Federated Learning-based Scheme for Detecting Passive Mobile Attackers in 5G Vehicular Edge Computing

in Annals of Telecommunications (2021)

Detecting passive attacks is always considered difficult in vehicular networks. Passive attackers can eavesdrop on the wireless medium to collect beacons. These beacons can be exploited to track the ... [more ▼]

Detecting passive attacks is always considered difficult in vehicular networks. Passive attackers can eavesdrop on the wireless medium to collect beacons. These beacons can be exploited to track the positions of vehicles not only to violate their location privacy but also for criminal purposes. In this paper, we propose a novel federated learning-based scheme for detecting passive mobile attackers in 5G Vehicular Edge Computing. We first identify a set of strategies that can be used by attackers to efficiently track vehicles without being visually detected. We then build an efficient Machine Learning (ML) model to detect tracking attacks based only on the receiving beacons. Our scheme enables Federated Learning (FL) at the edge to ensure collaborative learning while preserving the privacy of vehicles. Moreover, FL clients use a semi-supervised learning approach to ensure accurate self-labeling. Our experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed scheme to detect passive mobile attackers quickly and with high accuracy. Indeed, only 20 received beacons are required to achieve 95\% accuracy. This accuracy can be achieved within 60 FL rounds using 5 FL clients in each FL round. The obtained results are also validated through simulations. [less ▲]

Methylamine Gas Treatment Affords Improving Semitransparency, Efficiency, and Stability of CH3NH3PbBr3-Based Perovskite Solar Cells

in Solar RRL (2021)

High bandgap semitransparent solar cells based on CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskites are attractive for building integration, tandem cells, and electrochemical applications. The lack of control of the CH3NH3PbBr3 ... [more ▼]

High bandgap semitransparent solar cells based on CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskites are attractive for building integration, tandem cells, and electrochemical applications. The lack of control of the CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite growth limit the exploitation of CH3NH3PbBr3-based perovskite solar cells. Herein, a posttreatment is carried out after the initial CH3NH3PbBr3 crystallization based on methylamine gas that drastically enhances the perovskite quality leading to a highly crystalline film with improved average visible transmittance (AVT) close to 56%. Opaque devices showed outstanding results in terms of open-circuit voltage and power conversion efficiency (PCE) reaching 1.54 V and 9.2%, respectively. These achievements are ascribed to a film with reduced morphological defects and better interface quality and reduced nonradiative pathways. For the first time, the fabrication of semitransparent CH3NH3PbBr3-based solar cells is demonstrated reaching a maximum PCE equal to 7.6%, an AVT of the full stack device of 52%, and an excellent light stability at maximum-power point tracking. [less ▲]

Chronique de droit des marchés financiers

in Revue des Sociétés (2021)

Seeking Compatibility in Preventing Crime with Artificial Intelligence and Ensuring a Fair Trial

in Masaryk University Journal of Law and Technology (2021), 15(1), 25-51

The justice system is increasingly reliant on new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). In the field of criminal law this also extends to the methods utilized by police for preventing crime ... [more ▼]

The justice system is increasingly reliant on new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). In the field of criminal law this also extends to the methods utilized by police for preventing crime. Though policing is not explicitly covered by Article 6 of the European Convention of Human Rights, this article will demonstrate that there can be adverse effects of policing on fair trial rights and make the analogy to criminal investigations as a recognized pre-trial process. Specifically, it will argue that policing that relies on AI to predict crime has direct effects on fair trial processes such as the equality of arms, the presumption of innocence, and the right to confront the evidence produced against a defendant. It will conclude by challenging the notion that AI is always an appropriate tool for legal processes. [less ▲]

L’ASBL belge par rapport à ses voisines française et luxembourgeoise dans la perspective du développement de l’économie sociale sur le plan européen : quelles perspectives d’amélioration du cadre juridique ?

in Journal des Tribunaux (2021), 140(6863), 484-494

Enhancing Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Images via Multi-frame Super Resolution for Future Robotic Space Missions

in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (2021)

An Atomistic Study of the Thermoelectric Signatures of CNT Peapods

in Journal of Physical Chemistry. C, Nanomaterials and interfaces (2021), 125(25), 1372113731

Carbon-based nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have a great potential for applications in the development of high performance thermoelectric (TE) materials because of their low-cost and for ... [more ▼]

Carbon-based nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have a great potential for applications in the development of high performance thermoelectric (TE) materials because of their low-cost and for being environmentally friendly. Pristine nanotubes have, however, high electrical and thermal conductivities so that further nanoscale engineering is required to exploit them as TE materials. We investigate electron and phonon transport in CNT peapods to elucidate their potential advantage over pristine CNTs as basic TE elements. We show that the electron and phonon transport properties are sensitively modified by C60 encapsulation, when the CNT–C60 intermolecular interaction is strong enough to produce a periodic buckling of the CNT walls. Moreover, the phonon transmission is strongly suppressed at low and high frequencies, leading to a reduction of the phonon contribution to the overall thermal conductance. A similar effect has also been observed in the recently proposed phononic metamaterials. We obtain in general a larger TE figure of merit over a broad temperature range for the CNT peapod when compared with the pristine CNT, achieving an increase by a factor of 2.2 at 575 K. Our findings show an alternative route for the enhancement of the TE performance of CNT-based devices. [less ▲]

Linear Z2n-Manifolds and Linear Actions

in Symmetry, Integrability and Geometry: Methods and Applications (2021), 17(060), 58

An II de la pandémie de covid-19 – Un point comparatif sur les tribulations du paiement du loyer dans le cadre d’un bail commercial (Luxembourg, Belgique et France) : cacophonie, solidarisme ou pragmatisme ? - 2ème PARTIE

in Journal des Tribunaux Luxembourg (2021), 75

Challenges, Strategies, and Perspectives for Reference-Independent Longitudinal Multi-Omic Microbiome Studies

in Frontiers in Genetics (2021)

Secure Vehicular Communications Through Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces

in IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology (2021), 70(7), 7272-7276

Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) is considered as a revolutionary technique to improve the wireless system performance by reconfiguring the radio wave propagation environment artificially ... [more ▼]

Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) is considered as a revolutionary technique to improve the wireless system performance by reconfiguring the radio wave propagation environment artificially. Motivated by the potential of RIS in vehicular networks, we analyze the secrecy outage performance of RIS-aided vehicular communications in this paper. More specifically, two vehicular communication scenarios are considered, i.e., a vehicular-to-vehicular (V2V) communication where the RIS acts as a relay and a vehicular-to-infrastructure (V2I) scenario where the RIS functions as the receiver. In both scenarios, a passive eavesdropper is present attempting to retrieve the transmitted information. Closed-form expressions for the secrecy outage probability (SOP) are derived and verified. The results demonstrate the potential of improving secrecy with the aid of RIS under both V2V and V2I communications. [less ▲]

Role of Common Genetic Variants for Drug-Resistance to Specific Anti-Seizure Medications

in Frontiers in Pharmacology (2021), 12

Objective: Resistance to anti-seizure medications (ASMs) presents a significant hurdle in the treatment of people with epilepsy. Genetic markers for resistance to individual ASMs could support clinicians ... [more ▼]

Objective: Resistance to anti-seizure medications (ASMs) presents a significant hurdle in the treatment of people with epilepsy. Genetic markers for resistance to individual ASMs could support clinicians to make better-informed choices for their patients. In this study, we aimed to elucidate whether the response to individual ASMs was associated with common genetic variation.Methods: A cohort of 3,649 individuals of European descent with epilepsy was deeply phenotyped and underwent single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-genotyping. We conducted genome-wide association analyses (GWASs) on responders to specific ASMs or groups of functionally related ASMs, using non-responders as controls. We performed a polygenic risk score (PRS) analyses based on risk variants for epilepsy and neuropsychiatric disorders and ASM resistance itself to delineate the polygenic burden of ASM-specific drug resistance.Results: We identified several potential regions of interest but did not detect genome-wide significant loci for ASM-specific response. We did not find polygenic risk for epilepsy, neuropsychiatric disorders, and drug-resistance associated with drug response to specific ASMs or mechanistically related groups of ASMs.Significance: This study could not ascertain the predictive value of common genetic variants for ASM responder status. The identified suggestive loci will need replication in future studies of a larger scale. [less ▲]

De la poussière à la lumière bleue. Émotions, récits, gestes de l'archive à l'ère numérique

in Signata. Annales des Sémiotiques (2021), 12(12),

For a great many historians, Arlette Farge’s book The Allure of the Archives remains a seminal description of working with archives, at least in France. In the past few years however, a clear disparity ... [more ▼]

For a great many historians, Arlette Farge’s book The Allure of the Archives remains a seminal description of working with archives, at least in France. In the past few years however, a clear disparity has emerged between this book and the actual experience and practice of historical research because of the rise in digital technologies, which have prompted a dramatic change in historians’ relationship with archives. Based on the collective online book Le Goût de l’archive à l’ère numérique (“The allure of the archives in the digital age” – https://www.gout-numerique.net/) and on a study day held in 2018 at the French National Archives, this paper aims to investigate the changing relationship of historians with archives: their emotional engagement, their relations with archivists and their practices when consulting paper, digitised or born-digital archives. From dusty shelves to blue light, the entire profession of historian has changed, often in discreet, implicit ways, such as the recent practice of taking photos at archival centers, a consequence of the widespread ownership and use of digital cameras. Do archives still elicit the same emotions when they are merely one snapshot among many on a hard disk, or when they are turned into data and published online in a corpus? If the emotion attached to archives is no longer the same, does this change the way in which we interpret them? How should we reflect on our own practices so that we can see past the algorithms that drive the search engines and software we now use? [less ▲]

Performance Enhancement for Full-Duplex Relaying with Time-Switching-Based SWIPT in Wireless Sensors Networks

in Sensors (2021), 21(11), 3847

Full-duplex (FD) with simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) in wireless ad hoc networks has received increased attention as a technology for improving spectrum and energy efficiency ... [more ▼]

Full-duplex (FD) with simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) in wireless ad hoc networks has received increased attention as a technology for improving spectrum and energy efficiency. This paper studies the outage performance for a SWIPT-based decode-and-forward (DF) FD relaying network consisting of a single-antenna source S, a two-antenna relay R, and a multi-antenna destination D. Specifically, we propose four protocols, namely static time-switching factor with selection combining (STSF-SC), static time-switching factor with maximal ratio combining (STSF-MRC), optimal dynamic time-switching factor with selection combining (ODTSF-SC), and optimal dynamic time-switching factor with maximal ratio combining (ODTSF-MRC) to fully investigate the outage performance of the proposed system. In particular, the optimal time-switching factor from the ODTSF-SC and ODTSF-MRC methods is designed to maximize the total received data at the destination. In this context, we derive exact closed-formed expressions for all schemes in terms of the outage probability (OP). Finally, the Monte Carlo simulations are conducted to corroborate the theoretical analysis’s correctness and the proposed schemes’ effectiveness. [less ▲]

Quand les e-pétitions influencent-elles la décision politique ? Une analyse du système de pétitions électroniques de la Chambre des députés du Luxembourg

in Participations (2021), 3(28), 177-202

Dans cet article, nous présentons l’une des premières analyses à étudier de manière systématique les facteurs expliquant le degré d’appropriation par un gouvernement des demandes exprimées dans les e ... [more ▼]

Dans cet article, nous présentons l’une des premières analyses à étudier de manière systématique les facteurs expliquant le degré d’appropriation par un gouvernement des demandes exprimées dans les e-pétitions qui lui sont soumises. Cette analyse se base sur l’ensemble des e-pétitions ayant obtenu les 4 500 signatures requises pour donner lieu à un débat public à la Chambre des députés du Luxembourg. Les hypothèses testées pour expliquer les variations dans le niveau d’appropriation des e-pétitions par le gouvernement ont été : 1) la compatibilité avec l’agenda du gouvernement, 2) la compétence du gouvernement pour traiter les e-pétitions en question, 3) la nature consensuelle (ou non)de l’e-pétition, 4) le nombre de signatures en sa faveur, 5) sa visibilité médiatique, et 6) le statut de son initiateur. Conformément à nos attentes, nous avons observé que les probabilités qu’une e-pétition soit prise en considération par le gouvernement sont liées à essentiellement trois facteurs : 1) la compatibilité avec l’agenda du gouvernement, 2) la compétence du gouvernement et 3) l’accord du gouvernement avec les revendications des pétitionnaires. Les autres facteurs, tels que le soutien populaire ou médiatique de l’e-pétition, sa thématique ou bien les coûts de sa réalisation, apparaissent peu significatifs. [less ▲]

"[M]a défense, c’est mon éclat". Conjurer l’oubli face à la mort ? Figurations de l'oubli comme mort symbolique dans la correspondance staëlienne

in Travaux et recherches de l'Institut Benjamin Constant (2021), 18

Cet article entend examiner au départ de la correspondance de Germaine de Staël, ainsi que de Dix années d'exil, toutes les occurrences de cette peur de l'oubli qui la touche dès qu'est ordonné son exil à ... [more ▼]

Cet article entend examiner au départ de la correspondance de Germaine de Staël, ainsi que de Dix années d'exil, toutes les occurrences de cette peur de l'oubli qui la touche dès qu'est ordonné son exil à quarante lieues de Paris. L'écrivaine clôt en effet nombre de ses lettres en demandant à ses correspondants de ne pas l'oublier, et évoque à de nombreuses reprises sa peur de ne plus être remémorée (de ses amis comme de l'opinion) si elle en venait à ne plus lutter publiquement contre la mesure d'exil qui la frappe. En ce sens, conjurer l'oubli revient chez elle à conjurer la mort symbolique qui serait la sienne dès lors qu'elle accepterait son sort d'exilée sans discussion ; le présent article envisage les modalités selon lesquelles se joue cette peur de l'oubli comme d'une mort symbolique. [less ▲]

Achim Hofer, Lucian Schiwietz (Hrsg.), Wilhelm Wieprecht (1802-1872). Korrespondenz, Schriften und Dokumente zu Leben und Wirken, Studio Verlag im Verlag Königshausen & Neumann, Würzburg 2020

in The Wind Music Research Quarterly. Mitteilungsblatt der IGEB (2021), 2(2021), 69-71

Mantis: flexible and consensus-driven genome annotation

in GigaScience (2021), 10(6),

The rapid development of the (meta-)omics fields has produced an unprecedented amount of high-resolution and high-fidelity data. Through the use of these datasets we can infer the role of previously ... [more ▼]

The rapid development of the (meta-)omics fields has produced an unprecedented amount of high-resolution and high-fidelity data. Through the use of these datasets we can infer the role of previously functionally unannotated proteins from single organisms and consortia. In this context, protein function annotation can be described as the identification of regions of interest (i.e., domains) in protein sequences and the assignment of biological functions. Despite the existence of numerous tools, challenges remain in terms of speed, flexibility, and reproducibility. In the big data era, it is also increasingly important to cease limiting our findings to a single reference, coalescing knowledge from different data sources, and thus overcoming some limitations in overly relying on computationally generated data from single sources.We implemented a protein annotation tool, Mantis, which uses database identifiers intersection and text mining to integrate knowledge from multiple reference data sources into a single consensus-driven output. Mantis is flexible, allowing for the customization of reference data and execution parameters, and is reproducible across different research goals and user environments. We implemented a depth-first search algorithm for domain-specific annotation, which significantly improved annotation performance compared to sequence-wide annotation. The parallelized implementation of Mantis results in short runtimes while also outputting high coverage and high-quality protein function annotations.Mantis is a protein function annotation tool that produces high-quality consensus-driven protein annotations. It is easy to set up, customize, and use, scaling from single genomes to large metagenomes. Mantis is available under the MIT license at https://github.com/PedroMTQ/mantis. [less ▲]

Recent Developments and Overview of the Country and Practitioner’s Reports

in European Data Protection Law Review (2021), 7(2021), 217-220

Authoritarianism Beyond Disposition: A Literature Review of Research on Contextual Antecedents

in Frontiers in Psychology (2021), 12

A core debate in authoritarianism research relates to the stability of authoritarianism, i.e., whether it is a dispositional phenomenon socialized in early childhood or even genetically predisposed, or ... [more ▼]

A core debate in authoritarianism research relates to the stability of authoritarianism, i.e., whether it is a dispositional phenomenon socialized in early childhood or even genetically predisposed, or whether it is impacted by time-sensitive, exterior conditions. Whereas certain individual authoritarian tendencies emerge as a rather stable personality trait, there is also empirical evidence for a dynamic influence of external factors. This review article provides a conceptual multilevel framework for the study of authoritarianism and offers an insight into the state-of-research on socialization and situational influences, with a particular focus on threat. Findings are discussed with regard to key theories of authoritarianism. [less ▲]

What do alexithymia items measure? A discriminant content validity study of the Toronto-alexithymia-scale–20

in PeerJ (2021), 29

Background Questions have been raised about whether items of alexithymia scales assess the construct alexithymia and its key features, and no other related constructs. This study assessed the ... [more ▼]

Background Questions have been raised about whether items of alexithymia scales assess the construct alexithymia and its key features, and no other related constructs. This study assessed the (discriminant) content validity of the most widely used alexithymia scale, i.e., the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Methods Participants (n = 81) rated to what extent TAS-20 items and items of related constructs were relevant for assessing the constructs ‘alexithymia’, ‘difficulty identifying feelings’, ‘difficulty describing feelings’, ‘externally-oriented thinking’, ‘limited imaginal capacity’, ‘anxiety’, ‘depression’, and ‘health anxiety’. Results Results revealed that, overall, the TAS-20 did only partly measure ‘alexithymia’. Only the subscales ‘difficulty identifying feelings’ and ‘difficulty describing feelings’ represented ‘alexithymia’ and their intended construct, although some content overlap between these subscales was found. In addition, some items assessed (health) anxiety equally well or even better. Conclusions Revision of the TAS-20 is recommended to adequately assess all key features of alexithymia. Findings with the TAS-20 need to be interpreted with caution in people suffering from medical conditions. [less ▲]

On the Secrecy-Reliability Performance Trade-off for NOMA-enabled 5G mmWave Networks

in 2021 IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications (IEEE PIMRC 2021) (2021)

The evolution of 5G wireless networks poses significant research challenges such as securing the user data, maintaining certain latency and reliability requirements etc. However, it can be challenging to ... [more ▼]

The evolution of 5G wireless networks poses significant research challenges such as securing the user data, maintaining certain latency and reliability requirements etc. However, it can be challenging to simultaneously meet these performance requisites, which may lead to resort to a trade-off among different metrics. This paper investigates the secrecy-reliability performance trade-off (SRPT) for non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA)-based millimeter wave (mmWave) networks. Herein, we consider two end-users, namely primary and secondary, which are served by an mmWave base station using downlink NOMA. Besides, a passive eavesdropper lying in the vicinity of these end-users attempts to intercept their legitimate message signals. For this set-up, we derive the closed-form expressions of the outage probability (OP) of a targeted end-user and intercept probability (IP) of the eavesdropper to analyze the SRPT of the system. We further propose a low-complexity average channel state information (CSI)-based power allocation strategy to improve the reliability of a targeted user while maintaining its information secrecy. Moreover, we obtain the condition under which NOMA guarantees superior secrecy performance than that of orthogonal multiple access (OMA) scheme. We corroborate our theoretical analysis via simulation results presented in terms of IP and OP. [less ▲]

Goffin's Cockatoos (Cacatua goffiniana) Can Solve a Novel Problem After Conflicting Past Experiences

in Frontiers in Psychology (2021)

Novel problems often partially overlap with familiar ones. Some features match the qualities of previous situations stored in long-term memory and therefore trigger their retrieval. Using relevant, while ... [more ▼]

Novel problems often partially overlap with familiar ones. Some features match the qualities of previous situations stored in long-term memory and therefore trigger their retrieval. Using relevant, while inhibiting irrelevant, memories to solve novel problems is a hallmark of behavioral flexibility in humans and has recently been demonstrated in great apes. This capacity has been proposed to promote technical innovativeness and thus warrants investigations of such a mechanism in other innovative species. Here, we show that proficient tool—users among Goffin's cockatoos—an innovative tool—using species—could use a relevant previous experience to solve a novel, partially overlapping problem, even despite a conflicting, potentially misleading, experience. This suggests that selecting relevant experiences over irrelevant experiences guides problem solving at least in some Goffin's cockatoos. Our result supports the hypothesis that flexible memory functions may promote technical innovations. [less ▲]

Secure Energy Efficiency Maximization in Cognitive Satellite-Terrestrial Networks

in IEEE Systems Journal (2021), 15(2), 2382-2385

This article investigates the secure energy efficiency (EE) optimization problem in a cognitive satellite-terrestrial network with a capable eavesdropper. The objective is to maximize the secure EE for ... [more ▼]

This article investigates the secure energy efficiency (EE) optimization problem in a cognitive satellite-terrestrial network with a capable eavesdropper. The objective is to maximize the secure EE for the primary satellite network while satisfying the allowable signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio requirements of the secondary and primary users along within the transmit power limitation of both satellite and the terrestrial base station. Owing to the nonconvexity and intractability of the original optimization problem, a beamforming scheme and associated transformation algorithms are proposed by jointly applying the Taylor approximation, fraction programming, and alternating search to cope with the implementation difficulty. The key is to convert the original optimization problem into a simple convex framework and obtain the optimal solution step by step. Finally, numerical simulations are given to verify the feasibility and practicability of the proposed optimization algorithms. [less ▲]

Income and Wealth Volatility: Evidence from Italy and the U.S. in the Past Two Decades

in Journal of Economic Inequality (2021), 19(2), 293-313

Income volatility and wealth volatility are central objects of investigation for the literature on income and wealth inequality and dynamics. Here we analyse the two concepts in a comparative perspective ... [more ▼]

Income volatility and wealth volatility are central objects of investigation for the literature on income and wealth inequality and dynamics. Here we analyse the two concepts in a comparative perspective for the same individuals in Italy and the U.S. over the last two decades. We find that in both countries wealth volatility reaches significantly higher values than income volatility, the effect being mostly driven by changes in the market value of real estate assets. We also show that there is more volatility in both dimensions in the U.S. and that the overall trend in both countries is increasing over time. We conclude by exploring volatility in consumption. [less ▲]

The impact of mental and somatic stressors on physical activity and sedentary behaviour in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a diary study

in PeerJ (2021), 9

Background Adopting an active lifestyle is key in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Nevertheless, the majority of individuals with T2DM fails to do so. Additionally, individuals with T2DM ... [more ▼]

Background Adopting an active lifestyle is key in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Nevertheless, the majority of individuals with T2DM fails to do so. Additionally, individuals with T2DM are likely to experience mental (e.g., stress) and somatic (e.g., pain) stressors. Research investigating the link between these stressors and activity levels within this group is largely lacking. Therefore, current research aimed to investigate how daily fluctuations in mental and somatic stressors predict daily levels of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour among adults with T2DM. Methods Individuals with T2DM (N = 54) were instructed to complete a morning diary assessing mental and somatic stressors and to wear an accelerometer for 10 consecutive days. The associations between the mental and somatic stressors and participants’ levels of PA and sedentary behaviour were examined using (generalized) linear mixed effect models. Results Valid data were provided by 38 participants. We found no evidence that intra-individual increases in mental and somatic stressors detrimentally affected participants’ activity levels. Similarly, levels of sedentary behaviour nor levels of PA were predicted by inter-individual differences in the mental and somatic stressors. [less ▲]

Orthorectified Polar Format Algorithm for Generalized Spotlight SAR Imaging With DEM

in IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing (2021)

Reforming the Institutions of Eurozone Governance

in Politics and Governance (2021), 9(2), 159162

The European Central Bank and the German Constitutional Court: Police Patrols and Fire Alarms

in Politics and Governance (2021), 9(2),

In May 2020, a ruling of the German Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) questioned the legality of the Bundesbank’s participation in the European Central Bank’s (ECB’s) Public Sector Purchase Programme ... [more ▼]

In May 2020, a ruling of the German Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) questioned the legality of the Bundesbank’s participation in the European Central Bank’s (ECB’s) Public Sector Purchase Programme. Applying elements of a principal-agent analysis, this article analyses how the FCC ruling presents us with a new understanding of the relationship between the ECB, other EU institutions and Eurozone member states. Existing principal-agent analyses of the ECB focus upon its relations with other EU-level institutions and point to the limited ex ante control mechanisms and efforts to reinforce ex post control mechanisms—notably European Parliament oversight. The FCC ruling and the ECB’s reaction demonstrate the relative importance of national level controls over the ECB agent. This article understands the role of private plaintiffs in Germany as a form of ‘fire alarm’ on ECB policymaking against the background of weak ex post controls at the EU-level. [less ▲]

Scrutiny or Complacency? Banking Union in the Bundestag and the Assemblée Nationale

in Politics and Governance (2021), 9(2), 219-229

Practitioners’ language-supporting strategies in multilingual ECE institutions in Luxembourg

in European Early Childhood Education Research Journal (2021), 29(3),

Multilingual education is mandatory in early childhood education in several European countries. Scholars working in first, second, and foreign language learning have shown the effectiveness of interaction ... [more ▼]

Multilingual education is mandatory in early childhood education in several European countries. Scholars working in first, second, and foreign language learning have shown the effectiveness of interaction-promoting and language-modelling strategies for language development. In addition, teachers in bilingual contexts have been translanguaging to foster language learning. To this day, few research studies have examined these strategies in combination and their deployment in multilingual contexts. The present study takes place in multilingual Luxembourg where 64% of the four-year-olds do not speak Luxembourgish. It focuses on three practitioners who took part in a professional development course on multilingual pedagogies and presents their language-supporting strategies as well as their translanguaging practices. The findings show that the practitioners use a range of strategies in Luxembourgish, French and home languages, in daily conversations, routines and language and literacy activities to address children’s linguistic needs. [less ▲]

A 3D system to model human pancreas development and its reference single-cell transcriptome atlas identify signaling pathways required for progenitor expansion

in Nature Communications (2021)

Effective Floquet model for minimally twisted bilayer graphene

in Physical Review. B (2021), 103

Practices and experiences of distant education during the COVID-19 pandemic: The perspectives of six- to sixteen-year-olds from three high-income countries

in International Journal of Educational Research Open (2021), 2(2), 11

The paper explores children’s perspectives of distance education, their learning experiences and school satisfac- tion in Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic ... [more ▼]

The paper explores children’s perspectives of distance education, their learning experiences and school satisfac- tion in Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The data stem from an online questionnaire completed by 1773 primary and secondary school children aged 6–16. While the paper uses quantitative and qualitative data, it aligns with the qualitative research tradition and predominantly uses an inductive approach. The findings show that teachers offered varied types of distance education and that parents supported children. The children’s contact time with teachers and their time spent on schoolwork var- ied within and between countries. Their school satisfaction dropped in the three countries. The paper calls for training and development on distant education. [less ▲]

Modeling for Three-Subset Division Property without Unknown Subset

in Journal of Cryptology (2021), 34(3), 22

Shared genetic basis between genetic generalized epilepsy and background electroencephalographic oscillations

in Epilepsia (2021), 62(7), 1518-1527

Abstract Objective Paroxysmal epileptiform abnormalities on electroencephalography (EEG) are the hallmark of epilepsies, but it is uncertain to what extent epilepsy and background EEG oscillations share ... [more ▼]

Abstract Objective Paroxysmal epileptiform abnormalities on electroencephalography (EEG) are the hallmark of epilepsies, but it is uncertain to what extent epilepsy and background EEG oscillations share neurobiological underpinnings. Here, we aimed to assess the genetic correlation between epilepsy and background EEG oscillations. Methods Confounding factors, including the heterogeneous etiology of epilepsies and medication effects, hamper studies on background brain activity in people with epilepsy. To overcome this limitation, we compared genetic data from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on epilepsy (n = 12 803 people with epilepsy and 24 218 controls) with that from a GWAS on background EEG (n = 8425 subjects without epilepsy), in which background EEG oscillation power was quantified in four different frequency bands: alpha, beta, delta, and theta. We replicated our findings in an independent epilepsy replication dataset (n = 4851 people with epilepsy and 20 428 controls). To assess the genetic overlap between these phenotypes, we performed genetic correlation analyses using linkage disequilibrium score regression, polygenic risk scores, and Mendelian randomization analyses. Results Our analyses show strong genetic correlations of genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE) with background EEG oscillations, primarily in the beta frequency band. Furthermore, we show that subjects with higher beta and theta polygenic risk scores have a significantly higher risk of having generalized epilepsy. Mendelian randomization analyses suggest a causal effect of GGE genetic liability on beta oscillations. Significance Our results point to shared biological mechanisms underlying background EEG oscillations and the susceptibility for GGE, opening avenues to investigate the clinical utility of background EEG oscillations in the diagnostic workup of epilepsy. [less ▲]

Active engines: Thermodynamics moves forward

in Europhysics Letters (2021), 134

The study of thermal heat engines was pivotal to establishing the principles of equilibrium thermodynamics, with implications far wider than only engine optimization. For nonequilibrium systems, which by ... [more ▼]

The study of thermal heat engines was pivotal to establishing the principles of equilibrium thermodynamics, with implications far wider than only engine optimization. For nonequilibrium systems, which by definition dissipate energy even at rest, how to best convert such dissipation into useful work is still largely an outstanding question, with similar potential to illuminate general physical principles. We review recent theoretical progress in studying the performances of engines operating with active matter, where particles are driven by individual self-propulsion. We distinguish two main classes, either autonomous engines exploiting a particle current, or cyclic engines applying periodic transformation to the system, and present the strategies put forward so far for optimization. We delineate the limitations of previous studies, and propose some future perspectives, with a view to building a consistent thermodynamic framework far from equilibrium. [less ▲]

An II de la pandémie de covid-19 – Un point comparatif sur les tribulations du paiement du loyer dans le cadre d’un bail commercial (Luxembourg, Belgique et France) : cacophonie, solidarisme ou pragmatisme ? - 1ere PARTIE

in Journal des Tribunaux Luxembourg (2021), 74

Gastric interoception and gastric myoelectrical activity in bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder

in International Journal of Eating Disorders (2021), 54(7), 1106-1115

Objective: Identifying factors that control food intake is crucial to the understanding and treatment of eating disorders characterized by binge eating. In healthy individuals, stomach distension plays an ... [more ▼]

Objective: Identifying factors that control food intake is crucial to the understanding and treatment of eating disorders characterized by binge eating. In healthy individuals, stomach distension plays an important role in the development of satiation, but gastric sensations might be overridden in binge eating. The present study investigated the perception of gastric signals (i.e., gastric interoception) and gastric motility in patients experiencing binge eating episodes, i.e. bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge-eating disorder (BED). Method: Twenty-nine patients with BN or BED (ED group) and 32 age-, sex-, and BMI-matched healthy controls (HC group) participated in the study. The onset of satiation and stomach fullness were assessed using a novel 2-step water load test (WLT-II). Gastric myoelectrical activity (GMA) was measured by electrogastrography (EGG) before and after ingestion of non-caloric water. Results: Individuals in the ED group drank significantly more water until reporting satiation during the WLT-II. The percentage of normal gastric myoelectrical power was significantly smaller in the ED group compared to HC, and negatively related to the number of objective binge-eating episodes per week in bulimic patients. Power in the bradygastria range was greater in ED than in HC subjects. Discussion: Patients with EDs have a delayed response to satiation compared to HC participants, together with abnormal GMA. Repeated binge eating episodes may induce disturbances to gastric motor function. [less ▲]

Increasing the diversity of the teacher workforce: Socio-political challenges to reducing inequalities in access to teacher education programs.

in Frontiers in Education (2021), 6

Cross-border migration leads to a diversification of societies, which is reflected in the education system, where classrooms are composed of students with heterogeneous cultural, linguistic, socio ... [more ▼]

Cross-border migration leads to a diversification of societies, which is reflected in the education system, where classrooms are composed of students with heterogeneous cultural, linguistic, socio-economic characteristics. However, this diversity is only to a limited extent reflected in the teacher population, even though teachers from different backgrounds can bring specific intercultural competencies, have more positive attitudes toward multicultural heterogeneity and act as role models. To facilitate the diversification of the teaching profession, it is imperative that the cohorts of students entering teacher education programs represent the diversity of societies, however studies have shown students with migration background or from families with lower socio-economic status are underrepresented in such programs. This study considered the demographic constellation of applicants for admission into the teacher education program in Luxembourg (2015-2019) and investigated to what extent the admission process (dis)advantages certain groups. Results revealed that although applications come from diverse backgrounds, proficiency in the country´s native languages poses a disadvantage for students with migration background. In addition, applicants coming from more privileged families stand a better chance of being admitted. Results are interpreted within the framework of social mobility and social reproduction. Implications for the admission to the teachers education program are discussed. [less ▲]

Monolingual cringe and ideologies of English: Anglophone migrants to Luxembourg draw their experiences in a multilingual society

in Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development (2021)

This article uses reflective drawing to explore representations of multilingualism by Anglophone migrants in Luxembourg. Analysing twelve interviews in which participants drew and described their language ... [more ▼]

This article uses reflective drawing to explore representations of multilingualism by Anglophone migrants in Luxembourg. Analysing twelve interviews in which participants drew and described their language experiences, we examine the language ideologies Anglophone migrants adopt in response to the ideologies of English they encounter. Participants adopt various ideologies, sometimes aligning with the ideology of global English, sometimes with counter-ideologies of resistance to it, and sometimes a mix of the two. Visual features indexing affective states include colour, gesture, facial expression, and composition. Monolingual cringe – expressed as shame, embarrassment and being ‘bad at languages’ – performs several functions for the participants. Sometimes it serves as an affective disclaimer, allowing them to lean on their privilege in a more socially acceptable way. Sometimes it appears to express genuine distress, in the form of searing linguistic insecurity. Sometimes it performs a distancing function, enabling them to oppose themselves to the stereotype of the monolingual English speaker. The affective intensity of the drawings suggests the ideology of global English does have costs for Anglophone migrants. Fundamentally, though, monolingual cringe reinforces privilege, allowing participants to apologise for their monolingualism even as they continue to benefit from it. [less ▲]

Liquid crystal elastomer shells with topological defect-defined actuation: Complex shape morphing, opening/closing, and unidirectional rotation

in Journal of Applied Physics (2021), 129(17), 174701

We produce hollow sphere liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) actuators from a nematic precursor mixture, brought into the shape of a self-closing shell with tangential anchoring of the director field n(r ... [more ▼]

We produce hollow sphere liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) actuators from a nematic precursor mixture, brought into the shape of a self-closing shell with tangential anchoring of the director field n(r), using a solvent-assisted microfluidic technique. By separating the shell production from the polymerization and cross-linking, the precursor is allowed to approach its equilibrium n(r) configuration in the shell, spontaneously forming topological defects of total strength +2. However, the photopolymerization into an LCE induces a brief but strong distortion of the overall n(r) and the defect configuration, even changing the ground state shape in the case of thick shells. The resulting LCE shells show a rich capacity for reversible shape morphing upon heating and cooling, the exact actuation mode defined by n(r), and the final defect configuration stabilized at the end of polymerization. In regions with a single +1 defect, a reversal of curvature from concave to convex is found, punctured shells exhibit a strong shape change between a nearly closed sphere at low temperature and an open-ended spherocylinder at high temperature, and all shells rotate upon actuation when suspended in a fluid. As the rotation is stronger during relaxation than during actuation, thus breaking the symmetry, the net rotation is unidirectional. [less ▲]

Les dimensions spatiales et socioprofessionnelles du travail frontalier aux frontières franco-suisse et franco-luxembourgeoise

in Géo-Regards: Revue Neuchâteloise de Géographie (2021), 13(2020), 147-177

This article analyzes the main spatial and socio-professional dimensions of cross-border workers at the different borders of France, particularly within the cross-border employment poles of Geneva, Basel ... [more ▼]

This article analyzes the main spatial and socio-professional dimensions of cross-border workers at the different borders of France, particularly within the cross-border employment poles of Geneva, Basel and Luxembourg. It is based on data from the French population census, supplemented by data from the countries where cross-border workers work. While cross-border workers have socio-demographic characteristics that are relatively common to the different cross-border employment centres (mostly men, relatively young, etc.), the article highlights the territorial specificity of socio-professional profiles according to the different cross-border spaces observed. Cross-border work thus constitutes a modality of territorial management of labor and skills. [less ▲]

A holding control strategy for diverging bus lines

in Transportation Research. Part C, Emerging Technologies (2021)

Cohort profile: DOLORisk Dundee: a longitudinal study of chronic neuropathic pain

in BMJ Open (2021), 11(5),

Purpose: Neuropathic pain is a common disorder of the somatosensory system that affects 7%-10% of the general population. The disorder places a large social and economic burden on patients as well as ... [more ▼]

Purpose: Neuropathic pain is a common disorder of the somatosensory system that affects 7%-10% of the general population. The disorder places a large social and economic burden on patients as well as healthcare services. However, not everyone with a relevant underlying aetiology develops corresponding pain. DOLORisk Dundee, a European Union-funded cohort, part of the multicentre DOLORisk consortium, was set up to increase current understanding of this variation in onset. In particular, the cohort will allow exploration of psychosocial, clinical and genetic predictors of neuropathic pain onset. Participants: DOLORisk Dundee has been constructed by rephenotyping two pre-existing Scottish population cohorts for neuropathic pain using a standardised 'core' study protocol: Genetics of Diabetes Audit and Research in Tayside Scotland (GoDARTS) (n=5236) consisting of predominantly type 2 diabetics from the Tayside region, and Generation Scotland: Scottish Family Health Study (GS:SFHS; n=20 221). Rephenotyping was conducted in two phases: a baseline postal survey and a combined postal and online follow-up survey. DOLORisk Dundee consists of 9155 participants (GoDARTS=1915; GS:SFHS=7240) who responded to the baseline survey, of which 6338 (69.2%; GoDARTS=1046; GS:SFHS=5292) also responded to the follow-up survey (18 months later). Findings to date: At baseline, the proportion of those with chronic neuropathic pain (Douleur Neuropathique en 4 Questions questionnaire score ≥3, duration ≥3 months) was 30.5% in GoDARTS and 14.2% in Generation Scotland. Electronic record linkage enables large scale genetic association studies to be conducted and risk models have been constructed for neuropathic pain. Future plans: The cohort is being maintained by an access committee, through which collaborations are encouraged. Details of how to do this will be available on the study website (http://dolorisk.eu/). Further follow-up surveys of the cohort are planned and funding applications are being prepared to this effect. This will be conducted in harmony with similar pain rephenotyping of UK Biobank. [less ▲]

Reading EUropean borderlands under the perspective of legal geography and spatial justice

in European Planning Studies (2021)

Recently, the notion of spatial justice has been discussed as a possible conceptual foundation for rethinking EU Cohesion Policy. While scholars have adopted a dual distributive and procedural ... [more ▼]

Recently, the notion of spatial justice has been discussed as a possible conceptual foundation for rethinking EU Cohesion Policy. While scholars have adopted a dual distributive and procedural understanding of spatial justice, the paper argues that, applied to cross-border areas, such a conceptualisation is challenged to explain how the border contributes to disparities. We argue that actively questioning the role of law is paramount for better examination of the dynamics within border areas. An understanding of spatial justice informed by legal geography allows examination of how law fosters and impedes movement across borders. The paper presents three recent examples where policy representatives from affected communities have fought to adapt legal provisions to cross-border spatiality. Whether such initiatives increased border communities’ capacities to shape their own development (i.e. European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation) or not yet (i.e. co-development at the Lorraine-Luxembourg border; European Cross-Border Mechanism), these examples show that analysing EUropean borderlands as a spatiolegal category helps understanding of how space and law constantly struggle with one another, and how spatial justice emerges from a movement out of this conflict. The paper concludes by discussing the practical and conceptual implications of combining legal geography and spatial justice for analysing EU Borderlands. [less ▲]

Optimization in VHTS Satellite System Design with Irregular Beam Coverage for Non-Uniform Traffic Distribution

in Remote Sensing (2021), 13(13),

Very High Throughput Satellites (VHTS) have a pivotal role in complementing terrestrial networks to increase traffic demand. VHTS systems currently assume a uniform distribution of traffic in the service ... [more ▼]

Very High Throughput Satellites (VHTS) have a pivotal role in complementing terrestrial networks to increase traffic demand. VHTS systems currently assume a uniform distribution of traffic in the service area, but in a real system, traffic demands are not uniform and are dynamic. A possible solution is to use flexible payloads, but the cost of the design increases considerably. On the other hand, a fixed payload that uses irregular beam coverage depending on traffic demand allows maintaining the cost of a fixed payload while minimizing the error between offered and required capacity. This paper presents a proposal for optimizing irregular beams coverage and beam pattern, minimizing the costs per Gbps in orbit, the Normalized Coverage Error, and Offered Capacity Error per beam. We present the analysis and performance for the case study and compare it with a previous algorithm for a uniform coverage area. [less ▲]

The values of web archives

in International Journal of Digital Humanities (2021)

This article considers how the development, promotion and adoption of a set of core values for web archives, linked to principles of “good governance”, will help them to tackle the challenges of ... [more ▼]

This article considers how the development, promotion and adoption of a set of core values for web archives, linked to principles of “good governance”, will help them to tackle the challenges of sustainability, accountability and inclusiveness that are central to their long-term societal and cultural worth. It outlines the work that has already been done to address these questions, as web archiving begins to move out of its establishment phase, and then discusses seven key principles of good governance that might be adapted by and embedded within web archives: participation, consensus, accountability, transparency, effectiveness and efficiency, inclusivity and legality. The article concludes with a call to action for researchers and archivists to co-create the core values for web archives that will be required if they are to remain a vital part of our cultural heritage infrastructure. [less ▲]

Compte rendu de: Irène Dietrich-Strobbe: La Charité à Lille à la fin du Moyen Âge. Sauver les riches, Paris: Classiques Garnier 2020, in: sehepunkte 21 (2021), Nr. 5 [15.05.2021]

in Sehepunkte (2021), 21 (2021)(5),

Small States and the ‘Corona crisis’

in Small States & Territories (2021), 4(1),

All papers are available open access on the journal's website.