bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A lexicographic maximin approach to the selective assessment routing problem
Authors: Hakimifar Mohammadmehdi , Hemmelmayr Vera C. , Tricoire Fabien
Published: July 2022

Max-min approaches have been widely applied to address equity as an essential consideration in humanitarian operations. These approaches, however, have a significant drawback of being neutral when it comes to solutions with the same minimum values. These equivalent solutions, from a max-min point of view, might be significantly different. We address this problem using the lexicographic maximin approach, a refinement of the classic max-min approach. We apply this approach in the rapid needs assessment process, which is carried out immediately after the onset of a disaster, to investigate the disaster’s impact on the affected community groups through field visits. We construct routes for an assessment plan to cover community groups, each carrying a distinct characteristic, such that the vector of coverage ratios are maximized. We define the leximin selective assessment problem, which considers the bi-objective optimization of total assessment time and coverage ratio vector maximization. We solve the bi-objective problem by a heuristic approach based on the multi-directional local search framework.
Two-dimensional polarization doping of GaN heterojunction and its potential for realizing lateral p–n junction devices
Authors: Wang Zeheng , Li Liang
Published: July 2022

In the gallium nitride (GaN) commercial applications such as high-power illumination and portable charging station, bipolar devices are highly demanded because of their superior power transfer capability. Also, in other scenarios of the monolithic integration where high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) or superlattice-based devices are presented, the peripheral components are preferred to be lateral. However, to realize such a lateral bipolar junction in GaN, high-concentration p-type dopant doping is still challenging and hardly compatible with the HEMT integration. In this work, we proposed a novel strategy to form lateral bipolar GaN p–n junctions, enabled by the two-dimensional polarization doping. The theory and the simulation reveal this strategy features inspiring forwarding, blocking, and switching performance. Given the recent success of the GaN selective area regrowth techniques, the proposed lateral bipolar junction is highly promising in monolithic heterojunction integration in the future.
Two-phase elastic axisymmetric nanoplates
Authors: Vaccaro Marzia Sara , Sedighi Hamid M.
Published: July 2022

In the present work, the two-phase integral theory of elasticity developed in Barretta et al. (Phys E 97:13–30, 2018) for nano-beams is generalized to model two-dimensional nano-continua. Notably, a well-posed mixture local/stress-driven nonlocal elasticity is proposed to accurately predict size effects in Kirchhoff axisymmetric nanoplates. The key idea is to express the elastic radial curvature as a convex combination of local and nonlocal integral responses, that is a coherent choice motivated by virtue of the plate axisymmetry. The relevant structural problem is shown to be governed by a set of integro-differential equations, whose solution is computationally onerous. Thus, Helmholtz’s averaging kernel is advantageously adopted, since it enables explicit inversion of the integral constitutive law by virtue of an equivalence property. Specifically, the elastostatic problem of axisymmetry nanoplates is equivalently formulated in a differential form whose solution in terms of transverse displacement field is governed by nonlocal and mixture parameters. A parametric study is performed for case studies of applicative interest, and numerical solutions are finally provided and discussed. The presented methodology can be adopted to design and optimization of plate-based nano-electro-mechanical-systems (NEMS).
Three-dimensional SEM, TEM, and STEM for analysis of large-scale biological systems
Authors: Radulović Snježana , Sunkara Sowmya , Rachel Reinhard , Leitinger Gerd
Published: July 2022

A major aim in structural cell biology is to analyze intact cells in three dimensions, visualize subcellular structures, and even localize proteins at the best possible resolution in three dimensions. Though recently developed electron microscopy tools such as electron tomography, or three-dimensional (3D) scanning electron microscopy, offer great resolution in three dimensions, the challenge is that, the better the resolution, usually the smaller the volume under investigation. Several different approaches to overcome this challenge were presented at the Microscopy Conference in Vienna in 2021. These tools include array tomography, batch tomography, or scanning transmission electron tomography, all of which can nowadays be extended toward correlative light and electron tomography, with greatly increased 3D information. Here, we review these tools, describe the underlying procedures, and discuss their advantages and limits.
Experimental research on the influence of modal nonlinearities of paintings under mechanical loads
Authors: Gao Yulong , Ziegler Pascal , Heinemann Carolin , Hartlieb Eva , Eberhard Peter
Published: July 2022

In the traditional transportation of paintings and the design of the packaging systems, paintings are usually assumed to behave like a linear system. In order to verify this hypothesis, in this contribution, by means of a hammer experiment and a sweep excitation experiment to simulate the shock and vibration during transportation, respectively, the modal nonlinearities of two real paintings and a dummy painting are experimentally studied. The experimental results show that paintings can be treated as a linear system only when being subjected to shock, but the modal nonlinearities of paintings cannot be ignored when being subjected to vibration. The general behaviour of the paintings modal nonlinearities is then summarised based on experimental results, and their consequences for painting transportation are discussed. First of all, the offset of the resonance frequency is the most important problem which will lead to failure of the original vibration isolation measures. Further, the decrease in the resonance peak amplitude will increase the probability of the eigenmode being excited. Besides, it is also necessary to attenuate the harmonic vibrations of paintings. Lastly, the different modal characteristics obtained by a sweep with increasing and decreasing frequency make the analysis of different excitation schemes more complicated. Therefore, the identification of the paintings modal nonlinearities is necessary and important.
Effect of rapid weight loss incorporating hot salt water immersion on changes in body mass, blood markers, and indices of performance in male mixed martial arts athletes
Authors: Connor John , Germaine Mark , Gibson Conor , Clarke Philip , Egan Brendan
Published: July 2022

Purpose

To investigate the effects of rapid weight loss (RWL), incorporating comparison of hot water immersion (HWI) in fresh or salt water, on changes in body mass, blood markers, and indices of performance in mixed martial arts athletes.

Methods

In a crossover design comparing fresh water (FWB) to salt water (SWB; 5.0%wt/vol Epsom salt) bathing, 13 males performed 20 min of HWI (~ 40.3 °C) followed by 40 min wrapped in a heated blanket, twice in sequence (2 h total). Before bathing, ~ 26 to ~ 28 h of fluid and dietary restriction was undertaken, and ~ 24 to ~ 26 h of a high carbohydrate diet and rehydration was undertaken as recovery.

Results

During the entire RWL process, participants lost ~ 5.3% body mass. Body mass lost during the 2 h hot bath protocol was 2.17 ± 0.81 kg (~ 2.7% body mass) and 2.24 ± 0.64 kg (~ 2.8% body mass) for FWB and SWB, respectively (P = 0.647 between trials). Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, sodium, chloride, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were increased (all P < 0.05), and plasma volume was decreased (~ 14%; P < 0.01), but did not differ between FWB and SWB, and were similar to baseline values after recovery. No indices of performance (e.g., countermovement jump, isometric strength, and functional threshold power) were impacted when RWL was followed by the recovery process.

Conclusion

Under the conditions of this hot bath protocol, fluid loss was not augmented by the addition of ~ 5.0%wt/vol of Epsom salt during HWI, and RWL of ~ 5.3% body mass followed by > 24 h of recovery did not impact indices of performance.
Peridynamic Galerkin method: an attractive alternative to finite elements
Authors: Bode T. , Weißenfels C. , Wriggers P.
Published: July 2022

This work presents a meshfree particle scheme designed for arbitrary deformations that possess the accuracy and properties of the Finite-Element-Method. The accuracy is maintained even with arbitrary particle distributions. Mesh-based methods mostly fail if requirements on the location of evaluation points are not satisfied. Hence, with this new scheme not only the range of loadings can be increased but also the pre-processing step can be facilitated compared to the FEM. The key to this new meshfree method lies in the fulfillment of essential requirements for spatial discretization schemes. The new approach is based on the correspondence theory of Peridynamics. Some modifications of this framework allows for a consistent and stable formulation. By applying the peridynamic differentiation concept, it is also shown that the equations of the correspondence theory can be derived from the weak form. Likewise, it is demonstrated that special moving least square shape functions possess the Kronecker-$$\delta $$
δ
property. Thus, Dirichlet boundary conditions can be directly applied. The positive performance of this new meshfree method, especially in comparison to the Finite-Element-Method, is shown in the calculation of several test cases. In order to guarantee a fair comparison enhanced finite element formulations are also used. The test cases include the patch test, an eigenmode analysis as well as the investigation of loadings in the context of large deformations.
Streamflow modelling and forecasting for Canadian watersheds using LSTM networks with attention mechanism
Authors: Girihagama Lakshika , Naveed Khaliq Muhammad , Lamontagne Philippe , Perdikaris John , Roy René , Sushama Laxmi , Elshorbagy Amin
Published: July 2022

This study investigates the capability of sequence-to-sequence machine learning (ML) architectures in an effort to develop streamflow forecasting tools for Canadian watersheds. Such tools are useful to inform local and region-specific water management and flood forecasting related activities. Two powerful deep-learning variants of the Recurrent Neural Network were investigated, namely the standard and attention-based encoder-decoder long short-term memory (LSTM) models. Both models were forced with past hydro-meteorological states and daily meteorological data with a look-back time window of several days. These models were tested for 10 different watersheds from the Ottawa River watershed, located within the Great Lakes Saint-Lawrence region of Canada, an economic powerhouse of the country. The results of training and testing phases suggest that both models are able to simulate overall hydrograph patterns well when compared to observational records. Between the two models, the attention model significantly outperforms the standard model in all watersheds, suggesting the importance and usefulness of the attention mechanism in ML architectures, not well explored for hydrological applications. The mean performance accuracy of the attention model on unseen data, when assessed in terms of mean Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency and Kling-Gupta Efficiency is, respectively, found to be 0.985 and 0.954 for these watersheds. Streamflow forecasts with lead times of up to 5 days with the attention model demonstrate overall skillful performance with well above the benchmark accuracy of 70%. The results of the study suggest that the encoder–decoder LSTM, with attention mechanism, is a powerful modelling choice for developing streamflow forecasting systems for Canadian watersheds.
Instant-Hybrid Neural-Cryptography (IHNC) based on fast machine learning
Authors: Badr Assem
Published: July 2022

Nowadays, cryptographic systems’ designers are facing significant challenges in their designs. They have to constantly search for new ideas of fast unbreakable algorithms with a very powerful key generator. In this paper, we propose a novel hybrid neural-cryptography methodology. It depends on new rule of very fast Backpropagation (BP) instant machine learning (ML). This proposed Hybrid Cryptography system is constructed from Encryptor and Decryptor based on the asymmetric Autoencoder type. The Encryptor encrypts and compresses a set of data to be instant code (i-code) using public key. While the Decryptor recovers this i-code (ciphered-data) based on two keys together. The first is the private key and the other is called instant-key (i-key). This i-key is generated from 3 factors as well (the original data itself, the generated i-code and the private key). The i-key is changing periodically with every transformation of plain data set, so it is powerful unpredictable key against the brute force.
Atypical patterns of spinal segment degeneration in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms
Authors: Farshad-Amacker Nadja A. , Farshad Mazda , Galley Julien , Sutter Reto , Götschi Tobias , Pfammatter Thomas , Puippe Gilbert , Muehlematter Urs J.
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) affect the vascular perfusion of the lumbar spine. The treatment of AAAs with endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) completely occludes the direct vascular supply to the lumbar spine. We hypothesized that patients with AAA who undergo EVAR show a different pattern of spinal degeneration than individuals without AAA.

Methods

In this retrospective institutional review board-approved study, 100 randomly selected patients with AAA who underwent EVAR with computed tomography (CT) scans between 2005 and 2017 were compared with age- and gender-matched controls without AAA. In addition, long-term follow-up CT images (> 6 months before EVAR, at the time of EVAR, and > 12 months after EVAR) of the patients were analysed to compare the progression of degeneration from before to after EVAR. Degeneration scores, lumbar levels with the most severe degeneration, and lumbar levels with progressive degeneration were analysed in all CT images. Fisher’s exact test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Mann–Whitney U test were performed for statistical analyses.

Results

Compared with the control group (n = 94), the most severe degeneration was more commonly detected in the mid-lumbar area in the patient group (n = 100, p = 0.016), with significantly more endplate erosions being detected in the lumbar spine (p = 0.015). However, EVAR did not result in significant additional acceleration of the degenerative process in the long-term follow-up analysis (n = 51).

Conclusion

AAA is associated with atypical, more cranially located spinal degradation, particularly in the mid-lumbar segments; however, EVAR does not seem to additionally accelerate the degenerative process. This observation underlines the importance of disc and endplate vascularization in the pathomechanism of spinal degeneration.

Level of evidence I

Diagnostic: individual cross-sectional studies with consistently applied reference standard and blinding.
Should the global community welcome new oil discoveries?
Authors: Bialek Sylwia , Weichenrieder Alfons J.
Published: July 2022

Oil discoveries affect global well-being through multiple channels. Focusing on the change in pollution, consumption and extraction cost paths, we build a multi-period model with (endogenous) oil phase out that allows us to assess whether oil windfalls may be welfare-enhancing. The assessment depends on the quality of the discovered resource, expressed as the extraction cost. Our findings suggest that even when faced with high environmental externalities and no internalization mechanism for them, new oil finds can be conducive to welfare. However, there may be no simple threshold below which the discovery is beneficial, but rather multiple intervals into which the extraction costs may fall.
Herb assemblage dynamics over seven years in different cocoa production systems
Authors: Marconi Luis , Seidel Renate , Armengot Laura
Published: July 2022

Both agronomic practices and spatial position can determine the assemblage of herbaceous species. We assess the dynamics and the contribution of these two aspects over time to the herb assemblages of different cocoa production systems. Braun-Blanquet surveys were performed over seven years in a long-term trial in Bolivia to compare different cocoa production systems: successional agroforestry (SA) with no external inputs, organic agroforestry (OA) and organic monoculture (OM), both including a leguminous perennial cover crop, conventional agroforestry (CA) and conventional monoculture (CM), where agrochemicals were applied. Using general linear models and multivariate analysis we found that assemblages were mainly driven by spatial position only at the beginning. After this, a very dynamic selection process related to the different management practices took place, which became more stable over the years. We observed a decline in species in both the CA and OA systems, due to the loss of heliophilous species and the low number of new species established in them. The OM presented the most conservative pattern, with the lowest number of new species and species lost, due to the presence of the cover crop. Both the most intensively managed system (CM) and the most diverse and least intensive one (SA) had the highest number of new species recorded over time, which led to highly specialized assemblages, with worldwide distributed and herbicide resistant species in the first case and secondary forest species, in the second. We conclude that the promotion of organic management and agroforestry systems, especially highly divers and successional agroforestry sytems would favour herb assemblages with high conservation value and prevent the establishment of globally distributed species.
A review of megatrends in the global dairy sector: what are the socioecological implications?
Authors: Bojovic Milena , McGregor Andrew
Published: July 2022

The global dairy industry is undergoing a period of expansion and consolidation, alongside heightened critique and competition from non-dairy alternatives. This review identifies four key megatrends within the global dairy sector, focusing in on the socioecological challenges associated with each. The megatrends were identified through a literature review of recent publications within the dairy science and social science fields, as well as a review of grey literature from intergovernmental and institutional reports. Key findings include geographical range shifts in production and consumption of dairy milk from the Global North to the Global South; intensification of production agendas that strive for mechanisation, standardisation, and corporatisation of the sector; increasing awareness of the ecological impacts of intensive dairying; and finally, disruptions to the sector driven by plant-based milks and, potentially, synthetic milks. We identify under-researched socioecological challenges associated with each of these trends. Although dairy milk may be homogenous in its final form, the sector remains heterogenous in its impacts across spaces, places, and scales, as increasingly intensive dairying systems fundamentally reshape human–cattle relations. The combined impacts of these trends bring into question the mythologies of milk and the assumed desirability of ever-expanding dairy industries. Our review finds that the future of dairy is not clear nor uncontroversial and that more attention needs to be directed to maximising and broadening the social benefits of the dairy and dairy alternatives, minimising the human and non-human costs, and limiting contributions to global climate change.
On the complexity of rational verification
Authors: Gutierrez Julian , Najib Muhammad , Perelli Giuseppe , Wooldridge Michael
Published: July 2022

Rational verification refers to the problem of checking which temporal logic properties hold of a concurrent/multiagent system, under the assumption that agents in the system choose strategies that form a game theoretic equilibrium. Rational verification can be understood as a counterpart to model checking for multiagent systems, but while classical model checking can be done in polynomial time for some temporal logic specification languages such as , and polynomial space with specifications, rational verification is much harder: the key decision problems for rational verification are 2-complete with specifications, even when using explicit-state system representations. Against this background, our contributions in this paper are threefold. First, we show that the complexity of rational verification can be greatly reduced by restricting specifications to , a fragment of that can represent a broad and practically useful class of response properties of reactive systems. In particular, we show that for a number of relevant settings, rational verification can be done in polynomial space and even in polynomial time. Second, we provide improved complexity results for rational verification when considering players’ goals given by mean-payoff utility functions—arguably the most widely used approach for quantitative objectives in concurrent and multiagent systems. Finally, we consider the problem of computing outcomes that satisfy social welfare constraints. To this end, we consider both utilitarian and egalitarian social welfare and show that computing such outcomes is either -complete or -complete.
A Qualitative Examination of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Individuals with Neuro-developmental Disabilities and their Families
Authors: Nicholas David B. , Mitchell Wendy , Ciesielski Jill , Khan Arisha , Lach Lucyna
Published: July 2022

Individuals with neuro-developmental disabilities (NDD) have been profoundly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on focus groups with 24 service providers supporting this population, using an Interpretive Description approach, we examined perceived impacts of the pandemic on individuals with NDD and their families. The results highlight pandemic-related experiences which include: service reduction, the need for financial supports, relying on natural supports, and school-related challenges. Interruptions in services have resulted in intensified mental health issues for individuals with NDD and family caregivers, with particular concern for those with added social determinants of health-related barriers. Mitigating factors have also emerged, such as resilience and technology utilization to facilitate communication. Recommendations for resource flexibility and sufficiency as well as navigational support are offered.
Getting policy done in educational practice: What happens when multiple central government policies meet clusters of organization routines in schools
Authors: Waslander Sietske , Hooge Edith H. , Theisens Henno C.
Published: July 2022

This paper develops a new, broader, and more realistic lens to study (lacking) linkages between government policy and school practices. Drawing on recent work in organization theory, we advance notions on cluster of organization routines and the logic of complementarities underlying organizational change. This lens allows looking at how schools do (not) change a cluster of organization routines in response to multiple, simultaneous demands posed by government policies. Thirteen purposively selected Dutch secondary schools responding to three central government policies calling for concurrent change were analyzed, taking the schedule of a school as an exemplary case of a cluster of organization routines. Five distinct responses were distinguished, which can be sorted according to their impact on the whole organization. The study finds that ten of the thirteen schools did not change anything in response to at least one of the three policies we studied. However, all schools changed their cluster of organization routines, which impacted the whole organization in response to at least one of the three government policies. Therefore, looking at combinations of responses and considering the impact of change on school organizations qualifies ideas about schools being resistant to policy or unwilling to change and improve.
Control of Unfair Terms Under Cypriot Contract Law
Authors: Mouttotos Nicholas
Published: July 2022

The introduction of the EU Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Directive in the legal system of Cyprus was the first instrument specifically dealing with the problems that arise with standard form contracts and the issue of consent. However, the Directive only generated caselaw approximately twenty years after its adoption, whereas the principle-based approach of the test for unfairness (significant imbalance test and good faith requirement) was interpreted in the common law notion of absence of dishonesty. Hence, Cypriot courts interpreted good faith as “honesty in fact”. Under this interpretation, it seems that both procedural and substantive unfairness are not captured under the test. It is understood that whereas the statute codifying the contract law of Cyprus has incorporated the [civil law] will theory of contracts, no tools for the invalidation and scrutiny of terms that may be deemed unfair were provided. The statute placed considerable emphasis on procedural fairness, however, Cypriot courts seemed unwilling to adapt their approach and deal with the problems that standard form contracting poses, failing also to follow the developments in the UK. Thus, even after the adoption of EU consumer law directives, Cypriot courts show an unwillingness to scrutinize the parties’ initial allocation of risk, even though such allocation was done in a standardized manner by one party. Despite the mixed character of the legal system, consumer law directives and the introduction of content control can be seen as legal irritants.
High order direct parametrisation of invariant manifolds for model order reduction of finite element structures: application to large amplitude vibrations and uncovering of a folding point
Authors: Vizzaccaro Alessandra , Opreni Andrea , Salles Loïc , Frangi Attilio , Touzé Cyril
Published: July 2022

This paper investigates model-order reduction methods for geometrically nonlinear structures. The parametrisation method of invariant manifolds is used and adapted to the case of mechanical systems in oscillatory form expressed in the physical basis, so that the technique is directly applicable to mechanical problems discretised by the finite element method. Two nonlinear mappings, respectively related to displacement and velocity, are introduced, and the link between the two is made explicit at arbitrary order of expansion, under the assumption that the damping matrix is diagonalised by the conservative linear eigenvectors. The same development is performed on the reduced-order dynamics which is computed at generic order following different styles of parametrisation. More specifically, three different styles are introduced and commented: the graph style, the complex normal form style and the real normal form style. These developments allow making better connections with earlier works using these parametrisation methods. The technique is then applied to three different examples. A clamped-clamped arch with increasing curvature is first used to show an example of a system with a softening behaviour turning to hardening at larger amplitudes, which can be replicated with a single mode reduction. Secondly, the case of a cantilever beam is investigated. It is shown that invariant manifold of the first mode shows a folding point at large amplitudes. This exemplifies the failure of the graph style due to the folding point on a real structure, whereas the normal form style is able to pass over the folding. Finally, a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) micromirror undergoing large rotations is used to show the importance of using high-order expansions on an industrial example.
The value of domiciliary medication reviews – a thematic analysis of pharmacist’s views
Authors: McCormick Patricia , Coleman Bridget , Bates Ian
Published: July 2022

Background

Domiciliary medication reviews are thought to enable comprehensive medication reviews centred around the needs of individuals. However, there is no clear consensus on where the value of these services lie.

Aim

To determine the value of domiciliary medication reviews to service providers through semi-structured focus groups, interviews and thematic analysis.

Method

Study participants were recruited from domiciliary medication review services provided in the United Kingdom. Semi-structured focus groups and interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Six themes were identified: the scope of domiciliary medication review services, the professional role, advantages over traditional settings, disadvantages of domiciliary medication reviews for the professional, levels of engagement and outcomes.

Conclusion

Pharmacy professionals believe that the domiciliary setting provides advantages over traditional healthcare settings when conducting medication reviews. They believe it enables a more in-depth review of an individual’s medications and needs. The traditional clinical outcomes recorded by services may not be capturing the holistic impact of domiciliary medication reviews.
MRI evaluation of meniscal anatomy: which parameters reach the best inter-observer concordance?
Authors: Grasso Dario , Gnesutta Aroa , Calvi Marco , Duvia Marta , Atria Maria Giovanna , Celentano Angelica , Callegari Leonardo , Genovese Eugenio Annibale
Published: July 2022

Purpose

The aim of the study is to evaluate which MRI parameters achieve the best degree of inter-individual concordance in the description of meniscal fibrocartilage, regarding its morphology, signal and position.

Materials and methods

Eighty-nine knee MRIs were included in the study, retrospectively re-evaluated by three radiologists who completed a binary report (normal/abnormal) describing the meniscus signal, position relative to the tibial plateau margin and morphology. The inter-individual concordance value was calculated using Cohen's test.

Results

We obtained different inter-individual concordance values according to the parameters considered. The concordance was poor in the description of the meniscal position relative to the tibial plateau margin (average k = 0.6); the result was comparable in the description of the meniscal morphology (average k = 0.56). The best results were obtained with the meniscal signal analysis (average k = 0.8).

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies in the literature assessing the concordance between multiple readers in the description of the parameters we studied. The results we obtained suggest that the most reliable parameter for describing meniscal fibrocartilage is its signal intensity, whereas morphology and position may lead to different interpretations that are not always unequivocal.
The Environmental Responsibility of Firms and Insurance Coverage in an Evolutionary Game
Authors: Colivicchi Ilaria , Iannucci Gianluca
Published: July 2022

Climate change can deeply impact a company’s business performance, therefore insurance is an important tool to mediate such a risk, helping firms to remain on the market. Polluting companies want to maximize profits according to different business strategies and that appeal to their risk attitude. Firms are Nash players in an oligopoly market adopting two production technologies, brown or green. Climate change loss is a function of the firms’ emissions and is considered endogenous in the maximization problem of the players. We study firms’ behavior in choosing their more profitable strategy through a random matching evolutionary context. Analysis of the model reveals that the dynamic system admits at most seven stationary states. The paper focuses on the regime in which all the possible strategies coexist, due to its economic relevance. Moreover, the results of the sensitivity analysis show interesting policies to nudge an ecological transition.
Aspects of yaw control design of an aircraft with distributed electric propulsion
Authors: Vechtel Dennis , Buch Jan-Philipp
Published: July 2022

Distributed electric propulsion (DEP) offers new options in aircraft design. Besides the optimization of the wing, another area of optimization is the vertical tail plane (VTP) and yaw control. The large number of engines significantly relaxes the one-engine-inoperative (OEI) case during take-off, which is mostly the sizing case for the VTP. This offers the possibility to reduce the VTP and rudder size to a certain amount. Also, the dynamics of electric motors offer the possibility to use differential thrust for yaw control. This can compensate at least some of the reduced rudder effectiveness coming from the smaller VTP size. In the framework of the German nationally funded project SynergIE, different aircraft designs of a hybrid-electric regional aircraft were investigated. Three aircraft concepts with 2, 6 and 12 propellers were designed in the project, for which reasonable minimum VTP sizes were investigated. For the 12-propeller aircraft, the investigations showed that the VTP could be reduced by 50%, still allowing the compensation of OEI during take-off and the generation of sideslip angle during crosswind operations. This reduction in VTP size results in a reduction of the block fuel by about 4%. For the 12-engine aircraft, a 6-degrees-of-freedom simulation model was developed including flight control laws for yaw control using the rudder and differential thrust. Virtual flight tests were performed in a full-flight simulator. The tests generally showed a good agreement with the theoretical results from the handling quality analysis but also outlined deficiencies in aircraft handling at low speed with full flaps. The use of a flight simulator at this early stage of aircraft design has proven to be a useful tool to investigate such unconventional designs.
Current molecular biomarkers evaluation in gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: pathologist does matter
Authors: Businello Gianluca , Angerilli Valentina , Lonardi Sara , Bergamo Francesca , Valmasoni Michele , Farinati Fabio , Savarino Edoardo , Spolverato Gaya , Fassan Matteo
Published: July 2022

The comprehensive molecular characterization of gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinomas has led to the improvement of targeted and more effective treatments. As a result, several biomarkers have been introduced into clinical practice and the implementation of innovative diagnostic tools is under study. Such assessments are mainly based on the evaluation of limited biopsy material in clinical practice. In this setting, the pathologist represents a key player in the selection of patients facilitating precision medicine approaches.
Agia Marina and Peristereònas: Two New Epipalaeolithic Sites on the Island of Lemnos (Greece)
Authors: Efstratiou Nikos , Biagi Paolo , Starnini Elisabetta , Kyriakou Dimitris , Eleftheriadou Anastasia
Published: July 2022

The surveys carried out along the coasts of the island of Lemnos (Greece) have led to the discovery of new Late Epipalaeolithic sites at Agia Marina and Peristereònas. Peristereònas yielded a knapped stone assemblage that is strictly comparable with that from Ouriakos, a site located along the south-eastern coast of the same island, while the artefacts from Agia Marina are more problematic to interpret because they are probably to be attributed to a slightly different period. However, the most characteristic artefacts recovered from the sites are represented by microlithic geometrics obtained by abrupt, bipolar, or direct retouch, end scrapers, and different types of exhausted cores and technical pieces, which help us reconstruct the operational sequence employed for the manufacture of the armatures. The aim of the paper is to contribute to the interpretation of the characteristics of the Late Epipalaeolithic assemblages discovered on the island and to frame them into the general picture of the end of the Pleistocene in this part of the Aegean. The artefacts from the sites show unique characteristics, without parallels to the knapped stone assemblages of the same period so far recovered along the coasts of the Aegean Sea, the eastern Mediterranean, the Levant, and the Black Sea.
A Density Functional Theory (DFT) Investigation of Sulfur-Based Adsorbate Interactions on Alumina and Calcite Surfaces
Authors: Ou Stanley , Heimann Jessica E. , Bennett Joseph W.
Published: July 2022

With fossil-fuel consumption at an all-time high, air pollution is becoming one of the most prominent problems of the 21st century. In addition to their devastating effects on the environment, sulfur-based pollutants are problematic for infrastructure by undermining the structural stability of various oxide-based surfaces found in clays and clay minerals. Calcite (CaCO3) and alumina (α-Al2O3) are two such mineral oxides with surfaces that are potentially susceptible to damage by sulfur-based adsorbates. Their surface interactions with a wide range of sulfur-based pollutants, however, have yet to be studied adequately at the atomistic level. This problem can be addressed by utilizing density functional theory (DFT) to provide molecular-level insights into the adsorption effects of H2S, SO2, SO3, H2SO3, and H2SO4 molecules on calcite and alumina surfaces. DFT can be used to compare different types of adsorption events and their corresponding changes in the geometry and coordination of the adsorbates, as well as delineate any possible mineral-surface reconstructions. The hypothesis driving this comparative study was that the mineral-oxide surface structure will dictate the surface adsorption reactivity, i.e. the flat carbonate unit in calcite will behave differently from the Al–O octahedra in alumina under both vacuum and hydrated surface conditions. The set of sulfur-based adsorbates tested here exhibited a wide range of interactions with alumina and fewer with calcite surfaces. Events such as hydrogen bonding, sulfate formation, atom abstraction, and the formation of surface water groups were more prevalent in alumina than calcite and were found to be dependent on the surface termination. The results of this work will prove instrumental in the design of clay and mineral-based materials resilient to sulfur-based pollutants for use in construction and infrastructure such as smart building coatings and antifouling desalination membranes, as DFT methods can garner the atomistic insights into mineral-surface reactivity necessary to unlock these transformative technologies.
Effect analysis of U-shape exterior walls on energy consumption of building: the case of Morocco
Authors: Srhayri Imane , Hafs Hajar , Bah Abdellah
Published: July 2022

The building architecture significantly affects the energy consumption of buildings. In this paper, we study the effect of using U-shape exterior walls on energy consumption. The main target is to evaluate the impact of this parameter on heating and cooling loads for a small building model in Tetouan, Morocco (an administrative building divided into 2 zones, the effective area is 27 m2). In this context, a parametric study was carried out by the TRNSYS software 18, in order to evaluate the efficiency of using this form of exterior walls according to two selected criteria: the orientation of the exterior wall and the depth of the U-shape. More precisely, five values of the U-shape depth were studied for each orientation (South, North, South-east, and South-west), in six climate zones in Morocco presenting different climate conditions. In this sense, 126 simulations were done to have as a result the heating and cooling load for each scenario. The results showed a significant difference in the total load of the building model using different depths of the U-shape exterior walls in different orientations. We found that the U-shape parameter modified in the exterior walls is more efficient in zones characterized by a cold to moderate climate, namely, Ifran, Rabat, and Tangier (the maximum reduction of heating and cooling demand varies from 3.6 to 14% depending on the climate zone). Also, a maximum reduction in the total heating and cooling consumption is noticeable in zones with a hot climate which fluctuates between 1.9 and 3.1%.
Supersonic cylinder wake dynamics
Authors: Awasthi M. , McCreton S. , Moreau D.J. , Doolan C.J.
Published: July 2022

The supersonic wake of a circular cylinder in Mach 3 flow was studied through high-speed, focussing schlieren photography. The mean and unsteady behaviour of the separated shear layers, the reattachment process, the recompression wave and the early wake are analysed, and discussed in detail. The fluctuations in the wake are stronger and more coherent than those within the approaching shear layers and the recirculation region. The recompression of the shear layers energises the finer scales in the flow which leads to a departure from a

$-$

1 spectral roll-off observed in the schlieren spectra further upstream. The recompression wave exhibits low-frequency unsteadiness and a ripple-type motion which occurs as it is perturbed by shocklets radiating from the coherent structures in the wake. The wake consists of coherent disturbances with the same characteristic frequency as that for an incompressible flow over a cylinder; however, this instability is suppressed as the wake accelerates, presumably due to increasing compressibility. The primary instability of the wake flow has a characteristic frequency nearly twice that of its incompressible counterpart and it is shown to be driven by the presence of aeroacoustic resonance in the wake. It is also shown that the resonance, which leads to the formation of broadband standing waves in the wake, is the result of an interaction between the wake instabilities and upstream propagating acoustic waves in the wake. The acoustic waves originate upstream of the reattachment region and are believed to be generated by the unsteady separation on the cylinder surface.
Turbulent Rayleigh–Bénard convection in non-colloidal suspensions
Authors: Demou Andreas D. , Niazi Ardekani Mehdi , Mirbod Parisa , Brandt Luca
Published: July 2022

This study presents direct numerical simulations of turbulent Rayleigh–Bénard convection in non-colloidal suspensions, with special focus on the heat transfer modifications in the flow. Adopting a Rayleigh number of

$10^8$

and Prandtl number of 7, parametric investigations of the particle volume fraction

$0\leq \varPhi \leq 40\,\%$

and particle diameter

$1/20\leq d^*_p\leq 1/10$

with respect to the cavity height, are carried out. The particles are neutrally buoyant, rigid spheres with physical properties that match the fluid phase. Up to

$\varPhi =25\,\%$

, the Nusselt number increases weakly but steadily, mainly due to the increased thermal agitation that overcomes the decreased kinetic energy of the flow. Beyond

$\varPhi =30\,\%$

, the Nusselt number exhibits a substantial drop, down to approximately 1/3 of the single-phase value. This decrease is attributed to the dense particle layering in the near-wall region, confirmed by the time-averaged local volume fraction. The dense particle layer reduces the convection in the near-wall region and negates the formation of any coherent structures within one particle diameter from the wall. Significant differences between

$\varPhi \leq 30\,\%$

and 40 % are observed in all statistical quantities, including heat transfer and turbulent kinetic energy budgets, and two-point correlations. Special attention is also given to the role of particle rotation, which is shown to contribute to maintaining high heat transfer rates in moderate volume fractions. Furthermore, decreasing the particle size promotes the particle layering next to the wall, inducing a similar heat transfer reduction as in the highest particle volume fraction case.
Direct computation of magnetic surfaces in Boozer coordinates and coil optimization for quasisymmetry
Authors: Giuliani Andrew , Wechsung Florian , Stadler Georg , Cerfon Antoine , Landreman Matt
Published: July 2022

We propose a new method to compute magnetic surfaces that are parametrized in Boozer coordinates for vacuum magnetic fields. We also propose a measure for quasisymmetry on the computed surfaces and use it to design coils that generate a magnetic field that is quasisymmetric on those surfaces. The rotational transform of the field and complexity measures for the coils are also controlled in the design problem. Using an adjoint approach, we are able to obtain analytic derivatives for this optimization problem, yielding an efficient gradient-based algorithm. Starting from an initial coil set that presents nested magnetic surfaces for a large fraction of the volume, our method converges rapidly to coil systems generating fields with excellent quasisymmetry and low particle losses. In particular for low complexity coils, we are able to significantly improve the performance compared with coils obtained from the standard two-stage approach, e.g. reduce losses of fusion-produced alpha particles born at half-radius from

$17.7\,\%$

to

$6.6\,\%$

. We also demonstrate 16-coil configurations with alpha loss

${<}1\,\%$

and neoclassical transport magnitude

$\epsilon _{\text {eff}}^{3/2}$

less than approximately

$5\times 10^{-9}$

.
A new perspective on the demographic transition: birth-baptism intervals in ten Spanish villages, 1830–1949
Authors: Marco-Gracia Francisco J.
Published: July 2022

We analyse the evolution of birth-baptism intervals between 1830 and 1949 among children born into 815 Spanish families and relate the changes observed to developments in childhood mortality. Our results show that birth-baptism intervals in our study area increased rapidly after 1890, three decades after childhood mortality began to decline and a decade before fertility began to fall. We confirm that the families increasing the intervals between their children's births and baptisms after 1890 were those whose previous children had high rates of survival. We conclude that, in the last years of the nineteenth century, families were aware of the decline in child mortality and adjusted their behaviour in response.
Vulnerabilities avoided and resilience built. Collective action, poor relief and diversification as weapons of the weak (The Campine, Belgium, 1350–1845)
Authors: De Keyzer Maïka , Van Onacker Eline
Published: July 2022

In this article we analyse the root causes of the high level of resilience of one particular peasant society: the Campine area. While peasant societies have often been deemed one of the most vulnerable societies in the face of crises and disasters, because of their lack of capital, technology and power, we show that peasant communities possessed some important weapons of the weak. Thanks to strong property rights, collective action, a diverse economic portfolio and inclusive poor relief institutions the Campine peasants were able to weather both the late medieval crises, harvest failures as well as the threat of sand drifts between the fourteenth and nineteenth century.