Wegweisende Themen in Fort- und Weiterbildung

in KiTa aktuell HRS - Fachzeitschrift für Leitungen, Fachkräfte und Träger der Kindertagesbetreuung (2021), 29(12), 281

CABEAN: a software for the control of asynchronous Boolean networks

in Bioinformatics (2021), 36(6), 879-881

What You See is What it Means! Semantic Representation Learning of Code based on Visualization

in ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology (2021)

Recent successes in training word embeddings for NLP tasks have encouraged a wave of research on representation learning for sourcecode, which builds on similar NLP methods. The overall objective is then ... [more ▼]

Recent successes in training word embeddings for NLP tasks have encouraged a wave of research on representation learning for sourcecode, which builds on similar NLP methods. The overall objective is then to produce code embeddings that capture the maximumof program semantics. State-of-the-art approaches invariably rely on a syntactic representation (i.e., raw lexical tokens, abstractsyntax trees, or intermediate representation tokens) to generate embeddings, which are criticized in the literature as non-robustor non-generalizable. In this work, we investigate a novel embedding approach based on the intuition that source code has visualpatterns of semantics. We further use these patterns to address the outstanding challenge of identifying semantic code clones. Wepropose theWySiWiM(“What You See Is What It Means”) approach where visual representations of source code are fed into powerfulpre-trained image classification neural networks from the field of computer vision to benefit from the practical advantages of transferlearning. We evaluate the proposed embedding approach on the task of vulnerable code prediction in source code and on two variationsof the task of semantic code clone identification: code clone detection (a binary classification problem), and code classification (amulti-classification problem). We show with experiments on the BigCloneBench (Java), Open Judge (C) that although simple, ourWySiWiMapproach performs as effectively as state of the art approaches such as ASTNN or TBCNN. We also showed with datafrom NVD and SARD thatWySiWiMrepresentation can be used to learn a vulnerable code detector with reasonable performance(accuracy∼90%). We further explore the influence of different steps in our approach, such as the choice of visual representations or theclassification algorithm, to eventually discuss the promises and limitations of this research direction. [less ▲]

Le recours collectif luxembourgeois à l’épreuve du droit européen

in Annales du Droit Luxembourgeois (2021)

AST-MTL : An Attention-based Multi- Task Learning Strategy for Traffic Forecasting

in IEEE Access (2021)

Magneto-optical activity in nonmagnetic hyperbolic nanoparticles

in Physical Review Letters (2021), 127

Active nanophotonics can be realized by controlling the optical properties of materials with external magnetic fields. Here, we explore the influence of optical anisotropy on the magneto-optical activity ... [more ▼]

Active nanophotonics can be realized by controlling the optical properties of materials with external magnetic fields. Here, we explore the influence of optical anisotropy on the magneto-optical activity in non-magnetic hyperbolic nanoparticles. We demonstrate that the magneto-optical response is driven by fundamental electric and magnetic dipole modes induced by the hyperbolic dispersion. Magnetic circular dichroism experiments confirm the theoretical predictions and reveal tunable magneto-optical activity across the visible and near infrared spectral range. [less ▲]

L'indomptable vitalité de la mode

in forum (2021)

Using social marketing for the promotion of cognitive health: a scoping review protocol

in BMJ Open (2021)

Introduction: The use of social marketing strategies to induce the promotion of cognitive health has received little attention in research. The objective of this scoping review is twofold: (i) to identify ... [more ▼]

Introduction: The use of social marketing strategies to induce the promotion of cognitive health has received little attention in research. The objective of this scoping review is twofold: (i) to identify the social marketing strategies that have been used in recent years to initiate and maintain health-promoting behaviour; (ii) to advance research in this area to inform policy and practice on how to best make use of these strategies to promote cognitive health. Methods and analysis: We will use the five-stage methodological framework of Arksey and O’Malley. Articles in English published since 2010 will be searched in electronic databases (the Cochrane Library, DoPHER, the International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, PsycInfo, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus). Quantitative and qualitative study designs as well as reviews will be considered. We will include those articles that report the design, implementation, outcomes and evaluation of programmes and interventions concerning social marketing and/or health promotion and/or promotion of cognitive health. Grey literature will not be searched. Two independent reviewers will assess in detail the abstracts and full text of selected citations against the inclusion criteria. A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flowchart for Scoping Reviews will be used to illustrate the process of article selection. We will use a data extraction form, present the results through narrative synthesis and discuss them in relation to the scoping review research questions. Ethics and dissemination: Ethics approval is not required for conducting this scoping review. The results of the review will be the first step to advance a conceptual framework, which contributes to the development of interventions targeting the promotion of cognitive health. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. They will also be disseminated to key stakeholders in the field of the promotion of cognitive health. [less ▲]

Measurement Invariance of Test Anxiety Across Four School Subjects

in European Journal of Psychological Assessment (2021)

Review of: Christopher R. Henke and Benjamin Sims (2020). Repairing Infrastructures. The Maintenance of Materiality and Power. Cambridge/MA and London: The MIT Press

in Technology and Culture (2021), 62(4), 12561258

Functional Scalability and Replicability Analysis for Smart Grid Functions: The InteGrid Project Approach

in Energies (2021), 14(18 5685),

The evolution of the electrical power sector due to the advances in digitalization, decarbonization and decentralization has led to the increase in challenges within the current distribution network ... [more ▼]

The evolution of the electrical power sector due to the advances in digitalization, decarbonization and decentralization has led to the increase in challenges within the current distribution network. Therefore, there is an increased need to analyze the impact of the smart grid and its implemented solutions in order to address these challenges at the earliest stage, i.e., during the pilot phase and before large-scale deployment and mass adoption. Therefore, this paper presents the scalability and replicability analysis conducted within the European project InteGrid. Within the project, innovative solutions are proposed and tested in real demonstration sites (Portugal, Slovenia, and Sweden) to enable the DSO as a market facilitator and to assess the impact of the scalability and replicability of these solutions when integrated into the network. The analysis presents a total of three clusters where the impact of several integrated smart tools is analyzed alongside future large scale scenarios. These large scale scenarios envision significant penetration of distributed energy resources, increased network dimensions, large pools of flexibility, and prosumers. The replicability is analyzed through different types of networks, locations (country-wise), or time (daily). In addition, a simple replication path based on a step by step approach is proposed as a guideline to replicate the smart functions associated with each of the clusters. [less ▲]

A quantum categorification of the Alexander polynomial

in Geometry and Topology (2021)

Using a modified foam evaluation, we give a categorification of the Alexander polynomial of a knot. We also give a purely algebraic version of this knot homology which makes it appear as the infinite page ... [more ▼]

Using a modified foam evaluation, we give a categorification of the Alexander polynomial of a knot. We also give a purely algebraic version of this knot homology which makes it appear as the infinite page of a spectral sequence starting at the reduced triply graded link homology of Khovanov--Rozansky. [less ▲]

A competitive Predator–Prey approach to enhance surveillance by UAV swarms

in Applied Soft Computing (2021), 111

In this paper we present the competitive optimisation of a swarm of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) protecting a restricted area from a number of intruders following a Predator–Prey approach. We propose a ... [more ▼]

In this paper we present the competitive optimisation of a swarm of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) protecting a restricted area from a number of intruders following a Predator–Prey approach. We propose a Competitive Coevolutionary Genetic Algorithm (CompCGA) which optimises the parameters of the UAVs (i.e. predators) to maximise the detection of intruders, while the parameters of the intruders (i.e. preys) are optimised to maximise their intrusion success rate. Having chosen the CACOC (Chaotic Ant Colony Optimisation for Coverage) as the base mobility model for the UAVs, we propose an improved new version, where its behaviour is modified by identifying and optimising new parameters to improve the overall success rate when detecting intruders. Six case studies have been optimised using simulations by performing 30 independent runs (180 in total) of our CompCGA. Finally, we conducted a series of master tournaments (1,800,000 evaluations) using the best specimens obtained from each run and case study to test the robustness of our proposed approach against unexpected intruders. Our surveillance system improved the average percentage of intruders detected with respect to CACOC by a maximum of 126%. More than 90% of intruders were detected on average when using a swarm of 16 UAVs while CACOC’s detection rates are always under 80% in all cases. [less ▲]

Linear response in large deviations theory: a method to compute non-equilibrium distributions

in New J. Phys. (2021), 23(9), 093003

Efficient Algorithms for Constant-Modulus Analog Beamforming

in IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing (2021)

The use of a large-scale antenna array (LSAA) has become an important characteristic of multi-antenna communication systems to achieve beamforming gains. For example, in millimeter wave (mmWave) systems ... [more ▼]

The use of a large-scale antenna array (LSAA) has become an important characteristic of multi-antenna communication systems to achieve beamforming gains. For example, in millimeter wave (mmWave) systems, an LSAA is employed at the transmitter/receiver end to combat severe propagation losses. In such applications, each antenna element has to be driven by a radio frequency (RF) chain for the implementation of fully-digital beamformers. This strict requirement significantly increases the hardware cost, complexity, and power consumption. Therefore, constant-modulus analog beamforming (CMAB) becomes a viable solution. In this paper, we consider the scaled analog beamforming (SAB) or CMAB architecture and design the system parameters by solving the beampattern matching problem. We consider two beampattern matching problems. In the first case, both the magnitude and phase of the beampattern are matched to the given desired beampattern whereas in the second case, only the magnitude of the beampattern is matched. Both the beampattern matching problems are cast as a variant of the constant-modulus least-squares problem. We provide efficient algorithms based on the alternating majorization-minimization (AMM) framework that combines the alternating minimization and the MM frameworks and the conventional-cyclic coordinate descent (C-CCD) framework to solve the problem in each case. We also propose algorithms based on a new modified-CCD (M-CCD) based approach. For all the developed algorithms we prove convergence to a Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) point (or a stationary point). Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed algorithms converge faster than state-of-the-art solutions. Among all the algorithms, the M-CCD-based algorithms have faster convergence when evaluated in terms of the number of iterations and the AMM-based algorithms offer lower complexity. [less ▲]

UAV-UGV-UMV Multi-Swarms for Cooperative Surveillance

in Frontiers in Robotics and AI (2021), 8

In this paper we present a surveillance system for early detection of escapers from a restricted area based on a new swarming mobility model called CROMM-MS (Chaotic Rössler Mobility Model for Multi ... [more ▼]

In this paper we present a surveillance system for early detection of escapers from a restricted area based on a new swarming mobility model called CROMM-MS (Chaotic Rössler Mobility Model for Multi-Swarms). CROMM-MS is designed for controlling the trajectories of heterogeneous multi-swarms of aerial, ground and marine unmanned vehicles with important features such as prioritising early detections and success rate. A new Competitive Coevolutionary Genetic Algorithm (CompCGA) is proposed to optimise the vehicles’ parameters and escapers’ evasion ability using a predator-prey approach. Our results show that CROMM-MS is not only viable for surveillance tasks but also that its results are competitive in regard to the state-of-the-art approaches. [less ▲]

Test Selection for Deep Learning Systems

in ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology (2021), 30(2), 131--1322

A New Anti-Expertise Dilemma

in Synthese (2021), 199

Return migration and self-employment: is there a 'jack-of-all-trades' effect?

in Oxford Economic Papers (2021)

With reference to Lazear’s jack-of-all-trades hypothesis, I examine whether migrants are more likely to be self-employed upon return because of the diverse work experience they gained abroad. The ... [more ▼]

With reference to Lazear’s jack-of-all-trades hypothesis, I examine whether migrants are more likely to be self-employed upon return because of the diverse work experience they gained abroad. The endogeneity between migration, human capital investment, and self-employment is addressed by exploiting exogenous cohort and regional variation in the decision to migrate in the context of Egypt, and parental labour market information. Return migrants’ higher propensity to be self-employed is shown to proceed from participating in significantly more occupations over their work history than non-migrants. In line with Lazear’s framework, estimates confirm that entrepreneurship can be learnt, and that exposure to multiple occupations matters for entrepreneurship. [less ▲]

The Impact of Parental Presence on their Children during Painful Medical Procedures:A Systematic Review

in Pain Medicine (2021), 28

Objective: Whether parental presence during their children's painful medical procedures is advantageous with regard to child's pain-related outcomes is questionable. Research regarding this topic is ... [more ▼]

Objective: Whether parental presence during their children's painful medical procedures is advantageous with regard to child's pain-related outcomes is questionable. Research regarding this topic is equivocal and additional questions, such as whether levels of parental involvement may play a role as well, remain to be assessed. The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize and critically appraise the literature regarding the impact of parental presence versus absence during their children's painful medical procedures on the child's pain-related outcomes. Methods: The review protocol was registered on Prospero (ID CRD42018116614). A systematic search in PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycArticles resulted in 22 eligible studies incorporating 2157 participants. Studies were considered eligible if they included children (≤ 18 years old) undergoing a painful medical procedure and compared parental presence and/or involvement with parental absence during the procedure. Results: The children's pain-related outcomes included self-reported pain intensity, self-reported fear, anxiety and distress, observed pain-related behavior, and physiological parameters. Overall, evidence points in the direction of beneficial effects of parental presence versus absence with regard to children's self-reported pain intensity and physiological parameters, whereas mixed findings were recorded for children's self-reported fears, anxiety and distress, and observed pain-related behaviors. Conclusions: : In order to provide clear recommendations on how to involve the parent during the procedure, as well as for which type of children and parents parental presence has the best effects, further research is needed, as indicated in this review. [less ▲]

Socioeconomic and behavioural factors associated with access to and use of Personal Health Records

in BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making (2021), 21

Background: Access to and use of digital technology are more common among people of higher socioeconomic status. These differences might be due to lack of interest, not having physical access or having ... [more ▼]

Background: Access to and use of digital technology are more common among people of higher socioeconomic status. These differences might be due to lack of interest, not having physical access or having lower intentions to use this technology. By integrating the digital divide approach and the User Acceptance of Information Technology (UTAUT) model, this study aims to further our understanding of socioeconomic factors and the mechanisms linked to different stages in the use of Personal Health Records (PHR): desire, intentions and physical access to PHR. Methods: A cross-sectional online and in-person survey was undertaken in the areas of Lorraine (France), Luxembourg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland (Germany), and Wallonia (Belgium). Exploratory factor analysis was performed to group items derived from the UTAUT model. We applied linear and logistic regressions controlling for country-level heterogeneity, health and demographic factors. Results: A total of 829 individuals aged over 18 completed the questionnaire. Socioeconomic inequalities were present in the access to and use of PHR. Education and income played a significant role in individuals' desire to access their PHR. Being older than 65 years, and migrant, were negatively associated with desire to access PHR. An income gradient was found in having a physical access to PHR, while for the subgroup of respondents who expressed desire to have access, higher educational level was positively associated with intentions to regularly use PHR. In fully adjusted model testing the contribution of UTAUT-derived factors, individuals who perceived PHRs to be useful and had the necessary digital skills were more inclined to use their PHR regularly. Social influence, support and lack of anxiety in using technology were strong predictors of regular PHR use. Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of considering all stages in PHR use: desire to access, physical access and intention to regularly use PHRs, while paying special attention to migrants and people with lower socioeconomic backgrounds who may feel financial constraints and are not able to exploit the potential of PHRs. As PHR use is expected to come with health benefits, facilitating access and regular use for those less inclined could reduce health inequalities and advance health equity. [less ▲]

The importance of visuospatial abilities for verbal number skills in preschool: Adding spatial language to the equation

in Journal of Experimental Child Psychology (2021)

Lessons Learnt on Reproducibility in Machine Learning Based Android Malware Detection

in Empirical Software Engineering (2021), 26

A well-known curse of computer security research is that it often produces systems that, while technically sound, fail operationally. To overcome this curse, the community generally seeks to assess ... [more ▼]

A well-known curse of computer security research is that it often produces systems that, while technically sound, fail operationally. To overcome this curse, the community generally seeks to assess proposed systems under a variety of settings in order to make explicit every potential bias. In this respect, recently, research achievements on machine learning based malware detection are being considered for thorough evaluation by the community. Such an effort of comprehensive evaluation supposes first and foremost the possibility to perform an independent reproduction study in order to sharpen evaluations presented by approaches’ authors. The question Can published approaches actually be reproduced? thus becomes paramount despite the little interest such mundane and practical aspects seem to attract in the malware detection field. In this paper, we attempt a complete reproduction of five Android Malware Detectors from the literature and discuss to what extent they are “reproducible”. Notably, we provide insights on the implications around the guesswork that may be required to finalise a working implementation. Finally, we discuss how barriers to reproduction could be lifted, and how the malware detection field would benefit from stronger reproducibility standards—like many various fields already have. [less ▲]

Blockchain Won’t Kill the Banks: Why Disintermediation Doesn’t Work in International Trade Finance

in Communications of the Association for Information Systems (2021), 49

In the financial services industry, many people assume blockchain to have significant impacts. From research and practice, we observe two main paradigms of how organizations interact with blockchain ... [more ▼]

In the financial services industry, many people assume blockchain to have significant impacts. From research and practice, we observe two main paradigms of how organizations interact with blockchain. First, organizations use blockchain to optimize existing processes (blockchain-based business process optimization (BPO)). Second, organizations use blockchain to disrupt existing processes, foster disintermediation, and enable disruptive business models (blockchain-based business process disruption (BPD)). However, we lack scientific research that evaluates its de facto potential. We bridge this gap by following a design science research approach to design blockchain-based business process re-engineering (BPRE) for a letter of credit that combines the advantages of BPO and BPD. We conduct three design cycles and develop three artefacts: a BPO, a BPD, and a BPRE approach. Our BPRE approach combines the advantages of partial disintermediation (i.e., increased efficiency and transparency) with the advantages of intermediaries (i.e., process flexibility, liquidity provision, and dispute mediation). [less ▲]

CONSOLE: intruder detection using a UAV swarm and security rings

in Swarm Intell. (2021), 15(3), 205--235

Climate change and epilepsy: Insights from clinical and basic science studies

in Epilepsy and Behavior (2021), 116

Climate change is with us. As professionals who place value on evidence-based practice, climate change is something we cannot ignore. The current pandemic of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has ... [more ▼]

Climate change is with us. As professionals who place value on evidence-based practice, climate change is something we cannot ignore. The current pandemic of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has demonstrated how global crises can arise suddenly and have a significant impact on public health. Global warming, a chronic process punctuated by acute episodes of extreme weather events, is an insidious global health crisis needing at least as much attention. Many neurological diseases are complex chronic conditions influenced at many levels by changes in the environment. This review aimed to collate and evaluate reports from clinical and basic science about the relationship between climate change and epilepsy. The keywords climate change, seasonal variation, temperature, humidity, thermoregulation, biorhythm, gene, circadian rhythm, heat, and weather were used to search the published evidence. A number of climatic variables are associated with increased seizure frequency in people with epilepsy. Climate change-induced increase in seizure precipitants such as fevers, stress, and sleep deprivation (e.g. as a result of more frequent extreme weather events) or vector-borne infections may trigger or exacerbate seizures, lead to deterioration of seizure control, and affect neurological, cerebrovascular, or cardiovascular comorbidities and risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. Risks are likely to be modified by many factors, ranging from individual genetic variation and temperature-dependent channel function, to housing quality and global supply chains. According to the results of the limited number of experimental studies with animal models of seizures or epilepsy, different seizure types appear to have distinct susceptibility to seasonal influences. Increased body temperature, whether in the context of fever or not, has a critical role in seizure threshold and seizure-related brain damage. Links between climate change and epilepsy are likely to be multifactorial, complex, and often indirect, which makes predictions difficult. We need more data on possible climate-driven altered risks for seizures, epilepsy, and epileptogenesis, to identify underlying mechanisms at systems, cellular, and molecular levels for better understanding of the impact of climate change on epilepsy. Further focussed data would help us to develop evidence for mitigation methods to do more to protect people with epilepsy from the effects of climate change. [less ▲]

Subpulse Processing for Unambiguous Doppler Estimation in Pulse-Doppler Noise Radars

in IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems (2021)

Dialektik der Kreativität. Eine kurze Geschichte der Kulturalisierung Berlins

in Arch + (2021), 241

Understanding Attentional Biases in Severe Alcohol Use Disorder: A Combined Behavioral and Eye-Tracking Perspective.

in Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire) (2021), 56(1), 1-7

RATIONALE: Severe alcohol use disorder (SAUD) is a psychiatric condition linked to cerebral and cognitive consequences. SAUD is notably characterized by an overactivation of the reflexive/reward system ... [more ▼]

RATIONALE: Severe alcohol use disorder (SAUD) is a psychiatric condition linked to cerebral and cognitive consequences. SAUD is notably characterized by an overactivation of the reflexive/reward system when confronted with alcohol-related cues. Such overreactivity generates a preferential allocation of attentional resources toward these cues, labeled as attentional biases (AB). Theoretical assumptions have been made regarding the characteristics of AB and their underlying processes. While often considered as granted, these assumptions remain to be experimentally validated. AIMS: We first identify the theoretical assumptions made by previous studies exploring the nature and role of AB. We then discuss the current evidence available to establish their validity. We finally propose research avenues to experimentally test them. METHODS: Capitalizing on a narrative review of studies exploring AB in SAUD, the current limits of the behavioral measures used for their evaluation are highlighted as well as the benefits derived from the use of eye-tracking measures to obtain a deeper understanding of their underlying processes. We describe the issues related to the theoretical proposals on AB and propose research avenues to test them. Four experimental axes are proposed, respectively, related to the determination of (a) the genuine nature of the mechanisms underlying AB; (b) their stability over the disease course; (c) their specificity to alcohol-related stimuli and (d) their reflexive or controlled nature. CONCLUSIONS: This in-depth exploration of the available knowledge related to AB in SAUD, and of its key limitations, highlights the theoretical and clinical interest of our innovative experimental perspectives capitalizing on eye-tracking measures. [less ▲]

Post-crisis developments in young adults’ housing wealth

in Journal of European Social Policy (2021), 31(5), 580-596

How has housing wealth inequality changed for young-adult households in the post-financial crisis period, and what is driving such change? We chart a path for subsequent studies by analysing the ... [more ▼]

How has housing wealth inequality changed for young-adult households in the post-financial crisis period, and what is driving such change? We chart a path for subsequent studies by analysing the previously unexamined post-crisis housing wealth profile of young adults via different angles and using multiple inequality measures. Using household micro-data for 11 European countries (Household Finance and Consumption Survey, 2010–2017) and the United States (Survey of Consumer Finances, 2010–2016), we find that the accumulation of housing assets for 22–44 year olds is unevenly concentrated among high-income homeowners, over and above what would be expected given the well-known decline in homeownership. We describe and assess several potential drivers for these wealth profile changes, finding that the current explanations offered in the literature do not adequately account for the unequal wealth profile of young people. We conclude that a mix of dynamics, including housing market volatility, housing market configurations leading to uneven capital gains and losses, and the increased social selectivity of homeownership intersect to shape the ways that young adults navigate the housing market in post-crisis times. [less ▲]

Des « renvois » à la juridiction compétente

in revue des procédures (2021)

Review of: Tommaso Milani, 'Hendrik de Man and social democracy: The idea of planning in Western Europe, 1914-1940'

in Journal of Belgian History (2021), (1-2), 183-185

On the Random Access Procedure of NB-IoT Non-Terrestrial Networks

in IEEE Access (2021), 9

The standardization of the 5G systems has recently entered in an advanced phase, where non-terrestrial networks will be a new key feature in the upcoming releases. Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT ... [more ▼]

The standardization of the 5G systems has recently entered in an advanced phase, where non-terrestrial networks will be a new key feature in the upcoming releases. Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) is one of the technologies that will address the massive machine type communication (mMTC) traf- fic of the 5G. To meet the demanding need for global connectivity, satellite communications can provide an essential support to complement and extend the NB-IoT terrestrial infrastructure. However, the presence of the satellite channel comes up with new demands for the NB-IoT procedures. In this paper, we investigate the main challenges introduced by the satellite channel in the NB-IoT random access procedure, while pointing out valuable solutions and research directions to overcome those challenges. [less ▲]

Is serine racemase (SRR) a second hit target for LRRK2-G2019S induced Parkinson’s disease?

in Neural Regeneration Research (2021)

Gene-by-environment modulation of lifespan and weight gain in the murine BXD family

in Nature Metabolism (2021)

Crossover between distinct symmetries in solid solutions of rare earth nickelates

in APL MATERIALS (2021), 9(8),

A strong coupling of the lattice to functional properties is observed in many transition metal oxide systems, such as the ABO(3) perovskites. In the quest for tailor-made materials, it is essential to be ... [more ▼]

A strong coupling of the lattice to functional properties is observed in many transition metal oxide systems, such as the ABO(3) perovskites. In the quest for tailor-made materials, it is essential to be able to control the structural properties of the compound(s) of interest. Here thin film solid solutions that combine NdNiO3 and LaNiO3, two materials with the perovskite structure but distinct space groups, are analyzed. Raman spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy are combined in a synergistic approach to fully determine the mechanism of the structural crossover with chemical composition. It is found that the symmetry transition is achieved by phase coexistence in a way that depends on the substrate selected. These results carry implications for analog-tuning of physical properties in future functional materials based on these compounds. [less ▲]

Perceived Ageism During the Covid-19-Crisis is Longitudinally Related to Subjective Perceptions of Aging

in Frontiers in Public Health (2021)

Ageism in media and society has increased sharply during the Covid-19-crisis, with expected negative consequences for the health and well-being of older adults. The current study investigates whether ... [more ▼]

Ageism in media and society has increased sharply during the Covid-19-crisis, with expected negative consequences for the health and well-being of older adults. The current study investigates whether perceived ageism during the crisis longitudinally affects how people perceive their own aging. In June 2020, N = 611 older adults from Luxembourg [aged 60 – 98 years, Mage(SD) = 69.92(6.97)] participated in a survey on their perception of the crisis. In October 2020, N = 523 participated in a second measurement occasion. Participants reported on perceived ageism during the crisis in different domains, their self-perceptions of aging and subjective age. In latent longitudinal regression models, we predicted views on aging at T2 with perceived ageism at T1, while controlling for baseline views on aging and covariates. Perceived ageism at T1 increased self-perceptions of aging as social loss and yielded a trend for physical decline, while there were no effects on subjective age and self-perceptions of aging as continued growth. Views on aging are powerful predictors of well-being and health outcomes in later life. Our data suggest that being the target of ageism during the crisis negatively affects older adults’ self-perceptions of aging and this impact may be felt beyond the current crisis. [less ▲]

Precoded Cluster Hopping for Multibeam GEO Satellite Communication Systems

in Frontiers in Signal Processing (2021)

First law of quantum thermodynamics in a driven open two-level system

in Physical Review. A (2021)

Assigning the variations of internal energy into heat or work contributions is a challenging task due to the fact that these properties are trajectory dependent. A number of proposals have been put ... [more ▼]

Assigning the variations of internal energy into heat or work contributions is a challenging task due to the fact that these properties are trajectory dependent. A number of proposals have been put forward for open quantum systems following an arbitrary dynamics. We here focus on nonequilibrium thermodynamics of a two-level system and explore in addition to the conventional approach, two definitions motivated by either classical work or heat in which the driving Hamiltonian or the trajectory itself, respectively, are used to set up a reference basis. We first give the thermodynamic properties for an arbitrary dynamics and illustrate the results on the Bloch sphere. Then, we solve the particular example of a periodically driven qubit interacting with a dissipative and decoherence bath. Our results illustrate the trajectory-dependent character of heat and work and how contributions originally assigned to dissipation in the Lindblad equation can become a coherent part assigned to work. [less ▲]

Heute sprechen. Literatur, Politik und andere Sprachen im Lied (Herder, Alunāns, Barons)

in Interlitteraria (2021), 26(1), 3148

Parliamentary Scrutiny of Brexit in the EU-27 Pragmatic Cooperation with a Dominant European Parliament

in International Journal of Parliamentary Studies (2021), 1(2),

Concerns about a democratic deficit in the European Union reached new heights in recent years, as the organization has had to address a number of highly politicized challenges. In this context, the ... [more ▼]

Concerns about a democratic deficit in the European Union reached new heights in recent years, as the organization has had to address a number of highly politicized challenges. In this context, the question of how much oversight should be exercised by the European Parliament (ep) and national parliaments individually or collectively becomes increasingly salient. Against this background, this article argues that on the issue of Brexit the ep has been quick to carve out a role for itself. However, unlike in previous trade negotiations, national parliaments took a backseat on Brexit despite its potential impact on member states. This is largely due to the similarity of national and party positions on Brexit. In addition, the way the different interparliamentary bodies addressed Brexit reveals the limitations of these bodies in terms of their powers and the depth of their discussions. [less ▲]

L’exception d’illégalité des actes administratifs individuels devant le juge judiciaire à l’épreuve du droit processuel

in Pasicrisie Luxembourgeoise: Recueil Trimestriel de la Jurisprudence Luxembourgeoise (2021)

ELIXIR and Toxicology: a community in development

in F1000Research (2021), 10

Toxicology has been an active research field for many decades, with academic, industrial and government involvement. Modern omics and computational approaches are changing the field, from merely disease ... [more ▼]

Toxicology has been an active research field for many decades, with academic, industrial and government involvement. Modern omics and computational approaches are changing the field, from merely disease-specific observational models into target-specific predictive models. Traditionally, toxicology has strong links with other fields such as biology, chemistry, pharmacology and medicine. With the rise of synthetic and new engineered materials, alongside ongoing prioritisation needs in chemical risk assessment for existing chemicals, early predictive evaluations are becoming of utmost importance to both scientific and regulatory purposes. ELIXIR is an intergovernmental organisation that brings together life science resources from across Europe. To coordinate the linkage of various life science efforts around modern predictive toxicology, the establishment of a new ELIXIR Community is seen as instrumental. In the past few years, joint efforts, building on incidental overlap, have been piloted in the context of ELIXIR. For example, the EU-ToxRisk, diXa, HeCaToS, transQST, and the nanotoxicology community have worked with the ELIXIR TeSS, Bioschemas, and Compute Platforms and activities. In 2018, a core group of interested parties wrote a proposal, outlining a sketch of what this new ELIXIR Toxicology Community would look like. A recent workshop (held September 30th to October 1st, 2020) extended this into an ELIXIR Toxicology roadmap and a shortlist of limited investment-high gain collaborations to give body to this new community. This Whitepaper outlines the results of these efforts and defines our vision of the ELIXIR Toxicology Community and how it complements other ELIXIR activities. [less ▲]

Critical Assessment of MetaProteome Investigation (CAMPI): a multi-laboratory comparison of established workflows

in Nature Communications (2021), 12(1), 7305

Abstract Metaproteomics has matured into a powerful tool to assess functional interactions in microbial communities. While many metaproteomic workflows are available, the impact of method choice on ... [more ▼]

Abstract Metaproteomics has matured into a powerful tool to assess functional interactions in microbial communities. While many metaproteomic workflows are available, the impact of method choice on results remains unclear. Here, we carry out a community-driven, multi-laboratory comparison in metaproteomics: the critical assessment of metaproteome investigation study (CAMPI). Based on well-established workflows, we evaluate the effect of sample preparation, mass spectrometry, and bioinformatic analysis using two samples: a simplified, laboratory-assembled human intestinal model and a human fecal sample. We observe that variability at the peptide level is predominantly due to sample processing workflows, with a smaller contribution of bioinformatic pipelines. These peptide-level differences largely disappear at the protein group level. While differences are observed for predicted community composition, similar functional profiles are obtained across workflows. CAMPI demonstrates the robustness of present-day metaproteomics research, serves as a template for multi-laboratory studies in metaproteomics, and provides publicly available data sets for benchmarking future developments. [less ▲]

L’Union européenne de la santé : perspectives d’action extérieure

in Revue des Affaires Européennes (2021)

The European Union’s role in international health issues is of particular importance in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Union aims to strengthen global health policy, in order to build a ... [more ▼]

The European Union’s role in international health issues is of particular importance in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Union aims to strengthen global health policy, in order to build a European Health Union and consolidate its role in the international scene. Article 168 TFEU enables the Union to collaborate with international organisations and partner countries and to participate in the WHO governing bodies despite the absence of full party status. The alignment of internal policies with the objective of protection and improvement of human health gives the Union the implied external competence to participate in international agreements and envisage its active role in the elaboration of an international pandemic treaty. Besides, the Union has recourse to international trade measures in order to preserve the level of human health protection. The global approach of its external action objectives enables the Union to promote human health protection as a value in the conduct of its external policies and to support partner countries in their response to health threats. The Union gradually becomes a unified actor in global health security preparedness and response capacity. [less ▲]

How did the German and other European electricity systems react to the COVID-19 pandemic?

in Applied Energy (2021), 285

The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic led to decreases in electricity demand and a rising share of Renewable Energy Sources in various countries. In Germany, the average proportion of net electricity ... [more ▼]

The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic led to decreases in electricity demand and a rising share of Renewable Energy Sources in various countries. In Germany, the average proportion of net electricity generation via Renewable Energy Sources rose above 55% in the first half of 2020, as compared to 47% for the same period in 2019. Given these altered circumstances, in this paper we analyze how the German and other European electricity systems behaved during the COVID-19 pandemic. We use data visualization and descriptive statistics to evaluate common figures for electricity systems and markets, comparing developments during the COVID-19 pandemic with those of previous years. Our evaluation reveals noticeable changes in electricity consumption, generation, prices, and imports/exports. However, concerning grid stability and ancillary services, we do not observe any irregularities. Discussing the role of various flexibility options during the COVID-19 pandemic, a relatively higher grid capacity resulting from a decreased electricity consumption, in particular, may have contributed to grid stability. [less ▲]

In-Work poverty in the EU - EU Law Live Special Issue (I)

in EU Law Live - Weekend Edition (2021)

Does Physical Activity Moderate the Influence of Sedentary Behavior on Health in Young People?

in Medicine Science in Sports Exercise (2021), 53(8S), 183--184

PURPOSE: High level of sedentary behavior (SB) may cause a number of health complaints (nHC) and lead to reduced self-rated health (SRH) in young people. The purpose of this study was to determine the ... [more ▼]

PURPOSE: High level of sedentary behavior (SB) may cause a number of health complaints (nHC) and lead to reduced self-rated health (SRH) in young people. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between SB, the magnitude of nHC, SRH, body mass index (BMI), and whether the amount of physical activity (PA) moderates this relationship. METHODS: The data was obtained from Youth Survey Luxembourg 2019 (N = 2802). The population characteristics include sociodemographic data such as age, gender, and socio-economics status (SES) (0 = low to 18 = high). The severity of nHC was the sum score of headaches, stomach aches, back aches, depression, irritableness, nervousness, dizziness, and difficulty falling asleep (0 = low to 32 = high). BMI was calculated by dividing body weight to the square of body height (kg/m2). SRH was measured on a 5-point scale (1 = very good to 5 = very bad). PA and SB were generated from factor analyses of the questionnaire items. SB is separated between leisure and gaming. Multiple regression analysis, adjusted for age, gender, and SES, was used to determine the relationships between SB, nHC, BMI, and SRH, and the moderating effect of PA. RESULTS: Out of the participants, 54% were female and 46% were male with the mean age of 22 ± 4 years (16-29 years). The mean SES was 9.3 ± 2.2 (1-13), BMI was 23 ± 4 kg/m2 (14-47 kg/m2), severity of the nHC was 9 ± 6 (0-32), and SRH was 1.8 ± 0.6 (1-5). The multiple regression analysis shows that high SB through leisure is associated with more severe nHC (unstandardized coefficient b = .49, p < .01). However, PA can decrease nHC (b = .39, p < .01) for participants with high leisure SB. No association has been found between SRH, BMI, and leisure SB. Furthermore, an increase in SB through gaming is associated with higher BMI (b = .35, p < .01) and worse SRH (b = .09, p < .00). A relationship between the severity of nHC and gaming is not found. In all cases, a higher PA shows a significantly better nHC, SRH, and BMI. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that PA has a positive moderating effect of the relationship on leisure SB and nHC in young people in Luxembourg. Increased SB causes higher nHC, worse SRH, and higher BMI and young people who do more PA have lower severity in nHC, and better BMI and SRH. Therefore, it is important for young people to reduce SB and implement a sufficient amount of PA to improve overall health. [less ▲]

Exponential contraction in Wasserstein distance on static and evolving manifolds

in Revue Roumaine de Mathématiques Pures et Appliquées (2021), 66(1), 107-129

In this article, exponential contraction in Wasserstein distance for heat semigroups of diffusion processes on Riemannian manifolds is established under curvature conditions where Ricci curvature is not ... [more ▼]

In this article, exponential contraction in Wasserstein distance for heat semigroups of diffusion processes on Riemannian manifolds is established under curvature conditions where Ricci curvature is not necessarily required to be non-negative. Compared to the results of Wang (2016), we focus on explicit estimates for the exponential contraction rate. Moreover, we show that our results extend to manifolds evolving under a geometric flow. As application, for the time-inhomogeneous semigroups, we obtain a gradient estimate with an exponential contraction rate under weak curvature conditions, as well as uniqueness of the corresponding evolution system of measures. [less ▲]

Risk disclosure and firm operational efficiency

in Annals of Operations Research (2021), 297

This paper examines the effect of risk disclosure on firm operational efficiency using a unique database of nonfinancial, and non-utility French firms belonging to the SBF 120 index over the period ... [more ▼]

This paper examines the effect of risk disclosure on firm operational efficiency using a unique database of nonfinancial, and non-utility French firms belonging to the SBF 120 index over the period 2007–2015. In a first step, we use a data envelopment analysis output-oriented variable returns to scale model to determine firm operational efficiency scores based on one output (i.e., sales revenue) and three inputs (i.e., net property, plant, and equipment; cost of goods sold; and selling, general, and administrative costs). These scores are used in a second step to estimate the effect of risk disclosure on operational efficiency after controlling for a set of other factors. The empirical results show a statistically significant positive relation between risk disclosure and operational efficiency, suggesting that firms tend to be relatively more efficient when they disclose more about their risk exposure. Overall, we provide evidence that firms with greater risk disclosure are seen by stakeholders as more credible and trustworthy, leading them to conduct better transactions and, consequently, to improve their operational efficiency. This result is consistent with the notion that stakeholders perceive transparent firms positively, particularly those revealing bad news. [less ▲]