bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accuracy and spread of nest search behaviour in the Saharan silver ant, Cataglyphis bombycina, and in the salt pan species, Cataglyphis fortis
Authors: Pfeffer Sarah , Wahl Verena , Wolf Harald
Published: March 2020

Desert ants of the genus Cataglyphis are renowned for their navigation abilities, especially for their beeline homing after meandering foraging excursions reaching several hundreds of meters in length. A spiralling nest search is performed when an ant misses the nest entrance upon completing its homebound travel. We examined the nest search behaviours of two desert ant species dwelling in different habitats—Cataglyphis bombycina living in the dunes of the Sahara and Cataglyphis fortis found in the salt pans of North Africa. The two species show distinct differences in walking behaviour. C. bombycina performs a strict tripod gait with pronounced aerial phases, high stride frequencies, and extremely brief ground contact times. In view of these peculiarities and the yielding sand dune substrate, we hypothesised that homing accuracy, and namely distance measurement by stride integration, should be lower in C. bombycina, compared to the well-studied C. fortis with less specialised walking behaviour. We tested this hypothesis in ants’ homebound runs from a feeding site in a linear channel setup. Surprisingly, the accuracies of nest searches were similar in the two ant species, and search accuracy was also independent of the walking substrate, soft dune sand or a hard floor. The spread of the nest search, by contrast, differed significantly between the two species, C. bombycina exhibiting a larger search spread. This may be interpreted as an increased path integration uncertainty due to the above locomotor specialisations, or as a compensation strategy accounting for the silver ants’ particular environmental and behavioural situation.
Do inheritance rules affect voter turnout? Evidence from an Alpine region
Authors: Bonoldi Andrea , Dalle Nogare Chiara , Mosler Martin , Potrafke Niklas
Published: March 2020

We examine the relationship between inheritance rules and voter turnout. Inheritance rules are measured by entailed farms in South Tyrol: land properties whose inheritance is regulated by a law similar to the right of primogeniture. Using data for municipalities between 1998 and 2010, we show that voter turnout is high in municipalities with many entailed farms relative to population. The effect is based on local elections. If the number of entailed farms per 100 inhabitants increases by one standard deviation, voting turnout in municipal and provincial elections increases by around 1.27 and 1.43 percentage points (around 25 and 35% of a standard deviation). Our results suggest that entailed farm owners themselves are more likely to vote, and that entailed farms owners encourage other citizens of their municipality to participate in local elections.
Polarization of Vacuum Fluctuations: Source of the Vacuum Permittivity and Speed of Light
Authors: Mainland G. B. , Mulligan Bernard
Published: March 2020

There are two types of fluctuations in the quantum vacuum: type 1 vacuum fluctuations are on shell and can interact with matter in specific, limited ways that have observable consequences; type 2 vacuum fluctuations are off shell and cannot interact with matter. A photon will polarize a type 1, bound, charged lepton–antilepton vacuum fluctuation in much the same manner that it would polarize a dielectric, suggesting the method used here for calculating the permittivity $$\epsilon _{0}$$ϵ0 of the vacuum. In a model that retains only leading terms, $$\epsilon _{0} \cong (6\mu _{0}/\pi )(8e^{2}/\hbar )^{2}= 9.10\times 10^{-12}$$ϵ0≅(6μ0/π)(8e2/ħ)2=9.10×10-12 C/(Vm). The calculated value for $$\epsilon _{0}$$ϵ0 is 2.7% more than the accepted value. The permittivity of the vacuum, in turn, determines the speed c of light in the vacuum. Since the vacuum is at rest with respect to every inertial frame of reference, c is the same in every inertial reference frame.
The Use of Ripple Effect Mapping to Understand Successes of the SC Pregnancy Assistance Fund: A Participatory Evaluation Approach
Authors: Workman Lauren M. , Browder Jennifer S.
Published: March 2020

Objectives

The South Carolina Pregnancy Assistance Fund (SCPAF) funded four counties to increase the amount, quality, and awareness of services for young parents; increase educational attainment among expectant and parenting youth; reduce the number of repeat teen pregnancies among youth; and improve parenting skills. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to describe our application of the Ripple Effect Mapping (REM) technique as an innovative evaluation strategy to gather perspectives from SCPAF stakeholders and (2) to share key findings generated by participants in REM sessions on the perceived success of local SCPAF community collaboratives.

Methods

REM, an innovative evaluation strategy, was used to gather perspectives from SCPAF stakeholders. Five REM sessions were conducted with 52 participants. REM sessions included partner interviews and collective development of visual maps to illustrate stakeholder perspectives of program successes. Visual maps, as well as transcripts of discussions, were analyzed using an inductive approach.

Results

Stakeholders reported that the connections to resources, supports, and services provided through SCPAF had the potential to alter the life trajectories of expectant and parenting teens (EPT). Stakeholders also described that SCPAF fostered growth in collaboration among partners and reduced duplication of services in funded communities

Conclusions for Practice

This paper describes how an innovative evaluation strategy was used to provide a space for stakeholders to dialogue, synthesize their experiences, and construct a collective narrative of key program successes. This paper also illustrates how such approaches can be applied to complex community initiatives.
The Fear of COVID-19 Scale: Development and Initial Validation
Authors: Ahorsu Daniel Kwasi , Lin Chung-Ying , Imani Vida , Saffari Mohsen , Griffiths Mark D. , Pakpour Amir H.
Published: March 2020

Background

The emergence of the COVID-19 and its consequences has led to fears, worries, and anxiety among individuals worldwide. The present study developed the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) to complement the clinical efforts in preventing the spread and treating of COVID-19 cases.

Methods

The sample comprised 717 Iranian participants. The items of the FCV-19S were constructed based on extensive review of existing scales on fears, expert evaluations, and participant interviews. Several psychometric tests were conducted to ascertain its reliability and validity properties.

Results

After panel review and corrected item-total correlation testing, seven items with acceptable corrected item-total correlation (0.47 to 0.56) were retained and further confirmed by significant and strong factor loadings (0.66 to 0.74). Also, other properties evaluated using both classical test theory and Rasch model were satisfactory on the seven-item scale. More specifically, reliability values such as internal consistency (α = .82) and test–retest reliability (ICC = .72) were acceptable. Concurrent validity was supported by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (with depression, r = 0.425 and anxiety, r = 0.511) and the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Scale (with perceived infectability, r = 0.483 and germ aversion, r = 0.459).

Conclusion

The Fear of COVID-19 Scale, a seven-item scale, has robust psychometric properties. It is reliable and valid in assessing fear of COVID-19 among the general population and will also be useful in allaying COVID-19 fears among individuals.
Effect of modified carrier fluoride on the performance of Ni–Mo/Al2O3 catalyst for thioetherification
Authors: Han Zhao , Ma Zhuang , Wang Cheng-Bo , He Chun-Yu , Ke Ming , Jiang Qing-Zhe , Song Zhao-Zheng
Published: March 2020

An alumina support was modified by fluorine via impregnation to investigate the effect of fluoride content on the reactivity of Ni–Mo/Al2O3 catalyst. The catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption–desorption (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) isotherms, temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Sulfur etherification performance of the catalyst was studied using a fixed-bed reactor. The results show that increasing fluoride content increases the pore volume and pore size but reduces the specific surface area. In addition, the degree of sulfidation of Ni first increases and then decreases. The amounts of strong acid and total acid also increase with increasing fluoride content. Performance evaluation of the catalyst reveals that the fluoride content has a minor effect on the thioetherification performance of the catalyst; however, an optimum fluoride content, which was determined to be 0.2%, can ensure lower olefin saturation and an efficient diene selective hydrogenation.
Recent Progress in Treg Biology and Transplant Therapeutics
Authors: El-Ayachi Ikbale , Washburn William K. , Schenk Austin D.
Published: March 2020

Purpose of Review

Regulatory T cell (Treg) biology continues to evolve at a rapid pace. The role of Tregsin solid organ transplantation offers a unique window into Tregontogeny and function as well as limitless possibilities for clinical application. Here we review recent significant discoveries and key translational work.

Recent Findings

Advances in transplantation deepen understanding of Tregdifferentiation, expansion, transcription, co-stimulation, and signaling. T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing and single-cell analytics allow unprecedented insight into Tregrepertoire diversity and phenotypic heterogeneity. Efforts to replace conventional immunosuppression with Tregadoptive immunotherapy are underway and coalescing around strategies to increase efficiency through development of donor-reactive Tregs.

Adoptive immunotherapy with Tregsis a leading tolerogenic strategy. Early clinical trials suggest that Treginfusion is safe and reports on efficacy will soon follow.
Tannic Acid: Specific Form of Tannins in Cancer Chemoprevention and Therapy-Old and New Applications
Authors: Baer-Dubowska Wanda , Szaefer Hanna , Majchrzak-Celińska Aleksandra , Krajka-Kuźniak Violetta
Published: March 2020

Purpose of Review

This short review is aimed at providing an updated and comprehensive report on tannic acid biological activities and molecular mechanisms of action most important for cancer prevention and adjuvant therapy.

Recent Findings

Tannic acid (TA), a mixture of digallic acid esters of glucose, is a common ingredient of many foods. The early studies of its anti-mutagenic and anti-tumorigenic activity were mostly demonstrated in the mouse skin model. This activity has been explained by its ability to inhibit carcinogens activation, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Recently, the cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, reduced rate of proliferation, and cell migration and adhesion of several cancer cell lines as a result of TA treatment were described. The underlining mechanisms include modulation of signaling pathways such as EGFR/Jak2/STATs, or inhibition of PKM2 glycolytic enzyme. Moreover, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition prevention and decrease of cancer stem cells formation by TA were also reported. Besides, TA was found to be potent chemosensitizer overcoming multidrug resistance. Eventually, its specific physicochemical features were found useful for generation of drug-loaded nanoparticles.

TA was shown to be a very versatile molecule with possible application not only in cancer prophylaxis, as was initially thought, but also in adjuvant cancer therapy. The latter may refer to chemosensitization and its application as a part of drug delivery systems. More studies are required to better explore this subject. In addition, the effect of TA on normal cells and its bioavailability have to better characterized.
Von der Umkehr des Matthäus-Effekts – Stundenintensive Weiterbildung bei geringen numeralen Kompetenzen
Authors: Krejcik Luise , Grotlüschen Anke
Published: March 2020

Das Matthäus-Prinzip wurde für die Weiterbildungsbeteiligung nachgewiesen, nicht aber für das Weiterbildungsvolumen im Kontext von Numeralität. Aufgrund der Verwobenheit mit sozialen Kontexten ist Numeralität unabhängig vom Bildungsabschluss ein relevanter Prädikator für das Weiterbildungsverhalten. Mittels eines internationalen Vergleichs, basierend auf PIAAC-Daten, verweist der Beitrag auf eine Umkehr des Matthäus-Effekts für Weiterbildungsvolumina. Im OECD-Durchschnitt und in der Mehrzahl der nordischen Länder nehmen weiterbildungsaktive Erwachsene mit geringer Numeralität mehr Weiterbildungsstunden wahr als jene mit hohen numeralen Kompetenzen. Die Ergebnisse deuten auf die Relevanz wohlfahrtsstaatlicher Kontexte für die (Um)Verteilung von Weiterbildungszeit.
Zurückgewonnene Selbstständigkeit bei hoher und kompletter Querschnittslähmung der Frau
Authors: Gulacsi A. , Kiss G. , Stühmeier J. , Pedrini M. , Horninger W. , Rehder P.
Published: March 2020

Statistisch gesehen sind weltweit mehr als 7 Mio. Menschen von einer Rückenmarkverletzung, darunter 2,7 Mio. von einer manifesten Querschnittslähmung, betroffen. In Österreich sind etwa 50.000 Patienten ausschließlich durch die Hilfe eines Rollstuhls mobil, davon sind etwa 4000 von einer Querschnittslähmung betroffen. Die Betreuung dieser Patienten stellt in der Praxis oft eine besondere Herausforderung dar. Große Bedeutung wird der Nachsorge beigemessen, die aufgrund spezieller Begleitumstände und der Komplikationsgefahren immanent wichtig ist. Aus urologischer Sicht ist eine neurourologische Betreuung unerlässlich. Dabei verändern sich die Therapieoptionen nach dem Maß des Verletzungsniveaus und sind zugleich geschlechterspezifisch. In diesem Artikel wird über die urologischen Aspekte der Versorgung von Frauen diskutiert, die von einer hohen Querschnittslähmung (Tetraplegie) betroffen sind.
A Partial Review of Seven Official Guidelines for Cost-Benefit Analysis
Authors: Abelson Peter
Published: March 2020

This paper reviews seven contemporary official guidelines to cost-benefit analysis (CBA) with respect to eight major cost-benefit issues drawing on the latest edition of the major CBA textbook for guidance, although not complete authority. The guidelines are those by UK Treasury, European Commission, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, New Zealand Treasury, Infrastructure Australia, NSW State Treasury, and Victorian State Department of Treasury and Finance. The eight major issues discussed are the issue of standing, core valuation principles, the scope of CBA with reference to potential additional economic benefits, changes in real values over time, the marginal excess tax burden, the social discount rate, use of benefit-cost ratios, and treatment of risk. While all the guidelines are quality guides to CBA, the paper finds that there is room for improved discussion and practice at various points in each of these guidelines.
Trust in Humanitarian Aid From the Earthquake in 2017 to COVID-19 in Iran: A Policy Analysis
Authors: Seddighi Hamed
Published: March 2020

The earthquake of November 2017, the great flood of April 2019, and the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 are 3 major emergencies in Iran during the last 3 years. A common issue in all of these crises seems to be the issue of “trust.” Official authorities, including the Iranian President, ministers, and the judiciary system, tried to gain people’s trust by either changing policies or developing new ones. In August 2019, the new law on crisis management in Iran went into effect and the issue of public donation has been considered, too. Also, in their response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Iranian officials ordered all sectors to cooperate with the Ministry of Health and provide it with all necessary facilities. Therefore, it seems that new policies are still needed to overcome mistrust in Iran at times of emergency. Developing a policy on donation management was the first step, and there are several factors that could have contributed to the perception of the mistrust and failure in emergency missions. Mistrust can be the result of different causes, including but not limited to lack of knowledge on capabilities and efficiencies of humanitarian organizations, engagement of a wide range of organizations from different categories, extension of mistrust of an organization to other emergency organizations in the area or all of operation, lack of unity in emergency response, and poor public relations.
Person-to-Person Transmission of Avian Influenza A (H7N9) Among Family Members in Eastern China, 2016
Authors: Shi Chao , Shi Ping , Yang Xu , Bao Jing , Qian Yanhua , Shen Yuan
Published: March 2020

Objective:

Human infections with avian influenza A (H7N9) virus are associated with exposure to poultry and live poultry markets, but the evidence of person-to-person transmission remains limited. This study reports a suspected person-to-person transmission of H7N9 virus, and explores what factors influenced this transmission.

Methods:

We interviewed 2 patients with H7N9 infection and their family members as well as health-care workers. Samples from the patients and environments were tested by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

Results:

The index patient became ill 5 to 6 days after his last exposure to the poultry bought in the market of Weimiao town. The second patient, the sister of the index patient, who had sustained intensive and unprotected close contact with the index patient, had no exposure to poultry. This study documents that the H7N9 virus was transmitted directly from the index patient to his sister.

Conclusions:

Our findings suggest that person-to-person transmission may be associated with sustained close contact with the patient during his onset of early stage, when the H7N9 viral shedding increases sharply.
Developing minimal-input techniques for invasive plant management: perimeter treatments enlarge native grass patches
Authors: Abella Scott R. , Chiquoine Lindsay P. , Moss Jeremy M. , Lassance Eric D. , Schelz Charles D.
Published: March 2020

There is a continual need for invasive plant science to develop approaches for cost-effectively benefiting native over nonnative species in dynamic management and biophysical contexts, including within predominantly nonnative plant landscapes containing only small patches of native plants. Our objective was to test the effectiveness of a minimal-input strategy for enlarging native species patches within a nonnative plant matrix. In Pecos National Historical Park, New Mexico, USA, we identified 40 native perennial grass patches within a matrix of the nonnative annual forb kochia [Bassia scoparia(L.) A.J. Scott]. We mechanically cutB. scopariain a 2-m-wide ring surrounding the perimeters of half the native grass patches (with the other half as uncut controls) and measured change in native grass patch size (relative to pretreatment) for 3 yr. Native grass patches around whichB. scopariawas cut grew quickly the first posttreatment year and by the third year had increased in size four times more than control patches. Treated native grass patches expanded by an average of 25 m2, from 4 m2in October 2015 before treatment to 29 m2in October 2018. The experiment occurred during a dry period, conditions that should favorB. scopariaand contraction of the native grasses, suggesting that the observed increase in native grasses occurred despite suboptimal climatic conditions. Strategically treating around native patches to enlarge them over time showed promise as a minimal-input technique for increasing the proportion of the landscape dominated by native plants.
Effects of pore scale on the macroscopic properties of natural convection in porous media
Authors: Gasow Stefan , Lin Zhe , Zhang Hao Chun , Kuznetsov Andrey V. , Avila Marc , Jin Yan
Published: March 2020

Natural convection in porous media is a fundamental process for the long-term storage of CO2 in deep saline aquifers. Typically, details of mass transfer in porous media are inferred from the numerical solution of the volume-averaged Darcy–Oberbeck–Boussinesq (DOB) equations, even though these equations do not account for the microscopic properties of a porous medium. According to the DOB equations, natural convection in a porous medium is uniquely determined by the Rayleigh number. However, in contrast with experiments, DOB simulations yield a linear scaling of the Sherwood number with the Rayleigh number (

$Ra$

) for high values of

$Ra$

(

$Ra\gg 1300$

). Here, we perform direct numerical simulations (DNS), fully resolving the flow field within the pores. We show that the boundary layer thickness is determined by the pore size instead of the Rayleigh number, as previously assumed. The mega- and proto-plume sizes increase with the pore size. Our DNS results exhibit a nonlinear scaling of the Sherwood number at high porosity, and for the same Rayleigh number, higher Sherwood numbers are predicted by DNS at lower porosities. It can be concluded that the scaling of the Sherwood number depends on the porosity and the pore-scale parameters, which is consistent with experimental studies.
Resting-state functional brain connectivity in a predominantly African-American sample of older adults: exploring links among personality traits, cognitive performance, and the default mode network
Authors: Crane Nicole T. , Hayes Jessica M. , Viviano Raymond P. , Bogg Tim , Damoiseaux Jessica S.
Published: March 2020

The personality traits of neuroticism, openness, and conscientiousness are relevant factors for cognitive aging outcomes. The present study examined how these traits were associated with cognitive abilities and corresponding resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) of the default mode network (DMN) in an older and predominantly minority sample. A sample of 58 cognitively unimpaired, largely African-American, older adults (M age = 68.28 ± 8.33) completed a standard RSFC magnetic resonance imaging sequence, a Big Five measure of personality, and delayed memory, Stroop, and verbal fluency tasks. Personality trait associations of within-network connectivity of the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), a hub of the DMN, were examined using a seed-based approach. Trait scores were regressed on cognitive performance (delayed memory for neuroticism, Stroop for conscientiousness, and verbal fluency for openness). Greater openness predicted greater verbal fluency and greater RSFC between the PCC and eight clusters, including the medial prefrontal cortex, left middle frontal gyrus, and precuneus. Greater PCC–precuneus connectivity predicted greater verbal fluency. Neuroticism and conscientiousness did not significantly predict either cognitive performance or RSFC. Although requiring replication and elaboration, the results implicate openness as a contributing factor to cognitive aging via concomitant cognitive performance and connectivity within cortical hubs of the DMN and add to the sparse literature on these variables in a diverse group of older adults.
ON INTEGRAL POINTS ON ISOTRIVIAL ELLIPTIC CURVES OVER FUNCTION FIELDS
Authors: CONCEIÇÃO RICARDO
Published: March 2020

Let $k$ be a finite field and $L$ be the function field of a curve $C/k$ of genus $g\geq 1$. In the first part of this note we show that the number of separable $S$-integral points on a constant elliptic curve $E/L$ is bounded solely in terms of $g$ and the size of $S$. In the second part we assume that $L$ is the function field of a hyperelliptic curve $C_{A}:s^{2}=A(t)$, where $A(t)$ is a square-free $k$-polynomial of odd degree. If $\infty$ is the place of $L$ associated to the point at infinity of $C_{A}$, then we prove that the set of separable $\{\infty \}$-points can be bounded solely in terms of $g$ and does not depend on the Mordell–Weil group $E(L)$. This is done by bounding the number of separable integral points over $k(t)$ on elliptic curves of the form $E_{A}:A(t)y^{2}=f(x)$, where $f(x)$ is a polynomial over $k$. Additionally, we show that, under an extra condition on $A(t)$, the existence of a separable integral point of ‘small’ height on the elliptic curve $E_{A}/k(t)$ determines the isomorphism class of the elliptic curve $y^{2}=f(x)$.
Nationally representative surveys show gradual shifting of overweight and obesity towards poor and less-educated women of reproductive age in Nepal
Authors: Sutradhar Ipsita , Akter Tahmina , Hasan Mehedi , Das Gupta Rajat , Joshi Hemraj , Haider Mohammad Rifat , Sarker Malabika
Published: March 2020

Overweight and obesity are considered major public health concerns all over the world. They have the potential to increase the risk of developing non-communicable diseases in reproductive age women, increasing their risk of pregnancy related complications and adverse birth outcome. This study was carried out to identify the trend of prevalence of overweight and obesity, along with their determinants, among reproductive age women (15–49 years) in Nepal. Data were taken from the nationally representative 2006, 2011 and 2016 Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHSs). Women were considered to be overweight or obese when their BMI was 23.0–27.5 kg/m2 or ≥27.5 kg/m2, respectively. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed, with significance taken at p<0.05. The prevalences of overweight and obesity both showed rising trends in women of reproductive age in Nepal from 2006 to 2016, particularly among those with no education, only primary education and poor women. The presence of overweight and obesity was found to be significantly associated with the sample women’s age, educational status, wealth index, place of residence, ecological zone, developmental region, number of household members, marital status and ethnicity. In 2016 one in every three women of reproductive age in Nepal was either overweight or obese. As overweight and obesity have detrimental effects on women’s health, the Government of Nepal, in collaboration with other government and non-government organizations, should take action to halt the rising trends in overweight and obesity in the country.
Europeanising Migration in Multicultural Spain and Portugal During and After the Decolonisation Era
Authors: Buettner Elizabeth
Published: March 2020

Post-1945 Spanish and Portuguese emigration and immigration histories encapsulate the Iberian region's long-standing interconnectedness with the wider world (particularly Latin America and Africa) and other parts of Europe alike. Portugal and Spain have both been part of multiple migration systems as important sending countries that ultimately experienced an international migration turnaround owing to their transition to democracy, decolonisation, and accession to a European Union in which internal freedom of movement counted among its core principles. With the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and Europe's migration crisis of the 2010s serving as its vantage point, this article considers these topics as they intersect with issues that include nationality and citizenship, race and racism, and religion and Islamophobia in multicultural Spain and Portugal.
ROBUSTIFIED EXPECTED MAXIMUM PRODUCTION FRONTIERS
Authors: Daouia Abdelaati , Florens Jean-Pierre , Simar Léopold
Published: March 2020

The aim of this paper is to construct a robust nonparametric estimator for the production frontier. We study this problem under a regression model with one-sided errors, where the regression function defines the achievable maximum output, for a given level of inputs-usage, and the regression error defines the inefficiency term. The main tool is a concept of partial regression boundary defined as a special probability-weighted moment. This concept motivates a robustified unconditional alternative to the pioneering class of nonparametric conditional expected maximum production functions. We prove that both the resulting benchmark partial frontier and its estimator share the desirable monotonicity of the true full frontier. We derive the asymptotic properties of the partial and full frontier estimators, and unravel their behavior from a robustness theory point of view. We provide numerical illustrations and Monte Carlo evidence that the presented concept of unconditional expected maximum production functions is more efficient and reliable in filtering out noise than the original conditional version. The methodology is very easy and fast to implement. Its usefulness is discussed through two concrete datasets from the sector of Delivery Services, where outliers are likely to affect the traditional conditional approach.
(æ)fter the storm: An Examination of the short-a system in Greater New Orleans
Authors: Carmichael Katie
Published: March 2020

This study examines the short-a system in Greater New Orleans (GNO) following the demographic changes and large-scale displacement that occurred after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. I provide a linguistic description of the short-a systems of 57 residents of the GNO suburb of Chalmette, half of whom relocated after the storm, and half of whom returned to their pre-Katrina homes. While many speakers demonstrate robust split systems, analysis demonstrates a shift over time toward the nasal system common throughout much of the US. Whether participants returned or relocated was not a significant predictor of short-a system; however, speakers most oriented to places outside of Chalmette may have led the change in progress, pointing to the importance of considering place orientation in contexts of speaker mobility. This study establishes that adoption of the nasal system is well underway in GNO, generating further questions about what New Orleans English will sound like as post-Katrina changes continue to develop.
Health-related quality of life for children and adolescents in school age with hypoplastic left heart syndrome: a single-centre study
Authors: Oberhuber Raphael D. , Huemer Sonja , Mair Rudolf , Sames-Dolzer Eva , Kreuzer Michaela , Tulzer Gerald
Published: March 2020

Data from neurological and radiological research show an abnormal neurological development in patients treated for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Thus, the aim of this study was to survey the quality of life scores in comparison with healthy children and children with other heart diseases (mild, moderate, and severe heart defects, heart defects in total). Children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (aged 6.3–16.9 years) under compulsory education requirements, who were treated at the Children’s Heart Center Linz between 1997 and 2009 (n = 74), were surveyed. Totally, 41 children and 44 parents were examined prospectively by psychologists according to Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, a health-related quality of life measurement. The results of the self-assessments of health-related quality of life on a scale of 1–100 showed a wide range, from a minimum of 5.00 (social functioning) to a maximum of 100 (physical health-related summary scores, emotional functioning, school functioning), with a total score of 98.44. The parents’ assessments (proxy) were quite similar, showing a range from 10 (social functioning) up to 100. Adolescent hypoplastic left heart syndrome patients rated themselves on the same level as healthy youths and youths with different heart diseases. The results show that patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome aged 6–16 years can be successfully supported and assisted in their psychosocial development even if they show low varying physical and psychosocial parameters. The finding that adolescent hypoplastic left heart syndrome patients estimated themselves similar to healthy individuals suggests that they learnt to cope with a severe heart defect.
Photochemical Production and Biological Consumption of CO in the SML of Temperate Coastal Waters and Their Implications for Air‐Sea CO Exchange
Authors: Sugai Youta , Tsuchiya Kenji , Shimode Shinji , Toda Tatsuki
Published: March 2020

The sea surface microlayer (SML), less than 1,000‐μm uppermost layer of the ocean water column, is located at the air‐sea interface and plays critical roles in global biogeochemical cycles and climate change through air‐sea gas exchange. To clarify the significance of the dynamics of carbon monoxide (CO) in the SML, where active photochemical and biological processes are expected, in air‐sea CO exchange, the production and consumption of CO in the SML and its sea‐air emission were investigated in temperate coastal waters. In the SML, the light‐normalized photochemical CO production rate was relatively high from spring to autumn (median: 2.57 nM [kWh m−2]−1) when relatively high absorbance of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (0.55 m−1) was observed. Biological CO consumption rate constant in the SML showed relatively high values from spring to autumn (mean ± standard deviation: 0.060 ± 0.010 h−1) during the period of relatively high water temperature (22.3 ± 2.7 °C). The calculated sea‐air CO flux (F) varied similarly to CO concentration in the subsurface water. Comparison among the production, consumption, and sea‐air emission of CO in the SML suggests that biological consumption in the SML can be ignored in air‐sea CO exchange throughout the year whereas photochemical production in the SML enhances F during summer under intense light, active biological production, and weak wind conditions. Further, seawater warming experiments found the tendency of the stimulation of biological CO consumption by water temperature increase from spring to autumn, which suggests negative but insignificant feedback on global warming.
Foraminiferal Patterns in Deglacial Sediment in the Western Ross Sea, Antarctica: Life Near Grounding Lines
Authors: Majewski Wojciech , Prothro Lindsay O. , Simkins Lauren M. , Demianiuk Ewa J. , Anderson John B.
Published: March 2020

Improved multibeam swath bathymetry allows targeted coring of glacial landforms aiming at improving our understanding of sedimentary facies that developed in glacimarine settings during the post‐Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) deglaciation. Coupled with radiocarbon dates, we explore foraminiferal records from 18 sediment cores from the western Ross Sea largely from sites near paleo–grounding lines. We investigate post‐LGM foraminiferal assemblages from glacimarine environments, including those proximal and more distal to paleo–grounding lines, including environments influenced by subglacial meltwater outflow and further removed from direct glacial influence and subject to different oceanographic conditions. Agglutinated benthic foraminiferal assemblages dominate open marine facies deposited under the presence of High Salinity Shelf Water and significant primary production, while calcareous foraminiferal assemblages characterize grounding line‐proximal settings, some of which were potentially influenced by Modified Circumpolar Deep Water. Rapid deposition of meltwater plume deposits inhibited and, in some cases, significantly altered foraminifera abundance and diversity. Broadly in the Ross Sea, it appears that the high bathymetric gradient of grounding zone wedges is a key factor promoting rich benthic foraminiferal communities in habitats proximal to grounding lines. Therefore, we demonstrate that paleo–grounding line settings may archive high quality in situ foraminiferal data, which is imperative for paleoenvironmental and geochemical studies on glaciated continental margins worldwide.
Water Table Depth and Bedrock Permeability Control Magnitude and Timing of Transpiration‐Induced Diel Fluctuations in Groundwater
Authors: Harmon Ryan , Barnard Holly R. , Singha Kamini
Published: March 2020

The subsurface processes that mediate the connection between evapotranspiration and groundwater within forested hillslopes are poorly defined. Here, we investigate the origin of diel signals in unsaturated soil water, groundwater, and stream stage on three forested hillslopes in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in western Oregon, USA, during the summer of 2017, and assess how the diurnal signal in evapotranspiration (ET) is transferred through the hillslope and into these stores. There was no evidence of diel fluctuations in upslope groundwater wells, suggesting that tree water uptake in upslope areas does not directly contribute to the diel signal observed in near‐stream groundwater and streamflow. The water table in upslope areas resided within largely consolidated bedrock, which was overlain by highly fractured unsaturated bedrock. These subsurface characteristics inhibited formation of diel signals in groundwater and impeded the transfer of diel signals in soil moisture to groundwater because (1) the bedrock where the water table resides limited root penetration and (2) the low unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of the highly fractured rock weakened the hydraulic connection between groundwater and soil/rock moisture. Transpiration‐driven diel fluctuations in groundwater were limited to near‐stream areas but were not ubiquitous in space and time. The depth to the groundwater table and the geologic structure at that depth likely dictated rooting depth and thus controlled where and when the transpiration‐driven diel fluctuations were apparent in riparian groundwater. This study outlines the role of hillslope hydrogeology and its influence on the translation of evapotranspiration and soil moisture fluctuations to groundwater and stream fluctuations.
In Situ Estimates of Freezing/Melting Point Depression in Agricultural Soils Using Permittivity and Temperature Measurements
Authors: Pardo Lara R. , Berg A. A. , Warland J. , Tetlock Erica
Published: March 2020

We present a method to characterize soil moisture freeze‐thaw events and freezing/melting point depression using permittivity and temperature measurements, readily available from in situ sources. In cold regions soil freeze‐thaw processes play a critical role in the surface energy and water balance, with implications ranging from agricultural yields to natural disasters. Although monitoring of the soil moisture phase state is of critical importance, there is an inability to interpret soil moisture instrumentation in frozen conditions. To address this gap, we investigated the freeze‐thaw response of a widely used soil moisture probe, the HydraProbe, in the laboratory. Soil freezing curves (SFCs) and soil thawing curves (STCs) were identified using the relationship between soil permittivity and temperature. The permittivity SFC/STC was fit using a logistic growth model to estimate the freezing/melting point depression (Tf/m) and its spread (s). Laboratory results showed that the fitting routine requires permittivity changes greater than 3.8 to provide robust estimates and suggested that a temperature bias is inherent in horizontally placed HydraProbes. We tested the method using field measurements collected over the last 7 years from the Environment and Climate Change Canada and the University of Guelph's Kenaston Soil Moisture Network in Saskatchewan, Canada. By dividing the time series into freeze‐thaw events and then into individual transitions, the permittivity SFC/STC was identified. The freezing and melting point depression for the network was estimated as Tf/m = − 0.35 ± 0.2,with Tf = − 0.41 ± 0.22 °C and Tm = − 0.29 ± 0.16 °C, respectively.
Healable, memorizable, and transformable lattice structures made of stiff polymers
Authors: Yu Kunhao , Du Haixu , Xin An , Lee Kyung Hoon , Feng Zhangzhengrong , Masri Sami F. , Chen Yong , Huang Guoliang , Wang Qiming
Published: March 2020

Emerging transformable lattice structures provide promising paradigms to reversibly switch lattice configurations, thereby enabling their properties to be tuned on demand. The existing transformation mechanisms are limited to nonfracture deformation, such as origami, instability, shape memory, and liquid crystallinity. In this study, we present a class of transformable lattice structures enabled by fracture and shape-memory-assisted healing. The lattice structures are additively manufactured with a molecularly designed photopolymer capable of both fracture healing and shape memory. We show that 3D-architected lattice structures with various volume fractions can heal fractures and fully restore stiffness and strength over two to ten healing cycles. In addition, coupled with the shape-memory effect, the lattice structures can recover fracture-associated distortion and then heal fracture interfaces, thereby enabling healing of lattice wing damages, mode-I fractures, dent-induced crashes, and foreign-object impacts. Moreover, by harnessing the coupling of fracture and shape-memory-assisted healing, we demonstrate reversible configuration transformations of lattice structures to enable switching among property states of different stiffnesses, vibration transmittances, and acoustic absorptions. These healable, memorizable, and transformable lattice structures may find broad applications in next-generation aircraft panels, automobile frames, body armor, impact mitigators, vibration dampers, and acoustic modulators.
Mapping the breast cancer metastatic cascade onto ctDNA using genetic and epigenetic clonal tracking
Authors: Cresswell George D. , Nichol Daniel , Spiteri Inmaculada , Tari Haider , Zapata Luis , Heide Timon , Maley Carlo C. , Magnani Luca , Schiavon Gaia , Ashworth Alan , Barry Peter , Sottoriva Andrea
Published: March 2020

Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) allows tracking of the evolution of human cancers at high resolution, overcoming many limitations of tissue biopsies. However, exploiting ctDNA to determine how a patient’s cancer is evolving in order to aid clinical decisions remains difficult. This is because ctDNA is a mix of fragmented alleles, and the contribution of different cancer deposits to ctDNA is largely unknown. Profiling ctDNA almost invariably requires prior knowledge of what genomic alterations to track. Here, we leverage on a rapid autopsy programme to demonstrate that unbiased genomic characterisation of several metastatic sites and concomitant ctDNA profiling at whole-genome resolution reveals the extent to which ctDNA is representative of widespread disease. We also present a methylation profiling method that allows tracking evolutionary changes in ctDNA at single-molecule resolution without prior knowledge. These results have critical implications for the use of liquid biopsies to monitor cancer evolution in humans and guide treatment.
Heat health risk assessment in Philippine cities using remotely sensed data and social-ecological indicators
Authors: Estoque Ronald C. , Ooba Makoto , Seposo Xerxes T. , Togawa Takuya , Hijioka Yasuaki , Takahashi Kiyoshi , Nakamura Shogo
Published: March 2020

More than half of the world’s population currently live in urban areas and are particularly at risk from the combined effects of the urban heat island phenomenon and heat increases due to climate change. Here, by using remotely sensed surface temperature data and social-ecological indicators, focusing on the hot dry season, and applying the risk framework of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we assessed the current heat health risk in 139 Philippine cities, which account for about 40% of the country’s total population. The cities at high or very high risk are found in Metro Manila, where levels of heat hazard and exposure are high. The most vulnerable cities are, however, found mainly outside the national capital region, where sensitivity is higher and capacity to cope and adapt is lower. Cities with high levels of heat vulnerability and exposure must be prioritized for adaptation. Our results will contribute to risk profiling in the Philippines and to the understanding of city-level heat health risks in developing regions of the Asia-Pacific.
Universal momentum-to-real-space mapping of topological singularities
Authors: Liu Xiuying , Xia Shiqi , Jajtić Ema , Song Daohong , Li Denghui , Tang Liqin , Leykam Daniel , Xu Jingjun , Buljan Hrvoje , Chen Zhigang
Published: March 2020

Topological properties of materials are typically presented in momentum space. Here, we demonstrate a universal mapping of topological singularities from momentum to real space. By exciting Dirac-like cones in photonic honeycomb (pseudospin-1/2) and Lieb (pseudospin-1) lattices with vortex beams of topological charge l, optimally aligned with a given pseudospin state s, we directly observe topological charge conversion that follows the rule l → l + 2s. Although the mapping is observed in photonic lattices where pseudospin-orbit interaction takes place, we generalize the theory to show it is the nontrivial Berry phase winding that accounts for the conversion which persists even in systems where angular momentum is not conserved, unveiling its topological origin. Our results have direct impact on other branches of physics and material sciences beyond the 2D photonic platform: equivalent mapping occurs for 3D topological singularities such as Dirac-Weyl synthetic monopoles, achievable in mechanical, acoustic, or ultracold atomic systems, and even with electron beams.
Cavity electromechanics with parametric mechanical driving
Authors: Bothner D. , Yanai S. , Iniguez-Rabago A. , Yuan M. , Blanter Ya. M. , Steele G. A.
Published: March 2020

Microwave optomechanical circuits have been demonstrated to be powerful tools for both exploring fundamental physics of macroscopic mechanical oscillators, as well as being promising candidates for on-chip quantum-limited microwave devices. In most experiments so far, the mechanical oscillator is either used as a passive element and its displacement is detected using the superconducting cavity, or manipulated by intracavity fields. Here, we explore the possibility to directly and parametrically manipulate the mechanical nanobeam resonator of a cavity electromechanical system, which provides additional functionality to the toolbox of microwave optomechanics. In addition to using the cavity as an interferometer to detect parametrically modulated mechanical displacement and squeezed thermomechanical motion, we demonstrate that this approach can realize a phase-sensitive parametric amplifier for intracavity microwave photons. Future perspectives of optomechanical systems with a parametrically driven mechanical oscillator include exotic bath engineering with negative effective photon temperatures, or systems with enhanced optomechanical nonlinearities.
Structural basis for the increased processivity of D-family DNA polymerases in complex with PCNA
Authors: Madru Clément , Henneke Ghislaine , Raia Pierre , Hugonneau-Beaufet Inès , Pehau-Arnaudet Gérard , England Patrick , Lindahl Erik , Delarue Marc , Carroni Marta , Sauguet Ludovic
Published: March 2020

Replicative DNA polymerases (DNAPs) have evolved the ability to copy the genome with high processivity and fidelity. In Eukarya and Archaea, the processivity of replicative DNAPs is greatly enhanced by its binding to the proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) that encircles the DNA. We determined the cryo-EM structure of the DNA-bound PolD–PCNA complex from Pyrococcus abyssi at 3.77 Å. Using an integrative structural biology approach — combining cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography, protein–protein interaction measurements, and activity assays — we describe the molecular basis for the interaction and cooperativity between a replicative DNAP and PCNA. PolD recruits PCNA via a complex mechanism, which requires two different PIP-boxes. We infer that the second PIP-box, which is shared with the eukaryotic Polα replicative DNAP, plays a dual role in binding either PCNA or primase, and could be a master switch between an initiation and a processive phase during replication.