Can the Plight of the European Banking Structural Reforms be a Blessing in Disguise?

in European Business Organization Law Review (in press)

One of the problems perceived to be at the heart of the global financial crisis was an amalgamation of various commercial and investment banking activities under one entity, as well as the ... [more ▼]

One of the problems perceived to be at the heart of the global financial crisis was an amalgamation of various commercial and investment banking activities under one entity, as well as the interconnectedness of the banking entities with other financial institutions, investment funds, and the shadow banking system. This paper focuses on various measures that aim to structurally separate the banking entities and their core functions from riskier financial activities such as (proprietary) trading or investments in alternative investment funds. Although banking structural reforms in the EU, UK, and the US have taken different forms, their common denominator is the separation of core banking functions from certain trading or securities market activities. Having reviewed the arguments for and against banking structural reforms and their varieties in major jurisdictions, including the EU, UK, US, France, and Germany, the paper argues that a more nuanced approach to introducing such measures at the EU level is warranted. Given the different market structures across the Atlantic and the lack of conclusive evidence on the beneficial impact of banking structural reforms, the paper concludes that the withdrawal of the banking structural reforms proposal by the European Commission has been a prudent move. It seems that in the absence of concrete evidence, experimenting with structural reforms at the Member-State level would be less costly and would provide for opportunities for learning from smaller mistakes that could pave the way for a more optimal approach to introducing banking structural reforms at the European level in the future. [less ▲]

A Generic Approach for Solving Nonlinear-Discrete Security-Constrained Optimal Power Flow Problems in Large-Scale Systems

in IEEE Transactions on Power Systems (in press)

This paper proves the practicality of an iterative algorithm for solving realistic large-scale SCOPF problems. This algorithm is based on the combination of a contingency filtering scheme, used to ... [more ▼]

This paper proves the practicality of an iterative algorithm for solving realistic large-scale SCOPF problems. This algorithm is based on the combination of a contingency filtering scheme, used to identify the binding contingencies at the optimum, and a network compression method, used to reduce the complexity of the post-contingency models included in the SCOPF formulation. We show that by combining these two complementary ideas, it is possible to solve in a reasonable time SCOPF problems on large power system models with a large number of contingencies. Unlike most results reported for large-scale SCOPF problems, our algorithm uses a non-linear AC network model in both pre-contingency and post-contingency states, optimizes both active/reactive powers flows jointly, and treats the discrete variables. The proposed algorithm is implemented with state-of-the-art solvers and applied to two systems: a national grid with 2563 buses and 1297 contingencies, and a model of the European transmission network with 9241 buses and 12000 contingencies. [less ▲]

Regional foreign banks and financial inclusion: Evidence from Africa

in Economic Modelling (in press)

Regional foreign banks expanded quickly over the past decade in developing and emerging countries and have a growing influence in banking systems. We question whether the development of African regional ... [more ▼]

Regional foreign banks expanded quickly over the past decade in developing and emerging countries and have a growing influence in banking systems. We question whether the development of African regional foreign banks, also called Pan-African banks, influences financial inclusion of firms and households. To this end, we combine the World Bank Global Findex database and the World Bank Enterprise Surveys with a hand-collected database on the presence of regional foreign banks. We find that Pan-African banks presence increases firms’ access to credit and limited evidence that they favor financial access of the middle class by restoring confidence in banks. We suggest that this impact is related to the adoption of an aggressive strategy aiming at gaining market shares rather than through the exploitation of informational and technological advantages. [less ▲]

Wireless Energy Harvesting For Autonomous Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces

in IEEE Transactions on Green Communications and Networking (in press)

Competition Numbers, Quasi-Line Graphs and Holes

in SIAM Journal on Discrete Mathematics (in press)

The competition graph of an acyclic directed graph D is the undirected graph on the same vertex set as D in which two distinct vertices are adjacent if they have a common out-neighbor in D. The ... [more ▼]

The competition graph of an acyclic directed graph D is the undirected graph on the same vertex set as D in which two distinct vertices are adjacent if they have a common out-neighbor in D. The competition number of an undirected graph G is the least number of isolated vertices that have to be added to G to make it the competition graph of an acyclic directed graph. We resolve two conjectures concerning competition graphs. First we prove a conjecture of Opsut by showing that the competition number of every quasi-line graph is at most 2. Recall that a quasi-line graph, also called a locally co-bipartite graph, is a graph for which the neighborhood of every vertex can be partitioned into at most two cliques. To prove this conjecture we devise an alternative characterization of quasi-line graphs to the one by Chudnovsky and Seymour. Second, we prove a conjecture of Kim by showing that the competition number of any graph is at most one greater than the number of holes in the graph. Our methods also allow us to prove a strengthened form of this conjecture recently proposed by Kim, Lee, Park and Sano, showing that the competition number of any graph is at most one greater than the dimension of the subspace of the cycle space spanned by the holes. [less ▲]

Flakify: A Black-Box, Language Model-Based Predictor for Flaky Tests

in IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering (in press)

Europeans and Americans in Korea, 1882-1910: A Bourgeois and Translocal Community

in Itinerario (in press), 39(3),

This article deals with the European and American community in Korea between the conclusion of Korea’s first international treaties in the early 1880s and the country’s annexation by the Japanese Empire ... [more ▼]

This article deals with the European and American community in Korea between the conclusion of Korea’s first international treaties in the early 1880s and the country’s annexation by the Japanese Empire in 1910. The article starts out by presenting an overview of the community. Concentrated in Seoul and Chemulp’o, the Anglo-Saxon element dominated a community made up of diplomats, foreign experts in the service of the Korean government, merchants and missionaries. Next, the article describes two key characteristics of the European and American residents in Korea. Firstly, they were individuals defining themselves as bourgeois, or middle-class; secondly, the term “translocality” serves to bring together the multiple layers of border-crossing these individuals were involved in – as long-distance migrants between Europe or Northern America and East Asia, as migrants within the East Asian context, and as representatives of different Euro-American nationalities living together in Korea. [less ▲]

A Bayesian framework to identify random parameter fields based on the copula theorem and Gaussian fields: Application to polycrystalline materials

in Journal of Applied Mechanics (in press)

For many models of solids, we frequently assume that the material parameters do not vary in space, nor that they vary from one product realization to another. If the length scale of the application ... [more ▼]

For many models of solids, we frequently assume that the material parameters do not vary in space, nor that they vary from one product realization to another. If the length scale of the application approaches the length scale of the micro-structure however, spatially fluctuating parameter fi elds (which vary from one realization of the fi eld to another) can be incorporated to make the model capture the stochasticity of the underlying micro-structure. Randomly fluctuating parameter fields are often described as Gaussian fields. Gaussian fi elds however assume that the probability density function of a material parameter at a given location is a univariate Gaussian distribution. This entails for instance that negative parameter values can be realized, whereas most material parameters have physical bounds (e.g. the Young's modulus cannot be negative). In this contribution, randomly fluctuating parameter fi elds are therefore described using the copula theorem and Gaussian fi elds, which allow di fferent types of univariate marginal distributions to be incorporated, but with the same correlation structure as Gaussian fields. It is convenient to keep the Gaussian correlation structure, as it allows us to draw samples from Gaussian fi elds and transform them into the new random fields. The bene fit of this approach is that any type of univariate marginal distribution can be incorporated. If the selected univariate marginal distribution has bounds, unphysical material parameter values will never be realized. We then use Bayesian inference to identify the distribution parameters (which govern the random fi eld). Bayesian inference regards the parameters that are to be identi fied as random variables and requires a user-defi ned prior distribution of the parameters to which the observations are inferred. For the homogenized Young's modulus of a columnar polycrystalline material of interest in this study, the results show that with a relatively wide prior (i.e. a prior distribution without strong assumptions), a single specimen is su ciffient to accurately recover the distribution parameter values. [less ▲]

Measuring agreement: How to arrive at reliable measures of opinion congruence between voters and parties.

in Representation (in press)

The extent to which voters and parties agree on policies is an important way through which political scientists have empirically studied political representation. This opinion congruence is most often ... [more ▼]

The extent to which voters and parties agree on policies is an important way through which political scientists have empirically studied political representation. This opinion congruence is most often measured by comparing preferences on a number of policy statements. While the selection of policy statements has not escaped scholarly attention, its impact on the reliability of congruence scores, i.e. the degree to which similar levels of opinion congruence are found when different samples of policy statements are used, has been less investigated. This article looks at which factors of statements samples and voters affect the reliability of congruence measures. It does so by simulating over 5 million opinion congruence scores on the basis of a dataset containing 134 voter and party policy preferences. It finds that both the number of statements and their topic diversity positively affect the reliability of congruence estimates. In addition, the congruence estimates of politically less sophisticated voters are more reliable but only when many left-right policy statements are included in the statement selection. Finally, explorative analyses suggest that increasing topic diversity also increases the validity of congruence measures. [less ▲]

On Rational Entailment for Propositional Typicality Logic

in Artificial Intelligence and Law (in press)

Propositional Typicality Logic (PTL) is a recently proposed logic, ob- tained by enriching classical propositional logic with a typicality opera- tor capturing the most typical (alias normal or ... [more ▼]

Propositional Typicality Logic (PTL) is a recently proposed logic, ob- tained by enriching classical propositional logic with a typicality opera- tor capturing the most typical (alias normal or conventional) situations in which a given sentence holds. The semantics of PTL is in terms of ranked models as studied in the well-known KLM approach to preferen- tial reasoning and therefore KLM-style rational consequence relations can be embedded in PTL. In spite of the non-monotonic features introduced by the semantics adopted for the typicality operator, the obvious Tarskian definition of entailment for PTL remains monotonic and is therefore not appropriate in many contexts. Our first important result is an impossibil- ity theorem showing that a set of proposed postulates that at first all seem appropriate for a notion of entailment with regard to typicality cannot be satisfied simultaneously. Closer inspection reveals that this result is best interpreted as an argument for advocating the development of more than one type of PTL entailment. In the spirit of this interpretation, we in- vestigate three different (semantic) versions of entailment for PTL, each one based on the definition of rational closure as introduced by Lehmann and Magidor for KLM-style conditionals, and constructed using different notions of minimality. [less ▲]

Calabi-Yau structures for multiplicative preprojective algebras

in Journal of Noncommutative Geometry (in press)

Risk aversion and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

in Health Economics (in press)

We here investigate the role of risk aversion in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The theoretical effect is ambiguous, as both COVID-19 infection and vaccination side-effects involve probabilistic elements. In ... [more ▼]

We here investigate the role of risk aversion in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The theoretical effect is ambiguous, as both COVID-19 infection and vaccination side-effects involve probabilistic elements. In large-scale data covering five European countries, we find that vaccine hesitancy falls with risk aversion, so that COVID-19 infection is perceived as involving greater risk than is vaccination. [less ▲]

A remark on Schröder's equation: Formal and analytic linearization of iterative roots of the power series f(z)=z

in Monatshefte für Mathematik (in press)

We study Schröder’s equation (i.e. the problem of linearization) for local analytic functions F with F (0)=0, F(0)=1, F(0) a root of 1. While Schröder’s equation in this case need not have even a formal ... [more ▼]

We study Schröder’s equation (i.e. the problem of linearization) for local analytic functions F with F (0)=0, F(0)=1, F(0) a root of 1. While Schröder’s equation in this case need not have even a formal solution, we show that if F is formally linearizable, then it can also be linearized by an invertible local analytic transformation. On the other hand, there exist also divergent series solutions of Schröder’s equation in this situation. We give some applications of our results to iterative functional equations, functional-differential equations and iteration groups. [less ▲]

Data-driven Mutation Analysis for Cyber-Physical Systems

in IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering (in press)

Cyber-physical systems (CPSs) typically consist of a wide set of integrated, heterogeneous components; consequently, most of their critical failures relate to the interoperability of such components ... [more ▼]

Cyber-physical systems (CPSs) typically consist of a wide set of integrated, heterogeneous components; consequently, most of their critical failures relate to the interoperability of such components. Unfortunately, most CPS test automation techniques are preliminary and industry still heavily relies on manual testing. With potentially incomplete, manually-generated test suites, it is of paramount importance to assess their quality. Though mutation analysis has demonstrated to be an effective means to assess test suite quality in some specific contexts, we lack approaches for CPSs. Indeed, existing approaches do not target interoperability problems and cannot be executed in the presence of black-box or simulated components, a typical situation with CPSs. In this paper, we introduce data-driven mutation analysis, an approach that consists in assessing test suite quality by verifying if it detects interoperability faults simulated by mutating the data exchanged by software components. To this end, we describe a data-driven mutation analysis technique (DaMAT) that automatically alters the data exchanged through data buffers. Our technique is driven by fault models in tabular form where engineers specify how to mutate data items by selecting and configuring a set of mutation operators. We have evaluated DaMAT with CPSs in the space domain; specifically, the test suites for the software systems of a microsatellite and nanosatellites launched on orbit last year. Our results show that the approach effectively detects test suite shortcomings, is not affected by equivalent and redundant mutants, and entails acceptable costs. [less ▲]

Generating Picard modular forms by invariant theory

in Pure and Applied Mathematics Quarterly (in press)

Decomposing the changes in poverty: Poverty line and distributional effects

in Bulletin of Economic Research (in press)

When measuring poverty in developed countries, the poverty line used to identify the poor is usually relative and set as a percentage of the median (or of the mean) of the total income. In consequence ... [more ▼]

When measuring poverty in developed countries, the poverty line used to identify the poor is usually relative and set as a percentage of the median (or of the mean) of the total income. In consequence, when poverty is analyzed over a period of time, changes in the poverty level depend on the impact of evolving standards. To eliminate this effect, sometimes, an anchored poverty line is used. Furthermore, changes in the mean of the distribution and in the inequality among the poor may also affect the poverty levels. This note proposes a decomposition of the changes in poverty as the sum of four terms. The first two reflect the impact in poverty of changes in living standards and the other two measure the effect of the distributional growth and redistribution. This decomposition will help policymakers in the implementation of a more specific antipoverty agenda. An application with data from the European Union Survey on Income and Living Conditions shows the potential of the decomposition proposed. [less ▲]

Diskurs-Figuren. Wie Politik und Öffentlichkeit in Luxemburg über Sprache sprechen

in Hemecht: Zeitschrift für Luxemburger Geschichte (in press)

A minimal realization technique for the dynamical structure function of a class of LTI systems

in IEEE Transactions on Control of Network Systems (in press)

Religious Affiliation and Attitudes Towards Gay Men: On the Mediating Role of Masculinity Threat

in Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology (in press)

Some inequalities on Riemannian manifolds linking Entropy, Fisher information, Stein discrepancy and Wasserstein distance

in Journal of Functional Analysis (2023), 285(5), 109997

For a complete connected Riemannian manifold M let V∊ C^2(M) be such that µ(dx)=exp(-V(x))vol(dx) is a probability measure on M. Taking µ as reference measure, we derive inequalities for probability ... [more ▼]

For a complete connected Riemannian manifold M let V∊ C^2(M) be such that µ(dx)=exp(-V(x))vol(dx) is a probability measure on M. Taking µ as reference measure, we derive inequalities for probability measures on M linking relative entropy, Fisher information, Stein discrepancy and Wasserstein distance. These inequalities strengthen in particular the famous log-Sobolev and transportation-cost inequality and extend the so-called Entropy/Stein-discrepancy/Information (HSI) inequality established by Ledoux, Nourdin and Peccati (2015) for the standard Gaussian measure on Euclidean space to the setting of Riemannian manifolds. [less ▲]

The Rise of the Unified Patent Court - A New Era

in IIC: International Review of Intellectual Property and Competition Law (2023), 54

Editorial

Bismut-Stroock Hessian formulas and local Hessian estimates for heat semigroups and harmonic functions on Riemannian manifolds

in Stochastic Partial Differential Equations: Analysis and Computations (2023), 11(2), 685-713

In this article, we develop a martingale approach to localized Bismut-type Hessian formulas for heat semigroups on Riemannian manifolds. Our approach extends the Hessian formulas established by Stroock ... [more ▼]

In this article, we develop a martingale approach to localized Bismut-type Hessian formulas for heat semigroups on Riemannian manifolds. Our approach extends the Hessian formulas established by Stroock (1996) and removes in particular the compact manifold restriction. To demonstrate the potential of these formulas, we give as application explicit quantitative local estimates for the Hessian of the heat semigroup, as well as for harmonic functions on regular domains in Riemannian manifolds. [less ▲]

Twist exome capture allows for lower average sequence coverage in clinical exome sequencing

in Human Genomics (2023), 17(1), 39

Background Exome and genome sequencing are the predominant techniques in the diagnosis and research of genetic disorders. Sufficient, uniform and reproducible/consistent sequence coverage is a main ... [more ▼]

Background Exome and genome sequencing are the predominant techniques in the diagnosis and research of genetic disorders. Sufficient, uniform and reproducible/consistent sequence coverage is a main determinant for the sensitivity to detect single-nucleotide (SNVs) and copy number variants (CNVs). Here we compared the ability to obtain comprehensive exome coverage for recent exome capture kits and genome sequencing techniques. Results We compared three different widely used enrichment kits (Agilent SureSelect Human All Exon V5, Agilent SureSelect Human All Exon V7 and Twist Bioscience) as well as short-read and long-read WGS. We show that the Twist exome capture significantly improves complete coverage and coverage uniformity across coding regions compared to other exome capture kits. Twist performance is comparable to that of both short- and long-read whole genome sequencing. Additionally, we show that even at a reduced average coverage of 70× there is only minimal loss in sensitivity for SNV and CNV detection. Conclusion We conclude that exome sequencing with Twist represents a significant improvement and could be performed at lower sequence coverage compared to other exome capture techniques. [less ▲]

“Recovery” in mental health services, now and then: A poststructuralist examination of the despotic State machine's effects

in Nursing Inquiry (2023)

Recovery is a model of care in (forensic) mental health settings across Western nations that aims to move past the paternalistic and punitive models of institutional care of the 20th century and toward ... [more ▼]

Recovery is a model of care in (forensic) mental health settings across Western nations that aims to move past the paternalistic and punitive models of institutional care of the 20th century and toward more patient‐centered approaches. But as we argue in this paper, the recovery‐oriented services that evolved out of the early stages of this liberating movement signaled a shift in nursing practices that cannot be viewed only as improvements. In effect, as “recovery” nursing practices became more established, more codified, and more institutional(ized), a stasis developed. Recovery had been reterritorialized. The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the threads of recovery, from its early days of antipsychiatry activism to its codification into mental health—including forensic mental health—institutions through the lens of poststructuralist philosophers Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari. We believe that Deleuze and Guattari's scholarship provides the necessary, albeit uncomfortable, framework for this critical examination. From a conceptualization of recovery as an assemblage, we critically examine how we can go about creating something new, caught in a tension between stasis and change. [less ▲]

The applicability of transperceptual and deep learning approaches to the study and mimicry of complex cartilaginous tissues

in Frontiers in Materials (2023), 10

CNV-ClinViewer: Enhancing the clinical interpretation of large copy-number variants online

in Bioinformatics (2023)

Pathogenic copy number variants (CNVs) can cause a heterogeneous spectrum of rare and severe disorders. However, most CNVs are benign and are part of natural variation in human genomes. CNV pathogenicity ... [more ▼]

Pathogenic copy number variants (CNVs) can cause a heterogeneous spectrum of rare and severe disorders. However, most CNVs are benign and are part of natural variation in human genomes. CNV pathogenicity classification, genotype-phenotype analyses, and therapeutic target identification are challenging and time-consuming tasks that require the integration and analysis of information from multiple scattered sources by experts.Here, we introduce the CNV-ClinViewer, an open-source web-application for clinical evaluation and visual exploration of CNVs. The application enables real-time interactive exploration of large CNV datasets in a user-friendly designed interface and facilitates semi-automated clinical CNV interpretation following the ACMG guidelines by integrating the ClassifCNV tool. In combination with clinical judgment the application enables clinicians and researchers to formulate novel hypotheses and guide their decision-making process. Subsequently, the CNV-ClinViewer enhances for clinical investigators patient care and for basic scientists translational genomic research.The web-application is freely available at https://cnv-ClinViewer.broadinstitute.org and the open-source code can be found at https://github.com/LalResearchGroup/CNV-clinviewer.Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. [less ▲]

On the effects of income heterogeneity in monopolistically competitive markets

in Journal of International Economics (2023)

Abstract This paper studies the market and welfare effects of income heterogeneity in monopolistically competitive product markets in the context of nonhomothetic preferences. In a closed economy, where ... [more ▼]

Abstract This paper studies the market and welfare effects of income heterogeneity in monopolistically competitive product markets in the context of nonhomothetic preferences. In a closed economy, where richer individuals' expenditures are less sensitive to price change compared to poorer ones', a mean-preserving contraction of income distribution entices firms to charge higher markups, reduce output, and fosters creation of new varieties. General equilibrium effects have a negative impact on poorer individuals and, in specific circumstances, on the whole population. In an open economy with free trade, lower income inequality in one country creates price divergence between trading countries. Lower inequality not only further decreases trade volumes and values but also creates a general equilibrium effect that may negatively affect poor individuals. Finally, general equilibrium effects are shown to be quantitatively nonnegligible. [less ▲]

The Land of the Fee: The Effect of Baden-Württemberg's Tuition Fee on International Student Outcomes

in Education Economics (2023)

Despite the increasing number of students learning abroad, little is known about the way international students migrate and how policies influence their decision. This article evaluates one German state’s ... [more ▼]

Despite the increasing number of students learning abroad, little is known about the way international students migrate and how policies influence their decision. This article evaluates one German state’s recent policy to charge international students for tuition, while tertiary education remains free elsewhere. For my difference-in-differences analysis, I collect and combine publicly available records for German higher education institutions since 1998. I find that the international enrollment rate decreases by 2 percentage points at treated institutions, driven by African and Asian students. In contrast to state government motivations, I find no evidence for a short-term decrease in exam failure rates. [less ▲]

SEMKIS-DSL: A Domain-Specific Language to Support Requirements Engineering of Datasets and Neural Network Recognition

in Information (2023), 14(4),

Neural network (NN) components are being increasingly incorporated into software systems. Neural network properties are determined by their architecture, as well as the training and testing datasets used ... [more ▼]

Neural network (NN) components are being increasingly incorporated into software systems. Neural network properties are determined by their architecture, as well as the training and testing datasets used. The engineering of datasets and neural networks is a challenging task that requires methods and tools to satisfy customers’ expectations. The lack of tools that support requirements specification languages makes it difficult for engineers to describe dataset and neural network recognition skill requirements. Existing approaches often rely on traditional ad hoc approaches, without precise requirement specifications for data selection criteria, to build these datasets. Moreover, these approaches do not focus on the requirements of the neural network’s expected recognition skills. We aim to overcome this issue by defining a domain-specific language that precisely specifies dataset requirements and expected recognition skills after training for an NN-based system. In this paper, we present a textual domain-specific language (DSL) called SEMKIS-DSL (Software Engineering Methodology for the Knowledge management of Intelligent Systems) that is designed to support software engineers in specifying the requirements and recognition skills of neural networks. This DSL is proposed in the context of our general SEMKIS development process for neural network engineering. We illustrate the DSL’s concepts using a running example that focuses on the recognition of handwritten digits. We show some requirements and recognition skills specifications and demonstrate how our DSL improves neural network recognition skills. [less ▲]

Educators, parents and children engaging in literacy activities in multiple languages: an exploratory study

in International Journal of Multilingualism (2023)

There is a consensus that home languages are the foundation on which to develop additional languages and that collaboration between homes and institutions of early childhood education and care (ECEC) can ... [more ▼]

There is a consensus that home languages are the foundation on which to develop additional languages and that collaboration between homes and institutions of early childhood education and care (ECEC) can contribute to the development of children’s language and literacy skills. Nevertheless, educators seem rarely to draw on multiple languages in literacy activities. Furthermore, situations where educators and parents jointly read to children are scarce. Luxembourg, which has implemented a programme of multilingual education in ECEC, is an ideal context to investigate literacy practices and language use of educators and parents. Drawing on observations in two multilingual centres in Luxembourg as well as interviews, the present study examines the interactions between the educators and the three-year-old children and those between the educators, parents, and children when the parents occasionally read books in the centres. The findings show that the educators in both centres used several languages and that the types of interactions differed. When the parents offered literacy activities, their use of languages and the roles they played also differed, varying from being fully involved to taking a marginal role. The findings can help educators and policymakers develop inclusive and participatory literacy practices which actively involve children and parents. [less ▲]

Twisting of properads

in Journal of Pure and Applied Algebra (2023), 227

We study Thomas Willwacher's twisting endofunctor tw in the category of dg properads P under the operad of (strongly homotopy) Lie algebras. It is proven that if P is a properad under properad Lieb of Lie ... [more ▼]

We study Thomas Willwacher's twisting endofunctor tw in the category of dg properads P under the operad of (strongly homotopy) Lie algebras. It is proven that if P is a properad under properad Lieb of Lie bialgebras , then the associated twisted properad tw(P) becomes in general a properad under quasi-Lie bialgebras (rather than under Lieb). This result implies that the cyclic cohomology of any cyclic homotopy associative algebra has in general an induced structure of a quasi-Lie bialgebra. We show that the cohomology of the twisted properad tw(Lieb) is highly non-trivial -- it contains the cohomology of the so called haired graph complex introduced and studied recently in the context of the theory of long knots and the theory of moduli spaces of algebraic curves. Using a polydifferential functor from the category of props to the category of operads, we introduce the notion of a Maurer-Cartan element of a strongly homotopy Lie bialgebra, and use it to construct a new twisting endofunctor Tw in the category dg prop(erad)s P under HoLieb, the minimal resolution of Lieb. We prove that Tw(Holieb) is quasi-isomorphic to Lieb, and establish its relation to the homotopy theory of triangular Lie bialgebras. It is proven that the dg Lie algebra controlling deformations of the map from Lieb to P acts on Tw(P) by derivations. In some important examples this dg Lie algebra has a rich and interesting cohomology (containing, for example, the Grothendieck-Teichmueller Lie algebra). Finally, we introduce a diamond version of the endofunctor Tw which works in the category of dg properads under involutive (strongly homotopy) Lie bialgebras, and discuss its applications in string topology. [less ▲]

ALFI Taxes for investment funds - Looking at the future

in Cahiers de fiscalité luxembourgeoise et européenne (2023), 2(1), 171-183

The Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry (ALFI) organised a conference on the future developments in the field of taxation of investment funds on 25 October 2022 at the premises of EY in Luxembourg ... [more ▼]

The Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry (ALFI) organised a conference on the future developments in the field of taxation of investment funds on 25 October 2022 at the premises of EY in Luxembourg. Experts from practice, regulatory and tax authorities as well as academia addressed in four panels (i) withholding taxation of transactions relevant in the sphere of investment funds, (ii) OECD BEPS Pillars One and Two and their implications for investment funds, (iii) tax reporting for investment funds and (iv) taxation of capital and net wealth taxes. [less ▲]

Epi-Impute: Single-Cell RNA-seq Imputation via Integration with Single-Cell ATAC-seq

in International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023)

Clinically relevant combined effect of polygenic background, rare pathogenic germline variants, and family history on colorectal cancer incidence

in BMC Medical Genomics (2023), 16(1), 42

Background and aims: Summarised in polygenic risk scores (PRS), the effect of common, low penetrant genetic variants associated with colorectal cancer (CRC), can be used for risk stratification. Methods ... [more ▼]

Background and aims: Summarised in polygenic risk scores (PRS), the effect of common, low penetrant genetic variants associated with colorectal cancer (CRC), can be used for risk stratification. Methods: To assess the combined impact of the PRS and other main factors on CRC risk, 163,516 individuals from the UK Biobank were stratified as follows: 1. carriers status for germline pathogenic variants (PV) in CRC susceptibility genes ( APC, MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2) , 2. low (\textless 20\%), intermediate (20–80\%), or high PRS (\textgreater 80\%), and 3. family history (FH) of CRC. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were applied to compare odds ratios and to compute the lifetime incidence, respectively. Results: Depending on the PRS, the CRC lifetime incidence for non-carriers ranges between 6 and 22\%, compared to 40 and 74 for carriers. A suspicious FH is associated with a further increase of the cumulative incidence reaching 26 for non-carriers and 98 for carriers. In non-carriers without FH, but high PRS, the CRC risk is doubled, whereas a low PRS even in the context of a FH results in a decreased risk. The full model including PRS, carrier status, and FH improved the area under the curve in risk prediction (0.704). Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that CRC risks are strongly influenced by the PRS for both a sporadic and monogenic background. FH, PV, and common variants complementary contribute to CRC risk. The implementation of PRS in routine care will likely improve personalized risk stratification, which will in turn guide tailored preventive surveillance strategies in high, intermediate, and low risk groups. [less ▲]

Transcriptional and Chromatin Accessibility Profiling of Neural Stem Cells Differentiating into Astrocytes Reveal Dynamic Signatures Affected under Inflammatory Conditions

in Cells (2023), 12(6), 948

Astrocytes arise from multipotent neural stem cells (NSCs) and represent the most abundant cell type of the central nervous system (CNS), playing key roles in the developing and adult brain. Since the ... [more ▼]

Astrocytes arise from multipotent neural stem cells (NSCs) and represent the most abundant cell type of the central nervous system (CNS), playing key roles in the developing and adult brain. Since the differentiation of NSCs towards a gliogenic fate is a precisely timed and regulated process, its perturbation gives rise to dysfunctional astrocytic phenotypes. Inflammation, which often underlies neurological disorders, including neurodevelopmental disorders and brain tumors, disrupts the accurate developmental process of NSCs. However, the specific consequences of an inflammatory environment on the epigenetic and transcriptional programs underlying NSCs’ differentiation into astrocytes is unexplored. Here, we address this gap by profiling in mice glial precursors from neural tissue derived from early embryonic stages along their astrocytic differentiation trajectory in the presence or absence of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a master pro-inflammatory cytokine. By using a combination of RNA- and ATAC-sequencing approaches, together with footprint and integrated gene regulatory network analyses, we here identify key differences during the differentiation of NSCs into astrocytes under physiological and inflammatory settings. In agreement with its role to turn cells resistant to inflammatory challenges, we detect Nrf2 as a master transcription factor supporting the astrocytic differentiation under TNF exposure. Further, under these conditions, we unravel additional transcriptional regulatory hubs, including Stat3, Smad3, Cebpb, and Nfkb2, highlighting the interplay among pathways underlying physiological astrocytic developmental processes and those involved in inflammatory responses, resulting in discrete astrocytic phenotypes. Overall, our study reports key transcriptional and epigenetic changes leading to the identification of molecular regulators of astrocytic differentiation. Furthermore, our analyses provide a valuable resource for understanding inflammation-induced astrocytic phenotypes that might contribute to the development and progression of CNS disorders with an inflammatory component. [less ▲]

Measuring biological age using a functionally interpretable multi-tissue RNA clock

in Aging Cell (2023)

Optimization of Laser-Assisted Polypropylene Aluminum Joining

in Applied Sciences (2023), 13

Laser joining of polymers to metals is a rising research subject due to the potential of considerably reducing the weight of structures. This article deals with the laser joining process between ... [more ▼]

Laser joining of polymers to metals is a rising research subject due to the potential of considerably reducing the weight of structures. This article deals with the laser joining process between polypropylene and aluminum. Without pre-treatment, laser joining of these materials is not feasible, and the method applied in this study to circumvent this issue is a surface modification of aluminum with a pulsed laser to create mechanical interlocking for the heat conduction laser joining technique. Different patterns and various laser parameters are analyzed with the design of experiments to best understand the effects of each parameter along with microscopic observations. It is found that engraving weakens the mechanical properties of the aluminum samples. The compromise between the engraving depth and the mechanical properties of the samples is optimized, and the engraving process with a 0.28 mm line width, 27.3% density and 150 mm/s speed provides the highest mechanical performance of the assembly with minimum degradation of aluminum samples. Moreover, by adjusting the laser power and using power modulation below 300W, the decomposition of polypropylene occurring at high temperatures is reduced to a minimum. After the final optimization, the joined samples reliably withstand a maximum force of 1500 N, which is, approximately, a shear strength of 20 MPa. [less ▲]

Altered infective competence of the human gut microbiome in COVID-19

in Microbiome (2023), 11(1), 46

BACKGROUND: Infections with SARS-CoV-2 have a pronounced impact on the gastrointestinal tract and its resident microbiome. Clear differences between severe cases of infection and healthy individuals have ... [more ▼]

BACKGROUND: Infections with SARS-CoV-2 have a pronounced impact on the gastrointestinal tract and its resident microbiome. Clear differences between severe cases of infection and healthy individuals have been reported, including the loss of commensal taxa. We aimed to understand if microbiome alterations including functional shifts are unique to severe cases or a common effect of COVID-19. We used high-resolution systematic multi-omic analyses to profile the gut microbiome in asymptomatic-to-moderate COVID-19 individuals compared to a control group. RESULTS: We found a striking increase in the overall abundance and expression of both virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance genes in COVID-19. Importantly, these genes are encoded and expressed by commensal taxa from families such as Acidaminococcaceae and Erysipelatoclostridiaceae, which we found to be enriched in COVID-19-positive individuals. We also found an enrichment in the expression of a betaherpesvirus and rotavirus C genes in COVID-19-positive individuals compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses identified an altered and increased infective competence of the gut microbiome in COVID-19 patients. Video Abstract. [less ▲]

The Quiet Corner of Web3 That Means Business

in MIT Sloan Management Review (2023), 64(3),

While the metaverse still lacks legs and crypto stumbles, managers who are keeping an eye on Web3 can learn from promising implementations of decentralized credentials.

Lincoln im Saloon

in Rotary Magazin (2023), (3),

Der Populismus der 1930er Jahre war das Gegenteil des libertären Autoritarismus von heute. Über den Western von damals.

Aktuelle Entwicklungen im Steuerrecht in der Informationstechnologie 2021/2022 - Teil 2

in Kommunikation und Recht (2023), 26(3), 178-186

Die Autoren fassen in diesem zweiteiligen Beitrag, dessen erster Teil in K&R 2023, 100 ff., erschienen ist, die aktuellen steuerrechtlichen Entwicklungen des vorangehende Jahres zusammen, sofern sich ... [more ▼]

Die Autoren fassen in diesem zweiteiligen Beitrag, dessen erster Teil in K&R 2023, 100 ff., erschienen ist, die aktuellen steuerrechtlichen Entwicklungen des vorangehende Jahres zusammen, sofern sich Bezüge zur Informationstechnologie im weitesten Sinne und dem Informationstechnologierecht ergeben. Teil zwei des Beitrags beschäftigt sich mit den wesentlichen Entwicklungen im deutschen Verfahrensrecht sowie dem Ertrag- und Umsatzsteuerrecht. Zudem wird ein Überblick über den Stand des Informationsfreiheits- und Transparenzrechts gegeben. [less ▲]

Impact émotionnel de la covid-19 chez les infirmières

in Santé Mentale (2023), (276),

Les répercussions de la covid-19 ont été majeures sur le système de santé. Une recherche qualitative consensuelle explore les émotions variées ressenties par les infirmières au chevet de patients ... [more ▼]

Les répercussions de la covid-19 ont été majeures sur le système de santé. Une recherche qualitative consensuelle explore les émotions variées ressenties par les infirmières au chevet de patients hospitalisés. [less ▲]

Convolution, aggregation and attention based deep neural networks for accelerating simulations in mechanics

in Frontiers in Materials (2023)

Deep learning surrogate models are being increasingly used in accelerating scientific simulations as a replacement for costly conventional numerical techniques. However, their use remains a significant ... [more ▼]

Deep learning surrogate models are being increasingly used in accelerating scientific simulations as a replacement for costly conventional numerical techniques. However, their use remains a significant challenge when dealing with real-world complex examples. In this work, we demonstrate three types of neural network architectures for efficient learning of highly non-linear deformations of solid bodies. The first two architectures are based on the recently proposed CNN U-NET and MAgNET (graph U-NET) frameworks which have shown promising performance for learning on mesh-based data. The third architecture is Perceiver IO, a very recent architecture that belongs to the family of attention-based neural networks–a class that has revolutionised diverse engineering fields and is still unexplored in computational mechanics. We study and compare the performance of all three networks on two benchmark examples, and show their capabilities to accurately predict the non-linear mechanical responses of soft bodies. [less ▲]

Pratiques et enjeux de la sédation palliative en Belgique

in La Revue de l'Infirmière (2023), 72(289), 32-35

En Belgique, la sédation continue en soins palliatifs est considérée comme un traitement symptomatique. Il n’existe pas de législation spécifique pour l’encadrer. Son utilisation adéquate repose sur un ... [more ▼]

En Belgique, la sédation continue en soins palliatifs est considérée comme un traitement symptomatique. Il n’existe pas de législation spécifique pour l’encadrer. Son utilisation adéquate repose sur un ensemble de recommandations qui permettent de s’assurer à la fois d’un traitement efficace et du respect des préférences du patient, dans un cadre éthique rigoureux. [less ▲]

A Machine Learning Approach for Automated Filling of Categorical Fields in Data Entry Forms

in ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology (2023), 32(2), 471-4740

Users frequently interact with software systems through data entry forms. However, form filling is time-consuming and error-prone. Although several techniques have been proposed to auto-complete or pre ... [more ▼]

Users frequently interact with software systems through data entry forms. However, form filling is time-consuming and error-prone. Although several techniques have been proposed to auto-complete or pre-fill fields in the forms, they provide limited support to help users fill categorical fields, i.e., fields that require users to choose the right value among a large set of options. In this paper, we propose LAFF, a learning-based automated approach for filling categorical fields in data entry forms. LAFF first builds Bayesian Network models by learning field dependencies from a set of historical input instances, representing the values of the fields that have been filled in the past. To improve its learning ability, LAFF uses local modeling to effectively mine the local dependencies of fields in a cluster of input instances. During the form filling phase, LAFF uses such models to predict possible values of a target field, based on the values in the already-filled fields of the form and their dependencies; the predicted values (endorsed based on field dependencies and prediction confidence) are then provided to the end-user as a list of suggestions. We evaluated LAFF by assessing its effectiveness and efficiency in form filling on two datasets, one of them proprietary from the banking domain. Experimental results show that LAFF is able to provide accurate suggestions with a Mean Reciprocal Rank value above 0.73. Furthermore, LAFF is efficient, requiring at most 317 ms per suggestion. [less ▲]

A survey of English medium instruction lecturer training programmes: content, delivery, ways forward

in Journal of English for Academic Purposes (2023), 62(101223),

This paper surveys English medium instruction (EMI) lecturer training worldwide in order to inform decisions by practitioners tasked with its design and delivery. The survey encompasses 25 published ... [more ▼]

This paper surveys English medium instruction (EMI) lecturer training worldwide in order to inform decisions by practitioners tasked with its design and delivery. The survey encompasses 25 published initiatives from 18 countries. These were analysed for their content components and delivery methods as well as training challenges and recommendations. This analysis revealed four main components: language, communication, pedagogy and EMI awareness. Most programmes were delivered face to face but some were blended with a substantial amount of online and independent work. Delivery methods could broadly be classified into group classes, individual support and peer learning. Microteaching with reflection, feedback and observation was a widely recurring and highly rated activity. Programmes were typically developed in-house by English language professionals. Recurring challenges were contextualisation, group heterogeneity, lecturer confidence and the lack of incentivisation. The paper concludes with pedagogical recommendations for the development of EMI lecturer training programmes. [less ▲]

Challenge, threat, coping potential: How primary and secondary appraisals of job demands predict nurses' affective states during the COVID- 19 pandemic

in Nursing Open (2023), 0(0), 1-14

Aim: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a rapid raise of work-related stress among nurses, affecting their emotional well-being. This study examined how nurses appraise job demands (i.e. time pressure ... [more ▼]

Aim: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a rapid raise of work-related stress among nurses, affecting their emotional well-being. This study examined how nurses appraise job demands (i.e. time pressure, emotional demands and physical demands) during the pandemic, and how primary (i.e. challenge and threat) and secondary appraisals (i.e. coping potential) of job demands predict nurses' affective states (i.e. positive affect, anger and anxiety). Design: A cross- sectional online survey. Methods: 419 nurses completed self-report measures of job demands and related appraisals. Data analyses comprised correlation analysis, factor analysis, hierarchical linear regression analysis and dominance analysis. Results: Emotional and physical demands correlated exclusively with threat appraisal, while time pressure correlated with challenge and threat appraisal. Time pressure, emotional demands and threat appraisals of job demands predicted negative affective states, while challenge appraisals of emotional and physical demands predicted positive affect. Coping potential was identified as the most important predictor variable of nurses' affective states. Public Contribution: The current study identified statistically significant risk and protective factors in view of nurses' affective states experienced during the COVID- 19 pandemic. [less ▲]

Metabolomic profiles in night shift workers: A cross-sectional study on hospital female nurses

in Frontiers in Public Health (2023)

Background and aim: Shift work, especially including night shifts, has been found associated with several diseases, including obesity, diabetes, cancers, and cardiovascular, mental, gastrointestinal and ... [more ▼]

Background and aim: Shift work, especially including night shifts, has been found associated with several diseases, including obesity, diabetes, cancers, and cardiovascular, mental, gastrointestinal and sleep disorders. Metabolomics (an omics-based methodology) may shed light on early biological alterations underlying these associations. We thus aimed to evaluate the effect of night shift work (NSW) on serum metabolites in a sample of hospital female nurses. Methods: We recruited 46 nurses currently working in NSW in Milan (Italy), matched to 51 colleagues not employed in night shifts. Participants filled in a questionnaire on demographics, lifestyle habits, personal and family health history and work, and donated a blood sample. The metabolome was evaluated through a validated targeted approach measuring 188 metabolites. Only metabolites with at least 50% observations above the detection limit were considered, after standardization and log-transformation. Associations between each metabolite and NSW were assessed applying Tobit regression models and Random Forest, a machine-learning algorithm. Results: When comparing current vs. never night shifters, we observed lower levels of 21 glycerophospholipids and 6 sphingolipids, and higher levels of serotonin (+171.0%, 95%CI: 49.1–392.7), aspartic acid (+155.8%, 95%CI: 40.8–364.7), and taurine (+182.1%, 95%CI: 67.6–374.9). The latter was higher in former vs. never night shifters too (+208.8%, 95%CI: 69.2–463.3). Tobit regression comparing ever (i.e., current + former) and never night shifters returned similar results. Years worked in night shifts did not seem to affect metabolite levels. The Random-Forest algorithm confirmed taurine and aspartic acid among the most important variables in discriminating current vs. never night shifters. Conclusions: This study, although based on a small sample size, shows altered levels of some metabolites in night shift workers. If confirmed, our results may shed light on early biological alterations that might be related to adverse health effects of NSW. [less ▲]

Nonstandard n-distances based on certain geometric constructions

in Beiträge zur Algebra und Geometrie (2023), 64(1), 107-126

The concept of n-distance was recently introduced to generalize the classical definition of distance to functions of n arguments. In this paper we investigate this concept through a number of examples ... [more ▼]

The concept of n-distance was recently introduced to generalize the classical definition of distance to functions of n arguments. In this paper we investigate this concept through a number of examples based on certain geometrical constructions. In particular, our study shows to which extent the computation of the best constant associated with an n-distance may sometimes be difficult and tricky. It also reveals that two important graph theoretical concepts, namely the total length of the Euclidean Steiner tree and the total length of the minimal spanning tree constructed on n points, are instances of n-distances. [less ▲]

Three-dimensional CFD-DEM simulation of raceway transport phenomena in a blast furnace

in Fuel (2023), 334(2),

Improving energy efficiency in a blast furnace (BF) has a significant effect on energy consumption and pollutant emission in a steel plant. In the BF, the blast injection creates a cavity, the so-called ... [more ▼]

Improving energy efficiency in a blast furnace (BF) has a significant effect on energy consumption and pollutant emission in a steel plant. In the BF, the blast injection creates a cavity, the so-called raceway, near the inlet. On the periphery of the raceway, a ring-type zone is formed which is associated with the highest coke combustion rate and temperatures in the raceway. Therefore, predicting the raceway size or in other words, the periphery of the ring-type zone with accuracy is important for estimating the BF’s energy and coke consumption. In the present study, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is coupled to Discrete Element Method (DEM) to develop a three-dimensional (3D) model featuring a gas–solid reacting flow, to study the transport phenomena inside the raceway. The model is compared to a previously developed two-dimensional (2D) model and it is shown that the assumptions associated with a 2D model, result in an overestimation of the size of the raceway. The 3D model is then used to investigate the coke particles’ combustion and heat generation and distribution in the raceway. It is shown that a higher blast flow rate is associated with a higher reaction rate and a larger raceway. A 10% increase in the inlet velocity (from 200 m/s to 220 m/s) caused the raceway volume to grow by almost 40%. The DEM model considers a radial discretization over the particle, therefore the heat and mass distributions over the particle are analyzed as well. [less ▲]