bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bio-inspired tunable anisotropic thermal conductivities investigation of periodic lattice composite via external strains
Authors: Shi Yingli , Li Yuhang , Wu Jian
Published: July 2019

Controlling and tuning thermal conductivities of composites, including changing the direction of heat flux and thermal energy distribution, possesses significantly meaningful potential in many applications such as heat cloak, heat invisibility, heat protection and so on. In this paper, a novel design of composite metamaterial with periodic lattice structure, consisting of metal lattice layer (copper) and stretchable polymer matrix (Ecoflex), owns the ability to tune the anisotropic thermal conductivity through external strains. The parameters (such as geometric arrangement of metal lattice, loading strains), which can effectively influence the thermal properties of this metamaterial, have been investigated through finite element method considering large deformation. This new design may be helpful for designing and controlling heat flow and temperature distribution in the applications.
The space of coherence relations and their signalling in discourse
Authors: Taboada Maite
Published: July 2019

I present an overview of the concept of coherence in discourse and explore how one of the essential elements to that coherence, relational coherence, has been studied and partitioned in different discourse traditions. I then introduce one of the theories that deals with discourse coherence, Rhetorical Structure Theory (RST). Through the description of RST, I investigate fundamental concepts in the study of coherence relations such as the classification of relations and their signalling in discourse.
Matthiessen on Halliday
Authors: Matthiessen Christian M. I. M. , Wang Bo , Ma Yuanyi
Published: July 2019

Christian M. I. M. Matthiessen was a long-time collaborator and close friend of M. A. K. Halliday, and has co-authored various books with him, some of which have not yet been published. In this interview, he describes Halliday’s wide-ranging linguistic interests, provides details of Halliday’s time in China, discusses the influences of J. R. Firth and Karl Marx on Halliday, reflects on the development of Halliday’s theories, and describes Halliday’s contributions to phonetics, phonology and typology.
Regimes of voice and visibility in the refugeescape
Authors: Moriarty Máiréad
Published: July 2019

This paper proposesrefugeescapesas a framework for expanding the focus of semiotic landscape studies by centering migration, inequality, and social exclusion. In so doing, the article adds to the work ofMpendukana and Stroud (2018)andKerfoot and Hytlenstam (2017)in uncovering how place is structured by issues of affect, voice, and visibility. In my paper, I turn to a case study of the spatializing practices of refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland, and the ways they counteract the mainstream semiotic mediation of their experiences. In particular, I focus on the semiotic landscapes oftransgressive intentwhere asylum seekers address mistreatment in their host country. By examining material produced by refugees and asylum seekers themselves, my paper demonstrates how enclosed spaces are a methodological venue for the field, while arguing also for a more thorough engagement with the theory and politics of visibility/voice.
Succès et faiblesses de l’intégration des immigrants par la scolarisation obligatoire en français au
Québec
Authors: Paillé Michel
Published: July 2019

Centré sur la langue d’enseignement, ce bilan de la Charte de la langue française (loi
101) fait état de la connaissance, de l’apprentissage et de l’usage du français. Il montre que cette loi
s’est avérée très efficace pour conduire les enfants des immigrants dans les écoles françaises plutôt que dans celles du
réseau scolaire anglophone. Malgré cette réussite, illustrée par des comparaisons avec l’Ontario, l’anglais exerce
encore une forte attraction. C’est le cas notamment des jeunes qui, entreprenant des études collégiales, profitent d’une
pleine liberté pour poursuivre leurs études en anglais. L’auteur aborde également la politique de sélection d’immigrants
francophones, ainsi que le programme de francisation des immigrants ne connaissant pas le français. Absentes de la loi 101, ces
importantes mesures sont les éléments les plus faibles de la politique linguistique québécoise. Enfin, l’auteur constate
que l’apprentissage de l’anglais chez les francophones s’est poursuivi comme prévu, mais note que de
nombreux francophones bilingues s’expriment spontanément en anglais devant des personnes sachant pourtant parler français.
Inspiré par Max Weber, l’auteur conclut que « l’honneur linguistique » n’est pas encore au
rendez-vous.
Quebec’s language policy and economic globalization
Authors: Grenier Gilles
Published: July 2019

This article examines the economic situation of language groups in Quebec since the 1970s. Particular attention is
paid to the contexts of economic globalization, where English has become the most used world lingua franca, and of immigration now
being the major source of population growth. Viewing language as a market where supply and demand determine outcomes, the purpose
of Bill 101 was to increase the value and the use of French. The relative economic position of Francophones has improved and they
now have better purchasing power and control of the economy. However, the number of Francophones in the population is not expected
to increase much and their proportion in the population will drop significantly. Due to immigration, the number and proportion of
Allophones will increase, but Anglophones will also benefit since the proportion of immigrants who assimilate to English is larger
than the proportion of Anglophones in the population. In the labor market, working in English pays more than working in French for
immigrants. In spite of the progresses made by Francophones, the situation of French in Quebec remains a concern. The challenge is
to integrate more immigrants into the French-speaking majority.
Usage-based account of Italian Complex Prepositions denoting the Agent
Authors: Piunno Valentina , Ganfi Vittorio
Published: July 2019

This paper takes into account a particular set of Italian Complex Prepositions signaling the agent of an action (e.g.da parte di‘by’,a nome di‘by’). Italian exhibits several types of complex prepositions revealing a different involvement of the Agent: in particular, these complex lexemes can introduce and distinguish the participants who (i) plan and intentionally conceive an action, (ii) perform it and/or (iii) have a coercive power over its performing.

The contribution aims to: (i) distinguish these Italian complex prepositions according to their functions, meanings, and the degree of involvement of the participant they introduce; (ii) analyze the collocational features and the syntactic environments where these lexemes occur; (iii) individuate possible correlations between their frequency of occurrence and the grammatical value; (iv) analyze their diachronic evolution across different historical phases; (v) put into relation the synchronic restrictions with the original syntactic environment within which the complex prepositions have been reanalyzed.
Evaluation of circulating small extracellular vesicles derived miRNAs as biomarkers of early colon cancer: a comparison with plasma total miRNAs
Authors: Min Li , Zhu Shengtao , Chen Lei , Liu Xiang , Wei Rui , Zhao Libo , Yang Yuqing , Zhang Zheng , Kong Guanyi , Li Peng , Zhang Shutian
Published: July 2019

Early diagnosis of colon cancer (CC) is clinically important, as it can significantly improve patients' survival rate and quality of life. Although the potential role for small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) in early detection of many diseases has been repeatedly mentioned, systematic screening of plasma sEVs derived early CC specific biomarkers has not yet been reported. In this work, plasma sEVs enriched fractions were derived from 15 early‐stage (TisN0M0) CC patients and 10 normal controls (NC). RNA sequencing identified a total number of 95 sEVs enriched fraction derived miRNAs with differential expression between CC and NC, most of which (60/95) was in well accordance with tissue results in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. Among those miRNAs, we selected let‐7b‐3p, miR‐139‐3p, miR‐145‐3p, and miR‐150‐3p for further validation in an independent cohort consisting of 134 participants (58 CC and 76 NC). In the validation cohort, the AUC of 4 individual miRNAs ranged from 0.680 to 0.792. A logistic model combining two miRNAs (i.e. let‐7b‐3p and miR‐145‐3p) achieved an AUC of 0.901. Adding the 3rd miRNA into this model can further increase the AUC to 0.927. Side by side comparison revealed that sEVs miRNA profile outperformed cell‐free plasma miRNA in the diagnosis of early CC. In conclusion, we suggested that circulating sEVs enriched fractions have a distinct miRNA profile in CC patients, and sEVs derived miRNA could be used as a promising biomarker to detect CC at an early stage.
Flooding experience and assessment of climate change: implication of psychological distance, risk perception and place attachment / Experiencia de inundaciones y evaluación del cambio climático: implicaciones de la distancia psicológica, la percepción de riesgo y el apego al lugar
Authors: Guillard Mary , Navarro Oscar , Fleury-Bahi Ghozlane
Published: July 2019

Human-induced climate change is associated with more and more frequent emergent risks and natural disasters. This research aims to study how individuals characterize climate change and flooding, by taking into account their experience of flooding (exposure and/or experience) and their place attachment. In order to do so, we consider the model of psychological distance and the risk perception. A questionnaire was submitted to 325 people. The results show that place attachment and psychological distances linked to climate change and flooding can explain the perception of flooding risk. The analyzes confirm that risk assessment is linked to the experience of flooding. Moreover, individuals without any flooding experience perceive climate change as being closer to them. These results are discussed in relation to the importance of taking context and experience into account when implementing field interventions.
Overview of the FTU results
Authors: Pucella G. , Alessi E. , Angelini B. , Apicella M.L. , Apruzzese G. , Artaserse G. , Baiocchi B. , Belli F. , Bin W. , Bombarda F. , Boncagni L. , Botrugno A. , Briguglio S. , Bruschi A. , Buratti P. , Calabrò G. , Cappelli M. , Cardinali A. , Carnevale D. , Carraro L. , Castaldo C. , Causa F. , Ceccuzzi S. , Centioli C. , Cesario R. , Cianfarani C. , Claps G. , Cocilovo V. , Cordella F. , Crisanti F. , D’Arcangelo O. , De Angeli M. , Di Troia C. , Esposito B. , Fanale F. , Farina D. , Figini L. , Fogaccia G. , Frigione D. , Fusco V. , Gabellieri L. , Garavaglia S. , Giovannozzi E. , Gittini G. , Granucci G. , Grosso G. , Iafrati M. , Iannone F. , Laguardia L. , Lazzaro E. , Lontano M. , Maddaluno G. , Magagnino S. , Marinucci M. , Marocco D. , Mazzitelli G. , Mazzotta C. , Mellera V. , Milovanov A. , Minelli D. , Mirizzi F.C. , Moro A. , Nowak S. , Pacella D. , Pallotta F. , Panaccione L. , Panella M. , Pericoli-Ridolfini V. , Pizzuto A. , Podda S. , Puiatti M.E. , Ramogida G. , Ravera G. , Ricci D. , Romano A. , Simonetto A. , Sozzi C. , Tartari U. , Tuccillo A.A. , Tudisco O. , Valisa M. , Viola B. , Vitale E. , Vlad G. , Zeniol B. , Zerbini M. , Zonca F. , Aquilini M. , Cefali P. , Di Ferdinando E. , Di Giovenale S. , Giacomi G. , Grosso A. , Mezzacappa M. , Pensa A. , Petrolini P. , Piergotti V. , Raspante B. , Rocchi G. , Sibio A. , Tilia B. , Tulli R. , Vellucci M. , Zannetti D. , Almaviva S. , Bagnato F. , Brolatti G. , Buscarino A. , Calacci L. , Caneve L. , Carlini M. , Colao F. , Corradino C. , Costa P. , Crescenzi F. , Cucchiaro A. , Doria A. , Ferrò G. , Gabrielli A. , Galeani S. , Galperti C. , Gasior P. , Giovenale E. , Gospodarczyk M. , Jakubowski L. , Kubkowska M. , Lampasi A. , Lazic V. , Lubyako L. , Maffia G. , Martinelli F. , Martin Solis J.R. , Maviglia F. , Mazzuca R. , Moneti M. , Orsitto F.P. , Palucci A. , Passeri M. , Popovic Z. , Possieri C. , Rabinski M. , Ratynskaia S. , Reale M. , Roccella S. , Sassano M. , Starace F. , Tolias P. , Vertkov A. , Zebrowski J. , Zito P.
Published: July 2019

Since the 2016 IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, FTU operations have been mainly devoted to experiments on runaway electrons and investigations into a tin liquid limiter; other experiments have involved studies of elongated plasmas and dust. The tearing mode onset in the high density regime has been studied by means of the linear resistive code MARS, and the highly collisional regimes have been investigated. New diagnostics, such as a runaway electron imaging spectroscopy system for in-flight runaway studies and a triple Cherenkov probe for the measurement of escaping electrons, have been successfully installed and tested, and new capabilities of the collective Thomson scattering and the laser induced breakdown spectroscopy diagnostics have been explored.
Monitoring Akkuyu Nuclear Reactor Using Antineutrino Flux Measurement
Authors: Ozturk Sertac , Adiguzel Aytul , Erkcan Ozcan V. , Unel Gokhan
Published: July 2019

We present a simulation based study for monitoring Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant’s activity using antineutrino flux originating from the reactor core. A water Cherenkov detector has been designed and optimization studies have been performed using Geant4 simulation toolkit. It was found that 1 ton of water Cherenkov detector with 0.3%-0.5% amount of gadolinium should be used for monitoring a nuclear reactor.
Comparison of Analytical Wake Models with Wind Tunnel Data
Authors: Campagnolo F , Molder A , Schreiber J , Bottasso C L
Published: July 2019

In this paper a comparison between the wake velocity, wake deflection and turbulence intensity predictions of several wake models was carried out against wind tunnel data obtained with a state-of-the-art scaled wind turbine model. In order to achieve a fair comparison, the models’ parameters were all tuned with respect to the same experimental dataset using the Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) method. A quantitative assessment of all models’ predictions highlighted that the Porté-Agel model seems to provide, for a wide range of inflow and wind turbine operating conditions, the most accurate estimation of the wake flow field. Further improvements to the model are also suggested in the conclusions.
Impact of local meteorology on wake characteristics at Perdigão
Authors: Barthelmie R J , Pryor S C
Published: July 2019

During January – June 2017 a unique data set of Doppler lidar observations of a single wind turbine wake was collected within the Perdigão flow in complex terrain experiment conducted as part of the New European Wind Atlas. Over the six-month period, over 19,000 10- minute scans comprising a combination of; Arc Scans at ten elevation angles, Vertical Azimuth Display and Range Height Indicator scans were conducted. These data were subsequently analysed using a newly-developed automated wake identification and tracking algorithm. In total, over 1,900 ten-minute periods were identified as ‘wake periods’ by the algorithm, over 1000 with coherent wake centres. For these wakes, the detailed 3D volume of the wake characteristics are examined to assess the impact of different meteorological conditions on the magnitude and recovery of the velocity deficit in coherent wakes as they advect downwind.
Improved energy production of multi-rotor wind farms
Authors: van der Laan M.P. , Abkar M.
Published: July 2019

The multi-rotor (MR) wind turbine concept can be used to upscale wind turbines without increasing the rotor diameter, which can be beneficial for transport, manufacture and design of wind turbines blades. The rotor interaction of a MR wind turbine leads to a faster wake recovery compared to an equivalent single-rotor (SR) wind turbine wake. In this article, the benefit of the faster wake recovery of MR wind turbines is quantified using Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes simulations of a 4}4 rectangular MR wind farm, for three different inter wind turbine spacings. The simulations predict an increase of 0.3-1.7% in annual energy production for the MR wind farm with respect to an equivalent SR wind farm, where the highest gain is obtained for the tightest inter wind turbine spacing. The gain in AEP is mainly caused by the aligned wind directions for the first downstream wind turbine in a wind turbine row of the MR wind farm, which is verified by an additional large-eddy simulation.
Wake characteristics of pumping mode airborne wind energy systems
Authors: Haas T. , De Schutter J. , Diehl M. , Meyers J.
Published: July 2019

Airborne wind energy is an emerging technology that aims at harvesting wind power at high altitudes. In the present work, we propose a framework combining optimal control and large-eddy simulation to investigate the wake characteristics of large-scale airborne wind energy systems. We consider systems operating in pumping mode which alternate between power-generating and -consuming phases. We investigate the downstream wake development in non-turbulent and turbulent sheared inflow conditions. The optimal system operation leads to a non-uniform radial wake development and results show that the maximal wake velocity deficit for the current system is half the deficit predicted by Betz limit for a conventional wind turbine.
The Actuator Line Model in Lattice Boltzmann Frameworks: Numerical Sensitivity and Computational Performance
Authors: Asmuth Henrik , Olivares-Espinosa Hugo , Nilsson Karl , Ivanell Stefan
Published: July 2019

The growing use of large-eddy simulations for the modelling of wind farms makes the need for efficient numerical frameworks more essential than ever. GPU-accelerated implementations of the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) have shown to provide significant performance gains over classical Navier-Stokes-based computational fluid dynamics. Yet, their use in the field of wind energy remains limited to date. In this fundamental study the cumulant LBM is scrutinised for actuator line simulations of wind turbines. The numerical sensitivity of the method in a simple uniform inflow is investigated with respect to spatial and temporal resolution as well as the width of the actuator line’s regularisation kernel. Comparable accuracy and slightly better stability properties are shown in relation to a standard Navier-Stokes implementation. The results indicate the overall suitability of the cumulant LBM for wind turbine wake simulations. The potential of the LBM for future wind energy applications is clarified by means of a brief comparison of computational performance.
Effects of Inflow Spatiotemporal Discretization on Wake Meandering and Turbine Structural Response using FAST.Farm
Authors: Shaler K. , Jonkman J. , Hamilton N.
Published: July 2019

FAST.Farm is a newly developed multiphysics, midfidelity engineering tool that can be used to predict turbine power and structural loads of wind turbines in a wind farm with minimal computational expense. Previous studies have shown similarities and differences in wind turbine performance between FAST.Farm and high-fidelity large-eddy simulations (LES) using both LES precursor-generated inflow and TurbSim-generated synthetic inflow. While conservative resolutions have been used to date, no formal spatial or temporal discretization study has been performed for the FAST.Farm model wind domains. This work aims to study the effects of varying the spatial and temporal discretization of the wind domains on wake meandering (low-resolution domain) and turbine structural response (high-resolution domains) and resulting wake and load calculations. The purpose of this study is to establish convergence criteria and recommendations for discretization values in terms of rotor diameter (D, expressed in meters) that will maximize computational efficiency. To ensure a percent error of ≤ 1% in standard deviation of wake center position relative to the finest included resolution, a low-resolution time step of 0.024D s, 0.016D s, and 0.0079D s and a low-resolution spatial discretization of 0.079D m, 0.16D m, and 0.24D m is recommended for 8 m/s, 12 m/s, and 18 m/s mean ambient wind speed at hub height, respectively. These guidelines are likely applicable to other implementations of the dynamic wake meandering model. To ensure a percent error of ≤ 1% in standard deviation of all considered structural response outputs, a high-resolution time step that captures the highest influential excitation and natural frequencies in the system and a high-resolution spatial discretization comparable to the maximum airfoil cord length is recommended. These guidelines are likely applicable to any aeroelastic analysis.
Effect of Coriolis force on a wind farm wake
Authors: Gadde Srinidhi Nagarada , Stevens Richard J.A.M.
Published: July 2019

The effect of the Coriolis force on the wake of a wind farm in a conventionally neutral and a stable boundary layer is investigated using large eddy simulations. We find that the average flow angle varies with the downstream position in the wind farm. In the entrance region of the wind farm, the flow blockage and wind veer create a positive gradient of the vertical flux

〈

u
′
w
′

¯

〉

at hub-height, which causes a counter-clockwise flow deflection in the Northern hemisphere, when observed from above. Further downstream, the vertical entrainment of air from the upper layers of the boundary layer generates a negative gradient of the vertical flux

〈

u
′
w
′

¯

〉

at hub-height, which results in a clockwise flow deflection in the Northern hemisphere. The deflection is more pronounced for the stable boundary layer than for the conventionally neutral boundary layer. In addition, we find that the wake deflection has a significant impact on the power production of turbines further downstream in the wind farm.
Lifetime extension of waked wind farms using active power control
Authors: Vali M , Petrović V , Pao L Y , Kühn M
Published: July 2019

This paper studies a new active power control (APC) of waked wind farms in order to extend the lifetime of highly loaded wind turbines. We demonstrate that the structural fatigue loading of a single turbine can be significantly alleviated, while the wind farm power production follows a power reference signal. Then, an optimization problem, subjected to a data-driven fatigue load model, is formulated to balance the lifetime fatigue loading of the wind turbines operating within a waked wind farm. A Game-Theoretic (GT) approach is employed to find a lifetime fraction, wherein a wind turbine should actively reject its own dynamic loadings due to turbulence. A large-eddy simulation model is employed for resolving the turbulent flow, the wake structures and its interaction with the atmospheric boundary layer. The applicability and key features of the controller are discussed with a wind farm example consisting of 2×2 turbines. The overall increase of wind farm lifetime is evaluated using the damage equivalent load (DEL) of the tower base fore-aft bending moment of the individual wind turbines.
Actuator Line Model simulations to study active power control at wind turbine level
Authors: Guggeri Andrés , Draper Martín , López Bruno , Usera Gabriel
Published: July 2019

Wind energy is expanding rapidly worldwide, being horizontal axis wind turbines the technology of larger installed capacity. Modern multi-MW wind turbines have a torque controller and a collective pitch controller to control their power output, particularly when the wind speed is greater than the rated one, or when it is required to down-regulate the turbines’ production. In this work we show results of a validated numerical method [1], based on a Large Eddy Simulation-Actuator Line Model framework, applied to evaluate active power control on a real 7.7MW [2][3] onshore wind farm of Uruguay. We describe the implementation of these controllers in the caffa3d solver [4] and present the methodology we applied to obtain the controller parameters, such as the gain scheduling of the closed loop Proportional-Integral pitch controller. For validation, the simulation results are compared with 1Hz data obtained from the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System of the wind farm, focusing on the temporal evolution of the following variables: wind velocity, rotor angular speed, pitch, aerodynamic and electric torque and power. We analyze the Active Power Control response under different de-rate signals, both constant and time-varying, and subject to two wind profiles and two different wind directions, one of them with significant influence of wakes on one wind turbine. The dependence of the wake on the de-rate value is also evaluated, assessing the streamwise velocity component and the turbulence intensity in the wake.
Computational study of the effect of protonation states of PSA protein zinc fingers on its DNA binding
Authors: Duc Nguyen Viet , Nguyen Ly Hai , Lai Hien T. T. , Nguyen Toan T.
Published: July 2019

In this study, we investigate the binding of the Zinc finger (ZF) structure on a short DNA molecule. The zinc finger of a protein where a Zn2+ ion binds to 4 cysteine or histidine amino acids in a tetrahedral structure is a very common motif of nucleic acid binding proteins. This structure is ubiquitous and the corresponding interaction model is present in 3% of the genes of human genome. ZF has been shown to be extremely useful in various therapeutic and research capacities, as well as in biotechnology. A recent computational study has shown that isolated zinc finger structure is stable if the cysteine amino acids are in deprotonated state. Here, we investigate how this deprotonated state influences protein structure, dynamics, and function in binding of ZF to short DNA molecules using molecular dynamics simulations in sub-microsecond range. Our results show that the Zn2+ ion and the deprotonated state of cysteine is essential for mechanical stabilization of the functional, folded conformation. Not only this state stabilizes the ZF structure, it also stabilizes the DNA-binding structure. Our result has potential impact on better design of zinc fingers for various biotechnological applications.
The role of electron-electron repulsion to the nonsequential double ionization mechanisms
Authors: Truong Thu D. H. , Nhan Hao T. V. , Pham Vinh N. T.
Published: July 2019

In this study the classical three-dimensional ensemble model is utilized for investigating the role of final state electron-electron repulsion in forming the ultimate correlated two-electron momentum distribution. For the first time, a comprehensive analysis has been made to thoroughly understand such repulsive force associating with each microscopic mechanism of nonsequential double ionization. The helium exposed to 800-nm laser with two representative intensities of 3.5×1014 W/cm2 and 4.5×1014 W/cm2 is used for illustration. The results indicate the dominance of electron-electron repulsion in direct and recollision-induced excitation with subsequential ionizations. While its contribution in case of exchanging-state mechanism gradually emerges as the laser intensity increases.
Fermionized Heisenberg model on a non-Bravais lattice with exact local constraint: Application to a honeycomb lattice
Authors: Thanh Nga Pham Thi , Thang Nguyen Toan
Published: July 2019

We study magnetic order of the Heisenberg model on a non-Bravais lattice based on the Popov - Fedotov trick for exactly treating the local constraint on on-site spin number. The spin operators are represented by auxiliary fermions and an imaginary chemical potential is introduced. The following steps are sketched: i) Parameterizing classical ground state by a magnetic ordering vector and angles between the spins within a unit cell. ii) Going to a local coordinate system. ii) Using functional integral representation with Hubbard-Stratonovich for partition function and calculating determinants of block matrices by Silvester-Powel method. For illustration we obtain some explicit expressions for ferromagnetic Heisenberg model on a honeycomb lattice and compare them with the slave boson results.
The Prague rules
Authors: Stampa Gonzalo
Published: July 2019

The Prague Rules on the Efficient Conduct of Proceedings in International Arbitration are available to parties and arbitrators since 14 December 2018. The conception and development of this new soft law text generated one of the most vivid technical debates in recent decades in international arbitration. The Prague Rules constitute voluntary suggestions which are technically based and designed to facilitate the efficient conduct of arbitral proceedings, by way of the continual cooperation of parties and arbitrators in their development. Its recommendations are based on the strictest respect for the principle of the autonomy of the parties. The recommendations of the Prague Rules are contained in twelve articles, which can be grouped into the following aspects of procedural handling: case management; the taking of evidence; and decision. This contribution undertakes a rough and summarized analysis of the scope of the Prague Rules in arbitral procedure, with the sole aim of understanding their content and investigating the merits of the strong criticism which these Rules have attracted
Bringing research back to the Royal Observatory
Authors: Drabek-Maunder Emily
Published: July 2019

Emily Drabek-Maunder appeals for researchers to get involved with a new observing project at Greenwich.
The gravitational wave spectrum
Authors: Cruise Mike
Published: July 2019

Mike Cruise surveys the development of this new field of astronomy in his 2019 Presidential Address.
Q&A Leo Capella
Authors: Johnson Paul
Published: July 2019

The National Autistic Society employee explains how the charity is supporting accessibility in RAS 200 projects – and science outreach generally. Interview by Paul Johnson.
SquiggleKit: a toolkit for manipulating nanopore signal data
Authors: Ferguson James M , Smith Martin A
Published: July 2019

The management of raw nanopore sequencing data poses a challenge that must be overcome to facilitate the creation of new bioinformatics algorithms predicated on signal analysis. SquiggleKit is a toolkit for manipulating and interrogating nanopore data that simplifies file handling, data extraction, visualization and signal processing.

Availability and implementation

SquiggleKit is cross platform and freely available from GitHub at (https://github.com/Psy-Fer/SquiggleKit). Detailed documentation can be found at (https://psy-fer.github.io/SquiggleKitDocs/). All tools have been designed to operate in python 2.7+, with minimal additional libraries.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The Marginal Voter’s Curse*
Authors: Herrera Helios , Llorente-Saguer Aniol , McMurray Joseph C
Published: July 2019

The swing voter’s curse is useful for explaining patterns of voter participation, but arises because voters restrict attention to the rare event of a pivotal vote. Recent empirical evidence suggests that electoral margins influence policy outcomes, even away from the 50% threshold. If so, voters should also pay attention to the marginal impact of a vote. Adopting this assumption, we find that a marginal voter’s curse gives voters a new reason to abstain, to avoid diluting the pool of information. The two curses have similar origins and exhibit similar patterns, but the marginal voter’s curse is both stronger and more robust. In fact, the swing voter’s curse turns out to be knife-edge: in large elections, a model with both pivotal and marginal considerations and a model with marginal considerations alone generate identical equilibrium behavior.
Does Success Breed Success? a Quasi-Experiment on Strategic Momentum in Dynamic Contests
Authors: Gauriot Romain , Page Lionel
Published: July 2019

We study how agents adapt their behaviour to variations of incentives in dynamic contests. We investigate a real dynamic contest with large stakes: professional tennis matches. Situations in which balls bounce very close to the court’s lines are used as the setting of a quasi-experiment providing random variations in winning probability. We find evidence of a momentum effect for men whereby winning a point has a positive causal impact on the probability to win the next one. This behaviour is compatible with a reaction to the asymmetry of incentives between leaders and followers. We do not find momentum for women.
Learning While Experimenting
Authors: Damiano Ettore , Li Hao , Suen Wing
Published: July 2019

An agent performing risky experimentation can benefit from suspending it to learn directly about the state. ‘Positive’ information acquisition seeks news that would confirm the state that favours experimentation. It is used as a last-ditch effort when the agent is pessimistic about the risky arm before abandoning it. ‘Negative’ information acquisition seeks news that would demonstrate that experimentation is futile. It is used as an insurance strategy to avoid wasteful experimentation when the agent is still optimistic. A higher reward from risky experimentation expands the region of beliefs that the agent optimally chooses information acquisition rather than experimentation.
A pre and post intervention study measuring the effect of interactive education on adolescent perceptions of vaccines, vaccine safety and disease risk
Authors: Blanchard Jaymie-lynn , Johnson Caitlin , McIntyre Margaret , Crowcroft Natasha S , McLellan Andrea
Published: July 2019

Background

Adolescents make decisions about their own vaccinations and will be the childhood vaccine decision makers of tomorrow. It is therefore essential to educate adolescents about the risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization safety. This study evaluated the impact of an interactive education initiative among adolescents at a high school in North Bay Ontario.

Methods

An anonymized questionnaire to assess students’ knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about immunization and vaccine-preventable diseases was administered before and after delivering an interactive session. Chi-squared and Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed to test for differences between pre and post responses.

Results

The intervention increased the students’ awareness that measles is a disease that affects their generation (P < 0.05). Improvements were also noted in the perceived risk of pertussis (P < 0.05) and tetanus (0.05). After the session, respondents were also more willing to participate with their parents in decisions affecting their healthcare (P < 0.05). Students’ perception of vaccine safety also improved (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Post survey results suggest that the interactive educational intervention had a positive effect on the adolescents’ perceptions and attitudes towards immunization. Further research is required to determine the impact of this type of intervention on adolescents’ future decision-making with respect to immunization.
Somatostatin+/nNOS+ neurons are involved in delta electroencephalogram activity and cortical-dependent recognition memory
Authors: Zielinski Mark R , Atochin Dmitriy N , McNally James M , McKenna James T , Huang Paul L , Strecker Robert E , Gerashchenko Dmitry
Published: July 2019

Slow-wave activity (SWA) is an oscillatory neocortical activity occurring in the electroencephalogram delta (δ) frequency range (~0.5–4 Hz) during nonrapid eye movement sleep. SWA is a reliable indicator of sleep homeostasis after acute sleep loss and is involved in memory processes. Evidence suggests that cortical neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expressing neurons that coexpress somatostatin (SST) play a key role in regulating SWA. However, previous studies lacked selectivity in targeting specific types of neurons that coexpress nNOS—cells which are activated in the cortex after sleep loss. We produced a mouse model that knocks out nNOS expression in neurons that coexpress SST throughout the cortex. Mice lacking nNOS expression in SST positive neurons exhibited significant impairments in both homeostatic low-δ frequency range SWA production and a recognition memory task that relies on cortical input. These results highlight that SST+/nNOS+ neurons are involved in the SWA homeostatic response and cortex-dependent recognition memory.
Sleep homeostasis during daytime food entrainment in mice
Authors: Northeast Rebecca C , Huang Yige , McKillop Laura E , Bechtold David A , Peirson Stuart N , Piggins Hugh D , Vyazovskiy Vladyslav V
Published: July 2019

Twenty-four hour rhythms of physiology and behavior are driven by the environment and an internal endogenous timing system. Daily restricted feeding (RF) in nocturnal rodents during their inactive phase initiates food anticipatory activity (FAA) and a reorganization of the typical 24-hour sleep–wake structure. Here, we investigate the effects of daytime feeding, where food access was restricted to 4 hours during the light period ZT4-8 (Zeitgeber time; ZT0 is lights on), on sleep–wake architecture and sleep homeostasis in mice. Following 10 days of RF, mice were returned to ad libitum feeding. To mimic the spontaneous wakefulness associated with FAA and daytime feeding, mice were then sleep deprived between ZT3-6. Although the amount of wake increased during FAA and subsequent feeding, total wake time over 24 hours remained stable as the loss of sleep in the light phase was compensated for by an increase in sleep in the dark phase. Interestingly, sleep that followed spontaneous wake episodes during the dark period and the extended period of wake associated with FAA, exhibited lower levels of slow-wave activity (SWA) when compared to baseline or after sleep deprivation, despite a similar duration of waking. This suggests an evolutionary mechanism of reducing sleep drive during negative energy balance to enable greater arousal for food-seeking behaviors. However, the total amount of sleep and SWA accumulated during the 24 hours was similar between baseline and RF. In summary, our study suggests that despite substantial changes in the daily distribution and quality of wake induced by RF, sleep homeostasis is maintained.
Microsleep episodes in the borderland between wakefulness and sleep
Authors: Hertig-Godeschalk Anneke , Skorucak Jelena , Malafeev Alexander , Achermann Peter , Mathis Johannes , Schreier David R
Published: July 2019

Study objectives

The wake-sleep transition zone represents a poorly defined borderland, containing, for example, microsleep episodes (MSEs), which are of potential relevance for diagnosis and may have consequences while driving. Yet, the scoring guidelines of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) completely neglect it. We aimed to explore the borderland between wakefulness and sleep by developing the Bern continuous and high-resolution wake-sleep (BERN) criteria for visual scoring, focusing on MSEs visible in the electroencephalography (EEG), as opposed to purely behavior- or performance-defined MSEs.

Methods

Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT) trials of 76 randomly selected patients were retrospectively scored according to both the AASM and the newly developed BERN scoring criteria. The visual scoring was compared with spectral analysis of the EEG. The quantitative EEG analysis enabled a reliable objectification of the visually scored MSEs. For less distinct episodes within the borderland, either ambiguous or no quantitative patterns were found.

Results

As expected, the latency to the first MSE was significantly shorter in comparison to the sleep latency, defined according to the AASM criteria. In certain cases, a large difference between the two latencies was observed and a substantial number of MSEs occurred between the first MSE and sleep. Series of MSEs were more frequent in patients with shorter sleep latencies, while isolated MSEs were more frequent in patients who did not reach sleep.

Conclusion

The BERN criteria extend the AASM criteria and represent a valuable tool for in-depth analysis of the wake-sleep transition zone, particularly important in the MWT.
Community eligibility and other provisions for universal free meals at school: impact on student breakfast and lunch participation in California public schools
Authors: Turner Lindsey , Guthrie Joanne F , Ralston Katherine
Published: July 2019

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) school meal programs are an important part of the safety net for reducing food insecurity, yet not all students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals participate. In 2014–2015, the Community Eligibility Provision became available nationwide. This provision, along with Provisions 1, 2, and 3 of the USDA school meals programs, allows local school food authorities to offer universal free meals at schools with high student poverty. It is expected that adoption of a provision allowing universal free meals will increase rates of student participation in meal programs at schools where many students are at risk for food insecurity.

This study examines school-level adoption of any provision for universal free meals and subsequent changes in student participation rates for the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program in California from 2013–2014 to 2016–2017.

A database was assembled for 10,343 public schools, including meals served, demographics, eligibility for provisions, and use of provisions in each year. Multilevel regression models were used to examine school adoption and student participation rates over time.

Difference-in-difference calculations from lagged longitudinal models adjusting for school demographics showed that when eligible schools adopted provisions, participation rates increased an average of 3.48 percentage points for breakfast and 5.79 points for lunch the following year. By 2016–2017, over half of all eligible schools were using a provision for universal free meals. Among eligible schools, provision adoption was more common at schools that were larger, had predominantly Latino students, and were in rural areas.

When eligible schools adopt provisions for universal free meals, student participation rates significantly increase, improving program reach among children most at risk for food insecurity. However, not all eligible schools adopt a provision for universal free meals and some adopters drop out in subsequent years. Research to better understand factors influencing the decision whether to adopt a provision or to continue it could inform policy and program leaders. Increases in breakfast participation are smaller than those for lunch, suggesting that other barriers to breakfast participation warrant further investigation.
An iterative, interdisciplinary, collaborative framework for developing and evaluating digital behavior change interventions
Authors: Sucala Madalina , Ezeanochie Nnamdi Peter , Cole-Lewis Heather , Turgiss Jennifer
Published: July 2019

The rapid expansion of technology promises to transform the behavior science field by revolutionizing the ways in which individuals can monitor and improve their health behaviors. To fully live into this promise, the behavior science field must address distinct challenges, including: building interventions that are not only scientifically sound but also engaging; using evaluation methods to precisely assess intervention components for intervention optimization; and building personalized interventions that acknowledge and adapt to the dynamic ecosystem of individual and contextual variables that impact behavior change. The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework to address these challenges by leveraging behavior science, human-centered design, and data science expertise throughout the cycle of developing and evaluating digital behavior change interventions (DBCIs). To define this framework, we reviewed current models and practices for intervention development and evaluation, as well as technology industry models for product development. The framework promotes an iterative process, aiming to maximize outcomes by incorporating faster and more frequent testing cycles into the lifecycle of a DBCI. Within the framework provided, we describe each phase, from development to evaluation, to discuss the optimal practices, necessary stakeholders, and proposed evaluation methods. The proposed framework may inform practices in both academia and industry, as well as highlight the need to offer collaborative platforms to ensure successful partnerships that can lead to more effective DBCIs that reach broad and diverse populations.
Delay-induced switched states in a slow–fast system
Authors: Ruschel Stefan , Yanchuk Serhiy
Published: July 2019

We consider the two-component delay system
εx
′(
t
) = − 
x
(
t
) − 
y
(
t
) + 
f
(
x
(
t
 − 1)),
y
′(
t
) = 
ηx
(
t
) with small para- meters
ε
,
η
and positive feedback function
f
. Previously, such systems have been reported to model switching in optoelectronic experiments, where each switching induces another one after approximately one delay time, related to one round trip of the signal. In this paper, we study these delay-induced switched states. We provide conditions for their existence and show how the formal limits
ε
 → 0 and/or
η
 → 0 facilitate our understanding of this phenomenon.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Nonlinear dynamics of delay systems’.
Travelling fronts in time-delayed reaction–diffusion systems
Authors: Rombouts Jan , Gelens Lendert , Erneux Thomas
Published: July 2019

We review a series of key travelling front problems in reaction–diffusion systems with a time-delayed feedback, appearing in ecology, nonlinear optics and neurobiology. For each problem, we determine asymptotic approximations for the wave shape and its speed. Particular attention is devoted to their validity and all analytical solutions are compared to solutions obtained numerically. We also extend the work by Erneux
et al.
(Erneux
et al.
2010
Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A
368
, 483–493 (
doi:10.1098/rsta.2009.0228
)) by considering the case of a slowly propagating front subject to a weak delayed feedback. The delay may either speed up the front in the same direction or reverse its direction.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Nonlinear dynamics of delay systems’.
Fokker–Planck representations of non-Markov Langevin equations: application to delayed systems
Authors: Giuggioli Luca , Neu Zohar
Published: July 2019

Noise and time delays, or history-dependent processes, play an integral part in many natural and man-made systems. The resulting interplay between random fluctuations and time non-locality are essential features of the emerging complex dynamics in non-Markov systems. While stochastic differential equations in the form of Langevin equations with additive noise for such systems exist, the corresponding probabilistic formalism is yet to be developed. Here we introduce such a framework via an infinite hierarchy of coupled Fokker–Planck equations for then-time probability distribution. When the non-Markov Langevin equation is linear, we show how the hierarchy can be truncated atn = 2 by converting the time non-local Langevin equation to a time-local one with additive coloured noise. We compare the resulting Fokker–Planck equations to an earlier version, solve them analytically and analyse the temporal features of the probability distributions that would allow to distinguish between Markov and non-Markov features.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Nonlinear dynamics of delay systems’.