bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Configuration of Incoterms into Smart Contracts: a View of International Sales Contracts through a Futuristic Periscope
Authors: Audu P. F. , Shabih F. 
Published: August 2024

Objective: to identify the prospects of international trade in the light of synchronizing Incoterms with smart contracts.Methods: the study is based on the general scientific methods of analysis, synthesis, comparison, and formal-legal method necessary to analyze the provisions of Incoterms.Results: the authors analyzed the provisions of Incoterms and technological innovations in commercial law; showed the connection between the practice of commercial law and technological development due to the inclusion of contractual terms in blockchain. It is noted that the integration of blockchain technology with smart contracts has led to a variety of automated business transactions and the creation of a platform for synthetic assets trading. The authors describe the possibilities of secure and easy transactions in international trade using blockchain. Despite the uniqueness of this technology, its different types are distinguished, namely: public, private, hybrid, and consortium blockchain. It is substantiated that the synchronization of Incoterms with smart contracts can improve the prospects of international trade (especially export-import contracts). It is emphasized that smart contracts based on blockchain can revolutionize the application of Incoterms, consequently increasing the efficiency of transactions between parties to export-import relationships. One of the fundamental changes that smart contracts will bring to these trade transactions is the reduction of errors and misinterpretations of Incoterms. The authors use specific cases to demonstrate disputes arising at the stages of transaction conclusion and execution, which could have been avoided using modern technologies.Scientific novelty: The paper shows the phenomenon of synchronizing Incoterms with blockchain and how it can affect the form of contracts and facilitate their smooth execution. The proposed approach to analyzing the phenomenon takes into account the revolutionary innovations in crossborder trade, which are compared with the usual ways of applying Incoterms in traditional international trade contracts.Practical significance: the research provides suggestions and recommendations for further development of innovations in the field of smart contracts, especially export-import trade contracts on a global scale.
Public-Private Partnership Agreement in the Context of the Matrix for Assessing their Legal Parameters and Digitalization
Authors: Molintas D. T. 
Published: August 2024

Objective: by reviewing the legal aspects of public-private partnership agreements, to synthesize their main provisions into a common matrix, which, when digitized, can be used to standardize and simplify the formulation of agreement parameters.Methods: the author relied on comparative-legal analysis of scientific literature, legislation and Internet sources on public-private partnership, supplemented by a review of public-private partnership agreements in various socio-political spheres, which made it possible to create a science-based and practice-oriented matrix that can serve as a tool for drafting publicprivate partnership agreements.Results: national aspects in the legal regulation of the said relations in different countries were highlighted; a number of peculiarities encountered in public-private partnership agreements were described.Scientific novelty: taking into account the most important legal peculiarities characteristic of different countries, a matrix for drafting public-private partnership agreements is presented, including eight main parameters: 1 – value received, scope, benefits and risks, 2 – route to market, 3 – restraint of competition, 4 – conflict of interest and procurement issues, 5 – powers, approvals, legal assessment, 6 – liabilities, dispute resolution, 7 – ownership structure, governance and level of autonomy, 8 – exit strategies. Depending on the priorities identified, the matrix can be modified, taking into account that priorities define and shape the specific parameters of each individual partnership.Practical significance: the matrix obtained can become a planning tool used to analyze and understand the relationships between the eight legal parameters necessary for the formation of relations in the sphere of publicprivate partnership. It may serve as a legal reference point for the formulation of public-private partnership agreements around the world, and will contribute not only to the revitalization of public-private partnerships, but also to a proper understanding of obligations, responsibilities and limitations. The recommendations provided in the study show direction for the evaluation of public-private partnerships, allowing clear conclusions to be drawn about the partnership. Digital accessibility provided, the proposed matrix will be of interest to many organizations that use public-private partnerships in their professional activities.
From the Theory of the African Origin of Humankind to Modern Social, Legal and Technological Innovations: a Brief Analytical Excursion into Anthroposociogenesis
Authors: Traore D. 
Published: August 2024

Objective: to trace the evolution of humanity and to identify the role of various social institutions in order to understand the existential role of laws aimed at ensuring the coexistence of society in the context of technological innovations.Methods: the author used general scientific and special methods of cognition, which allowed tracing the dialectical development of humanity, social transformations and technological innovations.Results: looking back at the history of humanity, which originated on the African continent (the theory of African descent), the author notes the most important changes in the human way of life and environment, which led to the need to build organized societies and regulate social behavior with the help of legislative norms. Law is seen as part of the evolutionary process that was to emerge in the course of human evolution. The critical importance of law in overcoming the global challenges and existential questions of humanity’s continued coexistence arising in the course of evolution is emphasized. In this regard, the historical significance of the Kurukan Fuga Charter of the Malian Empire is emphasized as one of the oldest constitutions in the world, recognized internationally as an important source of legal and political norms for modern societies, regulating the structure of state power and social behaviour, although preserved largely in oral form. It is argued that social and technological change often served as the impetus for the development of new laws. Humanity has many times intervened in its own biological evolution with the help of technology; now it is an important moment from the viewpoint of law and ethics when technology may interfere in further human evolution. The greatest concern in this regard is the era of rapid development of artificial intelligence, which makes new demands on a human being.Scientific novelty: the article shows the role of the African continent in the origin and development of humanity and socio-legal institutions in the light of modern transformations and the construction of a new social reality.Practical significance: the conducted research creates prerequisites for further development of the theory of anthroposociogenesis and in-depth conceptual historical and legal study of the role of the African continent in the development of humanity and its social institutions.
Research on Accessibility and Coordination of Urban Public Fitness Facilities:A Case Study of the 15-Minute Fitness Circle in Central Guangzhou
Authors: Zhao Pengxu , Chen Hong 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Employing the Gaussian two-step moving search method,this study accurately measured the accessibility of residents in the central urban area of Guangzhou to different types of fitness facilities,and analyzed the coordination issues in the distribution of fitness facilities in this central urban area.The research discovered that there is a distinct pattern of disparity in the accessibility of public fitness facilities in the central urban area of Guangzhou,with variations both among different regions and different types of facilities.Additionally,the study identified a structural distortion in the supply-demand mismatch of public fitness facilities in the central urban area of Guangzhou,characterized by an oversupply in sparsely populated urban fringe communities and a shortage in central urban communities.The policy suggestion for the future planning and layout of public fitness facilities in Guangzhou is to implement a strategy of"expansion and coordination.""Expansion"refers to focusing on the construction of residential and community-level public fitness facilities,with the aim of continuously expanding the coverage area of the 15-minute community fitness circle."Coordination"involves precisely identifying the spatial distribution of the population and promoting the alignment of newly built public fitness facilities with this population distribution.
SIRT6 regulates Tryptophan catabolism preventing metabolite imbalance and neurodegeneration
Authors: Toiber Debra , Kopatch Shai Kaluski- , Stein Daniel , Venzor Alfredo Garcia , Campos Ana Margarida Ferreira , Planque Melanie , Goldstein Bareket , De Allende-Becerra Estefanía , Smirnov Dmitri , Zaretsky Adam , Eremenko Ekaterina , Portillo Miguel , Einav Monica , Krejci Alena Bruce , Abdu Uri , Khrameeva Ekaterina , Gitler Daniel , Fendt Sarah-Maria 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

In the brain, tryptophan byproducts are involved in the biosynthesis of proteins, energy-rich molecules (e.g., NAD+), and neurotransmitters (serotonin and melatonin). Impaired tryptophan catabolism, seen in aging, neurodegeneration and psychiatric diseases affects mood, learning, and sleep; however, the reasons for those impairments remain unknown. Our results from cellular, drosophila melanogaster, and mouse models indicate that SIRT6 regulates tryptophan catabolism by balancing its usage. Mechanistically, SIRT6 regulates tryptophan and sleep quality through changes in gene expression of key genes (e.g., TDO2, AANAT), which elevates the concentration of neurotoxic metabolites at the expense of serotonin and melatonin production. Such neurotoxic metabolites are AhR ligands. Downstream, SIRT6 influences aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) function by altering its expression, recruitment to chromatin, and by affecting its ligands from tryptophan metabolites. However, by redirecting tryptophan through TDO2 inhibition in our new SIRT6-KO Drosophila model, the impairments in neuromotor behavior and parameters of neurodegeneration could be significantly reversed.
Premature mortality analysis of 53,000 deceased cats and dogs exposes socioeconomic disparities
Authors: Farrell Sean , Anderson Katharine , Noble Peter-John Mäntylä , Al-Moubayed Noura 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Monitoring mortality rates provides essential insights into public health, revealing the hidden impacts of diseases, enabling the identification of trends, allocating resources, and guiding effective policy decisions. Here, we explore premature mortality in dogs and cats across the United Kingdom (UK); we leverage a novel methodology that examines data from 28,562 deceased dogs and 24,460 deceased cats. We utilise an automated large language model-based ICD-11 syndromic classifier and reveal the impact of behavioural conditions on premature euthanasia in dogs, particularly as the leading cause of years of lost life in ages one to six. Examining cephalic index variations, our study highlights a 36\% increase in premature mortality risk among Brachycephalic dog breeds, underscoring critical animal welfare concerns compared to their Mesaticephalic counterparts. Importantly, our study establishes a significant correlation between premature mortality and socioeconomic status, highlighting the persisting inequalities within the UK's veterinary field. Lower index of multiple deprivation (IMD) scores are significantly associated with reduced premature mortality in both cats (0.52, p<0.001) and dogs (0.53, p<0.001). This research underscores the necessity of examining the socioeconomic disparities affecting animal health outcomes. By addressing these inequities, we can better safeguard the well-being of our companion animals.
Tree planting strongly attenuates storm runoff response on the Chinese Loess Plateau
Authors: Kirchner James , Liu Shaozhen , Wang Yunqiang , Seybold Hansjoerg , Meerveld Ilja 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Tree planting, widely promoted as a climate change mitigation strategy, has been shown to reduce average streamflows. Its effects on storm runoff, however, remain unclear. In the early 2000's, China’s “Grain for Green Program” almost doubled vegetation cover on the Loess Plateau. Here we show that this tree planting reduced peak runoff responses by up to 86%, proportional to the percentage growth in Leaf Area Index, across five mesoscale basins with different degrees of afforestation. Surprisingly, this effect was larger during higher-intensity rainfall, implying that it cannot arise primarily from increased canopy interception or soil moisture depletion, which would have relatively larger effects during low-intensity precipitation. Instead, we hypothesize that the main mechanisms are reductions in runoff-generating areas and increases in infiltration rates. Consistent with this hypothesis, afforestation increased low flows up to 25%. These substantial and persistent hydrological consequences of tree planting can inform future climate change mitigation projects.
Scalable multi-agent reinforcement learning based on battlefield situation transfer and curriculum learning
Authors: Wang Yihuan , Ma Yaofei , wang Jiangyun , Feng Xutao 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Due to its potential application value, multi-UAV air combat missions have become a hot topic in the current military research field at home and abroad. With the rise of artificial intelligence and intelligent warfare, a series of UAV air combat decision-making methods based on deep reinforcement learning have been proposed by various countries. However, when the number of agents increases and the type of aircraft changes, the action space and state space of reinforcement learning will change, which will face the problem of poor stability of the training process and is extremely sensitive to hyperparameters (such as learning rate). Therefore, based on the traditional multi-agent reinforcement learning based on AC decision network, this paper improves the decision network, introduces curriculum learning and transfer learning, and proposes a multi-agent reinforcement learning decision framework that can converge quickly and improve training robustness.
Cigarette Filters: A Benchmarking Investigation of Thermal and Chemical Attributes
Authors: Wilkinson Eric , Stack Margaret , Hoh Eunha , Poletti Sarah , Mladenov Natalie , Youssef George 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Cellulose acetate (CA) has been extensively studied with minimal regard to end-of-life analysis. Cigarette filters predominantly comprise CA fibers and chemical additives for filtration and manufacturing, altering their physicochemical and thermal properties, and influencing their interactions with the environment upon disposal. This research employed multifaceted analyses to determine the physicochemical and thermal properties of cellulose acetate sourced from unsmoked cigarette filters and pristine CA powder, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). FTIR analysis ascertained the structure of CA by resolving spectral peaks, while pointing out the effects of additives, processing conditions, and the degree of substitution. An increase in the latter indicates reduced biodegradability and potentially longer persistence after disposal. The morphology was examined using electron and optical microscopies, revealing insights into FTIR results. TGA elucidated the decomposition response, evidencing moisture and volatile retention in the CA fibers extracted from unsmoked cigarette filters, suggesting unique decomposition behavior due to the reactivity of the additives with the surrounding environment. The thermal decomposition of unsmoked cigarette filters is insensitive to inter- and intra-filter variability. DSC analysis identified the thermal transitions of the CA fibers and powder, accentuating the effects of morphology, entanglements, and plasticizers on the structural stability of cellulose acetate. Our research establishes a baseline characterization of cigarette filters, laying the scientific foundations for further investigation into this pervasive pollutant.
The association of oxidized abnormal lipids oxLDL and oxHDL with comorbidity of type 2 diabetes and pulmonary tuberculosis
Authors: Gui Jing , Wang Feng , Hong Chuang-Yue , Fu Yu , Yang Hui , Cai Yu-Mao 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Objectives Dyslipidemia has been shown to have a significant impact on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), atherosclerosis, and pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), the pathological mechanisms underlying abnormal lipid profiles of these three disease categories remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the correlation between oxidized lipoproteins, specifically oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and oxidized high-density lipoprotein (oxHDL), and the comorbidity of T2DM and PTB（T2DM+PTB.
Methods A total of 360 cases were prospectively included from June 2022 to June 2023, including 60 cases of the simple hyperlipidemia group, 100 cases of the PTB group, 100 cases of the T2DM group, and 100 cases of the T2DM+PTB group from the outpatient department of our center. Among them, the PTB group, T2DM group, and T2DM+PTB group were further divided into subgroups of normal blood lipids (40 cases) and hyperlipidemia (60 cases). Sixty healthy individuals were included as the control group. The age range of the participants was 35 to 70 years old. Venous blood was collected from each group to detect HbA1c, INS, FSG, CHOL, TG, HDL, LDL, ApoA I, and Apo B, and oxLDL levels were measured using ELISA. The differences in levels between groups were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis assessed the association between oxLDL and oxHDL levels with PTB and T2DM+PTB.
Results Patients with T2DM hyperlipidemia subgroup and T2DM+PTB hyperlipidemia subgroup showed oxLDL levels more than twice as high and oxHDL levels more than four times higher than those in the control group. A simple hyperlipidemia group also exhibited oxLDL levels significantly higher than the control group. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive linear correlations between TG and LDL with oxLDL in both subgroups, while CHOL and LDL showed significant positive correlations with oxLDL in the PTB hyperlipidemia subgroup. TG levels were significantly positively correlated with oxHDL in all three hyperlipidemia subgroups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed oxLDL levels exceeding twice those of the control group to be independent risk factors for PTB and T2DM+PTB, while oxHDL levels exceeding four times those of the control group were independent risk factors for PTB.
Conclusion There are higher levels of oxLDL and oxHDL which may increase the risk of having both T2DM and PTB. It is suggested that we should clinically evaluate the significance of oxLDL levels that are more than twice the levels of the control group and oxHDL levels that are more than four times the levels of the control group. This will help us identify a threshold that can be used for further assessment of a pathological condition.
Psychological outpatient follow-up after hospitalization for adolescent acute alcohol intoxication
Authors: Pigeaud Louise , de Veld Loes , Blitterswijk Amy van , Lely Nico van der 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Introduction:
Alcohol-related emergency department attendance in adolescents should be considered as a valuable opportunity to address and mitigate future alcohol consumption. Therefore, a paediatric department of a major district hospital in the Netherlands developed an outpatient preventive program targeting adolescents admitted for acute alcohol intoxication. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate how adolescent drinking patterns participating in the preventive program developed over time.
Methods
This retrospective observational study was conducted in the Reinier de Graaf hospital, Delft, the Netherlands. The outpatient preventive program consists of three main components: an initial intervention, subsequent an extended counselling session and psychological interventions. The alcohol consumption was compared at three time points: before the admission for acute alcohol intoxication(T = 0), 4–6 weeks after hospital admission(T = 1) and 6–12 months after the hospital admission(T = 2). Moreover, sociodemographic variables, adolescent risk-taking behaviour and family and pedagogical factors were included in secondary analysis.
Results
In total, 310 patients underwent the outpatient preventive program from 2014–2022. Adolescents who experienced an alcohol intoxication hospital admittance exhibited more adolescent risk-taking behaviour compared to the Dutch average. Initially, these adolescents had significantly higher rates of alcohol consumption and drunkenness. Alcohol use decreased significantly in the month following intoxication, even below the Dutch average. Though, 6–12 months later, their alcohol consumption increased but remained statistically lower and involved less binge drinking than the Dutch average.
Conclusions
The findings of this study demonstrate that a preventive program following acute alcohol intoxication contributes to the reduction of adolescent alcohol use and associated risk-taking behaviours.
Polarization Insensitivity Research of the Three-layer Silicon-based Symmetric Cascade Optical Sensor
Authors: Wei Zhiqiang , Huang Yafei , He Lijun , Qian Fei 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

This paper presents a symmetric all-dielectric two-dimensional grating with high transmittance and high figure of merit (FOM) based on cylindrical nanoarrays as a liquid sensing structure with small volume and high sensitivity. The device is optimized using the finite element method to calculate the transmissivity under TE/TM polarization. When the incident angle is 4 degrees, the transmissivity of the grating is nearly 1 with a full width at half maximum of 0.0158 nm and a sensitivity of 256.196 nm/RIU. The FOM is 16214.937. The sensor characteristics of the incident angle on the device are analyzed, and the normalized electric field distribution indicates that the change of the incident angle has a significant modulation ability for the resonance energy distribution. The proposed sensor is independent of polarization state, easy to control and integrate, and has broad application prospects in fields such as liquid solution detection, ocean surveys, and position sensing.