bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An adaptive control scheme for switched nonlinear cyber‐physical systems against state‐dependent sensor attacks and input‐dependent actuator attacks
Authors: Wang Xiao , Zhao Ping
Published: June 2023

This article considers the problem of adaptive control against deception attacks for a class of switched nonlinear cyber‐physical systems (CPSs), in which each subsystem has more general and unknown nonlinearities. Specifically, an adaptive controller is designed for CPSs with unknown switching mechanisms to mitigate the impact of state‐dependent sensor attacks and input‐dependent actuator attacks. Compared with the existing researches, the actuator attacks considered in our article are input‐dependent, which means the controller is substantially attacked, besides, the signs of unknown time‐varying gains caused by state‐dependent sensor attacks and input‐dependent actuator attacks are all unknown. To deal with these scenarios, Nussbaum‐type functions are introduced. In addition, by constructing a common Lyapunov function for all subsystems, the closed‐loop system signals are proved to be globally bounded under arbitrary switchings. Finally, we give a simulation example of a continuously stirred tank reactor system with state‐dependent sensor attacks and input‐dependent actuator attacks to illustrate the effectiveness of our results.
Effects of biostimulant application on soil biological and physicochemical properties: A field study
Authors: Wadduwage Jenendra , Liu Hongwei , Egidi Eleonora , Singh Brajesh K. , Macdonald Catriona A.
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Despite their potential benefits, it is not well understood how the application of biostimulants influences soil biological properties and their microbial communities in field conditions. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impacts of biostimulants on soil biological and physicochemical properties relevant to soil health.

Materials and Methods

To achieve this, we conducted a field study to investigate the effects of two types of commercially available biostimulants, Universal Natural Plant food (UNP) and Converte Seed Primer (CSP), on microbial activity, bacterial and fungal abundance, community structure and diversity, and soil chemical and physical properties across two depths (0–10 and 10–20 cm) from five sites under either wheat or pasture cultivation.

Results

Our findings suggest that application of UNP stimulated microbial activity by 40.1% in surface (0–10 cm) and 36.4% in deeper (10–20 cm) soil, but was dependant on site. Effects were generally greater in grasslands compared with arable soils. At sites where UNP stimulated microbial respiration, substrate‐induced respiration was also stimulated in surface soils and was associated with increased soil moisture content and higher total carbon and nitrogen. At the one site where UNP was combined with CSP, soil enzymes associated with carbon and nitrogen cycling were stimulated in UNP and UNP + CSP treatments. Total bacterial and fungal abundance and their alpha diversity did not respond to biostimulant treatment. However, microbial indicator communities were identified that responded positively to UNP and CSP addition across the two depths. Bacterial indicator species included Elsterales, Propionibacteriales, Solibacterales, Candatus, Reyranellales and Sphingomonadales, but differed between depths. For the fungal indicator species Filobasidiales (Basidiomycota) and Pleosporales (Ascomycota) were strong responders and common across both depths.

Conclusion

Overall, our results suggest some positive effects of biostimulants on soil biological and physicochemical properties. Further long‐term studies should be conducted to evaluate the effects of biostimulants on crop yield and farm resilience.
Rolling balls or trapping ions? How students relate models to real‐world phenomena in the physics laboratory
Authors: Kilde Löfgren Sebastian , Weidow Jonathan , Enger Jonas
Published: June 2023

The creation and use of models in science is of great importance for knowledge production and communication. For example, toy models are often used as idealized explanatory models in physics education. Models can be a powerful tool for exploring phenomena in ways that facilitate learning. However, careful consideration of instruction and explanations needs to be considered to guide how students relate models to real‐world phenomena in subject‐correct ways. A design experiment was conducted to investigate how upper secondary school students can use models for learning in the physics laboratory. The intervention used in the study was a laboratory exercise developed over three phases where students worked with a mechanical Paul trap and a simulation to understand the principle behind a real Paul trap. Each phase of the study consisted of three to five laboratory sessions. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis and the learning process was understood using the theoretical framework of variation theory. From the results, it was possible to identify patterns of variation for successful lab groups and critical aspects and features students need to discern to effectively modelize the mechanical Paul trap. The findings also indicate that having students work with models can be a meaningful clarificatory process to develop a deeper understanding of the use and limitations of models in science.
Degradation of Lignin Pollutants by Persulfate Activated with a Graphene Oxide Loaded Cu2(OH)3NO3 Composite
Authors: Peng Wenyao , Wang Shanshan , An Junjian , Hu Chenyang , Zhang Jian , Wang Peng
Published: June 2023

Graphene oxide (GO)‐Cu2(OH)3NO3 composite was prepared by a thermal calcination process and evaluated as an effective heterogeneous catalytic material. The composite displayed prominent activated performance to persulfate, which was influenced by preparation condition and the reaction parameters in catalytic system. Under optimal reactive conditions, the GO‐Cu2(OH)3NO3 composite yielded rapid degradation of ferulic acid, which the corresponding apparent rate constant was 1.12×10−1 min−1. Catalytic mechanism analysis showed that the main oxygen species were ⋅SO4− and ⋅OH. Among them, ⋅OH made the main contribution in the catalytic system. The analysis of degradation intermediates of ferulic acid showed that the compound could be mineralized to small molecules. The remarkable enhanced heterogeneous catalytic performance of GO‐Cu2(OH)3NO3 was due to a larger specific surface area, high adsorption capacity and a high mass transfer efficiency of oxidizing radicals in the reactive system.
Effects of Cu Content on Inclusions and Pitting Corrosion in S32205 Duplex Stainless Steel
Authors: Hou Yanhui , Xu Zekun , Xiong Gang , Li Guangqiang
Published: June 2023

Cu is an austenite‐forming element in duplex stainless steel, and the precipitation of Cu‐rich phase can improve the strength of the alloy. However, the role of Cu element in the corrosion resistance of stainless steel is widely controversial. Herein, the effects of different Cu content on the formation of inclusions and the pitting resistance of duplex stainless steel are studied by using potentiodynamic anodic polarization test, immersion corrosion, scanning electron microscope, and electron probe microanalysis. The results show that the pitting potential decreases significantly with the increase of Cu content, which greatly reduces its ability to resist Cl− corrosion. The reason is that Cu increases the driving force for the formation of Al‐containing oxides, which increases the number and size of Al‐containing inclusions formed in the process of melting and solidification. At the same time, Cu promotes the formation of Cr‐depleted zone, which promotes the formation of microcracks and pitting corrosion between steel matrix and inclusions in duplex stainless steel.
Synthesis, structure, oxygen content and properties of layered Dy1.2Ba1.8Fe1.8Co1.2O8‐δ
Authors: Bastron I. A. , Volkova N. E. , Suntsov A. Yu. , Cherepanov V. A.
Published: June 2023

It is shown that an excess of Dy in A‐site (in amount of 0.2 in formula units) allows synthesizing a single‐phase perovskite‐related oxide with the 123‐type structure at 1100 °C in air. Cobalt ions completely fill the octahedrally coordinated positions in the structure of 123‐type Dy1.2Ba1.8Fe1.8Co1.2O8‐δ, while iron together with excess Co is in the pyramidal oxygen coordination. The oxygen content at room temperature of 7.86 decreases with temperature. A slight increase in the slope of thermal expansion observed at T >200 °C. The electrical conductivity, carried out mainly by holes, increases non‐linearly with temperature, reaching a maximum value 14.8 S ⋅ cm−1 at 900 °C. Magnetic measurements allow assuming that Fe3+ are in low spin state, all Co2+ ions are in high spin, and Co3+ can be split into several states depending on coordination.
Laves phases: superstructures induced by coloring and distortions
Authors: Gießelmann Elias C. J. , Pöttgen Rainer , Janka Oliver
Published: June 2023

The structural chemistry of Laves phases, especially with respect to their superstructures induced by coloring and distortions is discussed. Starting from the three classical Laves phases MgCu2, MgZn2 and MgNi2, the more complex Komura phases are derived. Different possibilities of their description are summarized. In the second part, the superstructures are discussed based on their respective prototypes. The crystal chemical relationships are illustrated based on group‐subgroup descriptions using the Bärnighausen formalism.
U–Pb Dating of Mineral Deposits: From Age Constraints to Ore-Forming Processes
Authors: Chelle-Michou Cyril , Schaltegger Urs
Published: June 2023

The timing and duration of ore-forming processes are amongst the key parameters required in the study of mineral systems. After more than a century of technical developments, innovations and investigation, the U–Pb system arguably is the most mature radioisotopic system in our possession to conduct absolute dating of a wide range of minerals across geological environments and metallogenic processes. Here, we review the basics of U–Pb geochronology, the key historic developments of the method, and the most commonly used analytical techniques (including data reduction, Pb-correction, uncertainty propagation and data presentation) and minerals while pointing out their respective advantages, weaknesses and potential pitfalls. We also highlight critical aspects that need to be considered when interpreting a date into the age of a geological process (including field and petrographic constraints, open-system behavior, handling and interpretation of uncertainties). While U–Pb geochronology is strongly biased toward zircon dating, we strive to highlight the great diversity of minerals amenable to U–Pb dating (more than 16 mineral species) in the context of mineral systems, and the variety of geological events they can potentially date (magmatism, hydrothermal activity, ore-formation, cooling, etc.). Finally, through two case studies we show (1) how multi-mineral geochronological studies have been used to bracket and decipher the age of multiple geological events associated with the world-class Witwatersrand gold province, and (2) how rather than the absolute age, the duration and rate of the mineralizing event at porphyry copper deposits opens new avenues to understand ore-forming processes and the main controls on the size of such deposits. The improving precision, accuracy and spatial resolution of analyses in tandem with high-quality field and petrographic observations, numerical modelling and geochemical data, will continue to challenge paradigms of ore-forming processes and contribute significant breakthroughs in ore deposit research and potentially to the development of new exploration tools.
Unspeakable Injuries and Neoliberal Subjectivities in Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends and Normal People
Authors: Carregal-Romero José
Published: June 2023

This chapter draws on care ethics and vulnerability theory to explore Sally Rooney’sConversations with Friends(2017) andNormal People(2018) as novels that delve into contexts of silence and dysfunction in the lives of Irish millennials who experience their vulnerability as unspeakable, as a sign of weakness and abnormality in a competitive, individualistic world. The analysis details the ways in which Rooney’s characters adopt strategies such as passing, concealment and ironic distance, and how their anxieties highlight the injustices and contradictions of their neoliberal culture. This chapter ultimately argues that, even though in both novels plot events foreground the lies, omissions and frustrations of dysfunctional silences, a silence of refusal progressively emerges whereby Rooney’s protagonists evade social expectations, abandon previous pretences and begin to establish a more honest and caring relationship with their significant others.
Einleitung
Authors: Marusic Claudia
Published: June 2023

Im einleitenden Kapitel wird zunächst die Problemstellung dargestellt. Daraufhin werden die Forschungsfragen erläutert und wird der projektbasierte Entstehungszusammenhang der vorliegenden Arbeit geklärt. Schliesslich wird die Gliederung der Arbeit dargelegt.
Comparison of laparoscopic, robotic, and open retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for non-seminomatous germ cell tumor: a single-center retrospective cohort study
Authors: Lin Juntao , Hu Zhenghui , Huang Shihan , Shen Bohua , Wang Shuo , Yu Jianjun , Wang Ping , Jin Xiaodong
Published: June 2023

Purpose

To compare the perioperative outcomes of L-RPLND, R-RPLND and O-RPLND, and determine which one can be the mainstream option.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 47 patients undergoing primary RPLND by three different surgical techniques for stage I–II NSGCT between July 2011 and April 2022 at our center. Standard open and laparoscopic RPLND was performed with usual equipment, and robotic RPLND was operated with da Vinci Si system.

Results

Forty-seven patients underwent RPLND during 2011–2022, and 26 (55.3%) of them received L-RPLND, 14 (29.8%) were operated with robot, while 7 (14.9%) were performed O-RPLND. The median follow-up was 48.0 months, 48.0 months, and 60.0 months, respectively. The oncological outcomes were comparable among all groups. In L-RPLND group, there were 8 (30.8%) cases of low grade (Clavien I–II) complications, and 3 (11.5%) cases of high-grade (Clavien III–IV) complications. In R-RPLND group, one (7.1%) low-grade complication and four (28.6%) high-grade complications were observed. In O-RPLND group, there were 2 (28.5%) cases of low-grade complications and one case (14.2%) of high-grade one. The operation duration of L-RPLND was the shortest. In O-RPLND group, the number of positive lymph nodes were higher than other two groups. Patients undergoing open surgery had lower (p < 0.05) red blood cell count, hemoglobin level, and higher (p < 0.05) estimated blood loss, white blood cell count than those receiving either laparoscopic or robotic surgery.

Conclusion

All three surgical techniques are comparable in safety, oncological, andrological, and reproductive outcomes under the circumstance of not using primary chemotherapy. L-RPLND might be the most cost-effective option.
Cardio-hepatic syndrome in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement
Authors: Stolz Lukas , Kirchner Michael , Steffen Julius , Doldi Philipp M. , Braun Daniel , Weckbach Ludwig T. , Stocker Thomas J. , Löw Kornelia , Fischer Julius , Haum Magda , Theiss Hans D. , Rizas Konstantinos , Orban Martin , Peterß Sven , Näbauer Michael , Massberg Steffen , Hausleiter Jörg , Deseive Simon
Published: June 2023

Background

Cardiohepatic syndrome (CHS) has been identified as an important but underrecognized survival predictor in multiple cardiovascular disease entities. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the prevalence and prognostic value of CHS in patients undergoing TAVR for severe aortic stenosis (AS).

Methods

The study included patients with available laboratory parameters of hepatic function who underwent TAVR from July 2013 until December 2019 at our center. CHS was defined as an elevation of at least two of three laboratory cholestasis parameters above the upper limit of normal (bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma glutamyl transferase). Study endpoints were three-year survival, technical and device failure (VARC 3), as well as New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class at follow-up.

Results

Among a total of 953 analyzed patients (47.6% females, median age 80.0 [76.0–85.0] years) CHS was present in 212 patients (22.4%). In patients with vs. without CHS, rates of technical (6.1% vs. 8.4%, p = 0.29) and device failure (18.9% vs. 17.3%, p = 0.59) were comparable. NYHA functional class at baseline and follow-up was more severe in patients with CHS. Nevertheless, heart failure symptoms improved from baseline to follow-up irrespective of hepatic function. Three-year survival rates were significantly lower in patients with CHS (49.4 vs. 65.4%, p < 0.001). The predictive value of CHS persisted after adjustment in a multivariable analysis (hazard ratio 1.58, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

In patients undergoing TAVR, CHS is prevalent in 22% of patients and is associated with increased postinterventional mortality. Thus, CHS should be included in the decision-making process within the TAVR heart team.

Graphical abstract

Cardiohepatic syndrome (CHS) as defined by an elevation of at least two of three laboratory cholestasis parameters above the upper limit of normal was prevalent in 22% of patients undergoing TAVR for severe AS. The presence of CHS was associated with more severe heart failure symptoms and worse three-year survival.
Prospective associations between diet quality, dietary components, and risk of cardiometabolic multimorbidity in older British men
Authors: Wang Qiaoye , Schmidt Amand Floriaan , Lennon Lucy T. , Papacosta Olia , Whincup Peter H. , Wannamethee S. Goya
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) is a major public health challenge. This study investigated the prospective relationships between diet quality, dietary components, and risk of CMM in older British men.

Methods

We used data from the British Regional Heart Study of 2873 men aged 60–79 free of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and type 2 diabetes (T2D) at baseline. CMM was defined as the coexistence of two or more cardiometabolic diseases, including MI, stroke, and T2D. Sourcing baseline food frequency questionnaire, the Elderly Dietary Index (EDI), which was a diet quality score based on Mediterranean diet and MyPyramid for Older Adults, was generated. Cox proportional hazards regression and multi-state model were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

During a median follow-up of 19.3 years, 891 participants developed first cardiometabolic disease (FCMD), and 109 developed CMM. Cox regression analyses found no significant association between baseline EDI and risk of CMM. However, fish/seafood consumption, a dietary component of the EDI score, was inversely associated with risk of CMM, with HR 0.44 (95% CI 0.26, 0.73) for consuming fish/seafood 1–2 days/week compared to less than 1 day/week after adjustment. Further analyses with multi-state model showed that fish/seafood consumption played a protective role in the transition from FCMD to CMM.

Conclusions

Our study did not find a significant association of baseline EDI with CMM but showed that consuming more fish/seafood per week was associated with a lower risk of transition from FCMD to CMM in older British men.
Intensity- and time-matched acute interval and continuous endurance exercise similarly induce an anti-inflammatory environment in recreationally active runners: focus on PD-1 expression in Tregs and the IL-6/IL-10 axis
Authors: Proschinger Sebastian , Schenk Alexander , Weßels Inga , Donath Lars , Rappelt Ludwig , Metcalfe Alan J. , Zimmer Philipp
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Acute exercise elicits a transient anti-inflammatory state during the early recovery period. Since recent studies reported on regimen-specific effects on immune-related humoral factors and cellular subsets, this study compared the effects of intensity- and time-matched acute interval and continuous exercise on peripheral anti-inflammatory cellular and humoral immune parameters with a particular focus on the PD-1 expression in CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs).

Methods

Twenty-four recreationally active runners (age: 29.7 ± 4.3 years, BMI: 22.2 ± 2.4, VO2peak: 56.6 ± 6.4 ml × kg−1 × min−1) participated in this crossover RCT. Each subject conducted a moderate continuous (MCE) and a high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) session in a counterbalanced design. Blood was drawn before, immediately after, and 1 h after exercise. Treg subsets and levels of PD-1 and Foxp3 were assessed by flow cytometry. Serum levels of IL-10 and IL-6 were quantified by ELISA.

Results

PD-1 levels on Tregs increased within the recovery period after HIIE (p < .001) and MCE (p <  0.001). Total counts of Tregs (HIIE: p = 0.044; MCE: p = .021), naïve Tregs (HIIE: p  < 0.001; MCE: p  < 0.001), and PD-1+ effector Tregs (eTregs) (HIIE: p = .002) decreased 1 h after exercise. IL-10 increased 1 h after HIIE (p < 0.001) and MCE (p = 0.018), while IL-6 increased immediately after both HIIE (p = 0.031) and MCE (p = 0.021). Correlations between changes in IL-6 and IL-10 (p = 0.017, r = 0.379) and baseline VO2peak and Treg frequency (p = 0.002, r = 0.660) were identified.

Conclusion

This is the first study that investigates PD-1 expression in circulating Tregs after acute exercise, revealing an increase in PD-1 levels on eTregs during the early recovery period after intensity- and time-matched HIIE and MCE. Future studies are needed to investigate the PD-1 signalosome in eTregs, together with the expression of key effector molecules (i.e., IL-10, TGF-β, IL-35, CTLA-4) to elucidate PD-1-dependent changes in cellular function. Based on changes in serum cytokines, this study further reveals a regimen-independent establishment of an anti-inflammatory milieu and underpins the role of the IL-6/IL-10 axis.
Analysis of a Potential Correlation between Seismicity and Production in Kiruna Mine on a Mine-wide and an Extraction Block Scale
Authors: Polz L. , Ladinig T. , Wagner H.
Published: June 2023

The creation of cavities in the underground results in stress redistributions and energy changes in the rock mass. Zones with increased stresses and zones with lower stresses develop. The energy changes manifest themselves amongst others in changes in potential energy, absorption of energy in the formation of fracture zones, and release of energy such as seismic energy. To prevent damage to infrastructure and personnel, it is important to understand the mechanisms of energy changes as a result of mining. As far as seismic energy release is concerned, it is important to understand to relationship between large scale mineral extraction and mining induced seismicity. One coarse way to do this is to correlate for specific areas the cumulated tons of mined rock multiplied by the depth of extraction and multiplied by the gravitational acceleration to get the unit of energy, which is a rough assessment of the mining-induced energy changes, with the cumulated released seismic energy, which is derived from the seismic monitoring system. This correlation is studied for Kiruna Mine on a mine-wide scale and on an extraction block scale for the years 2014 to 2020. The results show that there is a reasonable correlation between the mining-induced energy changes and the seismic energy release not only on a mine-wide scale but also on an extraction block scale. Periods of decreased seismic energy release are followed either by a period of increased seismic activity or by one or a series of large seismic event. Accordingly, periods of decreased seismic activity can be considered as an indicator for a likely increase in future seismic activities. More detailed investigations should be made to find out the cause for the lack of energy release. A disadvantage of this method is that it does not reveal the exact area and reason for the decrease in seismicity. Therefore, additional rock mechanics analysis is needed to understand the background of the change in energy release.
Abfallende: Ein wesentlicher Beitrag zum Gelingen einer Kreislaufwirtschaft
Authors: Kasper Thomas
Published: June 2023

Im Dezember 2019 hat die europäische Kommission den neuen Green Deal der europäischen Union vorgestellt. Zentrales Ziel darin ist das Erreichen der Klimaneutralität der EU Mitgliedstaaten bis 2050 und als Zwischenziel die Reduktion von Treibhausgasen um 55 % bis 2030.

Als Teil der Strategie zur Erreichung dieser Ziele hat die Kommission im März 2020 im Rahmen der EU-Industriestrategie den neuen Aktionsplan der Kreislaufwirtschaft auf den Weg gebracht. Die Umstellung unserer Wirtschaft und unseres Handelns insgesamt auf ein kreislaufwirtschaftliches System wird als ganz essentieller und zentraler Baustein für das erfolgreiche Erreichen der ambitionierten Klimaschutzziele bis 2030 und 2050 gesehen.

Im Rahmen des Kreislaufwirtschaftsaktionsplan wurden sieben zentrale Produktionswertschöpfungsketten mit besonderer Bedeutung für die Kreislaufwirtschaft identifiziert. Das sind die Bereiche Elektronik, Batterien und Fahrzeuge, Verpackungen, Kunststoffe, Textilien, Bauwirtschaft und Gebäude sowie Lebensmittel, Wasser und Nährstoffe.

Ziel in allen Bereichen ist die Reduktion von Abfall durch Abfallvermeidung und die Integration des Kreislaufprinzips beginnend bei der Planung (design for recycling) bis zur Aufbereitung und Verwendung von Sekundärrohstoffen.

Es soll ein reibungsloser Sekundärrohstoffmarkt in der EU gewährleistet werden. Dazu sollen die Mitgliedstaaten ihre Vorschriften für das Ende der Abfalleigenschaften und für Nebenprodukte prüfen, inwieweit EU-weite Kriterien für das Abfallende für bestimmte Abfallströme entwickelt werden müssen. Die Rolle der Produktnormung soll zur Definition einheitlicher Produkteigenschaften gestärkt werden.

Am Ende eines Lebenszyklus eines Produkts oder eines Gebäudes wird das eingesetzte Material so es nicht wieder- oder weiterverwendet werden kann (reuse) zum Abfall iSd europäischen Rechtsordnung. Das Stigma des „Abfalls“ stellt aber eine Reihe von Hürden für den neuerlichen Einsatz als Produkt dar. Dies aus Gründen des Vorsorgeprinzips, dass es zu keinen Schadstoffverfrachtungen in die Umwelt kommt. Um Stoffkreisläufe zu schließen und Rohstoffe als Sekundärrohstoffe einem weiteren Lebenszyklus zuführen zu können, gilt es, den Abfallbegriff ablegen zu können, um wieder frei gehandelt werden zu können. Dazu gilt es, die Begriffe der Abfallentstehung, des Nebenproduktstatus sowie des Abfallendes näher zu betrachten und technische und rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen zu definieren, um die Grundlagen für den Übergang zu einem nachhaltigen Wirtschaftssystem in Form einer Kreislaufwirtschaft zu schaffen.
Rapid and sensitive detection of E. coli O157:H7 by lateral flow immunoassay and silver enhancement
Authors: Bazsefidpar Shayesteh , Serrano-Pertierra Esther , Gutiérrez Gemma , Calvo Alberto Sánchez , Matos María , Blanco-López María Carmen
Published: June 2023

The aim of this study was to develop a sensitive lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) for the rapid detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7, a pathogen contributor to diseases and fatalities worldwide. Au nanoparticles with high stability, uniform size, and shape were synthesized and coated with heterobifunctional PEG polymer with carboxyl groups, and they were bioconjugated to be used as label in sandwich-LFIA. Then, a silver enhancement strategy was developed as an accessible, rapid, and cost-effective approach for signal amplification to reduce the limit of detection (LOD). The optimal results were achieved when a solution of silver nitrate and hydroquinone/citrate buffer was added to the strips for 4 min. This led to a decrease in the visual LOD from 2 × 106 (CFU mL−1) to 2 × 103 (CFU mL−1), resulting in a threefold improvement in sensitivity compared to the conventional LFIA system. The specificity of the system was evaluated by using non-target bacteria (E. coli BL21 and E. coli T515) and its reliability was determined by testing commercial food samples (milk, tap water, and orange juice), demonstrating its effectiveness for quickly detecting pathogenic bacteria in food products.

Graphical Abstract
Rogue traders
Authors: Dong Huayuan , Guasoni Paolo , Mayerhofer Eberhard
Published: June 2023

Investing on behalf of a firm, a trader can feign personal skill by committing fraud that with high probability remains undetected and generates small gains, but with low probability bankrupts the firm, offsetting ostensible gains. Honesty requires enoughskin in the game: if two traders with isoelastic preferences operate in continuous time and one of them is honest, the other is honest as long as the respective fraction of capital is above an endogenousfraud thresholdthat depends on the trader’s preferences and skill. If both traders can cheat, they reach a Nash equilibrium in which the fraud threshold of each of them is lower than if the other one were honest. More skill, higher risk aversion, longer horizons and higher volatility all lead to honesty on a wider range of capital allocations between the traders.
Wearable augmentative and alternative communication (wAAC): a novel solution for people with complex communication needs
Authors: Zhao Haifeng , Karlsson Petra , Chiu Darryl , Sun Carter , Kavehei Omid , McEwan Alistair
Published: June 2023

Communication is a vital skill of a human’s life. People with different types of disabilities may have Complex Communication Needs and may need a wearable device to help them to communicate. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is a term which refers to the methods of facilitating or replacing people’s communication abilities. Brain–computer interfaces (BCI) and Eye-Gaze Technology (EGT) are two widely used access technologies in AAC devices. However, there are only a few studies that have investigated the utilisation of these technologies in a Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR) environment. VR and AR are both modern technologies which provide immersive environments. In addition, the Mixed Reality (MR) environment combines virtual reality with real life and may offer extra benefits such as better immersion, better interaction, and more information. This paper proposed an MR-based wearable AAC device and compared the usability and acceptability between its Eye-Gaze (EG) and BCI interaction options. Eight neurotypical participants and two participants with cerebral palsy participated. The result showed high usability (accuracy = 93.30%, the information transfer rate was 8.55 selections per minutes) and acceptability (QUEST 2.0 = 4.30, NASA-TLX = 2.14) in the EG session. In contrast, the usability of the BCI system in the current design was questionable. This novel interaction method using Electroencephalogram signals is not sufficiently exploited at the moment, and more research is suggested in the future.
Does health technology assessment compromise access to pharmaceuticals?
Authors: Büssgen Melanie , Stargardt Tom
Published: June 2023

In response to rapidly rising pharmaceutical costs, many countries have introduced health technology assessment (HTA) as a ‘fourth hurdle’. We evaluated the causal effect of HTA based regulation on access to pharmaceuticals by using the introduction of Germany’s HTA system (AMNOG) in 2011. We obtained launch data on pharmaceuticals for 30 European countries from the IQVIA (formerly IMS) database. Using difference-in-difference models, we estimated the effect of AMNOG on launch delay, the ranking order of launch delays and the availability of pharmaceuticals. We then compared the results for Germany to Austria, Czechia, Italy, Portugal and the UK. Across all six countries, launch delay decreased from the pre-AMNOG period (25.01 months) to the post-AMNOG period (14.34 months). However, the introduction of AMNOG consistently reduced the magnitude of the decrease in launch delay in Germany compared to the comparator countries (staggered DiD: + 4.31 months, p = 0.05). Our logit results indicate that the availability of pharmaceuticals in Germany increased as a result of AMNOG (staggered logit: + 5.78%, p = 0.009). We provide evidence on the trade-off between regulation and access. This can help policymakers make better informed decisions to strike the right balance between cost savings achieved through HTA based regulation and access to pharmaceuticals.
Prediction of Knee Joint Compartmental Loading Maxima Utilizing Simple Subject Characteristics and Neural Networks
Authors: Lavikainen Jere , Stenroth Lauri , Alkjær Tine , Karjalainen Pasi A. , Korhonen Rami K. , Mononen Mika E.
Published: June 2023

Joint loading may affect the development of osteoarthritis, but patient-specific load estimation requires cumbersome motion laboratory equipment. This reliance could be eliminated using artificial neural networks (ANNs) to predict loading from simple input predictors. We used subject-specific musculoskeletal simulations to estimate knee joint contact forces for 290 subjects during over 5000 stance phases of walking and then extracted compartmental and total joint loading maxima from the first and second peaks of the stance phase. We then trained ANN models to predict the loading maxima from predictors that can be measured without motion laboratory equipment (subject mass, height, age, gender, knee abduction-adduction angle, and walking speed). When compared to the target data, our trained models had NRMSEs (RMSEs normalized to the mean of the response variable) between 0.14 and 0.42 and Pearson correlation coefficients between 0.42 and 0.84. The loading maxima were predicted most accurately using the models trained with all predictors. We demonstrated that prediction of knee joint loading maxima may be possible without laboratory-measured motion capture data. This is a promising step in facilitating knee joint loading predictions in simple environments, such as a physician’s appointment. In future, the rapid measurement and analysis setup could be utilized to guide patients in rehabilitation to slow development of joint disorders, such as osteoarthritis.
The Spread of Digital Intimate Partner Violence: Ethical Challenges for Business, Workplaces, Employers and Management
Authors: Hearn Jeff , Hall Matthew , Lewis Ruth , Niemistö Charlotta
Published: June 2023

In recent decades, huge technological changes have opened up possibilities and potentials for new socio-technological forms of violence, violation and abuse, themselves intersectionally gendered, that form part of and extend offline intimate partner violence (IPV). Digital IPV (DIPV)—the use of digital technologies in and for IPV—takes many forms, including: cyberstalking, internet-based abuse, non-consensual intimate imagery, and reputation abuse. IPV is thus now in part digital, and digital and non-digital violence may merge and reinforce each other. At the same time, technological and other developments have wrought significant changes in the nature of work, such as the blurring of work/life boundaries and routine use of digital technologies. Building on feminist theory and research on violence, and previous research on the ethics of digitalisation, this paper examines the ethical challenges raised for business, workplaces, employers and management by digital IPV. This includes the ethical challenges arising from the complexity and variability of DIPV across work contexts, its harmful impacts on employees, productivity, and security, and the prospects for proactive ethical responses in workplace policy and practice for victim/survivors, perpetrators, colleagues, managers, and stakeholders. The paper concludes with contributions made and key issues for the future research agenda.
Toddlers with the Doll Carriage: Children Doing Space of Participation in Early Childhood Education
Authors: Ylikörkkö Enni-Mari , Karjalainen Satu , Puroila Anna-Maija
Published: June 2023

This article focuses on child participation in early childhood education (ECE). The theoretical basis for this study is a relational approach that highlights the significance of spatiality and materiality. Drawing from these theoretical perspectives, child participation is understood as a space that children actively do in various combinations of social, material and cultural relationships. The study relies on a relational understanding of the child as not only being, but also becoming by doing space within one’s environment. The methodological framework draws on narrative childhood studies that emphasize the multimodality of children’s narration. The research material consists of small stories from a Finnish ECE centre. The analysis focused on children under 3 years of age doing space of participation with material items in ECE. The study shows that space of child participation is dynamic in the everyday relationships. The findings illustrate children’s doing space of participation as a tension-filled phenomenon which requires children to balance between the active agency and adapting to the expectations of the environment. The findings uncover the three-fold nature of the space—namely, the social, material and cultural dimensions—that is meaningful for child participation. The doll carriage as a material item played a crucial role in children’s doing space of participation: it provided opportunities for children to formulate the ownership of the space, to construct peer relationships, and to shape and defend the borders of one’s space. The study contributes theoretically and methodologically to ECE research by opening new perspectives on the participation of young children.
Modular Multi-Copter Structure Control for Cooperative Aerial Cargo Transportation
Authors: Chaikalis Dimitris , Evangeliou Nikolaos , Tzes Anthony , Khorrami Farshad
Published: June 2023

The control problem of a multi-copter swarm, mechanically coupled through a modular lattice structure of connecting rods, is considered in this article. The system’s structural elasticity is considered in deriving the system’s dynamics. The devised controller is robust against the induced flexibilities, while an inherent adaptation scheme allows for the control of asymmetrical configurations and the transportation of unknown payloads. Certain optimization metrics are introduced for solving the individual agent thrust allocation problem while achieving maximum system flight time, resulting in a platform-independent control implementation. Experimental studies are offered to illustrate the efficiency of the suggested controller under typical flight conditions, increased rod elasticities and payload transportation.
A Low-Code Approach for Connected Robots
Authors: Brouzos Rafail , Panayiotou Konstantinos , Tsardoulias Emmanouil , Symeonidis Andreas
Published: June 2023

Advanced robotic systems are finally becoming a reality; following the increased attention that robotics have attracted during the last few decades, new types of robotic applications are launched, from robotic space vessels and fully autonomous cars to robotic dancers and robot companions. Even more, following the advancements in the Internet of Things (IoT) domain, robots can now participate in more complex systems, namely Cyber-physical systems (CPS). In such systems, robots, software, sensors and/or “things” cooperate seamlessly in order to exhibit the desired outcome. However, the high heterogeneity of the components comprising CPS systems requires expertise in various scientific domains, a fact that makes development of CPS applications a resource- and time-consuming process. In order to alleviate this pain, model-driven (or model-based) approaches have been introduced. They employ a low code software engineering approach and hide the domain-specific knowledge needed, by providing an abstract representation that can be more easily understood. Following the low-code paradigm, current work focuses on the development of Domain-specific Languages (DSL) for ROS2 (Robot Operating System 2) systems in order to hide low-level middleware-specific setup and configuration details and enable access to robot development by non ROS experts. Furthermore, in order to enable the integration of ROS2 robots in CPS, a second DSL was developed. The first language, GeneROS, is used for the development and configuration of the core functionalities of the robot (such as hardware drivers and algorithms), while the second language, ROSbridge-DSL, implements the interfaces for connecting robots to the Edge and the Cloud, enabling this way remote monitoring and control in the context of IoT and CPS.
Operationalizing growth models
Authors: Baccaro Lucio , Hadziabdic Sinisa
Published: June 2023

We introduce a novel approach to operationalizing growth models. Drawing on the most recent release of OECD Input–Output Tables, we compute the import-adjusted growth contributions of consumption, investment, government expenditures, and exports for sixty-six countries in the years 1995–2007 and 2009–2018, covering not only advanced Western economies but also Central and Eastern European, South-East Asian, and Latin American countries. We find that most are export-led or domestic demand-led and other forms of growth are rare. Our results differ from other classifications in that they reveal important geographical variation as well as temporal change. In a subsequent step, we illustrate the utility of the methodology by investigating the link between real exchange rate devaluation and export-led growth, a contentious issue in the existing literature. For pre-crisis advanced Western economies, we find an association between the two variables, which is statistically significant only when our new indicator is used.
Male investment in schooling with frictional labour and marriage markets
Authors: Bonilla Roberto , Kiraly Francis
Published: June 2023

We present an equilibrium model with inter-linked frictional labour and marriage markets. Women’s flow value of being single is treated as given, and it captures returns from employment. Men can undertake a costly ex-ante investment in schooling. In the marriage market, women search sequentially for men characterised by wages, so they use a reservation value strategy. Single unemployed men conduct marital sequential search and, with an eye on the marriage market, also conduct a so-called constrained sequential job search. Given this setup, schooling enhances men’s marriage prospects as well as their labour market returns. In turn, women’s behaviour affects men’s schooling investment decision and their optimal job search strategy. We establish that for any given set of parameters, there exists a unique market equilibrium where a fraction of men get educated, and show that this fraction decreases if women’s labour market returns increase. We also examine the robustness of such an equilibrium.
On the relevance of site specificity and temporal variability in agricultural LCA: a case study on mandarin in North Uruguay
Authors: Cabot María Inés , Lado Joanna , Bautista Inmaculada , Ribal Javier , Sanjuán Neus
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Mandarin is a relevant citrus crop in Uruguay both in terms of yield and area. This study is aimed at assessing the environmental impacts of mandarin cultivation in the country to identify the environmental hotspots. Temporal variability is assessed by considering six harvest seasons and site specificity by developing a regionalized inventory using a Tier 3 to estimate nitrogen on-field emissions. Also, the effect of regionalizing specific impact categories is analyzed.

Methods

A cradle-to-farm gate assessment was carried out based on mass and area functional units. Primary data was gathered from a representative orchard of the region for the seasons 2016 to 2022. Nitrogen on-field emissions were modeled using LEACHN, a Tier 3 model that considers site-specific climatic and soil parameters as well as water and fertilizer applications at a daily scale. In addition, other modeling approaches were tested following the Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), World Food LCA Database guidelines (WFLDB), and the updated IPCC and EMEP/EEA guidelines. The EN 15804 + A2 standard was followed to assess the environmental impacts, except for the categories concerning acidification, where IMPACT 2002 + v2.1 was used. In addition, to analyze the variations in the results when regionalizing impacts of on-field emissions, IMPACT World + was used.

Results

The main hotspots detected are on-field emissions, machinery operations, pesticides, and fertilizer production. Irrigation is the main hotspot in blue water scarcity. As for the models tested to estimate nitrogen emissions, significant differences were detected in marine eutrophication between LEACHN and WFLDB, regardless of the functional unit, and in terrestrial acidification, terrestrial eutrophication, and aquatic acidification per ha between LEACHN and PEF. Significant reductions in the results were observed by regionalizing the environmental impacts caused by the on-field emissions.

Conclusions

The development of site-specific inventories and impact assessment methods with spatial resolution is encouraged, although more research is needed to draw general conclusions about the convenience of mechanistic models to estimate nitrogen emissions in Uruguayan citriculture. The high variation coefficients obtained reaffirm the importance of considering temporal variability. Moreover, the relevance of considering different functional units is highlighted since different influencing variables are observed throughout the seasons depending on the functional unit used.
“I can do data for my people”: experiences of giving back for Native undergraduates in computing
Authors: Jaumot-Pascual Nuria , DeerInWater Kathy , Ong Maria , Silva Christina B.
Published: June 2023

This paper focuses on the undergraduate experiences in computer sciences (CS) disciplines of eight Native women and two-spirit undergraduates and how their values and experiences around the communal goal of giving back enable them to persist in computing. The paper draws from a one-year study that included participants across the U.S.A from predominantly White institutions, Native serving institutions, and tribal colleges. Utilizing the decolonizing and participant-centered methods of photo elicitation, our interviews used photographs taken by participants as starting points for conversations. This method resulted in deep understandings of participants’ experiences of the supports and barriers in their CS programs, and of the importance of giving back for persistence. We adapt Page-Reeves and colleagues’ 2019 framework for giving back and Native students in STEM—particularly the concepts of giving back as a Native value and giving back in the context of CS education—to illuminate the ways in which participants persisted and navigated their identities as Native students and emergent computer scientists. We also introduce a new concept, culturally connected giving back, to describe the ways in which Native undergraduates in computing contributed, or planned to contribute, towards technology sovereignty and cultural preservation. CS, like many STEM fields, is typically viewed as highly individualistic and not aligned with communal goals of helping others. However, Native participants in this study identified computing as having the potential for giving back. They incorporated a broad range of giving back actions into their computing professional identities through teaching, mentoring, serving as role models, creating counterspaces, or preserving their cultures using their computing skills. Through giving back, participants fulfilled a sense of obligation to their communities or counteracted negative stereotypes about Native learners. Beneficiaries of these acts of giving back included Native and other minoritized peers, younger students, home communities, and other Native communities. Importantly, opportunities to give back served as strong motivators to persist in CS in spite of challenges. We discuss the implications of these findings for policy and practice and also explore the implications for how institutions and CS departments can support Native student recruitment, retention, and success.