bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Formation of Fe and Fe2O3 Microspirals via Interfacial Synthesis
Authors: Gulina Larisa B. , Tolstoy Valeri P. , Lobinsky Artem A. , Petrov Yuri V.
Published: August 2018

A new method is reported for obtaining microspirals of iron‐based compounds by interfacial interaction. A thin film of Fe(OH)3 is obtained as a result of interaction between an aqueous solution of iron salts and gaseous ammonia. Upon drying, it is transformed into Fe(OH)3 microspirals with a diameter of up to 10 µm. These microspirals can be transformed into Fe2O3 microspirals by annealing in air. As a result of hydrogen reduction, Fe microspirals are formed. Both the annealing in air and that in hydrogen allow the retaining of the morphology. The material synthesized is characterized by electronic microscopy methods, X‐ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared, and Mössbauer and photoelectron spectroscopies. The electrocatalytic properties of the electrode based on Fe2O3 microspirals as a catalyst of hydrogen evolution and the magnetic properties of Fe microspirals are tested. A hypothesis is proposed on the formation of microspirals by the gas–solution interface technique.
Natural mortality factors of tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta in open‐field tomato crops in South America
Authors: Bacci Leandro , Silva Ézio M , Silva Gerson A , Silva Laércio J , Rosado Jander F , Samuels Richard I , Picanço Marcelo C
Published: August 2018

Background

Little importance has been given to the role of natural mortality factors (biotic and abiotic) in the regulation of tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) populations. The present study determined the action of mortality factors on T. absoluta populations infesting cultivated tomato crops. Eighty ecological life tables for T. absoluta in field cultivated tomato plants were constructed and analyzed.

Results

Total T. absoluta mortality was 99.08%, with 38.76% mortality during the egg phase, 57.20% in the larva phase and 3.12% in the pupal phase. The main mortality factors during the egg stage were predation, parasitism and egg inviability. In the larval stage, the main mortality factors were predation, parasitism, entomopathogenic agents and physiological disorders. In the pupal stage, the main mortality factor was predation. The larvae of the third and fourth instar were more susceptible to the action of mortality factors and the predatory wasp, Protonectarina sylveirae, was the main insect predator of these larvae.

Conclusions

The T. absoluta population is regulated under field conditions by the action of natural enemies of the larvae. The predatory wasp P. sylveirae is very important in the regulation of T. absoluta populations in open‐field tomato crops in Brazil. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Field monitoring of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Cry1Ac insecticidal protein resistance in China (2005–2017)
Authors: Dandan Zhang , Yutao Xiao , Wenbo Chen , Yanhui Lu , Kongming Wu
Published: August 2018

BACKGROUND

Bt cotton expressing Cry1Ac can efficiently control Helicoverpa armigera, but field‐evolved Bt resistance reduces its efficacy. Susceptibility of H. armigera field populations to Cry1Ac protein has been monitored since Bt cotton was commercialized in 1997 in China. Here we report the results of our continued monitoring from 2005 to 2017 to provide important guidelines for sustainably growing cotton.

RESULTS

From 13 provinces and regions, 221 populations were sampled and measured. IC50 values (concentration producing 50% inhibition of larval development to third instar) among different strains ranged from 0.004 to 0.212 µg mL−1, the percentage survival at a diagnostic concentration (IC99, 1.0 µg mL−1) (SUR) ranged from 0% to 22.2%, and the percentage of field populations yielding survivors at diagnostic concentration (PSD) increased from 0 in 2006 and 2007 to 80% in 2015.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to resistance level from 1998 to 2004 and the geographic baseline in different places of China in 1997, Bt resistance of H. armigera field populations to Cry1Ac protein has increased significantly, but failure of Bt cotton has not yet been detected. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
X‐Ray Diffraction and Computer Simulation Studies of the Structure of Liquid Aliphatic Aldehydes: From Propanal to Nonanal
Authors: Pethes Ildikó , Temleitner László , Tomšič Matija , Jamnik Andrej , Pusztai László
Published: August 2018

Synchrotron X‐ray diffraction experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been performed on simple aliphatic aldehydes, from propanal to nonanal. The performance of the OPLS (Optimized Potentials for Liquid Simulations) all‐atom interaction potential model for aldehydes has been assessed via direct comparison of simulated and experimental total scattering structure factors. In general, MD results reproduce the experimental data at least semi‐quantitatively. However, a slight mismatch can be observed between the two datasets in terms of the position of the main diffraction maxima. Partial radial distribution functions have also been calculated from the simulation results. Clear differences can be detected between the various OH partial radial distribution functions, depending on whether the H atom is attached to the carbon atom that is doubly bonded to the oxygen atom of the aldehyde group or not.
Distributed zero‐gradient‐sum algorithm for convex optimization with time‐varying communication delays and switching networks
Authors: Guo Zhijun , Chen Gang
Published: August 2018

The distributed convex optimization problem subject to time‐varying communication delays and switching network topologies is addressed in this paper. Based on continuous‐time Zero‐Gradient‐Sum scheme, the novel distributed algorithms are proposed to minimize the global objective function which is composed of a sum of strictly convex local cost functions. In the fixed network topology case, by constructing a new Lyapunov‐Krasovskii function, two explicit sufficient conditions for the maximum admissible time delay are derived to guarantee that all agents' states converge to the optimal solution. In the switching network topology case, the stability condition is derived by the common Lyapunov function theory. In addition, two sufficient conditions about the maximum admissible time delays are also derived for the fixed and switching weight‐balanced network topologies, respectively. Several simulation tests are used to illustrate the effectiveness of our obtained theoretical results.
Individual participant data meta‐analysis of continuous outcomes: A comparison of approaches for specifying and estimating one‐stage models
Authors: Legha Amardeep , Riley Richard D. , Ensor Joie , Snell Kym I.E. , Morris Tim P. , Burke Danielle L.
Published: August 2018

One‐stage individual participant data meta‐analysis models should account for within‐trial clustering, but it is currently debated how to do this. For continuous outcomes modeled using a linear regression framework, two competing approaches are a stratified intercept or a random intercept. The stratified approach involves estimating a separate intercept term for each trial, whereas the random intercept approach assumes that trial intercepts are drawn from a normal distribution. Here, through an extensive simulation study for continuous outcomes, we evaluate the impact of using the stratified and random intercept approaches on statistical properties of the summary treatment effect estimate. Further aims are to compare (i) competing estimation options for the one‐stage models, including maximum likelihood and restricted maximum likelihood, and (ii) competing options for deriving confidence intervals (CI) for the summary treatment effect, including the standard normal‐based 95% CI, and more conservative approaches of Kenward‐Roger and Satterthwaite, which inflate CIs to account for uncertainty in variance estimates. The findings reveal that, for an individual participant data meta‐analysis of randomized trials with a 1:1 treatment:control allocation ratio and heterogeneity in the treatment effect, (i) bias and coverage of the summary treatment effect estimate are very similar when using stratified or random intercept models with restricted maximum likelihood, and thus either approach could be taken in practice, (ii) CIs are generally best derived using either a Kenward‐Roger or Satterthwaite correction, although occasionally overly conservative, and (iii) if maximum likelihood is required, a random intercept performs better than a stratified intercept model. An illustrative example is provided.
Anomalous Dynamics of Magnetic Anisotropic Colloids Studied by XPCS
Authors: Pal Antara , Zinn Thomas , Kamal Mohammad Arif , Narayanan Theyencheri , Schurtenberger Peter
Published: August 2018

The influence of an applied magnetic field on the collective dynamics of novel anisotropic colloidal particles whose shape resembles peanuts is reported. Being made up of hematite cores and silica shells, these micrometer‐sized particles align in a direction perpendicular to the applied external magnetic field, and assemble into chains along the field direction. The anisotropic dynamics of these particles is investigated using multispeckle ultrasmall‐angle X‐ray photon correlation spectroscopy (USA‐XPCS). The results indicate that along the direction of the magnetic field, the particle dynamics strongly depends on the length scale probed. Here, the relaxation of the intermediate scattering function follows a compressed exponential behavior at large distances, while it appears diffusive at distances comparable or smaller than the particle size. Perpendicular to the applied field (and along the direction of gravity), the experimental data can be quantitatively reproduced by a combination of an advective term originating from sedimentation and a purely diffusive one that describes the thermal diffusion of the assembled chains and individual particles.
Design and microcontroller‐based hardware performance analysis of a security‐enhanced lightweight communication scheme for smart grid
Authors: Abbasinezhad‐Mood Dariush , Nikooghadam Morteza
Published: August 2018

In smart grid, usage reports of consumers are collected via the smart meters (SMs) and sent to the power management and control center. In addition, some instructions are sent from the control center to the SMs. These two‐way communications between customers and energy suppliers are subject to numerous security threats. Due to the limited processing capability and storage space of the SMs, it is required to employ lightweight communication schemes. To do so, quite recently, Liu et al have proposed an interesting lightweight authenticated communication scheme for the secure bidirectional communications of SMs and neighborhood gateways in smart grid. In this paper, we first demonstrate that their scheme suffers from the SM's memory modification attack and pollution attack, then, we propose an enhanced lightweight communication scheme that is secure against the mentioned attacks. The comparative performance analysis with recent works in this field shows that our scheme not only is more efficient in terms of computational complexity and communication cost, but also benefits from substantial reduction in the required storage space. Our realistic hardware implementation on two popular microcontrollers confirms this claim.
Fillers to improve passing ability of concrete
Authors: Lai Mianheng , Hanzic Lucija , Ho Johnny C.M.
Published: August 2018

Concrete possessing high‐passing ability needs to be flowable and cohesive. Hence, passing ability cannot be improved by solely adding superplasticizer, which increases both flowability and segregation of concrete simultaneously. Decreasing the maximum size of aggregates so that concrete segregates at lower cohesiveness is a possible but undesirable way as it narrows the aggregates' grading and decrease dimensional stability of concrete. With the same maximum size of aggregates, passing ability can be improved by raising the concurrent flowability‐segregation envelope of concrete. In this paper, fly ash and silica fume (cementitious fillers) and limestone (inert filler) were selected to replace cement partially and subsequently the passing ability of concrete was studied. From the results, it was evident that when either type of fillers were used, the passing ability and maximum limits of flowability and segregation achieved simultaneously increase. It is because these fillers are finer than cement that provides better filling effect to increase packing density and excess water leading to better flowability. Concurrently, the cohesiveness of concrete also increases as the content of fine particles increases. These allow concrete to hold the coarse aggregates more firmly when passing through narrow gaps, after which the concrete will keep flowing rapidly.
Usability of Intraoperative Fluorescence Imaging with Indocyanine Green During Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy After Percutaneous Transhepatic Gallbladder Drainage
Authors: Yoshiya Shohei , Minagawa Ryosuke , Kamo Keisuke , Kasai Meidai , Taketani Kenji , Yukaya Takafumi , Kimura Yasue , Koga Tadashi , Kai Masanori , Kajiyama Kiyoshi , Yoshizumi Tomoharu
Published: August 2018

Background

Patients with persistent symptoms of acute cholecystitis for >72 h who cannot undergo urgent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) often undergo percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) and delayed LC. However, intraoperative near‐infrared fluorescence with indocyanine green (ICG) has recently become available in various surgical settings. Therefore, we evaluated the usability of intraoperative fluorescence imaging with ICG for LC after PTGBD in patients with acute cholecystitis.

Methods

The preoperative and postoperative clinical characteristics of patients who underwent LC after PTGBD were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

In total, 130 patients were reviewed. Intraoperative ICG fluorescence imaging was used in 39 (30.0%) patients, and none developed adverse reactions. Patients with ICG fluorescence imaging had a significantly shorter operative time (129 ± 46 vs. 150 ± 56 min, p = 0.0455), markedly lower conversion rate (2.6% vs. 22.0%, p = 0.0017), and lower proportion of subtotal cholecystectomy (0.0% vs. 6.6%, p = 0.0359) than patients without ICG fluorescence imaging. Independent risk factors for conversion to laparotomy during LC after PTGBD were the performance of PTGBD after 48 h from onset (OR 3.52; 95% CI 1.11–12.21; p = 0.0322), an unremoved PTGBD tube on LC (4.48, 1.46–15.00, p = 0.0084), and surgery without ICG (8.00, 1.28–159.47, p = 0.0231).

Conclusion

Intraoperative ICG fluorescence imaging produced better surgical outcomes without any adverse reactions. Early performance of PTGBD and intraoperative ICG fluorescence imaging can reduce the surgical difficulties in LC after PTGBD for acute cholecystitis.
C-O Isotope Analysis of Dolostone of Vempalle Formation in Dhone-Gudipadu-Korivipalle Sector, Western Part of Papaghni Sub-basin, Andhra Pradesh and Its Impact on Uranium Mineralization
Authors: Rajaraman H. S. , Roy Minati , Verma M. B. , Nanda L. K.
Published: August 2018

Cuddapah basin is an important uranium province, wherein unconformity related uranium deposit occur in Srisailam sub-basin in northern part and the dolostone hosted strata bound uranium deposit in Vempalle dolostone in southern part. The latter host the low-grade, large-tonnage uranium deposit. Vempalle Formation in Dhone-Gudipadu-Korivipalle (DGK) sector, along western part of the Papaghni sub-basin consists of three major units viz. (a) lower dolostone, (b) middle purple shale and (c) upper cherty dolostone. The lower dolostone has lot of detritus, represented mainly by quartz, feldspar, mica and clay. The upper cherty dolostone has chert as layers, nodules, rip-up clasts and at places do have conspicuous reddish brown shale bands with <2mm size siliceous oolite layers. They exhibit shallowing-upward carbonate depositional system with tidal flat environment. A number of uranium occurrences in Gudipadu-Korivipalle sector are hosted by the lower dolostone unit, especially at its lower stratigraphic level, i.e. 15-42m above the Gulcheru-Vempalle (GV) contact. Micro-stylolites are indicative of comparatively more burial pressure. Presence of fenestral voids filled with recrystallised fibrous calcite and thin mud drapes in the dolostone is indicative of precipitation in a shallow marine-tidal flat environment with late burial dolomitisation. Depletion of heavier C and O isotopes [13C: (-2.31 to 1.32%) and 18O: (-6.21 to -17.3%)] in the lower dolostone indicate mixing of fresh water with sea water in the depositional environment of tidal flat regime
Effect of Atmosphere and Temperature Treatment on Leoanardite for Increasing Humic Acid Yield
Authors: Simsek Yunus Emre , Degirmenci Levent
Published: August 2018

Humic acid is a complex molecule including carboxylic, phenolic, alcoholic, and carbonyl fractions in its structure. Addition of this complex structure in soil improves its fertility by increasing its porosity along with water/nutrient capacity. Although naturally exists in soil, humic acid must be added to soil externally in regions with low soil fertility.

The present study was conducted to provide insight on improving the efficiency of humic acid yield during its extraction. Leonardite was selected as raw material due to its higher amounts of humic acid compared to low rank coals, soil, agricultural crop residues, compost, sewage sludge, landfill leachate and animal waste. Leonardite was treated at 200, 300 and 400°C, in the presence of air and nitrogen atmospheres and humic acid was extracted from this treated samples. Compared to untreated leonardite, an improvement in humic acid efficiency was achieved for samples treated at 200°C, in the presence of nitrogen atmosphere. The reasons of this distinct behavior in the presence of nitrogen was elaborated with elemental, FT-IR, UV-Vis and XRD analyses.
The Mechanisms of Enlargement and Hydrogeological Characteristics of Nanka Gully, Southeast Nigeria
Authors: Igwe Ogbonnaya
Published: August 2018

The mechanisms, failure processes and the hydrogeological factors leading to the enlargement of Nanka gully, one of the biggest landslide sites in Nigeria, were investigated. The gully is situated on unconsolidated, friable, collapsible sandstones capped in some places by lateritic overburden. Cross-section analysis shows that a NE-SW profile closely corresponds to the length of the gully which is over 2km while the NW-SE profile represents the width which is approximately 500m. The depth from the section is between 60 – 100m. Field investigation found gullies were abundant only in the eastern part of the study area. Digital elevation model (DEM) indicates that the abundance is related to the numerous surface runoff drainages in that part. The large Nanka gully (7° 5’E, 6° 2’20”N) forms the major tributary of the Mamu river. Expectedly, intense rainfall generates strong surface runoffs and remove large quantities of soil and bedrock. Shear strength tests show that overburden pressure can further weaken the materials and increase their vulnerability to the erosive impacts of runoffs and groundwater during the wet season. The gully’s progressive expansion to its present size is generally by headward extension of stream channels, head-cutting and landslides.
Numerical Simulation of Groundwater Flow and Vulnerability in Wadi El-Natrun Depression and Vicinities, West Nile Delta, Egypt
Authors: El Osta M. , Hussein H. , Tomas K.
Published: August 2018

During the last 25 years, rapid and unplanned land reclamation activity has been carried out in the areas located in both south and east of Wadi El - Natrun Depression of Egypt. Accordingly, negative effects on groundwater levels and vulnerability are frequently caused by localized high levels of abstraction and the return-flow of polluted irrigation water respectively. A groundwater model is a computational method that presents an approximation of an underground water system. In this study the groundwater system is simulated both in quantity and quality by using Mass Balance Transfer Model (NETPATH), Groundwater Modeling System (GMS) and DRASTIC Model to investigate the water - rock interactions, groundwater levels drawdown and vulnerability respectively. Three main geochemical processes namely dedolomitisation, dissolution of halite and silicate weathering were estimated during the flow path. The present over-abstraction of groundwater (105.84 million m3/year) has induced a general head drawdown from 3 to 40 m in years 2015 and 2050 respectively. Best estimate using a 3D GMS hydraulic model was (157000 m3/day) a strategy proposed for the management of groundwater without critical depletion (second scenario). The results document the extent to which a high drawdown can greatly reach 4 m by the end of simulation year 2050. The vulnerability maps of groundwater were constructed using the DRASTIC index method. The results indicated that, the southeastern and central portions of the study area are having high vulnerability rate (> 110). Modified DRASTIC map showed many more dominant high risk areas in the eastern parts of the study area that were low risk, which may be attributed to return flow of polluted irrigation water.
Prenatal Exposure to an Acute Stressor and Children’s Cognitive Outcomes
Authors: Torche Florencia
Published: August 2018

Exposure to environmental stressors is highly prevalent and unequally distributed along socioeconomic lines and may have enduring negative consequences, even when experienced before birth. Yet, estimating the consequences of prenatal stress on children’s outcomes is complicated by the issue of confounding (i.e., unobserved factors correlated with stress exposure and with children’s outcomes). I combine a natural experiment—a strong earthquake in Chile—with a panel survey to capture the effect of prenatal exposure on acute stress and children’s cognitive ability. I find that stress exposure in early pregnancy has no effect on children’s cognition among middle-class families, but it has a strong negative influence among disadvantaged families. I then examine possible pathways accounting for the socioeconomic stratification in the effect of stress, including differential exposure across socioeconomic status, differential sensitivity, and parental responses. Findings suggest that the interaction between prenatal exposures and socioeconomic advantage provides a powerful mechanism for the intergenerational transmission of disadvantage.
Forest recovery in set-aside windthrow is facilitated by fast growth of advance regeneration
Authors: Szwagrzyk Jerzy , Maciejewski Zbigniew , Maciejewska Ewa , Tomski Andrzej , Gazda Anna
Published: August 2018

Key message

The disturbance of a research plot by a windstorm allowed us to study the role of the seedling bank in the regeneration processes. The released advance regeneration dominated among the saplings; taller individuals retained their position until the end of the study. Pioneer species occurred sporadically. Seven years after the disturbance, the windthrow was covered by a dense thicket of young trees.

Context

The dominant role played by advance regeneration in natural regeneration processes after intense wind disturbances is still a matter of dispute.

Aims

We took advantage of a windstorm in one of our research plots to study the role of the seedling bank released by the disturbance in the regeneration processes.

Methods

We collected data in 70 plots, recording the survivorship of seedlings, annual height growth, and signs of browsing. The height ranking was analyzed with Kendall’s concordance coefficient, and the height growth rates were compared using Dunn’s test.

Results

The density of seedlings increased from 6.7/m2 in 2008 to 8.1/m2 in 2010 and then decreased to 1.2/m2 in 2015. The density of saplings increased continuously from 0.14 to 1.9/m2. The highest size differentiation occurred in sycamore maple; the individuals which were taller before the windstorm retained their position until the year 2015. The only species that was recruited mainly from germinants was European hornbeam.

Conclusion

The advance regeneration released by the windstorm played a major role in the regeneration process, while pioneer species occurred only sporadically. Seven years after the disturbance, the windthrow was already covered by a dense thicket of young trees.
Somatic variants in autosomal dominant genes are a rare cause of sporadic Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Nicolas Gaël , Acuña‐Hidalgo Rocío , Keogh Michael J. , Quenez Olivier , Steehouwer Marloes , Lelieveld Stefan , Rousseau Stéphane , Richard Anne‐Claire , Oud Manon S. , Marguet Florent , Laquerrière Annie , Morris Chris M. , Attems Johannes , Smith Colin , Ansorge Olaf , Al Sarraj Safa , Frebourg Thierry , Campion Dominique , Hannequin Didier , Wallon David , Gilissen Christian , Chinnery Patrick F. , Veltman Joris A. , Hoischen Alexander
Published: August 2018

Introduction

A minority of patients with sporadic early‐onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) exhibit de novo germ line mutations in the autosomal dominant genes such as APPPSEN1, or PSEN2. We hypothesized that negatively screened patients may harbor somatic variants in these genes.

Methods

We applied an ultrasensitive approach based on single‐molecule molecular inversion probes followed by deep next generation sequencing of 11 genes to 100 brain and 355 blood samples from 445 sporadic patients with AD (>80% exhibited an early onset, <66 years).

Results

We identified and confirmed nine somatic variants (allele fractions: 0.2%–10.8%): two APP, five SORL1, one NCSTN, and one MARK4 variants by independent amplicon‐based deep sequencing.

Discussion

Two of the SORL1 variant might have contributed to the disease, the two APP variants were interpreted as likely benign and the other variants remained of unknown significance. Somatic variants in the autosomal dominant AD genes may not be a common cause of sporadic AD, including early onset cases.
Towards a multi-criteria framework for stereotomy – Workflows for subtractive fabrication in complex geometries
Authors: Fernando Shayani , Weir Simon , Reinhardt Dagmar , Hannouch Adam
Published: August 2018

In a context of stereotomy, robotic subtractive cutting enables design-to-production processes that integrate craftsmanship with advanced manufacturing technology. This paper discusses empirical research into the fabrication of complex and custom-designed geometries by means of robotic subtractive cutting, with a specific focus on modular elements and joint typologies that form an essential condition for self-supporting stone structures. The paper presents research findings in two parts. In the first part, four case studies for jointing techniques and a cross-comparison between these are introduced to derive strategies for multiple criteria, including macro-and-micro geometries, modules and joints, structural performance, material variations, machine cutting methods and end-effectors, and robotic workspace. In the second part, the paper focuses on the structural performance of the joint geometry typologies, expanded towards material constraints and robotic fabrication process. The paper concludes with a discussion on these varied subtractive cutting methodologies and a resulting design-to-fabrication workflow, and indicates future research work.

Highlights Demonstrates applications of stereotomic practice for robotic subtractive cutting. Reports on comparative case studies for four different module and joint structures. Discusses structural performance for Interlocking base block geometries. Provides a multi-criteria framework for structural, material/machine cutting methods. Develops a design-to-fabrication workflow in robotic subtractive cutting.
A dichotomy for groupoid -algebras
Authors: RAINONE TIMOTHY , SIMS AIDAN
Published: August 2018

We study the finite versus infinite nature of C$^{\ast }$-algebras arising from étale groupoids. For an ample groupoid$G$, we relate infiniteness of the reduced C$^{\ast }$-algebra$\text{C}_{r}^{\ast }(G)$to notions of paradoxicality of a K-theoretic flavor. We construct a pre-ordered abelian monoid$S(G)$which generalizes the type semigroup introduced by Rørdam and Sierakowski for totally disconnected discrete transformation groups. This monoid characterizes the finite/infinite nature of the reduced groupoid C$^{\ast }$-algebra of$G$in the sense that if$G$is ample, minimal, topologically principal, and$S(G)$is almost unperforated, we obtain a dichotomy between the stably finite and the purely infinite for$\text{C}_{r}^{\ast }(G)$. A type semigroup for totally disconnected topological graphs is also introduced, and we prove a similar dichotomy for these graph$\text{C}^{\ast }$-algebras as well.
Effect of fermentation temperature and differentStreptococcus thermophilustoLactobacillus bulgaricusratios on Kermanshahi roghan and yoghurt fatty acid profiles
Authors: Mostafaie Ali , Bahrami Gholamreza , Chalabi Maryam
Published: August 2018

The objective of the study reported in this Research Communication was to investigate the effect of fermentation temperature (37 and 45 °C) and different ratios ofStreptococcus thermophilustoLactobacillus bulgaricus(3 : 1, 1 : 1 and 1 : 3) on Kermanshahi roghan and yoghurt fatty acid profiles (FAP) in order to obtain a product with optimized fatty acid profiles. Kermanshahi roghan is a yoghurt by-product in western Iran (Kermanshah). The results revealed that incubation temperature at 37 °C as compared to 45 °C had a better effect on fatty acid profiles of roghan and yoghurt. Furthermore, the results showed that fatty acid profile of roghan is better than yoghurt at two experimental temperatures. On the other hand, the roghan products made by equal ratio ofS. thermophilusandL. bulgaricus(1 : 1) had the best quality of fatty acid profiles. Although a lower incubation temperature increases incubation time, our finding suggests that inoculation ratio 1 : 1 at 37 °C as compared to 45 °C can affect the quality of roghan and yoghurt fatty acid profiles.
Ecotourism impacts on the behaviour of whale sharks: an experimental approach
Authors: Montero-Quintana Austin N. , Vázquez-Haikin J. Abraham , Merkling Thomas , Blanchard Pierrick , Osorio-Beristain Marcela
Published: August 2018

Tourists approaching wild animals can potentially cause disturbance as a result of the perceived predation risk. Risk effects arise when prey alter their behaviour in response to predators. This response may carry costs through its impact on fitness-related activities such as foraging. We recorded behavioural responses of whale sharksRhincodon typusto experimental vessel and swimmer approaches. We simulated the disturbance caused by ecotourism in the foraging site of this planktivorous fish in Bahia de Los Angeles, Gulf of Baja California, Mexico. Stress-related behaviours (vigilance, change of direction, diving and acceleration) were more common directly after both types of disturbance than before, in particular after approach by a swimmer. Individuals were more likely to be vigilant when they were new to the bay, but we did not find evidence of within-season behavioural habituation. Sharks were 24% more likely to forage before human stimuli than after. Our study highlights negative effects of vessel and swimmer approaches on whale shark behaviour, with a short-term increase in stress-related behaviours potentially carrying energetic costs, combined with a decrease in food intake following the disturbance. Our results indicate concerns about the impact of ecotourism on large fish species. An important next step would be to determine whether these short-term behavioural responses to the perception of predation risk negatively affect fitness. Among other guidelines, we recommend preventing swimmers from approaching if whale sharks stop feeding when a vessel approaches.
Does phonological distance impact quality of phonological representations? Evidence from Arabic diglossia
Authors: SAIEGH-HADDAD Elinor , HAJ Lina
Published: August 2018

The study tested the impact of the phonological distance between Spoken Arabic (SpA) and Standard Arabic (StA) on quality of phonological representations among kindergarten, first-, second-, and sixth-grade Arabic-speaking children (N = 120). A pronunciation accuracy judgment task targeted three types of StA words that varied in extent of phonological distance from their form in SpA: (a)identical words, with an identical lexical–phonological form in StA and SpA; (b)cognate words, with partially overlapping phonological forms; items in this category varied in degree of phonological distance too; and (c)unique wordswith entirely different lexical–phonological forms. Multilevel Regression analysis showed that phonological distance had a significant impact on quality of phonological representations across all grades. Growth in quality of phonological representations was mainly noted between the three younger groups and the sixth-graders. Implications for the impact of phonological distance on phonological representations and on language and literacy development are discussed.
How do pig farms maintain low Salmonella prevalence: a case-control study
Authors: Smith R. P. , Andres V. , Cheney T. E. , Martelli F. , Gosling R. , Marier E. , Rabie A. , Gilson D. , Davies R. H.
Published: August 2018

Salmonella prevalence in UK pigs is amongst the highest in Europe, highlighting the need to investigate pig farms which have managed to maintain a low Salmonella seroprevalence. A total of 19 pig farms that had a consistently low (<10%) seroprevalence over 4 years (named Platinum farms) were compared against 38 randomly selected Control farms, chosen to match the same distribution of production types and geographical distribution of the Platinum farms. Each farm was visited and floor faeces and environmental samples were collected. It was shown that Control farms had a significantly higher median percentage of pooled faecal samples positive for Salmonella compared with the Platinum farms (12.1% and 0.4% for pooled faecal samples, respectively) and were more likely to have serovars of public health importance detected (S. Typhimurium/ monophasic variants or S. Enteritidis). Considering the comprehensive on-farm sampling, the identification of farms negative for Salmonella, along with the identification of those that had maintained low prevalence over a long period is important. The risk factor analyses identified pelleted feed, feed deliveries crossing farm perimeter and regular antibiotic use as associated with being a Control farm. Performance data indicated that Platinum farms were performing better for slaughter live weight than Controls. Limited assessments of available pig movement records suggested that the source of pigs was not key to Platinum status, but further study would be needed to confirm this finding. These results emphasise that maintaining very low prevalence on UK farms is achievable.
The Civic Voluntarism of “Custodial Citizens”: Involuntary Criminal Justice Contact, Associational Life, and Political Participation
Authors: Owens Michael Leo , Walker Hannah L.
Published: August 2018

A growing body of research explores the influence of involuntary criminal justice contact on political participation, demonstrating that all types of contact weaken political participation. We posit, however, that personal connections to civil society organizations (CSOs) moderate the negative effects of involuntary criminal justice contact on political participation, particularly political activism beyond registering to vote and voting. We test this proposition with individual-level and aggregate-level data from metropolitan and municipal Chicago. Our findings confirm a paradox of participation by custodial citizens. One, we demonstrate positive, statistically significant, and substantive effects of personal connections to CSOs onnonvoting political participationby custodial citizens. Two, the negative effects of involuntary criminal justice contact onvoting participationamong individuals and communities may endure, despite personal connections to CSOs, even in a state where the franchise is restored immediately after incarceration. Our study suggests that an associational account of political participation deepens our understanding of the political behavior of custodial citizens and their communities in the age of mass incarceration.
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Authors: Block Katharina , Hall William M. , Schmader Toni , Inness Michelle , Croft Elizabeth
Published: August 2018

Abstract. Gender stereotypes that associate science and technology to men more than women create subtle barriers to women’s advancement in these fields. But how do stereotypic associations, when internalized by women, relate to their own sense of fit and organizational commitment? Our research is the first to demonstrate that, among working engineers, women’s own gender stereotypic implicit associations predict lower organizational commitment. In a sample of 263 engineers (145 women), women (but not men) who implicitly associated engineering with men more than women were less committed to their organization. This relationship was mediated by lower self-efficacy and value fit, and not explained by other personality, demographic, or organizational factors. We discuss how internalized cultural biases can constrain women’s experiences in STEM.
The Early Collapse of the 2017 Lincoln Sea Ice Arch in Response to Anomalous Sea Ice and Wind Forcing
Authors: Moore G. W. K. , McNeil K.
Published: August 2018

One of the most dramatic indicators of climate change is the reduction in the extent and thickness of Arctic sea ice that has resulted in an increase in wind‐driven sea ice mobility. During April and May 2017, satellite observations indicated that the ice arch that forms between Nares Strait and the Lincoln Sea collapsed. Typically, this collapse occurs in July or August allowing multiyear ice to exit the Arctic through Nares Strait. Here we show that the period of the collapse was associated with the presence of a polynya in northern Nares Strait, thin ice in the Lincoln Sea, and an unusual wind regime characterized by strong northerly flow. We propose that these anomalous conditions resulted in the arch's early collapse. If the ice in the region continues to thin, early collapses may occur more frequently with implications for the regional as well as the downstream climate and ecosystems.
Global Search for Autumn‐Lead Sea Surface Salinity Predictors of Winter Precipitation in Southwestern United States
Authors: Liu T. , Schmitt R. W. , Li L.
Published: August 2018

Sea surface salinity (SSS) is sensitive to changes in ocean evaporation and precipitation, that is, to changes in the oceanic water cycle. Through the close connection between the oceanic and terrestrial water cycle, SSS can be used as an indicator of rainfall on land. Here we search globally for teleconnections between autumn‐lead September‐October‐November SSS signals and winter December‐January‐February precipitation over southwestern United States. The SSS‐based model (R2 = 0.61) outperforms the sea surface temperature‐based model (R2 = 0.54). Further, a fresh tropical Pacific in autumn, indicated by low SSS, corresponds with wet winters. Recent studies suggest that anomalously high rainfall in the tropics may excite Rossby waves that can export water to the extratropics. Thus, incorporating SSS, a sensitive indicator of regional oceanic rainfall, can enhance the accuracy of existing precipitation prediction frameworks that rely on sea surface temperature‐based climate indices and, by extension, improve watershed management.
Spatiotemporal Changes of China's Carbon Emissions
Authors: Cai Bofeng , Wang Xiuquan , Huang Guohe , Wang Jinnan , Cao Dong , Baetz Brian W. , Liu Lei , Zhang Hua , Fenech Adam , Liu Zhu
Published: August 2018

Spatiotemporal changes in China's carbon emissions during the 11th and 12th Five‐Year Plan periods are quantified for the first time through a reconstructed nationwide high‐resolution gridded data set. The hot spots of carbon emissions in China have expanded by 28.5% (toward the west) in the north and shrunk by 18.7% in the south; meanwhile, the emission densities in North and South China have increased by 15.7% and 49.9%, respectively. This suggests a clear transition to a more intensive economic growth model in South China as a result of the energy conservation and emission reduction policies, while the expanded carbon hot spots in North China are mainly dominated by the Grand Western Development Program. The results also show that China's carbon emissions exhibit a typical spatially intensive, high‐emission pattern, which has undergone a slight relaxation (up to 3%) from 2007 to 2012 due to a typical urbanization process.
Energetics of Semidiurnal Internal Tides in the Andaman Sea
Authors: Mohanty Sachiko , Rao A. D. , Latha G.
Published: August 2018

A detailed energetic estimate of the barotropic and baroclinic semidiurnal internal tides over the Andaman Sea is performed by using the three‐dimensional Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model. Model‐simulated currents and density fields are validated using in situ observations with high temporal resolution from a buoy located at 10.5°N, 94°E. The generation and dissipation regions of internal tides and their propagation in the domain are identified by quantifying the distribution of total tidal energy among generation, radiation, and dissipation. The model simulation suggests that the internal tides are mainly generated in the north of Sumatra coast, in the Sombrero channel, south of the Car Nicobar Island, and north of the Andaman Island. From these generation sites, a portion of the energy propagates into the Andaman Sea and the remainder propagates toward the southern Bay of Bengal. The depth‐integrated baroclinic energy fluxes are found to be a maximum of ~30 kW/m at the major generation sites in the domain. The model‐estimated energy dissipation rates suggest that the maximum amount of energy dissipates near the generation sites themselves. In the region north of the Sumatra coast, almost 87% of the barotropic energy is converted into baroclinic energy and 23% (0.91 GW) of the converted baroclinic energy is ultimately radiated out from the generation sites. The barotropic‐to‐baroclinic conversion rate over the whole domain is estimated to be ~23 GW, out of which, a major part ~18 GW (80%) dissipates near the generation sites. This reveals that the local dissipation of baroclinic energy dominates in the Andaman Sea.
Choosing the Optimal Numerical Precision for Data Assimilation in the Presence of Model Error
Authors: Hatfield Sam , Düben Peter , Chantry Matthew , Kondo Keiichi , Miyoshi Takemasa , Palmer Tim
Published: August 2018

The use of reduced numerical precision within an atmospheric data assimilation system is investigated. An atmospheric model with a spectral dynamical core is used to generate synthetic observations, which are then assimilated back into the same model using an ensemble Kalman filter. The effect on the analysis error of reducing precision from 64 bits to only 22 bits is measured and found to depend strongly on the degree of model uncertainty within the system. When the model used to generate the observations is identical to the model used to assimilate observations, the reduced‐precision results suffer substantially. However, when model error is introduced by changing the diffusion scheme in the assimilation model or by using a higher‐resolution model to generate observations, the difference in analysis quality between the two levels of precision is almost eliminated. Lower‐precision arithmetic has a lower computational cost, so lowering precision could free up computational resources in operational data assimilation and allow an increase in ensemble size or grid resolution.
Genes associated with anhedonia: a new analysis in a large clinical trial (GENDEP)
Authors: Ren Hongyan , Fabbri Chiara , Uher Rudolf , Rietschel Marcella , Mors Ole , Henigsberg Neven , Hauser Joanna , Zobel Astrid , Maier Wolfgang , Dernovsek Mojca Z. , Souery Daniel , Cattaneo Annamaria , Breen Gerome , Craig Ian W. , Farmer Anne E. , McGuffin Peter , Lewis Cathryn M. , Aitchison Katherine J.
Published: August 2018

A key feature of major depressive disorder (MDD) is anhedonia, which is a predictor of response to antidepressant treatment. In order to shed light on its genetic underpinnings, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) followed by investigation of biological pathway enrichment using an anhedonia dimension for 759 patients with MDD in the GENDEP study. The GWAS identified 18 SNPs associated at genome-wide significance with the top one being an intronic SNP (rs9392549) in PRPF4B (pre-mRNA processing factor 4B) located on chromosome 6 (P = 2.07 × 10−9) while gene-set enrichment analysis returned one gene ontology term, axon cargo transport (GO: 0008088) with a nominally significant P value (1.15 × 10−5). Furthermore, our exploratory analysis yielded some interesting, albeit not statistically significant genetic correlation with Parkinson’s Disease and nucleus accumbens gray matter. In addition, polygenic risk scores (PRSs) generated from our association analysis were found to be able to predict treatment efficacy of the antidepressants in this study. In conclusion, we found some markers significantly associated with anhedonia, and some suggestive findings of related pathways and biological functions, which could be further investigated in other studies.
Bipolar mood cycles associated with lunar entrainment of a circadian rhythm
Authors: Wehr Thomas A.
Published: August 2018

In bipolar disorder, episodes of depression and mania are associated with dramatic disturbances in sleep, which experiments show are likely to contribute to the pathogenesis of the episodes. A recent finding that 18 patients’ manic-depressive cycles oscillated in synchrony with biweekly surges in amplitude of the moon’s tides provided a clue to the cause of the sleep-disturbances. Analyses of one of the patients’ sleep–wake cycles suggest that his mood cycles arose when a circadian rhythm that normally is entrained to dawn and controls the daily onset of wakefulness became entrained instead to 24.8-h recurrences of every second 12.4-h tidal cycle. The finding provides the basis for a comprehensive description of the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of the mood cycle.
The prognostic significance of global aberrant alternative splicing in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome
Authors: Yang Yi-Tsung , Chiu Yu-Chiao , Kao Chein-Jun , Hou Hsin-An , Lin Chien-Chin , Tsai Cheng-Hong , Tseng Mei-Hsuan , Chou Wen-Chien , Tien Hwei-Fang
Published: August 2018

Aberrant alternative splicing (AS) is a hallmark of cancer development. However, there are limited data regarding its clinical implications in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). In this study, we performed an in-depth analysis of global AS in 176 primary MDS patients with 20 normal marrow transplant donors as reference. We found that 26.9% of the expressed genes genome-wide were aberrantly spliced in MDS patients compared with normal donors. These aberrant AS genes were related to pathways involved in cell proliferation, cell adhesion and protein degradation. A higher degree of global aberrant AS was associated with male gender and U2AF1 mutation, and predicted shorter overall survival and time to leukemic change. Moreover, it was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor irrespective of age, revised international prognostic scoring system (IPSS-R) risk, and mutations in SRSF2, ZRSR2, ASXL1, TP53, and EZH2. With LASSO-Cox regression method, we constructed a simple prognosis prediction model composed of 13 aberrant AS genes, and demonstrated that it could well stratify MDS patients into distinct risk groups. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating significant prognostic impacts of aberrant splicing on MDS patients. Further prospective studies in larger cohorts are needed to confirm our observations.