bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using water level and temperature time series to improve hydrogeological parameterization in a complex alluvial system
Authors: Vettorello Luca , Sottani Andrea
Published: December 2019

A new pumping station was designed in the northern high plain of the province of Padua (Veneto region, north-eastern Italy), aiming to reach an overall abstraction rate of about 2 m3/s, in order to relevantly contribute to the regional drinking water supply. Local unconfined aquifer is a highly permeable alluvial system, hydraulically connected to the Brenta river, one of the most important groundwater recharging sources of the entire hydrogeological basin, and the Camazzole lake, a former open-pit mine. This lake deepens below the water table and is directly connected to the surrounding phreatic aquifer and indirectly to the river, forming a 3-element hydraulic equilibrium. In order to evaluate the sustainability of the groundwater exploitation, this case study required an in-depth analysis of the hydrogeological resource, focusing on the estimation of hydraulic conductivity values and distribution. A numerical simulation was needed since the first step of the study, to plan the following field activities and provide a rough representation of the expectable drawdown in the pumped aquifer, even if the initial model had a very high level of uncertainty. Before the pumping tests no experimental data were available, so a homogeneous distribution of hydraulic conductivity was preliminarily assigned to the entire mesh, referring to a single bibliographic value available for the aquifer. After the analytical interpretation of pumping tests, different punctual values of hydraulic conductivity were estimated, but the parameter field was still very difficult to define, due to the complexity of the hydrogeological context and the non-uniqueness of the possible spatial interpolations. The availability of groundwater level observations at a larger scale allowed to calculate a set of hydraulic conductivity fields through the pilot points method, integrating the pumping tests results and extending aquifer characterization to a wider domain. The numerical model was finally calibrated with groundwater temperature monitored trends, reproducing the interaction between the lake and the phreatic aquifer through a heat transport simulation. The resulting hydraulic conductivity distribution has been considerably refined, especially at the interface between the lake and the aquifer, and the parameterization has been further validated using heat as a groundwater tracer.
Preliminary results from the use of entrograms to describe transport in fractured media
Authors: Pedretti Daniele , Bianchi Marco
Published: December 2019

Fractured media are heterogeneous systems in which water flows primarily across rock fractures. Flow dynamics and transport of dissolved substances are controlled by the topological distribution and hydraulic properties of the fracture network (including aperture , hydraulic conductivity K and porosity). These topological and hydrodynamic properties are usually insufficiently characterized in field applications, generating uncertainty in the predictions of flow and solute transport. This paper explores a possible application of the concept of geological entropy, in particular the entrogram, as an approach to describe and potentially predict flow and transport in fractured media. In porous media, the entrogram was proven to be an effective approach to represent the spatial persistence and connectivity of high K patterns, enabling predictions for solute transport when proper correlations are established. Given the similarities between high K patterns in porous media and water-bearing fractures in fractured media, preliminary tests were realized to evaluate an idealized two-dimensional fractured system with regular distribution of two sets of fracture networks, one with a more persistent spatial distribution of fractures than the other. A multiphase flow model based on discrete fracture network is used to simulate a tracer test during which a conservative species displaces an immiscible one injected through a well. The analyses of the breakthrough curves (BTCs) of the relative saturation of each phase at another well allows evaluating the relationship between entrogram metrics and the shape of the BTCs. The initial results are promising and push for a more rigorous evaluation of the link among the metrics. This would require primarily the reproduction of more realistic fracture network including multidimensional systems.
The “Circo Massimo” borehole (Rome 1939), a site of the geological memory
Authors: Argentieri Alessio , Capelli Giuseppe , Mazza Roberto
Published: December 2019

All’adunanza generale ordinaria della Società Geologica Italiana, tenutasi a Roma il 17 dicembre 1939, il geologo e ingegnere Roberto Signorini presentò, dinanzi a molti insigni studiosi dell’epoca, una comunicazione scientifica sui risultati geologici del sondaggio effettuato dall’AGIP al centro della Capitale (in Cerulli Irelli 1940). Il foro, realizzato al Circo Massimo tra novembre 1938 e maggio 1939 in occasione della Mostra Autarchica del Minerale Italiano, raggiunse la profondità di 1330 m dal piano campagna. [...]
Pathway-, layer- and cell-type-specific thalamic input to mouse barrel cortex
Authors: Sermet B Semihcan , Truschow Pavel , Feyerabend Michael , Mayrhofer Johannes M , Oram Tess B , Yizhar Ofer , Staiger Jochen F , Petersen Carl CH
Published: December 2019

Mouse primary somatosensory barrel cortex (wS1) processes whisker sensory information, receiving input from two distinct thalamic nuclei. The first-order ventral posterior medial (VPM) somatosensory thalamic nucleus most densely innervates layer 4 (L4) barrels, whereas the higher-order posterior thalamic nucleus (medial part, POm) most densely innervates L1 and L5A. We optogenetically stimulated VPM or POm axons, and recorded evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in different cell-types across cortical layers in wS1. We found that excitatory neurons and parvalbumin-expressing inhibitory neurons received the largest EPSPs, dominated by VPM input to L4 and POm input to L5A. In contrast, somatostatin-expressing inhibitory neurons received very little input from either pathway in any layer. Vasoactive intestinal peptide-expressing inhibitory neurons received an intermediate level of excitatory input with less apparent layer-specificity. Our data help understand how wS1 neocortical microcircuits might process and integrate sensory and higher-order inputs.
Book review of: "Skin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
Authors: Savoiu Gheorghe
Published: December 2019

Book review of: Skin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Random House & Penguin, New York City, 2018, 304 pp. ISBN-13: 9780141982656 and ISBN-10: 0141982659
Genetic links between endometriosis and cancers in women
Authors: Bhyan Salma Begum , Zhao Li , Wee YongKiat , Liu Yining , Zhao Min
Published: December 2019

Endometriosis is a chronic disease occurring during the reproductive stage of women. Although there is only limited association between endometriosis and gynecological cancers with regard to clinical features, the molecular basis of the relationship between these diseases is unexplored. We conducted a systematic study by integrating literature-based evidence, gene expression and large-scale cancer genomics data in order to reveal any genetic relationships between endometriosis and cancers in women. We curated 984 endometriosis-related genes from 3270 PubMed articles and then conducted a meta-analysis of the two public gene expression profiles related to endometriosis which identified Differential Expression of Genes (DEGs). Following an overlapping analysis, we identified 39 key endometriosis-related genes common in both literature and DEG analysis. Finally, the functional analysis confirmed that all the 39 genes were associated with the vital processes of tumour formation and cancer progression and that two genes (PGR and ESR1) were common to four cancers of women. From network analysis, we identified a novel linker gene, C3AR1, which had not been implicated previously in endometriosis. The shared genetic mechanisms of endometriosis and cancers in women identified in this study provided possible new avenues of multiple disease management and treatments through early diagnosis.
Genome size, chromosome number determination, and analysis of the repetitive elements inCissus quadrangularis
Authors: Gichuki Duncan Kiragu , Ma Lu , Zhu Zhenfei , Du Chang , Li Qingyun , Hu Guangwan , Zhong Zhixiang , Li Honglin , Wang Qingfeng , Xin Haiping
Published: December 2019

Cissus quadrangularis(Vitaceae) is a perennial climber endemic to Africa and is characterized by succulent angular stems. The plant grows in arid and semi-arid regions of Africa especially in the African savanna. The stem ofC. quadrangularishas a wide range of applications in both human and animal medicine, but there is limited cytogenetic information available for this species. In this study, the chromosome number, genome size, and genome composition forC. quadrangulariswere determined. Flow cytometry results indicated that the genome size ofC. quadrangularisis approximately 2C = 1.410 pg. Fluorescence microscopy combined with DAPI stain showed the chromosome numbers to be 2n = 48. It is likely thatC. quadrangularishas a tetraploid genome after considering the basic chromosome numbers inCissusgenus (n = 10, 11, or 12). A combination of low-throughput genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis allowed identification and quantification of repetitive elements that make up about 52% of theC. quadrangularisgenome, which was dominated by LTR-retrotransposons. Two LTR superfamilies were identified as Copia and Gypsy, with 24% and 15% of the annotated clusters, respectively. The comparison of repeat elements forC. quadrangularis,Vitis vinifera,and four other selected members in theCissusgenus revealed a high diversity in the repetitive element components, which could suggest recent amplification events in theCissusgenus. Our data provides a platform for further studies on the phylogeny and karyotype evolution in this genus and in the family Vitaceae.
Characterization and comparative analysis of the complete chloroplast genome sequence from Prunus avium ‘Summit’
Authors: Zhao Xueqing , Yan Ming , Ding Yu , Huo Yan , Yuan Zhaohe
Published: December 2019

Background

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium) is one of the most popular of the temperate fruits. Previous studies have demonstrated that there were several haplotypes in the chloroplast genome of sweet cherry cultivars. However, none of chloroplast genome of a sweet cherry cultivar were yet released, and the phylogenetic relationships among Prunus based on chloroplast genome data were unclear.

Methods

In this study, we assembled and annotated the complete chloroplast genome of a sweet cherry cultivar P. avium ‘Summit’ from high-throughput sequencing data. Gene Ontology (GO) terms were assigned to classify the function of the annotated genes. Maximum likelihood (ML) trees were constructed to reveal the phylogenetic relationships within Prunus species, using LSC (large single-copy) regions, SSC (small single-copy) regions, IR (inverted repeats) regions, CDS (coding sequences), intergenic regions, and whole cp genome datasets, respectively.

Results

The complete plastid genome was 157, 886 bp in length with a typical quadripartite structure of LSC (85,990 bp) and SSC (19,080 bp) regions, separated by a pair of IR regions (26,408 bp). It contained 131 genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 37 transfer RNA genes and 8 ribosomal RNA genes. A total of 77 genes were assigned to three major GO categories, including molecular function, cellular component and biological process categories. Comparison with other Prunus species showed that P. avium ‘Summit’ was quite conserved in gene content and structure. The non-coding regions, ndhc-trnV, rps12-trnV and rpl32-trnL were the most variable sequences between wild Mazzard cherry and ‘Summit’ cherry. A total of 73 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified in ‘Summit’ cherry and most of them were mononucleotide repeats. ML phylogenetic tree within Prunus species revealed four clades: Amygdalus, Cerasus, Padus, and Prunus. The SSC and IR trees were incongruent with results using other cp data partitions. These data provide valuable genetic resources for future research on sweet cherry and Prunus species.
Toward insights on determining factors for high activity in antimicrobial peptides via machine learning
Authors: Li Hao , Nantasenamat Chanin
Published: December 2019

The continued and general rise of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic microbes is a well-recognized global threat. Host defense peptides (HDPs), a component of the innate immune system have demonstrated promising potential to become a next generation antibiotic effective against a plethora of pathogens. While the effectiveness of antimicrobial HDPs has been extensively demonstrated in experimental studies, theoretical insights on the mechanism by which these peptides function is comparably limited. In particular, experimental studies of AMP mechanisms are limited in the number of different peptides investigated and the type of peptide parameters considered. This study makes use of the random forest algorithm for classifying the antimicrobial activity as well for identifying molecular descriptors underpinning the antimicrobial activity of investigated peptides. Subsequent manual interpretation of the identified important descriptors revealed that polarity-solubility are necessary for the membrane lytic antimicrobial activity of HDPs.
Crowdsourcing visual perception experiments: a case of contrast threshold
Authors: Sasaki Kyoshiro , Yamada Yuki
Published: December 2019

Crowdsourcing has commonly been used for psychological research but not for studies on sensory perception. A reason is that in online experiments, one cannot ensure that the rigorous settings required for the experimental environment are replicated. The present study examined the suitability of online experiments on basic visual perception, particularly the contrast threshold. We conducted similar visual experiments in the laboratory and online, employing three experimental conditions. The first was a laboratory experiment, where a small sample of participants (n = 24; laboratory condition) completed a task with 10 iterations. The other two conditions were online experiments: participants were either presented with a task without repetition of trials (n = 285; online non-repetition condition) or one with 10 iterations (n = 166; online repetition condition). The results showed significant equivalence in the contrast thresholds between the laboratory and online repetition conditions, although a substantial amount of data needed to be excluded from the analyses in the latter condition. The contrast threshold was significantly higher in the online non-repetition condition compared with the laboratory and online repetition conditions. To make crowdsourcing more suitable for investigating the contrast threshold, ways to reduce data wastage need to be formulated.
Elasmobranch species in the artisanal fishery of Sucre State, Venezuela
Authors: Marquez Raquel , Tavares Rafael , Ariza Luis Alejandro
Published: December 2019

A wide diversity of elasmobranch species has been reported for waters off Venezuela; however, information regarding this group is lacking for most coastal regions. This study aimed to determine the species composition in catches made by the artisanal fishery of Sucre State, Venezuela, and to analyze size structure by sex for the most common species. During the study period (January 2016–September 2017), visits were made to the main fish markets in the city of Cumaná, Sucre State, and a total of 2,167 elasmobranchs belonging to 24 species (15 sharks and 9 rays) were quantified. The most frequently captured elasmobranch species were Mustelus higmani (36.2%), Mustelus canis (18.0%), Hypanus guttatus (15.1%), and Hypanus americanus (7.1%). The size ranges for these species were 29.3–73.7 cm total length (TL), 34.0–86.0 cm TL, 17.0–138.0 cm disc diameter (DD), and 48.0–108.0 cm DD, respectively. Considering national conservation assessments (following International Union for Conservation of Nature criteria), 7 of the species reported for the study area (M. higmani, Carcharhinus limbatus, Carcharhinus falciformis, Isurus oxyrinchus, Alopias superciliosus, Prionace glauca, and Aetobatus narinari) are listed as vulnerable, and the remaining species (n = 17) have not been assessed. Current conservation efforts in Venezuela are deficient given the collapse of government institutions responsible for the management of fisheries. This has led to noncompliance with fishing regulations designed for elasmobranchs. In the future, great effort must be made to continue generating information; however, future advances in scientific research and conservation will depend largely on the recovery of the economic and political stability in Venezuela.
Cannabis, the Plant of the Unlimited Possibilities
Authors: Dölle Klaus , Kurzmann David E.
Published: December 2019

This review paper gives an overview of Cannabis Sativa, also known as hemp, which has been cultivated and used century's B.C. due to its medical, hallucinogenic and agricultural properties. Cannabis has been described in 1938 as the billion-dollar plant but has lost its value in the U.S. due to regulatory and legislative issues.

Hemp has seen as new push In the U.S. with the introduction of the 2018 Farm Bill which allows on a federal level to grow hemp, pending on individual state regulations. Currently, industrial hemp production is allowed in at least 38 U.S. States under strict regulations.

Today hemp is used in counties that do not have as strict regulations as the U.S. in a variety of applications such as beauty products, carpets, cooking oil, personal care products and textiles.

Hemp can be considered as an alternative feedstock due to its low lignin and high cellulose level for biofuel application as an alternative to replace petroleum-based fuels and gases.

In the U.S. hemp research in these areas has stalled due to the complexity of the law.

Beside industrial application such as ropes, textiles, shoes, etc., hemp today is used in pharmaceutical and medical applications, by extracting Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabinoids from the leaves and fluorescence of the hemp plant that contain no more than of up to 0.3% of these compounds. The use of hemp plants with higher levels are strictly forbidden in most countries.

Several extraction processes of cannabinoids from hemp are used They all use a solvent for extraction but differ in terms of efficiency, usage range and other factors influencing the extraction.

Nonetheless, overconsumption of cannabis products can be associated with several side effects, that can cause serious physiological and psychological damage in the human body may cause serious damage.
Effects of Treated Wastewater on Soil Recovery in Degraded Semiarid Region
Authors: Martins Emanoel Lima , Da Silva Souza Renato Francisco , Silva Fraga Vânia da , Sousa Medeiros Salomão de
Published: December 2019

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of treated wastewater application on soil organic matter and phosphorus recovery in a degraded soil in the semiarid region of Brazil. An experiment was carried out with irrigation of five caatinga forest species, in which three treatments were applied that consisted in the variation of the type and volume of water applied to the soil, being 7 L per week of tap water, 7 and 14 L per week of wastewater. After two years of irrigation, soil samples were taken and analyzed for soil organic matter and phosphorus. The organic matter content in the treatment with 14 L application of wastewater was five times higher than application of tap water in the superficial layer and 8 times higher in the sub-surface, respectively. From the results obtained, it can be considered that the use of wastewater from treated domestic sewage serve as an alternative for the recovery of the productive capacity of the soil by the increase in the organic matter and soil phosphorus contents. Irrigation with treated wastewater can provide a high increase in soil organic matter and phosphorus content up to 30 cm deep.
Combined Aggressive Distal Gastrectomy and Double-Tract Reconstruction for Palliation of Incurable Locally Invasive Distal Gastric Cancer With Gastric Outlet Obstruction
Authors: Kiyasu Yoshito
Published: December 2019

Objective:

To evaluate combined aggressive distal gastrectomy (ADG) and double-tract (DT) reconstruction (ADGDTR) for palliative treatment of gastric cancer with gastric outlet obstruction (GOO).

Summary of Background Data:

An effective standard palliation procedure has not been identified for patients with incurable gastric cancer.

Methods:

I retrospectively evaluated patients presenting to my clinic with GOO secondary to locally invasive distal gastric cancer between March 1996 and March 2011. Following a complete workup, patients underwent ADGDTR. ADG included the gastric tumor in whole or in part. DT reconstruction consisted of gastrojejunostomy, jejunoduodenostomy, and jejunojejunostomy.

Results:

In the enrolled patients (n = 7; 5 male; mean age, 71 years [range, 60–83 years]), preoperative comorbidities included anemia (7), diabetes mellitus (2), hepatic cirrhosis (1), cardiac ischemia (1), and Parkinson disease (1). The lesion invaded the pancreas in all patients, and the transverse mesocolon, liver, and mesentery were each involved in 1 patient. Metastatic disease affected the lymph nodes in 5 patients, liver in 1, and peritoneal cavity in 4. Peritoneal lavage cytology was positive in 3 patients and untested in 4. The mean operation time was 207 minutes (range, 150–295 minutes), and mean blood loss was 290 g (range, 110–480 g). Six patients had no postoperative complications, but 1 died of abdominal sepsis. The mean length of hospitalization was 43 days (range, 28–73 days), and mean survival was 8.3 months (range, 2–22 months). Six patients tolerated a low-residue or regular diet postoperatively.

Conclusions:

ADGDTR provided effective, low-risk palliation and long-term oral ingestion in patients with incurable, locally invasive distal gastric cancer with GOO.
AVALIAÇÃO EXPERIMENTAL DA EFICIÊNCIA NA RETENÇÃO DE SEDIMENTOS SÓLIDOS, EM UM RESERVATÓRIO SEPARADOR DE PRIMEIRAS ÁGUAS DA CHUVA
Authors: Coelho Lineker Max Goulart , Cristina Marcelino Gabriela , Alves Evangelista Leandro , Silva Amaral Emily Louise , De Aguiar Gomes Costa Vinicius José
Published: December 2019

O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar uma avaliação experimental de um reservatório de separação de primeiras águas (RSPA) para aproveitamento de água de chuva. Inicialmente, dimensionou-se de forma regionalizada o volume do RSPA, concebido a partir de uma vazão dada pela chuva de projeto, calculada pelo método racional. Em seguida, elaborou-se uma geometria para o RSPA, com o objetivo de avaliar de forma experimental a sua eficiência na retenção de material particulado (sedimentos). O RSPA foi fabricado com tubos e conexões de policloreto de vinila (PVC) em escala real e foi instalado em um sistema de alimentação em uma edificação de ensino. Para essa avaliação, produziram-se sedimentos a partir de um processo de peneiramento, utilizando-se peneiras com aberturas padronizadas. O experimento consistiu em aplicar no RSPA uma vazão correspondente à chuva de projeto com uma concentração de sedimentos, simulando as condições das primeiras águas de chuva. Durante o experimento, realizaram-se amostragens na saída do RSPA e avaliou-se sua eficiência na retenção dos sedimentos inseridos na massa líquida. Os resultados indicam que a geometria escolhida do RSPA foi eficiente do ponto de vista experimental para a retenção de sólidos, obtendo uma remoção de cerca de 70% do material particulado.
RESÍDUOS DE CERÂMICA VERMELHA COMO UM MATERIAL AMBIENTALMENTE SUSTENTÁVEL PARA USO NA PAVIMENTAÇÃO
Authors: De Souza Wana Maria , Ribeiro Antonio Junior Alves , Xavier Isaac Wanderson De Pontes , Dos Santos Marianny Viana
Published: December 2019

A produção e a disposição inadequada dos Resíduos da Construção Civil (RCC) têm gerado diversos impactos no meio ambiente. Uma alternativa de destinação para estes materiais é a sua aplicação nos projetos e construção de rodovias, uma vez que o uso desses resíduos contribui para a construção sustentável de estradas. Tal alternativa diminui a extração de materiais naturais em jazidas e empréstimos de materiais, bem como evita o acúmulo e disposição dos resíduos de forma ambientalmente inadequada. Um dos resíduos mais gerados na construção civil é proveniente da indústria de cerâmica vermelha (RCV). Desta forma, o escopo desta pesquisa é avaliar as propriedades físicas dos RCV puro e misturado com um solo arenoso (A-2-4), para aplicação em camadas granulares de pavimentos rodoviários, através de ensaios tradicionalmente empregados na pavimentação. Para tanto, foram analisados o solo puro, RCV puro e solo com RCV, utilizando taxas de substituição de 30%, 50% e 70%. Os resultados revelaram que os RCV têm potencial de emprego em camadas de base, sub-base e reforço do subleito em pavimentos rodoviários, considerando as especificações rodoviárias brasileiras vigentes.
Overexpressed β‐cyanoalanine synthase functions with alternative oxidase to improve tobacco resistance to salt stress by alleviating oxidative damage
Authors: Yu Lu‐Lu , Liu Yang , Liu Cui‐Jiao , Zhu Feng , He Zheng‐Quan , Xu Fei
Published: December 2019

β‐Cyanoalanine synthase (β‐CAS) is an enzyme involved in cyanide detoxification. However, little information is available regarding the effects of β‐CAS activity changes on plant resistance to environmental stress. Here, we found that β‐CAS overexpression (CAS‐OE) improves the resistance of tobacco plants to salt stress, whereas plants with β‐CAS silencing suffer more oxidative damage than wild‐type plants. Notably, blocking respiration by the alternative oxidase (AOX) pathway significantly aggravates stress injury and impairs the salt stress tolerance mediated by CAS‐OE. These findings present novel insights into the synergistic effect between β‐CAS and AOX in protecting plants from salt stress, where β‐CAS plays a vital role in restraining cyanide accumulation, and AOX helps to alleviate the toxic effect of cyanide.
Miguel Angel Asturias and the Literature of the
Indigenismo
Authors: Prieto René
Published: December 2019

Miguel Angel Asturias is one of the most radical authors of the twentieth century; his experimental use of language and implementation of up‐to‐the‐minute literary techniques can be readily compared to those of James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and William Faulkner. However, because he wrote in two very different modes – on the one hand, realistic and rather conventional novels and short stories sprinkled with surrealist touches and, on the other, experimental works that challenged the limits of both language and style – few readers tackle his more complex and inventive works. To a certain extent, the extravagance of his own originality deprived Asturias of wider recognition. Among his most original works,
Legends of Guatemala
(1930),
Men of Maize
(1949), and
Mulata
(1963) combine a didactic message with revolutionary narrative structure in a widely influential aesthetic practice.
“Who said it?” How contextual information influences perceived profundity of meaningful quotes and pseudo‐profound bullshit
Authors: Gligorić Vukašin , Vilotijević Ana
Published: December 2019

Psychological research on pseudo‐profound bullshit—randomly assembled buzz words plugged into a syntactic structure—has only recently begun. Most such research has focused on dispositional traits, such as thinking styles or political orientation. However, none has investigated contextual factors. In two studies, we introduce a new paradigm by investigating the contextual effect on pseudo‐profound bullshit and meaningful quotes. In Study 1, all participants rated the profundity of statements in three contexts: (a) isolated, (b) as allegedly said by a famous author, or (c) within a vignette (short story). Study 2 serves as a conceptual replication in which participants rated statements in only one of three contexts. Overall, our results demonstrate that although contextual information such as author's name increases the perceived profundity of bullshit, it has an inconsistent effect on meaningful quotes. The present study helps to better understand the bullshit receptivity while offering a new line of research.
Design on nonfragile fuzzy filter for nonlinear time‐delay systems
Authors: Lian Zhi , Shi Peng , Sun Yuan
Published: December 2019

This article studies the problem of nonfragile filtering for delayed nonlinear systems, which are represented by Takagi‐Sugeno (T‐S) affine‐fuzzy model. By employing a reciprocally convex matrix inequality, auxiliary function‐based summation inequalities, S‐procedure, and some decoupled techniques, an improved fuzzy filter design method is proposed. In the design process, uncertainties in filter gains are taken into account, making a contribution to enhancing the robustness of the designed fuzzy filter. This is the first study to propose a nonfragile H∞ filtering method for T‐S affine‐fuzzy systems with time delays. The obtained results enrich the theoretical research of nonlinear systems and provide theoretical guidance for practical applications. Three examples are given to reveal the merits and applicability of the new design techniques.
What's happening with OTPs: Report from AATOD
Authors: Parrino Mark W.
Published: December 2019

October's conference of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) in Orlando featured some important policy developments and initiatives for opioid treatment programs (OTPs).
CARE Act: $100 billion bill still waiting for any action
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: December 2019

The Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act of 2019, introduced in the House of Representatives by the late Rep. Elijah Cummings (D‐Maryland) and in the Senate by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D‐Massachusetts) on May 8, still has a lot of support from the recovery community. But with Representative Cummings' death on Oct. 17 and Senator Warren's energetic campaign for the presidential nomination, it hasn't gotten much attention.
MTF shows increase in teen vaping, especially of marijuana
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: December 2019

Last week, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) released its annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey, a nationally representative sample of eighth, 10th and 12th graders in U.S. schools. Not surprisingly, the results show an increase in the prevalence of vaping, which has more than doubled in the past two years.
Hierarchically Porous Multimetal‐Based Carbon Nanorod Hybrid as an Efficient Oxygen Catalyst for Rechargeable Zinc–Air Batteries
Authors: Ren Dezhang , Ying Jie , Xiao Meiling , Deng Ya‐Ping , Ou Jiahua , Zhu Jianbing , Liu Guihua , Pei Yi , Li Shuang , Jauhar Altamash M. , Jin Huile , Wang Shun , Su Dong , Yu Aiping , Chen Zhongwei
Published: December 2019

The lack of efficient strategies to address the intrinsic activity, site accessibility, and structural stability issues of metal‐carbon hybrid catalysts is restricting their real‐world implementation on the basis of rechargeable zinc–air batteries. Herein, a dual metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) pyrolysis strategy is developed to regulate the intrinsic activity and porous structure of the derived catalysts, where a Fe2Ni_MIL‐88@ZnCo_zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF), with a hierarchically porous structure, multifunctional components, and an integrated architecture, acts as an ideal precursor to obtain multimetal based porous nanorod (FeNiCo@NC‐P). Benefitting from the synergetic effect of the multimetal components, facilitated reactant accessibility, and the well‐retained integrated structure, the resultant FeNiCo@NC‐P catalyst exhibits an oxygen reduction reaction half‐wave potential of 0.84 V as well as an oxygen evolution reaction potential of 1.54 V at 10 mA cm–2. Furthermore, the practical application of FeNiCo@NC‐P in the zinc–air battery displays a low voltage gap and long‐term durability (over 130 h at a current density of 10 mA cm–2), which outperforms the commercial noble metal benchmarks. This work not only affords a competitive bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst for zinc–air batteries but also paves a new way to design and fabricate MOF‐derived materials with tunable catalytic properties.
Photothermally Directed Assembly of Block Copolymers
Authors: Nowak Samantha R. , Yager Kevin G.
Published: December 2019

Block copolymers self‐assemble into nanoscale morphologies, spontaneously ordering under thermal annealing conditions owing to the chemical incompatibility between the blocks. While the morphologies that form can be rationalized based on equilibrium arguments, the structures seen experimentally are strongly influenced by kinetic effects including process history. Recently, a variety of photothermal processing techniques have been used to control block copolymer ordering. Photothermal methods provide access to extreme conditions, including high temperatures, large heating rates, and sharp thermal gradients. This can correspondingly be used to greatly accelerate block copolymer ordering kinetics, to pattern material order, or to probe fundamental aspects of self‐assembly by exploring process histories.
Investigating the Growth of CH3NH3PbI3 Thin Films on RF‐Sputtered NiOx for Inverted Planar Perovskite Solar Cells: Effect of CH3NH3+ Halide Additives versus CH3NH3+ Halide Vapor Annealing
Authors: Pant Namrata , Kulkarni Ashish , Yanagida Masatoshi , Shirai Yasuhiro , Miyasaka Tsutomu , Miyano Kenjiro
Published: December 2019

Investigating the low efficiency issue of radio frequency‐sputtered nickel oxide (sp‐NiOx)‐based perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to a limited understanding of the correlation between perovskite growth and sp‐NiOx on the optoelectronic properties and photovoltaic device performance is critical. Herein, the crystallization of methylammonium (MA) lead iodide (MAPbI3) thin film (obtained from stoichiometric precursor ratio) on sp‐NiOx is shown, resulting in appearance of residual PbI2 grains. This is in contrast to perovskite growth on solution‐processed NiOx. The amount of residual PbI2 is suppressed by 1) adding excess MACl/MAI additives and 2) annealing the perovskite film in MACl/MAI vapor atmosphere. Structural and morphological results reveal significant reduction in the amount of residual PbI2 and enhanced grain size for all the cases while photophysical measurements reveal mitigation of trap/defect sites (within the bulk and at the interfaces) only for MACl/MAI vapor annealing case. As a result, photovoltaic devices exhibit improved performance only for the vapor annealing case. These results elucidate the critical role of maintaining stoichiometric ratio in perovskite and its crystallization on sp‐NiOx by eliminating the associated defects (influenced by sp‐NiOx) in rendering improved performance, which can be insightful to further enhance the performance of PSCs.
Surficial Marangoni Flow‐Induced Growth of Ultrathin 2D Molecular Crystals on Target Substrates
Authors: Xiao Yanling , Fang Xiaochen , Deng Wei , Zhang Xiujuan , Jie Jiansheng
Published: December 2019

2D molecular crystals (2DMCs) are emerging as excellent candidates for the application of organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs), owing to their enhanced charge transport efficiency and long‐range molecular ordering. However, many current methods involve an additional transfer process, which largely hinders the large‐area fabrication of high‐quality, intact 2DMCs for practical applications. Here, an efficient surficial Marangoni flow‐induced self‐assembly (SMFIS) method is developed for the fabrication of 2DMCs directly on target substrates without the need of a transfer process. This method utilizes a solvent/antisolvent system to confine the crystallization field at a liquid/air interface, and then the formed 2DMCs land on the target substrate with the full solvent evaporation. By controlling the vertical convection flow and the spreading coefficient of the solvent/antisolvent system, few‐layer (3–4 layers) 2DMCs are directly produced on the target substrates. The SMFIS method shows no substrate dependency and universal compatibility. With bis(triethylsilylethynyl)anthradithiophene (Dif‐TES‐ADT) as an example, the resulting 2D Dif‐TES‐ADT crystal exhibits an efficient charge transport with high average mobility up to 2.15 cm2 V−1 s−1. The proposed method with general applicability has great potential to be developed as a platform for the growth of high‐quality 2DMCs on the target substrate.
Controlling Spatial Crystallization Uniformity and Phase Orientation of Quasi‐2D Perovskite‐Based Light‐Emitting Diodes Using Lewis Bases
Authors: Han Yaeeun , Park Sungbin , Wang Jian , Jariwala Sarthak , Lee Kangmin , Bischak Connor G. , Kim Sohyeon , Hong Jungyun , Kim Sunwoo , Lee Mi Jung , Ginger David S. , Hwang Inchan
Published: December 2019

Crystallographic orientation has a significant impact on the optoelectronic properties of films of quasi‐2D perovskite quantum wells. Here, oxygen‐bearing Lewis bases are employed as additives to explore their ability to modulate spatial uniformity of crystallization and orientation of crystal phases. Different Lewis bases added into the precursor solutions incorporating the large organic ammonium cation, phenethylammonium (PEA+), lead to different crystallization kinetics, which are attributed to the varying stability of intermediate complexes. The microscopic photoluminescence heterogeneity and 2D X‐ray diffraction patterns of the thin films reveal that inclusion of Lewis bases can lead to spatially more uniform crystallization and random orientation, resulting in an enhancement in light‐emitting diode performance. In contrast, quasi‐2D phases formed without Lewis bases show poorer uniformity and preferentially vertical orientation. Comparing the Lewis base properties such as Mayer order unsaturation and polarizability suggests that the ability to weakly coordinate with lead and strongly interact with the large organic ammonium is a key factor in controlling the phase composition favorably toward highly luminescent light‐emitting diodes. This work may be of help to provide insight of what kinds of Lewis bases can be helpful to realize the desired phase composition for high performance of optoelectronic applications.
Gap‐Mode Plasmon‐Induced Photovoltaic Effect in a Vertical Multilayer Graphene Homojunction
Authors: Lee Khang June , Kwon Kyungmok , Kim Shinho , Hong Woonggi , Park Junghoon , Yu Kyoungsik , Choi Sung‐Yool
Published: December 2019

Gap‐mode plasmons that occur between metallic nanoparticles and metallic films separated by a thin spacer have been widely studied in the field of nano‐optics and plasmonics for enhancing the light–matter interaction of graphene and other two‐dimensional (2D) materials. However, efficient photovoltaic devices using such gap‐mode plasmons have not been achieved because of structural difficulties. Here, a gap‐mode plasmon‐induced asymmetric vertical homojunction photovoltaic device using multilayer graphene is presented. In this structure, the multilayer graphene acts both as a photo‐carrier generation layer and as a spacer for the gap‐mode plasmon. The optical absorption of graphene is further enhanced by the presence of gap‐mode plasmons, and the photoresponse time is extremely short because of the atomically short channel lengths across the vertical direction. The wavelength dependence of the gap‐mode plasmon is also investigated for three devices with different metal electrodes by photocurrent measurement at five different wavelengths and numerical simulations. The device strategies implemented in this work can enhance the performance of graphene‐based vertical photonic devices and can be applied to other 2D materials‐based photonic devices.
Bio‐Assisted Tailored Synthesis of Plasmonic Silver Nanorings and Site‐Selective Deposition on Graphene Arrays
Authors: Giovannini Giorgia , Ardini Matteo , Maccaferri Nicolò , Zambrana‐Puyalto Xavier , Panella Gloria , Angelucci Francesco , Ippoliti Rodolfo , Garoli Denis , De Angelis Francesco
Published: December 2019

The spontaneous interaction between noble metals and biological scaffolds enables simple and cost‐effective synthesis of nanomaterials with unique features. Here, plasmonic silver nanorings are synthesized on a ring‐like protein, i.e., a peroxiredoxin (PRX), and used to assemble large arrays of functional nanostructures. The PRX drives the seeding growth of metal silver under wet reducing conditions, yielding nanorings with outer and inner diameters down to 28 and 3 nm, respectively. The obtained hybrid nanostructures are selectively deposited onto a solid‐state 2D membrane made of graphene in order to prepare plasmonic nanopores. In particular, the interaction between the graphene and the PRX allows for the simple preparation of ordered arrays of plasmonic nanorings on a 2D‐material membrane. This fabrication process can be finalized by drilling a nanometer scale pore in the middle of the ring. Fluorescence spectroscopic measurements in combination with numerical simulations demonstrate the plasmonic effects induced in the metallic nanoring cavity. The prepared nanopores represent one of the first examples of hybrid plasmonic nanopore structures integrated on a 2D‐material membrane. The diameter of the nanopore and the atomically thick substrate make this proof‐of‐concept approach particularly interesting for nanopore‐based technologies and applications such as next‐generation sequencing and single‐molecule detection.
High‐Energy Density Li‐Ion Capacitor with Layered SnS2/Reduced Graphene Oxide Anode and BCN Nanosheet Cathode
Authors: Hao Yizhan , Wang Shouzhi , Shao Yongliang , Wu Yongzhong , Miao Shiding
Published: December 2019

Lithium‐ion capacitors (LICs) with capacitor‐type cathodes and battery‐type anodes are considered a promising next‐generation advanced energy storages system that meet the requirements of high energy density and power density. However, the mismatch of charge‐storage capacity and electrode kinetics between positive and negative electrodes remains a challenge. Herein, layered SnS2/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanocomposites are developed for negative electrodes and a 2D B/N codoped carbon (BCN) nanosheet is designed for the positive electrode. The SnS2/RGO derived from SnS2‐bonded RGO of high conductivity exhibits a capacity of 1198 mA h g−1 at 100 mA g−1. Boron and nitrogen atoms in BCN are found to promote adsorption of anions, which enhance the pseudocapacitive contribution as well as expanding the voltage of LICs. A quantitative kinetics analysis indicates that the SnS2/RGO electrodes with a dominating capacitive mechanism and a diminished intercalation process, benefit the kinetic balance between the two electrodes. With this particular structure, the LIC is able to operate at the highest operating voltage for these devices recorded to date (4.5 V), exhibiting an energy density of 149.5 W h kg−1, a power density of 35 kW kg−1, and a capacity retention ratio of 90% after 10 000 cycles.
Emergency Medicine Residents With Higher Levels of Debt Are Less Likely to Choose Academic Jobs, but There Is a Difference by Gender
Authors: Baugh Joshua J. , Lai Steven , Williamson Kelly , Wheaton Natasha
Published: December 2019

Objectives

We sought to answer the following question: Does educational debt burden affect decisions by emergency medicine residents about whether to pursue academic versus community medicine jobs directly after residency?

Methods

In this observational study, graduating residents across eight emergency medicine residencies were surveyed concurrent with their in‐training examinations over 2 years to assess levels of educational debt and demographic information. Job types chosen by residents upon graduation were obtained from their respective program directors. The impact of debt on type of job chosen was assessed through multivariate logistic regression with demographic controls and program fixed effects, with additional analysis of observed differences by gender.

Results

Information was collected on 159 residents from 14 graduating classes across eight programs representing six different states. Residents with higher levels of debt had lower odds of choosing an academic fellowship or faculty position upon graduation (odds ratio [OR] = 0.77, confidence interval [CI] = 0.60 to 0.98). On further analysis, higher debt predicted lower odds of choosing an academic position for men (OR = 0.59, CI = 0.41 to 0.82), but not for women (OR = 1.05, CI = 0.63 to 1.76).

Conclusions

When male emergency medicine residents have higher levels of debt, they are significantly less likely to pursue an academic fellowship or faculty position after residency. This may not be the case for female residents. Results may reflect differences in the factors that affect men and women’s decisions about jobs after residency, which merits further study.
Living near the limits: Effects of interannual variation in food availability on diet and reproduction in a temperate primate, the Taihangshan macaque (Macaca mulatta tcheliensis)
Authors: Cui Zhenwei , Wang Zhenlong , Zhang Shiqiang , Wang Baishi , Lu Jiqi , Raubenheimer David
Published: December 2019

Nutrient intake of animals is influenced by an interplay of external and internal factors, such as food availability and reproductive state, respectively. We used the nutritional geometry framework to analyze individual‐based data on energy and nutrient intake in relation to reproductive state in a population of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta tcheliensis), which live in a harsh high‐latitude habitat, the Taihangshan mountains of China, and exhibit strong reproductive seasonality. We combined data over a 3‐year period on food availability, diets, reproductive output, and components of maternal investment to understand how Taihangshan macaques respond to variation in food availability and nutrition in reproduction. Our results show there was high interannual variation in availability of an important staple source of fat and carbohydrates (nonprotein energy), seeds of oak (Quercus spp). Despite this variability in seed availability skewing the dietary macronutrient ratios considerably (from 12.96% to 30.12% dietary energy from protein), total metabolizable energy intake was maintained across years during pregnancy. Lactating females had higher mean daily energy intakes than pregnant females. As in pregnant females, energy intake was maintained constant across years, but only when seed availability enabled the contribution of available protein to energy intake to be maintained between 15.32% (2013) and 17.97% (2015). In 2014, when seeds were scarce, lactating females had a shortfall in energy intake compared with 2013 and 2015. This corresponded with a reduction in the number of females giving birth (11 out of 23), but there was no interannual difference in survival rates. Compared to 2013 and 2015, in 2014 females had greater weight loss (drew on body reserves), moved less, and spent more time nursing their offspring. We discuss implications of these results for range limitation in Taihangshan macaques.