Non-normality, topological transitivity and expanding families

in Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society (2022), 173(3), 511-523

We investigate the behaviour of families of meromorphic functions in the neighbourhood of points of non-normality and prove certain covering properties that complement Montel’s Theorem. In particular, we ... [more ▼]

We investigate the behaviour of families of meromorphic functions in the neighbourhood of points of non-normality and prove certain covering properties that complement Montel’s Theorem. In particular, we also obtain characterisations of non-normality in terms of such properties. [less ▲]

A Survey on Non-Geostationary Satellite Systems: The Communication Perspective

in IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials (2022)

The next phase of satellite technology is being characterized by a new evolution in non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellites, which conveys exciting new communication capabilities to provide non ... [more ▼]

The next phase of satellite technology is being characterized by a new evolution in non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellites, which conveys exciting new communication capabilities to provide non-terrestrial connectivity solutions and to support a wide range of digital technologies from various industries. NGSO communication systems are known for a number of key features such as lower propagation delay, smaller size, and lower signal losses in comparison to the conventional geostationary orbit (GSO) satellites, which can potentially enable latency-critical applications to be provided through satellites. NGSO promises a substantial boost in communication speed and energy efficiency, and thus, tackling the main inhibiting factors of commercializing GSO satellites for broader utilization. The promised improvements of NGSO systems have motivated this paper to provide a comprehensive survey of the state-of-the-art NGSO research focusing on the communication prospects, including physical layer and radio access technologies along with the networking aspects and the overall system features and architectures. Beyond this, there are still many NGSO deployment challenges to be addressed to ensure seamless integration not only with GSO systems but also with terrestrial networks. These unprecedented challenges are also discussed in this paper, including coexistence with GSO systems in terms of spectrum access and regulatory issues, satellite constellation and architecture designs, resource management problems, and user equipment requirements. Finally, we outline a set of innovative research directions and new opportunities for future NGSO research. [less ▲]

Solids on Soli: Millimetre-Wave Radar Sensing through Materials

in Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction (2022)

Reasoning on conflicting information: An empirical study of Formal Argumentation

in PLoS ONE (2022), 17(8 August),

According to the Argumentative Theory, human reasoning has an argumentative function, which consists of devising and evaluating arguments for and against various claims. It is however unclear how humans ... [more ▼]

According to the Argumentative Theory, human reasoning has an argumentative function, which consists of devising and evaluating arguments for and against various claims. It is however unclear how humans handle conflicting claims they face in everyday life (i.e., “Bob is telling me that Alice is at the library” vs. “Charles is telling me that Alice is at home”). We here investigate human argumentative reasoning in the light of Formal Argumentation, a research field that develops formal methods to give a normative account of argumentation and reasoning about conflicting information. In Formal Argumentation, multiple argumentation semantics that allow selecting sets of jointly acceptable arguments have been proposed. Nonetheless, it is unclear which of these semantics predicts best how humans evaluate the acceptability of conflicting arguments. We conducted an empirical study in which 130 young adults judged natural language arguments. We instructed them to draw the attack relation between the given arguments and to evaluate the acceptability of each of these arguments. Our results show that human judgments on the existence and directionality of attacks between the arguments conform to theoretical predictions from Formal Argumentation. We further found out that some less well-known argumentation semantics predicted human evaluation better than the most well-known semantics. These findings support the cognitive plausibility of variants of Formal Argumentation and bring new insights into reasoning about conflicting information. [less ▲]

Kinetic and energetic insights into the dissipative non-equilibrium operation of an autonomous light-powered supramolecular pump

in Nature Nanotechnology (2022)

Natural and artificial autonomous molecular machines operate by constantly dissipating energy coming from an external source to maintain a non-equilibrium state. Quantitative thermodynamic ... [more ▼]

Natural and artificial autonomous molecular machines operate by constantly dissipating energy coming from an external source to maintain a non-equilibrium state. Quantitative thermodynamic characterization of these dissipative states is highly challenging as they exist only as long as energy is provided. Here we report on the detailed physicochemical characterization of the dissipative operation of a supramolecular pump. The pump transduces light energy into chemical energy by bringing self-assembly reactions to non-equilibrium steady states. The composition of the system under light irradiation was followed in real time by 1H NMR for four different irradiation intensities. The experimental composition and photon flow were then fed into a theoretical model describing the non-equilibrium dissipation and the energy storage at the steady state. We quantitatively probed the relationship between the light energy input and the deviation of the dissipative state from thermodynamic equilibrium in this artificial system. Our results provide a testing ground for newly developed theoretical models for photoactivated artificial molecular machines operating away from thermodynamic equilibrium. [less ▲]

Beyond the bubble: will NFTs and digital proof of ownership empower creative industry entrepreneurs

in Journal of Business Venturing Insights (2022), 17

Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs) are blockchain-enabled cryptographic assets that represent proof-of-ownership for digital objects. The use of NFTs has been pioneered by creative industry entrepreneurs who have ... [more ▼]

Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs) are blockchain-enabled cryptographic assets that represent proof-of-ownership for digital objects. The use of NFTs has been pioneered by creative industry entrepreneurs who have sought to generate new revenue streams and modes of stakeholder engagement. Despite rapid growth in popularity, concerns have been raised around the legal ownership of NFT assets and the prevalence of speculation and fraud associated with NFT trading. In this rapid response article, we explore the value of NFTs for creative industry entrepreneurs. First, we examine the novel digital affordances of the technology; second, we analyse NFTs through the prism of the recent Initial Coin Offering (ICO) boom and bust; and finally, we take a longer-term historical perspective to consider how past speculative waves inform the present NFT economy. While we identify some potentially valuable artistic and financial opportunities for creative industry entrepreneurs, we conclude that NFTs should be approached with caution. [less ▲]

“COVIDwear” and Health Care Workers. How Has the New Materiality of Clothing Affected Care Practices?

in European Journal for Nursing History and Ethics (2022), (4),

Model-based assessment of COVID-19 epidemic dynamics by wastewater analysis

in Science of the Total Environment (2022), 827

Continuous surveillance of COVID-19 diffusion remains crucial to control its diffusion and to anticipate infection waves. Detecting viral RNA load in wastewater samples has been suggested as an effective ... [more ▼]

Continuous surveillance of COVID-19 diffusion remains crucial to control its diffusion and to anticipate infection waves. Detecting viral RNA load in wastewater samples has been suggested as an effective approach for epidemic monitoring and the development of an effective warning system. However, its quantitative link to the epidemic status and the stages of outbreak is still elusive. Modelling is thus crucial to address these challenges. In this study, we present a novel mechanistic model-based approach to reconstruct the complete epidemic dynamics from SARS-CoV-2 viral load in wastewater. Our approach integrates noisy wastewater data and daily case numbers into a dynamical epidemiological model. As demonstrated for various regions and sampling protocols, it quantifies the case numbers, provides epidemic indicators and accurately infers future epidemic trends. Following its quantitative analysis, we also provide recommendations for wastewater data standards and for their use as warning indicators against new infection waves. In situations of reduced testing capacity, our modelling approach can enhance the surveillance of wastewater for early epidemic prediction and robust and cost-effective real-time monitoring of local COVID-19 dynamics. [less ▲]

Discovering pesticides and their TPs in Luxembourg waters using open cheminformatics approaches

in Environment International (2022), 158

The diversity of hundreds of thousands of potential organic pollutants and the lack of (publicly available) information about many of them is a huge challenge for environmental sciences, engineering, and ... [more ▼]

The diversity of hundreds of thousands of potential organic pollutants and the lack of (publicly available) information about many of them is a huge challenge for environmental sciences, engineering, and regulation. Suspect screening based on high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) has enormous potential to help characterize the presence of these chemicals in our environment, enabling the detection of known and newly emerging pollutants, as well as their potential transformation products (TPs). Here, suspect list creation (focusing on pesticides relevant for Luxembourg, incorporating data sources in 4 languages) was coupled to an automated retrieval of related TPs from PubChem based on high confidence suspect hits, to screen for pesticides and their TPs in Luxembourgish river samples. A computational workflow was established to combine LC-HRMS analysis and pre-screening of the suspects (including automated quality control steps), with spectral annotation to determine which pesticides and, in a second step, their related TPs may be present in the samples. The data analysis with Shinyscreen (https://gitlab.lcsb.uni.lu/eci/shinyscreen/), an open source software developed in house, coupled with custom-made scripts, revealed the presence of 162 potential pesticide masses and 96 potential TP masses in the samples. Further identification of these mass matches was performed using the open source approach MetFrag (https://msbi.ipb-halle.de/MetFrag/). Eventual target analysis of 36 suspects resulted in 31 pesticides and TPs confirmed at Level-1 (highest confidence), and five pesticides and TPs not confirmed due to different retention times. Spatio-temporal analysis of the results showed that TPs and pesticides followed similar trends, with a maximum number of potential detections in July. The highest detections were in the rivers Alzette and Mess and the lowest in the Sûre and Eisch. This study (a) added pesticides, classification information and related TPs into the open domain, (b) developed automated open source retrieval methods - both enhancing FAIRness (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reusability) of the data and methods; and (c) will directly support “L’Administration de la Gestion de l’Eau” on further monitoring steps in Luxembourg. [less ▲]

La gestione collettiva del risparmio davanti alla sfida della sostenibilità tra ambiguità normative e difficoltà applicative

in Rivista di Diritto Bancario (2022)

Does Green Public Procurement Trigger Environmental Innovations?

in Research Policy (2022)

The Effect of Noise Level on the Accuracy of Causal Discovery Methods with Additive Noise Models

in Communications in Computer and Information Science (2022), 1530

In recent years a lot of research was conducted within the area of causal inference and causal learning. Many methods were developed to identify the cause-effect pairs. These methods also proved their ... [more ▼]

In recent years a lot of research was conducted within the area of causal inference and causal learning. Many methods were developed to identify the cause-effect pairs. These methods also proved their ability to successfully determine the direction of causal relationships from observational real-world data. Yet in bivariate situations, causal discovery problems remain challenging. A class of methods, that also allows tackling the bivariate case, is based on Additive Noise Models (ANMs). Unfortunately, one aspect of these methods has not received much attention until now: what is the impact of different noise levels on the ability of these methods to identify the direction of the causal relationship? This work aims to bridge this gap with the help of an empirical study. We consider a bivariate case and two specific methods Regression with Subsequent Independence Test and Identification using Conditional Variances. We perform a set of experiments with an exhaustive range of ANMs where the additive noises’ levels gradually change from 1% to 10000% of the causes’ noise level (the latter remains fixed). Additionally, we consider several different types of distributions as well as linear and non-linear ANMs. The results of the experiments show that these causal discovery methods can fail to capture the true causal direction for some levels of noise. [less ▲]

Coverage Probability of STAR-RIS-Assisted Massive MIMO Systems With Correlation and Phase Errors

in IEEE Wireless Communications Letters (2022)

Les devises des chirographes échevinaux de Tournai et de Douai au XIIIe siècle: formes, usages et fonctions

in Archiv für Diplomatik, Schriftgeschichte, Siegel- und Wappenkunde (2022), 68

Longtemps négligés, les chirographes émis par les échevinages des villes des anciens Pays-Bas à partir du début du XIIIe siècle offrent de belles perspectives pour l’étude de la diplomatique urbaine. Ces ... [more ▼]

Longtemps négligés, les chirographes émis par les échevinages des villes des anciens Pays-Bas à partir du début du XIIIe siècle offrent de belles perspectives pour l’étude de la diplomatique urbaine. Ces actes étaient rédigés en plusieurs exemplaires séparés par une devise qui était coupée en son milieu au moment de la validation. Le présent article cherche à cerner, dans une perspective comparatiste, la nature et la fonction de la devise, encore peu étudiée, en s’appuyant sur 394 chirographes de Tournai et sur 1274 de Douai du XIIIe siècle. Dans les deux villes, on utilisait des chirographes superposés avec découpe rectiligne mais alors qu’à Douai la légende, constituée du mot «chirographe», tend à s’homogénéiser au fil du siècle, à Tournai, les mots ou les signes graphiques utilisés sont plus variés. Chaque scribe était libre de la réaliser à sa convenance. La devise n’entrait en fonction qu’au moment de la découpe durant la cérémonie de validation de l’acte en présence des échevins, qui conservaient un exemplaire tandis que l’autres était remise au bénéficiaire. Elle devait théoriquement servir à prouver l’authenticité du document en cas de litige. De fait, les sources évoquent rarement le rapprochement des expéditions et montrent que la devise est un moyen de sécurisation juridique subordonné au témoignage des échevins et que la portion d’acte sanctuarisée par sa conservation dans les archives municipales joue un rôle de «super-original» [less ▲]

A Cloud-Edge Continuum Experimental Methodology applied to a 5G Core Study

in Transactions on Computational Science and Computational Intelligence (2022)

There is an increasing interest in extending traditional cloud-native technologies, such as Kubernetes, outside the data center to build a continuum towards the edge and between. However, traditional ... [more ▼]

There is an increasing interest in extending traditional cloud-native technologies, such as Kubernetes, outside the data center to build a continuum towards the edge and between. However, traditional resource orchestration algorithms do not work well in this case, and it is also difficult to test applications for a heterogeneous cloud infrastructure without actually building it. To address these challenges, we propose a new methodology to aid in deploying, testing, and analyzing the effects of microservice placement and scheduling in a heterogeneous Cloud environment. With this methodology, we can investigate any combination of deployment scenarios and monitor metrics in accordance with the placement of microservices in the cloud-edge continuum. Edge devices may be simulated, but as we use Kubernetes, any device which can be attached to a Kubernetes cluster could be used. In order to demonstrate our methodology, we have applied it to the problem of network function placement of an open-source 5G core implementation. [less ▲]

Gender, teaching style, classroom composition and alienation from learning: an exploratory study

in Educational Research (2022)

Global networks of finance and information at the crossroads: correspondent banking and SWIFT

in Global Networks (2022)

This article explores how transaction information is a fundamental element enabling and fostering global flows of money. Financial systems, constructed around account-based money, require infrastructure ... [more ▼]

This article explores how transaction information is a fundamental element enabling and fostering global flows of money. Financial systems, constructed around account-based money, require infrastructure, which is separated into two parts: messaging and settlement, performed via trusted agents. This separation has allowed the geographical expansion of banking, and to this day constitutes a key architecture of increasingly global networks of money. Focusing on the correspondent banking system and the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, this article demonstrates the workings of this infrastructure in cross-border payments and in enacting economic sanctions. This sociotechnical infrastructure is a crucial yet overlooked area of global banking, which makes global economic and financial activity possible in the first place. Importantly, by analysing the organizational architecture of the global payments system and including the actors and agencies within it, we elucidate the (changing) relationships between data/information, geographies and power, contributing to the formation of a literature that conceptualizes financial infrastructure. [less ▲]

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 ▲]

Large deviations theory for noisy nonlinear electronics: CMOS inverter as a case study

in Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics (2022), 106(15), 155303

Fostering preservice teachers’ expectancies and values towards computational thinking

in Frontiers in Psychology (2022), 13

Theory: Digital technologies have become an integral part of everyday life that children are exposed to. Therefore, it is important for children to acquire an understanding of these technologies early on ... [more ▼]

Theory: Digital technologies have become an integral part of everyday life that children are exposed to. Therefore, it is important for children to acquire an understanding of these technologies early on by teaching them computational thinking (CT) as a part of STEM. However, primary school teachers are often reluctant to teach CT. Expectancy-value theory suggests that motivational components play an important role in teaching and learning. Thus, one hindrance to teachers’ willingness to teach CT might be their low expectancies of success and high emotional costs, e.g., anxiety towards CT. Thus, introducing preservice teachers to CT during their university years might be a promising way to support their expectancies and values, while simultaneously alleviating their emotional costs. Prior CT competences might contribute to these outcomes. Aims: We investigated whether a specifically designed seminar on CT affected preservice teachers’ expectancies and values towards programming. Method: A total of 311 German primary school and special education preservice teachers took part in the study. The primary school preservice teachers received a seminar on CT and programming with low-threshold programming tasks, while the special education teachers served as a baseline group. The seminar was specifically designed to enhance expectancies and values and decrease emotional costs, following implications of research on expectancy-value theory. Results: The preservice teachers who visited the seminar gained higher expectancies and values towards CT and programming compared to the baseline group. Moreover, their emotional costs decreased. CT was positively related to change in expectancies and values and negatively related to emotional costs. Discussion: Interventions with low-threshold programming tasks can support primary school preservice teachers in finding trust in their abilities and values towards CT. Moreover, their anxiety towards CT and programming can be alleviated. Thus, first steps in preparing preservice teachers to teach CT in their future classrooms can be taken in university. [less ▲]

Droit international privé de l'Union européenne (2021)

in Journal du Droit International (2022)

Application of carotenoids in sustainable energy and green electronics

in Materials Advances (2022)

In sustainable development, one of the key factors is the usage of non-toxic and biodegradable natural substances for the development of green energy and technology. Photovoltaics and photoelectrochemical ... [more ▼]

In sustainable development, one of the key factors is the usage of non-toxic and biodegradable natural substances for the development of green energy and technology. Photovoltaics and photoelectrochemical cells are the most promising candidates for renewable solar energy harvesting. Currently, photovoltaics and electronic device technologies are dominated by inorganic semiconductors. Thus, there is a continuous pursuit for alternative eco-friendly semiconductors both for electronics industry and renewable energy technologies. Carotenoids are naturally found coloured pigments which are of semiconducting nature. In nature, they form an integral part of light-harvesting photosystems in photosynthetic organisms, and are also present in several non-photosynthetic organisms playing other functional roles. The structural diversity of carotenoids and their molecular nature make them ideal candidates for devices requiring photo-sensitization, and controlled electrical conduction. Here, we review the potential application of carotenoids, with their advantages, limitations and prospects for further improvement in solar cell technology, photoelectrochemical cells, semiconductor surface modification, and organic electronics in general. We emphasize on the carotenoid based renewable energy production by using carotenoid based dye-sensitized solar cells and water-splitting photoelectrochemical cells. Thereafter, we summarize some of the studies with carotenoid based nanowire, light-emitting diodes, transistors and light sensors. Though, the application of carotenoids in renewable and sustainable technologies are still in nascent stage, prospects are high for carotenoid based solar harvesting and electronic devices that are cheaper, eco-friendly, biodegradable and biocompatible. [less ▲]

How to conduct a meta‑analysis in eight steps: a practical guide

in Management Review Quarterly (2022), 72(1), 1-19

Mitochondrial DNA as a marker for treatment-response in post-traumatic stress disorder.

in Psychoneuroendocrinology (2022), 148

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental health condition thought to be mediated by a dysregulated stress response system. Stress, especially chronic stress, affects mitochondrial ... [more ▼]

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental health condition thought to be mediated by a dysregulated stress response system. Stress, especially chronic stress, affects mitochondrial activity and their efficiency in duplicating their genomes. Human cells contain numerous mitochondria that harbor multiple copies of their own genome, which consist of a mixture of wild type and variant mtDNA - a condition known as mitochondrial heteroplasmy. Number of mitochondrial genomes in a cell and the degree of heteroplasmy may serve as an indicator of mitochondrial allostatic load. Changes in mtDNA copy number and the proportion of variant mtDNA may be related to mental disorders and symptom severity, suggesting an involvement of mitochondrial dysfunction also in PTSD. Therefore, we examined number and composition of mitochondrial DNA before and after six weeks of inpatient psychotherapy treatment in a cohort of 60 female PTSD patients. We extracted DNA from isolated monocytes before and after inpatient treatment and quantified cellular mtDNA using multiplex qPCR. We hypothesized that treatment would lead to changes in cellular mtDNA levels and that change in mtDNA level would be associated with PTSD symptom severity and treatment response. It could be shown that mtDNA copy number and the ratio of variant mtDNA decreased during therapy, however, this change did not correlate with treatment response. Our results suggest that inpatient treatment can reduce signs of mitochondrial allostatic load, which could have beneficial effects on mental health. The quantification of mtDNA and the determination of cellular heteroplasmy could represent valuable biomarkers for the molecular characterization of mental disorders in the future. [less ▲]

Defeasible Deontic Logic: Arguing about Permission and Obligation

in IfCoLog Journal of Logics and Their Applications (2022), 9(4), 957-1018

Defeasible deontic logic uses techniques from non-monotonic logic to address various challenges in normative reasoning, such as prima facie permissions and obligations, moral dilemmas, deontic detachment ... [more ▼]

Defeasible deontic logic uses techniques from non-monotonic logic to address various challenges in normative reasoning, such as prima facie permissions and obligations, moral dilemmas, deontic detachment, contrary-to-duty reasoning and legal interpretation. In this article, we use formal argumentation to design defeasible deontic logics, based on two classical deontic logics. In particular, we use the ASPIC+ structured argumentation theory to define non-monotonic variants of well-understood monotonic modal logics. We illustrate the ASPIC+-based approach and the resulting defeasible deontic logics using argumentation about strong permission. [less ▲]

‘Finding My Own Way’: Mobilization of Cultural Capital through Migrant Organizations in Germany

in Social Sciences (2022), 11(12),

patRoon 2.0: Improved non-target analysis workflows including automated transformation product screening

in Journal of Open Source Software (2022), 7(71), 4029

Non-target analysis (NTA) via chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) is used to monitor and identify organic chemicals in the environment. Biotic and abiotic processes can ... [more ▼]

Non-target analysis (NTA) via chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) is used to monitor and identify organic chemicals in the environment. Biotic and abiotic processes can transform original chemicals (parents) into transformation products (TPs). These TPs can be of equal or more concern than their parent compounds and are therefore critical to monitor and identify in the environment (Escher & Fenner, 2011; Farré et al., 2008), often with NTA. Given the amount of data generated by NTA, advanced automated data processing workflows are essential. The open-source, R-based (R Core Team, 2021) platform patRoon (Helmus, ter Laak, et al., 2021) offers automated, straightforward, flexible and comprehensive NTA workflows. This article describes improvements introduced in patRoon 2.0, including extensive TP screening and simultaneous processing of positive and negative HRMS data. The updated documentation and code are available via https://rickhelmus.github.io/patRoon and archived in Helmus, Velde, et al. (2021). [less ▲]

Introduction

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

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 (2022)

When Bad News Become Good News Towards Usable Instances of Learning with Physical Errors

in IACR Transactions on Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems (2022), 2022(4), 1--24

Finite-Time Dynamical Phase Transition in Nonequilibrium Relaxation

in Physical Review Letters (2022), 128(11), 110603

Body-First Subtype of Parkinson's Disease with Probable REM-Sleep Behavior Disorder Is Associated with Non-Motor Dominant Phenotype

in Journal of Parkinson's Disease (2022)

Background: The hypothesis of body-first vs. brain-first subtype of PD has been proposed with REM-Sleep behavior disorder (RBD) defining the former. The body-first PD presumes an involvement of the ... [more ▼]

Background: The hypothesis of body-first vs. brain-first subtype of PD has been proposed with REM-Sleep behavior disorder (RBD) defining the former. The body-first PD presumes an involvement of the brainstem in the pathogenic process with higher burden of autonomic dysfunction. Objective: To identify distinctive clinical subtypes of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (iPD) in line with the formerly proposed concept of body-first vs. brain-first subtypes in PD, we analyzed the presence of probable RBD (pRBD), sex, and the APOE ɛ4 carrier status as potential sub-group stratifiers. Methods: A total of 400 iPD patients were included in the cross-sectional analysis from the baseline dataset with a completed RBD Screening Questionnaire (RBDSQ) for classifying as pRBD by using the cut-off RBDSQ≥6. Multiple regression models were applied to explore (i) the effect of pRBD on clinical outcomes adjusted for disease duration and age, (ii) the effect of sex on pRBD, and (iii) the association of APOE ɛ4 and pRBD. Results: iPD-pRBD was significantly associated with autonomic dysfunction (SCOPA-AUT), level of depressive symptoms (BDI-I), MDS-UPDRS I, hallucinations, and constipation, whereas significantly negatively associated with quality of life (PDQ-39) and sleep (PDSS). No significant association between sex and pRBD or APOE ɛ4 and pRBD in iPD was found nor did we determine a significant effect of APOE ɛ4 on the PD phenotype. Conclusion: We identified an RBD-specific PD endophenotype, characterized by predominant autonomic dysfunction, hallucinations, and depression, corroborating the concept of a distinctive body-first subtype of PD. We did not observe a significant association between APOE ɛ4 and pRBD suggesting both factors having an independent effect on cognitive decline in iPD. [less ▲]

Quantum collisional thermostats

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

Introduction

in Politique Européenne (2022), 2022(2), 6-11

Le vingtième siècle européen a été caractérisé par des visions concurrentes et/ou conflictuelles de l'organisation du continent. Cette introduction générale explique pourquoi les éditeurs ont décidé de se ... [more ▼]

Le vingtième siècle européen a été caractérisé par des visions concurrentes et/ou conflictuelles de l'organisation du continent. Cette introduction générale explique pourquoi les éditeurs ont décidé de se concentrer sur la période de la guerre froide, présente brièvement le contexte historique plus large et clarifie enfin l'utilisation du mot "asymétrie". [less ▲]

The story of a bank through the architecture of its headquarters

in Bulletin - Finance and Photography (2022), 2

Familiar Properties and Phenomenal Properties

in Analytic Philosophy (2022)

A dichotomy for integral group rings via higher modular groups as amalgamated products

in J. Algebra (2022), 604

Quantum scattering as a work source

in Quantum (2022), 6

Explaining the Decline in the US Labor Share: Taxation and Automation

in Interenational Tax and Public Finance (2022)

This study provides evidence for the USA that the secular decline in the labor share is not only explained by technical change or globalization, but also by the dynamics of factor taxation, automation ... [more ▼]

This study provides evidence for the USA that the secular decline in the labor share is not only explained by technical change or globalization, but also by the dynamics of factor taxation, automation capital (robots), and population growth. First, we empirically find indications of co-integration for the period from the last quarter of the 20th to the first decade of the twenty-first century. Permanent effects on factor shares emanate from relative factor taxation. The latter also have a lasting effect on the use of robots. Variance decompositions reveal that taxing contributes to changes in the two income shares and in automation capital. Second, we analyze and calibrate a neoclassical growth model extended to include factor taxation, automation capital, and capital adjustment costs. Labor and automation capital are perfect substitutes, whereas labor and traditional capital are complements. The model replicates the dynamics of the observed functional income distribution in the USA during the 1965–2015 period. Counterfactual experiments suggest that the fall in the labor share would have been significantly smaller if labor and capital income tax rates had remained at their respective level of the 1960s. [less ▲]

Tax competition and phantom FDI

in Journal of Public Economic Theory (2022)

One planet: one health. A call to support the initiative on a global science–policy body on chemicals and waste

in Environmental Sciences Europe (2022), 34(1), 21

Abstract The chemical pollution crisis severely threatens human and environmental health globally. To tackle this challenge the establishment of an overarching international science–policy body has ... [more ▼]

Abstract The chemical pollution crisis severely threatens human and environmental health globally. To tackle this challenge the establishment of an overarching international science–policy body has recently been suggested. We strongly support this initiative based on the awareness that humanity has already likely left the safe operating space within planetary boundaries for novel entities including chemical pollution. Immediate action is essential and needs to be informed by sound scientific knowledge and data compiled and critically evaluated by an overarching science–policy interface body. Major challenges for such a body are (i) to foster global knowledge production on exposure, impacts and governance going beyond data-rich regions (e.g., Europe and North America), (ii) to cover the entirety of hazardous chemicals, mixtures and wastes, (iii) to follow a one-health perspective considering the risks posed by chemicals and waste on ecosystem and human health, and (iv) to strive for solution-oriented assessments based on systems thinking. Based on multiple evidence on urgent action on a global scale, we call scientists and practitioners to mobilize their scientific networks and to intensify science–policy interaction with national governments to support the negotiations on the establishment of an intergovernmental body based on scientific knowledge explaining the anticipated benefit for human and environmental health. [less ▲]

“Scrivere come un aratro. Del perché l’Indovinello veronese è paradigma della scrittura autobiografica”

in Misure critiche (2022), I-""

What Will the Future ofUAV Cellular Communications Be?A Flight from 5G to 6G

in IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials (2022), 24(3), 1304-1335

What will the future of UAV cellular communicationsbe?In this tutorial article, we address such a compelling yetdifficult question by embarking on a journey from 5G to 6Gand expounding a large number of ... [more ▼]

What will the future of UAV cellular communicationsbe?In this tutorial article, we address such a compelling yetdifficult question by embarking on a journey from 5G to 6Gand expounding a large number of case studies supported byoriginal results. We start by overviewing the status quo on UAVcommunications from an industrial standpoint, providing freshupdates from the 3GPP and detailing new 5G NR features insupport of aerial devices. We then dissect the potential andthe limitations of such features. In particular, we demonstratehow sub-6 GHz massive MIMO can successfully tackle cellselection and interference challenges, we showcase encouragingmmWave coverage evaluations in both urban and suburban/ruralsettings, and we examine the peculiarities of direct device-to-device communications in the sky. Moving on, we sneak a peekat next-generation UAV communications, listing some of the usecases envisioned for the 2030s. We identify the most promising6G enablers for UAV communication, those expected to takethe performance and reliability to the next level. For each ofthese disruptive new paradigms (non-terrestrial networks, cell-free architectures, artificial intelligence, reconfigurable intelligentsurfaces, and THz communications), we gauge the prospectivebenefits for UAVs and discuss the main technological hurdles thatstand in the way. All along, we distil our numerous findings intoessential takeaways, and we identify key open problems worthyof further study. [less ▲]

Der Witz der Urteilskraft. Zur politischen Dimension des Humors

in andererseits – Yearbook of Transatlantic German Studies (2022), 9/10

Global Challenges: Opening up Chemistry, Pandemics, and Air Pollution

in ACS Environmental Au (2022), 2(4), 287--289

As the first half of 2022 comes to a close, it is an interesting time to reflect on some recent trends. In many ways, the world is “opening” up again, with many colleagues going to their first “in person” ... [more ▼]

As the first half of 2022 comes to a close, it is an interesting time to reflect on some recent trends. In many ways, the world is “opening” up again, with many colleagues going to their first “in person” conferences since the start of the pandemic in early 2020. A significant leap forward for open chemistry was made in 2021, with the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry embracing a hybrid model and releasing half a million chemicals as the CAS Common Chemistry set under an open license. (1)ACS Environmental Au continues to develop as one of the key gold open access journals for publishing work on environmental topics. (2) The European Union has just launched the €400 million European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC), with ∼200 partners (3) and a whole work package on FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) (4,5) and Open (6) data. While these trends are cause for optimism, the CAS Registry continues to climb toward the 200 million chemical mark (7) and many of us were blown away by the sheer immensity of the chemical pollution problem at recent meetings. Other colleagues, e.g., those affected by war, by lockdowns, or with insufficient funds, are unable to share in the “post-pandemic” reopening, conferences, and travel. Others cannot afford the costs associated with open access or still do not see the benefits of open science. Why the focus on these disjoint subjects? Both chemical pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic are global challenges requiring global solutions, where failure to act comes with a high price. Landrigan et al. estimated that 9 million premature deaths (16% of the global total) were caused by pollution in 2015. (8) Worldwide deaths directly due to the COVID-19 pandemic are already over 6 million (9) (January 2020 to May 2022). While public awareness is high, individuals often feel powerless to tackle global challenges─yet the pandemic has proven that individual actions can make an incredible collective difference. The same applies to open data and the exchange of research results─the collective benefit from many individual contributions can be extraordinary. [less ▲]

The effect of trademark breadth on IPO valuation and post-IPO performance: an empirical investigation of 1,510 European IPOs

in Journal of Business Venturing (2022), 37(5), 106237

Trademarks differ in breadth and can cover a wide range of categories of goods and services. We draw on real options theory and argue that greater trademark breadth constitutes a valuable real option that ... [more ▼]

Trademarks differ in breadth and can cover a wide range of categories of goods and services. We draw on real options theory and argue that greater trademark breadth constitutes a valuable real option that is associated with higher firm valuation and performance. We analyze a sample of 1510 firms that went public in Europe between 2002 and 2015 and find a positive effect of trademark breadth on initial public offering (IPO) valuation and post-IPO performance. We implement a contingency analysis to contrast real options and signaling theory and find stronger support for the real options perspective. [less ▲]

Satellite- and Cache-Assisted UAV: A Joint Cache Placement, Resource Allocation, and Trajectory Optimization for 6G Aerial Networks

in IEEE Open Journal of Vehicular Technology (2022), 3

This paper considers Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite- and cache-assisted unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communications for content delivery in terrestrial networks, which shows great potential for next ... [more ▼]

This paper considers Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite- and cache-assisted unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communications for content delivery in terrestrial networks, which shows great potential for next-generation systems to provide ubiquitous connectivity and high capacity. Specifically, caching is provided by the UAV to reduce backhaul congestion, and the LEO satellite supports the UAV’s backhaul link. In this context, we aim to maximize the minimum achievable throughput per ground user (GU) by jointly optimizing cache placement, the UAV’s resource allocation, and trajectory while cache capacity and flight time are limited. The formulated problem is challenging to solve directly due to its non-convexity and combinatorial nature. To find a solution, the problem is decomposed into three sub-problems: (1) cache placement optimization with fixed UAV resources and trajectory, followed by (2) the UAV resources optimization with fixed cache placement vector and trajectory, and finally, (3) we optimize the UAV trajectory with fixed cache placement and UAV resources. Based on the solutions of sub-problems, an efficient alternating algorithm is proposed utilizing the block coordinate descent (BCD) and successive convex approximation (SCA) methods. Simulation results show that the max-min throughput and total achievable throughput enhancement can be achieved by applying our proposed algorithm instead of other benchmark schemes. [less ▲]

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

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

Current Tax Treaty Issues, 50th Anniversary of the International Tax Group, G. Maisto (Editor), EC and International Tax Law Series Vol. 18, IBFD. 2020

in Intertax, International Tax Review (2022), 50(3), 4

This is a short review of an important anniversary volume of the "International Tax Group", which has made many significant contributions to international tax law over the last 50 years.

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

in International Migration (2022)