bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unexpected Bisboronic Dicationic Acid Obtained from One‐Pot Condensation Reaction of 3‐Aminophenylboronic Acid and 2,6‐Pyridincarboxyaldehyde
Authors: González‐Hernández Arturo , Rivera‐Segura Jacobo , Lacroix Pascal G. , Barba Victor
Published: August 2019

A one‐pot double condensation reaction between 3‐aminophenylboronic acid monohydrate and 2,6‐pyridincarboxyaldehyde forms the very interesting building block bisboronic dicationic acid (1), the reaction was carried out in methanol with the presence of sulfuric acid as catalyst. The product contains a central core consisting of five delocalized fused heterocycles being a dicationic moiety and including methylsulfate (CH3OSO3−) as anion (1a). Treatment with CaCl2 under heating produces the anion interchange leading the chloride as anion (1b). Both salts were crystallized by slow solvent evaporation and the X‐ray diffraction analysis reveals the presence of O−H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonds favoring the 2D supramolecular arrangements. Three different motives were formed for 1a with the participation of water molecules, the methylsulfate anion and the boronic acid groups; by the way for 1b, the chloride anion interacts with a BOH group as well as a methanol molecule trough hydrogen bonds, additionally an electrostatic interactions were found with the cationic five membered rings. The possibility for syn‐anti isomerization at room temperature is confirmed by computations with a weak energy barrier of 17.7 kcal mol−1.
Polycyclic Benzimidazole: Synthesis and Photophysical Properties
Authors: Manna Susanta Kumar , Das Tapas , Samanta Shubhankar
Published: August 2019

Benzimidazole has tremendous application in medicinal chemistry and material science. The fusion of ring/substitution to benzimidazole nucleus produce polycyclic benzimidazole e. g., pyrido[1,2‐a]benzimidazole, benzimidazo[1,2‐a]quinoline, pyrrolo[1,2‐c]benzimidazolequinones (PBIs) and benzimidazo[2,1‐a]isoquinolines and these are the important synthetic strategies in drug discovery. Benzimidazole analogues have versatile therapeutic properties which encouraged the researchers to develop new therapeutic agents. Hence, the synthetic literature survey towards the polycyclic benzimidazole is paramount important. Due to the beautiful fluorescent properties of fused benzimidazole moiety, they are also used in optoelectronics, optical lasers, and organic luminophores. In addition, this scaffold has broad applications in organometallic catalysis, co‐ordination chemistry, and asymmetric catalysis. Herein, we report a vast synthetic route of benzimidazole embedded polyhetrocycles in the last eight years and their photophysical application in the modern research field.
Construction of ZnIn2S4‐RGO‐BiVO4 Z‐Scheme System: Influence of the RGO loading and Co–Catalysts Types
Authors: Fan Yingying , Yang Ruijie , Zhong Jian , Zhu Rongshu
Published: August 2019

In the all‐solid‐state Z‐scheme photocatalytic system with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) as the electronic transmission medium, an appropriate content of RGO is of great significance for the enhancement of its photocatalytic performance. In recent years, little work has been done to simultaneously study the influence of reductive co‐catalysts types and oxidative co‐catalysts types on the photocatalytic activity of Z‐Scheme system. In this work, a series of ZnIn2S4‐RGO‐BiVO4 Z scheme system photocatalysts were synthesized, using Pt, Pd, Au, Ag as the reductive co‐catalysts and NiO, RuO2, MnO2, IrO2, CuO, CoO as the oxidative co‐catalysts, respectively, in addition controlling the content of RGO was 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, 2.5%, 3.5%, 5.0%, respectively. Then, the photocatalytic activities of the Z scheme system photocatalysts in H2 evolution were tested and the as‐prepared samples were subsequently characterized by various analytical techniques. On this basis, the influence mechanisms of RGO and co‐catalysts on the activity of Z scheme system for hydrogen production were explained.
Composite‐Scattering Plasmonic Nanoprobes for Label‐Free, Quantitative Biomolecular Sensing
Authors: Zhang Chi , Paria Debadrita , Semancik Steve , Barman Ishan
Published: August 2019

Biosensing based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) relies on concentrating light to a nanometeric spot and leads to a highly enhanced electromagnetic field near the metal nanostructure. Here, a design of plasmonic nanostructures based on rationally structured metal–dielectric combinations is presented, called composite scattering probes (CSPs), to generate an integrated multimodal biosensing platform featuring LSPR and surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Specifically, CSP configurations are proposed, which have several prominent resonance peaks enabling higher tunability and sensitivity for self‐referenced multiplexed analyte sensing. Using electron‐beam evaporation and thermal dewetting, large‐area, uniform, and tunable CSPs are fabricated, which are suitable for label‐free LSPR and SERS measurements. The CSP prototypes are used to demonstrate refractive index sensing and molecular analysis using albumin as a model analyte. By using partial least squares on recorded absorption profiles, differentiation of subtle changes in refractive index (as low as 0.001) in the CSP milieu is demonstrated. Additionally, CSPs facilitate complementary untargeted plasmon‐enhanced Raman measurements from the sample's compositional contributors. With further refinement, it is envisioned that the method may lead to a sensitive, versatile, and tunable platform for quantitative concentration determination and molecular fingerprinting, particularly where limited a priori information of the sample is available.
CloudsStorm: A framework for seamlessly programming and controlling virtual infrastructure functions during the DevOps lifecycle of cloud applications
Authors: Zhou Huan , Hu Yang , Ouyang Xue , Su Jinshu , Koulouzis Spiros , de Laat Cees , Zhao Zhiming
Published: August 2019

The infrastructure‐as‐a‐service (IaaS) model of cloud computing provides virtual infrastructure functions (VIFs), which allow application developers to flexibly provision suitable virtual machines' (VM) types and locations, and even configure the network connection for each VM. Because of the pay‐as‐you‐go business model, IaaS provides an elastic way to operate applications on demand. However, in current cloud applications DevOps (software development and operations) lifecycle, the VM provisioning steps mainly rely on manually leveraging these VIFs. Moreover, these functions cannot be programmatically embedded into the application logic to control the infrastructure at runtime. Especially, the vendor lock‐in issue, which different clouds provide different VIFs, also enlarges this gap between the cloud infrastructure management and application operation. To mitigate this gap, we designed and implemented a framework, CloudsStorm, which enables developers to easily leverage VIFs of different clouds and program them into their cloud applications. To be specific, CloudsStorm empowers applications with infrastructure programmability at design‐level, infrastructure‐level, and application‐level. CloudsStorm also provides two infrastructure controlling modes, ie, active and passive mode, for applications at runtime. Besides, case studies about operating task‐based and big data applications on clouds show that the monetary cost is significantly reduced through the seamless and on‐demand infrastructure management provided by CloudsStorm. Finally, the scaling and recovery operation evaluations of CloudsStorm are performed to show its controlling performance. Compared with other tools, ie, “jcloud” and “cloudinit.d”, the scaling and provisioning performance evaluations demonstrate that CloudsStorm can achieve at least 10% efficiency improvement in our experiment settings.
Prediction of wind turbine generator failure using two‐stage cluster‐classification methodology
Authors: Turnbull Alan , Carroll James , McDonald Alasdair , Koukoura Sofia
Published: August 2019

Reducing wind turbine downtime through innovations surrounding asset management has the potential to greatly influence the levelised cost of energy (LCoE) for large wind farm developments. Focusing on generator bearing failure and vibration data, this paper presents a two‐stage methodology to predict failure within 1 to 2 months of occurrence. Results are obtained by building up a database of failures and training machine learning algorithms to classify the bearing as healthy or unhealthy. This is achieved by first using clustering techniques to produce subpopulations of data based on operating conditions, which this paper demonstrates can greatly influence the ability to diagnose a fault. Secondly, this work classifies individual clusters as healthy or unhealthy from vibration‐based condition monitoring systems by applying order analysis techniques to extract features. Using the methodology explained in the report, an accuracy of up to 81.6% correct failure prediction was achieved.
Metal‐based phosphorus dendrimers as novel nanotherapeutic strategies to tackle cancers: A concise overview
Authors: Chen Liang , Mignani Serge , Caminade Anne‐Marie , Majoral Jean‐Pierre
Published: August 2019

Several metal‐based phosphorus dendrimers were prepared. The first series developed by us was the Cu(II) series. In this series, the most potent is the third generation‐Cu(II) showing original mechanism of action with activation of the pro‐apoptotic Bax protein. To our knowledge, it is the first example of nanoparticles displaying Bax protein activation and then cell death through apoptosis process. Interestingly, this dendritic‐Cu(II) complex showed synergistic effect with doxorubicin. Based on these interesting anti‐proliferative activities, we developed Au(III)‐conjugated phosphorus dendrimers. The most potent is the third generation‐Au(III) dendrimer which represents also a new and promising first‐in‐class anti‐proliferative agent against both solid and liquid tumor cell lines. Then, in order to analyze the influence of the metal moiety distribution of Cu(II) and Au(III) on the surface of dendrimers, mix Cu(II)–Au(III)‐conjugated phosphorus dendrimers were also prepared and tested as anti‐proliferative agents.

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology
Chemo‐enzymatic treatment of RNA to facilitate analyses
Authors: Muthmann Nils , Hartstock Katja , Rentmeister Andrea
Published: August 2019

Labeling RNA is a recurring problem to make RNA compatible with state‐of‐the‐art methodology and comes in many flavors. Considering only cellular applications, the spectrum still ranges from site‐specific labeling of individual transcripts, for example, for live‐cell imaging of mRNA trafficking, to metabolic labeling in combination with next generation sequencing to capture dynamic aspects of RNA metabolism on a transcriptome‐wide scale. Combining the specificity of RNA‐modifying enzymes with non‐natural substrates has emerged as a valuable strategy to modify RNA site‐ or sequence‐specifically with functional groups suitable for subsequent bioorthogonal reactions and thus label RNA with reporter moieties such as affinity or fluorescent tags. In this review article, we will cover chemo‐enzymatic approaches (a) for in vitro labeling of RNA for application in cells, (b) for treatment of total RNA, and (c) for metabolic labeling of RNA.

This article is categorized under:

RNA Processing < RNA Editing and Modification

RNA Methods < RNA Analyses in vitro and In Silico

RNA Methods < RNA Analyses in Cells
’t Hooft anomalies and the holomorphy of supersymmetric partition functions
Authors: Closset Cyril , Di Pietro Lorenzo , Kim Heeyeon
Published: August 2019

Abstract

We study the dependence of supersymmetric partition functions on continuous parameters for the flavor symmetry group, G

F
, for 2d

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= (0, 2) and 4d

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 1 supersymmetric quantum field theories. In any diffeomorphism-invariant scheme and in the presence of G

F
’t Hooft anomalies, the supersymmetric Ward identities imply that the partition function has a non-holomorphic dependence on the flavor parameters. We show this explicitly for the 2d torus partition function,

$$ {Z}_{T^2} $$

Z

T
2

, and for a large class of 4d partition functions on half-BPS four-manifolds,

$$ {Z}_{{\mathcal{M}}^4} $$

Z

M
4

— in particular, for

$$ \mathcal{M} $$

M

4 = S
3 × S
1 and

$$ \mathcal{M} $$

M

4 = Σ
g
× T
2. We propose a new expression for

$$ {Z}_{{\mathcal{M}}_{d-1}\times {S}^1} $$

Z

M

d
−
1

×

S
1

, which differs from earlier holomorphic results by the introduction of a non-holomorphic “Casimir” pre-factor. The latter is fixed by studying the “high temperature” limit of the partition function. Our proposal agrees with the supersymmetric Ward identities, and with explicit calculations of the absolute value of the partition function using a gauge-invariant zeta-function regularization.
The momentum amplituhedron
Authors: Damgaard David , Ferro Livia , Lukowski Tomasz , Parisi Matteo
Published: August 2019

Abstract

In this paper we define a new object, the momentum amplituhedron, which is the long sought-after positive geometry for tree-level scattering amplitudes in

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 4 super Yang-Mills theory in spinor helicity space. Inspired by the construction of the ordinary amplituhedron, we introduce bosonized spinor helicity variables to represent our external kinematical data, and restrict them to a particular positive region. The momentum amplituhedron M

n,k
is then the image of the positive Grassmannian via a map determined by such kinematics. The scattering amplitudes are extracted from the canonical form with logarithmic singularities on the boundaries of this geometry.
Unconventional incentive schemes in tourism enterprises, does it make sense?
Authors: Kozłowski Maciej
Published: August 2019

The purpose of this article is to describe the model of the most important employee financial participation (EFP) programs and give some proposals aiming at wider promotion of financial participation in tourist companies in order to show the occurring relations between the programs applied and the socioeconomic results of enterprises. The research has been based on available literature and own research conducted on the sample of Polish companies listed on Warsaw Stock Exchange. The author’s research could serve as a guide to carry out similar research in the tourist resort. Financial participation programs existing in particular countries differ because of various circumstances in which they are applied, various range and eligibility of employees, though it is possible to find such elements which they have in common. What can be expected is a radical change in workers’ attitudes towards a higher commitment, stronger identification with the company, and as a result taking responsibility for its future. It is even more important in tourist industry (in transnational tourist companies) in a comparison to the traditional one. It can be assumed that the awareness aspect plays here a vital role in the way to a success of the whole company and individual employees’ as well. Unfortunately, this is not a common condition. We can expect that EFP programs generally would have a positive influence on the functioning of the tourist enterprise. However, the effects could be rather social than economic. More rigorous statistical analysis is needed to know more about economic results in tourist industry, unfortunately such studies are not conducted in tourism, so the question in the title is still open.
Advancement in the Pressureless Sintering of CP Titanium Using High-Frequency Induction Heating
Authors: Raynova Stella , Collas Yan , Yang Fei , Bolzoni Leandro
Published: August 2019

High-frequency induction heating is applied as an alternative heating source for pressureless sintering of commercially pure Ti powders, aiming to intensify the sintering process. The effects of the process parameters on the properties of the sintered material are systematically studied. The initial powder compact density is the most influential parameter permitting sintered structures with highly porous to almost fully dense appearance. Short heating time combined with sintering to temperatures just above the β-transus resulted in a strong diffusion bonding between the Ti powder particles, and grain growth is observed at the former boundaries of the neighboring powder particles. The dimpled appearance of the fracture surface at those regions confirmed the strong metallic interparticle bonding. Tensile properties comparable to those of Ti-Grade 3 and Ti-Grade 4 are achieved, which also demonstrates the efficiency of the induction sintering process. A mechanism explaining the fast and efficient sintering is proposed. The process has the added advantage of minimizing the oxygen pickup.
Symptom Experience, Management, and Outcomes According to Race and Social Determinants Including Genomics, Epigenomics, and Metabolomics (SEMOARS + GEM): an Explanatory Model for Breast Cancer Treatment Disparity
Authors: McCall Maura K. , Connolly Mary , Nugent Bethany , Conley Yvette P. , Bender Catherine M. , Rosenzweig Margaret Q.
Published: August 2019

Even after controlling for stage, comorbidity, age, and insurance status, black women with breast cancer (BC) in the USA have the lowest 5-year survival as compared with all other races for stage-matched disease. One potential cause of this survival difference is the disparity in cancer treatment, evident in many population clinical trials. Specifically, during BC chemotherapy, black women receive less relative dose intensity with more dose reductions and early chemotherapy cessation compared with white women. Symptom incidence, cancer-related distress, and ineffective communication, including the disparity in patient-centeredness of care surrounding patient symptom reporting and clinician assessment, are important factors contributing to racial disparity in dose reduction and early therapy termination. We present an evidence-based overview and an explanatory model for racial disparity in the symptom experience during BC chemotherapy that may lead to a reduction in dose intensity and a subsequent disparity in outcomes. This explanatory model, the Symptom Experience, Management, Outcomes and Adherence according to Race and Social determinants + Genomics Epigenomics and Metabolomics (SEMOARS + GEM), considers essential factors such as social determinants of health, clinician communication, symptoms and symptom management, genomics, epigenomics, and pharmacologic metabolism as contributory factors.
Assessing cost‐effectiveness of early intervention in Alzheimer's disease: An open‐source modeling framework
Authors: Green Colin , Handels Ron , Gustavsson Anders , Wimo Anders , Winblad Bengt , Sköldunger Anders , Jönsson Linus
Published: August 2019

Introduction

We develop a framework to model disease progression across Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to assess the cost‐effectiveness of future disease‐modifying therapies (DMTs) for people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD.

Methods

Using data from the US National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center, we apply survival analysis to estimate transition from predementia to AD dementia and ordered probit regression to estimate transitions across AD dementia stages. We investigate the cost‐effectiveness of a hypothetical treatment scenario for people in MCI due to AD.

Results

We present an open‐access model‐based decision‐analytic framework. Assuming a modest DMT treatment effect in MCI, we predict extended life expectancy and a reduction in time with AD dementia.

Discussion

Any future DMT for AD is expected to pose significant economic challenges across all health‐care systems, and decision‐analytic modeling will be required to assess costs and outcomes. Further developments are needed to inform these health policy considerations.
Genital Pain and Numbness and Female Sexual Dysfunction in Adult Bicyclists
Authors: Greenberg Daniel R. , Khandwala Yash S. , Breyer Benjamin N. , Minkow Roger , Eisenberg Michael L.
Published: August 2019

Introduction

Bicycle seat pressure on the perineum may impair arousal and clitoral erection, likely contributing to genital pain and numbness experienced by female cyclists.

Aim

We aimed to identify the association between genital pain and numbness experienced by female cyclists and female sexual dysfunction (FSD).

Methods

Female cyclists were recruited to complete an online survey using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), a validated questionnaire to assess FSD. Cyclist demographics, experience, preferred riding style, use of ergonomic cycle modifications, and genital discomfort while riding were also queried. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate risk factors of FSD.

Main Outcome Measures

The main outcome was FSFI score, which is used to diagnose FSD when the FSFI score is <26.55.

Results

Of the survey respondents, 178 (53.1%) completed the survey and FSFI questionnaire. Mean age was 48.1 years (±0.8 standard error [SE]), and the average riding experience was 17.1 years (±0.9 SE). Overall, 53.9% of female cyclists had FSD, 58.1% reported genital numbness, and 69.1% reported genital pain. After adjusting for age, body mass index, relationship status, smoking history, comorbidities, and average time spent cycling per week, females who reported experiencing genital numbness half the time or more were more likely to have FSD (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 6.0; 95% CI, 1.5–23.6; P = .01), especially if localized to the clitoris (aOR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.2–5.5; P = .02). Females that reported genital pain half the time or more while cycling also were more likely to have FSD (aOR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.2–11.1; P = .02). Cyclists experiencing genital pain within the first hour of their ride were more likely to have FSD (aOR, 12.6; 95% CI, 2.5–63.1; P = .002). Frequency and duration of cycling were not associated with FSD. Analysis of FSFI domains found that the frequency of numbness was correlated with decreased arousal, orgasm, and satisfaction during intercourse, whereas the frequency of pain significantly reduced arousal, orgasm, and genital lubrication.

Clinical Implications

Female cyclists that experience numbness and/or pain have higher odds of reporting FSD.

Strengths & Limitations

Our study includes a validated questionnaire to assess FSD and queries specific characteristics and symptoms of genital pain and genital numbness; however, the study is limited by its cross-sectional survey design.

Conclusion

This study highlights the need for cyclists to address genital pain and numbness experienced while cycling, and future studies are required to determine if alleviating these symptoms can reduce the impact of cycling on female sexual function.
Familial Intracranial Aneurysm in Newfoundland: Clinical and Genetic Analysis
Authors: Powell Amy E. , Fernandez Bridget A. , Maroun Falah , Noble Barbara , Woods Michael O.
Published: August 2019

Objective:

Intracranial aneurysm (IA) is an expansion of the weakened arterial wall that is often asymptomatic until rupture, resulting in subarachnoid hemorrhage. Here we describe the high prevalence of familial IA in a cohort of Newfoundland ancestry. We began to investigate the genetic etiology of IA in affected family members, as the inheritance of this disease is poorly understood.

Methods:

Whole exome sequencing was completed for a cohort of 12 affected individuals from two multiplex families with a strong family history of IA. A filtering strategy was implemented to identify rare, shared variants. Filtered variants were prioritized based on validation by Sanger sequencing and segregation within the families.

Results:

In family R1352, six variants passed filtering; while in family R1256, 68 variants remained, so further filtering was pursued. Following validation by Sanger sequencing, top candidates were investigated in a set of population controls, namely,C4orf6c.A1G (p.M1V) andSPDYE4c.C103T (p.P35S). Neither was detected in 100 Newfoundland control samples.

Conclusion:

Rare and potentially deleterious variants were identified in both families, though incomplete segregation was identified for all filtered variants. Alternate methods of variant prioritization and broader considerations regarding the interplay of genetic and environmental factors are necessary in future studies of this disease.
Social Participation Strategies and Resilience in Mexican Population Affected by the 2017 Earthquakes
Authors: Abeldaño Zuñiga Roberto Ariel , González Villoria Ruth Ana María
Published: August 2019

Objective:

To describe social participation strategies and resilience in the people affected by the 2017 earthquakes in Mexico.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was carried out with 1504 participants from Mexico City, State of Mexico, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Puebla, and Morelos in November and December 2017. A nonprobabilistic convenience sampling method was used to recruit voluntary participants who met the inclusion criteria: age 18 or over and residents in damaged states at the time of the earthquakes. Postearthquake social participation strategies were assessed with the formats used in the postearthquake Chilean survey in 2010. The Spanish-validated version of the resilience scale RS-14 was applied for measuring resilience in the Mexican population.

Results:

The most frequent social participation strategies were related to emotional support and aid supplying water, food, and clothing. The highest resilience was observed in the state of Oaxaca and in Mexico City. Men, people age 40 or over, and people who defined themselves as indigenous were the most resilient.

Conclusions:

Factors related to resilience were male gender, age over 40, did not participate in activities of help to the community, no household damage, and belonging to an indigenous community.
On kurtosis and extreme waves in crossing directional seas: a laboratory experiment
Authors: Luxmoore Jamie F. , Ilic Suzana , Mori Nobuhito
Published: August 2019

We examine the statistical properties of extreme and rogue wave activity in crossing directional seas, to constrain the probabilistic distributions of wave heights and wave crests in complex sea states; such crossing seas alter the statistical structure of surface waves and are known to have been involved in several marine accidents. Further, we examine the relationship between the kurtosis as an indicator of nonlinearity in the spectrum and the directionality and crossing angles of the sea-state components. Experimental tests of two-component directionally spread irregular waves with varying frequency, directional spreading and component crossing angles were carried out at the Ocean Basin Laboratory in Trondheim, Norway. The results from the experiments show that wave heights are well described by a first-order (linear) statistical distribution, while for the wave crest heights several cases exceed a second-order distribution. The number of rogue waves is relatively low overall, which agrees with previous findings in directionally spread seas. The kurtosis and wave and crest height exceedance probabilities were more affected by varying the directional spreading of the components than by varying the crossing angles between components; reducing the component directional spreading increases the kurtosis and increases the exceedance probabilities. The kurtosis can be estimated quite well for two-component seas from the directional spreading using an empirical relationship based on the two-dimensional Benjamin–Feir index when the effects of bound modes are included. This result may allow forecasting of the probability of extreme waves from the directional spreading in complex sea states.
Nonlocal Effect on the Pull-in Instability Analysis of Graphene Sheet Nanobeam Actuator
Authors: Lin M. X. , Lee S. Y. , Chen C. K.
Published: August 2019

In this study, the pull-in phenomenon of a Nano-actuator is investigated employing a nonlocal Bernoulli-Euler beam model with clamped-clamped conditions. The model accounts for viscous damping, residual stresses, the van der Waals (vdW) force and electrostatic forces with nonlocal effects. The hybrid differential transformation/finite difference method (HDTFDM) is used to analyze the nonlocal effects on a graphene sheet nanobeam, which is electrostatically actuated under the influence of the coupling effect, the von Kármán nonlinear strains and the fringing field effect. The pull-in voltage as calculated by the presented model deviates by no more than 0.29% from previous literature, verifying the validity of the HDTFDM. Furthermore, the nonlocal nonlinear behavior of the electrostatically actuated nanobeam is investigated, and the effects of viscous damping, residual stresses, and length-gap ratio are examined in detail. Overall, the results reveal that small scale effects significantly influence the characteristics of the graphene sheet nanobeam actuator.
Lamb Waves in Anisotropic Functionally Graded Plates: A Closed Form Dispersion Solution
Authors: Kuznetsov S. V.
Published: August 2019

Propagation of harmonic Lamb waves in plates made of functionally graded materials (FGM) with transverse inhomogeneity is studied by combination of the Cauchy six-dimensional formalism and matrix exponential mapping. For arbitrary transverse inhomogeneity a closed form implicit solution for dispersion equation is derived and analyzed. Both the dispersion equation and the corresponding solution resemble ones obtained for stratified media. The dispersion equation and the corresponding solution are applicable to media with arbitrary elastic (monoclinic) anisotropy.
Soret- Dufour Effect on Mixed Convection Past a Vertical Plate in Non-Darcy Porous Medium Saturated With Buongiorno Nanofluid in the Presence of Thermal Dispersion
Authors: Aghbari A. , Ali Agha H. , Sadaoui D.
Published: August 2019

Numerical analysis was investigated for steady two-dimensional double diffusive mixed convection boundary layer flow over a semi-infinite vertical plate embedded non-Darcy porous medium filled with nanofluid, in presence of thermal dispersion and under convective boundary conditions. The Buongiorno nanofluid model is used, while the porous medium is described by the Darcy-Forchheimer extension. The governing partial differential equations are transformed into four coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations using an appropriate similarity transformations and the resulting system of equations is then solved numerically by the finite-difference method. Numerical results are presented to illustrate how the physical parameters affect the flow field, temperature, concentration and solid volume fraction profiles. In addition, the variation of heat, mass and nanoparticle transfer rates at the plate are exhibited graphically for different values of pertinent parameters.
Does behavioural inhibition system dysfunction contribute to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
Authors: Sadeghi S. , McIntosh J. , Shadli S. M. , Healey D. , Rostami R. , Trani P. , McNaughton N.
Published: August 2019

The Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality has as its main foundation a Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS), defined by anxiolytic drugs, in which high trait sensitivity should lead to internalising, anxiety, disorders. Conversely, it has been suggested that low BIS sensitivity would be a characteristic of externalising disorders. BIS output should lead to increased arousal and attention as well as behavioural inhibition. Here, therefore, we tested whether an externalising disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), involves low BIS sensitivity. Goal-Conflict-Specific Rhythmicity (GCSR) in an auditory Stop Signal Task is a right frontal EEG biomarker of BIS function. We assessed children diagnosed with ADHD-I (inattentive) or ADHD-C (combined) and healthy control groups for GCSR in: a) an initial smaller study in Dunedin, New Zealand (population ~120,000: 15 control, 10 ADHD-I, 10 ADHD-C); and b) a main larger one in Tehran, Iran (population ~9 [city]-16 [metropolis] million: 27 control, 18 ADHD-I, 21 ADHD-C). GCSR was clear in controls (particularly at 6–7 Hz) and in ADHD-C (particularly at 8–9 Hz) but was reduced in ADHD-I. Reduced attention and arousal in ADHD-I could be due, in part, to BIS dysfunction. However, hyperactivity and impulsivity in ADHD-C are unlikely to reflect reduced BIS activity. Increased GCSR frequency in ADHD-C may be due to increased input to the BIS. BIS dysfunction may contribute to some aspects of ADHD (and potentially other externalising disorders) and to some differences between the ADHD subtypes but other prefrontal systems (and, e.g. dopamine) are also important.
Language ideology of English-medium instruction in higher education
Authors: Rahman Mohammad Mosiur , Mehar Singh Manjet Kaur
Published: August 2019

English-medium instruction (EMI) has been perceived as a key strategy through which universities, propelled by academic, political, social and economic motives, respond to the influence of globalisation (Altbach & Knight, 2007). This has been fuelled by the fact that English, defined as the global common language, is needed to create the knowledge base in global tertiary education (Fishman, 2000). In the process, English has become the universal second language of advanced education (Brumfit, 2004), due to the value attached to the language in present times and the advantage of using the language in the existing global language order (Zhang, 2017). These motivations have contributed to the global phenomenon of English being the medium of instruction (MOI), and higher education has been the venue where EMI could be implemented more consistently (Dearden, 2014). This has resulted in the generation of a growing body of work on how universities plan their language policies (Liddicoat, 2016).
The English general extender
Authors: Overstreet Maryann
Published: August 2019

In theLongman Grammar of Spoken and Written English(Biber et al., 1999), a new category is identified in the grammar of the English phrase. In conversational data, the most frequent forms cited as examples of this category areor something,and everything,and thingsandand stuff, which are described as ‘coordination tags’ by Biber et al. (1999: 115–16). This label has not been widely adopted, but the linguistic category it describes has clearly become established as part of modern English. The term ‘general extender’ (Overstreet, 1999) is now commonly used to refer to this category: ‘“general” because they are nonspecific and “extender” because they extend otherwise complete utterances’ (1999: 3). There are two subcategories: adjunctive general extenders, beginning withand, and disjunctive general extenders, beginning withor. In casual conversation, general extenders are typically phrase- or clause-final, consisting ofand/orplus a vague noun (stuff/things) or a pronoun (something/everything), with an optional comparative phrase (like that/this). In everyday spoken British English, the phraseand (all) thatis also extremely common. In written and formal spoken English, forms with quite different structures, such aset cetera,and so on, and so forth, andor soare more typically used to fulfill related functions. All of these forms are grammatically optional and fall within the more general category of pragmatic markers, along withyou know,I mean,likeandsort of, ‘expressions which may have little obvious propositional meaning but which oil the wheels of conversational social interaction’ (Beeching, 2016: 1).
Vulture declines, threats and conservation: the attitude of the indigenous Ghanaian
Authors: DEIKUMAH JUSTUS P.
Published: August 2019

Understanding the attitude of people towards vultures, especially factors that influence behaviours that support their conservation, is crucial if the decline in vultures is to be slowed and reversed. Their vital ecosystem function in keeping the environment free of carcasses and reducing the spread of disease is not yet appreciated in Ghana. Little is known about the attitude of Ghanaians’ about vultures. Structured questionnaires and key informant surveys were employed with a sample size of 460 respondents randomly selected across Ghana. Over 85% of respondents were familiar with the Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus and vultures were culturally important to 56% of respondents. Diseases that affect livestock are claimed to be treated with chemicals such as diclofenac sodium to which vultures are highly susceptible globally and livestock carcasses were not available to vultures as 53% of respondents bury carcasses. A new poisoning pathway has emerged in which furadan is used to poison wildlife for bushmeat and the offal removed which is then consumed by vultures, as indicated by 78% of respondents. The majority of respondents positively thought vultures were important and must be protected. Poisoning, habitat loss particularly the loss of silk cotton tree Ceiba pentandra and trade in vulture parts for traditional medicine are major threats to vultures in Ghana. Continuous awareness creation, positive attitude towards the environment, vulture conservation programmes and protection of breeding sites were some urgent conservation actions recommended to ensure the survival of vultures.
Single transistor low phase noise active dielectric resonator oscillator
Authors: Soltani Zahra , Asadi Shahrooz , Mehrshahi Esfandiar
Published: August 2019

In this paper, the design theory of an 8 GHz oscillator with a new structure of active dielectric resonator (DR) is presented. The new structure emphasizes on phase noise reduction by using only one active device. The proposed structure uses additional feedback from transistor to resonator in order to increase the quality factor. Measurement results report that phase noise is reduced to −145.19 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset frequency which represents 12 dB improvement compared with oscillators with passive DR. Also, in comparison with conventional active resonator oscillators, noise source of the second amplifier which makes spurious oscillation is removed. The size and power consumption are reduced due to the use of a single transistor. This structure has the lowest phase noise in comparison with other DR oscillators. In order to implement the proposed oscillator, a circuit including amplifier, resonator, coupler, and phase shifter is designed and realized.
Feasibility of conducting an early pregnancy diet and lifestyle e-health intervention: the Pregnancy Lifestyle Activity Nutrition (PLAN) project
Authors: Huang Rae-Chi , Silva Desiree , Beilin Lawrie , Neppe Cliff , Mackie Katherine E. , Roffey Emma , Gibson Lisa Y. , D’Vaz Nina , Christian Hayley , Reid Christopher M. , Prescott Susan L.
Published: August 2019

Background:

Childhood obesity is a global issue. Excessive weight gain in early pregnancy is independently associated with obesity in the next generation. Given the uptake of e-health, our primary aim was to pilot the feasibility of an e-health intervention, starting in the first trimester, to promote healthy lifestyle and prevent excess weight gain in early pregnancy. Methods: Women were recruited between 8 and 11 weeks gestation and randomised to the intervention or routine antenatal care. The intervention involved an e-health program providing diet, physical activity and well-being advice over 12 weeks.

Results:

Women (n = 57, 43.9% overweight/obese) were recruited at 9.38 ± 1.12 (control) and 9.06 ± 1.29 (intervention) weeks’ gestation, mainly from obstetric private practices (81.2%). Retention was 73.7% for the 12-week intervention, 64.9% at birth and 55.8% at 3 months after birth.

No difference in gestational weight gain or birth size was detected. Overall treatment effect showed a mean increase in score ranking the perceived confidence of dietary change (1.2 ± 0.46, p = 0.009) and score ranking readiness to exercise (1.21 ± 0.51, p = 0.016) over the intervention. At 3 months, infants weighed less in the intervention group (5405 versus 6193 g, p = 0.008) and had a lower ponderal index (25.5 ± 3.0 versus 28.8 ± 4.0 kg/m3) compared with the control group.

Conclusion and Discussion:

A lifestyle intervention starting in the first-trimester pregnancy utilising e-health mode of delivery is feasible. Future studies need strategies to target recruitment of participants of lower socio-economic status and ensure maximal blinding. Larger trials (using technology and focused on early pregnancy) are needed to confirm if decreased infant adiposity is maintained.
Implications of Updated Magnetic Anomalies for the Late Cretaceous Tectonic Evolution of Walvis Ridge
Authors: Thoram S. , Sager W. W. , Jokat W.
Published: August 2019

In the South Atlantic, a reorganization of the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge began before anomaly C34n (83.6 Ma) and ended before anomaly C30n (66.4 Ma), complicating tectonics of Rio Grande Rise and older Walvis Ridge (WR), which formed together at the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge. This reorganization is poorly understood because magnetic anomalies C30n‐C34n are poorly defined near WR. We interpreted these anomalies along western WR to improve knowledge of Rio Grande Rise‐WR tectonic development. Anomaly trends indicate that Valdivia Bank has an E‐W age progression, perpendicular to that predicted by hot spot models. Anomaly spacing and width is irregular and anomalous near WR, implying a series of ridge jumps and possibly a microplate between anomalies C34n and C32n. Eastward ridge jumps transferred microplate lithosphere to the South American plate. This study shows that Late Cretaceous tectonic evolution of the Rio Grande Rise‐WR large igneous provinces was more complex than previously understood.
Numerical Assessment of Infragravity Swash Response to Offshore Wave Frequency Spread Variability
Authors: Ruju Andrea , Lara Javier L. , Losada Inigo J.
Published: August 2019

We use a numerical model, already validated for this purpose, to simulate the effect of wave frequency spread on wave transformation and swash amplitudes. Simulations are performed for planar beach slope cases and for offshore wave spectra whose frequency spread changes over realistic values. Results indicate that frequency spread, under normally approaching waves, affects swash amplitudes. For moderately dissipative conditions, the significant infragravity swash increases for increasing values of the offshore frequency spread. The opposite occurs under extremely dissipative conditions. The numerical analysis suggests that this inverted pattern is driven by the effect that different distributions of incoming long‐wave energy have on low‐frequency wave propagation and dissipation. In fact, with large frequency spreads, wave groups force relatively short subharmonic waves that are strongly enhanced in the shoaling zone. This process leads to an infragravity swash increase for increasing frequency spread under moderately dissipative conditions in which low‐frequency energy dissipation in shallow water is negligible or small. However, under extremely dissipative conditions, the significant low‐frequency energy dissipation associated with large frequency spreads overturns the strong energy growth in the shoaling zone eventually yielding an infragravity swash decrease for increasing frequency spread.
A 14‐Year Climatology of Saharan Dust Emission Mechanisms Inferred From Automatically Tracked Plumes
Authors: Caton Harrison Thomas , Washington Richard , Engelstaedter Sebastian
Published: August 2019

The central and western Sahara is the largest source of mineral aerosols during boreal summer, but observed ground‐based data are extremely scarce and typically distant from key source regions. Knowledge of dust emission mechanisms has therefore been mostly limited to short‐term observations from a point or model approximations. To address this deficiency, dust plumes from the central and western Sahara are classified according to emission mechanism for June, July, and August of 2004–2017 using an automated inference method, which accurately tracks the timing, convective association, and geometry of plumes observed with the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager aboard Meteosat Second Generation satellites. From these characteristics, plumes are classified as either low‐level jet or cold pool outflow events. The extensive data set is used to generate the largest available climatology of dust emission sources and Saharan emission mechanisms. Automated inference compares well with ground‐based measurements from the Fennec Campaign (76% accuracy) as well as with an entirely manual approach (88% accuracy). Cold pool activity accounts for 82% of total observed dust and 88% at the point of emission. Dust from cold pools evolves seasonally from hot spots around the Mali‐Niger‐Algeria border triple point toward the central Sahara to the northwest, while dust from low‐level jets is organized along the axis of the northeasterly Harmattan, and dominates emission within the Tidihelt Depression of central Algeria. The widespread importance of cold pool outflows in this research supports the findings of the Fennec Campaign, but low‐level jets remain highly significant in certain isolated hot spots.
Melting Layer Attenuation at Ka‐ and W‐Bands as Derived From Multifrequency Radar Doppler Spectra Observations
Authors: Li Haoran , Moisseev Dmitri
Published: August 2019

The melting layer of precipitation has a major impact on remote sensing and telecommunications. However, there is a shortage of observational studies to validate and constrain the melting layer models especially for high‐frequency radar bands. In this paper, we report how multifrequency radar Doppler spectra can be used to retrieve the melting layer attenuation at Ka‐ and W‐bands. The presented analysis is based on identifying Rayleigh scattering regions in radar Doppler spectra measurements where dual‐wavelength spectral ratios can be related to differential attenuation. We show that the estimated attenuation at Ka‐ and W‐bands agrees reasonably well with previously reported studies, but there are indications of differences at higher rain rates. We advocate that this technique can be applied to long‐term observations to advance our knowledge of the melting process. The parameterizations of melting layer attenuation as a function of rain rate and radar reflectivity are also presented.
Modeling the Impacts of Urbanization and Open Water Surface on Heavy Convective Rainfall: A Case Study over the Emerging Xiong'an City, China
Authors: Xing Yue , Ni Guangheng , Yang Long , Yang Yan , Xing Pei , Sun Ting
Published: August 2019

In this study, we examine the impacts of urbanization and open water surface on heavy convective rainfall based on numerical modeling experiments using the Weather Research and Forecasting model. We focus on a severe storm event over the emerging Xiong'an City in northern China. The storm event consists of two episodes and features intense moisture transport and strong large‐scale forcing. A set of Weather Research and Forecasting simulations were implemented to examine the sensitivity of spatiotemporal rainfall variability in and around the urban area to different land use scenarios. Modeling results highlight contrasting roles of open water and urban surface in dictating space‐time organizations of convective rainfall under strong large‐scale forcing. Dynamic perturbation to atmospheric forcing dominates the impacts of open water and urban surface on spatial rainfall distribution during the second storm episode, while urban surface promotes early initiation of convection during the first storm episode through enhanced buoyant energy. Open water surface contributes to convective inhibition through evaporative cooling but can enhance moist convection when the impact of urban surface is also considered. The synergistic effect of open water and urban surface leads to rainfall enhancement both over and in the downwind urban area. Changes in rainfall accumulation with different spatial extents of urban coverage highlight strong dependence of urban‐induced rainfall anomalies on urbanization stages. Our results provide improved understandings on hydrometeorological impacts due to emerging cities in complex physiographic settings and emphasize the importance of atmospheric forcing in urban rainfall modification studies.