bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Steel–concrete composite shear walls using precast high performance fiber reinforced concrete panels
Authors: Ayazi Amir , Shafaei Soheil
Published: April 2019

In this research, seismic performance of composite steel plate shear walls (CSPSWs) using high performance fiber reinforced concrete (HPFRC) panels is experimentally and numerically investigated. Three one‐story one‐bay CSPSW specimens using precast HPFRC panels were designed and fabricated for cyclic quasi‐static experiments. The HPFRC panels of composite shear wall specimens did not have any steel rebars. The main purpose of the study was to understand the effects of rigid and semirigid HPFRC panels on the seismic behavior of the system. Shear capacity, ultimate shear strength, lateral stiffness, energy dissipation, and ductility ratios of the specimens are evaluated.

The experimental results demonstrate that specimens were able to resist lateral load up to at least interstory drift of 6%. Using HPFRC panels, CSPSW specimens becomes stiffer in the elastic region, and the yield displacement of the shear wall is decreased; therefore, the ductility ratio of the system is increased. It should be noted that ultimate shear strength, initial elastic stiffness, and energy absorption of specimens with an HPFRC panel on one side or both sides of the infill steel plate were approximately the same. However, using two HPFRC panels is not economical in comparison with CSPSW with an HPFRC panel on one side. Additionally, the second panel increases the seismic mass of the structure.
Kampo medicine resolves a case of polypharmacy with improvement sustained for 10 years
Authors: Nogami Tatsuya , Fujimoto Makoto , Watari Hidetoshi , Kimbara Yoshiyuki , Shibahara Naotoshi , Shimada Yutaka
Published: April 2019

Case

An 81‐year‐old man who had many symptoms, including body pain, was receiving 13 different drugs. We used kampo medicine to improve his symptoms and to reduce the number of drugs he received.

Outcome

Keishikajutsubuto (KSTJB) was given to the patient, and gradually the number of drugs he received was reduced. All symptoms were improved with only two drugs, KSTJB and epinastine, and the patient's condition has been improved for more than 10 years.

Conclusion

By introducing kampo medicine, we were able to reduce the patient's daily regimen from 13 to 2 medications. A pharmaceutical cost estimate indicated savings of approximately ¥1m over the past 10 years. Thus, use of kampo medicine can resolve polypharmacy and potentially reduce pharmaceutical costs.
Sex and Male Circumcision: Women’s Preferences Across Different Cultures and Countries: A Systematic Review
Authors: Morris Brian J. , Hankins Catherine A. , Lumbers Eugenie R. , Mindel Adrian , Klausner Jeffrey D. , Krieger John N. , Cox Guy
Published: April 2019

Introduction

Women’s choices for a sexual partner are influenced by numerous personal, cultural, social, political and religious factors, and may also include aspects of penile anatomy such as male circumcision (MC) status.

Aim

To perform a systematic review examining (i) whether MC status influences women’s preference for sexual activity and the reasons for this, and (ii) whether women prefer MC for their sons.

Methods

PRISMA-compliant searches were conducted of PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Articles that met the inclusion criteria were rated for quality using the SIGN system.

Results

Database searches identified 29 publications with original data for inclusion, including 22 for aim (i) and 4 of these and 7 others pertaining to aim (ii). In the overwhelming majority of studies, women expressed a preference for the circumcised penis. The main reasons given for this preference were better appearance, better hygiene, reduced risk of infection, and enhanced sexual activity, including vaginal intercourse, manual stimulation, and fellatio. In studies that assessed mothers’ preference for MC of sons, health, disease prevention, and hygiene were cited as major reasons for this preference. Cultural differences in preference were evident among some of the studies examined. Nevertheless, a preference for a circumcised penis was seen in most populations regardless of the frequency of MC in the study setting.

Conclusion

Women’s preferences generally favor the circumcised penis for sexual activity, hygiene, and lower risk of infection. The findings add to the already well-established health benefits favoring MC and provide important sociosexual information on an issue of widespread interest.
The European Citizens’ initiative: too much democracy for EU polity?
Authors: Longo Erik
Published: April 2019

This Article analyzes the state of democracy in the EU through the study of the European Citizens’ Initiative. The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) represents one of the main ways the European institutions chose during the making of the European Convention, and then reproduced in the Lisbon Treaty, to beat populism by bringing decision-making closer to the citizens and promoting a new legitimization of Europe’s political unity. This Article starts by arguing that if one wants to understand European versions of populism it is necessary to pay attention to the reason why “democratic deficit” and “Euroscepticism” are predominant problems that the European Union is facing. It then analyzes the implementation of the ECI and the main issues of this instrument of democratization pointing at three flaws: a) the problem of e-democracy; b) the difficulty of stimulating large participation of civil society and people for the purposes of the ECIs; c) the cumbersome role of the EU Commission and the difficulties to ensure a real participatory instrument for the European citizens. From the analysis of the ECI this Article first advocates for a more robust public sphere in Europe as indispensable ground for a supranational democracy; second, it supports the revision of the ECI procedural aspects to transform it into a viable channel for amending EU policies in a more democratic way; third, this Article participates in the debate over the brand of democracy most suited to EU governance and polity.
Varieties of populist constitutionalism: The transnational dimension
Authors: Blokker Paul
Published: April 2019

Populist constitutionalism is an increasingly discussed topic, but so far the analysis of the interrelation between populism and constitutionalism lacks a more systematic and comparative approach, able to bring out significant variety. Most of the recent literature on the phenomenon focuses on (right-wing) populism as a threat to constitutional democracy. This Article sets out to contribute to a more comparative and comprehensive discussion of the relation between varieties of populism—situated on a continuum from left- to right-wing, but also from national to transnational—with varieties of constitutional projects. The objective of this Article is threefold. First, I argue that it is problematic to consider legal constitutionalism as exhausting the possibilities of constitutionalism. Second, if populism is reduced to right-wing projects and as an unequivocal threat to liberal democracy, it becomes difficult to distinguish between dissimilar manifestations of populist projects, in particular regarding constituent politics. Third, while hardly any attention has been paid to constitutionalism and populist claims on the transnational level, in the European context, transnational forms of populism and constituent politics manifest themselves frequently, articulating an incisive critique on the European constitutional and political status quo, and contributing to a re-imagination and democratization of the European constitutional reality.
Populism: A health check for constitutional democracy?
Authors: Doyle Oran , Longo Erik , Pin Andrea
Published: April 2019

“Populism” appears everywhere: a frequently proffered assessment—or perhaps diagnosis—of constitutional systems around the world. Both its supporters and opponents emphasise its newness. But its phisiognomy, causes, and impact on legal orders and institutions are a matter of deep controversy. In a few words, its contours and core components adapt to different constitutional settings. Populist forces back a variety of agendas, which often overlap in a more rhetorically than concrete way.

The authors of this issue divide themselves among opponents to populism and moderately optimistic observers. In this respect, populism has probably become a catalyst both for its supporters and detractors. Populism identifies through ideas that rally increasing number of discontents. But also opponents identify as populists the perceived threats to liberal democracy as they understand them.

Defining populism has not simply proven to be a Sysyphean task; it has also showed that it is all but easy to pin down what a liberal democracy is made of. Contemporary debates about the fate of democracy need to abandon metaphysics for a more realistic, down-to-earth approach that is sensitive of the specificities of each constitutional setting.
From rhetoric to action, a constitutional analysis of populism
Authors: Fournier Théo
Published: April 2019

The article considers populism not as common ideology but as a common strategy for implementing various distinct ideologies. Constitutional democracy and populist strategy are inherently connected. Populist strategies develop a specific rhetoric which takes root in the features of constitutional democracy. The populist rhetoric manipulates the rule-of-law and the majoritarian pillars of constitutional democracy by convincing a fictional majority that constitutional democracy gives rise to a tyranny of minorities. Populism in action represents the second facet of the populist strategy. It corresponds to a specific constitutional strategy of legal and constitutional reforms aiming at disrupting constitutional democracy. After exposing my theoretical assumption, I move to a comparative study of two countries, France and Hungary, selected according to the most different cases approach. I analyze first how Viktor Orban based his constitutional strategy on a progressive deconstruction of the post-communist legacy. I study then how Marine le Pen’s strategy consisted of a comprehensive reform of the French semi-presidential system via referendum. I finally conclude by recalling the essential role academics have to play in the fight against populism. My last point is a provocation, what if calling populism by its real diversity (fascism, racism and antisemitism) was the most efficient way to fight them?
Bremsstrahlung emission from high power laser interactions with constrained targets for industrial radiography
Authors: Armstrong C. D. , Brenner C. M. , Jones C. , Rusby D. R. , Davidson Z. E. , Zhang Y. , Wragg J. , Richards S. , Spindloe C. , Oliveira P. , Notley M. , Clarke R. , Mirfayzi S. R. , Kar S. , Li Y. , Scott T. , McKenna P. , Neely D.
Published: April 2019

Laser–solid interactions are highly suited as a potential source of high energy X-rays for nondestructive imaging. A bright, energetic X-ray pulse can be driven from a small source, making it ideal for high resolution X-ray radiography. By limiting the lateral dimensions of the target we are able to confine the region over which X-rays are produced, enabling imaging with enhanced resolution and contrast. Using constrained targets we demonstrate experimentally a $(20\pm 3)~\unicode[STIX]{x03BC}\text{m}$ X-ray source, improving the image quality compared to unconstrained foil targets. Modelling demonstrates that a larger sheath field envelope around the perimeter of the constrained targets increases the proportion of electron current that recirculates through the target, driving a brighter source of X-rays.
McEwan and Others v. Attorney General of Guyana (C.C.J.)
Authors: Caserta Salvatore
Published: April 2019

On November 13, 2018, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) decided on an appeal coming from Guyana in the case McEwan and Others v. Attorney General of Guyana. With this decision, the CCJ declared unconstitutional Section 153(1)(xlvii) of the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act of the Laws of Guyana, which made it a crime for a man to dress in female attire or for a woman to dress in male attire, in a public place, for an improper purpose. In the case, the CCJ also limited the extent to which the colonial “savings clause” present in the constitutions of the Commonwealth Caribbean countries limits the Court's judicial review powers.
A support theorem for the X-ray transform on manifolds with plane covers
Authors: PEYERIMHOFF NORBERT , SAMIOU EVANGELIA
Published: April 2019

This paper is concerned with support theorems of the X-ray transform on non-compact manifolds with conjugate points. In particular, we prove that all simply connected 2-step nilpotent Lie groups have a support theorem. Important ingredients of the proof are the concept of plane covers and a support theorem for simple manifolds by Krishnan. We also provide examples of non-homogeneous 3-dimensional simply connected manifolds with conjugate points which have support theorems.
Le vœu, la dette et le contrôle pontifical des échanges au début du XIIIe siècle
Authors: Boureau Alain
Published: April 2019

Entre 1190 et 1234, depuis les premières compilations des lettres décrétales des papes jusqu’au Liber Extra, le pontificat s’est doté d’un puissant instrument de pouvoir, la gestion des dettes. On donne ici une analyse détaillée du titre du Liber Extra sur le voeu, qui offre un bon objet de conversion mutuelle entre le spirituel et le temporel, surtout à propos du voeu de croisade, offert, échangé et racheté. Innocent III avait joué un rôle original: le pouvoir pontifical ne se voulait ni directement absolu ni contractuel, mais arbitral. Mais il avait dû composer avec les tendances plus strictement centralisatrices de la Curie, qui ont triomphé dans le Liber Extra, commandé par Grégoire IX, au fondement durable et fragile d’un droit monarchique.
Manorialisme et gestion du risque dans la société préindustrielle: La Suède aux XVIIIeet XIXesiècles
Authors: Dribe Martin , Olsson Mats , Svensson Patrick
Published: April 2019

Dans toute l’Europe préindustrielle, le domaine manorial était une institution importante de l’économie rurale. Il est une vue largement répandue dans les textes publiés sur le sujet selon laquelle le propriétaire du domaine garantissait les paysans locataires contre les imprévus, par exemple dans les temps de difficulté économique. En distribuant des céréales, ou en acceptant de déférer le paiement de la rente, les seigneurs des domaines aidaient à réduire les effets de la faim dans les périodes de pénurie. Si cette forme d’assurance s’était avérée efficace, alors les paysans locataires des domaines auraient dû subir des fluctuations moins importantes que les autres paysans dans leur revenu ou leur alimentation. On ne rencontre que peu de confirmations empiriques du fait que les domaines de l’ère préindustrielle eussent de fait fourni une assurance de ce type. Cet article utilise l’impact du prix des céréales sur la démographie pour mesurer l’efficacité du système manorial à protéger ses sujets contre le stress économique. En examinant 400 paroisses de Suède (1749-1849), on peut constater que le domaine manorial pouvait certes assurer ses habitants contre les risques de stress économique, mais que l’effet de protection était finalement très imparfait et observable uniquement dans le court terme.
L’énigme de lafaggāra: commerce, crédit et agriculture dans le Touat algérien
Authors: Scheele Judith
Published: April 2019

Dans le Touat algérien, les économies locales dépendent nécessairement de sources d’investissement extérieures et font donc partie de projets économiques et socio-politiques qui les dépassent. La propriété foncière y est morcelée, les réseaux d’investissement multiples et complexes. L’économie locale s’y exprime en partie en termes monétaires qui participent de la création de dettes, celles-ci assignant la plupart des producteurs dans une dépendance chronique. Le droit islamique y est volontairement adopté pour redéfinir les transactions locales en termes universalistes et inscrire le local dans un monde intellectuel et spirituel plus vaste. Les oasis apparaissent ainsi comme le résultat d’un mouvement « colonisateur » intérieur, tant sur le plan politique et commercial que spirituel.
My Life With Erwin: The Beginning of an Atom-Probe Legacy
Authors: Panitz John A.
Published: April 2019

The atom-probe field ion microscope was introduced in 1967 at the 14th Field Emission Symposium held at the National Bureau of Standards (now, NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The atom-probe field ion microscope was, and remains, the only instrument capable of determining “the nature of one single atom seen on a metal surface and selected from neighboring atoms at the discretion of the observer”. The development of the atom-probe is a story of an instrument that one National Science Foundation (NSF) reviewer called “impossible because single atoms could not be detected”. It is also a story of my life with Erwin Wilhelm Müller as his graduate student in the Field Emission Laboratory at the Pennsylvania State University in the late 1960s and his strong and volatile personality, perhaps fostered by his pedigree as Gustav Hertz’s student in the Berlin of the 1930s. It is the story that has defined by scientific career.
Dissimilarity of the Earth's Inner Core Surface Under South America and Northeastern Asia Revealed by Core Reflected Phases
Authors: Krasnoshchekov Dmitry , Ovtchinnikov Vladimir , Polishchuk Valentin
Published: April 2019

Resolving topography of the inner core boundary (ICB) and the structure and composition of the nearby region is key to improving our understanding of solidification of the Earth's inner core. Observations of travel times and amplitudes of short‐period seismic phases of PKiKP and PcP reflected, respectively, off the inner and outer boundary of the liquid core, provide essential constraints on the properties of this region. We revisit heterogeneities of ICB using a total of more than 1,300 new differential travel times and amplitude ratios of PKiKP and PcP measured at 3.2–35.2° and reflected off the core's boundaries under Northeastern Asia and South America. We observe a statistically significant systematic bias between the measurements collected in the two spots. We carefully examine its origin in terms of contributions by various Earth's shells and find that most of variance in PKiKP‐PcP differential travel times measured above the epicentral distance of 16.5° in Northeastern Asia can be accounted for by mantle corrections. We find slight disparity of about 1–3 km between the outer core thickness under Asia and America; the ICB density jump under Northeastern Asia is about 0.3 g/cm3, which is three times as small as under South America. The findings are interpretable either as evidence for inner core hemispherical asymmetry, whereby crystallization dominates in the West and melting in the East (not vice versa), or in terms of two disconnected mosaic patches with contrasting properties.
Publisher Correction: Breaking the speed limit with multimode fast scanning of DNA by Endonuclease V
Authors: Ahmadi Arash , Rosnes Ida , Blicher Pernille , Diekmann Robin , Schüttpelz Mark , Glette Kyrre , Tørresen Jim , Bjørås Magnar , Dalhus Bjørn , Rowe Alexander D.
Published: April 2019

The original version of this Article was updated shortly after publication to add a link to the Peer Review file, which was inadvertently omitted. The Peer Review file is available to download as a Supplementary File from the HTML version of the Article.
SNAP-25 isoforms differentially regulate synaptic transmission and long-term synaptic plasticity at central synapses
Authors: Irfan Muhammad , Gopaul Katisha R. , Miry Omid , Hökfelt Tomas , Stanton Patric K. , Bark Christina
Published: April 2019

SNAP-25 exists as two developmentally regulated alternatively spliced isoforms, SNAP-25a and SNAP-25b. We explored the function of SNAP-25a and SNAP-25b at Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses in hippocampus using 4-week-old wild-type (WT) and SNAP-25b-deficient (MT) mice. Characterizing the protein expression of individual SNAP-25 isoforms revealed that WT females had higher levels of SNAP-25a than WT males, suggesting a sex-dependent delay of the alternative splicing switch from SNAP-25a to SNAP-25b. MT mice expressed normal levels of total SNAP-25, Syntaxin 1A and SNAP-47 in the hippocampus, but females expressed lower levels of VAMP2. Electrophysiological recordings in in vitro hippocampal slices revealed significantly reduced magnitude of LTP in MT mice. We also found reduction in paired-pulse facilitation after induction of LTP in WT males, but not in WT females, possibly related to the difference in SNAP-25a/SNAP-25b ratios, suggesting that the splicing switch may play a sex-specific role in LTP-associated increases in presynaptic release probability. Basal synaptic transmission measured in input-output relations revealed that the ability to discriminate between the intensity of presynaptic stimuli was affected in SNAP-25b-deficient mice. Learning in a behavioural paradigm of active-avoidance was impaired in MT mice, strengthening the conclusion that SNAP-25b is important for cognitive performance by altering activity-dependent synaptic plasticity.
Gender, age and socioeconomic variation in 24-hour physical activity by wrist-worn accelerometers: the FinHealth 2017 Survey
Authors: Wennman Heini , Pietilä Arto , Rissanen Harri , Valkeinen Heli , Partonen Timo , Mäki-Opas Tomi , Borodulin Katja
Published: April 2019

Assessing movement over 24 hours increases our understanding of the total physical activity level and its patterns. In the FinHealth 2017 Survey, a population-based health examination study, 940 participants between 25 and 93 years were instructed to wear an accelerometer (Actigraph GT9X Link) on their non-dominant wrist for 24 hours on 7 consecutive days. Physical activity information was extracted from 100-Hz triaxial 60-second epoch data as average vector magnitude counts per minute (VM cpm). Results were analyzed by gender, 10-year age-groups, employment status, and education. Hourly means were plotted and compared. Analyses included 915 participants (44% men) who wore the device at least 10 hours on 4 or more days, with mean wear time being 149.5 hours (standard deviation of 615.2 minutes).Women had higher average VM cpm than men (p < 0.001), with significant gender differences in all age-groups until 65 years and older. Total physical activity was lower with age, unemployment, and retirement, where the hourly patterns mirrored the findings. Our findings agree with previous large-scale wrist-accelerometry data, but extend current knowledge by providing data on gender and socioeconomic variation in physical activity across 24 hours in a population-based adult sample representing a broad age range.
Microbial models with minimal mineral protection can explain long-term soil organic carbon persistence
Authors: Woolf Dominic , Lehmann Johannes
Published: April 2019

Soil organic carbon (SOC) models currently in widespread use omit known microbial processes, and assume the existence of a SOC pool whose intrinsic properties confer persistence for centuries to millennia, despite evidence from priming and aggregate turnover that cast doubt on the existence of SOC with profound intrinsic stability. Here we show that by including microbial interactions in a SOC model, persistence can be explained as a feedback between substrate availability, mineral protection and microbial population size, without invoking an unproven pool that is intrinsically stable for centuries. The microbial SOC model based on this concept reproduces long-term data (r2 = 0.92; n = 90), global SOC distribution (rmse = 4.7 +/− 0.6 kg C m−2), and total global SOC in the top 0.3 m (822 Pg C) accurately. SOC dynamics based on a microbial feedback without stable pools are thus consistent with global SOC distribution. This has important implications for carbon management, suggesting that relatively fast cycling, rather than recalcitrant, SOC must form the primary target of efforts to build SOC stocks.
Resonator-free optical bistability based on epsilon-near-zero mode
Authors: Kim Myunghwan , Kim Sangin , Kim Soeun
Published: April 2019

A majority of existing research on optical bistability rely on resonant schemes using nonlinear materials, which inevitably require a trade-off between the switching intensity and response time. In this work, we propose a novel non-resonant scheme, which utilizes strong light enhancement of the epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) mode to realize optical bistability. We used graphene as a non-linear ENZ material and designed an integrated optical bistability device composed of a graphene-embedded Si waveguide, which supports an ENZ mode. The proposed scheme can overcome the trade-off necessary in resonance-based optical bistability, and the designed optical bistability device simultaneously allows for a short response time (~200 fs) and low switching intensity (~700 kW/cm2).
An unusualBurkholderia gladiolidouble chain-initiating nonribosomal peptide synthetase assembles ‘fungal’ icosalide antibiotics
Authors: Jenner Matthew , Jian Xinyun , Dashti Yousef , Masschelein Joleen , Hobson Christian , Roberts Douglas M. , Jones Cerith , Harris Simon , Parkhill Julian , Raja Huzefa A. , Oberlies Nicholas H. , Pearce Cedric J. , Mahenthiralingam Eshwar , Challis Gregory L.
Published: April 2019

Fungus-associatedBurkholderia gladiolibacteria use a unique ‘dual-priming’ nonribosomal peptide synthetase to assemble icosalide A1.
Predicting the capacitance of carbon-based electric double layer capacitors by machine learning
Authors: Su Haiping , Lin Sen , Deng Shengwei , Lian Cheng , Shang Yazhuo , Liu Honglai
Published: April 2019

Machine learning (ML) methods were applied to predict the capacitance of carbon-based supercapacitors.
Electrochemical vicinal aminotrifluoromethylation of alkenes: high regioselective acquisition of β-trifluoromethylamines
Authors: Huang Yubing , Hong Huanliang , Zou Zirong , Liao Chunshu , Lu Jingjun , Qin Yongwei , Li Yibiao , Chen Lu
Published: April 2019

A high-regioselective electrochemical aminotrifluoromethylation of alkenes leading to β-trifluoromethylamines using CF3SO2Na as a trifluoromethyl precursor and acetonitrile as an N-nucleophile was achieved.
Dual CO2/temperature-responsive diblock copolymers confer controlled reversible emulsion behavior
Authors: Shieh Yeong-Tarng , Tai Pei-Yu , Cheng Chih-Chia
Published: April 2019

Dual-stimuli responsive diblock copolymers possessing unique temperature-sensitive and CO2/N2-switching ability were successfully developed to promote efficient manipulation of reversible emulsification processes.
High-efficiency blue thermally activated delayed fluorescence from donor–acceptor–donor systems via the through-space conjugation effect
Authors: Gao Feifei , Du Ruiming , Han Chunmiao , Zhang Jing , Wei Ying , Lu Guang , Xu Hui
Published: April 2019

Highly efficient sky-blue TADF donor–acceptor–donor molecules were demonstrated, in which 5,10-diphenyl-5,10-dihydrophosphanthrene oxide (DPDPO2A) with the feature of homoconjugation was used as the acceptor to bridge four carbazolyl or 3,6-di-t-butyl-carbazolyl groups.
Perovskite solar cell resilience to fast neutrons
Authors: Paternò G. M. , Robbiano V. , Santarelli L. , Zampetti A. , Cazzaniga C. , Garcìa Sakai V. , Cacialli F.
Published: April 2019

The high power-per-weight ratio displayed by metal-halide perovskite PVs is a key advantage of these promising devices for applications that require low payload, such as in space and avionics.
A loosely stacked lamellar membrane of irregular MoS2 flakes for ultrahigh water and organics permeation
Authors: Cui Xulin , Wu Xiaoli , Zhang Jie , Wang Jingtao , Zhang Haoqin , Du Fengguang , Qu Lingbo , Cao Xingzhong , Zhang Peng
Published: April 2019

A loosely stacked MoS2 lamellar membrane with hierarchical transfer channels permits transcendent permeation of water and organics, and precise molecular rejection.
Visual sensors of an inverse opal hydrogel for the colorimetric detection of glucose
Authors: Feng Xianqi , Xu Jun , Liu Yanxia , Zhao Wenpeng
Published: April 2019

Possessing the combined advantages of a stable network structure, brilliant structural color, and high sensitivity, the three-dimensional inverse opal hydrogel film could be used as a colorimetric sensor for the precise detection of glucose.
Mechanical improvement of calcium carbonate cements by in situ HEMA polymerization during hardening
Authors: Myszka Barbara , Hurle Katrin , Zheng Kai , Wolf Stephan E. , Boccaccini Aldo R.
Published: April 2019

The brittleness of calcium carbonate-based cements, which currently impedes their exploitation, can be overcome by a straightforward polymer-reinforcement strategy.
Measurement of the triplet exciton diffusion length in organic semiconductors
Authors: Rai Deepesh , Holmes Russell J.
Published: April 2019

We develop a methodology to measure the diffusion of dark triplet excitons in organic semiconductor thin films using a phosphorescent sensitizer-based approach that explicitly quantifies quenching efficiency by varying sensitizer concentration.
Sol–gel based synthesis and enhanced processability of MAX phase Cr2GaC
Authors: Siebert Jan Paul , Bischoff Lothar , Lepple Maren , Zintler Alexander , Molina-Luna Leopoldo , Wiedwald Ulf , Birkel Christina S.
Published: April 2019

New and facile wet chemistry based synthesis method for the preparation and processing of MAX phase Cr2GaC.
Do we know how mosquito disease vectors will respond to climate change?
Authors: Andriamifidy Rija Falimanalina , Tjaden Nils Benjamin , Beierkuhnlein Carl , Thomas Stephanie Margarete
Published: April 2019

Mosquito-borne diseases are on the rise globally. Besides invasion processes and the increasing connectivity between distant regions through the trade of goods and human mobility, climate change is seen as an important driver for changing the likelihood of occurrence of vectors and diseases, respectively. Ectothermic insects respond directly to thermal conditions and thus we can expect them to follow climatic trends. However, a variety of species and different stages in their life cycles need to be considered. Here, we review the current literature in this field and disentangle the state of knowledge and the challenges and open questions for future research. The integration of diurnal temperature ranges in prospective experimental studies will strongly improve the knowledge of mosquitoes’ ecology and mosquito-borne disease transmission for temperate regions in particular. In addition, invasive mosquitoes are known to rapidly adapt to the climatic conditions, but the underlying processes are not yet fully understood.
Hybrid Kaczmarz and coordinate‐descent iterations for signal detection in massive MIMO systems
Authors: Lee Yinman
Published: April 2019

A hybrid Kaczmarz and coordinate‐descent (H‐KCD) iterative algorithm is proposed for signal detection in massive MIMO systems. Together with the specially‐designed orthogonal projection and decision operation during iterations, this approach outperforms the standalone usage of either the Kaczmarz or coordinate‐descent iteration, and gives better error‐rate performance than the linear minimum mean‐squared error detection. Essentially, since the Gram matrix is not required for the proposed H‐KCD scheme, it owns lower total computational complexity than some state‐of‐the‐art iterative methods.
Tuning a model predictive controller for doubly fed induction generator employing a constrained genetic algorithm
Authors: Rodrigues Lucas L. , Potts Alain S. , Vilcanqui Omar A. C. , Sguarezi Filho Alfeu J.
Published: April 2019

This study presents a model predictive control (MPC) for a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) power control using a state‐space prediction model. Genetic algorithms (GAs) have demonstrated their potential in finding good solutions for complex problems. However, GA in its original form lacks a mechanism for handling constraints. In this way, a method for tuning the MPC based on a novel constrained GA is proposed. In this way, the method permits a good solution for the weighing matrices with predetermined maximum requirements, such as maximum overshoot, just using the DFIG control simulation. Finally, experimental results are presented to endorse the proposed theory.
Investigating and modelling the relationship between traffic volume and extracts from cellphone activity data
Authors: He Shanglu , Ding Fan , Zhou Yang , Cheng Yang , Ran Bin
Published: April 2019

Two traffic features [unique cellphone counts (UCC) and pseudo speed (PS)] could be extracted from cellphone activity (CA) data that contain all wireless communication records of a standby or active cellphone. PS has been validated to be close to the traffic speed in the previous works. Further investigation was conducted in this study on the relationship between UCC and the traffic volume. First, a dynamic time warping (DTW)‐based method was proposed to analyse the UCC time‐series from different freeway links, which consisted of a DTW‐based hierarchical clustering step and a DTW‐based classification step. Field data was applied in the case study and this proposed analysis method found that UCCs varied from link to link. Besides, this method efficiently classified the links into different groups based on the similarity between UCC and the traffic volume. Moreover, the analysis results were applied to formalising the relationship model between UCC and traffic volume. The case study indicated that a generic linear relationship model might be calibrated, if those links were classified in the same group and were neighbouring enough for a shared close traffic volume value. Besides, it was validated that this model has a good performance under the uncongested traffic condition.
Visibility improvement and mass segmentation of mammogram images using quantile separated histogram equalisation with local contrast enhancement
Authors: Gupta Bhupendra , Tiwari Mayank , Singh Lamba Subir
Published: April 2019

In this work, the authors develop a working software‐based approach named ‘linearly quantile separated histogram equalisation‐grey relational analysis’ for mammogram image (MI). This approach improves overall contrast (local and global) of given MI and segments breast‐region with a specific end goal to acquire better visual elucidation, examination, and grouping of mammogram masses to help radiologists in settling on more precise choices. The fundamental commitment of this work is to demonstrate that results of good quality of breast‐region segmentation can be accomplished from basic breast‐region segmentation if the input image has good contrast and a better interpretation of hidden details. They have evaluated the proposed strategy for MIAS‐MIs. Experimental results have shown that the proposed approach works better than state‐of‐the‐art.
CXCR4-gerichtete Endoradiotherapie von hämatologischen Erkrankungen
Authors: Lapa Constantin , Hänscheid Heribert , Kortüm K. , Wester Hans-Jürgen , Buck Andreas
Published: April 2019

Der C-X-C Chemokinrezeptor 4 (CXCR4) spielt sowohl in der Physiologie als auch Pathologie des Menschen eine wichtige Rolle, so z. B. in der Embryo- und Organogenese, im Rahmen des Homings von Stamm- und Progenitorzellen in das Knochenmark oder bei der Orchestration der Entzündungsantwort auf inflammatorische oder infektiöse Prozesse. Da eine Überexpression des Rezeptors für über 20 verschiedene Tumorentitäten nachgewiesen werden konnte und dieser sowohl die Tumorigenese als auch Metastasierung fördert, stellt er eine hochinteressante Zielstruktur für die Onkologie dar.

Für die nicht invasive Bildgebung von CXCR4 wurden in den letzten Jahren mehrere spezifische Radiotracer für diesen Chemokinrezeptor entwickelt, wobei der klinisch bisher am häufigsten eingesetzte PET-Tracer 68Ga-Pentixafor an der TU München in der Arbeitsgruppe von Hans-Jürgen Wester entwickelt wurde. Als therapeutischer Partner steht dem 68Ga-Pentixafor das Pentixather zur Seite, das für therapeutische Zwecke mit α- und β-Emittern markiert werden kann.

Das CXCR4-gerichtete theranostische Konzept konnte erfolgreich in die Klinik transferiert werden. Bis heute wurden über 40 Endoradiotherapien mit 90Y- oder 177Lu-markiertem Pentixather durchgeführt, wobei die größte Erfahrung für den Einsatz bei hämatologischen Neoplasien wie dem Multiplen Myelom, dem diffusen großzelligen B-Zell-Lymphom und der akuten myeloischen Leukämie besteht. Die CXCR4-gerichtete Endoradiotherapie ist hierbei Teil der Konditionierungstherapie vor geplanter Stammzelltransplantation und hat sich als gut verträgliche, nebenwirkungsarme Option auch bei extensiv vorbehandelten Patienten erwiesen. Zukünftige Studien (z. B. die COLPRIT-Studie) werden weiteren Aufschluss über die Wirksamkeit und den Stellenwert der Pentixather-Therapie bei hämatologischen Erkrankungen liefern.
124J/131J-Theranostik des Natrium-Iodid-Symporters beim Schilddrüsenkarzinom
Authors: Kreißl Michael , Jentzen Walter , Janssen Marcel , Gotthardt Martin , Nagarajah James
Published: April 2019

Eines der vielversprechendsten Konzepte in der Nuklearmedizin ist die Theranostik, die im Wesentlichen die Diagnostik und Therapie eines bestimmten Targets beinhaltet, insbesondere, wenn es darum geht, Krebstherapien zu optimieren und zu individualisieren. In der Nuklearmedizin werden Theranostika bereits seit über 60 Jahren in der klinischen Routine mit 131J/123J für diagnostische und therapeutische Zwecke bei Schilddrüsenerkrankungen eingesetzt. Dieser Artikel gibt einen kurzen Überblick über die Verwendung von 2 Radioiod-Isotopen (131J und 124J) für das Targeting des Natrium-Iodid-Symporters bei Schilddrüsenkarzinomen und nicht thyreoidalen Tumoren. Insbesondere wird die Rolle der 124J-basierten Dosimetrie diskutiert. Abschließend zeigen wir an einem Patientenbeispiel, wie die Expression des Natrium-Iodid-Symporters bei einem Patienten mit radioiod-refraktärem fortgeschrittenem Schilddrüsenkarzinom durch Medikamente manipuliert werden kann.
A Debye dispersion model of a two-layered material
Authors: He Zhili , Huang Kai , Guo Chen , Jin Zhao , Hou Cong
Published: April 2019

Debye formulas are widely used to describe the electrical dispersion characteristics of a uniform lossy material. Debye model uses some empirical coefficients to control the shape and position of spectroscopy curves. It can fit most of the data from experiments. A two-layered model is investigated through its equivalent Debye circuit model. A Finite Difference Method (FDM) is developed to extract the effective permittivity and conductivity of a two-layered model as the verification of the analytical derivation. The computation results indicate the results obtained from FDM and the layered Debye formulas agree very well, which shows the validity of the layered Debye formulas in terms of the original circuit parameters. The derived formulas are used to analyze the relationship between the effective electrical spectra and the electrical parameters of each layer. A few examples are given in the discussions. And it can be concluded that: (1) with the increase of the average value of the conductivity of the two layers, the spectra of effective permittivity transition area shifts to higher frequencies; while the spectra of effective conductivity transition kept the same with the values decrease; (2) with the increase of the average value of the relative permittivity of the two layers, the transition area of the spectra of effective permittivity kept the same with values increase; and the transition area of the spectra of effective conductivity shifts to the lower frequencies; (3) the effective permittivity enhances at the lower frequency region as the ratio between the conductivity of two layers increase.
Recommended Positron Scattering Cross Sections for Atomic Systems
Authors: Ratnavelu Kuru , Brunger Michael J. , Buckman Stephen J.
Published: April 2019

We present a critical analysis of available experimental and theoretical cross section data for positron scattering from atomic systems. From this analysis, we present (where data are available) recommended cross sections for total scattering, positronium formation, inelastic scattering, and direct ionization processes. A complete bibliography of available measurement and theory is also presented.
Theoretical study of the low-energy electron-collision cross sections of isomers HOOCl, HOClO and HClOO in gas phase
Authors: Fujimoto Milton M , Ribas Mylena H , Hummel Jhenifer M , de Souza Gabriel L C , Tennyson Jonathan
Published: April 2019

Cross sections for the elastic electron scattering by HOOCl, HOClO and HClOO isomers are calculated using the R-matrix method. A systematic study considering basis set, polarisation and the Born closure technique is performed. Low-energy resonances are found for both HOOCl and HOClO, near 1.7 and 1.2 eV respectively, but not for HClOO. The lowest-energy resonance for HClOO is observed at 4.5 eV. Basis sets and polarisation effects on the differential cross sections are found to be important for scattering energies below 5 eV for HOOCl and HOClO due to the presence of these resonances. The dependence of the molecular dipole moment on target basis set used affects the integral cross sections (ICS) results. The ICS for HOClO is larger than other two isomers due to its larger dipole moment, around 3.2 D, while the ICS for HOOCl and HClOO have similar magnitude as both their dipole moments are near 1.9 D. Estimated dissociative electron attachment (DEA) cross sections suggest that HOOCl and HOClO will undergo DEA with low-energy electrons but that HClOO requires higher-energy electrons to undergo DEA.
On the parabolicity of dipolar exciton traps and their population of excess charge carriers
Authors: Dietl S , Sigl L , Sponfeldner L , Gardner G , Manfra M , Kotthaus J P , Wurstbauer U , Holleitner A W
Published: April 2019

We study spatially trapped ensembles of dipolar excitons in coupled quantum wells by means of photoluminescence and photocurrent spectroscopy. The photogenerated excitons are confined in very clean GaAs double quantum well structures and electrostatically trapped by local gate electrodes. We find that the common approach of electrostatic trap geometries can give rise to an in-plane imbalance of charge carriers especially when an over-barrier excitation is utilized. The excess charge carriers can give rise to an effective parabolic confinement potential for the excitons. In photoluminescence spectra, we identify the emission of both neutral indirect excitons and states influenced by the excess charge carrier density. We find that the charge imbalance in the excitonic ensemble strongly influences the radiative lifetimes of both. Our findings shine a new light on the properties of trapped dipolar exciton ensembles. This is of significant relevance to common interpretations of experimental results in terms of signatures for the formation of ‘dark’ and ‘gray’ excitonic condensates.
Long live the Higgs factory: Higgs decays to long-lived particles at future lepton colliders *
Authors: Alipour-fard Samuel , Craig Nathaniel , Jiang Minyuan , Koren Seth
Published: April 2019

We initiate the study of exotic Higgs decays to long-lived particles (LLPs) at proposed future lepton colliders, focusing on scenarios with displaced hadronic final states. Our analysis entails a realistic tracker-based search strategy involving the reconstruction of displaced secondary vertices and the imposition of selection cuts appropriate for eliminating the largest irreducible backgrounds. The projected sensitivity is broadly competitive with that of the LHC and potentially superior at lower LLP masses. In addition to forecasting branching ratio limits, which may be freely interpreted in a variety of model frameworks, we interpret our results in the parameter space of a Higgs portal Hidden Valley and various incarnations of neutral naturalness, illustrating the complementarity between direct searches for LLPs and precision Higgs coupling measurements at future lepton colliders.
Monopole effects, core excitations, and

decay in the A= 130 hole nuclei near 132Sn *
Authors: Wang Han-Kui , Li Zhi-Hong , Yuan Cen-Xi , Chen Zhi-Qiang , Wang Ning , Qin Wei , He Yi-Qi
Published: April 2019

The proton and neutron cross-shell excitations across the Z= 50 shell are investigated in the southwest quadrant of 132Sn by large-scale shell-model calculations with extended pairing and multipole-multipole force. The model space allows proton (neutron) core excitations, and both the low- and high-energy states for 130In are well described, as found by comparison with the experimental data. The monopole effects between the proton orbit

and neutron orbit

are studied as the new monopole correction that perfectly reproduces the first 1+ level in 130In. The energy interval of proton (neutron) core excitations in 130In lies in the range of 4.5−6.5 (2.0−4.1) MeV, and the high energy yrast states are predicted as neutron core excitations. The

decays are calculated among the A=130 nuclei of 130In, 130Sn and 130Cd.
Possibilities for synthesis of new neutron-deficient isotopes of superheavy nuclei *
Authors: Bao Xiao-Jun
Published: April 2019

This study investigates the optimal projectile/target combination for the production of new neutron-deficient isotopes of superheavy nuclei (SHN). To this end, the dependence of the evaporation residue cross-section (ERCS) used to synthesize SHN on the mass asymmetry and the isospin of colliding nuclei are analyzed within the dinuclear system (DNS) concept. The predicted ERCSs for the production of new neutron-deficient isotopes of SHN were found to be quite large with the 36S projectile, and the cross-section of SHN decreases slowly with the charge of compound nuclei owing to the increase in their survival probability,

. Wsur is not canceled by the decreasing probability, PCN, that the system will evolve from a touching configuration to the compound nucleus in competition with the quasifission process.
Accelerated quantum walk, two-particle entanglement generation and localization
Authors: Singh Shivani , Balu Radhakrishnan , Laflamme Raymond , Chandrashekar C M
Published: April 2019

We present a scheme to describe the dynamics of accelerating discrete-time quantum walk for one- and two-particle in position space. We show the effect of acceleration in enhancing the entanglement between the particle and position space in one-particle quantum walk and in generation of entanglement between the two unentangled particle in two-particle quantum walk. By introducing the disorder in the form of phase operator we study the transition from localization to delocalization as a function of acceleration. These inter-winding connection between acceleration, entanglement generation and localization along with well established connection of quantum walks with Dirac equation can be used to probe further in the direction of understanding the connection between acceleration, mass and entanglement in relativistic quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. Expansion of operational tools for quantum simulations and for modelling quantum dynamics of accelerated particle using quantum walks is an other direction where these results can play an important role.