bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preparation and Characterization of Polyvinyl Alcohol‐Chitosan/Cerium‐Nanocellulose Hydrogel for Medical Dressing Application
Authors: Chen Qifeng , Wang Yunjia , Yin Fushou , Wang Wenxiong , Chen Guangxue , Lin Peisheng 
Published: December 2021

AbstractMedical dressings require good antibacterial and mechanical properties. Polyvinyl alcohol based medical dressings are commercially available, and the antimicrobial properties of chitosan and cerium ions are known, and nanocellulose possesses excellent comprehensive properties, such as non‐toxicity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. In this study, polyvinyl alcohol‐chitosan/cerium‐nanocellulose (PVA‐Cs/Ce‐CNF) composite hydrogels are prepared by a freeze‐thaw method and characterized by scanning electron microscope and X‐ray diffraction. It is expected to improve antibacterial activity of the composite hydrogels by adding a small amount of cerium, and their biological activity will not be affected. In addition, the effects of chitosan/cerium (Cs/Ce) complexes and nanocellulose with different contents on properties are investigated. The results show that PVA‐Cs/Ce‐CNF composite hydrogels have a 3D, highly porous structure with distributed pores of 8–30µm, good skin viscosity, efficient ability to absorb fluid, and suitable water vapor transmission rate of 2000—2500 g m−2 day−1. Two hydrogels in specific ratio show good strong tensile strength of 132.6 and 130.1 kPa respectively, and their elongation at break are over 400%. The PVA‐Cs/Ce‐CNF composite hydrogels are non‐toxic, and they have inhibitory effect on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. These results suggest that the PVA‐Cs/Ce‐CNF composite hydrogels have great potential as medical dressings.
Mechanism understanding for stripping electrochemistry of Li metal anode
Authors: Jiang Feng‐Ni , Yang Shi‐Jie , Liu He , Cheng Xin‐Bing , Liu Lei , Xiang Rong , Zhang Qiang , Kaskel Stefan , Huang Jia‐Qi 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe pursuit of sustainable energy has a great request for advanced energy storage devices. Lithium metal batteries are regarded as a potential electrochemical storage system because of the extremely high capacity and the most negative electrochemical potential of lithium metal anode. Dead lithium formed in the stripping process significantly contributes to the low efficiency and short lifespan of rechargeable lithium metal batteries. This review displays a critical review on the current research status about the stripping electrochemistry of lithium metal anode. The significance of stripping process to a robust lithium metal anode is emphasized. The stripping models in different electrochemical scenarios are discussed. Specific attention is paid to the understanding for the electrochemical principles of atom diffusion, electrochemical reaction, ion diffusion in solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), and electron transfer with the purpose to strengthen the insights into the behavior of lithium electrode stripping. The factors affecting stripping processes and corresponding solutions are summarized and categorized as follows: surface physics, SEI, operational and external factors. This review affords fresh insights to explore the lithium anode and design robust lithium metal batteries based on the comprehensive understanding of the stripping electrochemistry.
Human capital and youth emigration in the “new normal”
Authors: Palalić Ramo , Duraković Benjamin , Ramadani Veland , Ferreira João J. M. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractEvery society's future lies in its youth, which can be considered a critical milestone for a nation's sociopolitical development. This research examines the young population attempting to identify and explores the students' perceptions about migration, their postulates, and the reasoning why so many students ultimately choose to emigrate. Data were collected in a questionnaire survey of 206 randomly selected students from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some different multivariate analyses were performed to test the hypotheses. Other results were further discussed. Results show that the country's legal framework is a key reason for the prevailing poor living standard. This has resulted in a large number of youths leaving the country. Overall, both the legal framework (for both young entrepreneurs and women) and the overall standard of living (quality of life, well‐being, salary, retirement, and education) are correlated with people choosing to emigrate. Furthermore, theoretical and practical implications are discussed. As far as we know, this is the first empirical study on this particular region that investigates the youth migration trends considered an important milestone for human capital development.
Reproducibility and replicability of high‐frequency, in‐home digital biomarkers in reducing sample sizes for clinical trials
Authors: Wu Chao‐Yi , Beattie Zachary , Mattek Nora , Sharma Nicole , Kaye Jeffrey , Dodge Hiroko H. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractIntroductionReproducibility and replicability of results are rarely achieved for digital biomarkers analyses. We reproduced and replicated previously reported sample size estimates based on digital biomarker and neuropsychological test outcomes in a hypothetical 4‐year early‐phase Alzheimer's disease trial.MethodsOriginal data and newly collected data (using a different motion sensor) came from the Oregon Center for Aging & Technology (ORCATECH). Given trajectories of those with incident mild cognitive impairment and normal cognition would represent trajectories of the control and experimental groups in a hypothetical trial, sample sizes to provide 80% power to detect effect sizes ranging from 20% to 50% were calculated.ResultsFor the reproducibility, identical P‐values and slope estimates were found with both digital biomarkers and neuropsychological test measures between the previous and current studies. As for the replicability, a greater correlation was found between original and replicated sample size estimates for digital biomarkers (r = 0.87, P < .001) than neuropsychological test outcomes (r = 0.75, P < .001).DiscussionReproducibility and replicability of digital biomarker analyses are feasible and encouraged to establish the reliability of findings.
Efficacy and Cost of GonaCon™ for Population Control in a Free‐ranging White‐tailed Deer Population
Authors: Walker Micah J. , Shank G. Christopher , Stoskopf Michael K. , Minter Larry J. , DePerno Christopher S. 
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACTAs white‐tailed deer populations increase in developed and urban areas, lethal management is necessary to control population growth. However, concerns about safety and negative attitudes towards lethal control and using firearms near houses have prompted many communities to pursue nonlethal techniques. Therefore, in 2014 we initiated a 5‐year project to attempt to stabilize the local deer population on Bald Head Island (BHI), North Carolina, using the immunocontraceptive GonaCon™. Since 2014 we captured and inoculated 77 female deer with GonaCon™. From 2017 to 2018 we evaluated the efficacy and cost of GonaCon™ at reducing pregnancy in adult female white‐tailed deer on BHI. We obtained blood samples from 49 deer that had received either 1 or 2 doses of GonaCon™, and from 19 female deer that had received no GonaCon™ for pregnancy analysis using the pregnancy specific protein B assay. All untreated deer sampled were pregnant (n = 19), whereas 67% of deer sampled that received only a single dose were pregnant (n = 27), and 14% of deer that received 2 doses (n = 22) were pregnant. Thus, 2 doses of GonaCon™ were necessary to reduce pregnancy rates below 50%. The total direct cost of the 5‐year immunocontraception project was $320,030.52 and averaged $2,078.12/capture with an overall efficacy of 33% for one dose and 86% for 2 doses of GonaCon™. Conversely, the estimated cost for the local government (i.e., Village of Bald Head Island) to cull 30 deer in 2018 was $16,163.63, or $538.79/deer. The estimated deer population was 113 in 2014 and increased to 198 individuals by 2018. Further population projections suggested the white‐tailed deer population is projected to reach 342 individuals by 2022. Although 2 doses of GonaCon™ were effective at reducing pregnancy, administration across the BHI deer population was not successful in reducing the deer population, and culling will likely be necessary to reduce the population. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.
Successful assisted rearing and reintegration of a blue wildebeest calf into a managed herd prior to weaning
Authors: Bloomer Ethan G. , Swenson Julie , Haefele Holly , Eyres Adam 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus; Burchell, 1823) is an African ungulate that is notoriously difficult to hand‐rear and reintegrate into managed herds. The following case report is of a female wildebeest neonate that was orphaned, bottle‐reared, and successfully reintroduced into a herd at a zoological facility. Since blue wildebeests are a highly precocial and herd‐oriented species that calve synchronously in the wild as a reproductive strategy to maximize survival, early release of assist‐reared neonates into managed herds before weaning may be an effective strategy for increasing the chance of acceptance. Wildebeest calves can also be easily trained for bottle‐feedings in the field to facilitate early release. Due to a lack of literature on the assisted rearing and reintegration of wildebeest calves into managed herds, this case report provides useful techniques for the feeding, training, and releasing of bottle‐reared wildebeests that may also be applicable to other assist‐reared herd species at zoological facilities.
Concept for Robot-Based Cable Assembly Regarding Industrial Production
Authors: Gebauer Daniel , Dirr Jonas , Reinhart Gunther 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe assembly of cables in industrial production is still a largely manually performed task. Therefore, automatic cable assembly offers much potential in terms of efficiency. The major challenge of automating this task lies in the formlessness of the cables, which entails unknown and inconstant states of the assembly objects. In this paper, a process chain and a concept are presented for the automated cable assembly in an industrial context. The process chain consists of five process steps, which are used to structure existing approaches and system configurations for automated cable assembly from a production technology perspective. The emphasis is on the coverage of the process steps and the system technology. The presented concept represents an approach for robotic cable assembly focusing on the flexibility to process multiple product variants. Basis for the ability to handle a variety of variants is the avoidance of a forced shape on the cables. For this approach, system technology as well as challenges and possible solutions are presented.
Approach of a Decision Support Matrix for the Implementation of Exoskeletons in Industrial Workplaces
Authors: Ralfs Lennart , Hoffmann Niclas , Weidner Robert 
Published: December 2021

AbstractDespite the advancing trends in automation, workers in industrial workplaces often face repetitive tasks with heavy workloads. Whenever methods or adaptions in both technology and organization are insufficient to improve working conditions, personal-related interventions as exoskeletons come into question. They may prove successful in alleviating musculoskeletal disorders and relieving physical strain. The rising number of market-ready exoskeletons often challenges users or companies to select an appropriate system for their applications. In order to address this issue, this paper presents a generic approach for supporting both the selection and evaluation of exoskeletons. With respect to the task, user, and technical system, the decision support matrix (DSM) merges work profiles, motion patterns, and postures into one schematic representation. It aims to suggest exoskeletons with inherent properties matching these external requirements. In summary, the DSM may help users and companies to assess the fundamental suitability and select appropriate support devices for specific applications.
Transmitter Positioning of Distributed Large-Scale Metrology Within Line-Less Mobile Assembly Systems
Authors: Nicksch Christoph , Hüttner Alexander K. , Schmitt Robert H. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractIn Line-less Mobile Assembly Systems (LMAS) the mobilization of assembly resources and products enables rapid physical system reconfigurations to increase flexibility and adaptability. The clean-floor approach discards fixed anchor points, so that assembly resources such as mobile robots and automated guided vehicles transporting products can adapt to new product requirements and form new assembly processes without specific layout restrictions. An associated challenge is spatial referencing between mobile resources and product tolerances. Due to the missing fixed points, there is a need for more positioning data to locate and navigate assembly resources. Distributed large-scale metrology systems offer the capability to cover a wide shop floor area and obtain positioning data from several resources simultaneously with uncertainties in the submillimeter range. The positioning of transmitter units of these systems becomes a demanding task taking visibility during dynamic processes and configuration-dependent measurement uncertainty into account. This paper presents a novel approach to optimize the position configuration of distributed large-scale metrology systems by minimizing the measurement uncertainty for dynamic assembly processes. For this purpose, a particle-swarm-optimization algorithm has been implemented. The results show that the algorithm is capable of determining suitable transmitter positions by finding global optima in the assembly station search space verified by applying brute-force method in simulation.
Aerial Grasping and Transport Using an Unmanned Aircraft (UA) Equipped with an Industrial Suction Gripper
Authors: Lieret Markus , Kreis Benedikt , Hofmann Christian , Zwingel Maximilian , Franke Jörg 
Published: December 2021

AbstractDuetotheavailabilityof highly efficient unmanned aircraft (UA) and the advancement of the necessary technologies, the use of UA for object manipulation and cargo transport is becoming a more and more relevant research area. A reliable identification and localization of cargo and interaction objects as well as maintaining the required flight precision are essential to guarantee a successful object handling. Within this paper we demonstrate the successful application of an autonomous UA equipped with a lightweight suction gripper for object interaction. We discuss the approach used for precise localization as well as the identification and pose estimation of individual gripping objects. Concluding, the overall system performance is evaluated within an industrial-oriented use case.
The Earth
Authors: Brown Marvin T. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe Earth is both our home and our provider. It’s meaning for us depends on how we interpret our human, social, and civic relationships with it. All humans exist as participants in the earth’s dynamics, from breathing its air to consuming its provisions. Our social relations with the Earth span the range from indigenous groups who see the Earth as sacred to some modern groups who see it as a commodity. We are dwellers on the Earth and our dwellings exist as homes in a natural and urban environment and yet they can be treated as nothing but real estate. Still, since Earth Day in 1972, there have been “environmental victories” in preserving the Earth’s vitality, and yet today as citizens we face a stark alternative between a stable or “hot house” Earth. Making the right choice depends on breaking through the climate of injustice that now prevents us from both repairing our relationships with each other and from restoring the Earth as a habitat for all living things.
Is There a Link Between Corporate Purpose and Performance?
Authors: Cardona Pablo , Rey Carlos 
Published: December 2021

AbstractAfter 50 years of debate on this crucial question, the evidence is increasingly strong in favor of “yes”: companies can achieve better results if they incorporate practices that foster people’s sense of purpose. This relationship seems to be valid for very different types of industries and various business strategies within the cost-differentiation spectrum. However, causality between purpose and performance is not as linear as some literature and consultants seem to indicate. In this chapter, we discuss this relationship under the perspective of unity (the degree of mutual trust and commitment to the company experienced by people who contribute to fulfilling its purpose). Based on this perspective, we provide a framework that distinguishes four types of cultures: bureaucratic, paternalistic, aggressive and competent.
What Are Companies For?
Authors: Cardona Pablo , Rey Carlos 
Published: December 2021

AbstractManagement by missions (MBM) starts by asking a fundamental question: What is your company for? It seems reasonable to assume that an organization and its members should have a clear idea of why they exist. In practice, however, that is not always the case. Very often, there is great confusion and conflict of opinion on this point, even within the board of directors or executive committee. In this chapter, we explore this fundamental question first by discussing the role of profit in business (as a mean or an end). Then we propose a specific definition of purpose as the synthesis of the ends of a company. We then introduce the three dimensions of an effective purpose: Authenticity, Coherence and Integrity. Finally, we discuss the relationship between personal and corporate purpose.
Culture and Colonialism: The 1916 Shakespeare Tercentenary in Egypt
Authors: Sami Karma , Smialkowska Monika 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe 300th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death in 1916 coincided with an unprecedented political crisis across the globe. The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 brought to the fore the ambitions of the established and would-be colonial powers, conflicts between and within existing nation states, and disenfranchised groups’ aspirations for self-determination. Recent scholarship has demonstrated how the 1916 Shakespearean commemorations in countries such as Britain, Germany, Ireland, and the USA registered these political upheavals. However, research into the Shakespeare Tercentenary has so far neglected Egypt’s complex response to the occasion. Amidst developing political tensions, which were to culminate in the Revolution of 1919, Egyptian intellectuals nevertheless chose to commemorate Shakespeare’s Tercentenary. These commemorations, however, were marked by ambivalence: while expressing admiration for Shakespeare, Egyptian commentators questioned the appropriateness of celebrating an English writer instead of promoting Egypt’s, and the Arabs’, own national literature. This chapter examines the manifestations of these conflicting feelings, ranging from the heated press debates surrounding the occasion, through Cairo University’s celebrations, to tributes published by individual intellectuals, such as Ahmad Lutfi al-Sayyid and Mohammed Hafiz Ibrahim. In doing so, the chapter explores the ambiguities created by celebrating a cultural anniversary at a historical moment fraught with acute colonial tensions.
On the complexity of equational decision problems for finite height complemented and orthocomplemented modular lattices
Authors: Herrmann Christian 
Published: December 2021

AbstractWe study the computational complexity of the satisfiability problem and the complement of the equivalence problem for complemented (orthocomplemented) modular lattices L and classes thereof. Concerning a simple L of finite height, $$\mathcal {NP}$$
NP
-hardness is shown for both problems. Moreover, both problems are shown to be polynomial-time equivalent to the same feasibility problem over the division ring D whenever L is the subspace lattice of a D-vector space of finite dimension at least 3. Considering the class of all finite dimensional Hilbert spaces, the equivalence problem for the class of subspace ortholattices is shown to be polynomial-time equivalent to that for the class of endomorphism $$*$$

∗

-rings with pseudo-inversion; moreover, we derive completeness for the complement of the Boolean part of the nondeterministic Blum-Shub-Smale model of real computation without constants. This result extends to the additive category of finite dimensional Hilbert spaces, enriched by adjunction and pseudo-inversion.
Regional variations in lumbar spine surgery in Finland
Authors: Mäntymäki Heikki , Ponkilainen Ville T. , Huttunen Tuomas T. , Mattila Ville M. 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Introduction
The regional variation in spine surgery rates has been shown to be large both within and between countries. This variation has been reported to be less in studies from countries with spine registers. The aim of this study was to describe the regional variation in lumbar spine surgery in Finland.

Materials and methods
This is a retrospective register study. Data from the Finnish National Hospital Discharge Register (NHDR) were used to calculate and compare the rates of lumbar disc herniation (LDH), decompression, and fusion surgeries in five University Hospital catchment areas, covering the whole Finnish population, from January 1, 1997, through December 31, 2018.

Results
A total of 138,119 lumbar spine operations (including LDH, decompression, and fusion surgery) were performed in Finland between 1997 and 2018. The regional differences in the rate of LDH surgery were over fourfold (18 vs. 85 per 100,000 person years), lumbar decompression surgery over threefold (41 vs. 129 per 100,000 person years), and lumbar fusion surgery over twofold (14 vs. 34 per 100,000 person years) in 2018. The mean age of the patients increased in all regions during the study period.

Conclusions
In Finland, the regional variations in spine surgeries were vast. In a country with a publicly funded healthcare system, this finding was surprising. The recently created national spine register may serve to shed more light on the reasons for this regional variation.
Site selection for managed aquifer recharge in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, using a multi-criteria decision analysis and geographic information system
Authors: Hussaini Mohammad Salem , Farahmand Asadullah , Shrestha Sangam , Neupane Sanjiv , Abrunhosa Manuel 
Published: December 2021

AbstractWhile the success and sustainability of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) strongly depends on many characteristics of the site, it is necessary to integrate the site characteristics and develop suitability maps to indicate the most suitable locations. The objective of this study is to integrate geographic information system (GIS) and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques to identify the most suitable areas for a MAR project in the Kabul city area, Afghanistan. Data for six effective criteria, including slope, drainage density, surface infiltration rate, unsaturated zone thickness, soil type and electrical conductivity, were collected and then a classification map was produced for each criterion in the GIS environment. By applying MCDA techniques, the weights of the effective criteria were obtained. A suitability map was generated from each technique separately based on a combination of all criteria weights and thematic layers. The result of the analytical network process (ANP) method was found to be more precise and reliable compared with that of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method. Based on the final suitability map produced from the ANP model, there is 3.7, 15.0, 37.4, 33.1 and 10.3% of the total area that is unsuitable, of low suitability, moderately suitable, suitable and very suitable for MAR application, respectively. As a final result of this work, seven sites have been prioritized based on land use. The integration of multi-criteria decision analysis and GIS is recognized as an effective method for the selection of managed aquifer recharge sites.