the aspect of bubble evolution in the spray sheet.

RESULTS

Bubble break‐up leads directly to the formation of perforations because large bubbles reach both sides of the spray sheet. The surface disturbance induced by bubble break‐up modulates spray sheet thickness, which indirectly leads to the generation of perforations. Compared with the spray pressure, nozzle configuration has a more significant effect on both the volumetric flow rate of intake air and the thickness of the spray sheet. As the nozzle is changed from ID‐120‐01 to ID‐120‐05, the volumetric flow rate of intake air increases by 801.30% at a spray pressure of 0.3 MPa, whereas spray sheet thickness increases by 412.50% at a radial distance of 10 mm.

CONCLUSION

Bubble break‐up is the main reason for the generation of perforations within an air‐induction nozzle, leading to early break‐up of the spray sheet and the production of large spray droplets. Bubble break‐up can be effectively controlled by modifying the nozzle configuration.
A parameter free Bayesian adaptive EWMA mean chart under different loss functions
Authors: Noor‐ul‐Amin Muhammad , Noor Surria , Feroze Navid
Published: January 2022

The adaptive exponentially weighted moving average (AEWMA) control chart is more sensitive than the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) control chart for the mean shifts. The EWMA control chart is used to monitor the small or moderate shifts, and the Shewhart control chart is used to monitor only large shifts in the process mean. The AEWMA control chart is useful to monitor the small to large mean shifts. We proposed a new parameter free Bayesian AEWMA mean chart under different loss functions (LFs). We used two different LFs as symmetric LF namely squared error loss function (SELF) and asymmetric LF namely Linex loss function (LLF) with both informative and non‐informative priors for posterior and posterior predictive distributions. The average run length (ARL) and the standard deviation of run length (SDRL) are used to measure the performance of the proposed parameter free Bayesian AEWMA control chart under different LFs. A Monte Carlo simulation study is used to evaluate the proposed control chart under different LFs. A real data example is used for implementation purposes.
Change time estimation uncertainty in nonlinear dynamical systems with applications to COVID‐19
Authors: Alisic Rijad , Paré Philip E. , Sandberg Henrik
Published: January 2022

The impact that each individual non‐pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) had on the spread rate of COVID‐19 is difficult to estimate, since several NPIs were implemented in rapid succession in most countries. In this article, we analyze the detectability of sudden changes in a parameter of nonlinear dynamical systems, which could be used to represent NPIs or mutations of the virus, in the presence of measurement noise. Specifically, by taking an agnostic approach, we provide necessary conditions for when the best possible unbiased estimator is able to isolate the effect of a sudden change in a model parameter, by using the Hammersley–Chapman–Robbins (HCR) lower bound. Several simplifications to the calculation of the HCR lower bound are given, which depend on the amplitude of the sudden change and the dynamics of the system. We further define the concept of the most informative sample based on the largest distance between two output trajectories, which is a good indicator of when the HCR lower bound converges. These results are thereafter used to analyze the susceptible‐infected‐removed model. For instance, we show that performing analysis using the number of recovered/deceased, as opposed to the cumulative number of infected, may be an inferior signal to use since sudden changes are fundamentally more difficult to estimate and seem to require more samples. Finally, these results are verified by simulations and applied to real data from the spread of COVID‐19 in France.
Use Zoom's poll, chat features to improve online assessment
Authors: McCarthy Claudine
Published: January 2022

For the higher ed world, Zoom became an important and all‐too‐familiar tool for meetings and presentations when the pandemic prevented in‐person interactions. Along the way, Zoom users became adept at using chat and poll features to make meetings and presentations more interactive and engaging. But have you considered poll and chat features as assessment tools? To help student affairs professionals discover how to tap into the potential of these tools, New York University's Kristin Balicki, Director of University Programs, and Nick Jensen, Director of Student UX and Innovation Strategy gave a presentation during the virtual Assessment Institute, hosted by Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis.
Theory‐based learning and experimentation: How strategists can systematically generate knowledge at the edge between the known and the unknown
Authors: Ehrig Timo , Schmidt Jens
Published: January 2022

Research Summary

We present a framework for theory‐based learning and experimentation under uncertainty. Strategists' assumptions about how an envisioned future can be reached are likely incomplete and possibly wrong, for instance, if critical contingencies have been overlooked. We explain how strategists can learn from thinking about and testing necessary conditions for an envisioned future to materialize. By logically linking assumptions to consequences our framework allows drawing inferences from experiments with testable assumptions about elements of a strategy that cannot be tested without major investments. Our framework contains the first formal model of learning from arguments in the strategy literature. By using our framework, strategists can maintain focus on an envisioned future while at the same time systematically seeking out reasons and evidence for why they are wrong.

Managerial Summary

We develop a framework that helps strategists to learn and understand what it takes to reach ambitious goals when there is substantial uncertainty. We ask strategists to formulate their assumptions as a theory: what needs to be true for their goal to materialize. Our framework enables strategists to scrutinize and improve their assumptions by raising objections against their theory and by pointing them to critical experiments to learn whether their assumptions hold. Using our results, strategists can in particular identify overlooked critical contingencies. Overall, we suggest how strategists should revise their beliefs about what it takes to be successful in the light of evidence and arguments for and against their strategy.
Supramolecular Network Structured Gel Polymer Electrolyte with High Ionic Conductivity for Lithium Metal Batteries
Authors: Chen Fei , Guo Changxiang , Zhou Honghao , Shahzad Muhammad Wakil , Liu Terence Xiaoteng , Oleksandr Sokolskyi , Sun Jining , Dai Sheng , Xu Ben Bin
Published: January 2022

Polymer‐based solid electrolytes (PSEs) offer great promise in developing lithium metal batteries due to their attractive features such as safety, light weight, low cost, and high processability. However, a PSE‐based lithium battery usually requires a relatively high temperature (60 °C or above) to complete charge and discharge due to the poor ionic conductivity of PSEs. Herein, a gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) film with a supramolecular network structure through a facile one‐step photopolymerization is designed and developed. The crosslinked structure and quadruple hydrogen bonding fulfil the GPEs with high thermal stability and good mechanical property with a maximum tensile strain of 48%. The obtained GPEs possess a high ionic conductivity of 3.8 × 10−3 S cm−1 at 25 °C and a decomposition voltage ≥ 4.6 V (vs Li/Li+). The cells assembled with LiFePO4 cathode and Li anode, present an initial discharge specific capacity of 155.6 mAh g−1 and a good cycling efficiency with a capacity retention rate of 81.1% after 100 charges/discharge cycles at 0.1 C at ambient temperature. This work encompasses a route to develop high performance PSEs that can be operated at room temperature for future lithium metal batteries.
Atomically Defined Undercoordinated Copper Active Sites over Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon for Aerobic Oxidation of Alcohols
Authors: Li Zhijun , Fan Tingting , Li Honghong , Lu Xiaowen , Ji Siqi , Zhang Jiangwei , Horton J. Hugh , Xu Qian , Zhu Junfa
Published: January 2022

Selective aerobic oxidation of alcohols offers an attractive means to address challenges in the modern chemical industry, but the development of non‐noble metal catalysts with superior efficacy for this reaction remains a grand challenge. Here, this study reports on such a catalyst based on atomically defined undercoordinated copper atoms over nitrogen‐doped carbon support as an efficient, durable, and scalable heterogeneous catalyst for selective aerobic oxidation of alcohols. This catalyst exhibits extremely high intrinsic catalytic activity (TOF of 7692 h−1) in the oxidation of cinnamyl alcohol to afford cinnamaldehyde, along with exceptional recyclability (at least eight cycles), scalability, and broad substrate scope. DFT calculations suggest that the high activity derives from the low oxidation state and the unique coordination environment of the copper sites in the catalyst. These findings pave the way for the design of highly active and stable single atom catalysts to potentially address challenges in synthetic chemistry.
Boosting Polysulfide Catalytic Conversion and Facilitating Li+ Transportation by Ion‐Selective COFs Composite Nanowire for LiS Batteries
Authors: Yan Wenqi , Gao Xiangwen , Yang Jin‐Lin , Xiong Xiaosong , Xia Shuang , Huang Wen , Chen Yuhui , Fu Lijun , Zhu Yusong , Wu Yuping
Published: January 2022

The large‐scale application of lithium‐sulfur batteries (LSBs) has been impeded by the shuttle effect of lithium‐polysulfides (LiPSs) and sluggish redox kinetics since which lead to irreversible capacity decay and low sulfur utilization. Herein, a hierarchical interlayer constructed by boroxine covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with high Li+ conductivity is fabricated via an in situ polymerization method on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (C@COF). The as‐prepared interlayer delivers a high Li+ ionic conductivity (1.85 mS cm−1) and Li+ transference number (0.78), which not only acts as a physical barrier, but also a bidirectional catalyst for LiPSs redox process owing to the abundant heterointerfaces between the inner conductive CNTs and the outer COFs. After coupling such a catalytic interlayer with sulfur cathode, the LSBs exhibit a low decay rate of 0.07% per cycle over 500 cycles at 1 C, and long cycle life at 3 C (over 1000 cycles). More importantly, a remarkable areal capacity of around 4.69 mAh cm−2 can still be maintained after 50 cycles even under a high sulfur loading condition (6.8 mg cm−2). This work paves a new way for the design of the interlayer with bidirectional catalytic behavior in LSBs.
Harnessing 4D Printing Bioscaffolds for Advanced Orthopedics
Authors: Chen Xi , Han Shuyan , Wu Weihui , Wu Zihan , Yuan Yuan , Wu Jun , Liu Changsheng
Published: January 2022

The development of programmable functional biomaterials makes 4D printing add a new dimension, time (t), based on 3D structures (x, y, z), therefore, 4D printed constructs could transform their morphology or function over time in response to environmental stimuli. Nowadays, highly efficient bone defect repair remains challenging in clinics. Combining programmable biomaterials, living cells, and bioactive factors, 4D bioprinting provides greater potential for constructing dynamic, personalized, and precise bone tissue engineering scaffolds by complex structure formation and functional maturation. Therefore, 4D bioprinting has been regarded as the next generation of bone repair technology. This review focuses on 4D printing and its advantages in orthopedics. The applications of different smart biomaterials and 4D printing strategies are briefly introduced. Furthermore, one summarizes the recent advancements of 4D printing in bone tissue engineering, uncovering the addressed and unaddressed medical requirements. In addition, current challenges and future perspectives are further discussed, which will offer more inspiration about the clinical transformation of this emerging 4D bioprinting technology in bone regeneration.
Study on the Flocculation Performance of a Cationic Starch‐Based Flocculant on Humic Substances in Textile Dyeing Wastewater
Authors: Wang Kexu , Liu Hongfei , Wang Yating , Zhao Dishun , Zhai Jianhua
Published: January 2022

Dissolved organic matter is one of the difficult problems in the treatment of textile dyeing wastewater, among which humic substances are the most harmful to the environment and human health. Herein, cationic starch‐based flocculants are prepared by free radical polymerization of corn starch (St) and methacryloyloxyethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (DMC) in a redox‐initiated system of ammonium persulfate and sodium bisulfite. Corn starch‐graft‐poly(methacryloyloxyethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride) is denoted as St‐g‐PDMC. The St‐g‐PDMC is comprehensively characterized in terms of structural (element analysis, Fourier transform infrared, X‐ray diffraction, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy), morphological (scanning electron microscopy), and thermal (differential scanning calorimetry) properties. Humic acid (HA) solution is selected to simulate negatively charged dissolved organic matter. The flocculation performance and mechanism of St‐g‐PDMC, cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM), and polymerized aluminum chloride (PAC) are systematically investigated. The experimental results show that St‐g‐PDMC functions mainly through the electric neutralization and bridging effect as the flocculation mechanism, CPAM using its own structure and the colloid formed by PAC through hydrolysis is more in line with the bonded bridging and net roll sweep trapping. The combined formulation of St‐g‐PDMC and PAC shows advantages over a single flocculant in the treatment of textile dyeing wastewater, and its cost is evaluated.
Co‐inquiry during unprecedented times
Authors: Priest Kerry L. , Chung Jessica , Gleason Michael C. , Guthrie Kathy L. , Navarro Christine D. , Pierre Darren E. , Steele Michelle Cummings , Weng John
Published: January 2022

The confluence of crises facing our global and local communities have challenged leadership educators to think and practice differently. This has meant shifts in how we teach, how we connect with students, and how we understand our role in making change in our institutions and communities. How can we navigate change personally and as a community? The purpose of this article is to introduce co‐inquiry as an emerging method for professional community building, leadership learning, and action‐oriented research.
Leader identity: Resisting conformity and reconstructing how we define “Leader”
Authors: Chung Jessica , Navarro Christine D.
Published: January 2022

Leadership educators often acknowledge the need to embrace and honor diverse lived experiences and different ways we acquire knowledge and demonstrate leadership. However, do our practices and expectations really reflect this? How do we ensure we are not perpetuating expectations and structures rooted in White supremacist culture?
Applying complexity to leadership educator professional formation
Authors: Priest Kerry L. , Gleason Michael C.
Published: January 2022

Equipping leadership educators and students to navigate complex challenges requires new ways of thinking about and engaging in professional development. Using the framework of professional formation, we propose an approach to development leveraging complexity science and generative leadership.
The Sharing Economy in Europe: From Idea to Reality
Authors: Miguel Cristina , Avram Gabriela , Klimczuk Andrzej , Simonovits Bori , Balázs Bálint , Česnuitytė Vida
Published: January 2022

This chapter explains the rationale behind the book. It provides basic definitions of the concept of the sharing economy as well as the primary meanings related to the subject of the analysis undertaken in the subsequent chapters. This Introduction also includes a description of the main benefits of the analysis of the sharing economy from a European perspective. It highlights that the idea of the book emerged from the collaboration of most co-authors in the COST Action CA16121 ‘From Sharing to Caring: Examining Socio-Technical Aspects of the Collaborative Economy.’ Finally, the outline of the book is presented, providing a description of the content of each chapter within this academic collection.
From a Sharing Economy to a Platform Economy: Public Values in Shared Mobility and Gig Work in the Netherlands
Authors: de Waal Martijn , Arets Martijn
Published: January 2022

This chapter discusses the sharing economy in the Netherlands, focussing on shared mobility and gig work platforms. The Netherlands has been known as one of the pioneers in the sharing economy. Local initiatives emerged at the beginning of the 2010s. International players such as Uber, UberPop, and Airbnb followed soon after. Initially, the sharing economy was greeted with a sense of optimism, as it was thought to contribute to social cohesion and sustainability. Over the last few years, the debate has shifted to the question of how public values can be safeguarded or stimulated. In this regard, shared mobility is hoped to contribute to more sustainable transport. In the gig economy, scholars and labour representatives fear a further flexibilisation of labour; others see opportunities for economic growth.
Unsettled State of Regulation: Italy’s Hard Path Towards Effective Rules for the Sharing Economy
Authors: Priora Giulia , Postiglione Monica , Valerio Stefano , Sanna Venere Stefania , Bassetti Chiara
Published: January 2022

Since its heyday, the Italian sharing economy has emblematically displayed the problem of a wanting and largely ineffective regulatory environment. To date, the Italian legislator has been unable to formulate a consistent legal response to the main social and economic challenges stemming from the sharing economy, opting for ad hoc reactive measures, and leaving great uncertainty among all stakeholders. This has been exacerbated by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen the slowdown of some sharing economy activities and the rise of new ones. Building on these premises, the chapter offers a snapshot of the current reality of the Italian sharing economy, highlighting the main legal issues emerging from its consolidation, reflecting on the main implications of the COVID-19 crisis within the sector, and drawing meaningful considerations on some policy directions worth considering in the post-pandemic society.
Advances of Sharing Economy in Agriculture and Tourism Sectors of Albania
Authors: Hysa Eglantina , Kruja Alba Demneri
Published: January 2022

The concept of sharing economy arises with the digital economy. However, the awareness of the terms ‘sharing economy’ and ‘collaborative economy’ is still very modest in Albania. With the industry 4.0 revolution, the digitisation process of the economy has become a priority agenda for the government of this country. Although the sharing economy is evidenced in the Albanian market in many industries, this chapter focuses only on the agriculture and tourism sector. This study identifies the development trends of both sectors, their specifications, and their progress tracks of the collaborative/sharing aspects. After an integrated strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of the sharing economy developments, the study comes up with the quadruple helix collaboration model as a necessity of a collaborative economy supportive to the Albanian market enhancement.
The State and Critical Assessment of the Sharing Economy in Europe
Authors: Česnuitytė Vida , Simonovits Bori , Klimczuk Andrzej , Balázs Bálint , Miguel Cristina , Avram Gabriela
Published: January 2022

The chapter is the final one in the volume of collected papers aiming to discuss the sharing economy in Europe. The idea of the book emerged within the research network created by the COST Action CA16121 ‘From Sharing to Caring: Examining Socio-Technical Aspects of the Collaborative Economy.’ The authors of the chapter sum up theoretical and empirical materials as well as country-specific cases provided in the book. The article critically assesses the current status of the sharing economy in European countries by highlighting major controversial issues related to deregulation, market disruption, or social inequality. The authors conclude that, considering the comprehensive and up-to-date materials collected and analysed in the book, it may become an outstanding source of knowledge and a practical tool in the process of expansion of the sharing economy in Europe and beyond.
A Conceptualisation of the Sharing Economy: Towards Theoretical Meaningfulness
Authors: Miguel Cristina , Martos-Carrión Esther , Santa Mijalche
Published: January 2022

The sharing economy aims to redistribute existing goods (e.g., tools, cars) across the population in order to maximise their functionality. Within sharing economies, there can be monetary exchange (e.g., Airbnb, BlaBlaCar), or the exchange can be altruistic (e.g., Timebanking, CouchSurfing). Nevertheless, sharing economy platforms mainly function as digital marketplaces where supply and demand are matched. The rise of sharing economy practices is followed by a torrent of publications. As a result, there is conceptual confusion about the sharing economy concept. This chapter aims to provide an answer to this challenge by following the framework for theoretical meaningfulness. Through two levels of literature analysis, the chapter aims to shed light on the conceptualisation of the sharing economy.
The Regulatory Context and Legal Evolution: The Cases of Airbnb and Uber
Authors: Dumančić Kosjenka , Avlona Natalia-Rozalia
Published: January 2022

Whilst sharing economy has been enjoying increasing popularity worldwide over the last decade; its legal definition has been debatable. This is aligning with the fact that the European Union has not provided the legal framework for the sharing economy yet, apart from a European Commission Communication from 2016. This Communication seeks a balance between the support of a Digital Single Market in the EU and the protection of the consumers’ rights and leaves a broad space for national legislations to respond to the phenomenon of sharing economy. The aim of this chapter is to address these issues within the framework of two sharing economy case studies: Airbnb and Uber as the only source at the EU level of applicable law besides the EC Communication.
Shared Mobility: A Reflection on Sharing Economy Initiatives in European Transportation Sectors
Authors: Lukasiewicz Agnieszka , Sanna Venere Stefania , Diogo Vera Lúcia Alves Pereira , Bernát Anikó
Published: January 2022

Freedom of movement is a fundamental human right. The transportation sector, therefore, holds high socio-economic significance—while contributing almost a quarter of Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions and being a major air polluter. Key parts of the ‘collaborative and sharing economy’ relate to transport, including peer-to-peer and on-demand transportation. While these forms of ‘collaborative consumption’ may be seen as promoting environmental sustainability, such models also generate inequality and regulatory disputes (e.g., Uber’s workers and licences), leading to stakeholder conflict. This chapter examines the importance of the main shared mobility services within the transportation sector, their contribution to changing mobility habits, and their connection to sustainable development issues. We also consider conflicts in different European countries caused by shared mobility and the possible effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Education, Knowledge and Data in the Context of the Sharing Economy
Authors: Avram Gabriela , Hysa Eglantina
Published: January 2022

The Open Education model, where anyone on the planet with access to Internet can enrol in an online course, learn at their own pace, and have their assignments assessed by peers, is at the base of platforms such as Khan Academy, Udacity, Coursera, Skillshare. Peer-to-peer learning lowers the barrier for learning new skills and encourages even teenagers to mentor younger kids in learning how to code. A plethora of platforms facilitating collaborative information production and consumption has followed the Wikipedia interaction model: OpenStreetMap, OpenPlaques, Quora, Instructables, WikiVoyage, allowing people from varied backgrounds to get involved in the creation of information and knowledge resources. This chapter aims to examine activities such as Open Education, Open Design, knowledge and data sharing from the perspective of the sharing economy.
A Robust and Adaptive Watermarking Technique for Relational Database
Authors: Zhang Yexing , Wang Zihou , Wang Zhaoguo , Liu Chuanyi
Published: January 2022

A watermarking technology is a kind of marker covertly embedded to identify ownership of the copyright. The existing database watermarking techniques cannot automatically adapt to different types of data and have poor robustness. In this paper, we present a new robust database watermarking scheme. The scheme can automatically adapt the watermarking algorithm and parameters according to the data characteristics for numerical and text-based data. We have theoretically established and verified experimentally the performance of our method in terms of robustness and less data distortion. This makes it suitable for copyright protection, owner identification, or traitor tracing purposes.
TFC: Defending Against SMS Fraud via a Two-Stage Algorithm
Authors: Li Gaoxiang , Ye Yuzhong , Shi Yangfei , Chen Jinlin , Chen Dexing , Li Anyang
Published: January 2022

With the increasing of the telecom network fraud in China, SMS (Short Message Service) has became an important channel exploited by the criminals to contact victims. Due to the tiny amount compared with normal SMS, the high proportion of malicious adversarial characters, and the lack of knowledge to specific fraud types, it is still challenging to identify the fraud SMS efficiently. In this paper, we firstly conduct a measurement study to explore the characteristics of the fraud SMS. Based on the exploration, we propose a two-stage algorithm called TFC. TFC can quickly filter out normal SMS in the first stage with two indicator functions, and then easily identifies the category of fraud SMS in the second stage by combining the semantic deep features and the domain-knowledge based artificial features. We conduct two real-world SMS datasets for extensive experiments, and the results show that TFC successfully reduces calculation cost and achieves better performance in distinguishing various categories of fraud SMS.
Efficient Classification of Darknet Access Activity with Partial Traffic
Authors: Wang Xuebin , Wang Meiqi , Shi Jinqiao , Li Zeyu , Zou Kexin , Fang Binxing
Published: January 2022

In this paper we propose a novel approach to classify darknet-access traffic with only partial traffic data, which significantly reduces resource consumption and is as accuracy as prior work. Besides, in order to keep up with the users’ real access activity, we simulate new and old user by simply whether delete the cached consensus document before each access and apply our approach. The experiment results confirm that there does exist a window of cell sequence contributes greatly to distinguish darknet-access traffic. With the window size 75 and the start point 67, we can achieve 95.97% accuracy for new user access scenario. Similarly, with the window size 85 and the start point 44, we achieve 94.43% accuracy for old user access scenario.
Analysis of acrylamide in vegetable chips after derivatization with 2-mercaptobenzoic acid by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry
Authors: Oellig Claudia , Gottstein Eva , Granvogl Michael
Published: January 2022

Since many years, acrylamide (AA) is a well-known toxicologically relevant processing contaminant (“food-borne toxicant”). However, only during the recent years, high levels of acrylamide have been reported in vegetable chips. In the present study, AA was quantitated via a modified derivatization procedure with 2-mercaptobenzoic acid based on stable isotope dilution analysis and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Extraction with a modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, efficient, rugged, safe) method, defatting with n-hexane, and a solid phase extraction clean-up with strong cation-exchange material were performed prior to the derivatization step. Limits of detection and quantitation (LoD and LoQ) were 12 and 41 µg of AA/kg of vegetable chips (estimated via signal-to-noise ratios of 3:1 and 10:1, respectively), and thus below the LoQ of 50 µg/kg requested by the European Food Safety Authority. Recovery rates between 92 and 101% at four spiking levels with a good precision expressed as a relative standard deviation  < 7% were determined. With this method at hand, a survey of the current AA amounts in 38 vegetable chips from the worldwide market was performed, showing a remarkable variability between the different vegetables, but also between different products of the same vegetable. Thereby, the AA amounts ranged between 77.3 and 3090 µg/kg, with an average of 954 µg/kg which was distinctly higher in comparison to commercially available potato chips also analyzed in the present study (12 samples, range: 117–832 µg/kg, average: 449 µg/kg). While for sweet potato and parsnip relatively low AA amounts were found, beetroot and carrot showed rather high contents.
Hierarchical heuristics for Boolean-reasoning-based binary bicluster induction
Authors: Michalak Marcin
Published: January 2022

Biclustering is a two-dimensional data analysis technique that, applied to a matrix, searches for a subset of rows and columns that intersect to produce a submatrix with given, expected features. Such an approach requires different methods to those of typical classification or regression tasks. In recent years it has become possible to express biclustering goals in the form of Boolean reasoning. This paper presents a new, heuristic approach to bicluster induction in binary data.
All-fiber supercontinuum source operating at 1 μm with combination of different PCFs
Authors: Wang Huibo , Han Hainian , Shao Xiaodong , Zhang Ziyue , Zhu Jiangfeng , Wei Zhiyi
Published: January 2022

We demonstrate an all-fiber scheme for generating supercontinuum spectrum based on a combination method. The configuration employed a nonlinear photonic crystal fiber for dispersion pre-management, an Yb-doped gain fiber for amplification and a special tapered photonic crystal fiber for supercontinuum generation. This setup allows for the generation of highly coherent supercontinuum with 30-dB bandwidth covering from 800 to 1240 nm as well as dispersive waves at 480 nm and 540 nm. The initial pulses were centered at 1030 nm with average power of 90 mW and repetition rate of 216 MHz. Based on the generated supercontinuum and dispersive waves at 540 nm, an envelope-carrier phase offset frequency with signal to noise ratio up to 37 dB was detected by a standard f-2f interferometer. The high signal to noise ratio shows that the infrared supercontinuum and the dispersive waves were highly coherent. Such a robust supercontinuum source achieved at low energy would promote the application of laser comb in precision measurement.
Growing Threat of Rapidly-Intensifying Tropical Cyclones in East Asia
Authors: Liu Kin Sik , Chan Johnny C. L.
Published: January 2022

This study examines the long-term change in the threat of landfalling tropical cyclones (TCs) in East Asia over the period 1975–2020 with a focus on rapidly intensifying (RI) TCs. The increase in the annual number of RI-TCs over the western North Pacific and the northwestward shift of their genesis location lead to an increasing trend in the annual number of landfalling RI-TCs along the coast of East Asia. The annual power dissipation index (PDI), a measure of the destructive potential of RI-TCs at landfall, also shows a significant increasing trend due to increases in the annual frequency and mean landfall intensity of landfalling RI-TCs. The increase in mean landfall intensity is related to a higher lifetime maximum intensity (LMI) and the LMI location of the landfalling RI-TCs being closer to the coast. The increase in the annual PDI of East Asia is mainly associated with landfalling TCs in the southern (the Philippines, South China, and Vietnam) and northern parts (Japan and the Korean Peninsula) of East Asia due to long-term changes in vertical wind shear and TC heat potential. The former leads to a northwestward shift of favorable environments for TC genesis and intensification, resulting in the northwestward shift in the genesis, RI, and LMI locations of RI-TCs. The latter provides more heat energy from the ocean for TC intensification, increasing its chances to undergo RI.
Distal ulna fractures in adults—subcapitular, transverse fractures did not benefit from surgical treatment
Authors: Moloney Maria , Farnebo Simon , Adolfsson Lars
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Fractures of the distal ulna, excluding the styloid, are rare. The cause of injury is often a fall on an outstretched hand with an extended wrist, and in most cases there is a concomitant distal radius fracture. The aims of this retrospective study were to investigate the results of the current treatment of distal ulna fractures in adults, with or without a concomitant distal radius fracture, and if a recently presented fracture classification could predict outcome.

Materials and methods

Patients, 18 years or older, treated for a fracture of the distal third of ulna in our county, were included. Fractures of the styloid tip were excluded. The radiographs of the fractures were independently classified by two specialists in radiology according to the 2018 AO/OTA classification. Follow-up was performed 5–7 years after the injury, through the questionnaire Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) and new radiographs of both wrists.

Results

Ninety-six patients with 97 fractures were included and filled out the PRWE. 65 patients also had new radiographs taken. 79 patients were women and the mean age at the time of injury was 63 years (SD 14.5). The most common fracture class was the extra-articular transverse fracture, 2U3A2.3 (42%). We found that 40% of the fractures had been treated by internal fixation and only 2 fractures had not healed, one conservatively treated and one operated. The median PRWE was 15 (IQR 33.5). The PRWE score was significantly worse in the operated ulna fractures (p = 0.01) and this was also true for extra-articular transverse fractures 2U3A2.3 (p = 0.001). Initial displacement was more common in operated transverse fractures, but it could not be proven that this was the reason for the inferior result.

Conclusions

Distal ulna fractures almost always unite and the result is comparable to that of isolated distal radius fractures when measured by PRWE. Based on the opinions of the radiologists and how often a consensus discussion was needed for classification, we found the updated AO classification system difficult to use, if dependent only on standard radiographic views. In the present study, transverse extra-articular ulna fractures did not benefit from internal fixation regardless if associated with a distal radius fracture or isolated.
Stress urinary incontinence after hysterectomy: a 10-year national follow-up study
Authors: Tulokas Sari , Mentula M. , Härkki P. , Brummer T. , Jalkanen J. , Kuittinen T. , Mäkinen J. , Sjöberg J. , Tomas E. , Rahkola-Soisalo P.
Published: January 2022

Purpose

Hysterectomy has been associated with increased risk for developing stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and having a SUI operation. We examined the long-term rate of SUI operations after hysterectomy and associated risk factors.

Methods

We followed up 5000 women without prior urinary incontinence (UI) who had a hysterectomy in a prospective FINHYST 2006 cohort study until the end of 2016 through a national health register. The main outcome was SUI operations, and secondary outcomes were outpatient visits for UI, and their association of preoperative patient and operation factors.

Results

During the median follow-up time of 10.6 years (IQR 10.3–10.8), 111 (2.2%) women had a SUI operation and 241 (4.8%) had an outpatient visit for UI. The SUI operation rate was higher after vaginal hysterectomy and laparoscopic hysterectomy (n = 71 and 28, 3.3% and 1.8%, respectively) compared to abdominal hysterectomy (n = 11, 0.8%). In a multivariate risk analysis by Cox regression, the association with vaginal hysterectomy and SUI operation remained significant when adjusted for vaginal deliveries, preceding pelvic organ prolapse (POP), uterus size, age and BMI (HR 2.4, 95% CI 1.1–5.3). Preceding POP, three or more deliveries and laparoscopic hysterectomy were significantly associated with UI visits but not with SUI operations.

Conclusion

After hysterectomy, 2.2% of women underwent operative treatment for SUI. The number of SUI operations was more than double after vaginal hysterectomy compared to abdominal hysterectomy, but preceding POP explained this added risk partially. Preceding POP and three or more vaginal deliveries were independently associated with UI visits after hysterectomy.
Measuring the functional impact of cognitive impairment in Huntington’s disease
Authors: Horta-Barba Andrea , Martínez-Horta Saül , Pérez-Pérez Jesus , Sampedro Frederic , Puig-Davi Arnau , Pagonabarraga Javier , Kulisevsky Jaime
Published: January 2022

Background

Patients with Huntington’s disease (HD) exhibit a variable predominance of cognitive, behavioral and motor symptoms. A specific instrument focusing on the impact of cognitive impairment in HD over functional capacity is lacking.

Objective

To address the need for a brief and specifically developed HD questionnaire able to capture functional aspects suspected to be sensitive to cognitive impairment.

Methods

We developed and validated the “Huntington’s Disease-Cognitive Functional Rating Scale” (HD-CFRS) in 78 symptomatic carriers of the Huntington’s disease mutation. We also administered the HD-CFRS to a knowledgeable informant to measure the level of agreement. To explore the association between HD-CFRS scores and participants’ cognitive status, we administered objective measures of cognition. Participants were classified as cognitively preserved (HD-NC), as having mild cognitive impairment (HD-MCI), or as having dementia (HD-Dem).

Results

The HD-CFRS showed concurrent validity and internal consistency in the three groups. HD carriers and informants in the HD-NC group obtained similar HD-CFRS scores. However, in patients with mild cognitive impairment and dementia, informers reported greater functional impairment than HD participants. The HD-CFRS total score showed strong correlations with measures assessing cognition.

Conclusions

These findings support the utility of the HD-CFRS as a brief and reliable instrument to measure functional defects associated with cognitive impairment in HD. We believe this questionnaire could be a useful tool both for clinical practice and research.
The first survey addressing patients with BMI over 50: a survey of 789 bariatric surgeons
Authors: Kermansaravi Mohammad , Lainas Panagiotis , Shahmiri Shahab Shahabi , Yang Wah , Jazi Amirhossein Davarpanah , Vilallonga Ramon , Antozzi Luciano , Parmar Chetan , Kassir Radwan , Chiappetta Sonja , Zubiaga Lorea , Vitiello Antonio , Mahawar Kamal , Carbajo Miguel , Musella Mario , Shikora Scott
Published: January 2022

Background

Bariatric surgery in patients with BMI over 50 kg/m2is a challenging task. The aim of this study was to address main issues regarding perioperative management of these patients by using a worldwide survey.

Methods

An online 48-item questionnaire-based survey on perioperative management of patients with a BMI superior to 50 kg/m2was ideated by 15 bariatric surgeons from 9 different countries. The questionnaire was emailed to all members of the International Federation of Surgery for Obesity (IFSO). Responses were collected and analyzed by the authors.

Results

789 bariatric surgeons from 73 countries participated in the survey. Most surgeons (89.9%) believed that metabolic/bariatric surgery (MBS) on patients with BMI over 50 kg/m2should only be performed by expert bariatric surgeons. Half of the participants (55.3%) believed that weight loss must be encouraged before surgery and 42.6% of surgeons recommended an excess weight loss of at least 10%. However, only 3.6% of surgeons recommended the insertion of an Intragastric Balloon as bridge therapy before surgery. Sleeve Gastrectomy (SG) was considered the best choice for patients younger than 18 or older than 65 years old. SG and One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass were the most common procedures for individuals between 18 and 65 years. Half of the surgeons believed that a 2-stage approach should be offered to patients with BMI > 50 kg/m2, with SG being the first step. Postoperative thromboprophylaxis was recommended for 2 and 4 weeks by 37.8% and 37.7% of participants, respectively.

Conclusion

This survey demonstrated worldwide variations in bariatric surgery practice regarding patients with a BMI superior to 50 kg/m2. Careful analysis of these results is useful for identifying several areas for future research and consensus building.