bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Multi-Wavelength Densitometer for Experimental Research on the Optical Characteristics of Smoke Layers
Authors: Węgrzyński Wojciech , Antosiewicz Piotr , Fangrat Jadwiga 
Published: May 2021

AbstractA novel multi-wavelength densitometer was built for the purpose of continuous and simultaneous measurements of light obscuration in smoke layers, concurrently in five bands (λ = 450 nm, 520 nm, 658 nm, 830 nm and 980 nm). This device was used for determining transmittance and visibility in smoke parameters of a smoke layer from the fire of 1.00 dm3 of n-Heptane in a 0.33 × 0.33 m tray located in a test chamber (9.60 × 9.80 × 4.00 m3). The performance of the device was compared with a commercial Lorenz densitometer at 880 nm. Significant differences in measured value of transmittance were observed between the different sensors – from 65% at 450 nm (blue light), 80% at 658 nm (red light) to 95% at 980 nm (IR). The visibility in smoke, estimated following the theory of Jin for light reflecting signs (K = 3), ranged from 7.5 m (blue light) to 12 m (red light) and for the light-emitting (K = 8) signs from 18 to 32 m, respectively. The performed experiment has confirmed the applicability and added value of multi-wavelength measurements of light-extinction in fire experiments. The device was sensitive to temperature variations and requires active cooling and careful warm-up prior to experiments, to reach the expected sensitivity.
Symplectic Quantization I: Dynamics of Quantum Fluctuations in a Relativistic Field Theory
Authors: Gradenigo Giacomo , Livi Roberto 
Published: May 2021

AbstractWe propose here a new symplectic quantization scheme, where quantum fluctuations of a scalar field theory stem from two main assumptions: relativistic invariance and equiprobability of the field configurations with identical value of the action. In this approach the fictitious time of stochastic quantization becomes a genuine additional time variable, with respect to the coordinate time of relativity. Thisintrinsic timeis associated to a symplectic evolution in the action space, which allows one to investigate not only asymptotic, i.e. equilibrium, properties of the theory, but also its non-equilibrium transient evolution. In this paper, which is the first one in a series of two, we introduce a formalism which will be applied to general relativity in its companion work (Gradenigo, Symplectic quantization II: dynamics of space-time quantum fluctuations and the cosmological constant, 2021).
Reducing Library Characterization Time for Cell-aware Test while Maintaining Test Quality
Authors: Gao Zhan , Hu Min-Chun , Malagi Santosh , Swenton Joe , Huisken Jos , Goossens Kees , Marinissen Erik Jan 
Published: May 2021

AbstractCell-aware test (CAT) explicitly targets faults caused by defects inside library cells to improve test quality, compared with conventional automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) approaches, which target faults only at the boundaries of library cells. The CAT methodology consists of two stages. Stage 1, based on dedicated analog simulation, library characterization per cell identifies which cell-level test pattern detects which cell-internal defect; this detection information is encoded in a defect detection matrix (DDM). In Stage 2, with the DDMs as inputs, cell-aware ATPG generates chip-level test patterns per circuit design that is build up of interconnected instances of library cells. This paper focuses on Stage 1, library characterization, as both test quality and cost are determined by the set of cell-internal defects identified and simulated in the CAT tool flow. With the aim to achieve the best test quality, we first propose an approach to identify a comprehensive set, referred to as full set, of potential open- and short-defect locations based on cell layout. However, the full set of defects can be large even for a single cell, making the time cost of the defect simulation in Stage 1 unaffordable. Subsequently, to reduce the simulation time, we collapse the full set to a compact set of defects which serves as input of the defect simulation. The full set is stored for the diagnosis and failure analysis. With inspecting the simulation results, we propose a method to verify the test quality based on the compact set of defects and, if necessary, to compensate the test quality to the same level as that based on the full set of defects. For 351 combinational library cells in Cadence’s GPDK045 45nm library, we simulate only 5.4% defects from the full set to achieve the same test quality based on the full set of defects. In total, the simulation time, via linear extrapolation per cell, would be reduced by 96.4% compared with the time based on the full set of defects.
Performing Expertise in Building Regulation: ‘Codespeak’ and Fire Safety Experts
Authors: Law Angus , Spinardi Graham 
Published: May 2021

AbstractFire safety expertise was in great demand following the Grenfell Tower fire in London in June 2017. The government established a review of building regulations and an expert panel to inform its responses to Grenfell, and many other relevant organisations also formed their own expert panels. However, expert knowledge in fire safety is a highly contested domain, with knowledge claims based on differing sources. Fire fighters can claim expertise based on their experience of fighting fires, scientists and science-based engineers can claim expertise from experimentation, and those who create and enact regulations can claim expertise in what can termed ’codespeak’—the language of regulation. Although distanced from fundamental empirical experience of fire, codespeak is powerful because of its relative clarity and certainty, and legal status. Building users also bring their own form of ‘local’ expertise—they have first-hand experience of the practicalities of the solutions wrought by the other experts. Policy-makers thus face many competing forms of expert advice on fire safety, and their ability to judge what is most relevant in any particular case rests on the existence of a sufficient range and depth of in-house government expertise.
Better state pictures facilitating state machine characteristic conjecture
Authors: Bui Dang Duy , Ogata Kazuhiro 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe mutual exclusion protocol invented by Mellor-Crummey and Scott (called MCS protocol) is used to exemplify that state picture designs based on which the state machine graphical animation (SMGA) tool produces graphical animations should be better visualized. Variants of MCS protocol have been used in Java virtual machines and therefore the 2006 Edsger W. Dijkstra Prize in Distributed Computing went to their paper on MCS protocol. The new state picture design of a state machine formalizing MCS protocol is assessed based on Gestalt principles, more specifically proximity principle and similarity principle. We report on a core part of a formal verification case study in which the new state picture design and the SMGA tool largely contributed to the successful completion of the formal proof that MCS protocol enjoys the mutual exclusion property. The lessons learned acquired through our experiments are summarized as two groups of tips. The first group is some new tips on how to make state picture designs. The second one is some tips on how to conjecture state machine characteristics by using the SMGA tool. We also report on one more case study in which the state picture design has been made for the mutual exclusion protocol invented by Anderson (called Anderson protocol) and some characteristics of the protocol have been discovered based on the tips.
Learning-based nonlinear model predictive control with accurate uncertainty compensation
Authors: Xie Jingjie , Zhao Xiaowei , Dong Hongyang 
Published: May 2021

AbstractA learning-based nonlinear model predictive control (LBNMPC) method is proposed in this paper for general nonlinear systems under system uncertainties and subject to state and input constraints. The proposed LBNMPC strategy decouples the robustness and performance requirements by employing an additional learned model and introducing it into the MPC framework along with the nominal model. The nominal model helps to ensure the closed-loop system’s safety and stability, and the learned model aims to improve the tracking behaviors. As a core of the learned model construction, an online parameter estimator is designed to deal with system uncertainties. This estimation process effectively evaluates both the current and historical effects of uncertainties, leading to superior estimating performance compared with conventional methods. By constructing an invariant terminal constraint set, we prove that the LBNMPC is recursively feasible and robustly asymptotically stable. Numerical verifications for a two-link manipulator are conducted to validate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed control scheme.
Association Between Conflicts of Interest and Authors’ Positions on Harms of Varenicline: a Cross-Sectional Analysis
Authors: Fabbri Alice , Nejstgaard Camilla Hansen , Grundy Quinn , Bero Lisa , Dunn Adam G. , Mohammad Annim , Mintzes Barbara 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Background
Few studies have investigated the relationship between industry funding/conflicts of interest and authors’ positions in opinion pieces on drug safety. Harmful effects of varenicline, a treatment for smoking cessation, have been highly contested.

Objective
To examine the association between pharmaceutical industry funding/authors’ financial conflicts of interest and position on varenicline in opinion articles, especially in relation to the minimization of harms; to assess whether opinion pieces on drug safety issues written by authors with conflicts of interest are more frequently cited in the news or social media.

Design
Cross-sectional analysis.

Participants
English language opinion pieces and narrative reviews about varenicline published between May 2006 and February 2019.

Main Measures
Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals; the Mann-Whitney two-sample statistic was used to test for differences in Altmetric scores, a measure of media attention.

Key Results
Of the 221 included articles, 30.3% (67) disclosed the funding source and 62.9% (139) disclosed authors’ conflicts of interest. Authors of opinion pieces on varenicline who reported financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry (as a conflict of interest or funding source) were more likely to minimise the cardiovascular and psychiatric risk of varenicline compared to those without conflicts of interest or industry funding (OR: 4.00; 95% CI: 1.32 to 12.16 for cardiovascular risk; OR: 8.51; 95% CI: 3.79 to 19.11 for psychiatric risk). These associations persisted in sensitivity analyses. No statistically significant difference in Altmetric score was found between articles with (mean 15.83, median 3) and without (mean 11.90, median 1) conflicts of interest, indicating similar media attention (p-value=0.11).

Conclusions
We found that authors with financial ties to drug companies were more likely to publish opinion pieces that minimised harms of varenicline. These results raise questions about journals’ editorial policies to accept reviews of treatments from authors with financial relationships with manufacturers.
Theoretical approaches to teachers’ lesson designs involving the adaptation of mathematics textbooks: two cases from kyouzai kenkyuu in Japan
Authors: Shinno Yusuke , Mizoguchi Tatsuya 
Published: May 2021

AbstractIn this paper, we explore theoretical approaches to Japanese teachers’ lesson designs involving the adaptation of mathematics textbooks for instructional change. In Japan, although most teachers use textbooks as the main resource for lesson planning, calledkyouzai kenkyuu,the ways in which they use textbooks can differ. In akyouzai kenkyuupractice, Japanese teachers sometimes attempt to design innovative tasks and/or learning trajectories beyond or parallel to the textbooks and curriculum guidelines. Such practice is often invisible to international researchers, since it is culturally situated in the local context. To make it more visible, in this study we address and advance theoretical approaches using two frameworks which are well-established for research in mathematics education, namely, Anthropological Theory of the Didactic (ATD) and Documentational Approach to Didactics (DAD). Two cases of lesson design regarding fractions using the same textbook chapter for 3rd graders in primary schools in Japan, are used as examples to illustrate crucial elements of each framework and ways of combining and coordinating both frameworks. As a result, we conceptualise teachers’kyouzai kenkyuupractice using two approaches: from a praxeological analysis based on ATD, the difference in teachers’ mathematical and didactic knowledge was emphasised, while within DAD, the difference in the instrumentalisation process was emphasised. This analysis implies that the two theoretical approaches can be compatible, and used to gain deeper insight into the relationship between lesson design using the textbook and teacher knowledge.
Complex-Valued (p, q)-Harmonic Morphisms from Riemannian Manifolds
Authors: Ghandour Elsa , Gudmundsson Sigmundur 
Published: May 2021

AbstractWe introduce the natural notion of (p, q)-harmonic morphisms between Riemannian manifolds. This unifies several theories that have been studied during the last decades. We then study the special case when the maps involved are complex-valued. For these we find a characterisation and provide new non-trivial examples in important cases.
Fast and efficient removal of caffeine from water using dielectric barrier discharge
Authors: Al Bratty Mohammed , Al-Rajab Abdul Jabbar , Rehman Zia ur , Sharma Mukul , Alhazmi Hassan A. , Najmi Asim , Muzafar Hisham M. A. , Javed Sadique A. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractCaffeine is a well-known central nervous system stimulant, which can cause anxiety, insomnia and nervousness. Domestic wastes of caffeinated drinks, beverages and chocolates are the major sources for entry of caffeine in the environmental system. Caffeine has been widely detected in natural water resources. The current study describes a method for efficient removal of caffeine from aqueous solution by a laboratory scale dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in open air. Caffeine concentrations in various sample solutions were monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography, and the degradation products were identified by directly injecting the sample to mass spectrometer. The consequences of varied parameters such as input power, initial concentration and initial pH of the solution on the degradation of caffeine were investigated. Removal efficiency of caffeine from aqueous solution was 72.6% and 96.6% for the initial concentrations of 100 and 1 µg/mL, respectively, at initial pH 7 after 4 min treatment in DBD plasma system with 60 W input powers. Caffeine removal efficiency was less in acidic solutions (initial pH 4), and insignificant degradation was observed in alkaline solutions (initial pH 10). Furthermore, the degradation of caffeine was also enhanced by increasing the input power in DBD system. The DBD system used in this study has been considered to be fast, effective and economical. It was operated at atmospheric condition in open air without using catalyst, expensive gases or organic solvents, and significant degradation of caffeine was achieved in a short (4 min) treatment time.
Forecast Hesitancy: Why are People Reluctant to Believe, Accept, or Respond to Various Weather, Water, and Climate Hazard-Related Forecasts?
Authors: Glantz Michael H. , Pierce Gregory E. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractCurrent discussions of the social phenomenon of “vaccine hesitancy” with regard to Covid-19 provide an opportunity to use hesitancy as a means to shift thinking about untimely and delayed responses to forecasts of hydrometeorological hazards. Hesitancy, that is, provides a paradigm through which such regrettably delayed responses to hydromet hazards might be better understood and effectively addressed. Without exaggeration, just about every hydromet event provides an example of how hesitancy hinders individual, community, and national government risk-reducing preventive and mitigative responses to forecasts of foreseeable, relatively near-term climate, water, or weather hazards. Reasons for such hesitancy (for vaccine and forecast use alike) include—among others—lack of trust in the science, lack of confidence in government, and persistent concern about the uncertainties that surround forecasting—both meteorological and public health. As such, a better understanding of the causes that lead to individual and group hesitancy can better inform hydromet forecasters and affected communities about ways in which beneficial actions in response to timely forecasts are often delayed. This better understanding will facilitate, where necessary, targeted interventions to enhance the societal value of forecasting by reducing this long-observed challenge of “forecast hesitancy.” First, this article focuses on incidents of “vaccine hesitancy” that, for various reasons, people around the world are even now experiencing with regard to several now-available, and confirmed efficacious, Covid-19 vaccines. Reports of such incidents of indecisiveness first increased dramatically over the first few months of 2021, despite the strong scientific confidence that vaccination would significantly lower personal risk of contracting as well as spreading the virus. After, the notion of forecast hesitancy with regard to hydrometeorological hazards is discussed.It’s not what you say, it’s what people hear.-Frank Luntz (2007)
Comparison of clinical features and outcomes in COVID-19 and influenza pneumonia patients requiring intensive care unit admission
Authors: Oliva A. , Ceccarelli G. , Borrazzo C. , Ridolfi M. , D.’Ettorre G. , Alessandri F. , Ruberto F. , Pugliese F. , Raponi G. M. , Russo A. , Falletta A. , Mastroianni C. M. , Venditti M. 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Background
Little is known in distinguishing clinical features and outcomes between coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) and influenza (FLU).

Materials/methods
Retrospective, single-centre study including patients with COVID-19 or FLU pneumonia admitted to the Intensive care Unit (ICU) of Policlinico Umberto I (Rome). Aims were: (1) to assess clinical features and differences of patients with COVID-19 and FLU, (2) to identify clinical and/or laboratory factors associated with FLU or COVID-19 and (3) to evaluate 30-day mortality, bacterial superinfections, thrombotic events and invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in patients with FLU versus COVID-19.

Results
Overall, 74 patients were included (19, 25.7%, FLU and 55, 74.3%, COVID-19), median age 67 years (58–76). COVID-19 patients were more male (p = 0.013), with a lower percentage of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) (p = 0.001 and p = 0.037, respectively) than FLU. SOFA score was higher (p = 0.020) and lymphocytes were significantly lower in FLU than in COVID-19 [395.5 vs 770.0 cells/mmc, p = 0.005]. At multivariable analysis, male sex (OR 6.1, p < 0.002), age > 65 years (OR 2.4, p = 0.024) and lymphocyte count > 725 cells/mmc at ICU admission (OR 5.1, p = 0.024) were significantly associated with COVID-19, whereas CKD and COPD were associated with FLU (OR 0.1 and OR 0.16, p = 0.020 and p < 0.001, respectively). No differences in mortality, bacterial superinfections and thrombotic events were observed, whereas IPA was mostly associated with FLU (31.5% vs 3.6%, p = 0.0029).

Conclusions
In critically ill patients, male sex, age > 65 years and lymphocytes > 725 cells/mmc are related to COVID-19. FLU is associated with a significantly higher risk of IPA than COVID-19.
Geometrical nonlinearities and shape effects in electromechanical models of piezoelectric bridge structures
Authors: Ohlsson Fredrik , Johannisson Pontus , Rusu Cristina 
Published: May 2021

AbstractWe consider nonlinear shape effects appearing in the lumped electromechanical model of a bimorph piezoelectric bridge structure due to the interaction between the electromechanical constitutive model and the geometry of the structure. At finite proof-mass displacement and electrode voltage, the shape of the beams is no longer given by Euler-Bernoulli theory which implies that shape effects enter in both the electrical and mechanical domains and in the coupling between them. Accounting for such effects is important for the accurate modelling of, e.g., piezoelectrical energy harvesters and actuators in the regime of large deflections and voltages. We present a general method, based on a variational approach minimizing the Gibbs enthalpy of the system, for computing corrections to the nominal shape function and the associated corrections to the lumped model. The lowest order correction is derived explicitly and is shown to produce significant improvements in model accuracy, both in terms of the Gibbs enthalpy and the shape function itself, over a large range of displacements and voltages. Furthermore, we validate the theoretical model using large deflection finite element simulations of the bridge structure and conclude that the lowest order correction substantially improve the model, obtaining a level of accuracy expected to be sufficient for most applications. Finally, we derive the equations of motion for the lowest order corrected model and show how the coupling between the electromechanical properties and the geometry of the bridge structure introduces nonlinear interaction terms.
SIM boxing – why mobile regulators need to act now
Authors: Gent Andy 
Published: May 2021

Mobile operators lose more than $28bn a year to telecoms fraud and revenue loss, according to the Communications Fraud Control Association (CFCA). In an industry where margins are increasingly being squeezed, fraud represents the single biggest preventable revenue threat to mobile operators, and in some regions SIM boxing is a significant contributor to the problem. Fraud represents the single biggest preventable revenue threat to mobile operators, and in some regions SIM boxing is a significant contributor to the problem. SIM box or bypass fraud takes place when individuals or organisations buy thousands of SIM cards to unlawfully terminate calls. A multi-layered approach, using intelligent technology solutions combined with tighter control over SIM card sales, and penalties for poor fraud management performance, are new weapons in network regulators' armoury in the fight against criminals, says Andy Gent of Revector.
High-power non-perturbative laser delivery diagnostics at the final focus of 100-TW-class laser pulses
Authors: Isono Fumika , van Tilborg Jeroen , Barber Samuel K. , Natal Joseph , Berger Curtis , Tsai Hai-En , Ostermayr Tobias , Gonsalves Anthony , Geddes Cameron , Esarey Eric 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Controlling the delivery of multi-terawatt and petawatt laser pulses to final focus, both in position and angle, is critical to many laser applications such as optical guiding, laser–plasma acceleration, and laser-produced secondary radiation. We present an online, non-destructive laser diagnostic, capable of measuring the transverse position and pointing angle at focus. The diagnostic is based on a unique double-surface-coated wedged-mirror design for the final steering optic in the laser line, producing a witness beam highly correlated with the main beam. By propagating low-power kilohertz pulses to focus, we observed spectra of focus position and pointing angle fluctuations dominated by frequencies below 70 Hz. The setup was also used to characterize the excellent position and pointing angle correlation of the 1 Hz high-power laser pulses to this low-power kilohertz pulse train, opening a promising path to fast non-perturbative feedback concepts even on few-hertz-class high-power laser systems.