bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Models in the Cloud: Exploring Next Generation Environmental Software Systems
Authors: Simm Will , Blair Gordon , Bassett Richard , Samreen Faiza , Young Paul
Published: January 2020

There is growing interest in the application of the latest trends in computing and data science methods to improve environmental science. However we found the penetration of best practice from computing domains such as software engineering and cloud computing into supporting every day environmental science to be poor. We take from this work a real need to re-evaluate the complexity of software tools and bring these to the right level of abstraction for environmental scientists to be able to leverage the latest developments in computing. In the Models in the Cloud project, we look at the role of model driven engineering, software frameworks and cloud computing in achieving this abstraction. As a case study we deployed a complex weather model to the cloud and developed a collaborative notebook interface for orchestrating the deployment and analysis of results. We navigate relatively poor support for complex high performance computing in the cloud to develop abstractions from complexity in cloud deployment and model configuration. We found great potential in cloud computing to transform science by enabling models to leverage elastic, flexible computing infrastructure and support new ways to deliver collaborative and open science.
Quantum complexity of time evolution with chaotic Hamiltonians
Authors: Balasubramanian Vijay , DeCross Matthew , Kar Arjun , Parrikar Onkar
Published: January 2020

Abstract

We study the quantum complexity of time evolution in large-N chaotic systems, with the SYK model as our main example. This complexity is expected to increase linearly for exponential time prior to saturating at its maximum value, and is related to the length of minimal geodesics on the manifold of unitary operators that act on Hilbert space. Using the Euler-Arnold formalism, we demonstrate that there is always a geodesic between the identity and the time evolution operator e

−iHt
whose length grows linearly with time. This geodesic is minimal until there is an obstruction to its minimality, after which it can fail to be a minimum either locally or globally. We identify a criterion — the Eigenstate Complexity Hypothesis (ECH) — which bounds the overlap between off- diagonal energy eigenstate projectors and the k-local operators of the theory, and use it to argue that the linear geodesic will at least be a local minimum for exponential time. We show numerically that the large-N SYK model (which is chaotic) satisfies ECH and thus has no local obstructions to linear growth of complexity for exponential time, as expected from holographic duality. In contrast, we also study the case with N = 2 fermions (which is integrable) and find short-time linear complexity growth followed by oscillations. Our analysis relates complexity to familiar properties of physical theories like their spectra and the structure of energy eigenstates and has implications for the hypothesized computational complexity class separations PSPACE "Image missing" BQP/poly and PSPACE "Image missing" BQSUBEXP/subexp, and the “fast-forwarding” of quantum Hamiltonians.
Stochastic renormalization group and gradient flow
Authors: Carosso Andrea
Published: January 2020

Abstract

A non-perturbative and continuous definition of RG transformations as stochastic processes is proposed, inspired by the observation that the functional RG equations for effective Boltzmann factors may be interpreted as Fokker-Planck equations. The result implies a new approach to Monte Carlo RG that is amenable to lattice simulation. Long-distance correlations of the effective theory are shown to approach gradient-flowed correlations, which are simpler to measure. The Markov property of the stochastic RG transformation implies an RG scaling formula which allows for the measurement of anomalous dimensions when transcribed into gradient flow expectation values.
Evolutionary variational–hemivariational inequalities with applications to dynamic viscoelastic contact mechanics
Authors: Han Jiangfeng , Lu Liang , Zeng Shengda
Published: January 2020

The purpose of this work is to introduce and investigate a complicated variational–hemivariational inequality of parabolic type with history-dependent operators. First, we establish an existence and uniqueness theorem for a first-order nonlinear evolution inclusion problem, which is driven by a convex subdifferential operator for a proper convex function and a generalized Clarke subdifferential operator for a locally Lipschitz superpotential. Then, we employ the fixed point principle for history-dependent operators to deliver the unique solvability of the parabolic variational–hemivariational inequality. Finally, a dynamic viscoelastic contact problem with the nonlinear constitutive law involving a convex subdifferential inclusion is considered as an illustrative application, where normal contact and friction are described, respectively, by two nonconvex and nonsmooth multi-valued terms.
Processing of poly-l-lactide and poly(l-lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate) blends by fused filament fabrication and fused granulate fabrication using RepRap 3D printer
Authors: Marchewka Jakub , Laska Jadwiga
Published: January 2020

The application of 3D printing by fused deposition modeling (FDM) and the low-cost RepRap 3D printer for the processing of poly-l-lactide (PLLA) and poly(l-lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate) (PLLATMC) blends was examined. Two blends with different mechanical properties were selected and the general scheme of their processing was proposed. For 80:20 PLLA:PLLATMC blend, fused filament fabrication (FFF) and the standard configuration of 3D printer were used, whereas for 30:70 PLLA:PLLATMC, the device was modified based on custom project for the application of fused granulate fabrication (FGF). The properties of the blends and their changes during the processing were analyzed by rheological measurements and size exclusion chromatography. Selected parameters of the printing process were optimized and their influence on the quality of the product was discussed. Both methods were used for the preparation of the scaffolds with different previously designed structures. The geometry of the scaffolds was characterized in relation to the parameters of the printing process, and base on this, the accuracy and precision of FFF and FGF methods were evaluated.
Measuring aesthetic results after facial skin cancer surgery by means of the FACE-Q
Authors: Kant SB , Mosterd K , Kelleners-Smeets NWJ , Van der Hulst RRWJ , Piatkowski A
Published: January 2020

Background

Skin cancer is the most commonly occurring type of cancer. However, the influence of facial skin cancer surgery on patients’ perceived aesthetic appearance is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to provide an insight into how patients perceive the aesthetic outcome of facial skin cancer surgery by means of a specialised patient-reported outcome measure designed for the aesthetic evaluation of the face: the FACE-Q.

Methods

A total of 47 patients with non-melanoma skin cancer who were scheduled for Mohs’s micrographic surgery (MMS) or standard surgical excision (SE) were included. These patients filled out three different FACE-Q questionnaires: satisfaction with facial appearance, social function, and satisfaction with outcome. Follow-up was conducted after baseline at 1 month and 3 months post-surgery.

Results

No significant differences were detected between baseline and follow-up regarding social function and satisfaction with facial appearance. However, after 3 months, patients were significantly more satisfied with the result of surgery when compared with the 1-month post-surgery follow-up.

Conclusions

The perceived aesthetic appreciation of patients does not seem to be significantly influenced by facial skin cancer SE or MMS surgery in this 3-month follow-up study.

Level of evidence: Not ratable.
Quantitative landscape reconstruction and erosion history during the past 1,100 years in the Skogaryd Research Catchment, southern Sweden
Authors: Yang Bingjie , Nielsen Anne Birgitte , Ljung Karl , Fahlgren Elise , Hormes Anne , Hammarlund Dan
Published: January 2020

A sediment sequence from a small forest lake in southwestern Sweden was investigated to explore the effects of forestry and land-use on catchment erosion and delivery of organic and minerogenic matter to the lake. Catchment-scale vegetation changes during the last 1,100 years were reconstructed quantitatively at 50-year resolution using pollen analysis and the Landscape reconstruction algorithm (LRA). Variations in terrestrial organic matter input to lake sediments were assessed by total organic carbon (TOC) content and carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratios. Changes in minerogenic matter were analysed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) scanning. The results show that Skogaryd was not intensively used for agriculture throughout the past 1,100 years, but its land-use changes were very sensitive to societal changes. Between ca.ad950 and 1350, local land-use was characterized by small-scale agricultural activities associated with the Medieval expansion, and enhanced soil erosion was recorded by increased K, Ti and Rb deposition. Aroundad1350 much of the farmland was abandoned, most likely in response to outbreaks of plague. The abandonment of farmland caused increased coniferous woodland cover and lower soil erosion. From the 16th century land-use expanded and gradually intensified, concurrent with a population increase documented in the study area between ca.ad1600 and 1850. Intensive exploitation of the forest led to soil erosion and increased terrestrial organic and minerogenic matter export to the lake. These processes peaked with the artificial drainage of a nearby wetland for agricultural purposes. During the 20th century, modern forestry management started with the plantation of conifers, and soil erosion declined.
Convergence of U-processes in Hölder spaces with application to robust detection of a changed segment
Authors: Račkauskas Alfredas , Wendler Martin
Published: January 2020

To detect a changed segment (so called epidemic changes) in a time series, variants of the CUSUM statistic are frequently used. However, they are sensitive to outliers in the data and do not perform well for heavy tailed data, especially when short segments get a high weight in the test statistic. We will present a robust test statistic for epidemic changes based on the Wilcoxon statistic. To study their asymptotic behavior, we prove functional limit theorems for U-processes in Hölder spaces. We also study the finite sample behavior via simulations and apply the statistic to a real data example.
Quo vadis – Bergmännische Gebirgsmechanik?
Authors: Wagner Horst
Published: January 2020

Der Beitrag beschreibt die Entwicklung der bergmännischen Gebirgsmechanik seit der Mitte des vergangenen Jahrhunderts. In diesem Zeitraum veränderte sich der Umgang mit der Gebirgsdruckproblematik im Bergbau von Grund auf. War ursprünglich der Schwerpunkt der Anstrengungen auf dem Gebiet des Grubenausbaus, d. h. der Beherrschung des druckhaften Gebirges, so liegt heute der Fokus der Bemühungen bei der Vermeidung des Auftretens druckhafter Situationen durch ingenieurmäßige Planung des Grubenzuschnitts und der Abbauführung. Möglich gemacht wurde dieser Paradigmenwechsel durch die Tätigkeit einer Reihe von europäischen und außereuropäischen Bergbauforschungsorganisationen, wie die des deutschen, englischen und französischen Steinkohlenbergbaus oder des südafrikanischen Steinkohle- und Goldbergbaus. Daneben waren auch einige staatliche industrienahe Forschungsorganisationen in Nordamerika und Australien involviert. In der Zeit von 1950 bis etwa 1980 wurde das wissenschaftliche Fundament der modernen Gebirgsmechanik geschaffen. Unterstützt durch Entwicklungen auf dem Gebiet der numerischen Analyse der komplexen Spannungs- und Verformungsvorgänge im Gebirge, als Folge des Abbaus der Rohstofflagerstätten, konnten mit Hilfe semi-empirischer Kriterien die Grundlagen für die ingenieurmäßige gebirgsmechanische Planung von Bergwerken geschaffen werden. Vom Nutzen dieser Entwicklung zehren wir heute. Nach erfolgreichem Wiederaufbau Europas nach dem 2. Weltkrieg und dem Wiedererstarken des europäischen Wirtschaftsraumes haben sich viele europäische Länder aus dem Bergbau und damit auch der Bergbauforschung zurückgezogen. Eine direkte Folge davon ist, dass die Bergbauforschung heute vornehmlich an Universitäten erfolgt. Diese sind jedoch nur in einem begrenzten Umfang in der Lage, eine strukturierte zukunftsorientierte Bergbauforschung durchzuführen. Die wesentlichen Fortschritte auf dem Gebiet der Grundlagen der Gebirgsmechanik, des Grubenausbaus und der Bergbauplanung werden dargestellt und es wird gezeigt, wie diese die Entwicklung der modernen Gebirgsmechanik geprägt haben. Die noch offenen Fragenkomplexe, die vornehmlich multi-disziplinärer Natur sind, werden angesprochen, wobei die Frage gestellt wird, ob die Universitätsstruktur geeignet ist, diese zu lösen.
Feather corticosterone in Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita: a stable matrix over time able to predict reproductive success
Authors: Monclús Laura , Tallo-Parra Oriol , Carbajal Anais , Quevedo Miguel Angel , Lopez-Bejar Manel
Published: January 2020

Measuring corticosterone concentrations in feathers (FCC) has been increasingly used as an integrated index of bird’s response to stressors, offering valuable insights into subsequent carry-over effects. However, it is still unclear to what extent corticosterone levels deposited in feathers during the moulting period relate to individual physiology in high-energetic demanding situations. In addition, the stability and repeatability of FCC over the same feather generation and across successive generations are still unresolved questions. In this study, we assessed FCC in 24 captive Northern Bald Ibis, Geronticus eremita. We sampled body feathers on three occasions during two consecutive years (2015–2016) to explore within-individual stability of FCC in feathers grown during the same generation and test whether FCC was repeatable or varied between two consecutive generations. Then, we explored whether FCC (a) was associated with individual health status, (b) correlated with previous reproductive success and (c) was related to future reproductive success. Results showed high stability of FCC among feathers of the same generation, while FCC differed between successive generations. We also observed that FCC, age and health status were negatively associated with subsequent reproductive success the following season, while no association was found with previous reproductive success. Overall, our study supports the use of feathers as a stable measure of corticosterone over the same feather replacement generation and emphasizes the usefulness of FCC as a biomarker of subsequent reproductive success.
Combining sterile and incompatible insect techniques for the population suppression of Drosophila suzukii
Authors: Nikolouli K. , Sassù F. , Mouton L. , Stauffer C. , Bourtzis K.
Published: January 2020

The spotted wingDrosophila,Drosophila suzukii, has recently invaded Europe and the Americas, and it is a major threat for a wide variety of commercial soft fruits both in open field and greenhouse production systems.D. suzukiiinfests a wide range of ripening fruits, leading to substantial yield and revenue losses. As the application of insecticides close to the harvest period poses great concerns, the development of an efficient environment-friendly control approach to fightD. suzukiiis necessary. In this study, we exploited the sterile insect technique (SIT) in combination withWolbachiasymbiosis as a population suppression approach that can constitute a potential component of an area-wide integrated pest management program. We aimed to establish a combined SIT/incompatible insect technique (IIT) protocol that would require lower irradiation doses as a complementary tool forD. suzukiimanagement. TwoD. suzukiilines trans-infected with theWolbachia wHa andwTei strains were irradiated at doses four times less than usual (e.g., 45 Gy), and the egg hatching and adult emergence were determined. Our results indicated thatwHa andwTei females as well aswHa males were sterile at this low dose. The longevity, adult emergence and flight ability of adults were evaluated, and no major effect caused by irradiation was detected. Our data indicate that a SIT/IIT protocol can be a competent approach forD. suzukiimanagement.
Effects of Maternal Suicidal Ideation on Child Cognitive Development: A Longitudinal Analysis
Authors: Mebrahtu H. , Sherr L. , Simms V. , Weiss H. A. , Rehman A. M. , Ndlovu P. , Cowan F. M.
Published: January 2020

This study aimed to assess the association between suicidal ideation among mothers living with HIV in Zimbabwe and the cognitive development of their children. Participants were mother–child dyads recruited from two rural districts in Zimbabwe. Data were collected at baseline and 12 months follow-up. Suicidal ideation was assessed using item-10 from the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale. Mixed-effects linear regression was used to assess the association of child cognitive outcomes at follow-up (using the Mullen scales of early learning) with maternal suicidal ideation. Mothers with suicidal ideation at baseline (n = 171) tended to be younger, unmarried, experienced moderate to severe hunger, had elevated parental stress and depression symptoms compared with non-suicidal mothers (n = 391). At follow-up, emerging maternal suicidal ideation was associated with poorer child cognitive outcomes (adjusted mean difference − 6.1; 95% CI − 10.3 to − 1.8; p = 0.03). Suicidal ideation affects child cognitive development and should be addressed, particularly in HIV positive mothers.
Exceptional spatio-temporal behavior mining through Bayesian non-parametric modeling
Authors: Du Xin , Pei Yulong , Duivesteijn Wouter , Pechenizkiy Mykola
Published: January 2020

Collective social media provides a vast amount of geo-tagged social posts, which contain various records on spatio-temporal behavior. Modeling spatio-temporal behavior on collective social media is an important task for applications like tourism recommendation, location prediction and urban planning. Properly accomplishing this task requires a model that allows for diverse behavioral patterns on each of the three aspects: spatial location, time, and text. In this paper, we address the following question: how to find representative subgroups of social posts, for which the spatio-temporal behavioral patterns are substantially different from the behavioral patterns in the whole dataset? Selection and evaluation are the two challenging problems for finding the exceptional subgroups. To address these problems, we propose BNPM: a Bayesian non-parametric model, to model spatio-temporal behavior and infer the exceptionality of social posts in subgroups. By training BNPM on a large amount of randomly sampled subgroups, we can get the global distribution of behavioral patterns. For each given subgroup of social posts, its posterior distribution can be inferred by BNPM. By comparing the posterior distribution with the global distribution, we can quantify the exceptionality of each given subgroup. The exceptionality scores are used to guide the search process within the exceptional model mining framework to automatically discover the exceptional subgroups. Various experiments are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of our method. On four real-world datasets our method discovers subgroups coinciding with events, subgroups distinguishing professionals from tourists, and subgroups whose consistent exceptionality can only be truly appreciated by combining exceptional spatio-temporal and exceptional textual behavior.
Secrecy and performance models for query processing on outsourced graph data
Authors: Suntaxi Gabriela , El Ghazi Aboubakr Achraf , Böhm Klemens
Published: January 2020

Database outsourcing is a challenge concerning data secrecy. Even if an adversary, including the service provider, accesses the data, she should not be able to learn any information from the accessed data. In this paper, we address this problem for graph-structured data. First, we define a secrecy notion for graph-structured data based on the concepts of indistinguishability and searchable encryption. To address this problem, we propose an approach based on bucketization. Next to bucketization, it makes use of obfuscated indexes and encryption. We show that finding an optimal bucketization tailored to graph-structured data is NP-hard; therefore, we come up with a heuristic. We prove that the proposed bucketization approach fulfills our secrecy notion. In addition, we present a performance model for scale-free networks which consists of (1) a number-of-buckets model that estimates the number of buckets obtained after applying our bucketization approach and (2) a query-cost model. Finally, we demonstrate with a set of experiments the accuracy of our number-of-buckets model and the efficiency of our approach with respect to query processing.
ERG shrinks by 10% when reducing dark adaptation time to 10 min, but only for weak flashes
Authors: Bach Michael , Meroni Cornelia , Heinrich Sven P.
Published: January 2020

Purpose

To compare dark-adapted (DA) ERG between 10, 15 and 20 min of dark adaptation (DA).

Methods

In a counterbalanced random block design, 40 healthy adult subjects were dark-adapted for 10, 15 or 20 min before we recorded ERGs to nine flash strengths from 0.001 to 10.0 cd s/m2 (dilated pupils) with a DTL-like electrode. Before and between sessions, the room was lit. Apart from choosing a wider range of stimulus strengths, and adding shorter DA times, the recordings fully complied with the ISCEV ERG Standard, namely using corneal electrodes, mydriasis and a standard DA sequence.

Results

The a-wave amplitude was not affected by any adaptation condition. For the b-wave amplitude, effects of reduced DA time are stronger for weaker flashes: Reducing DA from 20 to 10 min had no measurable effect on the DA 3 ERG, but reduced the DA 0.01 b-wave significantly (p < 0.0001) to 87 ± 2% (mean ± SEM). The DA 0.001 b-wave (not part of the ISCEV ERG Standard) was more affected (down to 72 ± 4%). There was a small, but significant, increase, only for weak flashes, in a- and b-wave peak times for 20 compared to 10-min dark adaptation time.

Conclusion

Reducing dark adaptation time from 20 to 10 min in normal participants has no effect on the ISCEV DA 3 and DA 10 ERG. The reduction in DA 0.01 ERGs to 87 ± 2% agrees with Hamilton and Graham (Doc Ophthalmol 133:11–19, 2016. 10.1007/s10633-016-9554-x) who found 90 ± 2% and with Asakawa et al. (Doc Ophthalmol 139:33–44, 2019. 10.1007/s10633-019-09693-8) who found 83%. Pending verification in pathophysiological states, the current results suggest that one might be able to correct for the 10% amplitude loss when gaining 10 min through shortened DA.
The influence of conjugated linoleic acid on the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ and selected apoptotic genes in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Słowikowski Bartosz Kazimierz , Drzewiecka Hanna , Malesza Michał , Mądry Ida , Sterzyńska Karolina , Jagodziński Paweł Piotr
Published: January 2020

In recent years, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) has been intensively studied. Because its activation is often associated with changes in the expression level of various apoptotic genes, many studies have emphasized the role of PPARγ as an important anticancer agent. However, in different types of cancer, different genes are influenced by PPARγ action. Previous studies showed that conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was able to induce apoptosis, upregulate PPARG gene expression and activate PPARγ protein in certain human cancer cell lines. Moreover, some PPARγ agonists inhibited the growth of human lung cancer cells through the induction of apoptosis. Nevertheless, the impact of CLA on PPARγ mRNA and protein levels in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines has not been investigated thus far. Therefore, in our study, we analysed the influence of the c9,t11 linoleic acid isomer on the expression of PPARG and other genes involved in the apoptotic response (BCL-2, BAX, and CDKN1A) in two NSCLC cell lines of different histological origin (A549 and Calu-1) and in normal human bronchial epithelial Beas-2B cells. Cells were treated with several doses of c9,t11 CLA, followed by RNA and protein isolation, cDNA synthesis, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot analysis. We showed that the investigated CLA isomer was able to enhance the expression of PPARγ in the examined cell lines and alter the mRNA and protein levels of genes involved in apoptosis. Fluorescent staining and MMT assay revealed the antiproliferative potential of CLA as well as its ability to activate pathways that lead to cell death.
Iron-Doping of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Lowers Their Toxic Potential on C6 Glioma Cells
Authors: Joshi Arundhati , Naatz Hendrik , Faber Kathrin , Pokhrel Suman , Dringen Ralf
Published: January 2020

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) are well known for their cytotoxicity which in part has been attributed to the release of copper ions from CuO-NPs. As iron-doping has been reported to reduce the susceptibility of CuO-NPs to dissolution, we have compared pure CuO-NPs and CuO-NPs that had been doped with 10% iron (CuO-Fe-NPs) for copper release and for their toxic potential on C6 glioma cells. Physicochemical characterization revealed that dimercaptosuccinate (DMSA)-coated CuO-NPs and CuO-Fe-NPs did not differ in their size or zeta potential. However, the redox activity and liberation of copper ions from CuO-Fe-NPs was substantially slower compared to that from CuO-NPs, as demonstrated by cyclic voltammetry and by the photometric quantification of the copper ion-bathocuproine complex, respectively. Exposure of C6 cells to these NPs caused an almost identical cellular copper accumulation and each of the two types of NPs induced ROS production and cell toxicity. However, the time- and concentration-dependent loss in cell viability was more severe for cells that had been treated with CuO-NPs compared to cells exposed to CuO-Fe-NPs. Copper accumulation and toxicity after exposure to either CuO-NPs or CuO-Fe-NPs was prevented in the presence of copper chelators, while neutralization of the lysosomal pH by bafilomycin A1 prevented toxicity without affecting cellular copper accumulation or ROS production. These data demonstrate that iron-doping does not affect cellular accumulation of CuO-NPs and suggests that the intracellular liberation of copper ions from CuO-NPs is slowed by the iron doping, which in turn lowers the cell toxic potential of iron-doped CuO-NPs.
Interactions of 17β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 10 and Cyclophilin D in Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Kristofikova Zdenka , Springer Tomas , Gedeonova Erika , Hofmannova Adéla , Ricny Jan , Hromadkova Lenka , Vyhnalek Martin , Laczo Jan , Nikolai Tomas , Hort Jakub , Petrasek Tomas , Stuchlik Ales , Vales Karel , Klaschka Jan , Homola Jiri
Published: January 2020

The nucleus-encoded 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 10 (17β-HSD10) regulates cyclophilin D (cypD) in the mitochondrial matrix. CypD regulates opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pores. Both mechanisms may be affected by amyloid β peptides accumulated in mitochondria in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In order to clarify changes occurring in brain mitochondria, we evaluated interactions of both mitochondrial proteins in vitro (by surface plasmon resonance biosensor) and detected levels of various complexes of 17β-HSD10 formed in vivo (by sandwich ELISA) in brain mitochondria isolated from the transgenic animal model of AD (homozygous McGill-R-Thy1-APP rats) and in cerebrospinal fluid samples of AD patients. By surface plasmon resonance biosensor, we observed the interaction of 17β-HSD10 and cypD in a direct real-time manner and determined, for the first time, the kinetic parameters of the interaction (ka 2.0 × 105 M1s−1, kd 5.8 × 104 s−1, and KD 3.5 × 10–10 M). In McGill-R-Thy1-APP rats compared to controls, levels of 17β-HSD10–cypD complexes were decreased and those of total amyloid β increased. Moreover, the levels of 17β-HSD10–cypD complexes were decreased in cerebrospinal fluid of individuals with AD (in mild cognitive impairment as well as dementia stages) or with Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) compared to cognitively normal controls (the sensitivity of the complexes to AD dementia was 92.9%, that to FTLD 73.8%, the specificity to AD dementia equaled 91.7% in a comparison with the controls but only 26.2% with FTLD). Our results demonstrate the weakened ability of 17β-HSD10 to regulate cypD in the mitochondrial matrix probably via direct effects of amyloid β. Levels of 17β-HSD10–cypD complexes in cerebrospinal fluid seem to be the very sensitive indicator of mitochondrial dysfunction observed in neurodegeneration but unfortunately not specific to AD pathology. We do not recommend it as the new biomarker of AD.
Optical and structural-chemistry of SnS nanocrystals prepared by thermal decomposition of bis(N-di-isopropyl-N-octyl dithiocarbamato)tin(II) complex for promising materials in solar cell applications
Authors: Meyer Edson L. , Mbese Johannes Z. , Agoro Mojeed A. , Taziwa Raymond
Published: January 2020

Mixed ligand precursor complex bis(N-di-isopropyl-N-octyl dithiocarbamato)tin(II) complex was synthesized from its respective dithiocarbamate ligands, characterized and thermalized through thermogravimetric analysis to yield tin sulfide (SnS) nanocrystals. The thermal decomposition pattern was recorded as a function of the required temperature for the formation of the SnS nanocrystals at 360 °C. The SnS nanocrystals were characterized using optical, vibrational, structural and morphological analyses instruments. The obtained orthorhombic phase SnS nanocrystals showed indirect and direct optical energy band gaps close to the 1.5 eV of the bulk SnS.
Moral motivation and the affective appeal
Authors: Corns Jennifer , Cowan Robert
Published: January 2020

Proponents of “the affective appeal” (e.g. Dancy in Ethics 124(4):787–812, 2014; Zagzebski in Philos Phenomenol Res 66(1):104–124, 2003) argue that we can make progress in the longstanding debate about the nature of moral motivation by appealing to the affective dimension of affective episodes such as emotions, which allegedly play either a causal or constitutive role in moral judgements. Specifically, they claim that appealing to affect vindicates a version of Motivational Internalism—roughly, the view that there is a necessary connection between moral judgment and motivation—that is both more empirically respectable and less theoretically controversial than non-affective versions. We here argue that the affective appeal fails: versions of Internalism which appeal to affect are neither more empirically supported, nor clearly less controversial, than versions of Internalism which make no such appeal. Although affect doubtless has an important role to play in explaining moral motivation, we are sceptical that establishing any such role advances the debate.
Cometary Nuclei—From Giotto to Rosetta
Authors: Keller Horst Uwe , Kührt Ekkehard
Published: January 2020

We will briefly recapitulate the beginning of modern cometary physic. Then we will assess the results of the cometary flyby missions previous to ESA’s Rosetta rendezvous with comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. Emphasis is given to the physical properties of cometary nuclei. We will relate the results of the Rosetta mission to those of the flybys. A major conclusion is that the visited cometary nuclei seem to be alike but represent different stages of evolution. Coma composition and appearance are not only controlled by the composition of the nucleus but also strongly influenced by the shape and rotation axis orientation of the nucleus and resulting seasons that generate varying surface coverage by back fall material. Rosetta showed that the coma composition is not only varying spatially but also strongly with time during the perihelion passage. Hence past interpretations of cometary coma observations have to be re-considered. Finally, we will try to assess the impact of the cornerstone mission leading to a critical evaluation of the mission results. Lessons learned from Rosetta are discussed; major progress and open points in cometary research are reviewed.
Fame in the predictive brain: a deflationary approach to explaining consciousness in the prediction error minimization framework
Authors: Dołęga Krzysztof , Dewhurst Joe E.
Published: January 2020

The proposal that probabilistic inference and unconscious hypothesis testing are central to information processing in the brain has been steadily gaining ground in cognitive neuroscience and associated fields. One popular version of this proposal is the new theoretical framework of predictive processing or prediction error minimization (PEM), which couples unconscious hypothesis testing with the idea of ‘active inference’ and claims to offer a unified account of perception and action. Here we will consider one outstanding issue that still looms large at the core of the PEM framework: the lack of a clear criterion for distinguishing conscious states from unconscious ones. In order to fulfill the promise of becoming a unifying framework for describing and modeling cognition, PEM needs to be able to differentiate between conscious and unconscious mental states or processes. We will argue that one currently popular view, that the contents of conscious experience are determined by the ‘winning hypothesis’ (i.e. the one with the highest posterior probability, which determines the behavior of the system), falls short of fully accounting for conscious experience. It ignores the possibility that some states of a system can control that system’s behavior even though they are apparently not conscious (as evidenced by e.g. blindsight or subliminal priming). What follows from this is that the ‘winning hypothesis’ view does not provide a complete account of the difference between conscious and unconscious states in the probabilistic brain. We show how this problem (and some other related problems) for the received view can be resolved by augmenting PEM with Daniel Dennett’s multiple drafts model of consciousness. This move is warranted by the similar roles that attention and internal competition play in both the PEM framework and the multiple drafts model.
Lerngelegenheiten mit kaufmännischem Kontext im Mathematikunterricht der allgemeinbildenden Schule – Eine Schulbuch- und Aufgabenanalyse
Authors: von Hering Robert , Zingelmann Halima , Heinze Aiso , Lindmeier Anke
Published: January 2020

Der Erwerb mathematischer Kompetenz im allgemeinbildenden Unterricht soll unter anderem der Berufsvorbereitung dienen. Für das Fach Mathematik sind kaufmännische Ausbildungsberufe mit ihren hohen Ausbildungszahlen und mathematischen Anforderungen eine wichtige Referenz. Werden in der Schule berufsfeldbezogene mathematische Kompetenzen erworben, so können diese theoretisch Passungsprobleme am Übergang Schule – Beruf abmildern. Es stellt sich daher die Frage, inwiefern im allgemeinbildenden Mathematikunterricht vorbereitende Lerngelegenheiten für den kaufmännischen Bereich (exemplarisch für Industriekaufleute) vorkommen. In der Studie wurden als Annährung an den Unterricht Schulbücher der Sekundarstufe im Hinblick auf Aufgaben mit (industrie-)kaufmännischem Kontext untersucht. Die Klassifikation der Kontexte von 18 allgemeinbildenden Mathematikschulbüchern aus 4 Reihen zeigt, dass zwar 6 % der Aufgaben ein Potential zur Vorbereitung auf kaufmännische Anforderungen enthalten, die Aufgaben weisen aber größtenteils einen niedrigen Grad an Berufsbezogenheit auf. Die Studie kann zum besseren Verständnis der derzeitigen Ausgestaltung von Berufsvorbereitung im allgemeinbilden Mathematikunterricht beitragen.
Geoheritage of Postglacial Areas in Northern Poland—Prospects for Geotourism
Authors: Jamorska Izabela , Sobiech Marcin , Karasiewicz Tomasz , Tylmann Karol
Published: January 2020

This study aims to identify potential geosites and show existing geosites in a young glacial landscape in northern Poland through a qualitative assessment of the local geoheritage. Three areas of diversified morphology and geology located within the extent of the last Scandinavian Ice Sheet have been selected as the research polygons: the north-eastern part of the Dobrzyń Lake District, the Lower Vistula Valley and the Kashubian Lake District. Three basic abiotic components of the environment have been analysed: geology, terrain relief and hydrology. This research is based on some specific materials including maps and photographs. Methodology of this research includes the inventory, characterization and assessment of selected areas. The final results are proposals for geosites of high educational value in each of the three investigated regions. For the north-eastern part of the Dobrzyń Lake District, the creation of a geopark has been proposed, and the geosites of the Lower Vistula Valley provide the potential for a geotourist footpath to be designed. The Kashubian Lake District is characterised by the occurrence of numerous glacial landforms and sediments as well as high denivelations and a concentration of erratic boulders. Therefore, this region also has the potential to be selected for valuable geosites and the designing of a geotourist footpath.
Simultaneous removal of COD and Ammoniacal Nitrogen from dye intermediate manufacturing Industrial Wastewater using Fenton oxidation method
Authors: Pani Nibedita , Tejani Vishnu , Anantha-Singh T. S. , Kandya Anurag
Published: January 2020

The untreated wastewater from the dye industry having high ammoniacal nitrogen and chemical oxygen demand (COD) significantly pollutes the receiving water, such as a river, having major ill implications on the aquatic environment. The present study is undertaken to address this problem. It investigates the effectiveness of Fenton reagent in simultaneous treatment (removal) of ammoniacal nitrogen and COD present in the wastewater by varying the parameters like pH, concentration of Fe 2+ and H2O2 and their molar ratio. The reaction time for all the experiments was kept 60 min. The experimental analysis in terms of calculating the residual % of ammoniacal nitrogen and COD revealed that the maximum reduction occurred at pH 3. At this pH, further set of experiments were performed by varying the molar doses of Fe2+/H2O2 as 1:1, 3:3 and 5:5, and the results reveal that the maximum reduction in both ammoniacal nitrogen and COD happens at molar dose of 3:3. To understand the effect of the concentration of Fe2+ and H2O2 on the respective removal efficiency, set of experiments were performed by taking the molar ratio of Fe2+/H2O2 as 2:1, 3:1, 5:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:5. The experimental analysis reveals that the maximum reduction happened at molar ratio 1:3. Fenton process can mineralize the pollutants up to 75.8% and 78.6% for ammoniacal nitrogen and COD removal. The findings of the study would be of great use for planning and optimizing the wastewater treatment facility for the dye intermediate industry.
Knowledge gaps and management recommendations for future paths of sustainable seaweed farming in the Western Indian Ocean
Authors: Eggertsen Maria , Halling Christina
Published: January 2020

Farming of eucheumatoid seaweeds is a widespread, promising activity and an important livelihood option in many tropical coastal areas as for example in East Africa, Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Compared to other types of aquaculture, seaweed farming has generally low impact on the environment. Nonetheless, there are potential direct or indirect negative effects of seaweed farming, such as introduction of alien species and changes in local environmental conditions. Although farming has been practiced in this region during several decades, the knowledge concerning the actual environmental impacts from faming non-native eucheumatoid haplotypes and consequently how to manage farming activities to mitigate those is highly limited. In this review, we provide a summary of the current scientific knowledge of potential direct and indirect negative environmental effects linked to eucheumatoid seaweed farming such as alterations of benthic macrophyte habitats and loss of native biodiversity. Furthermore, we highlight knowledge gaps that are of importance to address in the near future, e.g., large-scale ecosystem effects and farms as potential vectors of pathogens. We also provide a number of feasible management recommendations to be implemented for a continued development of environmentally sustainable seaweed farming practices in the WIO region, which includes spatial planning of farms to avoid sensitive areas and farming of native haplotypes of eucheumatoids instead of introduced specimens.
Labor Force Participation Over the Life Course: The Long-Term Effects of Employment Trajectories on Wages and the Gendered Payoff to Employment
Authors: Weisshaar Katherine , Cabello-Hutt Tania
Published: January 2020

In this article, we consider how individuals’ long-term employment trajectories relate to wage inequality and the gender wage gap in the United States. Using more than 30 years of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 sample, we identify six employment trajectories for individuals from ages 22 to 50. We find that women across racial/ethnic groups and Black men are more likely than White and Hispanic men to have nonsteady employment trajectories and lower levels of employment throughout their lives, and individuals who have experienced poverty also have heightened risks of intermittent employment. We then assess how trajectories are associated with wages later in careers, at ages 45–50. We find significant variation in wages across work trajectories, with steady high employment leading to the highest wages. This wage variation is primarily explained by work characteristics rather than family characteristics. Finally, we examine gender variation in within-trajectory wages. We find that the gender wage gap is largest in the steady high employment trajectory and is reduced among trajectories with longer durations of nonemployment. Thus, although women are relatively more concentrated in nonsteady trajectories than are men, men who do follow nonsteady wage trajectories incur smaller wage premiums than men in steady high employment pathways, on average. These findings demonstrate that long-term employment paths are important predictors of economic and gender wage inequality.
Preparation and characterization of Chicory leaf powder and its application as a nano-native plant sorbent for removal of Acid Blue 25 from aqueous media: isotherm, kinetic and thermodynamic study of the adsorption phenomenon
Authors: Haghighizadeh Maryam , Zare Karim , Aghaie Hossein , Monajjemi Majid
Published: January 2020

In this study, the Chicory leaf powder (CLP) was used as a native adsorbent to eliminate the Acid Blue 25 dye from aqueous media. The prepared native adsorbent was characterized by several techniques including the X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer–Emmet–Teller essay (BET), and particle size analyzer (PSA). A collection of experiments was performed to distinguish the optimal conditions and to probe the effects of the different parameters such as initial concentration, contact time, adsorbent dosage, pH of solution, and temperature on the sorbent capacity. The attained optimal conditions for removal the Acid Blue 25 dye were pH = 3–4, contact time 50 min, dosage 0.1 g, and initial concentrations 10 (mg/L) at 30 °C. The adsorption data revealed that the adsorption procedure has more match with the Langmuir isotherm than others. The kinetic data were better fitted with the pseudo-second-order pattern with a trusty correlation coefficient. Finally, the thermodynamic parameters illustrated that the adsorption process is exothermal and spontaneous. Based on magnitude of the standard enthalpy change related to the studied adsorption, we may derive that the considered adsorption is physical adsorption.
Antimicrobial effect of chitosan–silver–copper nanocomposite on Candida albicans
Authors: Ashrafi Mohsen , Bayat Mansour , Mortazavi Pejman , Hashemi Seyed Jamal , Meimandipour Amir
Published: January 2020

Candida is a common yeast in opportunistic fungal diseases around the world and is usually colonized on the skin and mucosal membranes. The purpose of this study was to synthesize chitosan–silver–copper nanocomposite and to investigate its antifungal effects on Candida albicans. Silver, copper and chitosan nanoparticles were synthesized individually. Then, copper–silver–chitosan nanocomposite was synthesized. These nanoparticles are approved by transmission electron microscope, and nanocomposite structure was also confirmed by scanning electron microscope. Then, the minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum fungicidal of these nanostructures were examined on C. albicans. The results of this study indicate that the properties and effects of the investigated nanocomposite are comparable to amphotericin B as standard material. The results show that this effect was higher for copper–silver–chitosan nanocomposite than for other nanoparticles studied. Antifungal effect of copper nanoparticles and chitosan nanoparticles was not established separately, but it was found that their composition had antifungal effects that were effective. The combination of nanoparticles of chitosan with silver has been shown to have some antifungal effects. The most antifungal effect for the nanoparticles studied is related to copper–silver–chitosan nanocomposite and, which has had a significant effect on the growth of C. albicans in the laboratory environment compared to other nanoparticles.

Graphic abstract
A dynamic evaluation technique for assessing gas output from coal seams during commingling production within a coalbed methane well: a case study from the Qinshui Basin
Authors: Wu Chuan , Yuan Chengxiang , Wen Guojun , Han Lei , Liu Haojie
Published: January 2020

Gas drainage is carried out based on output from each coal bed throughout commingling production of coalbed methane (CBM). A reasonable drainage process should therefore initially guarantee main coal bed production and then enhance gas output from other beds. Permanent damage can result if this is not the case, especially with regard to fracture development in the main gas-producing coal bed and can greatly reduce single well output. Current theoretical models and measuring devices are inapplicable to commingled CBM drainage, however, and so large errors in predictive models cannot always be avoided. The most effective currently available method involves directly measuring gas output from each coal bed as well as determining the dominant gas-producing unit. A dynamic evaluation technique for gas output from each coal bed during commingling CBM production is therefore proposed in this study. This technique comprises a downhole measurement system combined with a theoretical calculation model. Gas output parameters (i.e., gas-phase flow rate, temperature, pressure) are measured in this approach via a downhole measurement system; substituting these parameters into a deduced theoretical calculation model then means that gas output from each seam can be calculated to determine the main gas-producing unit. Trends in gas output from a single well or each seam can therefore be predicted. The laboratory and field test results presented here demonstrate that calculation errors in CBM outputs can be controlled within a margin of 15% and therefore conform with field use requirements.