Region of birth differences in healthcare navigation and optimisation: the interplay of racial discrimination and socioeconomic position

in International Journal for Equity in Health (2022)

La qualité pour agir dans l’intérêt collectif

in Revue Critique de Jurisprudence Belge (2022)

The multivariate functional de Jong CLT

in Probability Theory and Related Fields (2022), 184(1), 367-399

GDAP1 loss of function inhibits the mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex by altering the actin cytoskeleton

in Communications Biology (2022)

THE SIMPLE SEPARATING SYSTOLE FOR HYPERBOLIC SURFACES OF LARGE GENUS

in J. Inst. Math. Jussieu (2022), 21(6), 2205--2214

Die Welt vor dem Verschleiss schützen

in Arch + (2022), 250

Test case selection and prioritization using machine learning: a systematic literature review

in Empirical Software Engineering (2022), 27

Extraction of chemical structures from literature and patent documents using open access chemistry toolkits: a case study with PFAS

in Digital Discovery (2022)

Extracting PFAS with open source cheminformatics toolkits reveals ~1.78 million PFAS in Google Patents, ~28 K in the CORE literature repository. The extraction of chemical information from documents is a ... [more ▼]

Extracting PFAS with open source cheminformatics toolkits reveals ~1.78 million PFAS in Google Patents, ~28 K in the CORE literature repository. The extraction of chemical information from documents is a demanding task in cheminformatics due to the variety of text and image-based representations of chemistry. The present work describes the extraction of chemical compounds with unique chemical structures from the open access CORE (COnnecting REpositories) and Google Patents full text document repositories. The importance of structure normalization is demonstrated using three open access cheminformatics toolkits: the Chemistry Development Kit (CDK), RDKit and OpenChemLib (OCL). Each toolkit was used for structure parsing, normalization and subsequent substructure searching, using SMILES as structure representations of chemical molecules and International Chemical Identifiers (InChIs) for comparison. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were chosen as a case study to perform the substructure search, due to their high environmental relevance, their presence in both literature and patent corpuses, and the current lack of community consensus on their definition. Three different structural definitions of PFAS were chosen to highlight the implications of various definitions from a cheminformatics perspective. Since CDK, RDKit and OCL implement different criteria and methods for SMILES parsing and normalization, different numbers of parsed compounds were extracted, which were then evaluated using the three PFAS definitions. A comparison of these toolkits and definitions is provided, along with a discussion of the implications for PFAS screening and text mining efforts in cheminformatics. Finally, the extracted PFAS (~1.7 M PFAS from patents and ~27 K from CORE) were compared against various existing PFAS lists and are provided in various formats for further community research efforts. [less ▲]

Widely Distributed Radar Imaging: Unmediated ADMM Based Approach

in IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Signal Processing (2022)

This paper presents a novel approach to reconstruct a unique image of an observed scene via synthetic apertures (SA) generated by employing widely distributed radar sensors. The problem is posed as a ... [more ▼]

This paper presents a novel approach to reconstruct a unique image of an observed scene via synthetic apertures (SA) generated by employing widely distributed radar sensors. The problem is posed as a constrained optimization problem in which the global image which represents the aggregate view of the sensors is a decision variable. While the problem is designed to promote a sparse solution for the global image, it is constrained such that a relationship with local images that can be reconstructed using the measurements at each sensor is respected. Two problem formulations are introduced by stipulating two different establishments of that relationship. The proposed formulations are designed according to consensus ADMM (CADMM) and sharing ADMM (SADMM), and their solutions are provided accordingly as iterative algorithms. We drive the explicit variable updates for each algorithm in addition to the recommended scheme for hybrid parallel implementation on the distributed sensors and a central processing unit. Our algorithms are validated and their performance is evaluated by exploiting the Civilian Vehicles Dome dataset to realize different scenarios of practical relevance. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms, especially in cases with limited measurements. [less ▲]

Less is more - zur Strategie der Suffizienz für eine nachhaltige Stadt-Land-Entwicklung

in Arch + (2022), 250

COVID-19 and the global venture capital landscape

in Small Business Economics (2022), 59(3), 781-805

We assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on venture capital (VC) investments, documenting a significant decline in investments using a dataset of 39,527 funding rounds occurring before and during the ... [more ▼]

We assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on venture capital (VC) investments, documenting a significant decline in investments using a dataset of 39,527 funding rounds occurring before and during the pandemic in 130 countries. In line with our theoretical considerations, we show that this decline is more pronounced for investments characterized by higher uncertainty, namely investments in seed-stage ventures, industries affected more heavily by the COVID-19 crisis, international investments, and non-syndicated investments. Investor prominence partially moderates these effects. [less ▲]

Generation and characterization of a genetic Parkinson`s disease-patient derived iPSC line DJ-1-delP (LCSBi008-A)

in Stem Cell Research (2022)

Microglia phenotypes are associated with subregional patterns of concomitant tau, amyloid-β and α-synuclein pathologies in the hippocampus of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies

in Acta Neuropathologica Communications (2022), 10(1), 36

The cellular alterations of the hippocampus lead to memory decline, a shared symptom between Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) patients. However, the subregional deterioration ... [more ▼]

The cellular alterations of the hippocampus lead to memory decline, a shared symptom between Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) patients. However, the subregional deterioration pattern of the hippocampus differs between AD and DLB with the CA1 subfield being more severely affected in AD. The activation of microglia, the brain immune cells, could play a role in its selective volume loss. How subregional microglia populations vary within AD or DLB and across these conditions remains poorly understood. Furthermore, how the nature of the hippocampal local pathological imprint is associated with microglia responses needs to be elucidated. To this purpose, we employed an automated pipeline for analysis of 3D confocal microscopy images to assess CA1, CA3 and DG/CA4 subfields microglia responses in post-mortem hippocampal samples from late-onset AD (n = 10), DLB (n = 8) and age-matched control (CTL) (n = 11) individuals. In parallel, we performed volumetric analyses of hyperphosphorylated tau (pTau), amyloid-β (Aβ) and phosphorylated α-synuclein (pSyn) loads. For each of the 32,447 extracted microglia, 16 morphological features were measured to classify them into seven distinct morphological clusters. Our results show similar alterations of microglial morphological features and clusters in AD and DLB, but with more prominent changes in AD. We identified two distinct microglia clusters enriched in disease conditions and particularly increased in CA1 and DG/CA4 of AD and CA3 of DLB. Our study confirms frequent concomitance of pTau, Aβ and pSyn loads across AD and DLB but reveals a specific subregional pattern for each type of pathology, along with a generally increased severity in AD. Furthermore, pTau and pSyn loads were highly correlated across subregions and conditions. We uncovered tight associations between microglial changes and the subfield pathological imprint. Our findings suggest that combinations and severity of subregional pTau, Aβ and pSyn pathologies transform local microglia phenotypic composition in the hippocampus. The high burdens of pTau and pSyn associated with increased microglial alterations could be a factor in CA1 vulnerability in AD. [less ▲]

Introduction

in Journal for the Study of British Cultures (2022), 29(1), 7-18

Community-driven ELIXIR activities in single-cell omics [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

in F1000Research (2022), 11(869),

Quantum collisional thermostats

in New J. Phys. (2022), 24(2), 023018

Quantum scattering as a work source

in Quantum (2022), 6

Collaborative Cache-Aided Relaying Networks: Performance Evaluation and System Optimization

in IEEE Journal on Selected Areas In Communications (2022)

This paper studies a multi-tier cache-aided relaying network, where the destination D is randomly located in the network and it requests files from the source S through the help of cache-aided base ... [more ▼]

This paper studies a multi-tier cache-aided relaying network, where the destination D is randomly located in the network and it requests files from the source S through the help of cache-aided base station (BS) and N relays. In this system, the multi-tier architecture imposes a significant impact on the system collaborative caching and file delivery, which brings a big challenge to the system performance evaluation and optimization. To address this problem, we first evaluate the system performance by deriving analytical outage probability expression, through fully taking into account the random location of the destination and different file delivery modes related to the file caching status. We then perform the asymptotic analysis on the system outage probability when the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is high, to enclose some important and meaningful insights on the network. We further optimize the caching strategies among the relays and BS, to improve the network outage probability. Simulations are performed to show the effectiveness of the derived analytical and asymptotic outage probability for the proposed caching strategy. In particular, the proposed caching is superior to the conventional caching strategies such as the most popular content (MPC) and equal probability caching (EPC) strategies. [less ▲]

Modeling How Different User Groups Perceive Webpage Aesthetics

in Universal Access in the Information Society (2022)

Quelle solution pour le conflit de procédures conservatoires en droit judiciaire européen?

in Revue Critique de Droit International Privé (2022)

A Sustainability-Centric Methodology for the Shunt-in Shunt-out Problem

in Transport research Arena (2022)

Experimental characterization of the temperature gradient inside a membrane distillation module

in Energy Reports (2022)

Combinatorial analysis reveals highly coordinated early-stage immune reactions that predict later antiviral immunity in mild COVID-19 patients

in Cell Reports Medicine (2022), 3(4), 100600

While immunopathology has been widely studied in patients with severe COVID-19, immune responses in non-hospitalized patients have remained largely elusive. We systematically analyze 484 peripheral ... [more ▼]

While immunopathology has been widely studied in patients with severe COVID-19, immune responses in non-hospitalized patients have remained largely elusive. We systematically analyze 484 peripheral cellular or soluble immune features in a longitudinal cohort of 63 mild and 15 hospitalized patients versus 14 asymptomatic and 26 household controls. We observe a transient increase of IP10/CXCL10 and interferon-β levels, coordinated responses of dominant SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4 and fewer CD8 T cells, and various antigen-presenting and antibody-secreting cells in mild patients within 3 days of PCR diagnosis. The frequency of key innate immune cells and their functional marker expression are impaired in hospitalized patients at day 1 of inclusion. T cell and dendritic cell responses at day 1 are highly predictive for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody responses after 3 weeks in mild but not hospitalized patients. Our systematic analysis reveals a combinatorial picture and trajectory of various arms of the highly coordinated early-stage immune responses in mild COVID-19 patients. [less ▲]

Introduction

in Zeitschrift für Anglistik und Amerikanistik (2022), 70(2), 123-130

A Magnetohydrodynamic enhanced entry system for space transportation: MEESST

in Journal of Space Safety Engineering (2022)

This paper outlines the initial development of a novel magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) plasma control system which aims at mitigating shock-induced heating and the radio-frequency communication blackout ... [more ▼]

This paper outlines the initial development of a novel magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) plasma control system which aims at mitigating shock-induced heating and the radio-frequency communication blackout typically encountered during (re-)entry into planetary atmospheres. An international consortium comprising universities, SMEs, research institutions, and industry has been formed in order to develop this technology within the MEESST project. The latter is funded by the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) program of the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 scheme (grant no. 899298). Atmospheric entry imposes one of the harshest environments which a spacecraft can experience. The combination of hypersonic velocities and the rapid compression of atmospheric particles by the spacecraft leads to high-enthalpy, partially ionised gases forming around the vehicle. This inhibits radio communications and induces high thermal loads on the spacecraft surface. For the former problem, spacecraft can sometimes rely on satellite constellations for communicating through the plasma wake and therefore preventing the blackout. On the other hand, expensive, heavy, and non-reusable thermal protection systems (TPS) are needed to dissipate the severe thermal loads. Such TPS can represent up to 30% of an entry vehicles weight, and especially for manned missions they can reduce the cost- efficiency by sacrificing payload mass. Such systems are also prone to failure, putting the lives of astronauts at risk. The use of electromagnetic fields to exploit MHD principles has long been considered as an attractive solution for tackling the problems described above. By pushing the boundary layer of the ionized gas layer away from the spacecraft, the thermal loads can be reduced, while also opening a magnetic window for radio communications and mitigating the blackout phenomenon. The application of this MHD-enabled system has previously not been demonstrated in realistic conditions due to the required large magnetic fields (on the order of Tesla or more), which for conventional technologies would demand exceptionally heavy and power-hungry electromagnets. High-temperature superconductors (HTS) have reached a level of industrial maturity sufficient for them to act as a key enabling technology for this application. Thanks to superior current densities, HTS coils can offer the necessary low weight and compactness required for space applications, with the ability to generate the strong magnetic fields needed for entry purposes. This paper provides an overview of the MEESST project, including its goals, methodology and some preliminary design considerations. [less ▲]

Politiken einer Reparaturgesellschaft

in Arch + (2022), 250

Benchmarking quantum annealing dynamics: The spin-vector Langevin model

in Physical Review Research (2022)

The classical spin-vector Monte Carlo (SVMC) model is a reference benchmark for the performance of a quantum annealer. Yet, as a Monte Carlo method, SVMC is unsuited for an accurate description of the ... [more ▼]

The classical spin-vector Monte Carlo (SVMC) model is a reference benchmark for the performance of a quantum annealer. Yet, as a Monte Carlo method, SVMC is unsuited for an accurate description of the annealing dynamics in real-time.We introduce the spin-vector Langevin (SVL) model as an alternative benchmark in which the time evolution is described by Langevin dynamics. The SVL model is shown to provide a more stringent test than the SVMC model for the identification of quantum signatures in the performance of quantum annealing devices, as we illustrate by describing the Kibble-Zurek scaling associated with the dynamics of symmetry breaking in the transverse field Ising model, recently probed using D-Wave machines. Specifically, we show that D-Wave data are reproduced by the SVL model. [less ▲]

Distributional Change: Assessing the Contribution of Household Income Sources

in Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics (2022), n/a(n/a),

We develop a decomposition of changes in household income distributions by factor components to quantify the contribution of changes over time in the association between sources of income and changes in ... [more ▼]

We develop a decomposition of changes in household income distributions by factor components to quantify the contribution of changes over time in the association between sources of income and changes in their (marginal) distributions. The two components are broken down to isolate the contribution of specific income sources. An application to the change in the distribution of household incomes in Luxembourg between 2004 and 2013 reveals contrasted results: increased association between spouse earnings, public transfers and taxes depressed the income share of poor households while changes in marginal distributions increased incomes in the upper half of the distribution. [less ▲]

Regulating Sustainable Finance in the Dark

in European Business Organization Law Review (2022), 23

Le « cas Raoult » ou la controverse médicale amplifiée par l’influence personnelle

in Communication (2022), 39(1),

The medical controversy stirred up by Professor Didier Raoult in France was an unprecedented communications challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. In today’s supermediatized world, the traditional ... [more ▼]

The medical controversy stirred up by Professor Didier Raoult in France was an unprecedented communications challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. In today’s supermediatized world, the traditional framework of scientific controversies has shifted to the social media space where divided opinions and heated disputes pave the way for “fake news” and “alternative facts.” The authors begin by breaking down Professor Raoult’s “direct” communication strategy. Next they compile all the interactions sparked by posts to the “Didier Raoult officiel” Facebook page over a three-month period. Then after examining the content shared by the pages users/followers, the authors identify certain elements of homophily within the groups observed [less ▲]

Project-based learning course on metabolic network modelling in computational systems biology.

in PLoS computational biology (2022), 18(1), 1009711

Project-based learning (PBL) is a dynamic student-centred teaching method that encourages students to solve real-life problems while fostering engagement and critical thinking. Here, we report on a PBL ... [more ▼]

Project-based learning (PBL) is a dynamic student-centred teaching method that encourages students to solve real-life problems while fostering engagement and critical thinking. Here, we report on a PBL course on metabolic network modelling that has been running for several years within the Master in Integrated Systems Biology (MISB) at the University of Luxembourg. This 2-week full-time block course comprises an introduction into the core concepts and methods of constraint-based modelling (CBM), applied to toy models and large-scale networks alongside the preparation of individual student projects in week 1 and, in week 2, the presentation and execution of these projects. We describe in detail the schedule and content of the course, exemplary student projects, and reflect on outcomes and lessons learned. PBL requires the full engagement of students and teachers and gives a rewarding teaching experience. The presented course can serve as a role model and inspiration for other similar courses. [less ▲]

Giant voltage amplification from electrostatically induced incipient ferroelectric states

in Nature Materials (2022)

Joint Parameter Estimation From Binary Observations Over Decentralized Channels

in IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing (2022), 70

In wireless sensor networks, due to the bandwidth constraint, the distributed nodes (DNs) might only provide binary representatives of the source signal, and then transmit them to the central node (CN ... [more ▼]

In wireless sensor networks, due to the bandwidth constraint, the distributed nodes (DNs) might only provide binary representatives of the source signal, and then transmit them to the central node (CN). In this paper, we consider the joint estimation of signal amplitude and background noise variance from binary observations over decentralized channels. We first analyze the Cramér–Rao lower bounds (CRLBs) of the parameters of interest and develop a quasilinear estimator (QLE), in which the desirable estimates can be obtained from several intermediate parameters linearly. Next, we consider a more realistic situation where the decentralized channel is noisy during the data transmission. Based on the error propagation model, the asymptotic analysis shows that the performance of the proposed QLE is mainly dominated by the thresholds of the quantizers, which encourages us to adopt a correlated quantization (CQ) scheme by exploiting the spatial correlation among background noises/channel noises. To ease the implementation of QLE in practice, an adaptive quantization (AQ) scheme is also proposed so as to obtain reasonable selections of the required thresholds. Finally, numerical simulations are provided to validate our theoretical findings. [less ▲]

Enhanced Optical Spectroscopy for Multiplexed DNA and Protein-Sequencing with Plasmonic Nanopores: Challenges and Prospects

in Analytical Chemistry (2022), 94(2), 503-514

The transparency challenge of blockchain in organizations

in Electronic Markets (2022), 32(3), 1779--1794

This position paper discusses the challenges of blockchain applications in businesses and the public sector related to an excessive degree of transparency. We first point out the types of sensitive data ... [more ▼]

This position paper discusses the challenges of blockchain applications in businesses and the public sector related to an excessive degree of transparency. We first point out the types of sensitive data involved in different patterns of blockchain use cases. We then argue that the implications of blockchains’ information exposure caused by replicated transaction storage and execution go well beyond the often-mentioned conflicts with the GDPR’s “right to be forgotten” and may be more problematic than anticipated. In particular, we illustrate the trade-off between protecting sensitive information and increasing process efficiency through smart contracts. We also explore to which extent permissioned blockchains and novel applications of cryptographic technologies such as self-sovereign identities and zero-knowledge proofs can help overcome the transparency challenge and thus act as catalysts for blockchain adoption and diffusion in organizations. [less ▲]

Migrant organisations, belonging and social protection. The role of migrant organisations in migrants' social risk-averting strategies

in International Migration (2022)

The effects of IMF programs on income inequality: a semi-parametric treatment effects approach

in International Journal of Development Issues (2022)

Purpose This paper aims to provide new insights regarding the impact of International Monetary Fund (IMF) programs on income inequality. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a novel methodological ... [more ▼]

Purpose This paper aims to provide new insights regarding the impact of International Monetary Fund (IMF) programs on income inequality. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a novel methodological approach proposed by Acemoglu et al. (2019), using (1) the regression adjustment, (2) the inverse probability weighting and (3) the doubly robust estimator, which combines (1) and (2), and a sample of annual data for 135 developing countries over the time period 1970 to 2015. Findings The findings show that IMF programs are associated with greater income inequality for up to five years. By differentiating the effect of IMF programs, the authors find that only IMF non-concessional programs have a significant detrimental effect on income inequality, while IMF concessional programs do not have a consistent effect on income inequality. In addition, the authors find that only IMF programs with a higher number of conditions have a detrimental and statistically significant effect on income inequality, compared to IMF programs with a smaller number of conditions, where their effect on income inequality is found to be insignificant. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the analysis developed in this paper contributes to the existing literature by applying the most methodologically sound identification strategy, which does not rely on the linearity assumption, the selection of instruments or matching variables and additionally takes into account the selection bias related to IMF program participation. [less ▲]

Executing trades in style: Retail investors vs. institutions.

in Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting and Economics (2022), 29(2), 344-362

Euler continuants in noncommutative quasi-Poisson geometry

in Forum of Mathematics, Sigma (2022), 10

It was established by Boalch that Euler continuants arise as Lie group valued moment maps for a class of wild character varieties described as moduli spaces of points on P1 by Sibuya. Furthermore, Boalch ... [more ▼]

It was established by Boalch that Euler continuants arise as Lie group valued moment maps for a class of wild character varieties described as moduli spaces of points on P1 by Sibuya. Furthermore, Boalch noticed that these varieties are multiplicative analogues of certain Nakajima quiver varieties originally introduced by Calabi, which are attached to the quiver Γn on two vertices and n equioriented arrows. In this article, we go a step further by unveiling that the Sibuya varieties can be understood using noncommutative quasi-Poisson geometry modelled on the quiver Γn . We prove that the Poisson structure carried by these varieties is induced, via the Kontsevich–Rosenberg principle, by an explicit Hamiltonian double quasi-Poisson algebra defined at the level of the quiver Γn such that its noncommutative multiplicative moment map is given in terms of Euler continuants. This result generalises the Hamiltonian double quasi-Poisson algebra associated with the quiver Γ1 by Van den Bergh. Moreover, using the method of fusion, we prove that the Hamiltonian double quasi-Poisson algebra attached to Γn admits a factorisation in terms of n copies of the algebra attached to Γ1 [less ▲]

Digitized-counterdiabatic quantum approximate optimization algorithm

in Physical Review Research (2022)

The quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA) has proved to be an effective classical-quantum algorithm serving multiple purposes, from solving combinatorial optimization problems to finding the ... [more ▼]

The quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA) has proved to be an effective classical-quantum algorithm serving multiple purposes, from solving combinatorial optimization problems to finding the ground state of many-body quantum systems. Since the QAOA is an Ansatz-dependent algorithm, there is always a need to design Ansätze for better optimization. To this end, we propose a digitized version of the QAOA enhanced via the use of shortcuts to adiabaticity. Specifically, we use a counterdiabatic (CD) driving term to design a better Ansatz, along with the Hamiltonian and mixing terms, enhancing the global performance. We apply our digitized-CD QAOA to Ising models, classical optimization problems, and the P-spin model, demonstrating that it outperforms the standard QAOA in all cases we study. [less ▲]

Neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation are linked, but independent of a-synuclein inclusions, in a seeding/spreading mouse model of Parkinson's disease

in Glia (2022)

A key pathological process in Parkinson's disease (PD) is the transneuronal spreading of α-synuclein. Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) is a presynaptic protein that, in PD, forms pathological inclusions. Other ... [more ▼]

A key pathological process in Parkinson's disease (PD) is the transneuronal spreading of α-synuclein. Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) is a presynaptic protein that, in PD, forms pathological inclusions. Other hallmarks of PD include neurodegeneration and microgliosis in susceptible brain regions. Whether it is primarily transneuronal spreading of α-syn particles, inclusion formation, or other mechanisms, such as inflammation, that cause neurodegeneration in PD is unclear. We used a model of spreading of α-syn induced by striatal injection of α-syn preformed fibrils into the mouse striatum to address this question. We performed quantitative analysis for α-syn inclusions, neurodegeneration, and microgliosis in different brain regions, and generated gene expression profiles of the ventral midbrain, at two different timepoints after disease induction. We observed significant neurodegeneration and microgliosis in brain regions not only with, but also without α-syn inclusions. We also observed prominent microgliosis in injured brain regions that did not correlate with neurodegeneration nor with inclusion load. Using longitudinal gene expression profiling, we observed early gene expression changes, linked to neuroinflammation, that preceded neurodegeneration, indicating an active role of microglia in this process. Altered gene pathways overlapped with those typical of PD. Our observations indicate that α-syn inclusion formation is not the major driver in the early phases of PD-like neurodegeneration, but that microglia, activated by diffusible, oligomeric α-syn, may play a key role in this process. Our findings uncover new features of α-syn induced pathologies, in particular microgliosis, and point to the necessity for a broader view of the process of α-syn spreading. [less ▲]

Magnetic nanoprecipitates and interfacial spin disorder in zero-field-annealed Ni50Mn45In5 Heusler alloys as seen by magnetic small-angle neutron scattering

in Journal of Applied Crystallography (2022), 55

Subjective age, worry and risk-related perceptions in older adults in times of a pandemic

in PLoS ONE (2022), 17(9), 0274293

During the Covid-19 pandemic, older people have been in the spotlight of the public debate. Given their higher risk of severe outcomes of the disease, they have been described as especially vulnerable and ... [more ▼]

During the Covid-19 pandemic, older people have been in the spotlight of the public debate. Given their higher risk of severe outcomes of the disease, they have been described as especially vulnerable and as a burden to others and society. We thus wanted to investigate how older people’s perception of their own age, that is their subjective age, as well as their Covid-19 related risks and worries were related during the pandemic and whether these relationships varied according to participants’ subjective health. We used data from the longitudinal CRISIS study which was conducted in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg in June and October 2020. Participants were aged 60–98 and responded on questionnaires regarding their subjective age, worry of falling ill with Covid-19, perceived risk of contracting the virus, perceived risk of falling seriously ill if they contracted Covid-19, as well as their subjective health and covariates. Three cross-lagged panel models were constructed to explore the longitudinal, bidirectional relationships between the variables. Cross-sectionally, a higher subjective age was related to more perceived risk of a serious course of disease. Longitudinally, subjective age and worry did not show any significant association over time, and neither did subjective age and perceived risk of contracting the virus. However, subjective health significantly moderated the relationship of worry and subjective age, showing different trajectories in the relationship depending on whether subjective health was good or bad. Higher perceived risk of falling seriously ill increased subjective age over time. Again, subjective health moderated this relationship: the perceived risk of falling seriously ill affected subjective age only for those with better subjective health. Our findings show the interactive relationship between subjective age and Covid-19 related cognitions and emotions and provide guidance for identifying older people that are most susceptible for negative age-related communication during the pandemic. [less ▲]

Regulating Finfluencers

in Journal of European Consumer and Market Law (2022), 11(6)

The accessibility of investment advice on social media platforms has significantly increased in recent years. Finance influencers and content creators, so-called ‘Finfluencers’, provide their audience ... [more ▼]

The accessibility of investment advice on social media platforms has significantly increased in recent years. Finance influencers and content creators, so-called ‘Finfluencers’, provide their audience with unpaid or paid financial advice on social media, featuring investment strategies relating to meme stocks, contracts for difference trading, or cryptocurrencies. This article examines the practices and business models of Finfluencers as well as how EU law, three national jurisdictions (Luxembourg, Germany, and the UK), and five platforms regulate their activities. The underlying objectives are to understand the activities and regulation of Finfluencers and critically analyse whether the current framework sufficiently protects consumers. [less ▲]

Neurodegeneration and Neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s Disease: a Self-Sustained Loop

in Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports (2022), 22(8), 427440

Purpose of Review: Neuroinflammation plays a significant role in Parkinson’s disease (PD) etiology along with mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired proteostasis. In this context, mechanisms related to ... [more ▼]

Purpose of Review: Neuroinflammation plays a significant role in Parkinson’s disease (PD) etiology along with mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired proteostasis. In this context, mechanisms related to immune response can act as modifiers at different steps of the neurodegenerative process and justify the growing interest in anti-inflammatory agents as potential disease-modifying treatments in PD. The discovery of inherited gene mutations in PD has allowed researchers to develop cellular and animal models to study the mechanisms of the underlying biology, but the original cause of neuroinflammation in PD is still debated to date. Recent Findings: Cell autonomous alterations in neuronal cells, including mitochondrial damage and protein aggregation, could play a role, but recent findings also highlighted the importance of intercellular communication at both local and systemic level. This has given rise to debate about the role of non-neuronal cells in PD and reignited intense research into the gut-brain axis and other non-neuronal interactions in the development of the disease. Whatever the original trigger of neuroinflammation in PD, what appears quite clear is that the aberrant activation of glial cells and other components of the immune system creates a vicious circle in which neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation nourish each other. Summary: In this review, we will provide an up-to-date summary of the main cellular alterations underlying neuroinflammation in PD, including those induced by environmental factors (e.g. the gut microbiome) and those related to the genetic background of affected patients. Starting from the lesson provided by familial forms of PD, we will discuss pathophysiological mechanisms linked to inflammation that could also play a role in idiopathic forms. Finally, we will comment on the potential clinical translatability of immunobiomarkers identified in PD patient cohorts and provide an update on current therapeutic strategies aimed at overcoming or preventing inflammation in PD. © 2022, The Author(s). [less ▲]

Indium-free CIGS analogues: general discussion

in Faraday Discussions (2022)

User Scheduling and Power Allocation for Precoded Multi-Beam High Throughput Satellite Systems With Individual Quality of Service Constraints

in IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology (Early Access) (2022)

For extensive coverage areas, multi-beam high throughput satellite (HTS) communication is a promising technology that plays a crucial role in delivering broadband services to many users with diverse ... [more ▼]

For extensive coverage areas, multi-beam high throughput satellite (HTS) communication is a promising technology that plays a crucial role in delivering broadband services to many users with diverse Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. This paper focuses on multi-beam HTS systems where all beams reuse the same spectrum. In particular, we propose a novel user scheduling and power allocation design capable of providing guarantees in terms of the individual QoS requirements while maximizing the system throughput under a limited power budget. Precoding is employed in the forward link to mitigate mutual interference among the users in multiple-access scenarios over different coherence time intervals. The combinatorial optimization structure from user scheduling requires an extremely high cost to obtain the global optimum even when a reduced number of users fit into a time slot. Therefore, we propose a heuristic algorithm yielding a good trade-off between performance and computational complexity, applicable to a static operation framework of geostationary (GEO) satellite networks. Although the power allocation optimization is signomial programming, non-convex on a standard form, the solution can be lower bounded by the global optimum of a geometric program with a hidden convex structure. A local solution to the joint user scheduling and power allocation problem is consequently obtained by a successive optimization approach. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithms on GEO satellite networks by providing better QoS satisfaction combined with outstanding overall system throughput. [less ▲]

Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface-Assisted Cell-Free Massive MIMO Systems Over Spatially-Correlated Channels

in IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications (2022), 21(7), 5106-5128

Cell-Free Massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) are two promising technologies for application to beyond-5G networks. This paper considers Cell-Free ... [more ▼]

Cell-Free Massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) are two promising technologies for application to beyond-5G networks. This paper considers Cell-Free Massive MIMO systems with the assistance of an RIS for enhancing the system performance under the presence of spatial correlation among the engineered scattering elements of the RIS. Distributed maximum-ratio processing is considered at the access points (APs). We introduce an aggregated channel estimation approach that provides sufficient information for data processing with the main benefit of reducing the overhead required for channel estimation. The considered system is studied by using asymptotic analysis which lets the number of APs and/or the number of RIS elements grow large. A lower bound for the channel capacity is obtained for a finite number of APs and engineered scattering elements of the RIS, and closed-form expressions for the uplink and downlink ergodic net throughput are formulated in terms of only the channel statistics. Based on the obtained analytical frameworks, we unveil the impact of channel correlation, the number of RIS elements, and the pilot contamination on the net throughput of each user. In addition, a simple control scheme for optimizing the configuration of the engineered scattering elements of the RIS is proposed, which is shown to increase the channel estimation quality, and, hence, the system performance. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed system design and performance analysis. In particular, the performance benefits of using RISs in Cell-Free Massive MIMO systems are confirmed, especially if the direct links between the APs and the users are of insufficient quality with high probability. [less ▲]

Origin of Interface Limitation in Zn(O,S)/CuInS2‑Based Solar Cells

in ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces (2022), 14

Emerging ecologies and changing relations: a brief manifesto for histories of education after COVID-19

in Paedagogica Historica (2022)

he paper draws upon photography as an active intervention into compromised environments and uses it to discover and develop new perspectives on past and future histories of education after COVID-19. These ... [more ▼]

he paper draws upon photography as an active intervention into compromised environments and uses it to discover and develop new perspectives on past and future histories of education after COVID-19. These perspectives become particularly clear when seen against the backdrop of recent discussions on planetary responsibility and shared ecologies. The paper suggests that we shift our research agendas away from anthropocentric world views that have placed great emphasis on human sovereignty, modernisation, progress and/or decline, nation states and global governance, and the stratifying effects of education systems, without reflecting their ecological consequences. It argues that anthropocentric approaches to history of education have neglected the openness and vulnerability of the human body and its ethical, cultural and social proximity to other living creatures and the material world. The paper therefore focuses on what it means for historians of education to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, what it means to change research perspectives, and what it means to look at photographs that were produced in a state of exception. The paper sets out to propose a manifesto for a post-anthropocentric research agenda that anchors history of education and the history of pandemics in intertwined ecologies of the living and material worlds. The paper suggests that future histories of education cannot be written without considering the COVID-19 crisis as both a challenge and an encouragement to further develop our understanding of education. [less ▲]