A fish stinks from the head: Ethnic diversity, segregation, and the collapse of Yugoslavia

Demographic analysis clarifies political issues in the collapse of Yugoslavia. In most regions, 1961-1991, ethnic diversity (estimated by informational entropy) increased and segregation (estimated by Theil’s H) decreased. In a few regions there was a reversal in 1991 as migration flows or presentations of self perhaps changed in anticipation of war. The analysis strengthens refutations of the view that long standing ethnic hatreds were the root cause of the Yugoslav collapse and supports analyses that attribute collapse to general economic crisis, economic competition between regions, and failures at the peak of government.collapse of Yugoslavia, diversity, ethnic politics, ethnicity, segregation, Yugoslavia

Adoption of biosimilar infliximab for rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and inflammatory bowel diseases in the EU5: A budget impact analysis using a Delphi panel

Introduction: Introducing biosimilar infliximab for the treatment in rheumatology (rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis) and inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) may reduce treatment costs associated with biologics. This study aimed to investigate the budget impact of adopting biosimilar infliximab in five European countries, considering that the budget impact includes the adoption of biosimilar infliximab and the availability of biologic alternatives such as vedolizumab, biosimilar etanercept, biosimilar rituximab, and other relevant factors. Methods: An existing budget impact model was adapted to forecast the budget impact in the UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. Epidemiological parameters were derived from published literature reviewed in July 2015. Current market shares of biologics were derived from Therapy Watch (2012/2013 data). Respondents in a Delphi panel, conducted in 2015 and consisting of several leading rheumatologists and gastroenterologists from different nationalities, were asked to forecast uptake of biosimilar infliximab and estimate the proportion of patients eligible for a particular type of biological treatment, including biosimilar infliximab. Scenario analyses assessed the influence of various factors, including price reductions, on the budget. Results: Uptake of biosimilar infliximab was particularly expected for naïve patients; switching patients that already received other biologics was not expected much. Market shares after 5 years of biosimilar infliximab were ~2% in rheumatology in all five countries and in gastroenterology ranged from 4% in France to over 30% in Italy. Except for France, budgets were expected to decrease for rheumatologic diseases. For gastroenterology, budgets were expected to decrease in Spain and Italy. Budgets were expected to increase substantially in the UK and Germany, due to the introduction of vedolizumab in the studied period. In France, budget was expected to slightly increase for ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn's Disease, and ulcerative collitis. Savings in budget were expected in all countries, for all diseases, when larger price discounts on biosimilar infliximab were used. Discussion and Conclusion: This study has shown that only when price reductions are large en

Making identity assurance and authentication strength work for federated infrastructures

In both higher Research and Education (R&E) as well as in research-/ e-infrastructures (in short: infrastructures), federated access and single sign-on by way of national federations, operated in most cases by NRENs, are used as a means to provide users with access to a variety of services. Whereas in national federations institutional accounts, e.g. provided by a university, are typically used to access services, many infrastructures also accept other sources of identity: provided by \u27\u27community identity providers\u27\u27, social identity providers, or governmental IDs. In order to assess and communicate the quality of identities being used and authentications being performed, so called Level of Assurance (LoA) frameworks are used. Because sophisticated LoA frameworks like NIST 800-63-3, Kantara IAF 1420 or eIDAS regulation are often considered too complex to be used in R&E scenarios, the REFEDS Assurance Suite, a more lightweight approach, has been developed. To select an appropriate assurance level, Service Providers need to weigh risks and potential harms in relation to the kind of service they offer. However, the management of risks is often implicitly assumed and little or no guidance to determine the appropriate assurance level is given. In this paper, first, common LoA frameworks and their relation to risk management are investigated. Following that, their components are compared against the REFEDS Assurance Suite using a graphical representation. The focus of this paper lies in providing guidance and best practices based on example scenarios for both Service Providers to request the appropriate REFEDS assurance level, as well as for Identity Provider operators on how to implement REFEDS assurance components

Engineering Silicon Oxide by Argon Ion Implantation for High Performance Resistance Switching

We report that implanting argon ions into a film of uniform atomic layer deposition (ALD)-grown SiOx enables electroforming and switching within films that previously failed to electroform at voltages <15 V. We note an implantation dose dependence of electroforming success rate: electroforming can be eliminated when the dosage is high enough. Our devices are capable of multi-level switching during both set and reset operations, and multiple resistance states can be retained for more than 30,000 s under ambient conditions. High endurance of more than 7 million (7.9 × 106) cycles is achieved alongside low switching voltages (±1 V). Comparing SiOx fabricated by this approach with sputtered SiOx we find similar conduction mechanisms between the two materials. Our results show that intrinsic SiOx switching can be achieved with defects created solely by argon bombardment; in contrast to defects generated during deposition, implantation generated defects are potentially more controllable. In the future, noble ion implantation into silicon oxide may allow optimization of already excellent resistance switching devices

Discrete fractional order system vibrations

A theory of free vibrations of discrete fractional order (FO) systems with a finite number of degrees of freedom (dof) is developed. A FO system with a finite number of dof is defined by means of three matrices: mass inertia, system rigidity and FO elements. By adopting a matrix formulation, a mathematical description of FO discrete system free vibrations is determined in the form of coupled fractional order differential equations (FODE). The corresponding solutions in analytical form, for the special case of the matrix of FO properties elements, are determined and expressed as a polynomial series along time. For the eigen characteristic numbers, the system eigen main coordinates and the independent eigen FO modes are determined. A generalized function of visoelastic creep FO dissipation of energy and generalized forces of system with no ideal visoelastic creep FO dissipation of energy for generalized coordinates are formulated. Extended Lagrange FODE of second kind, for FO system dynamics, are also introduced. Two examples of FO chain systems are analyzed and the corresponding eigen characteristic numbers determined. It is shown that the oscillatory phenomena of a FO mechanical chain have analogies to electrical FO circuits. A FO electrical resistor is introduced and its constitutive voltage–current is formulated. Also a function of thermal energy FO dissipation of a FO electrical relation is discussed

Correction:Cost-effectiveness of apixaban compared to other anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation in the real-world and trial settings

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222658.]

Effect of cold start on engine performance and emissions from diesel engines using IMO-Compliant distillate fuels

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Emissions from ships at berth are small compared to the total ship emissions; however, they are one of the main contributors to pollutants in the air of densely-populated areas, consequently heavily affecting public health. This is due to auxiliary marine engines being used to generate electric power and steam for heating and providing services. The present study has been conducted on an engine representative of a marine auxiliary, which was a heavy duty, six-cylinder, turbocharged and after-cooled engine with a high pressure common rail injection system. Engine performance and emission characterisations during cold start are the focus of this paper, since cold start is significantly influential. Three tested fuels were used, including the reference diesel and two IMO (International Maritime Organization) compliant spiked fuels. The research engine was operated at a constant speed and 25% load condition after 12 h cooled soak. Results show that during cold start, significant heat generated from combustion is used to heat the engine block, coolant and lubricant. During the first minute, compared to the second minute, emissions of particle number (PN), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) were approximately 10, 4, 2 and 1.5 times higher, respectively. The engine control unit (ECU) plays a vital role in reducing engine emissions by changing the engine injection strategy based on the engine coolant temperature. IMO-compliant fuels, which were higher viscosity fuels associated with high sulphur content, resulted in an engine emission increase during cold start. It should be taken into account that auxiliary marine diesel engines, working at partial load conditions during cold start, contribute considerably to emissions in coastal areas. It demonstrates a need to implement practical measures, such as engine pre-heating, to obtain both environmental and public health advantages in coastal areas

Particulate number emissions during cold-start with diesel and biofuels: A special focus on particle size distribution

The share of biofuels in the transportation sector is increasing. Previous studies revealed that the use of biofuels decreases the size of particles (which is linked to an increase in particulate toxicity). Current emission regulations do not consider small particles (sub-23 nm); however, there is a focus in future emissions regulations on small particles. These and the fact that within cold-start emissions are higher than during the warmed-up operation highlight the importance of a research that studies particulate matter emissions during cold-start. This research investigates the influence of biofuel on PN and PM concentration, size distribution, median diameter and cumulative share at different size ranges (including sub-23 nm and nucleation mode) during cold-start and warm-up operations using diesel and 10, 15 and 20% mixture (coconut biofuel blended with diesel). During cold-start, between 19 and 29% of total PN and less than 0.8% of total PM were related to the nucleation mode (sub-50 nm). Out of that, the share of sub-23 nm was up to 9% for PN while less than 0.02% for PM. By using biofuel, PN increased between 27 and 57% at cold-start; while, the increase was between 4 and 19% during hot-operation. The median diameter also decreased at cold-start and the nucleation mode particles (including sub-23 nm particles) significantly increased. This is an important observation because using biofuel can have a more adverse impact within cold-start period which is inevitable in most vehicles’ daily driving schedules.<br/