bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Temporal evolution of backward erosion piping in small-scale experiments
Authors: Pol Johannes C. , Kanning Willem , van Beek Vera M. , Robbins Bryant A. , Jonkman Sebastiaan N.
Published: April 2022

Backward erosion piping (BEP) is a form of internal erosion which can lead to failure of levees and dams. Most research focused on the critical head difference at which piping failure occurs. Two aspects have received less attention, namely (1) the temporal evolution of piping and (2) the local hydraulic conditions in the pipe and at the pipe tip. We present small-scale experiments with local pressure measurements in the pipe during equilibrium and pipe progression for different sands and degrees of hydraulic loading. The experiments confirm a positive relation between progression rate and grain size as well as the degree of hydraulic overloading. Furthermore, the analysis of local hydraulic conditions shows that the rate of BEP progression can be better explained by the bed shear stress and sediment transport in the pipe than by the seepage velocity at the pipe tip. The experiments show how different processes contribute to the piping process and these insights provide a first empirical basis for modeling pipe development using coupled seepage-sediment transport equations.
MyD88 Deficiency, but Not Gut Microbiota Depletion, Is Sufficient to Modulate the Blood–Brain Barrier Function in the Mediobasal Hypothalamus
Authors: Heiss Christina N. , Gravert Ellinor , Hultén Matilda , Olofsson Louise E.
Published: April 2022

Circumventricular organs (CVOs), including the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH), have an incomplete blood–brain barrier (BBB). In this study, we determined if the BBB function in the MBH is modulated by the gut microbiota or by the Toll-like receptor (TLR) adapter proteins TRIF or MyD88 signaling. By injecting mice with Evans blue, a marker for BBB permeability, we show that germ-free (GF) and conventionally raised (CONV-R) mice did not differ in the number of Evans blue-positive cells in MBH. Acute modulation of the gut microbiota did not change the number of Evans blue-positive cells. In contrast, CONV-R Myd88−/− and Trif−/− mice had a reduced number of cells in direct contact to the circulation compared to wildtype (WT) mice. This was accompanied by increased tight junction proteins in the blood vessels in Myd88−/− mice. To further characterize the BBB function, we injected WT and Myd88 −/− CONV-R mice as well as WT GF mice with monosodium glutamate (MSG), a neurotoxin that does not cross the BBB. While MSG caused vast cell death in the MBH in CONV-R and GF WT mice, Myd88 −/− mice were protected from such cell death suggesting that fewer cells are exposed to the neurotoxin in the Myd88 −/− mice. Taken together, our results suggest that MyD88 deficiency, but not gut microbiota depletion, is sufficient to modulate the BBB function in the MBH.
Oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy can be minimized by pressurized regional intravascular delivery in an orthotopic murine pancreatic cancer model
Authors: Shankara Narayanan Jayanth Surya Narayanan , Frizzi Katie , Erdem Suna , Ray Partha , Jaroch David , Cox Bryan , Katz Steven , Vicente Diego , White Rebekah
Published: April 2022

Purpose

There is a great need to reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy used in the management of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here we explore if regional pressurized delivery of oxaliplatin can minimize peripheral neuropathy in mice.

Methods

We used an orthotopic PDAC mouse model and delivered a single dose of oxaliplatin through the portal vein using a pressure-enabled system (pancreatic retrograde venous infusion, PRVI). We analyzed the effects of PRVI on tumor burden and peripheral neuropathy using histopathological and functional assays.

Results

Tumor weights in mice treated with 2 mg/kg oxaliplatin using PRVI were significantly lower than in mice treated with the same dose systemically. This resulted in reduced peripheral neuropathy signatures in PRVI mice compared to the 20 mg/kg systemic dose required to achieve similar tumor control.

Conclusion

Regional delivery of highly cytotoxic agents using PRVI can reduce the therapeutic dose of these drugs, thereby lowering toxic side effects.
A male-specific sex marker for the endangered western sawshelled turtle (Myuchelys bellii) using in silico whole-genome subtraction
Authors: Dissanayake Duminda S. B. , Streeting Louise M. , Georges Arthur , Bower Deborah S.
Published: April 2022

Artificial incubation of eggs for the mass release of hatchlings is a common conservation intervention for imperilled turtle species. Programs designed to reinforce wild populations need to ensure that they are releasing appropriate male to female ratios into the wild. In many turtle species, the sex of juveniles cannot be identified using external morphology until they approach sexual maturity. For the endangered western sawshelled turtle, Myuchelys bellii, sexual dimorphism does not occur until at least 6 years of age. We aimed to develop a molecular test to identify the sex of M. bellii during the life stages where they cannot be sexed morphologically—embryos, hatchlings and small juveniles. We used in silico whole-genome subtraction of a female M. bellii (XX) from a male (XY) to identify a Y chromosome-specific sequence which we characterized and developed into a PCR sex test. Our research is the first to use a whole-genome subtraction method in-silico to successfully establish sex chromosome markers in a freshwater turtle species. Developing this technology provides an opportunity for conservation programs to ensure that populations are supplemented with a proportionate number of male and female hatchlings. Further, it allows large scale measurement of naturally occurring sex ratios in hatchlings and small juveniles, which in turn enables estimates of sex ratios within wild populations free from age-at-maturity bias. The application of sex-specific marker technology also provides an opportunity to quantify the influence of sex on behaviour, movement and survival in the segment of populations that cannot be morphologically sexed.
The combined effects of the minimum miscibility pressure and injection rate variations on recovery of co2 flooding in sandstone reservoir
Authors: Ayoub Mohammed Abdalla , Tackie-Otoo Bennet Nii , Zulkefli Siti Hidmayati Binti
Published: April 2022

One of the most effective enhanced oil recovery techniques is carbon dioxide (CO2) flooding. It is because of its high oil recovery rate and associated advantage on the environment. CO2 flooding has been broadly used and commercially proven. Depending on the reservoir and operational conditions, it can be implemented either in immiscible or miscible modes. Determining the injection mode depends on the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP). The conventional ways of determining the MMP (slim-tube experiments, supercritical extractor, etc.) are costly and time-consuming. A simulation approach has been deployed to determine the MMP of a synthetic reservoir model using a one-dimension compositional slim-tube model in ECLIPSE300. The MMP was also determined using the group method of data handling (GMDH) and other existing correlations. The MMP determined by slim-tube simulation was ~ 4176 psia. Comparing the MMPs of the correlations to the slim-tube simulation, the correlation by Maklavani et al. (Braz J Pet, 2010) was the most accurate with a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 0.79%. The GDMH and the correlation of Firoozabadi and Khalid had MAPEs of 4.96% and 6.06%, respectively. The GMDH model introduced in this study was not as accurate as the correlation by Maklavani et al. (Braz J Pet, 2010) . The model could be improved, or other machine learning models with improved training and prediction could be deployed to estimate MMP more accurately. A synthetic reservoir model based on literature data was used to investigate the effect of the MMP and injection rate on oil recovery by CO2 flooding. The impact of MMP was investigated by the miscible and immiscible flooding scenarios. The injection rate was varied in each scenario to determine the optimum injection rate. However, the scenarios with optimum injection rates for both miscible and immiscible CO2 injection were compared to a waterflood scenario. The optimum injection rates for miscible and immiscible flooding were 2800 and 2200 Mscf/day, respectively. The oil recovery efficiencies for the optimum miscible and immiscible injection were 48% and 46%, respectively. In this study, miscible flooding proved to be the more effective method in oil recovery. However, considering the difference in oil recovery and the difficulty in achieving miscibility, the immiscible CO2 flooding proves to be the feasible option for improving oil recovery.
Transparent Object Reconstruction Based on Compressive Sensing and Super-Resolution Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Mathai Anumol , Mengdi Li , Lau Stephen , Guo Ningqun , Wang Xin
Published: April 2022

The detection and reconstruction of transparent objects have remained challenging due to the absence of their features and variations in the local features with variations in illumination. In this paper, both compressive sensing (CS) and super-resolution convolutional neural network (SRCNN) techniques are combined to capture transparent objects. With the proposed method, the transparent object’s details are extracted accurately using a single pixel detector during the surface reconstruction. The resultant images obtained from the experimental setup are low in quality due to speckles and deformations on the object. However, the implemented SRCNN algorithm has obviated the mentioned drawbacks and reconstructed images visually plausibly. The developed algorithm locates the deformities in the resultant images and improves the image quality. Additionally, the inclusion of compressive sensing minimizes the measurements required for reconstruction, thereby reducing image post-processing and hardware requirements during network training. The result obtained indicates that the visual quality of the reconstructed images has increased from a structural similarity index (SSIM) value of 0.2 to 0.53. In this work, we demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method in imaging and reconstructing transparent objects with the application of a compressive single pixel imaging technique and improving the image quality to a satisfactory level using the SRCNN algorithm.
Humic acid and nano-zeolite NaX as low cost and eco-friendly adsorbents for removal of Pb (II) and Cd (II) from water: characterization, kinetics, isotherms and thermodynamic studies
Authors: Masoud Mamdouh S. , Zidan Alyaa A. , El Zokm Gehan M. , Elsamra Rehab M. I. , Okbah Mohamed A.
Published: April 2022

Humic acid as a green-sorbent was synthesized from marine sediments. While kaolin was modified to nano-zeolite NaX. Different tools such as FT-IR, SEM, EDX and XRD were applied to confirm the characteristics of the generated green-sorbents. Different factors such as pH, contact time, sorbent dosage, initial metal ion concentration, temperature and interfering ions were carefully examined and used to optimize the batch adsorption process for Cd2+ and Pb2+. A small dose of nano-zeolite of 100 mg was required to attain the maximum adsorption of Pb2+ at pH about 7, shacking time at 60 min and Pb2+ concentration at 30 ppm. Also, the maximum sorption capacity of Cd2+ ions on nano-zeolite was achieved in a neutral medium and very short contact time implying the economic feasibility of the adsorption process. In the case of humic acid, the maximum removal capacity for Pb2+ and Cd2+ was operated at acidic medium and shacking time was 40 min. Metal ions remediation results were evaluated by some adsorption isotherm models at different temperatures. The kinetic and thermodynamic variables were also computed. The data fitted very well with the linear Langmuir and the pseudo-second-order model implying a favourable adsorption process. The sorption of Cd2+ and Pb2+ was regulated by both external mass transfer and intraparticle diffusion steps over the whole range of concentrations, as shown by the results. The metal ions removal percentage from four real water samples by green sorbents were applied and provides good evidence of two sorbents as promising eco-sorbent for removal of heavy metal ions.
Theoretical positions and approaches to resilience assessment in farming systems. A review
Authors: van der Lee Jan , Kangogo Daniel , Gülzari Şeyda Özkan , Dentoni Domenico , Oosting Simon , Bijman Jos , Klerkx Laurens
Published: April 2022

With the concept of resilience being increasingly applied in farming systems research, there is general agreement that the resilience theory should be supported by sound assessment methodologies. Yet, in the extant literature, definitions and measures of resilience as a system outcome, a system capability or a process are often conflated, causing conceptual and methodological ambiguities. To overcome these limitations, here we systematically review the literature on assessing the resilience of farming systems and identify patterns, including similarities and differences in underpinning theories and in methodologies. We analyzed 123 papers on how the resilience of farming systems is conceptualized and assessed. From these papers, we identified four theoretical positions (“lenses”): traditional, vulnerability, capacities, and agroecology. These lenses differ and complement each other in terms of the outcome definition of resilience (stability, transformation, and reduced vulnerability), the prominent components of resilience (capacities, practices, and resources), and the perturbations that farming systems are exposed to (shocks, exposure, and sensitivity). Collectively, these lenses offer a novel causality framework with a complementary set of causal links between perturbations, components, and outcomes. This paper suggests for the first time that resilience assessment methodologies can be further developed by drawing from the strengths and complementarities of the different perspectives. Hence, this paper identifies five design choices that need to be made in order to rigorously assess the resilience of farming systems. These concern the choice of system traits, of perturbations, of type of resilience, of contributing factors, and of resilience outcomes that will be considered.
Welche Rolle spielt das fachdidaktische Wissen von Biologie-Referendar*innen für die Qualität ihrer Unterrichtsentwürfe?
Authors: Großmann Leroy , Krüger Dirk
Published: April 2022

Die Unterrichtsplanung ist eine der Kernaufgaben von Lehrkräften. Insbesondere schriftliche Unterrichtsentwürfe gehören zum festen Bestandteil der Lehrkräftebildung. In ihnen zeigt sich das fachdidaktische Wissen (PCK), das in der Entwicklung und Begründung des Unterrichts genutzt wird und das als Prädiktor für hohe Unterrichtsqualität einerseits und für Lernerfolg von Schüler*innen andererseits gilt. Empirische Untersuchungen zu Unterrichtsentwürfen im Fach Biologie sowie zur Bedeutung des PCK in der Planung sind bislang rar, obwohl eine Untersuchung der Planungsprodukte angehender Biologie-Lehrkräfte Aufschluss darüber geben könnte, in welchen Bereichen die Ausbildungsinstitutionen der ersten und zweiten Phase der Lehrkräftebildung noch stärker unterstützend einwirken könnten. In der vorliegenden Studie werden Staatsexamensentwürfe im Fach Biologie (N = 46) untersucht, indem PCK-Elemente und ihre Vernetzungen mittels einer qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse identifiziert werden und analysiert wird, in welchen Aspekten sich gelungene von weniger gelungenen Unterrichtsentwürfen unterscheiden. Die Ergebnisse liefern Hinweise, dass die Qualität eines Unterrichtsentwurf mit der Vernetztheit des PCK korreliert. Allerdings zeigt ein qualitativer Fallvergleich, dass auch sehr gute Entwürfe eher schwach ausgeprägtes PCK enthalten können und vice versa, so dass die Anzahl der PCK-Verbindungen allein keinen hinreichenden Qualitätsindikator darstellt. Anhand ausgewählter Beispiele wird beschrieben und diskutiert, inwiefern sich in der Berücksichtigung von PCK-Elementen qualitative Unterschiede identifizieren lassen und welche Aspekte in Unterrichtsentwürfen besonders berücksichtigt werden sollten.
Using the MUSIC Inventory to Evaluate Pathology Courses: an Exploratory Study
Authors: Smith Christopher Dimick , Kenwright Diane , Gladman Tehmina
Published: April 2022

Background

The MUSIC Inventory evaluates student’s academic motivation across five constructs. We aimed to examine its use in undergraduate medical pathology courses.

Activity

Students from three pathology courses completed questions for three factors of the MUSIC Inventory plus one open-ended question. We conducted an exploratory analysis of the survey data.

Results

Results showed that the open-ended responses corresponded to differences in ratings on the MUSIC Inventory.

Discussion

Combining an open-ended question with the MUSIC Inventory identified differences in student motivation plus aspects of each course that could be improved. The MUSIC Inventory is an appropriate evaluation method for pathology teaching.
Source code auto-completion using various deep learning models under limited computing resources
Authors: Sharma Madhab , Mishra Tapas Kumar , Kumar Arun
Published: April 2022

Deep learning models have become state of the art in many language modelling tasks. Among such tasks, source code auto-completion is one of the important areas of research. This paper presents various methodologies for source code auto-completion using different Deep Learning models for Python and CSharp Programming Languages. In a resource-limited environment, it is paramount to reduce various overheads: one way of achieving that is to use the code sequences to train and evaluate rather than using other code structures such as semantics. This paper compares various deep learning architectures like CodeGPT [1] from Microsoft, Roberta [2] from huggingface [3] and GPT2 [4] for source code auto-completion. Different dataset strategies are employed for comparison, such as (1) treating the whole code file as a single line, (2) using each line as single individual inputs, and (3) tokenizing the codes snippets before feeding them into the models. We consider the task of autocompletion on two different datasets: (1) Python dataset; (2) CSharp dataset. The Python dataset is processed by a fine-tuned CodeGPT with an overall accuracy of 71%. For the CSharp dataset with the GPT2 model, a PPL of 2.14 and 4.082 on the training and evaluation dataset is observed. Considering the results, we discuss the strength and weaknesses of different approaches in their application in the real world programming context.
Gas hydrates in nature and in the laboratory: necessary requirements for formation and properties of the resulting hydrate phase
Authors: Schicks Judith M.
Published: April 2022

Clathrate hydrates—also known as gas hydrates—are ice-like compounds consisting of gas and water molecules. They occur wherever elevated pressures and low temperatures prevail; and where enough water and hydrate-forming gas molecules are available. Therefore, natural gas hydrates occur at all active and passive continental margins, in permafrost regions, in some deep lakes, and under unfavorable circumstances, also, in pipelines. This article provides an overview of the (thermodynamic) requirements and various models for the nucleation and growth of gas hydrates and the different gas hydrate structures that may occur and which have been detected in nature. Furthermore, this study also shows the influence of the properties of the enclosed gas molecules such as size and shape on the structure and thermodynamic properties of the resulting hydrate phase. Finally, the complexity of a natural environment with regard to the various influences of sediments, microbial activity, and salinity of the pore fluid on hydrate formation is also discussed.
Crime, Families and the Economy: Micro-conditions as Moderator of Macro-effects
Authors: van de Werve Ilka , Blokland Arjan , Weerman Frank
Published: April 2022

Since the early 1990s, increasing attention is being paid to the impact of life course transitions on criminal behavior. However, individuals’ life courses do not evolve in a vacuum but rather in the broad context of societal characteristics and developments. In this paper, we analyze whether there is an effect of macroeconomic circumstances on individuals’ criminal careers and whether this effect is conditional on marital status and parenthood. We employ micro-level data from a Dutch large-scale longitudinal study and enrich these with macro-level data. Using logistic panel data models for criminal behavior, we distinguish three types of effects: the macro-effect of experiencing declining economic times, the micro-effect of family composition and the interaction effect, indicating whether the effect of economic decline is differentiated by marital status and parenthood. We quantify economic decline either as an increase in the unemployment rate (objective and backward-looking measure) or as a decrease in consumer confidence (subjective and forward-looking). First, we find that an increase in the unemployment rate has no effect on criminal careers, but a decrease in the consumer confidence is associated with an increase in individual-level crime. Next, we confirm earlier results that marriage has a negative effect on crime, while parenthood has no effect. Finally, our results indicate that the detrimental effect of decreasing consumer confidence on criminal behavior is nullified for married individuals.
Polarization Measurement Method Based on Liquid Crystal Variable Retarder (LCVR) for Atomic Thin-Film Thickness
Authors: Yuan Yucong , Yao Chengyuan , Shen Wanfu , Hu Xiaodong , Hu Chunguang
Published: April 2022

Atomic thickness thin films are critical functional materials and structures in atomic and close-to-atomic scale manufacturing. However, fast, facile, and highly sensitive precision measurement of atomic film thickness remains challenging. The reflected light has a dramatic phase change and extreme reflectivity considering the Brewster angle, indicating the high sensitivity of the optical signal to film thickness near this angle. Hence, the precision polarization measurement method focusing on Brewster angle is vital for the ultrahigh precision characterization of thin films. A precision polarization measurement method based on a liquid crystal variable retarder (LCVR) is proposed in this paper, and a measurement system with a high angular resolution is established. A comprehensive measurement system calibration scheme is also introduced to accommodate ultrahigh precision film thickness measurement. Repeatable measurement accuracy to the subnanometer level is achieved. Standard silicon oxide film samples of different thicknesses were measured around Brewster angle using the self-developed system and compared with a commercial ellipsometer to verify the measurement accuracy. The consistency of the thickness measurement results demonstrates the feasibility and robustness of the measurement method and calibration scheme. This study also demonstrates the remarkable potential of the LCVR-based polarization method for atomic film thickness measurement in ultraprecision manufacturing.
PHDD: Corpus of Physical Health Data Disclosure on Twitter During COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Saniei Rana , Rodríguez Doncel Víctor
Published: April 2022

Health-related information is considered as ‘highly sensitive’ by the European General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and determining whether a text document contains health-related information or not is of interest for both individuals and companies in a number of different scenarios. Although some efforts have been made to detect different categories of personal data in texts, including health information, the classification task by machines is still challenging. In this work, we aim to contribute to solving this challenge by building a corpus of tweets being shared in the current COVID-19 pandemic context. The corpus is called PHDD(Corpus of Physical Health Data Disclosure on Twitter During COVID-19 Pandemic) and contains 1,494 tweets which have been manually tagged by three taggers in three dimensions: health-sensitivity status, categories of health information, and subject of health history. Furthermore, a lightweight ontology called PTHI(Privacy Tags for Health Information), which reuses two other vocabularies, namely hl7 and dpv, is built to represent the corpus in a machine-readable format. The corpus is publicly available and can be used by NLP experts for implementation of techniques to detect sensitive health information in textual documents.
Treatments for Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder in Women: A Scoping Review
Authors: Martín-Vivar María , Villena-Moya Alejandro , Mestre-Bach Gemma , Hurtado-Murillo Felipe , Chiclana-Actis Carlos
Published: April 2022

Background

Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) is characterized by elevated discomfort associated with persistent genital arousal in the absence of sexual desire.

Aim

To perform a scoping review of the proposed treatments for PGAD and their efficacy.

Methods

A scoping review was carried out (PRISMA-Scr) that included articles on PGAD as the main disorder, only in women, which explained, in detail, the treatment and its efficacy, was empirical, was written in English and Spanish. No prior filtering by years was performed.

Outcomes

Three different effective treatments were found (physical therapies, pharmacological therapies, and psychotherapeutics in combination with other therapies).

Results

Thirty-eight articles were selected. From physical therapies, treatments using neuromodulation, transcutaneous electrical stimulation, Botox, surgery, electroconvulsive therapy, manual therapy, pelvic floor therapy, dietary changes, and transcranial magnetic stimulation showed effectiveness. Using the pharmacological approach, paroxetine, duloxetine, pramipexole, ropinirole, and clonazepam treatments were effective. Psychotherapy treatments showed effectiveness only in combination with other types of treatments, specifically a combination of cognitive–behavioral strategies with pharmacological treatment.

Clinical implications

Pharmacological treatment, specifically SSRIs, have proven to be the therapy of choice for different subtypes of patients.

Strengths and limitations

This study analyzed treatment effectiveness with different approaches and took into consideration those articles where psychotherapy was used as a combination treatment with pharmacological and physical therapy. The main limitation is that it was focused exclusively on women, and the results cannot be generalized to include men.

Conclusions

To date, a combination of pharmacological interventions with physical therapy and, in some occasions, with psychological therapy is main strategy followed to accomplish effective treatment of PGAD.
Multidisciplinary conceptual design for a hybrid-electric commuter aircraft
Authors: Nasoulis C.P. , Gkoutzamanis V.G. , Kalfas A.I.
Published: April 2022

The electrification of the commuter aircraft is instrumental in the development of novel propulsion systems. The scope of this work aims to explore the design space of a parallel hybrid-electric configuration with an entry into service date of 2030 and beyond and determine the impact of other disciplines on conceptual design, such as components positioning, aircraft stability and structural integrity. Three levels of conceptual sizing are applied and linked with a parametric aircraft geometry tool, to generate the aircraft’s geometry and position the components. Subsequently, the structural optimisation of the wing box is performed, providing the centre of gravity of the components placed inside the wing, that minimise the induced stresses. Furthermore, the stability and trim analysis follow, with the former being highly affected by the positioning of components. Results are compared to a similar aircraft with entry into service technology of 2014 and it is indicated that in terms of block fuel reduction the total electrification benefit increases with the increase of degree of hybridisation, if aircraft mass is kept constant. On the other hand, if battery specific energy is kept constant, similar block fuel reduction is possible with lower hybridisation degrees. The potential for improvement in terms of carbon dioxide emissions and block fuel reduction ranges from 15.73% to 21.44% compared to the conventional aircraft, for levels of battery specific energy of 0.92 and 1.14 kWh/kg respectively. Finally, the component positioning evaluation indicates a maximum weight limitation of 240 kg for the addition of an aft boundary layer ingestion fan to a tube and wing aircraft configuration, without compromising the aircraft static stability.
Managing streamed sensor data for mobile equipment prognostics
Authors: Griffiths Toby , Corrêa Débora , Hodkiewicz Melinda , Polpo Adriano
Published: April 2022

The ability to wirelessly stream data from sensors on heavy mobile equipment provides opportunities to proactively assess asset condition. However, data analysis methods are challenging to apply due to the size and structure of the data, which contain inconsistent and asynchronous entries, and large periods of missing data. Current methods usually require expertise from site engineers to inform variable selection. In this work, we develop a data preparation method to clean and arrange this streaming data for analysis, including a data-driven variable selection. Data are drawn from a mining industry case study, with sensor data from a primary production excavator over a period of 9 months. Variables include 58 numerical sensors and 40 binary indicators captured in 45-million rows of data describing the conditions and status of different subsystems of the machine. A total of 57% of time stamps contain missing values for at least one sensor. The response variable is drawn from fault codes selected by the operator and stored in the fleet management system. Application to the hydraulic system, for 21 failure events identified by the operator, shows that the data-driven selection contains variables consistent with subject matter expert expectations, as well as some sensors on other systems on the excavator that are less easy to explain from an engineering perspective. Our contribution is to demonstrate a compressed data representation using open-high-low-close and variable selection to visualize data and support identification of potential indicators of failure events from multivariate streamed data.
On legal geography as an analytical toolbox for EU legal studies
Authors: Persdotter Maria , Iossa Andrea
Published: April 2022

EU legal geography concerns itself with the mutually constitutive relationship between EU law and space (also, and increasingly so, time). This requires reconstructing and systematizing the widely used concepts which reveal the geographical basis of EU law (such as movement and circulation), but also developing a particular viewpoint, indeed a specific “ethos of investigation”, which equips us with the tools to challenge and transcend the dominant ways of doing EU law. In particular, it is argued that a geographic turn in European legal studies will foster the study of how law works “on the ground” and will allow challenging taken-for-granted ideas about the relationship between law and political order, while throwing new light on the very technical concepts with which we reconstruct, analyse and assess EU law.
Pictorial Modernity and the Armenian Women of Iran
Authors: Berberian Houri , Grigor Talinn
Published: April 2022

The essay explores the entangled relationship between modernization and women's visibility and representation through three pictorial spheres most redolent of that relationship: photo studio culture (1880s–1930s), satirical cartoons (1920–58), and costume exhibition (1972–76). The study prioritizes minoritarian politics formulated by women through their organizations and public activities, whether charitable in the late nineteenth century, educational in the early twentieth century, or “civilizational” from the mid-twentieth century on. By examining pictorial and textual sources, it proposes that the Armenian woman as a discursive phenomenon was central to Iran's mainstream modernization and foregrounds the complex working of a double marginality to the processes, strategies, and anxieties of late Qajar and Pahlavi modernization.
Skimming impact of a thin heavy body on a shallow liquid layer
Authors: Palmer Ryan A. , Smith Frank T.
Published: April 2022

This study addresses the question of whether a thin, relatively heavy solid body with a smooth under-surface can skim on a shallow layer of liquid (for example water), i.e. impact on the layer and rebound from it. The body impacts obliquely onto the liquid layer with the trailing edge of the underbody making the initial contact. The wetted region then spreads along the underbody and eventually either retracts, generating a rebound, or continues to the leading edge of the body and possibly leads to the body sinking. The present inviscid study involves numerical investigations for increased mass (

$M$

, in scaled terms) and moment of inertia (

$I$

, proportional to the mass) together with an asymptotic analysis of the influential parameters and dynamics at different stages of the skimming motion. Comparisons between the asymptotic analysis and numerical results show close agreement as the body mass becomes large. A major finding is that, for a given impact angle of the underbody relative to the liquid surface, only a narrow band of initial conditions is found to allow the heavy-body skim to take place. This band includes reduced impact velocities of the body vertically and rotationally, both decreasing like

$M^{-2/3}$

, while the associated total time of the skim from entry to exit is found to increase like

$M^{1/3}$

typically. Increased mass thereby enhances the super-elastic behaviour of the skim.
The Origins and Consequences of Racialized Schemas about U.S. Parties
Authors: Zhirkov Kirill , Valentino Nicholas A.
Published: April 2022

Two parallel processes structure American politics in the current moment: partisan polarization and the increasing linkage between racial attitudes and issue preferences of all sorts. We develop a novel theory that roots these two trends in historical changes in party coalitions. Changing racial compositions of the two major parties led to the formation of racialized images about Democrats and Republicans in people’s minds—and these images now structure Americans’ partisan loyalties and policy preferences. We test this theory in three empirical studies. First, using the American National Election Studies we trace the growing racial gap in party coalitions as well as the increasing overlap between racial and partisan affect. Then, in two original survey studies we directly measure race–party schemas and explore their political consequences. We demonstrate that race–party schemas are linked to partisan affect and issue preferences—with clear implications for the recent developments in U.S. politics.
‘A remedy for this dread disease’: Achille Sclavo, anthrax and serum therapy in early twentieth-century Britain
Authors: Stark James F.
Published: April 2022

In the years around 1900 one of the most significant practical consequences of new styles of bacteriological thought and practice was the development of preventive vaccines and therapeutic sera. Historical scholarship has highlighted how approaches rooted in the laboratory methods of Robert Koch, Louis Pasteur and their collaborators were transformed in local contexts and applied in diverse ways to enable more effective disease identification, prevention and treatment. Amongst these, the anti-anthrax serum developed by the Italian physician Achille Sclavo (1861–1930) has received little to no attention from historians. This article positions Sclavo's serum as a neglected but significant presence in British microbiology, which achieved widespread uptake amidst a wave of optimism, despite prolonged uncertainty about its mechanism of action and dosage. After being introduced to Britain in 1904 by the enterprising first medical inspector of factories Thomas Morison Legge, within a matter of months the serum became regarded by medical practitioners as an effective treatment of cutaneous anthrax, though access to ‘fresh’ serum and the necessary speedy diagnosis remained problematic. Like the disease anthrax itself, discussion of ‘Sclavo's serum’ was out of all proportion to the relatively low number of cases, reflecting a deep-seated fascination with the wider possibilities afforded by effective serum therapy.
Seed traits and phylogenomics: prospects for the 21st century
Authors: Nonogaki Mariko , Yamazaki Satoru , Nishiyama Eri , Ohshima Kazuhiko , Nonogaki Hiroyuki
Published: April 2022

Genetic and biochemical studies have greatly advanced our understanding of the biology of seeds in recent years. Another area of study, which could accelerate contemporary seed biology research, is phylogenomics that integrates the wealth of genome sequence data with evolutionary biology. The recent phylogenomic study of the DELAY OF GERMINATION1 family genes exemplifies how the molecular evolution of seed genes can be traced back through early diverging plants and what implications can be obtained from the analysis of seed gene diversification at ancient times. The identification of possible ancestors of seed genes in non-seed plants could illuminate the ancient roots of the molecular mechanisms driving seed maturation programmes. It is possible that the origins of molecular mechanisms associated with the induction of seed storage proteins and desiccation tolerance proteins date back to the time of, or even prior to, early diverging land plants. Abscisic acid-dependent growth arrest or dormancy mechanisms might date back to red algae, one of the oldest algal groups. Thus, understanding algal cell biology will also be an integral part of future seed biology research. Unravelling key events associated with the evolution of seed- and non-seed plants will not only advance basic research but could also contribute to applied aspects of seed science, potentially leading to technology development for agriculture.
Clinical efficacy and safety of selexipag in children and young adults with idiopathic and heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Takatsuki Shinichi , Nakayama Tomotaka , Shimizu Yurika , Kawai Reiko , Matsuura Hiroyuki
Published: April 2022

Objective:

This study aimed to investigate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of selexipag in children and young adults with idiopathic and heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Methods:

This retrospective cohort study included clinical data from five children and six young adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension receiving selexipag as add-on therapy or as a transition from beraprost sodium or epoprostenol infusion therapy. Clinical efficacy was evaluated by measuring improvement in clinical variables from baseline, including hemodynamic parameters.

Results:

Of the 11 patients, 6 were switched from beraprost sodium to selexipag and one paediatric patient transitioned from epoprostenol to selexipag. The median maintenance dose of selexipag in children was 80 μg/kg/day. In nine patients undergoing repeat catheterisation, statistically significant improvements were observed after the initiation of selexipag in terms of mean pulmonary arterial pressure (p < 0.01), pulmonary vascular resistance index (p < 0.05), and cardiac index (p < 0.01). None of the patients had clinical worsening after selexipag during follow-up, but one young adult patient discontinued treatment due to severe headache. The most common side effect profiles were headache, nausea, abdominal pain, jaw pain, myalgia, and diarrhoea.

Conclusions:

Selexipag may have a favourable safety profile and potential efficacy in children and young adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Different definitions of multimorbidity and their effect on prevalence rates: a retrospective study in German general practices
Authors: Hauswaldt Johannes , Schmalstieg-Bahr Katharina , Himmel Wolfgang
Published: April 2022

Background:

Multimorbidity is common among general practice patients and increases a general practitioner’s (GP’s) workload. But the extent of multimorbidity may depend on its definition and whether a time delimiter is included in the definition or not.

Aims:

The aims of the study were (1) to compare practice prevalence rates yielded by different models of multimorbidity, (2) to determine how a time delimiter influences the prevalence rates and (3) to assess the effects of multimorbidity on the number of direct and indirect patient contacts as an indicator of doctors’ workload.

Methods:

This retrospective observational study used electronic medical records from 142 German general practices, covering 13 years from 1994 to 2007. The four models of multimorbidity ranged from a simple definition, requiring only two diseases, to an advanced definition requiring at least three chronic conditions. We also included a time delimiter for the definition of multimorbidity. Descriptive statistics, such as means and correlation coefficients, were applied.

Findings:

The annual percentage of multimorbid primary care patients ranged between 84% (simple model) and 16% (advanced model) and between 74% and 13% if a time delimiter was included. Multimorbid patients had about twice as many contacts annually than the remainder. The number of contacts were different for each model, but the ratio remained similar. The number of contacts correlated moderately with patient age (r = 0.35). The correlation between age and multimorbidity increased from model to model up to 0.28 while the correlations between contacts and multimorbidity varied around 0.2 in all four models.

Conclusion:

Multimorbidity seems to be less prevalent in primary care practices than usually estimated if advanced definitions of multimorbidity and a temporal delimiter are applied. Although multimorbidity increases in any model a doctor’s workload, it is especially the older person with multiple chronic diseases who is a challenge for the GP.
(De)constructing Argentine Women: Gender, Nation, and Identity in ‘Alfonsina y el mar’
Authors: CRISTIÁ CINTIA
Published: April 2022

This article examines gender, nation, and identity in the popular song of folk roots ‘Alfonsina y el mar’. Written by Félix Luna and Ariel Ramírez, the song is based on the suicide of feminist poet Alfonsina Storni and achieved worldwide popularity through Mercedes Sosa's 1969 rendition on the album Mujeres argentinas. Using Butler's theory of gender performance, Cusick's proposals for a feminist music theory, and Plesch's concept of dysphoric topics in Argentine nationalist music, this article deconstructs the song's poetic, musical, and visual discourses to critique its underlying cultural signification. It concludes that by infantilizing, romanticizing, and nationalizing Storni's public figure, her legacy was adapted to the patriarchal expectations of decorum and historical narrative about nation pervasive in Argentina in the late 1960s. Storni's white European urban background was adapted to more ‘authentic’ Argentine values through Sosa's performance and public image.
Privatising, liberalising and dividing a welfare state without affecting universality? Debunking the myths surrounding the rapid rise of private health insurance in Sweden
Authors: Lapidus John
Published: April 2022

The privatisation of provision and the emerging privatisation of funding, manifested in the rapid rise of private health insurance, are the most obvious signs that the universal, Swedish health system is gradually weakened. Meanwhile, the private welfare industry creates a neoliberal Newspeak where the burdening effects of the private insurance system on public healthcare are said to be unburdening, and where every step away from the principles of a universal welfare model is said to be in line with the principles of a universal welfare model. The language spoken by the private welfare industry spills over into authorities, journalists and scholars. In this article, I discuss, problematise and partially reject two research questions – Does VHI unburden the public health care system? and Are VHI holders less supportive of funding public health care? – where the authors fail to place development in the context of increased inequality and declining tax ratio, and where they use the welfare industry's definitions invented to blur the consequences of a parallel health system.
Vulnerability and marginalisation at sea: maritime search and rescue, and the meaning of ‘place of safety’
Authors: Campàs Velasco Ainhoa
Published: April 2022

This paper proposes an integrating interpretation of the term ‘place of safety’ in the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, 1979, grounded in international human rights and refugee law. It argues that the exposure to harm as a consequence of the conditions under which sea migrants endure irregular journeys raises vulnerability concerns and the need to search for mechanisms of redress. It further claims that sea migrants are marginalised by states’ refusal to allow their disembarkation on land. It also argues that a narrow interpretation of the term ‘place of safety’ risks perpetuating, if not exacerbating, situations of vulnerability and marginalisation among sea migrants. Key themes addressed in this contribution are vulnerability and marginalisation of sea migrants, vulnerability reasoning in the interpretation process and the scope for a more integrating reading of the term ‘place of safety’ that is responsive to the specific needs among sea migrants.
Nationalized Cosmopolitanism with Communist Characteristics: The Esperanto Movement’s Survival Strategy in Post–World War II Bulgaria
Authors: Velitchkova Ana
Published: April 2022

The case of the Bulgarian Esperanto movement under state socialism demonstrates a social movement can survive under authoritarianism by establishing a legitimate activist culture acceptable to the regime while pursuing its intrinsic goals. Bulgaria, a close Soviet ally, was a difficult case of movement survival. In the early years following World War II, the national Esperanto periodical Bulgara Esperantisto was a key organizing tool for the movement reporting on its activities, reaching out to potential recruits, and legitimizing the movement under the new communist-led regime. Examining the periodical’s discourse over a two-year period, I find that the movement managed to carve a space for itself in the new political context by advancing a form of what I term “nationalized cosmopolitanism.” Bulgarian Esperantists were able to maintain activist networks nationally and internationally, pursue intrinsic Esperanto goals, and sustain cosmopolitan identities under unhospitable conditions. The movement successfully legitimated itself by drawing from three cosmopolitan sources: Esperanto cosmopolitanism, communist internationalism, and Bulgarian peasant universalism. In the context of the nation-state system, invoking the nation was an effective legitimation strategy, even for a movement with cosmopolitan orientations, even under a regime justified in universal terms. Espousing pragmatism and partnerships while avoiding conflict, Bulgarian Esperantists were able to thrive under the new communist regime, recruit new members, and reconnect with the global Esperanto movement. I conclude that a legitimate activist culture can adapt to a regime’s ideology and institutional environment without necessarily being co-opted.