bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bimodal Benefit for Music Perception: Effect of Acoustic Bandwidth
Authors: D'Onofrio Kristen L. , Gifford René H.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The challenges associated with cochlear implant (CI)–mediated listening are well documented; however, they can be mitigated through the provision of aided acoustic hearing in the contralateral ear—a configuration termedbimodal hearing. This study extends previous literature to examine the effect of acoustic bandwidth in the non-CI ear for music perception. The primary aim was to determine the minimum and optimum acoustic bandwidth necessary to obtain bimodal benefit for music perception and speech perception.

Method

Participants included 12 adult bimodal listeners and 12 adult control listeners with normal hearing. Music perception was assessed via measures of timbre perception and subjective sound quality of real-world music samples. Speech perception was assessed via monosyllabic word recognition in quiet. Acoustic stimuli were presented to the non-CI ear in the following filter conditions: < 125, < 250, < 500, and < 750 Hz, and wideband (full bandwidth).

Results

Generally, performance for all stimuli improved with increasing acoustic bandwidth; however, the bandwidth that is both minimally and optimally beneficial may be dependent upon stimulus type. On average, music sound quality required wideband amplification, whereas speech recognition with a male talker in quiet required a narrower acoustic bandwidth (< 250 Hz) for significant benefit. Still, average speech recognition performance continued to improve with increasing bandwidth.

Conclusion

Further research is warranted to examine optimal acoustic bandwidth for additional stimulus types; however, these findings indicate that wideband amplification is most appropriate for speech and music perception in individuals with bimodal hearing.
Developmental Differences in the Availability of Cognitive Resources Supporting Rhyming and Dual Tasking
Authors: Sasisekaran Jayanthi , Lei Xiaofan
Published: March 2021

Purpose

We investigated developmental differences in a dual task involving rhyming and tone judgment/decisions and the effects of varying cognitive demands on task performance.

Method

Participants were 7- to 11-year-olds, 12- to 15-year-olds, and adults between 18 and 40 years (
n
= 19 per group). The rhyming task consisted of three stimuli categories (nonrhyme, rhyme, and replica), and the tone task stimuli were presented at short (100 ms) versus long (900 ms) stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) from the onset of the rhyme task to vary cognitive demands. Response time (RT) and error data were analyzed using linear and binomial mixed-methods analysis, respectively.

Results and Conclusions

Adults did not show an SOA-based effect in rhyming RT, while the 12- to 15-year-olds showed the most effect (RT, long > short SOA). Response to the replica category was significantly faster than for the other categories in all age groups. A reverse SOA effect was evident in the tone task (RT, short > long SOA) in all age groups. The 7- to 11-year-olds showed twice the task switch cost effect in the tone task RT. Age grouping and phoneme awareness were significant predictors of performance in both tasks, and additionally, SOA was a significant predictor of performance in the secondary task. The findings have implications for (a) understanding maturational differences in rhyming and executive control for dual tasking and the cognitive mechanisms supporting such effects and (b) identifying variables contributing to the developmental differences.
Bayesian Generalized Linear Mixed-Model Analysis of Language Samples: Detecting Patterns in Expository and Narrative Discourse of Adolescents With Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Collins Gavin , Lundine Jennifer P. , Kaizar Eloise
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Generalized linear mixed-model (GLMM) and Bayesian methods together provide a framework capable of handling a wide variety of complex data commonly encountered across the communication sciences. Using language sample analysis, we demonstrate the utility of these methods in answering specific questions regarding the differences between discourse patterns of children who have experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI), as compared to those with typical development.

Method

Language samples were collected from 55 adolescents ages 13–18 years, five of whom had experienced a TBI. We describe parameters relating to the productivity, syntactic complexity, and lexical diversity of language samples. A Bayesian GLMM is developed for each parameter of interest, relating these parameters to age, sex, prior history (TBI or typical development), and socioeconomic status, as well as the type of discourse sample (compare–contrast, cause–effect, or narrative). Statistical models are thoroughly described.

Results

Comparing the discourse of adolescents with TBI to those with typical development, substantial differences are detected in productivity and lexical diversity, while differences in syntactic complexity are more moderate. Female adolescents exhibited greater syntactic complexity, while male adolescents exhibited greater productivity and lexical diversity. Generally, our models suggest more advanced discourse among adolescents who are older or who have indicators of higher socioeconomic status. Differences relating to lecture type were also detected.

Conclusions

Bayesian and GLMM methods yield more informative and intuitive results than traditional statistical analyses, with a greater degree of confidence in model assumptions. We recommend that these methods be used more widely in language sample analysis.

Supplemental Material

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14226959
A Vocabulary Acquisition and Usage for Late Talkers Treatment Efficacy Study: The Effect of Input Utterance Length and Identification of Responder Profiles
Authors: Alt Mary , Figueroa Cecilia R. , Mettler Heidi M. , Evans-Reitz Nora , Erikson Jessie A.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

This study examined the efficacy of the Vocabulary Acquisition and Usage for Late Talkers (VAULT) treatment in a version that manipulated the length of clinician utterance in which a target word was presented (dose length). The study also explored ways to characterize treatment responders versus nonresponders.

Method

Nineteen primarily English-speaking late-talking toddlers (aged 24–34 months at treatment onset) received VAULT and were quasirandomly assigned to have target words presented in grammatical utterances matching one of two lengths: brief (four words or fewer) or extended (five words or more). Children were measured on their pre- and posttreatment production of (a) target and control words specific to treatment and (b) words not specific to treatment. Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis was used to classify responders versus nonresponders.

Results

VAULT was successful as a whole (i.e., treatment effect sizes of greater than 0), with no difference between the brief and extended conditions. Despite the overall significant treatment effect, the treatment was not successful for all participants. CART results (using participants from the current study and a previous iteration of VAULT) provided a dual-node decision tree for classifying treatment responders versus nonresponders.

Conclusions

The input-based VAULT treatment protocol is efficacious and offers some flexibility in terms of utterance length. When VAULT works, it works well. The CART decision tree uses pretreatment vocabulary levels and performance in the first two treatment sessions to provide clinicians with promising guidelines for who is likely to be a nonresponder and thus might need a modified treatment plan.

Supplemental Material

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14226641
A Comparison of Manual Versus Automated Quantitative Production Analysis of Connected Speech
Authors: Fromm Davida , Katta Saketh , Paccione Mason , Hecht Sophia , Greenhouse Joel , MacWhinney Brian , Schnur Tatiana T.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Analysis of connected speech in the field of adult neurogenic communication disorders is essential for research and clinical purposes, yet time and expertise are often cited as limiting factors. The purpose of this project was to create and evaluate an automated program to score and compute the measures from the Quantitative Production Analysis (QPA), an objective and systematic approach for measuring morphological and structural features of connected speech.

Method

The QPA was used to analyze transcripts of Cinderella stories from 109 individuals with acute–subacute left hemisphere stroke. Regression slopes and residuals were used to compare the results of manual scoring and automated scoring using the newly developed C-QPA command in CLAN, a set of programs for automatic analysis of language samples.

Results

The C-QPA command produced two spreadsheet outputs: an analysis spreadsheet with scores for each utterance in the language sample, and a summary spreadsheet with 18 score totals from the analysis spreadsheet and an additional 15 measures derived from those totals. Linear regression analysis revealed that 32 of the 33 measures had good agreement;
auxiliary complexity index
was the one score that did not have good agreement.

Conclusions

The C-QPA command can be used to perform automated analyses of language transcripts, saving time and training and providing reliable and valid quantification of connected speech. Transcribing in CHAT, the CLAN editor, also streamlined the process of transcript preparation for QPA and allowed for precise linking of media files to language transcripts for temporal analyses.
Musical Perception Assessment of People With Hearing Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Simões Pierangela Nota , Lüders Debora , José Maria Renata , Romanelli Guilherme , Lüders Valéria , Santos Rosane Sampaio , de Araújo Cristiano Miranda
Published: March 2021

Purpose

People with hearing impairment (HI) face numerous challenges that can be minimized with the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants. Despite technological advances in these assistive hearing devices, musical perception remains difficult for these people. Tests and protocols developed to assess the musical perception of this audience were the target of this systematic review, whose objective was to investigate how assessments of musical perception in people with HI are carried out.

Method

Searches for primary articles were carried out in the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, and ASHAWire databases. Search results were managed using EndNote X9 software, and analysis was performed according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) Statement.

Results

The 16 cross-sectional included studies analyzed music perception data from people with HI compared to a control group of participants with normal hearing. Among these, four studies were selected to be included in a meta-analysis, performed with timbre and melody. Variability was observed in the tests and between the levels of auditory perception skills analyzed in relation to the components of music. With respect to the tests, sound stimuli generated by synthesizers were the most used stimuli; with the exception of timbre evaluation, the most frequent test environment was a booth with sound attenuation, and the average intensity for presenting sound stimuli was 70 dB SPL. The most evaluated sound component was pitch, followed by rhythm and timbre, with a pattern of responses based on adaptive and psychoacoustic methods.

Conclusions

The heterogeneity of the musical parameters and the auditory abilities evaluated by the tests is a fact that can compromise evidence found in this area of study. It is worth considering the quality of samples that were recorded with real musical instruments and digitized afterward, in comparison with synthesized samples that do not seem to accurately represent real instruments. The need to minimize semantic parallelism that involves the auditory skills and elements of music involved in the assessment of musical perception is highlighted.
English-Only Treatment of Compensatory Speech Errors in a Bilingual Adoptee With Repaired Cleft Palate: A Descriptive Case Study
Authors: Schleif Eshan Pua , Mason Kazlin , Perry Jamie L.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this clinical focus article is to provide a descriptive case study of a late-adopted, bilingual adolescent with cleft palate speech errors. Specifically, we examined the cross-linguistic generalization of remediated compensatory cleft errors, following treatment in English (second language) only. The overarching goal of this study is to gain insights into the complexity of speech intervention for the adopted population with delayed cleft palate repair.

Method

A 14-year-old female adopted from China with a repaired unilateral cleft lip and palate and maladaptive articulation errors underwent 55 one-hour sessions of a motor-based, speech therapy approach over a 15-month span, targeting English phonemes only. Pre-, mid-, and posttreatment evaluation included perceptual and instrumental assessment of speech and resonance. Outcome measures at each time point included perceptual speech and resonance ratings, nasometry scores, and percent consonants correct (PCC) in both English and Mandarin.

Results

PCC in English improved from 60% in single words and 35% in sentences pretreatment to 100% in single words and sentences during posttreatment assessment. Without direct treatment in Mandarin, PCC in Mandarin improved from 56% in single words and 50% in sentences pretreatment to 100% in single words and 99% in sentences during posttreatment assessment. Posttreatment nasometry scores decreased by 20% for the nasal sample and 17% for the oral sample compared to pretreatment.

Conclusions

This descriptive case study demonstrated successful remediation of cleft palate speech errors, following 15 months of treatment in a late-adopted bilingual adolescent using a motor-based therapy approach. Treatment of errors in English (second language) led to generalization of correct productions in Mandarin (first language). This study presents the potential for bilingual late adoptees to achieve intelligible speech in both languages when motor-based therapy principles are applied to intervention.
Joint Video Self-Modeling for Persons With Traumatic Brain Injury and Their Partners: A Case Series
Authors: Hoepner Jerry K. , Sievert Alexis , Guenther Kaitlin
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) experience impairments to self-regulation and social communication that strain relationships. Video self-modeling (VSM) provides visible and audible, tangible evidence of what they do well and what could improve. Conducting such training in the context of authentic exchanges with their everyday partners may support positive change in social communication. The present investigation sought to evaluate indices of improved social communication.

Method

A mixed-methods design was employed for this case series investigation. Quantitative measures include pre- and postoutcomes on goal attainment scales (GASs) and measures of conversational effectiveness. Qualitative measures include responsiveness to video-supported prompts, conversational behaviors, and metacognitive statements.

Results

Participants perceived gains on GAS of 3–4
SD
s, as well as perceived improvements on the La Trobe Communication Questionnaire. Those gains were validated by gains on the adapted Measure of Participation in Conversation and Measure of Skill in Supported Conversation. Individuals with TBI and their partners reached consensus on most goals and postintervention La Trobe Communication Questionnaire ratings. Participants made accurate judgments about their behaviors at a high rate, given video review. Conversational behaviors and use of metacognitive statements varied across participants and conversational contexts. Field notes and session transcripts provide evidence that both dyads increased internalization of VSM goals and purpose.

Conclusions

Joint VSM shows promise as a method for eliciting accurate self-assessments among individuals with TBI and their close partners. Both dyads perceived positive gains in interactions within and outside their dyads. Furthermore, joint VSM and GAS appear to improve self-awareness and internalization of VSM goals and purpose.
The Impact of Clear Speech on the Perceptual and Acoustic Properties of Fricative–Vowel Sequences in Speakers With Dysarthria
Authors: Martel-Sauvageau Vincent , Breton Myriam , Chabot Alexandra , Langlois Mélanie
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Studies have reported that clear speech has the potential to influence suprasegmental and segmental aspects of speech, in both healthy and dysarthric speakers. While the impact of clear speech has been studied on the articulation of individual segments, few studies have investigated its effects on coarticulation with multisegment sequences such as fricative–vowel.

Objectives

The goals of this study are to investigate, in healthy and dysarthric speech, the impact of clear speech on (a) the perception of anticipatory vowel coarticulation in fricatives and (b) the acoustic characteristics of this effect.

Method

Ten speakers with dysarthria secondary to idiopathic Parkinson's disease were recruited as well as 10 age- and sex-matched healthy speakers. A sentence reading task was performed in natural and clear speaking conditions. The sentences contained words with the initial fricatives /s/ and /ʃ/ preceded by /ə/ and followed by the vowels /i/, /y/, /u/, or /a/. For the perceptual measurements, five listeners were recruited and were asked to predict the upcoming word by listening only to the isolated fricative. Acoustic analyses consisted of spectral moment analysis (M1–M4) on averaged time series.

Results

Perceptual findings report that identification rates were improved with clear speech for the speakers with dysarthria, but only for the fricative–/i/ sequences. Error pattern analysis indicates that this improvement is associated with an increase in the roundness parameter (lip spreading) identification. Acoustic results are unclear for M1 and M3 but suggest that M2 and M4 differentiation between the rounded versus unrounded vowel contexts is increased with clear speech for the speakers with dysarthria.

Discussion

Taken together, these findings suggest that clear speech may improve lip coordination in dysarthric speakers with Parkinson's disease. However, the impact of clear speech on the acoustic measures of fricative spectral moments is somewhat limited. This suggests that these metrics, when taken individually, do not capture the entire complexity of fricative–vowel coarticulation.
Spatial distribution of the aromatic and aliphatic carbonaceous nanograin features in the protoplanetary disk around HD 100546
Authors: Habart E. , Boutéraon T. , Brauer R. , Ysard N. , Pantin E. , Marchal A. , Jones A. P.
Published: March 2021

Context. Carbonaceous nanograins are present at the surface of protoplanetary disks around Herbig Ae/Be stars, where most of the ultraviolet energy from the central star is dissipated. Efficiently coupled to the gas, they are unavoidable to understand the physics and chemistry of these disks. Furthermore, nanograins are able to trace the outer flaring parts of the disk and possibly the gaps from which the larger grains are missing. However, their evolution through the disks, from internal to external regions, is only poorly understood so far.

Aims. Our aim is to examine the spatial distribution and evolution of the nanodust emission in the emblematic (pre-)transitional protoplanetary disk HD 100546. This disk shows many structures (annular gaps, rings, and spirals) and reveals very rich carbon nanodust spectroscopic signatures (aromatic, aliphatic) in a wide spatial range of the disk (~20−200 au).

Methods. We analysed adaptive optics spectroscopic observations in the 3–4 μm range (angular resolution of ~0.1′′) and imaging and spectroscopic observations in the 8–12 μm range (angular resolution of ~0.3′′). The hyperspectral cube was decomposed into a sum of spatially coherent dust components using a Gaussian decomposition algorithm. We compared the data to model predictions using the heterogeneous dust evolution model for interstellar solids (THEMIS), which is integrated in the radiative transfer code POLARIS by calculating the thermal and stochastic heating of micro- and nanometre-sized dust grains for a given disk structure.

Results. We find that the aromatic features at 3.3, 8.6, and 11.3 μm, and the aliphatic features between 3.4 and 3.5 μm are spatially extended; each band shows a specific morphology dependent on the local physical conditions. The aliphatic-to-aromatic band ratio, 3.4/3.3, increases with the distance from the star from ~0.2 (at 0.2′′ or 20 au) to ~0.45 (at 1′′ or 100 au), suggesting UV processing. In the 8–12 μm observed spectra, several features characteristic of aromatic particles and crystalline silicates are detected. Their relative contribution changes with the distance to the star. The model predicts that the features and adjacent continuum are due to different combinations of grain sub-populations, in most cases with a high dependence on the intensity of the UV field. The model reproduces the spatial emission profiles of the bands well, except for the inner 20-40 au, where the observed emission of the 3.3 and 3.4 μm bands is, unlike the predictions, flat and no longer increases with the UV field.

Conclusions. With our approach that combines observational data in the near- to mid-IR and disk modelling, we deliver constraints on the spatial distribution of nano-dust particles as a function of the disk structure and radiation field.
Asteroid spectral taxonomy using neural networks
Authors: Penttilä A. , Hietala H. , Muinonen K.
Published: March 2021

Aims. We explore the performance of neural networks in automatically classifying asteroids into their taxonomic spectral classes. We particularly focus on what the methodology could offer the ESA Gaia mission.

Methods. We constructed an asteroid dataset that can be limited to simulating Gaia samples. The samples were fed into a custom-designed neural network that learns how to predict the samples’ spectral classes and produces the success rate of the predictions. The performance of the neural network is also evaluated using three real preliminary Gaia asteroid spectra.

Results. The overall results show that the neural network can identify taxonomic classes of asteroids in a robust manner. The success in classification is evaluated for spectra from the nominal 0.45–2.45 μm wavelength range used in the Bus-DeMeo taxonomy, and from a limited range of 0.45–1.05 μm following the joint wavelength range of Gaia observations and the Bus-DeMeo taxonomic system.

Conclusions. The obtained results indicate that using neural networks to execute automated classification is an appealing solution for maintaining asteroid taxonomies, especially as the size of the available datasets grows larger with missions like Gaia.
Activity of the Jupiter co-orbital comet P/2019 LD2(ATLAS) observed with OSIRIS at the 10.4 m GTC
Authors: Licandro J. , de León J. , Moreno F. , de la Fuente Marcos C. , de la Fuente Marcos R. , Cabrera-Lavers A. , Lara L. , de Souza-Feliciano A. , De Prá M. , Pinilla-Alonso N. , Geier S.
Published: March 2021

Context.The existence of comets with heliocentric orbital periods close to that of Jupiter (i.e., co-orbitals) has been known for some time. Comet 295P/LINEAR (2002 AR2) is a well-known quasi-satellite of Jupiter. However, their orbits are not long-term stable, and they may eventually experience flybys with Jupiter at very close range, close enough to trigger tidal disruptions like the one suffered by comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 in 1992.

Aims.Our aim was to study the observed activity and the dynamical evolution of the Jupiter transient co-orbital comet P/2019 LD2(ATLAS) and its dynamical evolution.

Methods.We present results of an observational study of P/2019 LD2carried out with the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) that includes image analyses using a Monte Carlo dust tail fitting code to characterize its level of cometary activity, and spectroscopic studies to search for gas emission. We also presentN-body simulations to explore its past, present, and future orbital evolution.

Results.Images of P/2019 LD2obtained on May 16, 2020, show a conspicuous coma and tail, but the spectrum obtained on May 17, 2020, does not exhibit any evidence of CN, C2, or C3emission. The comet brightness in a 2.6′′ aperture diameter isr′ = 19.34 ± 0.02 mag, with colors (g′−r′) = 0.78 ± 0.03, (r′−i′) = 0.31 ± 0.03, and (i′−z′) = 0.26 ± 0.03. The temporal dependence of the dust loss rate of P/2019 LD2can be parameterized by a Gaussian function having a full width at half maximum of 350 days, with a maximum dust mass loss rate of 60 kg s−1reached on August 15, 2019. The total dust loss rate from the beginning of activity until the GTC observation date (May 16, 2020) is estimated at 1.9 × 109kg. Comet P/2019 LD2is now an ephemeral co-orbital of Jupiter, following what looks like a short arc of a quasi-satellite cycle that started in 2017 and will end in 2028. On January 23, 2063, it will experience a very close encounter with Jupiter at perhaps 0.016 au; its probability of escaping the solar system during the next 0.5 Myr is estimated to be 0.53 ± 0.03.

Conclusions.Photometry and tail model results show that P/2019 LD2is a kilometer-sized object, in the size range of the Jupiter-family comets, with a typical comet-like activity most likely linked to sublimation of crystalline water ice and clathrates. Its origin is still an open question. Our numerical studies give a probability of this comet having been captured from interstellar space during the last 0.5 Myr of 0.49 ± 0.02 (average and standard deviation), 0.67 ± 0.06 during the last 1 Myr, 0.83 ± 0.06 over 3 Myr, and 0.91 ± 0.09 during the last 5 Myr.
The GAPS programme at TNG
Authors: Rainer M. , Borsa F. , Pino L. , Frustagli G. , Brogi M. , Biazzo K. , Bonomo A. S. , Carleo I. , Claudi R. , Gratton R. , Lanza A. F. , Maggio A. , Maldonado J. , Mancini L. , Micela G. , Scandariato G. , Sozzetti A. , Buchschacher N. , Cosentino R. , Covino E. , Ghedina A. , Gonzalez M. , Leto G. , Lodi M. , Martinez Fiorenzano A. F. , Molinari E. , Molinaro M. , Nardiello D. , Oliva E. , Pagano I. , Pedani M. , Piotto G. , Poretti E.
Published: March 2021

Context. Transiting ultra-hot Jupiters are ideal candidates for studying the exoplanet atmospheres and their dynamics, particularly by means of high-resolution spectra with high signal-to-noise ratios. One such object is KELT-20b. It orbits the fast-rotating A2-type star KELT-20. Many atomic species have been found in its atmosphere, with blueshifted signals that indicate a day- to night-side wind.

Aims. We observe the atmospheric Rossiter-McLaughlin effect in the ultra-hot Jupiter KELT-20b and study any variation of the atmospheric signal during the transit. For this purpose, we analysed five nights of HARPS-N spectra covering five transits of KELT-20b.

Methods. We computed the mean line profiles of the spectra with a least-squares deconvolution using a stellar mask obtained from the Vienna Atomic Line Database (Teff = 10 000 K, log g = 4.3), and then we extracted the stellar radial velocities by fitting them with a rotational broadening profile in order to obtain the radial velocity time-series. We used the mean line profile residuals tomography to analyse the planetary atmospheric signal and its variations. We also used the cross-correlation method to study a previously reported double-peak feature in the FeI planetary signal.

Results. We observed both the classical and the atmospheric Rossiter-McLaughlin effect in the radial velocity time-series. The latter gave us an estimate of the radius of the planetary atmosphere that correlates with the stellar mask used in our work (Rp+atmo∕Rp = 1.13 ± 0.02). We isolated the planetary atmospheric trace in the tomography, and we found radial velocity variations of the planetary atmospheric signal during transit with an overall blueshift of ≈10 km s−1, along with small variations in the signal depth, and less significant, in the full width at half maximum (FWHM). We also find a possible variation in the structure and position of the FeI signal in different transits.

Conclusions. We confirm the previously detected blueshift of the atmospheric signal during the transit. The FWHM variations of the atmospheric signal, if confirmed, may be caused by more turbulent condition at the beginning of the transit, by a variable contribution of the elements present in the stellar mask to the overall planetary atmospheric signal, or by iron condensation. The FeI signal show indications of variability from one transit to the next.
BAO angular scale atzeff= 0.11 with the SDSS blue galaxies
Authors: de Carvalho E. , Bernui A. , Avila F. , Novaes C. P. , Nogueira-Cavalcante J. P.
Published: March 2021

Aims.We measure the transverse baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) signal in the local Universe using a sample of blue galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) survey as a cosmological tracer.

Methods.The method is weakly dependent on a cosmological model and is suitable for 2D analyses in thin redshift bins to investigate the SDSS data in the intervalz ∈ [0.105, 0.115].

Results.We detect the transverse BAO signalθBAO= 19.8°±1.05° atzeff = 0.11, with a statistical significance of 2.2σ. Additionally, we perform tests that confirm the robustness of this angular BAO signature. Supported by a large set of log-normal simulations, our error analyses include statistical and systematic contributions. In addition, considering the sound horizon scale calculated by the Planck Collaboration,rsPlanck, and theθBAOvalue obtained here, we obtain a measurement of the angular diameter distanceDA(0.11) =258.31 ± 13.71 h−1Mpc. Moreover, combining thisθBAOmeasurement at low redshift with other BAO angular scale data reported in the literature, we perform statistical analyses for the cosmological parameters of some Lambda cold dark matter type models.
Vortex-like kinematic signal, spirals, and beam smearing effect in the HD 142527 disk
Authors: Boehler Y. , Ménard F. , Robert C. M. T. , Isella A. , Pinte C. , Gonzalez J.-F. , van der Plas G. , Weaver E. , Teague R. , Garg H. , Méheut H.
Published: March 2021

Vortices are one of the most promising mechanisms to locally concentrate millimeter dust grains and allow the formation of planetesimals through gravitational collapse. The outer disk around the binary system HD 142527 is known for its large horseshoe structure with azimuthal contrasts of ~3–5 in the gas surface density and of ~50 in the dust. Using13CO and C18OJ= 3–2 transition lines, we detect kinematic deviations to the Keplerian rotation, which are consistent with the presence of a large vortex around the dust crescent, as well as a few spirals in the outer regions of the disk. Comparisons with a vortex model suggest velocity deviations up to 350 m s−1after deprojection compared to the background Keplerian rotation, as well as an extension of ±40 au radially and ~200° azimuthally, yielding an azimuthal-to-radial aspect ratio of ~5. Another alternative for explaining the vortex-like signal implies artificial velocity deviations generated by beam smearing in association with variations of the gas velocity due to gas pressure gradients at the inner and outer edges of the circumbinary disk. The two scenarios are currently difficult to differentiate and, for this purpose, would probably require the use of multiple lines at a higher spatial resolution. The beam smearing effect, due to the finite spatial resolution of the observations and gradients in the line emission, should be common in observations of protoplanetary disks and may lead to misinterpretations of the gas velocity, in particular around ring-like structures.
A search for signatures of interactions of X-ray binary outflows with their environments with ALMA
Authors: Díaz Trigo M. , Petry D. , Humphreys E. , Impellizzeri C. M. V. , Liu H. B.
Published: March 2021

We observed the X-ray binaries Cir X-1, Sco X-1, GRS 1915+105, GX 13+1, and Cyg X-1 with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Unresolved continuum emission is found at the positions of all the sources at a frequency of 92 GHz, with flux densities ranging between 0.8 and 10 mJy beam−1. In all cases the emission can be associated with jets that have been extensively observed at lower frequencies. We searched for line emission from Hαrecombination, SiO, H2O, and CH3OH at the positions of all the sources and, for Cir X-1 and Cyg X-1, also at regions where shocks associated with an interaction between the jet and the interstellar medium had previously been observed. The search did not yield any significant detection, resulting in 3σupper limits between 0.65 and 3.7 K km s−1for the existence of line emission in these regions. In contrast, we detected spatially unresolved SiO emission in the field of view of GX 13+1, and we tentatively associate this emission with a SiO maser in a potential young stellar object or evolved star. We also found spatially extended line emission at two additional sites in the field of view of GX 13+1 that we tentatively associate with emission from SO and CH3OH; we speculate that it may be associated with a star-forming region, but again we cannot rule out alternative origins such as emission from evolved stars.
Characterising atmospheric gravity waves on the nightside lower clouds of Venus: a systematic analysis
Authors: Silva J. E. , Machado P. , Peralta J. , Brasil F. , Lebonnois S. , Lefèvre M.
Published: March 2021

We present the detection and characterisation of mesoscale waves on the lower clouds of Venus using images from the Visible Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer onboard the European Venus Express space mission and from the 2 μm camera (IR2) instrument onboard the Japanese space mission Akatsuki. We used image navigation and processing techniques based on contrast enhancement and geometrical projections to characterise morphological properties of the detected waves, such as horizontal wavelength and the relative optical thickness drop between crests and troughs. Additionally, we performed phase velocity and trajectory tracking of wave packets. We combined these observations to derive other properties of the waves such as the vertical wavelength of detected packets. Our observations include 13 months of data from August 2007 to October 2008, and the entire available data set of IR2 from January to November 2016. We characterised almost 300 wave packets across more than 5500 images over a broad region of the globe of Venus. Our results show a wide range of properties and are not only consistent with previous observations but also expand upon them, taking advantage of two instruments that target the same cloud layer of Venus across multiple periods. In general, waves observed on the nightside lower cloud are of a larger scale than the gravity waves reported in the upper cloud. This paper is intended to provide a more in-depth view of atmospheric gravity waves on the lower cloud and enable follow-up works on their influence in the general circulation of Venus.
Bouncing and sticking collisions of organic nanoparticles: Atomistic study
Authors: Anders Christian , Urbassek Herbert M.
Published: March 2021

Context. Whether nanoparticles bounce or stick during collisions determines whether particles grow or fragment, hence shaping collision-induced agglomeration processes. The collision behavior of organic matter may strongly differ from that of silica or ice grains.

Aims. We explore the microscopic processes underlying the bouncing behavior of organic nanoparticles.

Methods. Molecular dynamics simulations based on a reactive potential, which follow molecular motion on an atomistic scale, are used.

Results. For the exemplary case of glycolic acid molecules, warm nanoparticles (250 K) always show sticking, while at low velocities (2.5 m s−1) cold nanoparticles (100 K) exhibit a considerable probability for bouncing. This behavior can be traced back to the distant electrostatic repulsion of the nanoparticles at certain orientations; this prevents a closer approach, during which van der Waals and H-bonded interactions would lead to sticking. At higher temperatures, molecular vibrations and conformational flexibility average over the nanoparticle interaction, such that attraction dominates and bouncing is prevented. Our results are in qualitative agreement with laboratory experiments.

Conclusions. Organic matter distinctly influences the collision behavior of nanoparticles.
Formation of giant planets with large metal masses and metal fractions via giant impacts in a rapidly dissipating disk
Authors: Ogihara Masahiro , Hori Yasunori , Kunitomo Masanobu , Kurosaki Kenji
Published: March 2021

Context. According to planetary interior models, some giant planets contain large metal masses with large metal-mass fractions. HD 149026b and TOI-849b are characteristic examples of these giant planets. It has been suggested that the envelope mass loss during giant impacts plays a key role in the formation of such giant planets.

Aims. The aim of the present Letter is to propose a mechanism that can explain the origin of such giant planets.

Methods. We investigate the formation of giant planets in a rapidly dissipating disk using N-body simulations that consider pebble accretion.

Results. The results show that although the pebble isolation mass is smaller than the metal mass (≳30 Earth masses) in some giant planets, the interior metal mass can be increased by giant impacts between planets with the isolation mass. Regarding the metal fraction, the cores accrete massive envelopes by runaway gas accretion during the disk-dissipation phase of 1−10 Myr in a disk that evolves without photoevaporation. Although a large fraction of the envelope can be lost during giant impacts, the planets can reaccrete the envelope after impacts in a slowly dissipating disk. Here, we demonstrate that, by photoevaporation in a rapidly dissipating disk, the runaway gas accretion is quenched in the middle, resulting in the formation of giant planets with large metal-mass fractions.

Conclusions. The origins of HD 149026b and TOI-849b, which are characterized by their large metal-mass fractions, can be naturally explained by a model that considers a disk evolving with photoevaporation.
Ubiquitous signs of interactions in early-type galaxies with prolate rotation
Authors: Ebrová Ivana , Bílek Michal , Vudragović Ana , Yıldız Mustafa K. , Duc Pierre-Alain
Published: March 2021

Context. A small fraction of early-type galaxies (ETGs) show prolate rotation; that is, they rotate around their long photometric axis. In simulations, certain configurations of galaxy mergers are known to produce this type of rotation.

Aims. We investigate the association of prolate rotation and signs of galaxy interactions among the observed galaxies.

Methods. We collected a sample of 19 nearby ETGs with distinct prolate rotation from the literature and inspected their ground-based deep optical images for interaction signs – 18 in archival images and 1 in a new image obtained with the Milanković telescope.

Results. Tidal tails, shells, disturbed asymmetric stellar halos, or ongoing interactions are present in all the 19 prolate rotators. Comparing this with the frequency of tidal disturbance among the general sample of ETGs of a roughly similar mass range and surface-brightness limit, we estimate that the chance probability of such an observation is only 0.00087. We also find a significant overabundance of prolate rotators that are hosting multiple stellar shells. The visible tidal features imply a relatively recent galaxy interaction. That agrees with the Illustris large-scale cosmological hydrodynamical simulation, where prolate rotators are predominantly formed in major mergers during the last 6 Gyr. In the appendix, we present the properties of an additional galaxy, NGC 7052, a prolate rotator for which no deep images are available, but for which an HST image revealed the presence of a prominent shell, which had not been reported before.
Mean-field optimal control for biological pattern formation
Authors: Burger Martin , Kreusser Lisa Maria , Totzeck Claudia
Published: March 2021

We propose a mean-field optimal control problem for the parameter identification of a given pattern. The cost functional is based on the Wasserstein distance between the probability measures of the modeled and the desired patterns. The first-order optimality conditions corresponding to the optimal control problem are derived using a Lagrangian approach on the mean-field level. Based on these conditions we propose a gradient descent method to identify relevant parameters such as angle of rotation and force scaling which may be spatially inhomogeneous. We discretize the first-order optimality conditions in order to employ the algorithm on the particle level. Moreover, we prove a rate for the convergence of the controls as the number of particles used for the discretization tends to infinity. Numerical results for the spatially homogeneous case demonstrate the feasibility of the approach.
Impact of mine waste on the quality of surrounding agricultural soils in Toussit and Sidi Boubker, Morocco: a case study
Authors: Bouali Khalida , Arabi Mourad , Mechkirrou Latifa , chafi Abdelhafid
Published: March 2021

The Oriental region, in Morocco, is surrounded by the Algerian border to the East, the Atlas to the West, the Mediterranean to the North and the desert to the south. This region has benefited from the intense mining activity that has played an important role in the national economy. The intensification of mining activity in the Touissit and Sidi-Boubker mines has left behind the closure of tons of waste in the shelter without a plan of conservation. These mine waste storage sites still contain very high levels of metallic elements such as Iron (Fe), which, after a decade of shutdowns, are likely to pollute vulnerable receiving environments, posing a threat to wildlife ecosystems, flora, and to public health. The objective of this study was to assess Fe concentrations at several locations around these mine waste heaps. The results of physicochemical analyses of soils collected over two different periods (wet and dry seasons) showed maximum Fe element concentrations of 10596 mg/kg, with an average concentration of 8913 mg/kg. These Iron contents are found at concentrations exceeding tolerance standards for normal soil.
Kinetic and equilibrium isotherm studies for the removal of acid blue 113 dye by dried corallina officinalis alga as a novel eco-friendly adsorbent
Authors: Boukarma Latifa , Aziam Rachid , Baroud Said , Eddaoudi Elhassane , Sinan Fouad , Sadki Issam , Tahrouch Saida , Chiban Mohamed
Published: March 2021

Water pollution is an alarming problem in developing countries. Dried algae can be considered as potential and suitable bio-sorbents due to their fast and easy growth and high availability. The special surface properties of these algae allow them to adsorb different types of organic and inorganic pollutants from solutions. In this context, the removal of anionic acid blue 113 dye (AB113) from aqueous solutions by dried Corallina officinalis alga as low-cost bio-sorbent was chosen as a case study of a typical remediation process of water contaminants. The effect of various environmental and physicochemical parameters has been studied. The results show that the equilibrium adsorption was established within 120 min. The sorption phenomenon was investigated by determining the process kinetics at different concentrations and the adsorption isotherms at different temperatures. The kinetics results showed that the pseudo second-order kinetics model generates the best agreement with the experimental data. The modeling results showed that linear Langmuir and Freundlich models appear to fit the adsorption data better than Temkin model for the adsorption of AB113 onto dried C. officinalis alga. It can be concluded that C. Officinalis alga can be successfully used as adsorbent.
Factor design methodology for modelling and optimization of carcinogenic acid dye adsorption onto Moroccan prickly pear cactus peel
Authors: Aziam Rachid , Boukarma Latifa , Zaghloul Ahmed , Benhiti Ridouan , Eddaoudi Elhassane , Zerbet Mohamed , Chiban Mohamed
Published: March 2021

In this study, the modelling and optimization studies of the carcinogenic acid dye sorption from aqueous solutions were carried out using the Factor Design Methodology. This methodology provides a predictive model of the response in the range of variables studied and determines the optimum conditions for the best performance. The sorption of acid dye AB113 on Moroccan prickly pear cactus peel (MPPCP) was chosen as a case study of a typical removal process. Minitab17 software was used to study the effects of adsorption parameters, including initial dye concentration, solution pH, adsorbent dose, contact time, and temperature. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the experimental results obtained. The studied parameters at two levels (-1 and +1) were coded as X1, X2, X3, X4 and X5, consecutively. The optimum conditions obtained for the adsorption of AB113 dye were: 1 g for the mass of MPPCP, 6 for the initial solution pH, 180 min for the contact time and 20 mg/L for the initial dye concentration. The results show that the model is well adapted to the experimental data, indicating the suitability of the model and the success of the factorial design methodology in optimizing the adsorption conditions.
Promotion of almond oil from the Ferragnes variety, a predominant cultivar in young almond plantations in eastern Morocco
Authors: Melhaoui Reda , Houmy Nadia , Kodad Souhayla , Belhaj Kamal , Mansouri Farid , Addi Mohamed , Abid Malika , Mihamou Aatika , Hano Christophe , Sindic Marianne , Serghini C. Hana , Elamrani Ahmed
Published: March 2021

Almond oil (AO) has both food and non-food uses, but the most profitable niche market is its non-food applications for cosmetic (Skincare, Body oil, Hair oil, Soap). In the last decade, two almond varieties Ferragnes and Ferraduel, with the dominance of Ferragnes, became to be crucial due to their suitability to the agro-ecological conditions of some regions of almond production in Morocco. This study focuses on characterization of AO of Ferragnes, which is the main cultivar among foreign almond varieties introduced in eastern Morocco. Chemical parameters’ fatty acid (FA) composition, minor compounds mainly tocopherols and phenols were analyzed, and the oxidative stability (OSI) of AO related to their shelf life was determined. Results show low acidity (0.38%) and low peroxide value (1.92 meq/kg). FA profile shows predominance of unsaturated FA principally oleic acid (C18:1; 68.9 %) and linoleic acid (C18:2; 21.88%). Tocopherol (Vitamin E) and phenol contents are, respectively, 456.43 mg/kg and 138 mg/kg. In addition, due to its richness in natural antioxidants, this oil exhibits high oxidative stability (OSI = 24.09 h); thus, these results prove the high quality of Ferragnes AO that can be recommended as edible oil, but notably for cosmetic applications which are more profitable.