bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Legal Technology im Arbeitsrecht
Authors: Rehder Britta , Apitzsch Birgit , Vogel Berthold
Published: February 2022

Die Digitalisierung betrifft das Arbeitsrecht und die industriellen Beziehungen nicht nur durch die Veränderung von Arbeitsorganisation und Beschäftigungsformen, beispielsweise im Kontext von Crowdwork, sondern auch durch den Bedeutungsgewinn von Legal Technologies. Diese umfassen die standardisierte Bearbeitung von Rechtsangelegenheiten mittels Online-Tools, Rechtsgeneratoren und Legal Robots. Der Beitrag zielt auf eine Exploration der Formen und Folgen der Digitalisierung von Rechtsdienstleistungen im Arbeitsrecht für die industriellen Beziehungen. Auf Grundlage der Analyse prominenter Beispiele von Legal-Tech-Angeboten gibt er Einblicke in die Ausrichtung der Angebote und Anbieter und diskutiert mögliche Folgen für die etablierten Akteure der betrieblichen Mitbestimmung und der gewerkschaftlichen Interessenvertretung. Unsere übergreifende These lautet, dass sich aus dem Möglichkeitsraum der digitalen Rechtsanwendung und -durchsetzung sowohl neue Handlungsspielräume als auch Gefährdungen für die Akteure der kollektiven Interessenvertretung in den industriellen Beziehungen ergeben, die daher gut beraten wären, die Entwicklung der Legal Technologies aktiv mitzugestalten.
Tolerance of Informality and Occupational Choices in a Large Informal Sector Economy
Authors: Arbex Marcelo , Corrêa Márcio V. , Magalhães Marcos R. V.
Published: February 2022

We study an equilibrium two-sector occupational choice model – agents can be (formal or informal) entrepreneurs or workers. An informal entrepreneur faces taxation determined by the combination of her capital choice and society’s tolerance of informality. Our model is consistent with many empirical findings regarding the informal sector in Brazil, a developing economy with a large informal sector. With a calibrated version of our model, we show that as society’s tolerance of informality decreases, the informal sector employs less capital and labor, and informality decreases. We conduct several counterfactual exercises. Informality is substantially lower in economies that are less tolerant of informal activities, formal entrepreneurs have more access to financial markets, and taxation of output and labor is lower. We extend the model to consider stochastic taxation of informal activities – a higher (average) informal output taxation and its variability reduce informality.
Quality Competition and Market-Share Leadership in Network Industries
Authors: Cheng Yi-Ling , Chan Ya-Yuan
Published: February 2022

This paper incorporates network externalities into a model of vertical product differentiation to examine how firms determine product quality and network size. We show that, with significant network benefits from quality improvement, the effects of network externalities differ depending on the type of competition. In response to an increase in network externalities, vertical product differentiation enlarges under price competition but shrinks under quantity competition. Moreover, under price competition, the network size of a high-quality product increases, whereas that of a low-quality product decreases for a sufficiently large extent of network externalities, resulting in a reversal in the leading position in terms of network size from the low- to the high-quality product. By contrast, the network sizes of high- and low-quality products both increase under quantity competition; moreover, the gap between their network sizes shrinks for a sufficiently large extent of network externalities.
Real-time classification of movement patterns of tremor patients
Authors: Piepjohn Patricia , Bald Christin , Kuhlenbäumer Gregor , Becktepe Jos Steffen , Deuschl Günther , Schmidt Gerhard
Published: February 2022

The process of diagnosing tremor patients often leads to misdiagnoses. Therefore, existing technical methods for analysing tremor are needed to more effectively distinguish between different diseases. For this purpose, a system has been developed that classifies measured tremor signals in real time. To achieve this, the hand tremor of 561 subjects has been measured in different hand positions. Acceleration and surface electromyography are recorded during the examination. For this study, data from subjects with Parkinson’s Disease, Essential Tremor, and physiological tremor are considered. In a first signal analysis feature extraction is performed, and the resulting features are examined for their discriminative value. In a second step, three classification models based on different pattern recognition techniques are developed to classify the subjects with respect to their tremor type. With a trained decision tree, the three tremor types can be classified with a relative diagnostic accuracy of 83.14%. A neural network achieves 84.24% and the combination of both classifiers yields a relative diagnostic accuracy of 85.76%. The approach is promising and involving more features of the recorded time series will improve the discriminative value.
Vegetation of the supralittoral and upper sublittoral zones of the Western German Baltic Sea coast: a phytosociological study
Authors: Afanasyev Dmitry F. , Steinhagen Sophie , Abdullin Shamil R. , Weinberger Florian
Published: February 2022

Supralittoral and shallow water seaweed communities are particularly exposed to impacts such as climate change and disturbance by humans. Therefore, their classification, the study of composition, and the monitoring of their structural changes are particularly important. A phytosociological survey of the supralittoral and upper sublittoral vegetation of the South West Baltic Sea revealed eight phytobenthos communities with two variants comprising 35 taxa of macrophytes (18 taxa of Chlorophyta, 13 taxa of Rhodophyta and four taxa of Phaeophyceae, Ochrophyta). Five of the eight communities were dominated by Ulvales (Ulva intestinalis, Kornmannia leptoderma, and three Blidingia species), the other three by Fucus vesiculosus. Most Fucus vesiculosus-dominated communities contained U. intestinalis and U. linza as subdominants. Only one of the communities had until now been described as an association (
Ulvetum intestinalis
 Feldman 1937). The syntaxonomic composition of the investigated vegetation includes both phytocenoses with the domination of green algae (
Ulvetum intestinalis
 Feldman 1937 and communities of Blidingia marginata, unidentified Blidingia spp. and Kornmannia leptoderma), as well as a number of communities dominated by Fucus vesiculosus. Mainly boreal Atlantic species and cosmopolitans make up the bulk of the species in these associations.
Continuous monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in children using residual blood samples from routine clinical chemistry
Authors: Wachter Felix , Regensburger Adrian P. , Antonia Sophia Peter  , Knieling Ferdinand , Wagner Alexandra L. , Simon David , Hoerning André , Woelfle Joachim , Überla Klaus , Neubert Antje , Rauh Manfred
Published: February 2022

Objectives

The assessment of SARS-CoV-2 infections in children is still challenging, but essential for appropriate political decisions. The aim of this study was to investigate whether residual blood samples can be used for SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence monitoring in pediatrics.

Methods

In this repeated cross-sectional cohort study, anonymous residual blood samples from pediatric patients aged 0–17 years were collected in three time-periods (Oct.–Nov. 2020, April 2021, and June–July 2021) and analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein (anti-S) and nucleocapsid (anti-N) antibodies using commercial antibody assays. 28 reactive samples were used to compare antibody levels with a pseudotyped neutralization assay. The results were further compared to the official national COVID-19 surveillance data to calculate the number of unreported cases.

Results

In total, n=2,626 individual blood samples were analyzed. In this unvaccinated pediatric cohort anti-S and anti-N antibody seroprevalence increased over the three time periods (anti-S: 1.38–9.16%, and 14.59%; anti-N: 1.26%, to 6.19%, and 8.56%). Compared to the national surveillance data this leads to a 3.93–5.66-fold increase in the number of unreported cases. However, a correlation between the cumulative incidence of the individual provinces and our assigned data was found (r=0.74, p=0.0151). In addition, reactive samples with anti-S and anti-N and samples with only anti-S showed neutralization capabilities (11/14 and 8/14, respectively). Anti-S levels were not significantly different between age groups and sexes (all p>0.05).

Conclusions

The present study suggests that residual blood samples from routine laboratory chemistry could be included in the estimation of the total SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in children.
The value proposition of integrative diagnostics for (early) detection of cancer. On behalf of the EFLM interdisciplinary Task and Finish Group “CNAPS/CTC for early detection of cancer”
Authors: Froelich Matthias F. , Capoluongo Ettore , Kovacs Zsolt , Patton Simon J. , Lianidou Evi S. , Haselmann Verena
Published: February 2022

Disruptive imaging and laboratory technologies can improve clinical decision processes and outcomes in oncology. However, certain obstacles must be overcome before these technologies can be fully implemented as part of the standard for care. An integrative diagnostic approach represents a unique opportunity to unleash the full diagnostic potential and paves the way towards personalized cancer diagnostics. To meet this demand, an interdisciplinary Task Force of the EFLM was initiated as a consequence of an EFLM/ESR during the CELME 2019 meeting in order to evaluate the clinical value of CNAPS/CTC (circulating nucleic acids in plasma and serum/circulating tumor cells) in early detection of cancer. Here, an overview of current disruptive techniques, their clinical implications and potential value of an integrative diagnostic approach is provided. Furthermore, requirements such as the establishment of diagnostic tumor boards, development of adequate software solutions and a change of mindset towards a new generation of diagnosticians providing actionable health information are presented. This development has the potential to elevate the position and clinical recognition of diagnosticians.
Quasi-Newton Iterative Solution of Non-Orthotropic Elliptic Problems in 3D with Boundary Nonlinearity
Authors: Borsos Benjámin , Karátson János
Published: February 2022

We consider the numerical solution of elliptic problems in 3D with boundary nonlinearity, such as arising in stationary heat conduction models.
We allow general non-orthotropic materials where the matrix of heat conductivities is a nondiagonal full matrix. The solution approach involves the finite element method (FEM) and Newton type iterations. We develop a quasi-Newton method for this problem, using spectral equivalence to approximate the derivatives. We derive the convergence of the method, and numerical experiments illustrate the robustness and the reduced computational cost.
Predicting and monitoring COVID-19 epidemic trends in India using sequence-to-sequence model and an adaptive SEIR model
Authors: Gupta Koyel Datta , Dwivedi Rinky , Sharma Deepak Kumar
Published: February 2022

In the year 2019, during the month of December, the first case of SARS-CoV-2 was reported in China. As per reports, the virus started spreading from a wet market in the Wuhan City. The person infected with the virus is diagnosed with cough and fever, and in some rare occasions, the person suffers from breathing inabilities. The highly contagious nature of this corona virus disease (COVID-19) caused the rapid outbreak of the disease around the world. India contracted the disease from China and reported its first case on January 30, 2020, in Kerala. Despite several counter measures taken by Government, India like other countries could not restrict the outbreak of the epidemic. However, it is believed that the strict policies adopted by the Indian Government have slowed the rate of the epidemic to a certain extent. This article proposes an adaptive SEIR disease model and a sequence-to-sequence (Seq2Seq) learning model to predict the future trend of COVID-19 outbreak in India and analyze the performance of these models. Optimization of hyper parameters using RMSProp is done to obtain an efficient model with lower convergence time. This article focuses on evaluating the performance of deep learning networks and epidemiological models in predicting a pandemic outbreak.
3D chaotic map-cosine transformation based approach to video encryption and decryption
Authors: Dua Mohit , Makhija Drishti , Manasa Pilla Yamini Lakshmi , Mishra Prashant
Published: February 2022

Data security is vital for multimedia communication. A number of cryptographic algorithms have been developed for the secure transmission of text and image data. Very few contributions have been made in the area of video encryption because of the large input data size and time constraints. However, due to the massive increase in digital media transfer within networks, the security of video data has become one of the most important features of network reliability. Block encryption techniques and 1D-chaotic maps have been previously used for the process of video encryption. Although the results obtained by using 1D-chaotic maps were quite satisfactory, the approach had many limitations as these maps have less dynamic behavior. To overcome these drawbacks, this article proposes an Intertwining Logistic Map (ILM)-Cosine transformation-based video encryption technique. The first step involved segmenting the input video into multiple frames based on the frames per second (FPS) value and the length of the video. Next, each frame was selected, and the correlation among the pixels was reduced by a process called permutation/scrambling. In addition, each frame was rotated by 90° in the anticlockwise direction to induce more randomness into the encryption process. Furthermore, by using an approach called the random order substitution technique, changes were made in each of the images, row-wise and column-wise. Finally, all the encrypted frames were jumbled according to a frame selection key and were joined to generate an encrypted video, which was the output delivered to the user. The efficiency of this method was tested based on the state of various parameters like Entropy, Unified Average Change in Intensity (UACI), and correlation coefficient (CC). The presented approach also decrypts the encrypted video, and the decryption quality was checked using parameters such as mean square error (MSE) and peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR).
Security and privacy issues in federated healthcare – An overview
Authors: Amalraj Jansi Rani , Lourdusamy Robert
Published: February 2022

Securing medical records is a significant task in Healthcare communication. The major setback during the transfer of medical data in the electronic medium is the inherent difficulty in preserving data confidentiality and patients’ privacy. The innovation in technology and improvisation in the medical field has given numerous advancements in transferring the medical data with foolproof security. In today’s healthcare industry, federated network operation is gaining significance to deal with distributed network resources due to the efficient handling of privacy issues. The design of a federated security system for healthcare services is one of the intense research topics. This article highlights the importance of federated learning in healthcare. Also, the article discusses the privacy and security issues in communicating the e-health data.
The Lawson surfaces are determined by their symmetries and topology
Authors: Kapouleas Nikolaos , Wiygul David
Published: February 2022

We prove that a closed embedded minimal surface in the round three-sphere which satisfies the symmetries of a Lawson surface and has the same genus is congruent to the Lawson surface.
K-stability of cubic fourfolds
Authors: Liu Yuchen
Published: February 2022

We prove that the K-moduli space of cubic fourfolds is identical to their GIT moduli space.
More precisely, the K-(semi/poly)stability of cubic fourfolds coincide to the corresponding GIT stabilities, which was studied in detail by Laza. In particular, this implies that all smooth cubic fourfolds admit Kähler–Einstein metrics. Key ingredients are local volume estimates in dimension three due to Liu and Xu, and Ambro–Kawamata’s non-vanishing theorem for Fano fourfolds.
A description of monodromic mixed Hodge modules
Authors: Saito Takahiro
Published: February 2022

For a smooth algebraic variety X, a monodromic D-module on

X
×
ℂ

{X\times\mathbb{C}}

is decomposed into a direct sum of some D-modules on X.
We show that the Hodge filtration of a mixed Hodge module on

X
×
ℂ

{X\times\mathbb{C}}

whose underlying D-module is monodromic is also decomposed.
Moreover, we show that there is an equivalence of categories between the category of monodromic mixed Hodge modules on

X
×
ℂ

{X\times\mathbb{C}}

and the category of “gluing data”.
As an application, we endow the Fourier–Laplace transformation of the underlying D-module of a monodromic mixed Hodge module with a mixed Hodge module structure.
The Potentials and Occlusions of Zhonghua Minguo/Taiwan: In Search of a Left Nationalism in the Tsai Ing-wen Era
Authors: McConaghy Mark
Published: February 2022

Tsai Ing-wen has consistently referred to the nation that she governs as 中華民國台灣 (The Republic of China Taiwan), the term representing a major rhetorical feature of her administration. Breaking from the exclusively Taiwan-centered discourse which traditionally defined DPP politics, Tsai has seemingly created an entirely new name for the state she governs. This article examines both the discursive potentials, but also the occlusions, of this newly coined neologism. It argues that the term is defined by a lack of materialist critique, in which essential questions regarding labor exploitation and private property regimes remain unaddressed. While Tsai has successfully combined the ROC’s old Cold War raison d'etre (Chinese humanism as anti-Communism) with the Taiwanese independence movement’s desire for global recognition through the nation-state form, what has been lost is any real commitment to a politics of working-class empowerment, which is reflected in the Tsai administration’s abandonment of progressive labor law reform in 2018, as well as increasing trade liberalization policies with the US introduced in 2020. Returning to the roots of Taiwanese socialist discourse, this article will examine the possibility that “ROC-Taiwan” as a political project could still have a socialist future, despite its markedly capitalist past and present.
CYP450 2D6 and 2C19 genotypes in ADHD: not related with treatment resistance but with over-representation of 2C19 ultra-metabolizers
Authors: Kutuk Meryem Ozlem , Tufan Ali Evren , Topal Zehra , Acikbas Ufuk , Guler Gulen , Karakas Bahriye , Basaga Huveyda , Kilicaslan Fethiye , Altintas Ebru , Aka Yeliz , Kutuk Ozgur
Published: February 2022

Objectives

Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) is a major enzyme system involved in drug metabolism as well as regulation of brain function. Although individual variability in CYP enzymes have been studied in terms of personality traits and treatment effects, no study up to now evaluated CYP polymorphisms in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We aimed to define the genetic profiles of CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 relevant alleles in children with ADHD according to treatment status and compare the frequencies according to past results.

Methods

Three hundred and seventeen patients with ADHD-Combined Presentation were enrolled; symptom severity was evaluated by parents and clinicians while adverse effects of previous treatments were evaluated with parent and child reports. Reverse blotting on strip assays was used for genotyping and descriptive and bivariate analyses were conducted. A p-value was set at 0.05 (two-tailed).

Results

Children were divided into treatment-naïve (n=194, 61.2%) and treatment-resistant (n=123, 38.8%) groups. Within the whole sample PM, EM and UM status according to 2D6 were 3.8% (n=12), 94.3% (n=299) and 21.9% (n=6); respectively. PM, IM, EM and UM status according to 2C19 were 2.5% (n=8), 19.8% (n=63), 48.6% (n=154) and 29.0% (n=92), respectively. No relationship with treatment resistance, comorbidity or gender could be found. Importantly, CYP2C19 UMs were significantly more frequent in ADHD patients compared to previous studies in the general population.

Conclusions

CYPs may be a rewarding avenue of research to elucidate the etiology and treatment of patients with ADHD.
Factors influencing methotrexate and methotrexate polyglutamate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review of population pharmacokinetics
Authors: Methaneethorn Janthima , AlEjielat Rowan , Leelakanok Nattawut
Published: February 2022

Low dose methotrexate (MTX) is commonly used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The clinical effect is mediated by its metabolite, methotrexate polyglutamate (MTX-PGn). The drug exhibits high interindividual pharmacokinetic variability and the optimal MTX dose is different among individuals. Thus, several MTX population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) models were developed to characterize factors affecting MTX pharmacokinetic variability. This review summarizes significant predictors for MTX pharmacokinetics and identifies knowledge gaps to be further examined. A total of 359 articles were identified from a systematic search of four databases: PubMed, Science Direct, and CINAHL Complete. Of these eight studies were included. Most studies investigated influential factors on MTX pharmacokinetics, but information on MTX-PGn is limited, with only one study performing a parent-metabolite (MTX-PG3) model. MTX pharmacokinetics was described using a two-compartment model with first-order elimination in most studies, with the MTX clearance ranging from 6.94 to 12.39 L/h. Significant predictors influencing MTX clearance included weight, creatinine clearance, sex, OATP1B3 polymorphism, and MTX multiple dosing. While body mass index and red blood cell counts were significant predictors for MTX-PG3 clearance. Providing that MTX-PGn plays a crucial role in clinical effect, further studies should determine other factors affecting MTX-PGn as well as its relationship with clinical response.
Do we need critical educational linguistics?
Authors: Spolsky Bernard
Published: February 2022

Over the past 30 years, the term “criticality” has become increasingly common in studies of educational and applied linguistics. Derived originally from the work of the Frankfurt School and widened by the linguistic turn in the writing of Habermas, the first linguistic sub-field was Critical Discourse Analysis, proposed by British scholars. In 1990, Alastair Pennycook called for critical applied linguistics, and in 2021 traced its expansion over thirty years. Given the steady deterioration of the modern world and its effects on language teaching and use, there is good reason to encourage critical approaches to educational linguistics and to seek solutions to the current crises. But continued critique without solutions in praxis is not desirable.
Quantitative analysis of DC–DC converter models: a statistical perspective based on solar photovoltaic power storage
Authors: Hole Shreyas Rajendra , Goswami Agam Das
Published: February 2022

Photovoltaic (PV) systems have paved their way into general households due to their high efficiency, low deployment cost and huge power savings. These advantages combined with Government incentives further assist in wide-scale adoptability of the solar powered systems. PV systems generate direct current (DC) outputs, which needs to be converted into alternating current (AC) via inverters. The efficiency of inverter design decides the overall efficiency of the PV system, which allows effective utilization of the solar power for feeding to grid or for local usage. In order to design effective inverter models, a large number of electrical configurations are designed by researchers over the years. These include, stand-alone inverters, grid-tie inverters, battery backup inverters and hybrid inverters, each of which are further divided into multiple sub-categories. Each of these sub-categories have a different application, for instance, string-converters are used for moderate power applications up-to 150k W, while central converters are used for high power applications above 80k W, etc. Apart from power capabilities, these designs vary in terms of efficiency of conversion, usability, cost, etc. Due to so many parametric variations, effective selection of these converters for a given PV application becomes ambiguous. In order to reduce this ambiguity, the underlying text statistically evaluates performance of some of the most efficient PV converter models, and compares them on the basis of power capabilities, accuracy of conversion, converter used, control model used, etc. This review will assist researchers and system designers to select the best suited models for their given applications, and thus reduce the time needed for efficient PV inverter system design. This text also recommends future research which can be adopted for improving efficiency of these systems.
Numerical modelling of coronavirus pandemic in Peru
Authors: Jiménez César , Merma Marco
Published: February 2022

Objectives

The main objective of this research is to demonstrate the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions (social isolation and quarantine) and of vaccination.

Methods

The SIR epidemiological numerical model has been revised to obtain a new model (SAIRDQ), which involves additional variables: the population that died due to the disease (D), the isolated (A), quarantined population (Q) and the effect of vaccination. We have obtained the epidemiological parameters from the data, which are not constant during the evolution of the pandemic, using an iterative approximation method.

Results

Analysis of the data of infected and deceased suggest that the evolution of the coronavirus epidemic in Peru has arrived at the end of the second wave (around October 2021). We have simulated the effect of quarantine and vaccination, which are effective measures to reduce the impact of the pandemic. For a variable infection and isolation rate, due to the end of the quarantine, the death toll would be around 200 thousand; if the isolation and quarantine were relaxed since March 01, 2021, there could be more than 280 thousand deaths.

Conclusions

Without non-pharmaceutical interventions and vaccination, the number of deaths would be much higher than 280 thousand.
A lightweight polyurethane-carbon microsphere composite foam for electromagnetic shielding
Authors: Liang Shaofeng , Qin Yuxuan , Gao Wei , Wang Muqun
Published: February 2022

In this study, we have produced a lightweight foam composite material by a simple freeze-drying method, which is composed of carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), mesoporous carbon hollow microspheres (MCHMs), water-based polyurethane (WPU), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). MCHMs were prepared by a novel and facile method. We found that the electromagnetic shielding performance of foam composites can be adjusted by adjusting the density of foam composites, and the electromagnetic shielding performance of composites can be enhanced through the synergistic effect of hollow mesoporous carbon and MWCNTs. The composite material with a density of 232.8042 mg·cm−3 and 40 wt% MWCNT has a δ of 30.2 S·m−1 and SE of 23 dB. After adding 10 wt% MCHMs to the composite material, δ reaches 33.2 S·m−1, and SE reaches 28 dB. Both absorption losses accounted for 70%. The increase in the content of MWCNT, the increase in density, and the introduction of MCHMs all have a positive effect on the δ and SE of the composite material.
Effects of chitosan and Tween 80 addition on the properties of nanofiber mat through the electrospinning
Authors: Boonpratum Chalongwut , Naemchanthara Patcharin , Limsuwan Pichet , Naemchanthara Kittisakchai
Published: February 2022

Chitosan (CS) with excellent biomedical properties was mixed with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to be used as the spinning solution. The spinning solutions with various concentrations of CS:PVA from 10:90% to 50:50% (v/v) were investigated. Tween 80 (T80) was added in the spinning solutions of CS and PVA. The nanofiber mats with and without T80 addition obtained from the spinning solutions by electrospinning technique were investigated and addressed. The results showed that the viscosity of the CS and PVA spinning solutions increased with increasing the CS concentration, whereas the viscosity decreased after T80 addition. The nanofiber mats with 10–30% CS concentrations were prepared successfully as a smooth surface and high dense nanofiber mat. The average diameter of the nanofiber decreased with increasing the CS concentration. The increase in the CS concentration of the nanofiber mat can increase the mechanical and antibacterial properties, whereas the wettability and drug release property were decreased. Moreover, the nanofiber mats with T80 addition had higher mechanical property and wettability than the nanofiber mats without T80 addition. Finally, the T80 addition can enhance hydrophilicity and promote the drug release property of the nanofiber mat.
Professional intercultural communicative competence and labour market integration among highly-educated refugees in the Netherlands
Authors: Schukking Anna Fardau , Kircher Ruth
Published: February 2022

In the last decade, thousands of forcibly-displaced people have sought refuge in the Netherlands. Many of them are highly educated, and their integration into the host society’s labour market could improve their own quality of life as well as making a significant contribution to the country’s economy. However, refugees face many challenges in their search for employment. This is the first exploratory study of the role that professional intercultural communicative competence (PICC) plays in highly-educated refugees’ integration in the Dutch labour market. Interviews and focus groups were used to collect data from refugees who had already successfully integrated into the Dutch workforce as well as from newcomers who were still in the process of achieving this. Content analysis was performed on the data, using rounds of deductive and inductive coding and analysis. The findings indicate that the development of PICC (including resilience) plays an important role in helping refugees overcome the challenges they face. The article discusses the implications of the findings – should they generalise – in terms of PICC training offered to refugees themselves (as part of their language courses) and to professionals who work with them, with the aim of facilitating and promoting the refugees’ labour market integration.
A mathematical conjecture associates Martian TARs with sand ripples
Authors: Zhang Jinghong , Zheng Xiaojing , Zhu Wei
Published: February 2022

Considering that aeolian sand ripples are formed primarily by creeping particles caused by wind-driven saltation sand particles, we obtain a formulation for determining the height of saturated aeolian sand ripples by incorporating the reptation fluxes with previous experimental results on migration velocities of sand ripples. Based on existing observational results of terrestrial sand ripples on Earth's surface, it estimates that the wavelength of aeolian sand ripples on Mars is generally up to several meters. This implies a possibility that there is another sand ripple on Mars similar in scale to Transverse Aeolian Ridges (TARs) at some time when surface saltation was prevalent. Moreover, perhaps part of the widely observed TARs is the degradation of saltation sand ripples, whose formation is intimately related to saltation and reptation of sand particles. While the other two types of ripple-like morphologies (plain ripples and crater ripples) found by Opportunity Rover are essentially not. Further, we propose that the main factor controlling the scale feature of Martian sand ripples is the intense particle-bed collision process.
Research on comprehensive benefits and reasonable selection of marine resources development types
Authors: Sun Huihui , Gao Sheng , Liu Jinfu , Liu Wei
Published: February 2022

The comprehensive benefit evaluation of marine resources developmental model is of great significance to choose the appropriate types of marine resources development and promote the intensive utilization and sustainable development of marine resources. This article examined five types of marine resources development, such as marine protected areas, mariculture, offshore wind power, sewage dumping, and land reclamation, and constructed a three-level evaluation index system for the comprehensive benefits of marine resources development. The projection pursuit clustering model was used to evaluate and analyze the comprehensive benefits and main influencing factors of 15 marine resources development projects in Jiangsu Province, China. It was found that the comprehensive benefit projection values of marine protected areas and offshore wind power are higher. The projection value of comprehensive benefit of land reclamation is the lowest. The main influencing factors include but not limited to the change rate of total output of aquatic products, contradiction between management and marine use, negative impact on residents’ lives, etc. The research results have important guiding significance for promoting the rational development and utilization of marine resources and the high-quality development of the oceans.
Activation of Ad Damm shear zone, western Saudi Arabian margin, and its relation to the Red Sea rift system
Authors: Samkari Abdulaziz , Farris David W. , Baggazi Haitham M.
Published: February 2022

The Ad Damm shear zone (ADSZ) is a major mylonitic right-lateral structure that bounds the Jeddah terrane to the north from the Asir terrane to the south. High-resolution field mapping coupled with petrological and geochemical analyses indicate that Jeddah terrane is characterized by heterogeneous magmatism with extensive meta-basalt intruded by silicic plutons of varying size. South of the ADSZ, Asir terrane is characterized by larger scale granitic batholiths. A younger generation of Eocene–Miocene basaltic dikes cut the mylonitic shear zone at a high angle. Petrographic analyses of the ADSZ mylonitic rocks indicate dynamic recrystallization and grain-size reduction, suggesting high-temperature recrystallization. Field observations also found a lack of low-temperature fault zone rocks (e.g. gouge) except for isolated brittle slickensides. Spider diagrams of Jeddah, Asir terranes, and ADSZ rocks are characterized by an arc-related signature, which related to the amalgamation of Jeddah and Asir terranes and defined ADSZ as Neoproterozoic structure. In contrast, Eocene–Miocene basaltic dikes and southern basaltic flow are represented by a rift-related signature, which associated with the development of the Red Sea rift system. Offshore, south of the ADSZ, the Red Sea rift exhibits well-developed linear magnetic anomalies and large topographic escarpment perpendicular to the rift margin, but they are not present north of it. In addition, recent seismicity recorded along the ADSZ and differences in the crustal thickness and characteristics of Asir and Jeddah terranes, collectively, make ADSZ acted as an active crustal boundary and still influence the ongoing tectonic evolution of the Red Sea rift.
Chemical characteristics of heterogeneous lignocellulosic microfines prepared using the glycol ether-organosolv process: dissolution properties in an NaOH–urea aqueous solution
Authors: Kim Kang-Jae , Ryu Ji-Ae , Eom Tae-Jin
Published: February 2022

In this study, heterogeneous lignocellulosic microfines (LCMFs) with different physicochemical properties were prepared from softwood by adjusting the reaction conditions of a glycol ether-organosolv process. The dissolution properties of heterogeneous LCMFs in an NaOH–urea aqueous solution were evaluated. As the reaction time increased, the yield and residual lignin content decreased. As the amount of chemical solution used to prepare LCMFs increased, more lignin than carbohydrates were removed, but the degree of polymerization (DP) was maintained. Finally, LCMFs with different residual lignin content, DP, and crystallinity were prepared via the glycol ether-organosolv process under various conditions. It was observed that lower the lignin content of heterogeneous LCMFs, higher were their solubilities in the NaOH–urea solution. The effect of DP on solubility was not significant; however, the hemicellulose content of LCMFs had a greater effect on their solubilities in the NaOH–urea aqueous solution than the sugar composition of hemicellulose. The chemical properties of lignin present in LCMFs had no significant effect on their solubilities in the NaOH–urea aqueous solution.
Analysis of micro-morphology, mechanical properties, and dimensional stability of densified faber fir infused with paraffin
Authors: Kuai Bingbin , Tong Jiewei , Zhang Yaoli , Zhan Tianyi , Lu Jianxiong , Cai Liping
Published: February 2022

The low density and light color of faber fir [Abies. fabri (Mast.) Craib] wood have limited its applications in interior decoration and wall panels. In order to increase the density of faber fir and thus expand its scope of application, this study chemically pretreated the wood firstly, and then pressed it at high temperatures to make densified wood. The microscopic morphology and mechanical property tests showed that the performances of densified wood were greatly enhanced compared with the natural wood. When the pretreatment time was 10 h, the cell lumen size of densified wood became extremely small, resulting in a density of 1160 kg m−3 and a relative crystallinity of 76.9%. Moreover, the mean flexural strength and elastic modulus of the densified wood with a pretreatment process of 10 h were 191 MPa and 23.4 GPa, which were 170% and 230% higher than the natural wood. In addition, the obtained high-strength wood was infused with paraffin to improve dimensional stability without compromising the high strength of the densified wood. The performance test showed that the thickness swelling of the treated densified wood was only 0.6% (after 72 h water absorption), showing excellent dimensional stability.
Dynamic modulus of elasticity in flexural vibration tests of Pinus sylvestris sawn timber obtained with fundamental resonant frequency and overtones
Authors: Villasante Antonio , Fernández-Serrano Álvaro
Published: February 2022

The use of resonant frequency is presently one of the most used non-destructive testing (NDT) methods to predict the mechanical properties of sawn timber. In most cases, only the first vibration mode is used to estimate the static modulus of elasticity (MOES). The use of other vibration modes (overtones) can improve the predictive capacity of this NDT. In this study, the dynamic modulus of elasticity (MOEdyn) obtained from the fundamental flexural resonant frequency and overtones of 38 structural size samples (2000 × 100 × 70 mm3) of Pinus sylvestris were analysed. The study was complemented with 16 small size samples (1000 × 20 × 8.7 mm3) of the same species to know the shear effect in samples with a very high length-to-depth ratio. For the structural size samples, a 6% decrease in the MOEdyn was detected each time the vibration mode increased. Using the second or third vibration mode offered lower errors in the prediction of the MOES than the fundamental resonant frequency. The lowest MOES prediction errors were obtained combining various vibration modes through power regression. This regression turned out to be a simple alternative to avoid the shear effect in the calculation of the MOEdyn.
Das FERTIGUNGS-DIAGNOSE-DIAGRAMM – ein effizientes Werkzeug für die Qualitätslenkung
Authors: Dengel D. , Fischer H. , Vollmar H.-P.
Published: February 2022

In der Galvanotechnik ebenso wie in der Wärmebehandlungstechnik werden die zu behandelnden Teile in vielen Fällen auf Träger- bzw. Chargiergestellen angeordnet. Diese Anordnungen lassen sich aus praktischer Sicht auch als Positionsmatrizen verstehen. Bei einem optimierten Prozess sollten die Produkte nach dem Behandlungszyklus keine signifikanten Unterschiede in den Qualitätseigenschaften aufweisen, die ihrer Position in der jeweiligen Matrix zuzuschreiben wären. Die Ergebnisse einer stichprobenartigen Prüfung nur einiger weniger Produkte – nach Prozessdurchlauf entnommen aus vorher festgelegten Ortsbereichen solcher Gestelle – lassen sich leicht in Form eines Fertigungs-Diagnose-Diagramms (FDD) visualisieren. Eine solche Darstellung vermittelt auf einfachste Weise, sozusagen „auf einen Blick“, die wesentlichsten Informationen über die Produktqualität und deckt darüber hinaus zuverlässig die Schwächen des Prozesses ohne Rückgriff auf komplexe Datenanalysen auf. Die im vorliegenden Beitrag beleuchteten Vorteile des Fertigungs-Diagnose-Diagramms können jedoch weit über die exemplarisch genannten Anwendungsgebiete hinaus in fast allen Feldern der Produktionstechnik mit hoher Effizienz genutzt werden.
Einfluss verschiedener Minimalmengen-Schmierstoffe auf die Bohrungsqualität beim Bohren von CFK-Aluminium-Schichtverbunden
Authors: Koch T. , Garbrecht M. , Walter A. , Brinksmeier E.
Published: February 2022

Vor dem Hintergrund der Energieeinsparung gewinnt der Wunsch nach Leichtbaukonstruktionen immer mehr an Bedeutung. Branchen, wie die Luft- und Raumfahrtindustrie, Sportgerätehersteller und der Automobilbau, setzen vermehrt auf den Einsatz von Schichtverbunden. Den Vorteilen hinsichtlich ihrer mechanischen Eigenschaften stehen, bedingt durch die Materialkombinationen oder Prozessvorgaben, Schwierigkeiten in der Fertigung gegenüber. Besonders in der Zerspanung treten Probleme hinsichtlich der Verarbeitung auf. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden Zerspanuntersuchungen an einem typischen Werkstoffverbund aus kohlenstofffaserverstärktem Kunststoff und Aluminium unter Einsatz von drei verschiedenen Minimalmengenschmierstoffen vorgestellt und mit der Trockenbearbeitung verglichen. Als Bearbeitungsprozess wurde der Prozess Bohren ins Volle durchgeführt. Zur Beurteilung der Prozessqualität wurden die Parameter Vorschubkraft Ff, die gemittelte Rautiefe Rz und die Abweichung der Bohrungsdurchmesser vom Zieldurchmesser D der hergestellten Bohrung herangezogen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eindeutige Qualitätssteigerungen unter Einsatz der Minimalmengenschmierung. Die verwendeten Schmierstoffe lieferten, in Abhängigkeit ihres chemischen Aufbaus, unterschiedliche Resultate bezüglich der Bewertungskriterien.
Antimikrobielle Beschichtungen für Werkzeugmaschinen
Authors: Peterschewski J. , Veltl G.
Published: February 2022

In Werkzeugmaschinen, in denen wassergemischte Kühlschmierstoffe verwendet werden, gibt es Bereiche, die nur schwer oder gar nicht zu reinigen sind. Genau hier werden sich mikrobiologische Beläge, auch Biofilme oder „Pilznester“ genannt, entwickeln und zu einer kontinuierlichen Wiederverkeimung der ganzen Anlage führen. Die Folgen sind Qualitätsverluste in der Fertigung, verkürzte Standzeiten des Kühlschmierstoffs und dadurch bedingt erhöhte Kosten in der Produktion. Das hier vorgestellte Vorhaben hatte das Ziel, Oberflächen antimikrobiell auszustatten oder entsprechend zu modifizieren, dass sie der Anlagerung von Pilzen und Bakterien entgegenwirken und so die Entstehung von Biofilmen weitgehend verhindern. Grundsätzlich kamen zwei unterschiedliche Verfahren der Oberflächenbehandlung zum Einsatz. Zum einen wurden antimikrobiell ausgestattete Lacksysteme verwendet, die sich eignen, bereits bestehende Anlagen nachträglich auszurüsten. Zum anderen wurden antimikrobiell wirksame Metallpartikel direkt auf Stahloberflächen aufgebracht.

Im Rahmen des Vorhabens konnten eine ganze Reihe verschiedener Systeme entwickelt werden, die auch einen achtwöchigen Einsatz unter den Bedingungen eines realen Produktionsprozesses erfolgreich bestanden.
Einfluss der Bauteilgeometrie auf das Entstehen von Verzug beim Wärmebehandeln *
Authors: Andersch C. , Schwarzer J. , Thoben K.-D. , Hoffmann F. , Zoch H.-W.
Published: February 2022

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde das Verzugsverhalten einer komplexen Kraftfahrzeugkomponente untersucht. Dabei stellte sich die Bauteilgeometrie als dominierender verzugsbeeinflussender Faktor heraus. Darüber hinaus wurde erörtert, was die Bauteilgeometrie zum Träger von Verzugspotenzial macht. Abschließend wurde an einfachen Leistengeometrien gezeigt, wie sich der Wärmebehandlungsverzug eines Bauteils durch gezielte Geometriemodifikationen reduzieren lässt.
Dynamics at crystal/melt interface during solidification of multicrystalline silicon
Authors: Fujiwara Kozo , Chuang Lu-Chung , Maeda Kensaku
Published: February 2022

A fundamental understanding of crystal growth dynamics during directional solidification of multicrystalline Si (mc-Si) is crucial for the development of crystal growth technology for mc-Si ingots for use in solar cells. In situ observation of the crystal/melt interface is a way to obtain direct evidence of phenomena that occur at a moving crystal/melt interface during growth. In this review, some of the phenomena occurring in the solidification processes of mc-Si are introduced based on our in situ observation experiments, after a brief introduction of the history of the development of crystal growth technologies to obtain mc-Si ingots for solar cells.
In-phase thermomechanical fatigue studies on P92 steel with different hold time
Authors: Li Xin , Zhou Chang-Yu , Pan Xiang-Ming , Chang Le , Lu Lei , Zhang Guo-Dong , Xue Fei , Zhao Yan-Fen
Published: February 2022

The effect of hold time with 0, 20, and 40 s on in-phase thermomechanical fatigue (TMF) behavior and life of P92 steel is investigated in this study. TMF tests are carried out under mechanical strain control with strain amplitudes of

0.4

0.4

,

0.6

0.6

, and

0.8
%

0.8\text{\%}

, and temperature range of 550–650°C which is closely relevant to the operating condition in power plant. TMF tests are performed in a mechanical strain ratio of

R
=
−
1

R=-1

and cycle time of 120 s. The fatigue life variation follows the sequence of

N

f

0

s

<

N

f

20

s

<

N

f

40

s

{N}_{\text{f}}^{0\hspace{.1em}\text{s}}\lt {N}_{\text{f}}^{20\hspace{.1em}\text{s}}\lt {N}_{\text{f}}^{40\hspace{.1em}\text{s}}

for the same mechanical strain amplitude. In addition, the influence of hold time on fatigue life decreases with the increasing strain amplitude. A continuous softening can be observed from the cyclic stress response under all test conditions. Fractographic and microstructural tests indicate that the fracture surfaces are characterized by a multi-source cracking initiation and an oxidation phenomenon. Furthermore, a modified Ostergren model is used to predict the fatigue life and achieves a good predicted result.
Balancing Competences and the Margin of Appreciation: Structuring Deference at the ECtHR
Authors: Chagas Carolina A
Published: February 2022

The margin of appreciation is an important argumentative framework employed by the ECtHR. Through its application, the Court may establish a balanced relationship with the member states. This is why the margin is one of the main sources for the ECtHR’s exercise of deference. Deference happens when low intensity of review is applied – or a wide margin. Therefore, to properly know when to act deferentially demands a clear procedure to determine the intensity of review. However, the application of the margin still presents some weak points and lacks consistency. In this paper, I defend the possibility of applying formal balancing to provide a clearer structure for the exercise of the margin of appreciation and, thus, a way to improve deferential practices by the ECtHR. With the clear structure of balancing, factors are employed in a more organized manner and the relationships behind the idea of determining the intensity of review are explicitly justified. Hence, the notion and structure of balancing competences organize the margin of appreciation in a way to free it from its main criticisms and fulfill the argumentative potential it has.