bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dynamic portfolio rebalancing through reinforcement learning
Authors: Lim Qing Yang Eddy , Cao Qi , Quek Chai 
Published: December 2021

AbstractPortfolio managements in financial markets involve risk management strategies and opportunistic responses to individual trading behaviours. Optimal portfolios constructed aim to have a minimal risk with highest accompanying investment returns, regardless of market conditions. This paper focuses on providing an alternative view in maximising portfolio returns using Reinforcement Learning (RL) by considering dynamic risks appropriate to market conditions through dynamic portfolio rebalancing. The proposed algorithm is able to improve portfolio management by introducing the dynamic rebalancing of portfolios with vigorous risk through an RL agent. This is done while accounting for market conditions, asset diversifications, risk and returns in the global financial market. Studies have been performed in this paper to explore four types of methods with variations in fully portfolio rebalancing and gradual portfolio rebalancing, which combine with and without the use of the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model to predict stock prices for adjusting the technical indicator centring. Performances of the four methods have been evaluated and compared using three constructed financial portfolios, including one portfolio with global market index assets with different risk levels, and two portfolios with uncorrelated stock assets from different sectors and risk levels. Observed from the experiment results, the proposed RL agent for gradual portfolio rebalancing with the LSTM model on price prediction outperforms the other three methods, as well as returns of individual assets in these three portfolios. The improvements of the returns using the RL agent for gradual rebalancing with prediction model are achieved at about 27.9–93.4% over those of the full rebalancing without prediction model. It has demonstrated the ability to dynamically adjust portfolio compositions according to the market trends, risks and returns of the global indices and stock assets.
How to improve the assessment of BPM maturity in the era of digital transformation
Authors: Szelągowski Marek , Berniak-Woźny Justyna 
Published: December 2021

AbstractFor almost 30 years, the way of building business process management maturity models (BPM MMs), the importance assigned to individual maturity levels, and the criteria and critical success factors chosen for BPM maturity assessment have not changed significantly, despite the fact that during those three decades, the business environment and organizations themselves have changed enormously. The impact of hyperautomation and the increasing pace of change require the integration of maturity assessment with the BPM implementation methodology, including the repetition of maturity assessment for selected groups of processes. This causes an urgent need to adapt both process maturity assessment methods and BPM MMs to changing working conditions and business requirements. This conceptual paper is based on a model approach. The framework presented in the article continues and at the same time clearly deviates from the tradition of building BPM MMs on the basis of the Capability Maturity Model (CMM). It proposes a two-stage comprehensive process of organizational process maturity assessment, fully integrated into the process of BPM implementation and further business process management. The presented framework makes it possible to assess the process maturity of Industry 4.0 organizations in which dynamic knowledge-intensive business processes (kiBPs) play a key role in creating value.
Brain oscillation recordings of the audience in a live concert-like setting
Authors: Tervaniemi Mari , Pousi Saara , Seppälä Maaria , Makkonen Tommi 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThere are only a few previous EEG studies that were conducted while the audience is listening to live music. However, in laboratory settings using music recordings, EEG frequency bands theta and alpha are connected to music improvisation and creativity. Here, we measured EEG of the audience in a concert-like setting outside the laboratory and compared the theta and alpha power evoked by partly improvised versus regularly performed familiar versus unfamiliar live classical music. To this end, partly improvised and regular versions of pieces by Bach (familiar) and Melartin (unfamiliar) were performed live by a chamber trio. EEG data from left and right frontal and central regions of interest were analysed to define theta and alpha power during each performance. After the performances, the participants rated how improvised and attractive each of the performances were. They also gave their affective ratings before and after each performance. We found that theta power was enhanced during the familiar improvised Bach piece and the unfamiliar improvised Melartin piece when compared with the performance of the same piece performed in a regular manner. Alpha power was not modulated by manner of performance or by familiarity of the piece. Listeners rated partly improvised performances of a familiar Bach and unfamiliar Melartin piece as more improvisatory and innovative than the regular performances. They also indicated more joy and less sadness after listening to the unfamiliar improvised piece of Melartin and less fearful and more enthusiastic after listening to the regular version of Melartin than before listening. Thus, according to our results, it is possible to study listeners’ brain functions with EEG during live music performances outside the laboratory, with theta activity reflecting the presence of improvisation in the performances.
Tissue Engineering of Canine Cartilage from Surgically Debrided Osteochondritis Dissecans Fragments
Authors: Vapniarsky Natalia , Moncada Lilia , Garrity Carissa , Wong Alice , Filliquist Barbro , Chou Po-Yen , Kapatkin Amy S. , Marcellin-Little Denis J. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThis study in dogs explored the feasibility of using cartilage fragments removed and discarded during routine palliative surgery for osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) as a source of primary chondrocytes for scaffold-free cartilage tissue-engineering. Primary chondrocytes were obtained from three OCD donors and one age-matched healthy articular cartilage (HAC) donor. After monolayer expansion of primary cells, a three-dimensional spherical suspension culture was implemented. Following this stage, cells were seeded at a high density into custom-made agarose molds that allowed for size and shape-specific constructs to be generated via a method of cellular self-assembling in a scaffold-free environment. Fifty-eight neocartilage constructs were tissue-engineered using this methodology. Neocartilage constructs and native cartilage from shoulder joint were subjected to histological, mechanical, and biochemical testing. OCD and HAC chondrocytes-sourced constructs had uniformly flat morphology and histology consistent with cartilage tissue. Constructs sourced from OCD chondrocytes were 1.5-times (32%) stiffer in compression and 1.3 times (23%) stronger in tension than constructs sourced from HAC chondrocytes and only 8.7-times (81%) less stiff in tension than native tissue. Constructs from both cell sources consistently had lower collagen content than native tissue (22.9%/dry weight [DW] for OCD and 4.1%/DW for HAC vs. 51.1%/DW native tissue). To improve the collagen content and mechanical properties of neocartilage, biological and mechanical stimuli, and thyroid hormone (tri-iodothyronine) were applied to the chondrocytes during the self-assembling stage in two separate studies. A 2.6-fold (62%) increase in compressive stiffness was detected with supplementation of biological stimuli alone and 5-fold (81%) increase with combined biological and mechanical stimuli at 20% strain. Application of thyroid hormone improved collagen content (1.7-times, 33%), tensile strength (1.8-times, 43%), and stiffness (1.3-times, 21%) of constructs, relative to untreated controls. Collectively, these data suggest that OCD chondrocytes can serve as a reliable cell source for cartilage tissue-engineering and that canine chondrocytes respond favorably to biological and mechanical stimuli that have been shown effective in chondrocytes from other animal species, including humans.
Progression and metastasis of small cell lung carcinoma: the role of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and metabolic alterations
Authors: Krencz Ildiko , Sztankovics Daniel , Danko Titanilla , Sebestyen Anna , Khoor Andras 
Published: December 2021

AbstractSmall cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) is characterized by high metastatic rate and poor prognosis. The platinum-based chemotherapy still represents the backbone of the therapy; however, acquired resistance develops almost in all patients. Although SCLC has been formerly considered a homogeneous disease, recent advances in SCLC research have highlighted the importance of inter- and intratumoral heterogeneity and have resulted in the subclassification of SCLC. The newly described SCLC subtypes are characterized by distinct biological behavior and vulnerabilities that can be therapeutically exploited. The PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway is frequently affected in SCLC, and its activation represents a promising therapeutic target. Since the mTOR pathway is a master regulator of cellular metabolism, its alterations may also influence the bioenergetic processes of SCLC cells. Despite the encouraging preclinical results, both mTOR and metabolic inhibitors have met limited clinical success so far. Patient selection for personalized therapy, the development of rational drug combinations, and a better understanding of heterogeneity and spatiotemporal evolution of the tumor cells may improve efficacy and can help to overcome acquired resistance. Here we provide a summary of current investigations regarding the role of the mTOR pathway and metabolic alterations in the progression and metastasis formation of SCLC.
A 24-Year Record of Female Reproductive Dynamics in Two Sympatric Mouse Lemur Species in Northwestern Madagascar
Authors: Radespiel Ute , Rakotondravony Romule , Rasoloharijaona Solofonirina , Randrianambinina Blanchard 
Published: December 2021

AbstractSeasonal reproduction is widespread among primates but the degree of reproductive synchrony and plasticity can vary, even between closely related species. This study compares the dynamics of female reproductive seasonality in two mouse lemur species, Microcebus murinus and M. ravelobensis, in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar, across 24 years. We collected 4321 records of female reproductive state from 1033 individual females (319 M. murinus, 714 M. ravelobensis). The analyses revealed disparate reproductive schedules: While female M. murinus showed high degrees of reproductive synchrony throughout all years, leading to the production of two successive litters, the seasonal onset of estrus (= reproductive activation) in female M. ravelobensis was more flexible than in M. murinus, starting 2-4 weeks earlier, varying by up to 4 weeks between years, and being less synchronized. M. ravelobensis females became reproductively active later in years with more rainfall, in particular rain in February, but the timing of reproductive activation was not related to differences in temperatures. The likelihood of early conception was significantly lower in M. ravelobensis than in M. murinus. This was partly due to delayed reproductive activation in young animals, and a lower likelihood of early conception for females with low body mass in M. ravelobensis. Our results suggest high, adaptive reproductive plasticity in M. ravelobensis that may enable individuals to respond flexibly to yearly environmental changes and expand the reproductive period under favorable conditions. These species differences in reproductive schedules may be the result of the divergent evolutionary histories of the two mouse lemur species in different parts of Madagascar.
Mono-ADP-ribosylation sites of human CD73 inhibit its adenosine-generating enzymatic activity
Authors: Hesse Julia , Rosse Mona K. , Steckel Bodo , Blank-Landeshammer Bernhard , Idel Svenja , Reinders Yvonne , Sickmann Albert , Sträter Norbert , Schrader Jürgen 
Published: December 2021

AbstractCD73-derived adenosine plays a major role in damage-induced tissue responses by inhibiting inflammation. Damage-associated stimuli, such as hypoxia and mechanical stress, induce the cellular release of ATP and NAD+ and upregulate the expression of the nucleotide-degrading purinergic ectoenzyme cascade, including adenosine-generating CD73. Extracellular NAD+ also serves as substrate for mono-ADP-ribosylation of cell surface proteins, which in human cells is mediated by ecto-ADP-ribosyltransferase 1 (ARTC1). Here we explored, whether human CD73 enzymatic activity is regulated by mono-ADP-ribosylation, using recombinant human CD73 in the presence of ARTC1 with etheno-labelled NAD+ as substrate. Multi-colour immunoblotting with an anti-etheno-adenosine antibody showed ARTC1-mediated transfer of ADP-ribose together with the etheno label to CD73. HPLC analysis of the enzymatic activity of in vitro-ribosylated CD73 revealed strong inhibition of adenosine generation in comparison to non-ribosylated CD73. Mass spectrometry of in vitro-ribosylated CD73 identified six ribosylation sites. 3D model analysis indicated that three of them (R328, R354, R545) can interfere with CD73 enzymatic activity. Our study identifies human CD73 as target for ARTC1-mediated mono-ADP-ribosylation, which can profoundly modulate its adenosine-generating activity. Thus, in settings with enhanced release of NAD+ as substrate for ARTC1, assessment of CD73 protein expression in human tissues may not be predictive of adenosine formation resulting in anti-inflammatory activity.
Quantum-safe cryptography: crossroads of coding theory and cryptography
Authors: Wang Jiabo , Liu Ling , Lyu Shanxiang , Wang Zheng , Zheng Mengfan , Lin Fuchun , Chen Zhao , Yin Liuguo , Wu Xiaofu , Ling Cong 
Published: December 2021

AbstractWe present an overview of quantum-safe cryptography (QSC) with a focus on post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and information-theoretic security. From a cryptographic point of view, lattice and code-based schemes are among the most promising PQC solutions. Both approaches are based on the hardness of decoding problems of linear codes with different metrics. From an information-theoretic point of view, lattices and linear codes can be constructed to achieve certain secrecy quantities for wiretap channels as is intrinsically classical- and quantum-safe. Historically, coding theory and cryptography are intimately connected since Shannon’s pioneering studies but have somehow diverged later. QSC offers an opportunity to rebuild the synergy of the two areas, hopefully leading to further development beyond the NIST PQC standardization process. In this paper, we provide a survey of lattice and code designs that are believed to be quantum-safe in the area of cryptography or coding theory. The interplay and similarities between the two areas are discussed. We also conclude our understandings and prospects of future research after NIST PQC standardisation.
Cross-scale trade-off analysis for sustainable development: linking future demand for animal source foods and ecosystem services provision to the SDGs
Authors: Kozicka Marta , Jones Sarah K. , Gotor Elisabetta , Enahoro Dolapo 
Published: December 2021

AbstractDietary transition towards higher consumption of animal source foods (ASF) associated with higher incomes across low and middle-income countries could have negative impacts on environmental systems and their potential in the long run to provide services necessary for achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this article, we integrate economic, land use allocation, and biophysical models to investigate trade-offs between the five ecosystem services and their contributions to various SDGs associated with agricultural expansion to meet future demand for ASF, using Tanzania as a case study. Our results show that under the scenario of sustainable socio-economic development, between 2010 and 2030 in Tanzania, per capita income grows by 169% and the share of population at risk of hunger declines from 34.8% to 23%. These changes can be associated on a macro-level with positive contributions to achievement of SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger). To satisfy feed demand for increased livestock production domestically, an increase by 21.4% of biomass production as compared to 2010 is needed. Analysis of alternative scenarios for meeting this new demand shows potential threats on a landscape level to achieving numerous SDGs and more generally to attaining sustainable food systems. Ecosystem-based contributions primarily decline to SDGs: SDG 3 (Health), SDG 6 (Clean Water), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities), SDG 13 (Climate) and SDG 15 (Terrestrial Life). We find that higher crop productivity and redesign of agro-ecosystems to increase on-farm tree cover could significantly limit these losses. Alternatively, the growing demand for ASF could be satisfied with imports, which would allow for reducing the trade-offs locally. However, this would result in at least partially only displacing ecosystem service losses to the exporting countries.
The β-Secretase Substrate Seizure 6–Like Protein (SEZ6L) Controls Motor Functions in Mice
Authors: Ong-Pålsson Emma , Njavro Jasenka Rudan , Wilson Yvette , Pigoni Martina , Schmidt Andree , Müller Stephan A. , Meyer Michael , Hartmann Jana , Busche Marc Aurel , Gunnersen Jenny M. , Munro Kathryn M. , Lichtenthaler Stefan F. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe membrane protein seizure 6–like (SEZ6L) is a neuronal substrate of the Alzheimer’s disease protease BACE1, and little is known about its physiological function in the nervous system. Here, we show that SEZ6L constitutive knockout mice display motor phenotypes in adulthood, including changes in gait and decreased motor coordination. Additionally, SEZ6L knockout mice displayed increased anxiety-like behaviour, although spatial learning and memory in the Morris water maze were normal. Analysis of the gross anatomy and proteome of the adult SEZ6L knockout cerebellum did not reveal any major differences compared to wild type, indicating that lack of SEZ6L in other regions of the nervous system may contribute to the phenotypes observed. In summary, our study establishes physiological functions for SEZ6L in regulating motor coordination and curbing anxiety-related behaviour, indicating that aberrant SEZ6L function in the human nervous system may contribute to movement disorders and neuropsychiatric diseases.
High Carbon Amendments Increase Nitrogen Retention in Soil After Slurry Application—an Incubation Study with Silty Loam Soil
Authors: Cao Xinyue , Reichel Rüdiger , Wissel Holger , Kummer Sirgit , Brüggemann Nicolas 
Published: December 2021

AbstractExcess nitrogen (N) after animal slurry application is a persistent problem of intensive agriculture, with consequences such as environmental pollution by ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and nitrate (NO3−) leaching. High-carbon organic soil amendments (HCAs) with a large C:N ratio have shown the potential of mitigating unintended N losses from soil. To reduce gaseous and leaching N losses after the application of slurry, a laboratory incubation study was conducted with silt loam soil. We tested the potential of three different types of HCA—wheat straw, sawdust, and leonardite (application rate 50 g C L−1 slurry for each of the three HCAs)—to mitigate N loss after amendment of soil with pig and cattle slurry using two common application modes (slurry and HCA mixed overnight with subsequent addition to soil vs. sequential addition) at an application rate equivalent to 80 kg N ha−1. Compared to the control with only soil and slurry, the addition of leonardite reduced the NH3 emissions of both slurries by 32–64%. Leonardite also reduced the total N2O emissions by 33–58%. Wheat straw reduced N2O emissions by 40–46%, but had no effect on NH3 emission. 15 N labeling showed that the application of leonardite was associated with the highest N retention in soil (24% average slurry N recovery), followed by wheat straw (20% average slurry N recovery). The mitigation of N loss was also observed for sawdust, although the effect was less consistent compared with leonardite and wheat straw. Mixing the slurry and HCA overnight tended to reduce N losses, although the effect was not consistent across all treatments. In conclusion, leonardite improved soil N retention more effectively than wheat straw and sawdust.
Developing connections for engagement in stroke rehabilitation
Authors: Kayes Nicola M. , Cummins Christine , McPherson Kathryn M. , Worrall Linda , Bright Felicity A. S. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackground and Aims:Engagement is increasingly recognised as important for maximising rehabilitation outcome following stroke. However, engagement can be challenging when neurological impairment impacts a persons’ ability to activate the regulatory processes necessary for engagement and in the context of a changed self. We explored engagement in stroke rehabilitation from the perspective of people with stroke with a primary focus on identifying key processes that appeared important to engagement in stroke rehabilitation.Design and Methods:This study drew on Interpretive Description methodology. Maximum variation and theoretical sampling were used to capture diversity in the sample and access a depth and breadth of perspectives. Data collection included semi-structured interviews with people with stroke (n = 19). Data were analysed through a collaborative and iterative process drawing on range of analytical tools including coding, memoing, diagramming and group discussions.Findings:Our findings highlight that engagement is a complex, nuanced, responsive, flexible and inherently two-way process.Developing connectionsappeared central to engagement with connections taking various forms. The most fundamental was the therapeutic connection between the person with stroke and their practitioner as it provided the foundation on which to build other connections. Connection was made possible through five collaborative processes:Knowing, Entrusting, Adapting, Investing and Reciprocating.Conclusions:Engagement is a social and relational process enabled through an inherently person-centred approach and active and ongoing reflexivity – highlighting the importance of a humanising approach to care where aspects of self, care and emotion are evident, for both the person with stroke and their practitioner.