bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Intelligence in Military Missions: Between Theory and Practice
Authors: Rietjens Sebastiaan 
Published: September 2021

AbstractIntelligence is the primary mechanism that military organizations use to generate understanding and its main purpose is to provide information to decision-makers such as commanders that may help illuminate their decision options. This chapter assesses the role of intelligence in military missions, more specifically the counterinsurgency and stabilizations missions that took place in, for example, former Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Mali.The chapter starts by addressing the changing and increasingly complex nature of many of the conflicts from the 1990s onwards. It explores how this has influenced the use of intelligence and presents two distinct schools of thought. The first school of thought, referred to as Jominian intelligence, tries to unravel the operational environment in a systematic way and regards the intelligence challenges as a series of problems with definite solutions. The second school of thought, referred to as Clausewitzian intelligence, argues that the goal of intelligence is to assess uncertainty and reach a deliberate judgment.The main body of the chapter then analyzes the intelligence process and identifies several of the main intelligence issues within military missions. The intelligence process starts with the direction phase in which policy makers, military commanders, or planners state their needs, often referred to as information requirements. Several issues complicate such direction, including (1) the comprehensive focus of many current military missions, (2) their abstract and ambiguous strategic objectives and expectations, and (3) the military’s unfamiliarity with the area of operations.In the second phase of the intelligence process, the necessary information is collected. In addition to consulting their archives and databases, military units often have a plethora of means, both technical and human, available to collect information. Cross-cultural competencies are of crucial importance, in particular, during the collection phase.The third phase of the intelligence process, labeled processing, turns raw data into intelligence. During the processing phase, the data are analyzed in order to gain understanding or insight. This exceeds the registration of events, but includes understanding the meaning of these events as well as their importance.The fourth and final phase is dissemination of intelligence. Here, the relationship between the producers and consumers of intelligence during military missions is explored. This includes the reasons why consumers sometimes do not fully accept the intelligence they receive.The chapter concludes with an agenda for research on military intelligence. It calls, for example, for a more eclectic author base; multidisciplinary as well as comparative research; increased attention to oversight, ethics, and open source intelligence; and more emphasis on intelligence within the navy, special forces, and constabulary forces.
Explaining multistability: postphenomenology and affordances of technologies
Authors: de Boer Bas 
Published: September 2021

AbstractA central issue in postphenomenology is how to explain the multistability of technologies: how can it be that specific technologies can be used for a wide variety of purposes (the “multi”), while not for all purposes (the “stability”)? For example, a table can be used for the purpose of sleeping, having dinner at, or even for staging a fencing match, but not for baking a cake. One explanation offered in the literature is that the (material) design of a technology puts constraints on the purposes for which technologies can be used. In this paper, I argue that such an explanation—while partly correct—fails to address the role of the environment in which human beings operate in putting constraints on technology use. I suggest that James Gibson’s affordance theory helps highlighting how stabilities in technology use arise in the interaction between human being and environment. Building on more recent approaches in affordance theory, I suggest that the environment can be conceptualized as a “rich landscape of affordances” that solicits certain actions, which are not just cued by the environment’s material structure, but also by the normativity present in the form of life in which a human being participates. I briefly contrast the approach to affordances developed in this paper with how Klenk (2020) and Tollon (2021) have conceptualized the “affordance character” of technological artifacts, and highlight how a focus on the situated nature of affordances augments these earlier conceptualizations.
An optimization-based design approach for a novel self-adjuster using shear thickening fluid
Authors: Nagy-György P. , Bene J. G. , Hős C. J. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractRecently, the increasingly strict safety and emission regulations in the automotive industry drove the interest towards automatic length compensating devices, e.g., hydraulic lash adjusters (lower emission) and slack adjuster in brake systems (faster brake response). These devices have two crucial requirements: (a) be stiff during high load, while (b) be flexible in the released state to compensate for environmental effects such as wear and temperature difference. This study aims to use the advantageous properties of shear thickening fluids to develop a less complicated, cost-efficient design. The proposed design is modeled by a system of ordinary differential equations in which the effect of the non-Newtonian fluid flow is taken into account with a novel, simplified, semi-analytical flow rate-pressure drop relationship suitable for handling arbitrary rheology. The adjuster’s dimensions are determined with a multi-objective genetic algorithm based on the coupled solid-fluid mechanical model for six different shear thickening rheologies. The accuracy of the simplified flow model is verified by means of steady-state and transient CFD simulations for the optimal candidates. We have found that the dominating parameters of such devices are (a) the shear thickening region of the fluid rheology and (b) the gap sizes, while the piston diameters and the zero viscosity or the critical shear rate of the fluid have less effect. Based on the results, we give guidelines to design similar-length compensating devices.
Physicochemical tools for studying virus interactions with targeted cell membranes in a molecular and spatiotemporally resolved context
Authors: Bally Marta , Block Stephan , Höök Fredrik , Larson Göran , Parveen Nagma , Rydell Gustaf E. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThe objective of this critical review is to provide an overview of how emerging bioanalytical techniques are expanding our understanding of the complex physicochemical nature of virus interactions with host cell surfaces. Herein, selected model viruses representing both non-enveloped (simian virus 40 and human norovirus) and enveloped (influenza A virus, human herpes simplex virus, and human immunodeficiency virus type 1) viruses are highlighted. The technologies covered utilize a wide range of cell membrane mimics, from supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) containing a single purified host membrane component to SLBs derived from the plasma membrane of a target cell, which can be compared with live-cell experiments to better understand the role of individual interaction pairs in virus attachment and entry. These platforms are used to quantify binding strengths, residence times, diffusion characteristics, and binding kinetics down to the single virus particle and single receptor, and even to provide assessments of multivalent interactions. The technologies covered herein are surface plasmon resonance (SPR), quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), dynamic force spectroscopy (DFS), total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy combined with equilibrium fluctuation analysis (EFA) and single particle tracking (SPT), and finally confocal microscopy using multi-labeling techniques to visualize entry of individual virus particles in live cells. Considering the growing scientific and societal needs for untangling, and interfering with, the complex mechanisms of virus binding and entry, we hope that this review will stimulate the community to implement these emerging tools and strategies in conjunction with more traditional methods. The gained knowledge will not only contribute to a better understanding of the virus biology, but may also facilitate the design of effective inhibitors to block virus entry.
Two experts and a newbie: [18F]PARPi vs [18F]FTT vs [18F]FPyPARP—a comparison of PARP imaging agents
Authors: Stotz Sophie , Kinzler Johannes , Nies Anne T. , Schwab Matthias , Maurer Andreas 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Purpose
Imaging of PARP expression has emerged as valuable strategy for prediction of tumor malignancy. While [18F]PARPi and [18F]FTT are already in clinical translation, both suffer from mainly hepatobiliary clearance hampering their use for detection of abdominal lesions, e.g., liver metastases. Our novel radiotracer [18F]FPyPARP aims to bridge this gap with a higher renal clearance and an easily translatable synthesis route for potential clinical application.

Methods
We developed a less lipophilic variant of [18F]PARPi by exchange of the fluorobenzoyl residue with a fluoronicotinoyl group and automated the radiosyntheses of the three radiotracers. We then conducted a comparative side-by-side study of [18F]PARPi, [18F]FPyPARP, and [18F]FTT in NOD.CB17-Prkdcscid/J mice bearing HCC1937 xenografts to assess xenograft uptake and pharmacokinetics focusing on excretion pathways.

Results
Together with decent uptake of all three radiotracers in the xenografts (tumor-to-blood ratios 3.41 ± 0.83, 3.99 ± 0.99, and 2.46 ± 0.35, respectively, for [18F]PARPi, [18F]FPyPARP, and [18F]FTT), a partial shift from hepatobiliary to renal clearance of [18F]FPyPARP was observed, whereas [18F]PARPi and [18F]FTT show almost exclusive hepatobiliary clearance.

Conclusion
These findings imply that [18F]FPyPARP is an alternative to [18F]PARPi and [18F]FTT for PET imaging of PARP enzymes.
Involvement of the auxin–cytokinin homeostasis in adventitious root formation of rose cuttings as affected by their nodal position in the stock plant
Authors: Otiende Millicent A. , Fricke Klaus , Nyabundi Julius O. , Ngamau Kamau , Hajirezaei Mohammad R. , Druege Uwe 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Main conclusion
Enhanced levels of indole-3-acetic and raised auxin to cytokinin ratios in the stem base contribute to the positive acropetal gradient in rooting capacity of leafy single-node stem cuttings of rose.

Abstract
Cuttings excised from different nodal positions in stock plants can differ in subsequent adventitious root formation. We investigated the involvement of the auxin–cytokinin balance in position-affected rooting of Rosa hybrida. Leafy single-node stem cuttings of two rose cultivars were excised from top versus bottom positions. Concentrations of IAA and cytokinins were monitored in the bud region and the stem base during 8 days after planting using chromatography–MS/MS technology. The effects of nodal position and external supply of indole-butyric acid on rooting were analyzed. Most cytokinins increased particularly in the bud region and peaked at day two before the bud break was recorded. IAA increased in both tissues between day one and day eight. Top versus bottom cuttings revealed higher levels of isopentenyladenosine (IPR) in both tissues as well as higher concentrations of IAA and a higher ratio of IAA to cytokinins particularly in the stem base. The dynamic of hormones and correlation analysis indicated that the higher IPR contributed to the enhanced IAA in the bud region which served as auxin source for the auxin homeostasis in the stem base, where IAA determined the auxin–cytokinin balance. Bottom versus top cuttings produced lower numbers and lengths of roots, whereas this deficit was counterbalanced by auxin application. Further considering other studies of rose, it is concluded that cytokinin-, sucrose- and zinc-dependent auxin biosynthesis in the outgrowing buds is an important factor that contributes to the enhanced IAA levels and auxin/cytokinin ratios in the stem base of apical cuttings, promoting root induction.
Changing the landscape of cybersecurity education in the EU: Will the new approach produce the required cybersecurity skills?
Authors: Blažič Borka Jerman 
Published: September 2021

AbstractRecruiting, retaining, and maintaining sufficient numbers of cybersecurity professionals in the workplace is a constant battle, not only for the technical side of cybersecurity, but also for the overlooked area of non-technical, managerial-related jobs in the cyber sector. The problem is the lack of cybersecurity skills in the European labour force. This paper presents the results of a study carried out with the aim to identify how much the cybersecurity education system within the high-level educational institutions and the industrial sector meets the needs for graduate students to gain the required cybersecurity skills. The method applied in the study is based on data collected from surveys carried out by the European competence centres on cybersecurity and the European Cybersecurity organisation. The problem of common educational program accreditation in Europe is highlighted and discussed. The actions undertaken to improve the education in both sectors are described and the emerging educational landscape is commented. The main cybersecurity knowledge specified by the industrial needs is presented in the form of five knowledge pillars. The study’s findings show that there are missing topics in high-level institution’s cybersecurity programs and that that there is a need to re-shape the content of the courses provided by the professional education providers.
Assessment of the adequacy of mobile applications for disaster reduction
Authors: Navarro de Corcuera Lucía , Barbero-Barrera María del Mar , Campos Hidalgo Ana , Recio Martínez Jorge 
Published: September 2021

AbstractNatural events continue to take a heavy toll on human lives. Added to this are the challenge of dynamic at-risk settings, uncertainty, and increasing threats, which demand holistic, flexible, and quickly adaptable solutions. In this context, mobile applications are strongly emerging as communication tools that can assist in disaster reduction. Yet, these have not been sufficiently evaluated. In view of this, the aim of this research is to evaluate the adequacy of mobile applications in disaster risk reduction in reference to some of the deadliest natural events. To this purpose, a two-part methodology is developed. Firstly, a random sample of applications is evaluated and contrasted with the literature. Secondly, the viability of mobile applications is determined based on the Digital Application Potential Index proposed by the authors, cross-referenced in Geographical Information Systems with the WorldRiskIndex. The results show that most mobile applications limit their coverage range to only one stage of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and one type of hazard event, failing to address systemic risk and hampering the scale-up of humanitarian response. For these to become adequate and wide-reaching, strong policies to promote reliability, transparency, and citizen empowerment would be required. The policies establishing the use of mobile applications as a viable tool for DRM must consider reducing the prices of internet connectivity while increasing educational levels, on top of language translation. At this point, the adoption of mobile applications is unable to ensure DRM communication, especially in countries with higher-risk levels, requiring these to be complemented with auxiliary tools.
Graphic abstract
An extension of the proximal point algorithm beyond convexity
Authors: Grad Sorin-Mihai , Lara Felipe 
Published: September 2021

AbstractWe introduce and investigate a new generalized convexity notion for functions called prox-convexity. The proximity operator of such a function is single-valued and firmly nonexpansive. We provide examples of (strongly) quasiconvex, weakly convex, and DC (difference of convex) functions that are prox-convex, however none of these classes fully contains the one of prox-convex functions or is included into it. We show that the classical proximal point algorithm remains convergent when the convexity of the proper lower semicontinuous function to be minimized is relaxed to prox-convexity.
Rare fatty acids and lipids in plant oilseeds: occurrence and bioactivity
Authors: Avato P. , Tava A. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractLipids are biomolecules which are present in plants as general metabolites with different functions such as structural, protective and also as storage material. Plants produce a high number of different fatty acids: the most common structural types are long linear hydrocarbon chains, saturated or unsaturated with an even number of carbon atoms. In addition, plants accumulate rare fatty acids with reference to their occurrence and to their structures such as number and arrangement of unsaturated bonds, chain branches, type of functional groups, cyclic structures and halogenation. Their presence is limited in plant leaves, roots or stems, while they are mostly found as components of storage seed oils. The present review aims to describe the structural features of selected unusual rare fatty acids occurring in plants, their bioactivity and applications as pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food and non-food industrial products. Cyanolipids, a group of rare natural lipids containing a cyanogenic group in the molecule and only found in seed oils of a few plant species are also commented.
Decline in body size and female fraction in the grass snake (Natrix natrix, Linnaeus 1758) population after 40 years (Southern Poland)
Authors: Bury Stanisław , Zając Bartłomiej , Okarma Henryk , Kolanek Aleksandra 
Published: September 2021

AbstractDepletion of free-living populations is often associated with changes in fitness-related traits, e.g., body size. Ongoing decrease in body size has been reported in most vertebrates, but reptiles remain understudied. Moreover, sexual size dimorphism, commonly observed in reptiles, indicates that environmental pressures on body size may appear sex-specific. This can also result in shifts in sex ratio, an aspect even less studied. We investigated body size and sex ratio in population of grass snake (Natrix natrix) surveyed over 40 years ago in comparison with the current state. We found that both sexes express similar magnitude in body size decline. The current sex ratio does not deviate from 1:1, while in the past, females outnumbered males. The observed changes are likely an outcome of several non-mutually exclusive factors. In the studied area, an increase in road traffic and human presence and a drop in prey availability have been documented. Both factors may exert higher pressure on larger individuals, particularly females, due to their high costs of reproduction. It is recorded here that increase in ambient temperatures and summer duration may additionally enhance the mortality risk and resource requirements. Shifts in body size and sex ratio can catalyze further declines in abundance and reproductive potential of the population.
Förderung der psychischen Gesundheit von geflüchteten Menschen
Authors: Perplies Clara , Biddle Louise , Benson-Martin Janine , Joggerst Brigitte , Bozorgmehr Kayvan 
Published: September 2021

Zusammenfassung
Hintergrund
Geflüchtete Menschen sind vielfältigen psychosozialen Belastungen ausgesetzt. Zur Förderung ihrer psychischen Gesundheit werden u. a. Peer-Ansätze verfolgt. Wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse zu den Voraussetzungen einer erfolgreichen Implementierung entsprechender Ansätze für geflüchtete Menschen in Deutschland liegen bisher jedoch kaum vor.

Ziel
Ziel ist es, Erkenntnisse über die Sichtweisen geflüchteter Menschen auf einen gruppenbasierten Peer-Ansatz der Psychoedukation und psychosozialen Stabilisierung („Mind-Spring“) in einem kommunalen Setting zu erlangen sowie Barrieren und fördernde Faktoren der Inanspruchnahme zu identifizieren.

Methoden
Nach Einführung des Ansatzes in einer Region Baden-Württembergs wurden acht leitfadengestützte Interviews mit zwei Peer-Trainern und sechs geflüchteten Menschen, die als potenzielle Teilnehmer*innen adressiert worden waren, durchgeführt. Die Interviews wurden aufgezeichnet, transkribiert und inhaltsanalytisch ausgewertet.

Ergebnisse
Die Teilnahme an der psychosozialen Intervention beruht auf heterogenen Bedarfen und Nutzenerwartungen. Eine aufsuchende, personalisierte Ansprache, sprachliche Verständigungsmöglichkeit und wohnortnahe Durchführung werden als fördernd erlebt. Hemmend wirken sich Faktoren wie die Sorge vor Stigmatisierung und fehlendes Vertrauen in Durchführende und andere Teilnehmende aus.

Schlussfolgerung
Bei der Implementierung von psychosozialen Interventionen für geflüchtete Menschen sind eine niedrigschwellige Organisation und Orientierung an den Bedarfen und Nutzenerwartungen von geflüchteten Menschen zu beachten. Die Akzeptanz wird durch ein ausgewogenes Verhältnis von Peer- und Otherness sowie die Anbindung an professionelle Versorgungsstrukturen unterstützt.
Periodic solutions for nonresonant parabolic equations on $${\mathbb {R}}^N$$ with Kato–Rellich type potentials
Authors: Ćwiszewski Aleksander , Łukasiak Renata 
Published: September 2021

AbstractA criterion for the existence of T-periodic solutions of nonautonomous parabolic equation $$u_t = \Delta u + V(x)u + f(t,x,u)$$

u
t

=
Δ
u
+
V

(
x
)

u
+
f

(
t
,
x
,
u
)

, $$x\in {\mathbb {R}}^N$$

x
∈

R

N

, $$t>0$$

t
>
0

, where V is Kato–Rellich type potential and f diminishes at infinity, will be provided. It is proved that, under the nonresonance assumption, i.e. $${\mathrm {Ker}} (\Delta + V)=\{0\}$$

Ker
(
Δ
+
V
)
=
{
0
}

, the equation admits a T-periodic solution. Moreover, in case there is a trivial branch of solutions, i.e. $$f(t,x,0)=0$$

f
(
t
,
x
,
0
)
=
0

, there exists a nontrivial solution provided the total multiplicities of positive eigenvalues of $$\Delta +V$$

Δ
+
V

and $$\Delta + V + f_0$$

Δ
+
V
+

f
0

, where $$f_0$$

f
0

is the partial derivative $$f_u(\cdot ,\cdot ,0)$$

f
u

(
·
,
·
,
0
)

of f, are different mod 2.
Synthesis of ultrathin rhenium disulfide nanoribbons using nano test tubes
Authors: Norman Luke T. , Biskupek Johannes , Rance Graham A. , Stoppiello Craig T. , Kaiser Ute , Khlobystov Andrei N. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThe synthesis of ultrathin rhenium disulfide (ReS2) nanoribbons within single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has been established. Dirhenium decacarbonyl complex is encapsulated into the SWNTs to provide a source of confined rhenium atoms, which readily react with iodine to form discrete nm-sized clusters of rhenium iodide [Re6I14]2− embedded in the nanotubes. The final step of the synthesis is accomplished by admitting hydrogen sulfide gas into nano test tubes, yielding twisted nanoribbons of rhenium disulfide encapsulated in carbon nanotubes, ReS2@SWNTs. The width, structure, and composition of rhenium disulfide nanoribbons are strictly controlled by the extreme confinement of the host-SWNT. A holistic analytical approach combining complementary imaging and analysis methods is used at each synthetic step to elucidate the structure and composition of the guest material and reveal the role of the SWNT contributing towards the electronic interactions with encapsulated inorganic structures. As ReS2 nanoribbons are expected to retain the electronic properties of the bulk material, such as direct bandgap, the low dimensional form of this material can be of interest for use in nanoscale electronic devices.