bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Exploring the ERTMS/ETCS full moving block specification: an experience with formal methods
Authors: Basile Davide , ter Beek Maurice H. , Ferrari Alessio , Legay Axel 
Published: April 2022

AbstractShift2Rail is a joint undertaking funded by the EU via its Horizon 2020 program and by main railway stakeholders. Several Shift2Rail projects aim to investigate the application of formal methods to new ERTMS/ETCS railway signalling systems that promise to move European railway forward by guaranteeing high capacity, low cost and improved reliability. We explore the ERTMS/ETCS level 3 full moving block specifications stemming from different Shift2Rail projects using Uppaal and statistical model checking. The results range from novel rigorously formalised requirements to an operational model formally verified against scenarios with multiple trains on a single railway line. From the gained experience, we have distilled future research goals to improve the formal specification and verification of real-time systems, and we discuss some barriers concerning a possible uptake of formal methods and tools in the railway industry.
Bio-electrochemical production of hydrogen and electricity from organic waste: preliminary assessment
Authors: De Gioannis Giorgia , Dell’Era Alessandro , Muntoni Aldo , Pasquali Mauro , Polettini Alessandra , Pomi Raffaella , Rossi Andreina , Zonfa Tatiana 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThis study investigated the performance of a novel integrated bio-electrochemical system for synergistic hydrogen production from a process combining a dark fermentation reactor and a galvanic cell. The operating principle of the system is based on the electrochemical conversion of protons released upon dissociation of the acid metabolites of the biological process and is mediated by the electron flow from the galvanic cell, coupling biochemical and electrochemical hydrogen production. Accordingly, the galvanic compartment also generates electricity. Four different experimental setups were designed to provide a preliminary assessment of the integrated bio-electrochemical process and identify the optimal configuration for further tests. Subsequently, dark fermentation of cheese whey was implemented both in a stand-alone biochemical reactor and in the integrated bio-electrochemical process. The integrated system achieved a hydrogen yield in the range 75.5–78.8 N LH2/kg TOC, showing a 3 times improvement over the biochemical process.
Graphical abstract
Eye-specific quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI analysis for patients with intraocular masses
Authors: Jaarsma-Coes Myriam G. , Ferreira Teresa A. , van Houdt Petra J. , van der Heide Uulke A. , Luyten Gregorius P. M. , Beenakker Jan-Willem M. 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
Objective
Dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)-MRI is currently not generally used for intraocular masses as lesions are small, have an inhomogeneous T1 and the eye is prone to motion. The aim of this paper is to address these eye-specific challenges, enabling accurate ocular DCE-MRI.

Materials & methods
DCE-MRI of 19 uveal melanoma (UM) patients was acquired using a fat-suppressed 3D spoiled gradient echo sequence with TWIST (time-resolved angiography with stochastic trajectories sequence). The analysis consisted of a two-step registration method to correct for both head and eye motion. A T1 map was calculated to convert signal intensities to concentrations. Subsequently, the Tofts model was fitted voxel wise to obtain Ktrans and ve.

Results
Registration significantly improved the concentration curve quality (p < 0.001). The T1 of melanotic lesions was significantly lower than amelanotic lesions (888 ms vs 1350 ms, p = 0.03). The average achieved B1+ in the lesions was 91%. The average Ktrans was 0.46 min−1 (range 0.13–1.0) and the average ve was 0.22 (range 0.10–0.51).

Conclusion
Using this eye-specific analysis, DCE of intraocular masses is possible which might aid in the diagnosis, prognosis and follow-up of UM.
A genetic analysis of grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) populations in Ireland
Authors: Dominguez McLaughlin Hannah , Lawton Colin , Hadziabdic Ðenita , Boggess Sarah , Ony Meher , Trigiano Robert 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThe grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is an invasive rodent in Ireland that has had detrimental impacts on the native Irish red squirrel (S. vulgaris) as well as on silviculture. This invasive species spread rapidly throughout Ireland, but in recent years appears to be declining in certain areas of the country. This study analysed the genetic profile of grey squirrel populations in Ireland to gain insight into their introduction, evolutionary history in Ireland, and vulnerability to management strategies. The genetic diversity and population structure of eight grey squirrel populations in Ireland was assessed using 11 species-specific microsatellite loci, and was compared to a small population from Tennessee, U.S.A., part of the native range of the grey squirrel. This is the first time these microsatellite markers developed specifically for grey squirrels have been used to study the species in Ireland. We found low to moderate genetic diversity overall across Irish populations as well as the presence of inbreeding. One population in particular, (in Co. Kildare), was differentiated from all other populations, which could indicate genetic isolation between Irish populations or a secondary introduction of S. carolinensis to Ireland.
Modifiable Parent Factors Associated with Child and Adolescent School Refusal: A Systematic Review
Authors: Chockalingam Meena , Skinner Kayan , Melvin Glenn , Yap Marie B. H. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractSchool refusal is a complex problem that refers to difficulty attending/remaining at school due to emotional distress about attendance. Despite its occurrence being associated with negative outcomes, many are unresponsive to the current treatment options. While parent factors have a key role to play in school refusal, they are not adequately addressed in existing treatments. Further research is needed to consolidate understanding and implement new treatments. Employing the PRISMA method, this review aims to identify modifiable parent factors associated with child and/or adolescent school refusal. Eight studies met inclusion criteria from which nine factors were identified. Factors found to be associated with school refusal included: parent psychopathology, family functioning and maternal overprotection (communication subdomain). Other factors such as maternal overprotection (affection, assistance and travel subdomains) and parental self-efficacy had weak or inconsistent results warranting further investigation. Overall, findings call for action in this field that has sparse and dated literature.
Inbreeding is associated with shorter early-life telomere length in a wild passerine
Authors: Pepke Michael Le , Niskanen Alina K. , Kvalnes Thomas , Boner Winnie , Sæther Bernt-Erik , Ringsby Thor Harald , Jensen Henrik 
Published: April 2022

AbstractInbreeding can have negative effects on survival and reproduction, which may be of conservation concern in small and isolated populations. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying inbreeding depression are not well-known. The length of telomeres, the DNA sequences protecting chromosome ends, has been associated with health or fitness in several species. We investigated effects of inbreeding on early-life telomere length in two small island populations of wild house sparrows (Passer domesticus) known to be affected by inbreeding depression. Using genomic measures of inbreeding we found that inbred nestling house sparrows (n = 371) have significantly shorter telomeres. Using pedigree-based estimates of inbreeding we found a tendency for inbred nestling house sparrows to have shorter telomeres (n = 1195). This negative effect of inbreeding on telomere length may have been complemented by a heterosis effect resulting in longer telomeres in individuals that were less inbred than the population average. Furthermore, we found some evidence of stronger effects of inbreeding on telomere length in males than females. Thus, telomere length may reveal subtle costs of inbreeding in the wild and demonstrate a route by which inbreeding negatively impacts the physiological state of an organism already at early life-history stages.
COVID-19 prevalence and mortality in longer-term care facilities
Authors: Levin Andrew T. , Jylhävä Juulia , Religa Dorota , Shallcross Laura 
Published: April 2022

AbstractThis essay considers the factors that have contributed to very high COVID-19 mortality in longer-term care facilities (LTCFs). We compare the demographic characteristics of LTCF residents with those of community-dwelling older adults, and then we review the evidence regarding prevalence and infection fatality rates (IFRs), including links to frailty and some comorbidities. Finally, we discuss policy measures that could foster the physical and mental health and well-being of LTCF residents in the present context and in potential future pandemics.
Are some species ‘robust’ to exploitation? Explaining persistence in deceptive relationships
Authors: Brunton-Martin Amy L , O’Hanlon James C , Gaskett Anne C 
Published: April 2022

AbstractAnimals and plants trick others in an extraordinary diversity of ways to gain fitness benefits. Mimicry and deception can, for example, lure prey, reduce the costs of parental care or aid in pollination–in ways that impose fitness costs on the exploited party. The evolutionary maintenance of such asymmetric relationships often relies on these costs being mitigated through counter-adaptations, low encounter rates, or indirect fitness benefits. However, these mechanisms do not always explain the evolutionary persistence of some classic deceptive interactions.Sexually deceptive pollination (in which plants trick male pollinators into mating with their flowers) has evolved multiple times independently, mainly in the southern hemisphere and especially in Australasia and Central and South America. This trickery imposes considerable costs on the males: they miss out on mating opportunities, and in some cases, waste their limited sperm on the flower. These relationships appear stable, yet in some cases there is little evidence suggesting that their persistence relies on counter-adaptations, low encounter rates, or indirect fitness benefits. So, how might these relationships persist?Here, we introduce and explore an additional hypothesis from systems biology: that some species are robust to exploitation. Robustness arises from a species’ innate traits and means they are robust against costs of exploitation. This allows species to persist where a population without those traits would not, making them ideal candidates for exploitation. We propose that this mechanism may help inform new research approaches and provide insight into how exploited species might persist.
Innovative nano silicone wax coatings for the conservation of bronze artifacts from corrosion
Authors: Abdullatef O. A. , Helal M. A. , Anwar S. M. M. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractHerein we studied the efficiency of a protective transparent and reversible nano silicone wax coatings (NSW) to protect bronze artifacts extracted from Herakleon City, Abu Kir Bay, Alexandria, Egypt. The nano structured silicone wax film resulted in the formation of a structure that can act as a barrier layer from corrosion. The application of NSW coatings on bronze artifacts was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Exposure of bronze samples with and without the nano silicone wax coating to sodium chloride solution led to a remarkable inhibition of corrosion for the coated samples only. Comparison of the inhibition efficiency obtained from samples coated with nano silicone wax coatings to that obtained from silicone wax coatings in normal size revealed that the protection efficiency is very high in case of nano silicone wax coatings compared to the traditional silicone wax coatings. The application of nano silicone wax coatings on bronze artifacts can pave the way into the development of safe and tailored solutions in the field of ancient metal artifacts conservation.Graphical abstract
Ligand-induced structural transitions combined with paramagnetic ions facilitate unambiguous NMR assignments of methyl groups in large proteins
Authors: Mühlberg Lars , Alarcin Tuncay , Maass Thorben , Creutznacher Robert , Küchler Richard , Mallagaray Alvaro 
Published: April 2022

AbstractNMR spectroscopy allows the study of biomolecules in close-to-native conditions. Structural information can be inferred from the NMR spectra when an assignment is available. Protein assignment is usually a time-consuming task, being specially challenging in the case of large, supramolecular systems. Here, we present an extension of existing state-of-the-art strategies for methyl group assignment that partially overcomes signal overlapping and other difficulties associated to isolated methyl groups. Our approach exploits the ability of proteins to populate two or more conformational states, allowing for unique NOE restraints in each protein conformer. The method is compatible with automated assignment algorithms, granting assignments beyond the limits of a single protein state. The approach also benefits from long-range structural restraints obtained from metal-induced pseudocontact shifts (PCS) and paramagnetic relaxation enhancements (PREs). We illustrate the method with the complete assignment of the 199 methyl groups of a MILproSVproSAT methyl-labeled sample of the UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase enzyme from Leishmania major (LmUGP). Protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania causes Leishmaniasis, a neglected disease affecting over 12 million people worldwide. LmUGP is responsible for the de novo biosynthesis of uridine diphosphate-glucose, a precursor in the biosynthesis of the dense surface glycocalyx involved in parasite survival and infectivity. NMR experiments with LmUGP and related enzymes have the potential to unravel new insights in the host resistance mechanisms used by Leishmania major. Our efforts will help in the development of selective and efficient drugs against Leishmania.
A Stochastic Nash Equilibrium Problem for Medical Supply Competition
Authors: Fargetta Georgia , Maugeri Antonino , Scrimali Laura 
Published: April 2022

AbstractIn this paper, we study the competition of healthcare institutions for medical supplies in emergencies caused by natural disasters. In particular, we develop a two-stage procurement planning model in a random environment. We consider a pre-event policy, in which each healthcare institution seeks to minimize the purchasing cost of medical items and the transportation time from the first stage, and a recourse decision process to optimize the expected overall costs and the penalty for the prior plan, in response to each disaster scenario. Thus, each institution deals with a two-stage stochastic programming model that takes into account the unmet demand at the first stage, and the consequent penalty. Then, the institutions simultaneously solve their own stochastic optimization problems and reach a stable state governed by the stochastic Nash equilibrium concept. Moreover, we formulate the problem as a variational inequality; both the discrete and the general probability distribution cases are described. We also present an alternative formulation using infinite-dimensional duality tools. Finally, we discuss some numerical illustrations applying the progressive hedging algorithm.
Revisiting respect for persons: conceptual analysis and implications for clinical practice
Authors: Subramani Supriya , Biller-Andorno Nikola 
Published: April 2022

AbstractIn everyday conversations, professional codes, policy debates, and academic literature, the concept of respect is referred to frequently. Bioethical arguments in recent decades equate the idea of respect for persons with individuals who are capable of autonomous decision-making, with the focus being explicitly on ‘autonomy,’ ‘capacity,’ or ‘capability.’ In much of bioethics literature, respect for persons is replaced by respect for autonomy. Though the unconditional respect for persons and their autonomy (irrespective of actual decision-making capacity) is established in Kantian bioethics, current argument and debates often revolve around a thin concept of autonomy, focusing on capacity and capability: persons are owed respect because they are ‘rational beings’ or with a focus on ‘agency’ and ‘decision-making abilities.’ However, these aspects alone are insufficient while engaging the concept of respect for persons, particularly in healthcare settings. This paper sets out to explore if the concept of respect for persons—as opposed to a thin concept of autonomy—could help us engage better in healthcare practices. We shall probe the practical value of the experiential aspect of respect—understood as the recognition of persons as respect-worthy through certain dispositions and deliberative acts—by reflecting on instances in clinical practice that tend to be dismissed as negligible or even unavoidable in a stressful environment such as a busy hospital. We shall argue that these instances are far from trivial but carry moral significance and express an unacceptable—disrespectful—attitude that can compromise the moral habitus in hospital settings. In our conclusion, we call for practicing recognition respect in the health professional–patient encounter by focussing on manners, attitudes, and behaviors. Furthermore, we call for continuous medical ethics education programs to address the moral significance of disrespectful behaviors and their manifestations in particular socio-cultural contexts.
The possible role of long non-coding RNAs in recurrent miscarriage
Authors: Zhang Yanan , Wang Shan 
Published: April 2022

AbstractRecurrent miscarriage (RM) is a complicated disease in reproductive medicine that impacts many families. Currently, the etiology of RM is thought to include chromosome abnormalities, reproductive tract malformations, autoimmune dysfunction, infection, and environmental factors. However, the underlying mechanisms of RM remain unknown. At present, research on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is rapidly emerging and becoming a hot research topic in epigenetic studies. Recent studies revealed that lncRNAs are strongly linked to RM and play a crucial role in epigenetic, cell cycle, cell differentiation regulation, and other life activities. This article mainly reviews the difference in lncRNA expression in patients with RM and regulation of susceptibility, endometrial receptivity, and the maternal-fetal interface. Meanwhile, the correlation between lncRNAs and RM is expounded, which provides new insights for the early diagnosis and treatment of RM.
Rewarding conservative politicians? Evidence from voting on same-sex marriage
Authors: Kauder Björn , Potrafke Niklas 
Published: April 2022

AbstractWe ask whether voters rewarded conservative politicians who voted in favor of same-sex marriage. The evidence is based on a rollcall vote in the German national parliament (Bundestag) in June 2017. That vote had a profound influence on public discourse concerning the social-political platforms of the conservative parties in Germany, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party Christian Social Union (CSU). National elections took place in September 2017. We find that, when comparing the outcomes of the 2017 and 2013 national elections, the vote share of conservative politicians who voted in favor of same-sex marriage was around 1.29% points higher (about 0.33 standard deviations of the change in the candidate’s vote share) than the vote share of conservative politicians who did not vote in favor of same-sex marriage. Voters apparently were seeking policy outcomes other than economic ones when evaluating politicians’ performances in office.
Competition Makes Inspectors More Lenient: Evidence from the Motor Vehicle Inspection Market
Authors: Habte Osmis Areda , Holm Håkan J. 
Published: April 2022

AbstractWe investigate whether increased competition among inspection firms leads to an increase in the inspection pass rate in the Swedish car inspection market, which is heavily regulated and consciously designed to mitigate incentives to violate government regulations. We use a panel dataset that represent 22.5 million car roadworthiness tests that were conducted during the period 2010–2015. Fixed effects and instrumental variable estimations, which are used to account for the endogeneity of competition, show that inspection stations that operate in highly competitive markets are more lenient toward their customers than are stations that operate in less competitive markets.
Dynamic sampling rate: harnessing frame coherence in graphics applications for energy-efficient GPUs
Authors: Anglada Martí , de Lucas Enrique , Parcerisa Joan-Manuel , Aragón Juan L. , González Antonio 
Published: April 2022

AbstractIn real-time rendering, a 3D scene is modelled with meshes of triangles that the GPU projects to the screen. They are discretized by sampling each triangle at regular space intervals to generate fragments which are then added texture and lighting effects by a shader program. Realistic scenes require detailed geometric models, complex shaders, high-resolution displays and high screen refreshing rates, which all come at a great compute time and energy cost. This cost is often dominated by the fragment shader, which runs for each sampled fragment. Conventional GPUs sample the triangles once per pixel; however, there are many screen regions containing low variation that produce identical fragments and could be sampled at lower than pixel-rate with no loss in quality. Additionally, as temporal frame coherence makes consecutive frames very similar, such variations are usually maintained from frame to frame. This work proposes Dynamic Sampling Rate (DSR), a novel hardware mechanism to reduce redundancy and improve the energy efficiency in graphics applications. DSR analyzes the spatial frequencies of the scene once it has been rendered. Then, it leverages the temporal coherence in consecutive frames to decide, for each region of the screen, the lowest sampling rate to employ in the next frame that maintains image quality. We evaluate the performance of a state-of-the-art mobile GPU architecture extended with DSR for a wide variety of applications. Experimental results show that DSR is able to remove most of the redundancy inherent in the color computations at fragment granularity, which brings average speedups of 1.68x and energy savings of 40%.
Investigating the effect of varying block size on power and energy consumption of GPU kernels
Authors: Ikram Muhammad Jawad , Saleh Mostafa Elsayed , Al-Hashimi Muhammad Abdulhamid , Abulnaja Osama Ahmed 
Published: April 2022

AbstractPower consumption is likely to remain a significant concern for exascale performance in the foreseeable future. In addition, graphics processing units (GPUs) have become an accepted architectural feature for exascale computing due to their scalable performance and power efficiency. In a recent study, we found that we can achieve a reasonable amount of power and energy savings based on the selection of algorithms. In this research, we suggest that we can save more power and energy by varying the block size in the kernel configuration. We show that we may attain more savings by selecting the optimum block size while executing the workload. We investigated two kernels on NVIDIA Tesla K40 GPU, a Bitonic Mergesort and Vector Addition kernels, to study the effect of varying block sizes on GPU power and energy consumption. The study should offer insights for upcoming exascale systems in terms of power and energy efficiency.