bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios in rocks determined using inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry in O2 mode without prior Sr purification
Authors: Liu Xiaoming , Dong Shuofei , Yue Yahu , Guan Qiuyun , Sun Yali , Chen Shengsheng , Zhang Jiuyuan , Yang Yibo
Published: January 2020

Rationale

An inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS/MS) instrument can be developed to determine 87Sr/86Sr ratios with an external precision better than 0.05% relative standard deviation (RSD) in “mass shift” mode without prior Sr purification. Previous studies suggested using CH3F, N2O, and SF6 as reaction gases for this method because a better reaction rate can be achieved with Sr+ than with O2 in the reaction cell. However, these gases are not commonly used in general chemistry laboratories, and processes using these gases are difficult to implement quickly due to regulations. We aim to develop a rapid method that can be applied to many samples for the accurate determination of 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios with precision below 0.1% RSD (or approximately to the fourth decimal place).

Methods

We evaluated the accuracy and precision of 87Sr/86Sr ratios in certified reference materials and different rock types determined using ICP‐MS/MS with O2 as the reaction gas in comparison with those determined using the multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC‐ICP‐MS) method.

Results

This study showed that by using the ICP‐MS/MS method, the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of BCR‐2 and BHVO‐2 do not vary significantly with and without prior Sr purification; when the Sr concentration of the measured solution is within the range of 60–350 ng/mL, there is no significant effect on the measured 87Sr/86Sr ratios. The results also showed that the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 23 different rock types measured by ICP‐MS/MS and MC‐ICP‐MS methods agree very well.

Conclusions

The precision of the 87Sr/86Sr ratio measured using ICP‐MS/MS varies between 0.0001 and 0.0019 (2SD). This precision is less than that of the MC‐ICP‐MS method but is sufficient for certain applications, such as identifying 87Sr/86Sr ratios in different rock types. These results suggest that the developed ICP‐MS/MS method has the potential for future studies involving the identification of Sr sources.
Stabilization of switched nonlinear systems with dynamic output quantization and disturbances
Authors: Li Can , Lian Jie
Published: January 2020

This paper studies the problem of quantized output feedback stabilization for a disturbed discrete‐time switched system. With the quantized output measurement, an extended state current estimator is constructed to estimate the state and disturbance. In the presence of switches and disturbances, the design of quantization scheme becomes a big challenge to avoid the quantizer saturation and guarantee the control precision. In this setup, the well‐applied time‐triggered method to design the update policy of dynamic quantization parameter is hard to implement. We solve the above problem by proposing a novel event‐triggered update policy of quantization parameter, by which the quantizer update is adaptive to the switching signal and the bound of disturbance difference. Consequently, the quantizer saturation is avoided and, combined with the designed dwell‐time switching law, the system state can converge to the origin. The proposed method is illustrated by a numerical example.
Asymptotics in percolation on high‐girth expanders
Authors: Krivelevich Michael , Lubetzky Eyal , Sudakov Benny
Published: January 2020

We consider supercritical bond percolation on a family of high‐girth ‐regular expanders. The previous study of Alon, Benjamini and Stacey established that its critical probability for the appearance of a linear‐sized (“giant”) component is . Our main result recovers the sharp asymptotics of the size and degree distribution of the vertices in the giant and its 2‐core at any . It was further shown in the previous study that the second largest component, at any , has size at most for some . We show that, unlike the situation in the classical Erdős‐Rényi random graph, the second largest component in bond percolation on a regular expander, even with an arbitrarily large girth, can have size for arbitrarily close to 1. Moreover, as a by‐product of that construction, we answer negatively a question of Benjamini on the relation between the diameter of a component in percolation on expanders and the existence of a giant component. Finally, we establish other typical features of the giant component, for example, the existence of a linear path.
Development of a simple, molecular dynamics‐based method to estimate the thickness of electrical double layers
Authors: Gu Peike , Yang Sen , Liu Xiantang , Yang Gang
Published: January 2020

Electrical double layers (EDL) exist for all interfaces and determination of EDL thicknesses remains a difficult task. In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are employed aiming to develop a simple method for effective evaluation of EDL thicknesses. The EDL thicknesses at clay minerals/water interfaces are calculated by MD simulations and empirical Debye lengths, considering different electrolyte solutions (NaCl, KCl, CsCl, PbCl2 and CaCl2), electrolyte concentrations (0∼1.28 mol/L) and charge locations (tetrahedral and octahedral substitutions). Both methods predict the comparable EDL thicknesses at very low concentrations and more EDL compressions at higher concentrations, while MD simulations show the significant improvements in three aspects, as more rational declining trends with increase of concentrations (Critical for estimating EDL thicknesses especially in highly concentrated solutions), inclusion of ion‐specific effects (More EDL compression for divalent than univalent metal ions, and distinct EDL thicknesses for different alkali ions) and reflection of strong dependence on charge locations (EDL thicknesses differ for montmorillonite and beidellite and have a milder declining rate for montmorillonite). Insights are also offered regarding the microstructure of EDLs, and results promote the understanding of EDLs that determine all interfacial properties and processes.
Controlled Polymerization of ϵ‐Caprolactone using Aluminum and Zinc Complexes with Iminophosphorane Ligands
Authors: Yu Xiaofeng , Zhang Cheng , Wang Zhongxia
Published: January 2020

Several novel aluminum complexes [Al(R1)2{o‐O C(R)=C(H)P(Ph2)=N)C6H4(3,5‐Me2 ‐pyrazolyl)} (R=Ph, R1=Me, 3; R=Ph, R1=Et, 4; R=tBu, R1=Me, 5) had been prepared. These aluminum complexes were structurally characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H, 13C and 31P) and elemental analyses. The aluminum complex 3 was determined by X‐ray diffraction. The catalytic activities of the aluminum complexes towards the ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of ϵ‐caprolactone (ϵ‐CL) were investigated. Catalysis of two known zinc complexes with the same ligands, [Zn(Et) {o‐(OC(R)=C(H)P(Ph2)=N)C6H4(3,5‐Me2‐pyrazolyl)}] (R=Ph, 6; R=tBu, 7), in the ROP of ϵ‐CL was also determined. The catalytic results show that these complexes are effective catalysts in the ROP of ϵ‐CL. Kinetics of the polymerization was studied. These polymerizations reaction are consistent with the first‐order kinetic equation. The molecular weight of the polycaprolactone (PCL) is linear with the monomer conversion, and the molecular weight distribution is narrow. These kinetic studies confirm that the catalytic process is controllable.
IoTSim‐Edge: A simulation framework for modeling the behavior of Internet of Things and edge computing environments
Authors: Jha Devki Nandan , Alwasel Khaled , Alshoshan Areeb , Huang Xianghua , Naha Ranesh Kumar , Battula Sudheer Kumar , Garg Saurabh , Puthal Deepak , James Philip , Zomaya Albert , Dustdar Schahram , Ranjan Rajiv
Published: January 2020

With the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing paradigms, billions of IoT devices are being networked to support data‐driven and real‐time decision making across numerous application domains, including smart homes, smart transport, and smart buildings. These ubiquitously distributed IoT devices send the raw data to their respective edge device (eg, IoT gateways) or the cloud directly. The wide spectrum of possible application use cases make the design and networking of IoT and edge computing layers a very tedious process due to the: (i) complexity and heterogeneity of end‐point networks (eg, Wi‐Fi, 4G, and Bluetooth); (ii) heterogeneity of edge and IoT hardware resources and software stack; (iv) mobility of IoT devices; and (iii) the complex interplay between the IoT and edge layers. Unlike cloud computing, where researchers and developers seeking to test capacity planning, resource selection, network configuration, computation placement, and security management strategies had access to public cloud infrastructure (eg, Amazon and Azure), establishing an IoT and edge computing testbed that offers a high degree of verisimilitude is not only complex, costly, and resource‐intensive but also time‐intensive. Moreover, testing in real IoT and edge computing environments is not feasible due to the high cost and diverse domain knowledge required in order to reason about their diversity, scalability, and usability. To support performance testing and validation of IoT and edge computing configurations and algorithms at scale, simulation frameworks should be developed. Hence, this article proposes a novel simulator IoTSim‐Edge, which captures the behavior of heterogeneous IoT and edge computing infrastructure and allows users to test their infrastructure and framework in an easy and configurable manner. IoTSim‐Edge extends the capability of CloudSim to incorporate the different features of edge and IoT devices. The effectiveness of IoTSim‐Edge is described using three test cases. Results show the varying capability of IoTSim‐Edge in terms of application composition, battery‐oriented modeling, heterogeneous protocols modeling, and mobility modeling along with the resources provisioning for IoT applications.
Effect of super absorbent polymer on microstructural and mechanical properties of concrete blends using granite pulver
Authors: Rajamony Laila Lija , Gurupatham Beulah Gnana Ananthi , Roy Krishanu , B. P. Lim James
Published: January 2020

Industrialization and urbanization has caused a serious impact on the environment due to the vast consumption of energy and eco‐unsustainable production. Therefore, scientists and engineers are placing more effort to design environmentally sustainable systems. To achieve sustainability, one potential solution is to use renewable resources to produce construction materials. The effect on various amounts of admixed super absorbent polymer (SAP) on microstructural, fresh and hardened properties of autogenous cured concrete incorporating Granite Pulver (GP) have been investigated. For this purpose, a small quantity of Portland cement was replaced by GP as 5, 10, 15, and 20%. The SAP was used at volume fractions of 0.1 to 1% to the GP‐concrete blends to counteract self‐desiccation during the hydration of concrete. Along with the GP, fly ash (FA) was also added as filler to improve the workability of GP‐concrete blends. The chemical and microstructural properties of unprocessed GP, fly ash, and cement samples along with the mechanical properties of GP‐concrete blends were investigated through different tests. A total of 627 specimens were prepared for mechanical testing of GP‐concrete blends. The GP along with the SAP increases the compressive strength and flexural strength in comparison with the control mixture by around 1.6 and 6.8% respectively, when a replacement of cement by GP up to 15% was made with an addition of 0.4% of SAP in the mixture.
The 10.7‐cm radio flux multistep forecasting based on empirical mode decomposition and back propagation neural network
Authors: Luo Junqi , Zhu Hongbing , Jiang Yu , Yang Jianzhong , Huang Yu
Published: January 2020

The 10.7‐cm solar radio flux (F10.7) is among the most widely used indices of solar activity, whose prediction plays a vital role in the field of meteorology and aerospace. In this paper, a novel approach for a specific amalgamation of back propagation neural network (BPNN) and empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is proposed, which is called EMD‐BP, aimed at forecasting the daily F10.7 values 1–27 days ahead. The daily F10.7 values, which are highly nonlinear and unstable time series, are transformed into a series of subsignals with different frequency components by EMD and trained by the BPNN. For estimating the performance of the description EMD‐BP, the support vector regression (SVR), Long Short‐Term Memory neural network and BPNN as the reference models are analyzed in different conditions. The results indicate that the proposed model improves the F10.7 forecasting within 27 days, compared with the common machine learning algorithms and transport model. Furthermore, a tremendous decline of forecast error is determined in high‐level solar activity, in contrast with SVR and BPNN. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Ultrasound features prior to 11 weeks' gestation and first‐trimester maternal factors in prediction of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
Authors: Hanchard T. J. , de Vries B. S. , Quinton A. E. , Sinosich M. , Hyett J. A.
Published: January 2020

Objectives

Maternal hypertensive disorders (MHD), including pregnancy‐induced hypertension and pre‐eclampsia, are estimated to occur in 7–10% of pregnancies worldwide and have significant short‐ and long‐term implications for both mother and fetus. This study aimed to determine the association of conventional and novel early first‐trimester ultrasound measures with MHD and whether these ultrasound measures, combined with maternal characteristics and biochemistry, improve the prediction of
MHD.

Methods

This was a prospective cohort study of consecutive women with a singleton pregnancy, attending for an early (5 + 1 to 11 + 0 weeks' gestation) ultrasound examination at a private obstetric ultrasound practice between February 2016 and August 2018. Recorded ultrasound measurements included mean sac diameter, yolk sac diameter, crown–rump length, fetal heart rate (FHR), trophoblast thickness, trophoblast volume (TV) and mean uterine artery pulsatility index. Maternal biochemistry was assessed at 10–14 weeks and included beta‐human chorionic gonadotropin, pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A (PAPP‐A), placental growth factor (PlGF) and maternal serum alpha‐fetoprotein. Regression models were fitted for each ultrasound parameter and multiples of the median (MoM) were calculated. All measures were compared between women who had a normotensive outcome and those who subsequently developed MHD. Logistic regression analysis was used to create a prediction model for MHD based on maternal characteristics, ultrasound measurements at 5 + 1 to 11 + 0 weeks' gestation and maternal biochemistry at 10–14 weeks.

Results

In total, 1141 women were included in the analysis, of whom 1086 (95.2%) were normotensive at delivery and 55 (4.8%) developed MHD. Women who developed MHD weighed significantly more than did normotensive women (P < 0.0001). Mean MoM values for TV (P = 0.006), PAPP‐A (P = 0.031) and PlGF (P = 0.044) were decreased significantly in pregnancies that subsequently developed MHD. The proposed logistic regression model includes maternal weight and height and MoM values for TV, FHR and PlGF, resulting in an area under the receiver‐operating‐characteristics curve of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.75–0.86).

Conclusion

The combination of maternal weight and height, TV and FHR, measured prior to 11 weeks' gestation, and first‐trimester PlGF appears to have good predictive value for development of MHD later in pregnancy. Copyright © 2020 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Using deep‐learning algorithms to classify fetal brain ultrasound images as normal or abnormal
Authors: Xie H. N. , Wang N. , He M. , Zhang L. H. , Cai H. M. , Xian J. B. , Lin M. F. , Zheng J. , Yang Y. Z.
Published: January 2020

Objectives

To evaluate the feasibility of using deep‐learning algorithms to classify as normal or abnormal sonographic images of the fetal brain obtained in standard axial planes.

Methods

We included in the study images retrieved from a large hospital database from 10 251 normal and 2529 abnormal pregnancies. Abnormal cases were confirmed by neonatal ultrasound, follow‐up examination or autopsy. After a series of pretraining data processing steps, 15 372 normal and 14 047 abnormal fetal brain images in standard axial planes were obtained. These were divided into training and test datasets (at case level rather than image level), at a ratio of approximately 8:2. The training data were used to train the algorithms for three purposes: performance of image segmentation along the fetal skull, classification of the image as normal or abnormal and localization of the lesion. The accuracy was then tested on the test datasets, with performance of segmentation being assessed using precision, recall and Dice's coefficient (DICE), calculated to measure the extent of overlap between human‐labeled and machine‐segmented regions. We assessed classification accuracy by calculating the sensitivity and specificity for abnormal images. Additionally, for 2491 abnormal images, we determined how well each lesion had been localized by overlaying heat maps created by an algorithm on the segmented ultrasound images; an expert judged these in terms of how satisfactory was the lesion localization by the algorithm, classifying this as having been done precisely, closely or irrelevantly.

Results

Segmentation precision, recall and DICE were 97.9%, 90.9% and 94.1%, respectively. For classification, the overall accuracy was 96.3%. The sensitivity and specificity for identification of abnormal images were 96.9% and 95.9%, respectively, and the area under the receiver‐operating‐characteristics curve was 0.989 (95% CI, 0.986–0.991). The algorithms located lesions precisely in 61.6% (1535/2491) of the abnormal images, closely in 24.6% (614/2491) and irrelevantly in 13.7% (342/2491).

Conclusions

Deep‐learning algorithms can be trained for segmentation and classification of normal and abnormal fetal brain ultrasound images in standard axial planes and can provide heat maps for lesion localization. This study lays the foundation for further research on the differential diagnosis of fetal intracranial abnormalities. Copyright © 2020 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Uterine artery Doppler in singleton pregnancies conceived after in‐vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection with fresh vs frozen blastocyst transfer: longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Cavoretto P. I. , Farina A. , Gaeta G. , Sigismondi C. , Spinillo S. , Casiero D. , Pozzoni M. , Vigano P. , Papaleo E. , Candiani M.
Published: January 2020

Objective

Pregnancies conceived by frozen blastocyst transfer (FBT) have higher gestational age and weight at birth as compared to those derived by fresh blastocyst transfer. The aim of this study was to evaluate uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA‐PI) in pregnancies conceived by in‐vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) techniques using fresh vs cryopreserved blastocysts.

Methods

This was a prospective longitudinal study of viable singleton IVF/ICSI pregnancies conceived after FBT or fresh blastocyst transfer, that underwent serial ultrasound assessment at San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy at 7–37 gestational weeks. We excluded pregnancies conceived using other assisted reproductive techniques such as egg donation, twin gestation, pregnancy with abnormality and those resulting in miscarriage. Pregnant women underwent ultrasound assessment at 7–10, 11–14, 18–25 and 26–37 weeks' gestation. Mean UtA‐PI was measured using Doppler ultrasound according to The Fetal Medicine Foundation criteria. Pregnancy outcomes were recorded. The primary outcome was mean UtA‐PI measurement and secondary outcomes were gestational age at birth, birth weight and fetal and maternal complications, including small‐for‐gestational age (SGA), pre‐eclampsia and large‐for‐gestational age. UtA‐PI values were made Gaussian after log10 transformation. Analysis of repeated measures using a multilevel linear mixed model (fixed effects and random effects) was performed. The possible effect of other covariates on UtA‐PI Doppler values, including body mass index, SGA and pre‐eclampsia, was also evaluated.

Results

A total of 367 IVF/ICSI cycles, comprising 164 with fresh blastocyst transfer and 203 with FBT, were included and a total of 625 observations (median, 2.5 (range, 1–4)) were collected and analyzed. The FBT group had on average 14% lower UtA‐PI compared with the fresh‐blastocyst‐transfer group. In pregnancies with SGA fetuses, UtA‐PI was 18% higher compared to pregnancies without, irrespective of the study group. Pregnancies that underwent fresh blastocyst transfer had significantly lower birth‐weight centile (43.4 ± 23.3 vs 50.0 ± 23.1; P = 0.007) and a higher rate of SGA (7.9% vs 2.0%; P = 0.008) compared to those that underwent FBT. No significant differences were found between the two groups with respect to gestational age at birth and rates of preterm birth, pre‐eclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus and large‐for‐gestational age.

Conclusion

UtA‐PI and the proportion of SGA are lower in IVF/ICSI pregnancies conceived after FBT as compared to fresh blastocyst transfer. Copyright © 2020 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Differences in cardiac geometry in relation to body size among neonates with abnormal prenatal growth and body size at birth
Authors: Olander R. F. W. , Sundholm J. K. M. , Ojala T. H. , Andersson S. , Sarkola T.
Published: January 2020

Objectives

Both excessive and restricted fetal growth are associated with changes in cardiac geometry and function at birth. There are significant issues when indexing cardiac parameters for body size in the neonatal period. The aims of this study were to determine to what extent cardiac geometry is dependent on body size in term and preterm neonates with restricted or excessive fetal growth and how this is affected by adiposity.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional study of neonates born between 31 and 42 weeks of gestation, divided into three groups: (1) small‐for‐gestational age (SGA, birth weight > 2 SD below the mean); (2) large‐for‐gestational age (LGA, birth weight > 2 SD above the mean); and (3) appropriate‐for‐gestational‐age controls (AGA, birth weight ≤ 2 SD from the mean). Cardiac geometry and function were compared between the study groups, adjusting for body size. The potential impact of infant adiposity and maternal disease was assessed.

Results

In total, 174 neonates were included, of which 39 were SGA, 45 were LGA and 90 were AGA. Body size was reflected in cardiac dimensions, with differences in cardiac dimensions disappearing between the SGA and AGA groups when indexed for body surface area (BSA) or thoracic circumference. The same was true for the differences in atrial and ventricular areas between the LGA and AGA groups. However, left ventricular inflow and outflow tract dimensions did not follow this trend as, when indexed for BSA, they were associated negatively with adiposity, resulting in diminished dimensions in LGA compared with AGA and SGA neonates. Adiposity was associated positively with left ventricular mass, right ventricular length and area and right atrial area. The SGA group showed increased right ventricular fractional area change, possibly reflecting differences in the systolic function of the right ventricle. We found evidence of altered diastolic function between the groups, with the mitral valve inflow E‐ to lateral E′‐wave peak velocity ratio being increased in the LGA group and decreased in the SGA group.

Conclusions

Cardiac geometry is explained by body size in both term and preterm AGA and SGA infants. However, the nature of the relationship between body size and cardiac dimensions may be influenced by adiposity in LGA infants, leading to underestimation of left ventricular inflow and outflow tract dimensions when adjusted for BSA. Adjustments for thoracic circumference provide similar results to those for BSA. Copyright © 2020 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Health‐related quality of life in dogs treated with electrochemotherapy and/or interleukin‐12 gene electrotransfer
Authors: Milevoj Nina , Tozon Natasa , Licen Sabina , Lampreht Tratar Ursa , Sersa Gregor , Cemazar Maja
Published: January 2020

The aim of this study was to evaluate the owners' perception of health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) of dogs after treatment with electrochemotherapy (ECT) alone or combined with interleukin‐12 gene electrotransfer (IL‐12 GET) and/or surgery. The owners of 44 dogs with histologically different tumours were offered the »Cancer Treatment Form« at least one month after treatment. The owners assessed their dogs’ quality of life (QoL) after treatment as good (mean 7.4) (from 1–very poor to 10–excellent) and the general health compared with the initial diagnosis of cancer as improving (mean 3.9) (from 1–worse to 5–better). The assessment of the current QoL was better within the group of dogs treated with non‐invasive treatment (ECT and/or IL‐12 GET only), compared with those that received invasive treatment, where, in addition to ECT and/or IL‐12 GET, surgery was performed (p < .05). The owners of dogs that achieved an objective response (OR) to the treatment assessed the QoL as significantly better compared with those whose dogs did not respond to the treatment (p < .05). The majority of the owners (86.4%) would opt for the therapy again, regardless of the financial costs. In conclusion, the results of this study demonstrate that the majority of the owners of dogs assessed their dogs’ QoL as good and felt that it improved after the treatment, especially in dogs, treated with non‐invasive treatment and in those that responded to the treatment. This supports further use of ECT and IL‐12 GET as suitable methods for the treatment of selected tumours in veterinary medicine.
The “cultural turn” of climate history: An emerging field for studies of China and East Asia
Authors: Williamson Fiona
Published: January 2020

The last few years have seen a surge of scholarly interest in how cultures have been influenced by climate, climatic changes, and extremes of weather. This “cultural turn” of climate history draws from the archives of society, rather than the archives of nature, and is heavily influenced by interpretative and methodological frameworks drawn from the humanities fields. Attention has been largely focused on European contexts and cultures. This article aims to show, however, that the climate history of Asia is on the cusp of developing its own strong cultural turn and that strong foundations and precedents have already been set. This article has two main objectives. The first is to explore approaches in the history of the climate in East Asia that claim to investigate interactions between climatic changes or extreme events and society and culture. Many of these are macro studies, comparing climatic changes with dramatic events in history. Then, it will take a closer look at scholarship that has focused closely on the ideas and beliefs that characterize a society, showing how regional customs and philosophical systems have developed in relation to weather. It will argue that better integration between the two approaches is needed if we are to fully grasp the interdependence of people and climate, a question that becomes ever more critical as we move further into the Anthropocene.

This article is categorized under:

Climate, History, Society, Culture > World Historical Perspectives
Assessing Error in Locations of Conspicuous Wildlife Using Handheld GPS Units and Location Offset Methods
Authors: Robinson Samantha G. , Weithman Chelsea E. , Bellman Henrietta A. , Prisley Stephen P. , Fraser James D. , Catlin Daniel H. , Karpanty Sarah M.
Published: January 2020

Collecting spatially explicit locations of individual animals often is an important part of the study of habitat use. Obtaining accurate locations without disturbing an individual can be difficult for small species and may be limited for species of conservation concern, such as piping plover (Charadrius melodus), where a close approach is undesirable because of the potential for disturbance. To reduce disturbance while estimating an animal's location, an observer can collect their location using Global Positioning System (GPS) and offset that position using a distance and azimuth. Typically, error is not considered when these locations are determined, despite the potential effects of inaccuracy on habitat association results. Therefore, our objectives were to quantify potential error using the offset method and then evaluate how that error may manifest. During the plover breeding season in 2017 (Apr through Sep), we tested the error of Trimble GPS units compared with benchmark locations to assess the accuracy of locations derived from these units. We then assessed the error associated with offset locations of a small target using Trimble GPS units, laser rangefinders, and 2 compass types. Finally, we determined the potential consequence of unaccounted error in our system by comparing the difference between point locations and land‐cover data using our estimated error as a point buffer. Average error of the GPS units at benchmark locations was 0.95 m. The mean error of the offset locations increased with increasing observer distance from the decoy location (from  = 2.9 m to 7.6 m at distances of 20 m and 100 m, respectively). Error also increased with increasing error in the distance and azimuth measurements, and was greater using a digital GPS compass as compared with a handheld magnetic compass corrected for magnetic declination. In addition, potential misclassification of land‐cover type increased with increasing potential location error. When modeling animal locations, the error of point locations using this method, especially for land‐cover at the point location, should be accounted for using appropriately sized position buffers. Using this location collection method, we can increase our knowledge and study of conspicuous species to ensure that we consider habitats used throughout the species' life stages. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.
Warped symmetries of the Kerr black hole
Authors: Aggarwal Ankit , Castro Alejandra , Detournay Stéphane
Published: January 2020

Abstract

We propose a set of diffeomorphism that act non-trivially near the horizon of the Kerr black hole. We follow the recent developments of Haco-Hawking-Perry-Strominger to quantify this phase space, with the most substantial difference being our choice of vectors fields. Our gravitational charges are organized into a Virasoro-Kac-Moody algebra with non-trivial central extensions. We interpret this algebra as arising from a warped conformal field theory. Using the data we can infer from this warped CFT description, we capture the thermodynamic properties of the Kerr black hole.
Bound on asymptotics of magnitude of three point coefficients in 2D CFT
Authors: Pal Sridip
Published: January 2020

Abstract

We use methods inspired from complex Tauberian theorems to make progress in understanding the asymptotic behavior of the magnitude of heavy-light-heavy three point coefficients rigorously. The conditions and the precise sense of averaging, which can lead to exponential suppression of such coefficients are investigated. We derive various bounds for the typical average value of the magnitude of heavy-light-heavy three point coefficients and verify them numerically.
Ectopic expression of the Stabilin2 gene triggered by an intracisternal A particle (IAP) element in DBA/2J strain of mice
Authors: Maeda-Smithies Nobuyo , Hiller Sylvia , Dong Sharlene , Kim Hyung-Suk , Bennett Brian J. , Kayashima Yukako
Published: January 2020

Stabilin2(Stab2) encodes a large transmembrane protein which is predominantly expressed in the liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) and functions as a scavenger receptor for various macromolecules including hyaluronans (HA). In DBA/2J mice, plasma HA concentration is ten times higher than in 129S6 or C57BL/6J mice, and this phenotype is genetically linked to theStab2locus.Stab2mRNA in the LSECs was significantly lower in DBA/2J than in 129S6, leading to reduced STAB2 proteins in the DBA/2J LSECs. We found a retrovirus-derived transposable element, intracisternal A particle (IAP), in the promoter region ofStab2DBAwhich likely interferes with normal expression in the LSECs. In contrast, in other tissues of DBA/2J mice, the IAP drives high ectopicStab2DBAtranscription starting within the 5′ long terminal repeat of IAP in a reverse orientation and continuing through the downstreamStab2DBA. Ectopic transcription requires theStab2-IAP element but is dominantly suppressed by the presence of loci on 59.7–73.0 Mb of chromosome (Chr) 13 from C57BL/6J, while the same region in 129S6 requires additional loci for complete suppression. Chr13:59.9–73 Mb contains a large number of genes encoding Krüppel-associated box-domain zinc-finger proteins that target transposable elements-derived sequences and repress their expression. Despite the high amount of ectopicStab2DBAtranscript in tissues other than liver, STAB2 protein was undetectable and unlikely to contribute to the plasma HA levels of DBA/2J mice. Nevertheless, the IAP insertion and its effects on the transcription of the downstreamStab2DBAexemplify that stochastic evolutional events could significantly influence susceptibility to complex but common diseases.
Dirty Bread, Forced Feeding, and Tea Parties: the Uses and Abuses of Food in Nineteenth-Century Insane Asylums
Authors: Kearin Madeline Bourque
Published: January 2020

Nineteenth-century psychiatrists ascribed to a model of health that was predicated on the existence of objective and strictly defined laws of nature. The allegedly “natural” rules governing the production of consumption of food, however, were structured by a set of distinctively bourgeois moral values that demonized over-indulgence and intemperance, encouraged self-discipline and productivity, and treated gentility as an index of social worth. Accordingly, the asylum acted not only as a therapeutic instrument but also as a moral machine that was designed to remake lazy, indolent transgressors into useful, “decorous” citizens. Because the theory and mechanics underlying this machine seemed straightforward and self-evident to psychiatrists, they were confounded when the asylum failed to translate its ideals into reality. While psychiatrists tended to blame this failure on the intractable immorality and weakness of individual patients, particularly paupers and immigrants, a review of the various meanings and uses of food in the hospital reveals the fault lines that ran through the asylum’s ideological structure.
Social inequalities in health-related quality of life among people aging with HIV/AIDS: the role of comorbidities and disease severity
Authors: Drewes Jochen , Ebert Jennifer , Langer Phil C. , Kleiber Dieter , Gusy Burkhard
Published: January 2020

Purpose

While socioeconomic inequalities in health-related quality of life are well documented in the scientific literature, research has neglected to look into the reasons for these inequalities. The purpose of this study is to determine in what way social inequalities in health-related quality of life among patients with the same chronic disease could be explained by variations in disease severity.

Methods

We used the data of 748 people aging with HIV in Germany who took part in the nationwide study 50plushiv and provided self-report data on socioeconomic status, health-related quality of life (SF-12) and various markers of disease severity (comorbidity, falls, late presentation and AIDS diagnosis). Regression analyses were applied to determine the impact of SES on HRQOL after adjusting for disease severity variables.

Results

The mental and physical subscales of the SF-12, comorbidity burden and falls were significantly related to SES. SES explained 7% of the variance in PCS scores and 3% of the variance in MCS scores after adjusting for age and time since diagnosis. Markers of disease severity explained 33% of the variance in PCS scores and 14% of the variance in MCS scores. After adjusting for disease severity SES was still significantly related to PCS and MCS scores.

Conclusions

The diverse sample of people aging with HIV showed social inequalities regarding HRQOL and most of the disease severity markers. SES was significantly related to mental and physical HRQOL after adjusting for disease severity. Possible explanations for this phenomenon are discussed.
The effect of glutathione and mannitol on androgenesis in anther and isolated microspore cultures of rye (Secale cereale L.)
Authors: Zieliński Kamil , Krzewska Monika , Żur Iwona , Juzoń Katarzyna , Kopeć Przemysław , Nowicka Anna , Moravčiková Jana , Skrzypek Edyta , Dubas Ewa
Published: January 2020

Androgenic responsiveness in anther (AC) and isolated microspore cultures (MC) was analysed using 15 lines of Polish winter rye (Secale cereale L.). The effect of low temperature (LT) alone or in combination with osmotic stress induced by mannitol treatment (MAN) and/or with reduced glutathione (GSH) on the effectiveness of the process was studied. Interestingly, each treatment had a different effect on microspore (mcs) vitality and capability to divide symmetrically. The first criterion for successful embryogenesis was to exceed the threshold number of at least 25% dividing microspores, which determined ‘embryogenic suspension culture’. In some configurations a spectacular effect was achieved, especially in lines highly recalcitrant to androgenesis induction. Relatively high effectiveness of androgenesis induction (up to 4.58 AS per 105 mcs per spike in MC and 21.29 AS per spike in AC) showed that the developed protocol with GSH and/or MAN tiller pre-treatments overcomes the genotypic barrier for androgenesis initiation in rye. Moreover, relatively high, spontaneous genome diploidization (55%) of regenerated plants demonstrated that the described protocols could be effectively integrated into conventional rye breeding programmes.
Quantitative trade-off analysis of infrared light absorber effects contributed to photovoltaic cells performance
Authors: Bahrizadeh Shahrzad , Ghadamian Hossein , Aminy Mohammad , Rad Ali Hosseini , Azadeh Maryam
Published: January 2020

It is widely known that organic and inorganic coatings absorb more of the solar spectrum, and due to a considerable share of 45% infrared radiation, the energy efficiency drop by the increasing of temperature should be considered. The purpose of this study is to implement a system to characterize silicon solar cell performance and increasing energy efficiency by imposing such coatings as infrared wave absorber to overcome the Shockley–Queisser limit. In other words, this research efforts to improve cell efficiency (coating effects) in addition to imposing the efficiency decreasing effects (temperature increasing). The core of the study is laboratory and experimental set-up measurements to find an organic absorber with the highest absorbance. Ruthenium-based dye, N719, has shown the best performance in experimental conditions and heat extraction to enhance cell energy efficiency. Due to increased absorption in a solar cell (SC), to control the temperature rise of the system, the fan is used as a cooling system. The imposing of N719 results in increasing energy efficiency by up to 1.38%. It is worth noting that a 1.60% increase in energy efficiency is observed due to temperature reduction by 2 degrees.
The Mechanics of Consensus: Nonterritorial Cultural Autonomy and the Russian State
Authors: Prina Federica
Published: January 2020

Russia’s institutions on nonterritorial cultural autonomy (NTCA) can be broadly situated within the country’s political community, in the sense that they—for the most part—recognize the government’s rules of engagement and its role as decision maker, leading to overarching consensus and pursuit of shared objectives. At the same time, they remain at the periphery of the political community. This article outlines the reasons for NTCA institutions’ peripherality and limited influence upon Russia’s minority policies. Such reasons are linked to external factors—Russia’s undemocratic political system—but also to conditions intrinsic to NTCA institutions themselves—forms of passivity and (non)participation, and blurred boundaries between NTCA institutions and state actors. The interaction of such factors generates the noted prevailing consensus between NTCA institutions and the Russian state. Interview data further reveal that representatives of NTCA institutions are far from monolithic: the said external and internal factors affect them in different ways, resulting in variations in forms of consensus and cooperation with state actors. This, in turn, allows for multiple interpretative frameworks of state–civil society coexistence in the sphere of Russia’s diversity management.
Does height matter for earnings? Evidence from Russia
Authors: Ibragimova Nargiza , Salahodjaev Raufhon
Published: January 2020

This study explores the link between height and earnings, using data from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey for the year 2015 (24th wave). The dependent variable was average monthly income and the key independent variable was self-reported height, measured in centimetres. The empirical model also included a rich vector of personal and job-related factors that have been shown to be associated with earnings in the relevant literature. Sequential multiple regression and one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyse the data. The results suggest that height is a significant predictor of earnings in Russia. The results were found to be robust for a set of controls and tests.
Interventions to improve the health and wellbeing of older people living alone: a mixed-methods systematic review of effectiveness and accessibility
Authors: Johnstone Georgina , Dickins Marissa , Lowthian Judy , Renehan Emma , Enticott Joanne , Mortimer Duncan , Ogrin Rajna
Published: January 2020

The global population is ageing and the likelihood of living alone increases with age. Services are necessary to help older people living alone to optimise health and wellbeing. This systematic review aimed to summarise the effectiveness and accessibility of interventions to improve the health and wellbeing of older people living alone. Relevant electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Scopus) were searched for all years up to August 2018. Studies were included if they involved older people (aged ⩾55 years) living alone, and an intervention with measured health and wellbeing outcomes. All study types were included. The Theory of Access was used to assess interventions across dimensions of accessibility, availability, acceptability, affordability, adequacy and awareness. Twenty-eight studies met the eligibility criteria; 17 studies focused on ageing safely in place and 11 on psychological and social wellbeing. Studies comprised quantitative (N = 19), qualitative (N = 4) and mixed-methods (N = 5) approaches. Dimensions from the Theory of Access were poorly addressed in the studies, particularly those of higher-quality methodology. Studies were heterogeneous, preliminary in scope and lacked consistent study design, methodology or measurement. Services that do not address user accessibility in design or evaluation may be limited in their uptake and impact. It is recommended that dimensions of access and co-creation principles be integrated into service design processes and be evaluated alongside clinical effectiveness.
Spontaneous aortic thrombosis in neonates: a case report and review of literature
Authors: Mulcaire-Jones John P. , Bailly David K. , Frank Deborah U. , Verma Anupam R. , Barney Bradley J. , Siefkes Heather M.
Published: January 2020

Neonatal aortic thrombosis is a rare occurrence but can be life-threatening. Most aortic thrombosis in neonates is related to umbilical artery catheters. A case of a neonate with a spontaneous aortic thrombosis is described here along with a comprehensive review of the literature for cases of neonatal aortic thrombosis not related to any intravascular device or procedure. The aetiologies of these spontaneous thromboses and the relevance of hypercoagulable disorders are discussed. The cases were analysed for odds of death by treatment method adjusted for era. The reference treatment method was thrombolysis and anticoagulation. No other treatment modality had significantly lower odds than the reference. Surgery alone had higher odds for death than the reference, but this may be confounded by severity of case. The management recommendations for clinicians encountering neonates with spontaneous neonatal aortic thrombosis are discussed.
Stability of α-ketoglutaric acid simulating an impact-generated hydrothermal system: implications for prebiotic chemistry studies
Authors: Ramírez-Vázquez L. , Negrón-Mendoza A.
Published: January 2020

Life originated on Earth possibly as a physicochemical process; thus, geological environments and their hypothetical characteristics on early Earth are essential for chemical evolution studies. Also, it is necessary to consider the energy sources that were available in the past and the components that could have contributed to promote chemical reactions. It has been proposed that the components could have been mineral surfaces. The aim of this work is to determine the possible role of mineral surfaces on chemical evolution, and to study of the stability of relevant molecules for metabolism, such as α-ketoglutaric acid (α-keto acid, Krebs cycle participant), using ionizing radiation and thermal energy as energy sources and mineral surfaces to promote chemical reactions. Preliminary results show α-ketoglutaric acid can be relatively stable at the simulated conditions of an impact-generated hydrothermal system; thus, those systems might have been plausible environments for chemical evolution on Earth.
Pension fund's illiquid assets allocation under liquidity and capital requirements
Authors: Broeders Dirk W. G. A. , Jansen Kristy A. E. , Werker Bas J. M.
Published: January 2020

Defined benefit pension funds invest in illiquid asset classes for return, diversification or liability hedging reasons. So far, little is known about factors influencing how much they invest in illiquid assets. We conjecture that liquidity and capital requirements are pivotal in this decision. Short-term pension payments and margining on derivative contracts generate liquidity requirements, while regulations impose capital requirements. Consistent with our model we empirically find that these requirements create a hump-shaped impact of liability duration on the fraction of risky assets invested in illiquid assets. Further, we report that pension fund size, type, and funding ratio impact illiquid assets allocations.
Nahenahe (Soft, Sweet, Melodious): Sounding Out Native Hawaiian Self-Determination
Authors: FELLEZS KEVIN
Published: January 2020

In this essay, I explore the ways in which kī hō‘alu (Hawaiian slack key guitarists) articulated Native Hawaiian aspirations for self-determination and reterritorialization during the Second Hawaiian Renaissance. I argue that Hawaiian music speaks to a liberatory politics that is embedded within an aesthetic of nahenahe (soft, sweet, melodious). Nahenahe invests slack key guitarists with the mana (power, authority) to invoke a Native Hawaiian perspective that empowers and sustains Kanaka Maoli (native Hawaiian) efforts for self-determination and political autonomy. The connections between music and political activism were highlighted and strengthened throughout the period. Indeed, although numerous political groups organized throughout the period, providing the modern foundations to the struggles for sovereignty today, at the forefront of it all were the musicians.