bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of laser‐produced plasma multistructuring by floating probe measurements and optical emission spectroscopy
Authors: Irimiciuc Stefan A. , Chertopalov Sergii , Craciun Valentin , Novotný Michal , Lancok Jan
Published: September 2020

With the continuous development of pulsed laser deposition as a versatile technique for the deposition of complex thin films, there is a need for a better understanding of the role and control of the deposition parameters. The understanding of the particle kinetics and plasma chemistry during the deposition process can greatly improve the properties of the synthesized films. By using the floating voltage regime of the Langmuir probe technique, we performed angular and time‐resolved measurements during laser ablation of an Ag target, which evidenced the structuring of the plasma plume in ultrahigh vacuum conditions. The addition of N2 gas in the pressure range from 5 × 10–5 to 10 Pa leads to more rapid plasma thermalization and the control of its kinetic energy. The electrical measurements were complemented by optical emission spectroscopy, which showcased the presence of neutral and multiple ionized species distributed across the laser‐produced plasma plume. The plasma homogenization resulted in a decrease of the mean free path of Ag ions and atoms, which increased both their excitation temperature and electron density.
Arctigenin protects mice from thioglycollate‐induced acute peritonitis
Authors: Zhao Jingyi , Chen Ying , Dong Lijun , Li Xin , Dong Ruijie , Zhou Dongmei , Wang Chengzhi , Guo Xiangdong , Zhang Jieyou , Xue Zhenyi , Xi Qing , Zhang Lijuan , Yang Guangze , Li Yan , Zhang Rongxin
Published: September 2020

Acute peritonitis is an acute inflammatory response of the peritoneal cavity to physical injury and chemical stimulation. Timely resolution of this response is critical to prevent further damage to the body, which can eventually lead to more severe chronic inflammation. Arctigenin (ATG) is the main active ingredient of the Chinese medicine Arctium lappa. In recent years, there have been an increasing number of studies on the anti‐inflammatory effect of ATG, but there have been few studies on the effect of ATG on acute inflammation, especially in acute peritonitis, which has not been reported. In this study, a mouse model of experimental acute peritonitis induced by thioglycolate (TG) solution was used to study the protective anti‐inflammatory effect of ATG against acute peritonitis and the relevant mechanism. Our results showed that, after 12 hours of TG treatment, ATG significantly reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in mouse tissues and inhibited the secretion and expression of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) in mice. ATG significantly reduced the percentage of CD11b+Ly6G+ neutrophils and F4/80+ macrophages in the spleen and peritoneal exudate. In addition, ATG significantly inhibited the expression of the chemokines CCL3 and CCL4 and the adhesion molecule CD62L on the surface of CD11b‐positive monocytes. ATG was observed to inhibit the phosphorylation of p65 and p38 in LPS‐stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In conclusion, ATG can improve the symptoms of TG‐induced acute peritonitis through immune regulation. ATG can reduce the inflammatory response in TG‐induced acute peritonitis in mice.
Probing Defects in MoS2 Van der Waals Crystal through Deep‐Level Transient Spectroscopy
Authors: Gelczuk Łukasz , Kopaczek Jan , Scharoch Paweł , Komorowska Katarzyna , Blei Mark , Tongay Sefaattin , Kudrawiec Robert
Published: September 2020

The electrical performance of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) is strongly affected by the quality of electrical metal contacts and the formation of electrically active defects. Herein, deep‐level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) is used for direct probing of deep‐level defects in the bandgap of single MoS2 van der Waals crystal. Standard DLTS temperature spectra reveal a deep‐level trap located at about 0.36 eV below the conduction band edge. This trap is tentatively attributed to sulfur vacancies and localized on the electronic band structure of MoS2, obtained within the density functional theory (DFT), and matched with experimentally studied electronic band structure, by absorption and contactless electroreflectance (CER) spectroscopy.
Emergency 5G Communication on‐the‐Move: Concept and field trial of a mobile satellite backhaul for public protection and disaster relief
Authors: Völk Florian , Schwarz Robert T. , Lorenz Mario , Knopp Andreas
Published: September 2020

A secure and flexible communication infrastructure for the use of broadband and IP‐based services is becoming more and more important in the context of Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR). Government agencies and emergency responders need to be able to react quickly to emergencies across the globe. In particular, satellite‐based 5G mobile networks can support government agencies during their critical tasks. To support the standardization committees and the industry, it is required to evaluate new architectures for such networks by utilizing testbeds and field trials. In this article, we propose and investigate architectures for mobile PPDR networks with satellite backhaul to ensure Communication on‐the‐Move. The flexibility within the architectures comes with the distribution of the core network nodes at the edge of the network applying the Core‐Edge Split concept. The presented results show that already existing interfaces of the Evolved Packet Core 3GPP standard allow satellite‐based 5G networks tailored to the needs of government authorities.
Simulation of Carbo‐Nitride Precipitation in the Multi‐Phase Microstructure of Micro‐Alloyed Transformation‐Induced Plasticity Steel
Authors: Retzl Philipp , Mayer Walter , Krizan Daniel , Kozeschnik Ernst
Published: September 2020

During the thermo‐mechanical treatment of low‐carbon transformation‐induced plasticity (TRIP) steel, precipitation of micro‐alloying carbo‐nitrides occurs in a complex microstructure consisting of various phases and mixtures of these, such as austenite, ferrite, pearlite, bainite, and/or martensite. In addition, the precipitation process is commonly stimulated and accelerated by plastic deformation that is induced by hot and warm rolling. In the present contribution, a method is suggested, which allows for a thermokinetics‐based simulation of the amount as well as the type and distribution of secondary precipitates depending on the local chemical and crystal environment of the polymorph microstructure. As basis of this study serves the thermokinetic software package MatCalc, it is used to simulate the evolution of precipitates during the entire steel processing route. According to the present simulation results, the distribution of C among individual precipitation domains, i.e., phases, is the most important factor governing the precipitate evolution in the system. In addition, the simulations show that niobium carbide (NbC) and vanadium carbide (VC) precipitates differ in their nucleation and growth behavior during the thermo‐mechanical treatment. While NbC nucleates mainly during the hot rolling process in a purely austenitic matrix, VC predominantly forms at lower temperatures in ferrite.
Transient Stability Constrained Optimal Power Flow in Mixed AC/Multi‐Terminal VSC HVDC System
Authors: Kim Sangwon , Yokoyama Akihiko , Takaguchi Yusuke , Takano Tomihiro , Mori Kazuyuki , Izui Yoshio
Published: September 2020

This paper proposes a hierarchical transient stability constrained optimal power flow (TSCOPF) analysis in a power system with a multi‐terminal voltage‐source converter (VSC) high‐voltage direct current (HVDC) system and large‐scale wind farms. This aims at determining the reinforcement and operation of the power system using the multi‐terminal VSC HVDC (MTDC) system. By the method, the wind farms can be installed without any transient instability issues. On the AC grid side, transient rotor‐angle stability and transient AC voltage stability are included as additional constraints. On top of that, the constraints of DC bus voltage fluctuations and DC transmission line current deviations on the DC grid side are also taken into account. Time‐domain simulation approach is applied to investigate these transient stability constraints. The MTDC system reinforcement is designed considering wind power transmission and economic operation of the system model. The influences of the transient stability constraints on the system operation costs with high and low wind power output patterns are discussed. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
A New On‐line Monitoring Method for Stray Current ofDCMetro System
Authors: Peng Ping , Zeng Xiangjun , Leng Yang , Yu Kun , Ni Yanru
Published: September 2020

In order to solve the problem that the metro stray current cannot be directly numerically measured by the existing methods, and the data acquisition distortion caused by the special operating environment of the metro system, a new on‐line monitoring method for stray current was put forward in this paper. First, the stray current distribution function at different positions of metro trains was derived. Then, the equivalent circuit of stray current was built according to the field measured environment, and the numerical calculation formula of stray current was deduced. On the basis of the formula, the metro stray current could be calculated by the real‐time monitoring data, and the calculated data can be filtered and fitted with the stray current distribution function. In order to identify the distorted data, the potential energy function was introduced to judge the deviation degree of data point from the fitting function, so the erroneous data can be effectively eliminated. Thus, the accurate distribution value of stray current along the metro track was obtained. Taking a metro station in a certain city as the prototype, the CDEGS simulation model was built to verify the proposed method. The simulation results showed that even under the condition of sampling data distortion, the method could directly calculate the stray current value in real time, which had strong fault tolerance. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Model‐Based Discrete Sliding Mode Control with Disturbance Observer for Three‐Phase LCL‐Filtered Grid‐Connected Inverters
Authors: Huang Min , Li Han , Wu Weimin , Chen Bolin , Blaabjerg Frede
Published: September 2020

Grid‐connected voltage source inverters with LCL filters have been widely used for distributed generation systems in renewable energy systems. The presence of LCL resonance influences the overall performance and complicates the system control design, especially when the uncertainties caused by the component parameter variations and disturbances are considered. In order to improve the system performance under uncertain conditions, this paper presented a model‐based discrete sliding mode control (SMC) with disturbance observer (DOB) for three‐phase LCL‐filtered grid‐connected inverters. In this work, the inverter model is modified by using a virtual damping resistor to eliminate the resonance of the LCL filter and improve the stability, even consider the variations of the grid impedance. To save the sensors and predict the forward step of the state variables, a discrete state observer is adopted in the control. To enhance the robustness of the system, a DOB is designed in the SMC controller to estimate the disturbances so that the system uncertainties can be effectively compensated. Finally, comparative simulations and experiments are constructed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Reference ranges for fetal cardiac, ventricular and atrial relative size, sphericity, ventricular dominance, wall asymmetry and relative wall thickness from 18 to 41 gestational weeks
Authors: García‐Otero L. , Soveral I. , Sepúlveda‐Martínez Á. , Rodriguez‐López M. , Torres X. , Guirado L. , Nogué L. , Valenzuela‐Alcaraz B. , Martínez J. M. , Gratacós E. , Gómez O. , Crispi F.
Published: September 2020

Objective

To construct nomograms for fetal cardiac, ventricular and atrial relative size and geometry parameters from 18 to 41 weeks' gestation using a low‐risk population of singleton pregnancies.

Methods

This was a prospective cohort study of 602 low‐risk singleton pregnancies undergoing comprehensive fetal echocardiography, from 18 to 41 weeks of gestation, to assess fetal cardiac, atrial and ventricular relative size and sphericity, ventricular dominance, wall asymmetry and relative wall thickness. Intra‐ and interobserver measurement reproducibility was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). In order to construct reference ranges across pregnancy, parametric regressions were tested to model each measurement against gestational age and estimated fetal weight. The measurements evaluated were: cardiothoracic ratio; atrial‐to‐heart area ratios; ventricular‐to‐heart area ratios; cardiac, ventricular and atrial sphericity indices; right‐to‐left basal and midventricular ratios; septal‐to‐free wall thickness ratios; and relative wall thickness.

Results

Fetal cardiac, ventricular and atrial morphometry for assessing relative size and geometry could be successfully performed in > 95% of the population, with moderate‐to‐excellent interobserver reproducibility (ICC, 0.623–0.907) and good‐to‐excellent intraobserver reproducibility (ICC, 0.787–0.938). Cardiothoracic ratio and ventricular right‐to‐left ratio showed a modest increase throughout gestation. Atrial‐to‐heart and ventricular‐to‐heart area ratios, atrial sphericity indices and septal‐to‐free wall thickness ratios were constant with gestational age. Left and right ventricular basal sphericity indices showed a tendency to decrease at the end of gestation, while left and right midventricular sphericity indices tended to decrease in the second trimester. The cardiac sphericity index and left and right relative wall thickness showed a modest decrease with gestational age. Nomograms across gestation were constructed for all echocardiographic parameters described.

Conclusions

The assessment of cardiac, ventricular and atrial relative size and geometry is feasible and reproducible in the fetus. We provide standardized reference ranges for these parameters throughout gestation, enabling the accurate assessment of cardiac remodeling patterns during fetal life. © 2020 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Evaluation of a simple analytical model for offshore wind farm wake recovery by in situ data and Weather Research and Forecasting simulations
Authors: Platis Andreas , Hundhausen Marie , Mauz Moritz , Siedersleben Simon , Lampert Astrid , Bärfuss Konrad , Djath Bughsin , Schulz‐Stellenfleth Johannes , Canadillas Beatriz , Neumann Thomas , Emeis Stefan , Bange Jens
Published: September 2020

The recovery of offshore wind farm wakes in the German Bight was analyzed by a unique in situ data set, measured on‐board the research aircraft Dornier Do‐128 during the WIPAFF project in 2016 and 2017. These observations were used to validate a simple analytical wake recovery model in five case studies. The observed recovery rates were compared with the results of the mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The airborne data show that the wake recovery can be described by an exponential function as expected by the analytical model and strengthens the hypothesis that the vertical downward moment flux has an important influence on the wake recovery. However, the predicted wake recovery rates (by the analytical model) do not always fully agree with the observations. Although, as a first‐order approximation, the model seems to perform well, further optimization has to be implemented to account for wind park layout, turbine induced turbulence, and horizontal momentum flux. WRF simulations reveal an exponential recovery, although the mesoscale model does not reproduce the correct atmospheric conditions for most of the cases. Therefore, the wake recovery rates estimated by WRF disagree with the measured data in most of the studied cases.
Bogomolny equations for the BPS Skyrme models with impurity
Authors: Stępień Ł.T.
Published: September 2020

Abstract

We show that the BPS Skyrme model, as well as its (2+1) dimensional baby version (restricted), can be coupled with an impurity in the BPS preserving manner. The corresponding Bogomolny equations are derived.
Probing μτ flavor-violating solutions for the muon g − 2 anomaly at Belle II
Authors: Iguro Syuhei , Omura Yuji , Takeuchi Michihisa
Published: September 2020

Abstract

The discrepancy between the measured value and the Standard Model prediction of the muon anomalous magnetic moment is one of the most important issues in the particle physics. It is known that introducing a mediator boson X with the μτ lepton flavor violating (LFV) couplings is one good solution to explain the discrepancy, due to the τ mass enhancement in the one-loop correction. In this paper, we study the signal of this model, i.e. the same-sign leptons, in the Belle II experiment, assuming the flavor-diagonal couplings are suppressed. We show that the Belle II experiment is highly sensitive to the scenario in the mediator mass range of O(1–10) GeV, using the e+e−→ μ±τ∓X → μ±μ±τ∓τ∓ process induced by the X .
Augmented mitochondrial energy metabolism is an early response to chronic glucose stress in human pancreatic beta cells
Authors: Chareyron Isabelle , Christen Stefan , Moco Sofia , Valsesia Armand , Lassueur Steve , Dayon Loïc , Wollheim Claes B. , Santo Domingo Jaime , Wiederkehr Andreas
Published: September 2020

Aims/hypothesis

In islets from individuals with type 2 diabetes and in islets exposed to chronic elevated glucose, mitochondrial energy metabolism is impaired. Here, we studied early metabolic changes and mitochondrial adaptations in human beta cells during chronic glucose stress.

Methods

Respiration and cytosolic ATP changes were measured in human islet cell clusters after culture for 4 days in 11.1 mmol/l glucose. Metabolomics was applied to analyse intracellular metabolite changes as a result of glucose stress conditions. Alterations in beta cell function were followed using insulin secretion assays or cytosolic calcium signalling after expression of the calcium probe YC3.6 specifically in beta cells of islet clusters.

Results

At early stages of glucose stress, mitochondrial energy metabolism was augmented in contrast to the previously described mitochondrial dysfunction in beta cells from islets of diabetic donors. Following chronic glucose stress, mitochondrial respiration increased (by 52.4%,p < 0.001) and, as a consequence, the cytosolic ATP/ADP ratio in resting human pancreatic islet cells was elevated (by 27.8%,p < 0.05). Because of mitochondrial overactivation in the resting state, nutrient-induced beta cell activation was reduced. In addition, chronic glucose stress caused metabolic adaptations that resulted in the accumulation of intermediates of the glycolytic pathway, the pentose phosphate pathway and the TCA cycle; the most strongly augmented metabolite was glycerol 3-phosphate. The changes in metabolites observed are likely to be due to the inability of mitochondria to cope with continuous nutrient oversupply. To protect beta cells from chronic glucose stress, we inhibited mitochondrial pyruvate transport. Metabolite concentrations were partially normalised and the mitochondrial respiratory response to nutrients was markedly improved. Furthermore, stimulus–secretion coupling as assessed by cytosolic calcium signalling, was restored.

Conclusion/interpretation

We propose that metabolic changes and associated mitochondrial overactivation are early adaptations to glucose stress, and may reflect what happens as a result of poor blood glucose control. Inhibition of mitochondrial pyruvate transport reduces mitochondrial nutrient overload and allows beta cells to recover from chronic glucose stress.
Correction to: Clinical Assessment of Pediatric Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma: A 30‐Year Experience at a Single Institution
Authors: Kim Kwangsoon , Lee Cho Rok , Kang Sang‐Wook , Lee Jandee , Jeong Jong Ju , Nam Kee‐Hyun , Chung Woong Youn
Published: September 2020

The article “Clinical Assessment of Pediatric Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma: A 30‐Year Experience at a Single Institution”, written by Kim et al., was originally published electronically on the publisher's internet portal (currently SpringerLink) on May 21, 2020, with open access. With the authors’ decision to step back from Open Choice, the copyright of the article changed on September 14, 2020 to © Société Internationale de Chirurgie 2020 and the article is forthwith distributed under the terms of copyright. The original article has been corrected.
Young adult cancer survivors’ experience of taking part in a 12-week exercise referral programme: a qualitative study of the Trekstock RENEW initiative
Authors: Below N. , Fisher A. , Epstone S. , Reynolds J. , Pugh G
Published: September 2020

Purpose

There is emerging evidence that physical activity interventions have the potential to improve the physical function and psychosocial well-being of young adult cancer survivors. However, most existing interventions for young adult cancer survivors have been delivered in an in-patient hospital setting. The purpose of this study is to explore young adult cancer survivors’ (YACS) experiences of the RENEW programme, a 12-week community-based exercise referral scheme delivered by Trekstock, a UK-based cancer charity.

Methods

Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with YACS (mean age, 33 years; 87.5% female) who participated in the RENEW exercise referral programme. Each interview followed the same semi-structured interview guide which asked participants about their experiences of the RENEW programme and their ideas for the future development of the scheme. Data was audio-recorded, transcribed full verbatim and analysed using framework analysis.

Results

YACs predominantly chose to take part in the RENEW programme as a means to improve their health and overcome cancer related impairments (e.g. fatigue, loss of strength, low body confidence). The offer of one-to-one tailored support and unlimited gym access was often cited as a factor which motivated enrolment. Overall, YACS experience of the programme was positive with many describing improvements in physical function and general well-being. Barriers to participating in the programme included sign-off from clinicians prior to enrolment, travelling to the gym and fear of exercising alone.

Conclusions

Exercise referral schemes are acceptable to YACS and provide a promising opportunity for young people with cancer to improve their physical and psychosocial health through physical activity.
Angewandte Kritische Geographie am Beispiel der Wohnungsmarktforschung in Göttingen
Authors: Mießner Michael
Published: September 2020

Der Beitrag widmet sich der anwendungsbezogenen Forschung, die erst jüngst in den Fokus der Kritischen Geographie rückte. Der Aufsatz greift diese Forschungslücke auf und erläutert die grundsätzliche Ausrichtung einer angewandten Kritischen Geographie. Dies beinhaltet die Entwicklung von theoretischen Konzepten zum Verständnis sozialer Entwicklungen, die Untersuchung von Problemlagen marginalisierter Bevölkerungsgruppen und die Erforschung von Fragstellungen, die über den universitären Kontext hinaus insbesondere für soziale Bewegungen relevant sind. Darauf aufbauend stellt der Beitrag meine eigene Forschung zum Göttinger Wohnungsmarkt vor. Die Entwicklungen auf dem Wohnungsmarkt können theoretisch als finanzgetriebene kaskadenförmige Ausbreitung der Immobilieninvestitionen sowie als eine Form der Studentifizierung gefasst werden. Die Untersuchungen über Mietpreisentwicklungen und Segregationsprozesse in der Stadt ermöglichte ein breites Verständnis von wichtigen Entwicklungen, die insbesondere einkommensschwache Bevölkerungsgruppen betreffen. Der Wissenstransfer der Forschungsergebnisse in lokalen Medien führte dazu, dass die ablaufenden Prozesse in der Bevölkerung bemerkt und stadtpolitisch, sowohl seitens der Stadtverwaltung und des Stadtrates als auch von zivilgesellschaftlichen Initiativen adressiert wurden. Zugleich konnten in der Zusammenarbeit mit Akteuren aus sozialen Bewegungen diesen Akteuren wichtige Informationen für ihr politisches Handeln zur Verfügung gestellt werden. Die vorgestellte Arbeit macht auch 3 Herausforderungen angewandter kritischer Forschung deutlich. Die Zusammenarbeit mit Akteuren sozialer Bewegungen ist zeitaufwendig. Zudem besteht häufig eine Diskrepanz zwischen den Logiken der Generierung wissenschaftlichen Wissens und den zu untersuchenden lokalen Logiken sozialer Entwicklungen. Dennoch muss sich eine angewandte Kritische Geographie der Herausforderung stellen, auf politische Entscheidungen zugunsten der Verbesserung der Lebensbedingungen marginalisierter Bevölkerungsgruppen Einfluss zu nehmen.
Benchmarking of sustainability to assess practices and performances of the management of the end of life cycle of electronic products: a study of Brazilian manufacturing companies
Authors: da Costa Lucilene Gonçalves , Ferreira João Carlos Espíndola , Kumar Vikas , Garza-Reyes Jose Arturo
Published: September 2020

The relentless pursuit of lower production costs causes companies to invest in more efficient production systems so that they can remain economically competitive, while the actions focusing on more sustainable operations from an environmental point of view are usually performed to meet the political government regulating environmental control. However, it is common for companies to focus their efforts to minimize the environmental impacts at an early stage of the product life cycle, neglecting sustainability management in the post-use phase. Given the context, this study seeks to develop sustainability indicators that can be used by the electronics industry to assess the level of practice and performance during production that are related to product recovery after the use phase, in order to better understand how companies are acting to reduce the environmental impacts of their products at the end of their life cycle. Initially, critical success factors related to environmental management of the product’s end-of-life are obtained. Then, some of those critical success factors are prioritized, giving rise to the indicators of sustainability used in the benchmarking method. Benchmarking was performed in electronics Brazilian companies, and the data was obtained by means of a questionnaire and interviews. It is concluded from the results that the proposed indicators are suitable for measuring the levels of practices and performance of the participant companies in environmental management at the end of the product life cycle as the indicators were able to portray faithfully the reality of each company.

Graphic abstract

Practices and performances in the studied Brazilian companies
A three-system approach that integrates DEA, BSC, and AHP for museum evaluation
Authors: Basso Antonella , Funari Stefania
Published: September 2020

This paper proposes to measure the museums performance with a model that combines the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Balanced Scorecard (BSC) methodologies with a third method, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), which is often used to support decision making. Starting from the two-stage DEA–BSC model of Basso et al. (Omega Int J Manag Sci 81:67–84, 2018), which integrates DEA and BSC, we explore the advantages to consider also the AHP methodology, with the aim to include the judgement of some museums’ experts on the relative importance of the BSC perspectives in the performance evaluation model. A first approach uses directly the AHP priorities derived from the judgements expressed by the museums’ experts interviewed to determine the weights to aggregate the four BSC performance scores into an overall performance indicator. A second approach uses the judgments of the museums’ experts indirectly to introduce proper restrictions on the output weights of the second-stage DEA model. With this approach, we overcome the problem arising from the dispersion of the preferences within the group of experts, that may heavily affects the first approach. Both approaches proposed in this contribution are applied to the case study of the municipal museums of Venice.
Evolution of Superoscillations in the Dirac Field
Authors: Colombo Fabrizio , Valente Giovanni
Published: September 2020

Superoscillating functions are band-limited functions that can oscillate faster than their fastest Fourier component. The study of the evolution of superoscillations as initial datum of field equations requires the notion of supershift, which generalizes the concept of superoscillations. The present paper has a dual purpose. The first one is to give an updated and self-contained explanation of the strategy to study the evolution of superoscillations by referring to the quantum-mechanical Schrödinger equation and its variations. The second purpose is to treat the Dirac equation in relativistic quantum theory. The treatment of the evolution of superoscillations for the Dirac equation can be deduced by recent results on the Klein–Gordon equation, but further additional considerations are in order, which are fully described in this paper.
Catalytic hydrogenation of n-butene with nanosized Pt/NBCNT hybrid membranes reinforced with bacterial cellulose
Authors: Mrabate Bilal El , Prekob Ádám , Vanyorek László , Csiszár Emília , Kristály Ferenc , Leskó Máté , Németh Zoltán
Published: September 2020

One of the main challenges in the field of heterogeneous catalysis is the involvement of thin solid films and membranes and their application in flow systems. In this regard, we report here the application of self-supported bacterial cellulose (BC) reinforced nanosized platinum (Pt)/N-doped bamboo-like carbon nanotube (NBCNT) hybrid catalyst membrane with a thickness of 35 ± 5 µm in the hydrogenation of n-butene. To synthetized the BC-NBCNT/Pt nanohybrid membrane catalyst a simple impregnation route was applied in a two-step process. As-prepared material was tested in a continuous flow system and the conversion was followed directly by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Furthermore, the fabricated films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and specific surface area measurement (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller). Hydrogenation performance was studied on both single and double films. Results revealed that 97% conversion of n-butene can be achieved using these bacterial cellulose reinforced hybrid membranes.

Graphic abstract
An approximation algorithm for a general class of parametric optimization problems
Authors: Bazgan Cristina , Herzel Arne , Ruzika Stefan , Thielen Clemens , Vanderpooten Daniel
Published: September 2020

In a (linear) parametric optimization problem, the objective value of each feasible solution is an affine function of a real-valued parameter and one is interested in computing a solution for each possible value of the parameter. For many important parametric optimization problems including the parametric versions of the shortest path problem, the assignment problem, and the minimum cost flow problem, however, the piecewise linear function mapping the parameter to the optimal objective value of the corresponding non-parametric instance (the optimal value function) can have super-polynomially many breakpoints (points of slope change). This implies that any optimal algorithm for such a problem must output a super-polynomial number of solutions. We provide a method for lifting approximation algorithms for non-parametric optimization problems to their parametric counterparts that is applicable to a general class of parametric optimization problems. The approximation guarantee achieved by this method for a parametric problem is arbitrarily close to the approximation guarantee of the algorithm for the corresponding non-parametric problem. It outputs polynomially many solutions and has polynomial running time if the non-parametric algorithm has polynomial running time. In the case that the non-parametric problem can be solved exactly in polynomial time or that an FPTAS is available, the method yields an FPTAS. In particular, under mild assumptions, we obtain the first parametric FPTAS for each of the specific problems mentioned above and a $$(3/2 + \varepsilon )$$

(
3
/
2
+
ε
)

-approximation algorithm for the parametric metric traveling salesman problem. Moreover, we describe a post-processing procedure that, if the non-parametric problem can be solved exactly in polynomial time, further decreases the number of returned solutions such that the method outputs at most twice as many solutions as needed at minimum for achieving the desired approximation guarantee.
Transmission of Problem Gambling Between Adjacent Generations
Authors: Forrest David , McHale Ian G.
Published: September 2020

We investigate the extent to which gambling problems at age 20 are linked to parental gambling behaviour during childhood, employing data from a longitudinal study (ALSPAC) which has followed parents and children from Avon, England since pregnancy. 1058 children completed a problem gambling screen at age 20. When those children had been age 6, each of their parents was asked about their own gambling. We used regression to estimate the effect of parental gambling behaviour at child age 6 on the child’s problem gambling risk at age 20. Parental gambling participation at child age 6 was not a predictor of offspring problem gambling; but problem gambling by parents was a predictor of offspring problem gambling. However, this latter result was found only cross-gender (fathers’ behaviour influencing daughters and mothers’ behaviour influencing sons). This pattern was robust to models including measures of parental education and variables capturing family attitudes to health choices and the degree of domestic harmony. The sample illustrates high problem gambling prevalence amongst young adults. Although there is transmission of ‘problem gambling’ between generations, it appears to happen only cross-gender. This limits the importance of parental problem gambling as a source of the high prevalence because relatively few mothers exhibit problem gambling and risks to daughters from fathers are in the context of initially low baseline risks. Preventative policies might therefore be more appropriately targeted at young adults rather than rely on influencing parental gambling behaviour earlier in the child’s life.
Salivary Cortisol and α-Amylase Production at Awakening is Associated with Positivity (POS) Levels in Healthy Young Subjects
Authors: Pasquali Vittorio , Ghiciuc Cristina Mihaela , Castellani Valeria , Caprara Gian Vittorio , Alessandri Guido , D’Amelio Raffaele , Ziparo Vincenzo , Scarinci Fabio , Patacchioli Francesca Romana
Published: September 2020

A large variety of positive outcomes including social adjustment, psychological well-being and health, have been recently closely associated with positivity (POS). On the assumption that differences in the POS degree might be associated with different individual neuroendocrine assets that enables people to cope effectively with stress, the present study examined the association between POS, salivary cortisol and α-Amylase (α-Amy) production in a group of healthy male volunteers university students, respectively scoring high (POS-H, N = 10) and low (POS-L, N = 10) in POS. Participants were selected from a larger sample of 300 students of the Medical School at Sapienza University of Rome on the basis of their positivity level: POS was analysed and the upper and lower 25% were invited to participate in this new study. The findings report a distinct salivary cortisol and α-Amy production in the study population: in comparison to the POS-H group, the POS-L subjects presented a lower salivary cortisol awake response (CAR) and a flattened α-Amy production at 30 and 60 min after awakening. In addition, salivary cortisol and α-Amy areas under the curve (AUCs), which were calculated as indicators of the two subclinical biomarkers production during the first hour after awakening, resulted significantly lower in the POS-L group in comparison to the POS-H group. Further studies on larger and different populations are needed to definitively confirm that the different cortisol and α-Amy secretion patterns between POS-H and POS-L individuals is associated with a potentially better capacity to preserving an adequate quality of life in individuals being equipped with a system apparently able to better respond to external and/or internal stimuli. Lastly, a better understanding of the biological correlates of POS is crucial to design psychological interventions able to take advantage of individuals’ assets and thus to integrate and strengthen the efficacy of traditional medications.
Modeling and estimating the subjects’ diversity of opinions in video quality assessment: a neural network based approach
Authors: Fotio Tiotsop Lohic , Mizdos Tomas , Uhrina Miroslav , Barkowsky Marcus , Pocta Peter , Masala Enrico
Published: September 2020

Subjective experiments are considered the most reliable way to assess the perceived visual quality. However, observers’ opinions are characterized by large diversity: in fact, even the same observer is often not able to exactly repeat his first opinion when rating again a given stimulus. This makes the Mean Opinion Score (MOS) alone, in many cases, not sufficient to get accurate information about the perceived visual quality. To this aim, it is important to have a measure characterizing to what extent the observed or predicted MOS value is reliable and stable. For instance, the Standard deviation of the Opinions of the Subjects (SOS) could be considered as a measure of reliability when evaluating the quality subjectively. However, we are not aware of the existence of models or algorithms that allow to objectively predict how much diversity would be observed in subjects’ opinions in terms of SOS. In this work we observe, on the basis of a statistical analysis made on several subjective experiments, that the disagreement between the quality as measured by means of different objective video quality metrics (VQMs) can provide information on the diversity of the observers’ ratings on a given processed video sequence (PVS). In light of this observation we: i) propose and validate a model for the SOS observed in a subjective experiment; ii) design and train Neural Networks (NNs) that predict the average diversity that would be observed among the subjects’ ratings for a PVS starting from a set of VQMs values computed on such a PVS; iii) give insights into how the same NN based approach can be used to identify potential anomalies in the data collected in subjective experiments.
Peri-operative Outcomes and Survival Following Palliative Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Cowling Joseph , Gorman Bethany , Riaz Afrah , Bundred James R. , Kamarajah Sivesh K. , Evans Richard P. T. , Singh Pritam , Griffiths Ewen A.
Published: September 2020

Background

Many patients with gastric cancer present with late stage disease. Palliative gastrectomy remains a contentious intervention aiming to debulk tumour and prevent or treat complications such as gastric outlet obstruction, perforation and bleeding.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of the literature for all papers describing palliative resections for gastric cancer and reporting peri-operative or survival outcomes. Data from peri-operative and survival outcomes were meta-analysed using random effects modelling. Survival data from patients undergoing palliative resections, non-resective surgery and palliative chemotherapy were also combined. This study was registered with the PROSPERO database (CRD42019159136).

Results

One hundred and twenty-eight papers which included 58,675 patients contributed data. At 1 year, there was a significantly improved survival in patients who underwent palliative gastrectomy when compared to non-resectional surgery and no treatment. At 2 years following treatment, palliative gastrectomy was associated with significantly improved survival compared to chemotherapy only; however, there was no significant improvement in survival compared to patients who underwent non-resectional surgery after 1 year. Palliative resections were associated with higher rates of overall complications versus non-resectional surgery (OR 2.14; 95% CI, 1.34, 3.46;p< 0.001). However, palliative resections were associated with similar peri-operative mortality rates to non-resectional surgery.

Conclusion

Palliative gastrectomy is associated with a small improvement in survival at 1 year when compared to non-resectional surgery and chemotherapy. However, at 2 and 3 years following treatment, survival benefits are less clear. Any survival benefits come at the expense of increased major and overall complications.
Nitric Oxide/Cyclic GMP-Dependent Calcium Signalling Mediates IL-6- and TNF-α-Induced Expression of Glial Fibrillary Acid Protein
Authors: Sticozzi Claudia , Belmonte Giuseppe , Frosini Maria , Pessina Federica
Published: September 2020

Astrocyte activation is characterized by hypertrophy with increased glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), whose expression may involve pro-inflammatory cytokines. In this study, the effects of pro-inflammatory IL-6 and TNF-α and anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 on nitric oxide (NO)/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) signalling, intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) and GFAP expression were investigated. In human glioblastoma astrocytoma U-373 MG cells, IL-6 and TNF-α, but not IL-4 or IL-10, increased iNOS, cGMP, [Ca2+]i and GFAP expression. The inhibitors of iNOS (1400 W), soluble guanylyl cyclase (ODQ) and IP3 receptors (ryanodine and 2-APB) reversed the increase in cGMP or [Ca2+]i, respectively, and prevented GFAP expression. In rat striatal slices, IL-6 and TNF-α, at variance with IL-4 and IL-10, promoted a concentration-dependent increase in Ca2+ efflux, an effect prevented by 1400 W, ODQ and RY/2APB. These data were confirmed by in vivo studies, where IL-6, TNF-α or the NO donor DETA/NO injected in the striatum of anaesthetised rats increased cGMP levels and increased GFAP expression. The present findings point to NO/cGMP-dependent calcium signalling as part of the mechanism mediating IL-6- and TNF-α-induced GFAP expression. As this process plays a fundamental role in driving neurotoxicity, targeting NO/cGMP-dependent calcium signalling may constitute a new approach for therapeutic interventions in neurological disorders.
Erratum to: Suspended superconducting weak links from aerosol-synthesized single-walled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Kaikkonen Jukka-Pekka , Sebastian Abhilash Thanniyil , Laiho Patrik , Wei Nan , Will Marco , Liao Yongping , Kauppinen Esko I. , Hakonen Pertti J.
Published: September 2020

The article “Suspended superconducting weak links from aerosol-synthesized single-walled carbon nanotubes” written by Jukka-Pekka Kaikkonen1, Abhilash Thanniyil Sebastian1, Patrik Laiho3, Nan Wei3, Marco Will1,2, Yongping Liao3, Esko I. Kauppinen3, and Pertti J. Hakonen1,2, was originally published Online First without Open Access. After publication online first, the author decided to opt for Open Choice and to make the article an Open Access publication. Therefore, the copyright of the article has been changed to © The Author(s) 2020 and the article is forthwith distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, duplication, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.

The original article has been corrected.
Towards sustainable performance of urban horticulture: ten challenging fields of action for modern integrated pest management in cities
Authors: Feldmann Falko , Vogler Ute
Published: September 2020

We identified ten current key challenges for plant protection in cities each of them belonging to a specific field of action of IPM in urban horticulture according to Directive 2009/128/EC. The challenges are: appropriate plant selection, microbiome engineering, nutrient recycling, smart, digital solutions, diversification of vegetation, avoidance of pesticide side effects on beneficials, biorational efficacy assessment, effective pest diagnosis, efficient outbreak control and holistic approaches. They are discussed on the background of the defined urban horticultural core sectors (a) public green infrastructure, including professional plant care, (b) professional field and greenhouse production systems and (c) non-professional private homegardens and allotments.
Der vereinsgebundene Jugendsport im Fokus sportbezogener Jugendforschung – ein Überblick über drei Jahrzehnte
Authors: Brettschneider Wolf-Dietrich
Published: September 2020

Der Überblicksbeitrag hat die Forschungsansätze und -ergebnisse zum vereinsgebundenen Jugendsport in Deutschland im Verlauf der letzten drei Jahrzehnte zum Gegenstand. Es gilt zu reflektieren, welche Entwicklungslinien, welche produktiven Trends und welche Lücken im Erkenntnisstand auszumachen sind und welche Perspektiven daraus für die zukünftige Forschung erwachsen könnten. Die analytische Betrachtung der Forschungsansätze zum Jugendsport stellt zunächst die querschnittlich angelegten und deskriptiv verfahrenden Untersuchungen mit ihren Befunden zur Sportpartizipation und deren Korrelate mit verschiedenen Dimensionen der Persönlichkeit in den Vordergrund. Es folgt die Darstellung der Befunde längsschnittlich angelegter Studien, die Effekte zeigen und Aussagen über Kausalzusammenhänge zwischen Sportengagement im Verein und Aspekten jugendlicher Entwicklung zulassen. Im Anschluss daran werden die Ergebnisse von Untersuchungen vorgestellt und analysiert, die sich mit dem Nachwuchsleistungssport und der mit der dualen Karriere verbundenen Doppelbelastung durch Schule und Training befassen. Überlegungen zur potenziellen Entwicklung des Jugendsports mit möglichen Schwerpunkten für die zukünftige Jugendsportforschung schließen den Überblicksbeitrag ab.
Ensuring the integrity and security of network equipment is critical in the fight against cyber attacks
Authors: Eckel Michael , Laffey Tom
Published: September 2020

The world is interconnected by networks and those networks have become critical to the operation of a broad range of devices and services, such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices, industrial robots and systems and electrical power grids, to name just a few.
Editorial
Authors: Mansfield-Devine Steve
Published: September 2020

There are some people within the information security community, including me, who feel that fining companies for lax security is not enough. Breached data has the potential to ruin lives and too many organisations think only of the consequences to themselves if an incident occurs. Sending an executive or two to jail might help transform corporate attitudes to cyber security.