bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sustainability and Finance: Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG)
Authors: Ditlev-Simonsen Caroline D.
Published: December 2021

Finance plays a central function in the business world. From being included in small and specialized funds, Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) and socially responsible investment (SRI) have become part of the mainstream for investors and analysts. In this chapter, I will address what ESG, SRI, environmental and social risk assessment, and ethical investment are about, as well as different investment strategies taking these into account. Further, dilemmas that arise are introduced such as what is a sustainable sector or product and how this differs based on the values of individuals. The move from addressing sustainability issues as a risk reduction activity to a business opportunity is discussed. Finally, the Norwegian Pension Fund, the world’s largest fund, is used as an example to illustrate product-based and conduct-based exclusions in practice.
The Rise of the Modern Intelligence State
Authors: Hardy John
Published: December 2021

The rise of the formal surveillance state in the early twenty-first century was precipitated by political impetus to empower security and intelligence organisations to perform a broad range of counterterrorism functions. Ethical debates about the implications of the security intelligence reach of modern states have focused on balancing individual rights, liberties, and privacy against the security of the state. Meanwhile, the surveillance state has rapidly evolved into an intelligence state, capable not only of pervasive data collection, but also of analytical modelling which expands existing boundaries of surveillance. Existing concerns about the ethical collection and use of surveillance data are compounded by three emergent capabilities of the modern intelligence state: persistent data surveillance, pattern-of-life analysis, and activity-based intelligence. These intelligence methods provide descriptive and/or predictive models of human behaviour that empower governments to generate intelligence about the actual and the potential subjects of counterterrorism investigations. The ethical implications of counterterrorism intelligence extend beyond the collection and use of data to the application of predictive modelling to dehumanised patterns of behaviour. This process has the potential to redefine the boundaries of the person, particularly by blurring the distinction between thoughts and actions which threaten the state.
Analytischer Rahmen zur Erfassung von Themenkarrieren in der Wissenschaft
Authors: Gravert Andreas
Published: December 2021

In diesem Kapitel wird aufbauend auf den vorangegangenen Kapiteln zu Transformationen in der Wissenschaft (Kp. 2), zur Entstehung von Themen (Kp. 3) und zur Funktionsweise der Wissenschaft (Kp. 4) die theoretische Perspektive entwickelt, die zur Analyse von Themenkarrieren in der Planungswissenschaft eingenommen wird. Es erfolgt also die Selektion, Übersetzung und Anpassung der Erkenntnisse aus dem Theorieteil mit dem Ziel, die eigene empirische Analyse zu leiten und die Beantwortung der Frage „Wie entstehen Themen in der Wissenschaft?“ zu ermöglichen. Es wird ein Raster von Konzepten dargelegt, das der Erfassung und Einordnung empirischer Beobachtungen dient und das es ermöglicht, jene Erklärungsgegenstände zu untersuchen, die als potenziell relevant für die Beantwortung der Forschungsfrage identifiziert worden sind. Die Explikation dieser Forschungsheuristik verläuft in fünf Abschnitten vom Allgemeinen zum Konkreten. Zunächst werden zentrale Konzepte des zu rekonstruierenden Makrophänomens – Themenkarrieren in der Wissenschaft – definiert und erläutert. Für die Rekonstruktion wird auf das Kategoriengerüst des Akteurzentrierten Institutionalismus sowie dessen Prinzip der Mikrofundierung von Makrophänomenen zurückgegriffen. Dieses Gerüst, einschließlich des dieser Arbeit zugrunde liegenden Verständnisses von Struktur und Akteur*in sowie von der wechselseitigen Dynamik zwischen diesen beiden Polen, wird anschließend dargelegt. Im dritten Schritt wird der institutionelle Kontext des Systems Wissenschaft und dessen Einbettung in die gesellschaftliche Umwelt skizziert. Im Anschluss wird auf wissenschaftliche Akteur*innen und deren Handlungskontext eingegangen. Zuletzt werden die Erkenntnisse in Bezug auf die Themenwahl wissenschaftlicher Akteur*innen konkretisiert und systematisiert.
Theoretische Fundierung
Authors: Schrader Sonja Maria
Published: December 2021

Da eine einheitliche Definition der Nachhaltigkeit nach Literaturrecherche nicht vorgelegt werden kann, soll zum Verständnis des Konzepts die historische Entwicklung und deren Bedeutung bis zum heutigen Stand kurz skizziert werden. Das dieser Arbeit zugrunde gelegte Verständnis von Nachhaltigkeit orientiert sich am 3-Säulen-Modell, welches anschließend erläutert wird. Danach wird abschließend die Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie der Bundesregierung in den Blick genommen, wobei sich auf die für die Arbeit relevanten Nachhaltigkeitsziele und -indikatoren beschränkt wird.
A complete description of P- and S-wave contributions to the B0 → K+π−ℓ+ℓ− decay
Authors: Algueró Marcel , Cartelle Paula Alvarez , Marshall Alexander Mclean , Masjuan Pere , Matias Joaquim , McCann Michael Andrew , Patel Mitesh , Petridis Konstantinos A. , Smith Mark
Published: December 2021

Abstract

In this paper we present a detailed study of the four-body decay B0 → K+π−ℓ+ℓ−, where tensions with the Standard Model predictions have been observed. Our analysis of the decay with P- and S-wave contributions to the K+π− system develops a complete understanding of the symmetries of the distribution, in the case of massless and massive leptons. In both cases, the symmetries determine relations between the observables in the B0 → K+π−ℓ+ℓ− decay distribution. This enables us to define the complete set of observables accessible to experiments, including several that have not previously been identified. The new observables arise when the decay rate is written differentially with respect to $$ {m}_{K_{\pi }} $$

m

K
π

. We demonstrate that experiments will be able to fit this full decay distribution with currently available data sets and investigate the sensitivity to new physics scenarios given the experimental precision that is expected in the future.

The symmetry relations provide a unique handle to explore the behaviour of S-wave observables by expressing them in terms of P-wave observables, therefore minimising the dependence on poorly-known S-wave form factors. Using this approach, we construct two theoretically optimized S-wave observables and explore their sensitivity to new physics. By further exploiting the symmetry relations, we obtain the first bounds on the S-wave observables using two different methods and highlight how these relations may be used as cross-checks of the experimental methodology and the parametrization of the B0 → K+π−ℓ+ℓ− differential decay rate. We identify a zero-crossing point that would be at a common dilepton invariant mass for a subset of P- and S-wave observables, and explore the information on new physics and hadronic effects that this zero point can provide.
A Robust Workflow for Acquiring and Preprocessing Ambient Vibration Data from Small Aperture Ocean Bottom Seismometer Arrays to Extract Scholte and Love Waves Phase-Velocity Dispersion Curves
Authors: Lontsi Agostiny Marrios , Shynkarenko Anastasiia , Kremer Katrina , Hobiger Manuel , Bergamo Paolo , Fabbri Stefano C. , Anselmetti Flavio S. , Fäh Donat
Published: December 2021

The phase-velocity dispersion curve (DC) is an important characteristic of the propagation of surface waves in sedimentary environments. Although the procedure for DC estimation in onshore environments using ambient vibration recordings is well established, the DC estimation in offshore environments using Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBS) array recordings of ambient vibrations presents three additional challenges: (1) the localization of sensors, (2) the orientation of the OBS horizontal components, and (3) the clock error. Here, we address these challenges in an inherent preprocessing workflow to ultimately extract the Love and Scholte wave DC from small aperture OBS array measurements performed between 2018 and 2020 in Lake Lucerne (Switzerland). The arrays have a maximum aperture of 679 m and a maximum deployment water depth of 81 m. The challenges related to the OBS location on the lake floor are addressed by combining the multibeam bathymetry map and the backscatter image for the investigated site with the differential GPS coordinates of the OBS at recovery. The OBS measurements are complemented by airgun surveys. Airgun data are first used to estimate the misorientation of the horizontal components of the OBS and second to estimate the clock error. To assess the robustness of the preprocessing workflow, we use two array processing methods, namely the three-component high-resolution frequency-wavenumber and the interferometric multichannel analysis of surface waves, to estimate the dispersion characteristics of the propagating Scholte and Love waves for one of the OBS array sites. The results show the effectiveness of the preprocessing workflow. We observe the phase-velocity dispersion curve branches in the frequency range between 1.2 and 3.2 Hz for both array processing techniques.
German surgeons’ technical preferences for performing total hip arthroplasties: a survey from the National Endoprosthesis Society
Authors: Stratos Ioannis , Heller Karl-Dieter , Rudert Maximilian
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The goal of our study was to conduct an online survey that highlights patterns of practice during total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Methods

The survey was conducted in June and August 2020. Three hundred thirteen members of the German Society for Endoprosthesis participated in the survey.

Results

The anterolateral approach is by far the most popular approach used for primary total hip arthroplasty, followed by the anterior approach during minimally invasive (55% for the anterolateral and 29% for the anterior) and regular surgery (52% for the anterolateral and 20% for the anterior). Two-thirds of the orthopaedic surgeons do not use drainages during THA. Moreover, 80% of the survey participants routinely apply tranexamic acid during surgery. Surgeons who perform minimally invasive surgery for THA use more frequently fast-track-concepts for post-operative rehabilitation. According to the interviewees, the application of fast-track-concepts leads to reduced periods of hospital stay after THA.

Conclusion

Our data demonstrate that patterns of practice during THA in Germany are in line with the evidence provided by current literature. This study can be seen as a stimulus to conduct similar surveys in other countries in order to promote minimally invasive surgery for THA.
Mesh fixation techniques for inguinal hernia repair: an overview of systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Alabi A. , Haladu N. , Scott N. W. , Imamura M. , Ahmed I. , Ramsay G. , Brazzelli M.
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Inguinal hernia repair using surgical mesh is a very common surgical operation. Currently, there is no consensus on the best technique for mesh fixation. We conducted an overview of existing systematic reviews (SRs) of randomised controlled trials to compare the risk of chronic pain and recurrence following open and laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs using various mesh fixation techniques.

Methods

We searched major electronic databases in April 2020 and assessed the methodological quality of identified reviews using the AMSTAR-2 tool.

Results

We identified 20 SRs of variable quality assessing suture, self-gripping, glue, and mechanical fixation. Across reviews, the risk of chronic pain after open mesh repair was lower with glue fixation than with suture and comparable between self-gripping and suture. Incidence of chronic pain was lower with glue fixation than with mechanical fixation in laparoscopic repairs. There were no significant differences in recurrence rates between fixation techniques in open and laparoscopic mesh repairs, although fewer recurrences were reported with suture. Many reviews reported wide confidence intervals around summary estimates. Despite no clear evidence of differences among techniques, two network meta-analyses (one assessing open repairs and one laparoscopic repairs) ranked glue fixation as the best treatment for reducing pain and suture for reducing the risk of recurrence.

Conclusion

Glue fixation may be effective in reducing the incidence of chronic pain without increasing the risk of recurrence. Future research should consider both the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of fixation techniques alongside the type of mesh and the size and location of the hernia defect.
In vitro fragmentation performance of a novel, pulsed Thulium solid-state laser compared to a Thulium fibre laser and standard Ho:YAG laser
Authors: Kraft Lea , Petzold Ralf , Suarez-Ibarrola Rodrigo , Miernik Arkadiusz
Published: December 2021

The aim of this work was to compare the fragmentation efficiency of a novel, pulsed Thulium solid-state laser (p-Tm:YAG) to that of a chopped Thulium fibre laser (TFL) and a pulsed Holmium solid-state laser (Ho:YAG). During the fragmentation process, we used a silicone mould to fixate the hemispherical stone models under water in a jar filled with room-temperature water. Each laser device registered the total energy applied to the stone model to determine fragmentation efficiency. Our study examined laser settings with single pulse energies ranging from 0.6 to 6 J and pulse frequencies ranging from 5 to 15 Hz. Similar laser settings were applied to explicitly compare the fragmentation efficiency of all three devices. We experimented with additional laser settings to see which of the three devices would perform best. The fragmentation performance of the three laser devices differed statistically significantly (p < 0.05). The average total energy required to fragment the stone model was 345.96 J for Ho:YAG, 372.43 J for p-Tm:YAG and 483.90 J for TFL. To fragment the stone models, both Ho:YAG and p-Tm:YAG needed similar total energy (p = 0.97). TFL’s fragmentation efficiency is significantly lower than that of Ho:YAG and p-Tm:YAG. Furthermore, we found the novel p-Tm:YAG’s fragmentation efficiency to closely resemble that of Ho:YAG. The fragmentation efficiency is thought to be influenced by the pulse duration. TFL’s shortest possible pulse duration was considerably longer than that of Ho:YAG and p-Tm:YAG, resulting in Ho:YAG and p-Tm:YAG exhibiting better fragmenting efficiency.
A finite characterization of perfect equilibria
Authors: Callejas Ivonne , Govindan Srihari , Pahl Lucas
Published: December 2021

Govindan and Klumpp [7] provided a characterization of perfect equilibria using Lexicographic Probability Systems (LPSs). Their characterization was essentially finite in that they showed that there exists a finite bound on the number of levels in the LPS, but they did not compute it explicitly. In this note, we draw on two recent developments in Real Algebraic Geometry to obtain a formula for this bound.
Finite element modeling of shape memory polyurethane foams for treatment of cerebral aneurysms
Authors: Jarrah H. R. , Zolfagharian A. , Bodaghi M.
Published: December 2021

In this paper, a thermo-mechanical analysis of shape memory polyurethane foams (SMPUFs) with aiding of a finite element model (FEM) for treating cerebral aneurysms (CAs) is introduced. Since the deformation of foam cells is extremely difficult to observe experimentally due to their small size, a structural cell-assembly model is established in this work via finite element modeling to examine all-level deformation details. Representative volume elements of random equilateral Kelvin open-cell microstructures are adopted for the cell foam. Also, a user-defined material subroutine (UMAT) is developed based on a thermo-visco-elastic constitutive model for SMPUFs, and implemented in the ABAQUS software package. The model is able to capture thermo-mechanical responses of SMPUFs for a full shape memory thermodynamic cycle. One of the latest treatments of CAs is filling the inside of aneurysms with SMPUFs. The developed FEM is conducted on patient-specific basilar aneurysms treated by SMPUFs. Three sizes of foams are selected for the filling inside of the aneurysm and then governing boundary conditions and loadings are applied to the foams. The results of the distribution of stress and displacement in the absence and presence of the foam are compared. Due to the absence of similar results in the specialized literature, this paper is likely to fill a gap in the state of the art of this problem and provide pertinent results that are instrumental in the design of SMPUFs for treating CAs.
Nonmonotonic reasoning from conditional knowledge bases with system W
Authors: Komo Christian , Beierle Christoph
Published: December 2021

For nonmonotonic reasoning in the context of a knowledge base$\mathcal {R}$Rcontaining conditionals of the formIf A then usually B, system P provides generally accepted axioms. Inference solely based on system P, however, is inherently skeptical because it coincides with reasoning that takes all ranking models of$\mathcal {R}$Rinto account. System Z uses only the unique minimal ranking model of$\mathcal {R}$R, and c-inference, realized via a complex constraint satisfaction problem, takes all c-representations of$\mathcal {R}$Rinto account. C-representations constitute the subset of all ranking models of$\mathcal {R}$Rthat are obtained by assigning non-negative integer impacts to each conditional in$\mathcal {R}$Rand summing up, for every world, the impacts of all conditionals falsified by that world. While system Z and c-inference license in general different sets of desirable entailments, the first major objective of this article is to presentsystem W. System W fully captures and strictly extends both system Z and c-inference. Moreover, system W can be represented by a single strict partial order on the worlds over the signature of$\mathcal {R}$R. We show that system W exhibits further inference properties worthwhile for nonmonotonic reasoning, like satisfying the axioms of system P, respecting conditional indifference, and avoiding the drowning problem. The other main goal of this article is to provide results on our investigations, underlying the development of system W, of upper and lower bounds that can be used to restrict the set of c-representations that have to be taken into account for realizing c-inference. We show that the upper bound ofn− 1 is sufficient for capturing c-inference with respect to$\mathcal {R}$Rhavingnconditionals if there is at least one world verifying all conditionals in$\mathcal {R}$R. In contrast to the previous conjecture that the number of conditionals in$\mathcal {R}$Ris always sufficient, we prove that there are knowledge bases requiring an upper bound of 2n− 1, implying that there is no polynomial upper bound of the impacts assigned to the conditionals in$\mathcal {R}$Rfor fully capturing c-inference.
The genetic diversity of wild grapes in Mexico
Authors: Huerta-Acosta Karla G. , Riaz Summaira , Franco-Mora Omar , Cruz-Castillo Juan G. , Walker M. Andrew
Published: December 2021

This is the first report evaluating the genetic diversity of Mexican grape species utilizing DNA-based markers to understand the distribution of grape species, and patterns of hybridization. The study utilized accessions maintained in three collections in Mexico, one in the USA and recently collected germplasm. Fifteen SSR markers were used to develop a fingerprint database to identify unique germplasm. Two different clustering analyses without prior population assignment, were used to identify groups that were verified by a Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components and a Principal Coordinate Analysis. Genetic diversity estimates were made across and within groups to validate the results obtained from the clustering analyses. Multiple clustering analyses and diversity parameters supported six genetic groups representing different geographic regions. The Northeastern group was the most diverse with a geographic range extending to Eastern and Central Mexico, while the Coahuila group was the least diverse. Vitis arizonica Engelm. and Vitis cinerea Engelm. ex Millardet were the most abundant species with many hybrid forms. We provide evidence that wild grape species in Mexico follow the physical barriers of mountain ranges like the Sierra Madre Oriental with an east–west divide and the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt as a corridor for gene flow among different grape species. Additional collections are required to fully understand the extent of hybridization and to clarify hybrid zones.
Vibrational Properties of CO Adsorbed on Au Single Atom Catalysts on TiO2(101), ZrO2(101), CeO2(111), and LaFeO3(001) Surfaces: A DFT Study
Authors: Thang Ho Viet , Maleki Farahnaz , Tosoni Sergio , Pacchioni Gianfranco
Published: December 2021

The nature and local environment of Au single atoms supported and stabilized on four different oxides is studied by means of DFT + U calculations using CO as probe molecule and its stretching frequency, ωe, as a fingerprint of the site where the Au atom is bound. Four oxides are considered, anatase TiO2, tetragonal ZrO2, cubic CeO2, and a perovskite LaFeO3. In this latter case a recently reported experimental study has detected a stretching mode for CO adsorbed on Au1/LaFeO3 of 2215 cm−1, with a large blue shift, ∆ω(CO) = 72 cm−1 with respect to free CO. In order to identify the Au adsorption site that can give rise to this large blue-shift we have considered five cases: (a) Au replacing a lattice cation, (Au)subM; (b) Au replacing a lattice O anion, (Au)subO; (c) Au adsorbed on the surface, (Au)ads; (d) Au bound to an extra O atom on the surface, (AuO)ads, or (e) Au bound to two extra O atoms on the surface, (AuO2)ads. It turns out that the correct reproduction of ∆ω for CO adsorbed on positively charged gold, Auδ+, is challenging for DFT. Therefore, we have performed a comparative study of Auδ+-CO molecular compounds for which ωe(CO) is known experimentally using various kinds of DFT functionals and accurate CCSD and CCSD(T) quantum chemistry methods. Also based on this comparison we propose a tentative assignment for the observed frequency of CO adsorbed on Au1/LaFeO3 single atom catalyst.

Graphic Abstract
Mixture toxicity of six pharmaceuticals towards Aliivibrio fischeri, Daphnia magna, and Lemna minor
Authors: Białk-Bielińska Anna , Grabarczyk Łukasz , Mulkiewicz Ewa , Puckowski Alan , Stolte Stefan , Stepnowski Piotr
Published: December 2021

As the knowledge on the joint effects of pharmaceuticals towards different non-target organisms is still limited, the aim of our study was to evaluate the toxicity of mixtures of pharmaceuticals, as well as their baseline toxicity towards three selected organisms, namely the bioluminescent bacteria Aliivibrio fischeri, the crustacean Daphnia magna, and the duckweed Lemna minor. Different mixtures composed of three up to five pharmaceuticals having the same or different mechanisms of action in terms of their therapeutic activity (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioid analgesic, antibacterial and anti-epileptic drugs) were investigated. The observed EC50s were compared with those predicted using the concentration addition (CA) and independent action (IA) models. In general, the EC50 values for mixtures predicted with the CA model were lower than those obtained with the IA model, although, in some cases, test predictions of these two models were almost identical. Most of the experimentally determined EC50 values for the specific mixtures were slightly higher than those predicted with the CA model; hence, a less than additive effect was noted. Based on the obtained results, it might be concluded that the CA model assumes the worst-case scenario and gives overall closer predictions; therefore, it should be recommended also for modeling the mixture toxicity of pharmaceuticals with different modes of action.
How can biases affect entrepreneurial decision making? toward a behavioral approach to unicorns
Authors: Abatecola Gianpaolo , Cristofaro Matteo , Giannetti Federico , Kask Johan
Published: December 2021

How can cognitive biases affect the birth and evolution of entrepreneurial ventures? In Entrepreneurial Decision Making (EDM), this lively research question remains largely unaddressed when the world of Unicorns, as a per se entrepreneurial species, is considered. Thus, through this conceptual article, we aim to contribute toward knowledge creation in this context. We start by proposing a conceptual framework of Unicorns’ EDM based on a behavioral approach. Through three propositions, this novel framework advances how the birth, transition, and consolidation of a Unicorn may be explained by the sequentially intertwined occurrence of biases, from which establishment and legitimization eventually emerge. We complement the framework with examples from the social media industry and then discuss its main implications for theory and practice.
Integrated geophysical and geochemical assessment of submarine groundwater discharge in coastal terrace of Tiruchendur, Southern India
Authors: Vinoth Kingston J. , Antony Ravindran A. , Richard Abishek S. , Aswin S. K. , Antony Alosanai Promilton A.
Published: December 2021

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) study is essential for groundwater in coastal terrace at Tiruchendur. The famous Murugan Temple is located in the area and around 25,000 people who visit this temple use the SGD well water at NaaliKinaru (a small open well) as holy water and drink it. The rock and soil type are sandy clay, silt, beach sand, calcarenite, kankar, gneissic rock and charnockite in base rock. Megascopic identification method was used to identify the porous and permeable rocks such as calcarenite, sandstone and kankar to support to increase SGD flux. Grain size study was used to identify the paleo-coastal estuarine environment with sediment deposits in the terrace. The square array electrical resistivity method was used to study the subsurface geology and aquifer depth. The 2d ERT technique was used to identify the subsurface shallow perched aquifer of freshwater. The magnetotelluric survey method was used to scan the entire subsurface geological and tectonic uplift, coastal ridges, rock folded subsurface structural features of continental and oceanic tectonism. Darcy’s law was used to calculate the SGD flux rate in the above study area.
Cumulus Cell DNA Damage as an Index of Human Oocyte Competence
Authors: Baratas Alejandro , Gosálvez Jaime , de la Casa Moises , Camacho Silvia , Dorado-Silva Monica , Johnston Stephen D. , Roy Rosa
Published: December 2021

The determination of oocyte quality is crucial for achieving effective syngamy post-sperm injection and embryonic development. Cumulus cells (CCs) have been proposed as biomarkers of oocyte quality because of their close bio-dynamic relationship with the oocyte. To determine the quality of the oocyte, CCs were sampled during oocyte preparation for ICSI to determine a CC DNA fragmentation index (CCDFI) of each individual oocyte using a variant of the chromatin dispersion test. One hundred and thirty oocytes were selected and studied from two Spanish fertility clinics, 90 of which were fertilized and developed to embryos. Significant differences were found between the CCDFI of unfertilized and fertilized oocytes (p < .001) and between the CCDFI of embryos that were discarded and those that developed suitable for transfer or cryopreservation (p < .001). Oocyte quality was negatively correlated with CCDFI (Spearman’s rho =  − 0.45; p < .001). Receiver operator characteristics curves (ROC) suggested that a cut-off value of 24% CCDFI was able to discriminate the capacity of the gametes to result in syngamy with a sensitivity and specificity of 75.6% and 65%, respectively. This cut-off supports the application of CCDFI as potential index for the evaluation of the reproductive potential of oocytes prior to fertilization.
Seismic Hazard and Risk Analysis
Authors: Baker Jack , Bradley Brendon , Stafford Peter
Published: December 2021

Seismic hazard and risk analyses underpin the loadings prescribed by engineering design codes, the decisions by asset owners to retrofit structures, the pricing of insurance policies, and many other activities. This is a comprehensive overview of the principles and procedures behind seismic hazard and risk analysis. It enables readers to understand best practises and future research directions. Early chapters cover the essential elements and concepts of seismic hazard and risk analysis, while later chapters shift focus to more advanced topics. Each chapter includes worked examples and problem sets for which full solutions are provided online. Appendices provide relevant background in probability and statistics. Computer codes are also available online to help replicate specific calculations and demonstrate the implementation of various methods. This is a valuable reference for upper level students and practitioners in civil engineering, and earth scientists interested in engineering seismology.
COMPUTATION OF BONUS IN MULTI-STATE LIFE INSURANCE
Authors: Ahmad Jamaal , Buchardt Kristian , Furrer Christian
Published: December 2021

We consider computation of market values of bonus payments in multi-state with-profit life insurance. The bonus scheme consists of additional benefits bought according to a dividend strategy that depends on the past realization of financial risk, the current individual insurance risk, the number of additional benefits currently held, and so-called portfolio-wide means describing the shape of the insurance business. We formulate numerical procedures that efficiently combine simulation of financial risk with classic methods for the outstanding insurance risk. Special attention is given to the case where the number of additional benefits bought only depends on the financial risk. Methods and results are illustrated via a numerical example.
Right to Life and Capital Punishment in Transnational Judicial Dialogue
Authors: Hsu Jimmy Chia-Shin
Published: December 2021

In this article, I bring the constitutional jurisprudence of major East Asian courts into reconstructive dialogue with that of the United States, South Africa, and several former Soviet-bloc countries, on per se review of capital punishment. This fills in a gap in the literature, which has failed to reflect new developments in Asia. Besides analysing various review approaches, I extrapolate recurrent analytical issues and reconstruct dialogues among these court decisions. Moreover, I place the analysis in historical perspective by periodising the jurisprudential trajectory of the right to life. The contextualised reconstructive dialogues offer multilayered understanding of my central analytical argument: for any court that may conduct per se review of capital punishment in the future, the highly influential South African Makwanyane case does not settle the lesson. The transnational debate has been kept open by the Korean Constitutional Court's decisions, as well as retrospectively by the US cases of Furman and Gregg. This argument has two major points. First, the crucial part of the reasoning in Makwanyane, namely that capital punishment cannot be proven to pass the necessity test under the proportionality review, is analytically inconclusive. The Korean Constitutional Court's decision offers a direct contrast to this point. Second, the exercise of proportionality review of the Makwanyane Court does not attest to the neutrality and objectivity of proportionality review. Rather, what is really dispositive of the outcome are certain value choices inhering in per se review of capital punishment.
Fedotova v. Russ. (Eur. Ct. H.R.)
Authors: Polgári Eszter
Published: December 2021

On June 13, 2021, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) delivered a judgment in Fedotova and Others v. Russia. The ECtHR found that Russia was in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) for not allowing same-sex couples to have their partnerships legally recognized. The decision reflects the ECtHR's firm position: the formal recognition of partnership shall not depend on the partners' sex, and the complete exclusion of same-sex couples cannot be justified with opposing public sentiments or the need to protect traditional families. While the Fedotova ruling is the first judgment that challenged the discriminatory legislative framework in a country belonging to the Eastern Bloc of the Council of Europe, it is not unprecedented. In its judgment, the ECtHR applied the standards entrenched in the case law on the rights of same-sex partners and, although it did not address the issue of marriage equality under Article 12 of the ECHR, it did conclude that the applicants' rights under Article 8 had been violated.
The basic income: Initiating the needed discussion in industrial, work, and organizational psychology
Authors: Hüffmeier Joachim , Zacher Hannes
Published: December 2021

The basic income (BI) involves regular and unconditional cash payments to all members of a political community, without the requirement or expectation to work in return. Whereas the BI is increasingly discussed by political parties, organizational practitioners, and in other academic disciplines, the field of industrial, work, and organizational (IWO) psychology has so far remained silent on the concept. In this article, we first explain why there is a growing interest in the BI and outline potential reasons why the BI, despite its topical relevance, has not been discussed by IWO psychologists. Next, to initiate the needed discussion on the BI, we outline the most important background information on the concept, including its definition, history, financial aspects, main criticisms, and potential advantages. We further provide first answers to common questions about the BI from an IWO psychology perspective, such as “(Why) would people still work if they received a BI?” We conclude with a discussion of potential positive and negative consequences of the BI as well implications for future theory development, empirical research, and practical applications.
Two-dimensional buoyant plumes in a uniform co-flow
Authors: Hunt Gary R. , Webb Jamie P.
Published: December 2021

The behaviour of turbulent, buoyant, planar plumes is fundamentally coupled to the environment within which they develop. The effect of a background stratification directly influences a plumes buoyancy and has been the subject of numerous studies. Conversely, the effect of an ambient co-flow, which directly influences the vertical momentum of a plume, has not previously been the subject of theoretical investigation. The governing conservation equations for the case of a uniform co-flow are derived and the local dynamical behaviour of the plume is shown to be characterised by the scaled source Richardson number and the relative magnitude of the co-flow and plume source velocities. For forced, pure and lazy plume release conditions the co-flow acts to narrow the plume and reduce both the dilution and the asymptotic Richardson number relative to the classic zero co-flow case. Analytical solutions are developed for pure plumes from line sources, and for highly forced and highly lazy releases from sources of finite width in a weak co-flow. Contrary to releases in quiescent surroundings, our solutions show that all classes of release can exhibit plume contraction and the associated necking. For entraining plumes, a dynamical invariance spatially only occurs for pure and forced releases and we derive the co-flow strengths that lead to this invariance.
Canadian Federalism and the Political Economy of Energy and the Environment
Authors: Meadowcroft James
Published: December 2021

These two books draw attention to the role of Canada's oil-producing provinces—“petro-provinces” for Angela Carter and “carbon provinces” for Douglas Macdonald—in the politics of energy, environment and climate change, but they do so in very different ways. Carter's volume examines the erosion of environmental protections in the oil-rich provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador, while Macdonald's focuses on the way interest-based conflicts rooted in regional energy political economies have driven federal/provincial dynamics around energy and climate policy. Both books are well written (not always a given in academic publishing), and they should interest anyone concerned with the politics of energy, environment and climate change in Canada.
A novel speed optimisation scheme for unmanned sailboats by sliding mode extremum seeking control without steady-state oscillation
Authors: Shen Zhipeng , Fan Xuechun , Yu Haomiao , Guo Chen , Wang Saisai
Published: December 2021

This paper proposes a novel speed optimisation scheme for unmanned sailboats by sliding mode extremum seeking control (SMESC) without steady-state oscillation. In the sailing speed optimisation scheme, an initial sail angle of attack is first computed by a piecewise constant function in the feed forward block, which ensures a small deviation between sailing speed and the maximum speed. Second, the sailing speed approaches to maximum gradually by extremum search control (ESC) in the feedback block. In SMESC without steady-state oscillation, a switching law is designed to carry out the control transformation, so that the speed optimisation system carries out SMESC in the first convergence phase and ESC without steady-state oscillation in the second stability phase. This scheme combines the advantages of both control algorithms to maintain a faster convergence rate and to eliminate steady-state oscillation. Furthermore, the strict stability of the speed optimisation system is proved in this paper. Finally, we test a 12-m mathematical model of an unmanned sailboat in the simulation to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of this speed optimisation scheme.
A filter algorithm for receiver tracking loops assisted by inertial information
Authors: Han Zhifeng , Fang Zheng
Published: December 2021

In traditional satellite navigation receivers, the parameters of tracking loop such as loop bandwidth and integration time are usually set in the design of the receivers according to different scenarios. The signal tracking performance is limited in traditional receivers. In addition, when the tracking ability of weak signals is improved by extending the integration time, negative effect of residual frequency error becomes more and more serious with extension of the integration time. To solve these problems, this paper presents out research on receiver tracking algorithms and proposes an optimised tracking algorithm with inertial information. The receiver loop filter is designed based on Kalman filter, reducing the phase jitter caused by thermal noise in the weak signal environment and improving the signal tracking sensitivity. To confirm the feasibility of the proposed algorithm, simulation tests are conducted.
OPINIONS ON THE LOWLAND MAYA LATE ARCHAIC PERIOD WITH SOME EVIDENCE FROM NORTHERN BELIZE
Authors: Rosenswig Robert M.
Published: December 2021

The fourth millennium b.p. in the Maya lowlands provides an interesting case, with mobile, aceramic peoples documented, while ceramic-using villagers lived in other parts of Mesoamerica. Rather than ask why ceramic containers and village life took so long to reach the Maya lowlands, the question can be inverted to posit that a mixed horticultural-foraging adaptation was so effective that it persisted longer than elsewhere. I propose that the so-called 4.2 ka b.p. event was the ultimate cause of increased sedentism and the first adoption of ceramic containers in a limited number of regions of Mesoamerica. My musings are grounded in the comparisons of data from the Soconusco region of southern Mexico and evidence from northern Belize at Colha and Pulltrouser Swamp, as well as the Freshwater Creek drainage. I assume that proximate behavior must account for local adaptations and different rates of change in each region of Mesoamerica. Therefore, regional adaptation in northern Belize during the Late Archaic period provides the evidence with which to reconstruct local adaptation. Excavations and regional reconnaissance document a distinctive orange soil horizon at Progresso Lagoon associated with patinated chert tools and an absence of ceramics. Stone tool assemblages from the preceramic components of three sites in the region indicate a spatial separation of tool use and resharpening at island versus shore. Starch grains recovered from these stone tools indicate that preceramic peoples in northern Belize harvested maize and several other domesticated plant species. These data are consistent with local paleoenvironmental studies that document an extended period of horticultural activity during the fifth and fourth millennia b.p. prior to the adoption of ceramics. Lithic assemblages and associated dietary information from multiple sites provide glimpses of the data necessary to reconstruct Late Archaic period adaptation from a single locale. Such data will be required to understand the proximate causes for the transition to a more settled, village life.
Building a Red Navy: Communist Activism and Military Authority in the Baltic Fleet, 1918–1940
Authors: Kokosalakis Yiannis
Published: December 2021

This article examines the activities of the Soviet military-political organs in the Baltic Fleet. It shows that the web of party institutions transformed the fleet into a space of political and social activism that had little to do with the strictly military aspects of government policy. Such activism was nevertheless unfailingly promoted, even as it became clear that it compromised core elements of military efficiency such as discipline and well-defined chains of command. This argument has implications for our broader understanding of the nature of the Soviet state. It indicates that once the Bolsheviks’ revolutionary ideology had become institutionalised in the state via the ubiquitous presence of party organs, pragmatic retreats for organisational efficiency became exceptionally difficult to implement.
A Moral Language for Our Time? Human Rights and Christianity in Historical Perspective
Authors: Johnston-White Rachel
Published: December 2021

On 3 October 2020 Pope Francis issued his third encyclical, Fratelli Tutti. Signed in the symbolic location of Assisi, home of St Francis, the encyclical represented the pope's response to the fears and anxieties wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the burning injustices of racism, global inequality and climate change. The encyclical explicitly invoked human rights, criticising the ways in which, ‘in practice, human rights are not equal for all’. As nations and societies succumb to ‘disenchantment and disappointment’, ‘the temptation to build a culture of walls’ to keep out the ‘other’ grows ever greater. The antidote, Francis insisted, is a ‘culture of encounter’ in which it is again possible to ‘rediscover the needs of the brothers and sisters who orbit around us’. Priority, too, must be given to ‘the dignity of the poor’ and ‘respect for the natural environment,’ rather than the privileges of the affluent to continue to amass wealth at all costs. Only then – by aligning human rights with the global common good – can rights become truly universal.
Self-conscious intelligent technological societies in the universe: a simple direct approach to probable astrosociological realistic scenarios
Authors: da Silva L. A. L.
Published: December 2021

We present an alternative equation to estimate the probable numberNof self-conscious intelligent technological societies (SCITSs) within the radius of the observable universe. This equation has only one poorly-known factor,Pc, the SCITS's formation probability, which can be estimated within an uncertainty by a factor of 102(10−11≤Pc≤ 10−9) by applying the restriction imposed by Fermi's Paradox. The SCITS's formation rate for a typical spiral galaxy is then estimated as ≈1 civ Gyr−1. For a very optimistic maximum life expectancy ≈108yr, the conclusion is that two civilizations never coexist in the same galaxy. Our estimated values forPcare compatible with current biological and astrophysical evidences. We also propose an alternative astrosociological classification scheme which enables us to speculate about possible evolutionary paths for SCITSs in the universe. The so-called ‘Closed Bottle Neck’ (CBN) scenario suggests that civilizations are no exit evolutionary ways. We argue that simply there would not be interstellar travels nor Galaxy colonization or a Galactic Club. Thus Fermi's Paradox results eliminated, and the perspectives about the future of our own civilization may not be positive.
Data from Satellites Help Uncover Exploding Meteors
Authors: Moskal Emily
Published: December 2021

By using data from two lightning-spotting satellites, researchers measure explosions of thousands of small meteors and create a database that could help the planetary defense community.
Earthquakes Ripple Through 3D Printed Models of Los Angeles
Authors: Kornei Katherine
Published: December 2021

Using stainless steel models, researchers find that high-frequency seismic waves—the most damaging to buildings—are attenuated in the Los Angeles sedimentary basin.
New Insights Into Crustal Properties of Anatolia and Its Surroundings Inferred From P‐Coda Autocorrelation Inversions
Authors: Eken Tuna , Tork Qashqai Mehdi , Schiffer Christian , Taymaz Tuncay , Saygin Erdinc
Published: December 2021

Constraints on crustal and uppermost mantle structure provide key information for understanding the geodynamic processes that have shaped the geological expressions and are currently causing deformation in Anatolia. We apply a novel method of Bayesian inversion of autocorrelated teleseismic P‐wave coda data to retrieve the crustal and uppermost mantle structures beneath Anatolia and southeast Europe. Our inversion provides estimates of Moho depth variations and crustal velocity structure (e.g., Vp, Vs, and Vp/Vs ratio). The Moho architecture in the study area can be summarized by (a) an overall west‐to‐east increase in the Moho depth from Greece to eastern Anatolia, (b) a homogeneously thin crustal structure beneath Greece, (c) complex, small‐scale crustal features and variations in western and central Anatolia, and (d) relatively long‐wavelength variations, but overall thick crust in eastern Anatolia. The apparent relation between the Moho depth variations and suture/fault zones implies a dominant control of structural inheritance on the past deformation in Anatolia. The overall Moho architecture appears to correlate well with the topography in Anatolia, although with some exceptions, in particular at smaller wavelength. These local inconsistencies in the topography‐Moho depth relation suggest a more complex, wavelength‐dependent isostatic state compared to what is expected from simple Airy isostasy. The observed deviations may originate from elastic effects, lithospheric density changes, or sub‐lithospheric dynamic effects. Obvious large lateral variations in Vp, Vs and Vp/Vs ratio estimates in our model can relate to such density variations within the crust especially between tectonic domains.