bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stopping powers and inelastic mean free path from quantitative analysis of experimental REELS spectra for electrons in Ti, Fe, Ni, and Pd
Authors: Suryani Sri , Heryanto  , Tahir Dahlang
Published: November 2019

Stopping power (SP) and inelastic mean free path (IMFP) of electrons in Ti, Fe, Ni, and Pd have been determined by using dielectric models. We have used energy loss function (ELF) determined from quantitative analysis of experimental reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS) spectra as the input parameter for this model. ELF in this study was determined from the previously published quantitative analysis of REELS spectra. The SP of Fe, Ni, Pd, and Ti was compared with several calculation methods for energies from 100 eV to 10 keV and shows SP in this study, which are in best agreement for medium to high energies (greater than or equal to 300 eV). The IMFP obtained in this study shows the best agreement with online database TPP2M and NIST and also calculation by Tanuma with a root mean square (rms) less than 12%. The present approach shows ELF from quantitative analysis of REELS spectra has a high potential for the experimental determination of SP and IMFP of metals.
Cerium‐Based Metal–Organic Frameworks with UiO Architecture for Visible Light‐Induced Aerobic Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol
Authors: Qiu Xueying , Zhu Yanfei , Zhang Xiaofei , Zhang Yin , Menisa Leta Takele , Xia Chonghan , Liu Shaoqin , Tang Zhiyong
Published: November 2019

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), a new fascinating class of photocatalysts, have attracted considerable interest in the past few years. Unfortunately, the photocatalytic activities of most pristine MOFs are limited by their intrinsic drawbacks such as limited visible light absorption and poor charge separation efficiency. Herein, a series of Ce‐UiOs are constructed through metal substitution and ligand modification, and their photocatalytic properties are studied systematically. Due to the low‐lying empty 4f orbitals of Ce, the light absorption range of as‐prepared Ce‐UiO MOFs is extended to the visible light region. Moreover, their negative ligand‐to‐metal charge transfer energy (ELMCT) facilitates the separation of charge carriers, which leads to the efficient visible light oxidation of benzyl alcohol. The possible reaction mechanism is validated by electrochemical test and photoluminescence spectroscopy. This work provides an entire new set of Ce‐MOFs‐based photocatalysts for future important inorganic reactions.
Reconfiguration of Interfacial and Bulk Energy Band Structure for High‐Performance Organic and Thermal–Stability Enhanced Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Guo Yaxiong , Lei Hongwei , Wang Changlei , Ma Junjie , Chen Cong , Zheng Xiaolu , Yang Guang , Xiong Liangbin , Tan Zuojun
Published: November 2019

Tin oxide (SnO2) offers its advantages in widespread applications that require efficient carrier transport. However, the usages of SnO2in organic solar cells are hindered because of dangling bonds on the surface of SnO2. Herein, PFN‐Br as an interfacial layer to tailor the work function of SnO2is adopted, making it an ideal candidate for interfacial material in organic electronics. Meanwhile, such an efficient SnO2/PFN‐Br electron transport layer (ETL) can also be applied to perovskite devices and achieve competitive efficiency. To eliminate current–voltage hysteresis and improve poor thermodynamic stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), 5 mol% of guanidinium iodide (GAI) into the (MA)x(FA)1 − xPbI3precursor solution is incorporated, enabling the formation of triple‐cation perovskite films with excellent optoelectronic quality and stability. The combination of an SnO2/PFN‐Br ETL and GAI doping strategy finally delivers power conversion efficiencies over 21% and negligible current–voltage hysteresis in planar PSCs. These improvements arise from the strong hydrogen bonding caused by the incorporation of GA+. It can stiffen the inorganic Pb–I lattice of the unit cell and restrain the formation of iodine vacancies defects. Moreover, the strong hydrogen bonding can immobilize iodide ion and thus enhance the thermal stability of the corresponding device.
Effective and efficient Java‐type obfuscation
Authors: Foket Christophe , De Bosschere Koen , De Sutter Bjorn
Published: November 2019

To protect valuable assets embedded in software against reverse‐engineering attacks, software obfuscations aim at raising the apparent complexity of programs and at removing information that is useful for attackers. In this work, we propose to combine five transformations that obfuscate the type hierarchy of Java applications and eliminate much of the type information that can be inferred from the Java bytecode. We rely on some existing algorithms, present adaptations, and introduce new algorithms for some of the transformations, which are all made available in an open‐source prototype implementation ready for take‐up. We present an extensive experimental evaluation on benchmarks of real‐world complexity, using complementary metrics that cover the protection strength against both human and tool‐based reverse‐engineering attack methods. The results indicate that the obfuscation is effective as well as much more efficient than the previous state of the art. For the first time, this makes these obfuscations practically viable in real‐world deployment scenarios.
A noninvasive automated device for remotely collaring and weighing mule deer
Authors: Bishop Chad J. , Alldredge Mathew W. , Walsh Daniel P. , Bergman Eric J. , Anderson Charles R. , Kilpatrick Darlene , Bakel Joe , Febvre Christophe
Published: November 2019

Wildlife biologists capture deer (Odocoileus spp.) annually to attach transmitters and collect basic information (e.g., animal mass and sex) as part of ongoing research and monitoring activities. Traditional capture techniques induce stress in animals and can be expensive, inefficient, and dangerous. They are also impractical for some urbanized settings. We designed and evaluated a device for mule deer (O. hemionus) that automatically attached an expandable radiocollar to a ≥6‐month‐old fawn and recorded the fawn's mass and sex, without physically restraining the animal. The device did not require on‐site human presence to operate. Students and faculty in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Colorado State University produced a conceptual model and early prototype. Professional engineers at Dynamic Group Circuit Design, Inc. in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, produced a fully functional prototype of the device. Using the device, we remotely collared, weighed, and identified sex of 8 free‐ranging mule deer fawns during winters 2010–2011 and 2011–2012. Collars were modified to shed from deer approximately 1 month after the collaring event. Two fawns were successfully recollared after they shed the first collars they received. Thus, we observed 10 successful collaring events involving 8 unique fawns. Fawns demonstrated minimal response to collaring events, either remaining in the device or calmly exiting. A fawn typically required ≥1 weeks of daily exposure before fully entering the device and extending its head through the outstretched collar, which was necessary for a collaring event to occur. This slow acclimation period limited utility of the device when compared with traditional capture techniques. Future work should focus on device modifications and altered baiting strategies that decrease fawn acclimation period, and in turn, increase collaring rates, providing a noninvasive and perhaps cost‐effective alternative for monitoring mid‐ to large‐sized mammal species. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.
Collaboration and integrated water resources management: A literature review
Authors: Galvez Victor , Rojas Rodrigo
Published: November 2019

Collaboration has been widely recognized as a critical driver for the achievement of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) outcomes; aiming at safeguarding economic, social, and environmental interests within a basin. This paper reviews research on collaboration and its relationship with IWRM. It focuses on the following aspects: (a) when collaboration is needed; (b) frameworks of collaboration; (c) benefits and costs; (d) stakeholder engagement and collaboration; and (e) stakeholder engagement mechanisms for an IWRM. This research reinforces that collaboration has been recognized internationally by multiple agencies and authors as a critical element for IWRM. However, most of the research on collaboration has been focused more on qualitative rather than quantitative aspects, with a special emphasis on benefits over costs. Therefore, future research can further analyze the costs and benefits under a quantitative perspective, in order to evaluate and understand the impact of a collaborative process and support decisions about to what extent collaboration should be undertaken.
Teachers’ Collective Work Inside and Outside School as an Essential Source of Mathematics Teachers’ Documentation Work: Experiences from Japan and China
Authors: Miyakawa Takeshi , Xu Binyan
Published: November 2019

This chapter aims to report the results of a comparative study of teachers’ documentation work in China and Japan, as well as to share some East Asian experiences that are less accessible to Western researchers. The Chinese case is gathered from teachers’ collective work carried out inside school, and the Japanese case is taken from the group activities of a local mathematics teachers’ association outside school. We analyze in each case teachers’ documentation work as well as resources associated with such work. The comparison of the results of the analyses elucidates the commonalities between the two cases, such as the importance of textbook as a resource and the practice-based and research-oriented professional development, albeit the differences of contexts and institutional frameworks inside and outside school. We lastly discuss the perspectives for future research on the teachers’ collective work with resources.
Nietzsche’s Epistemic Perspectivism
Authors: Hales Steven D.
Published: November 2019

Nietzsche offers a positive epistemology, and those who interpret him as a skeptic or a mere pragmatist are mistaken. Instead he supports what he calls perspectivism. This is a familiar take on Nietzsche, as perspectivism has been analyzed by many previous interpreters. The present paper presents a sketch of the textually best supported and logically most consistent treatment of perspectivism as a first-order epistemic theory. What’s original in the present paper is an argument that Nietzsche also offers a second-order methodological perspectivism aimed at enhancing understanding, an epistemic state distinct from knowledge. Just as Descartes considers and rejects radical skepticism while at the same time adopting methodological skepticism, one could consistently reject perspectivism as a theory of knowledge while accepting it as contributing to our understanding. It is argued that Nietzsche’s perspectivism is in fact two-tiered: knowledge is perspectival because truth itself is, and in addition there is a methodological perspectivism in which distinct ways of knowing are utilized to produce understanding. A review of the manner in which understanding is conceptualized in contemporary epistemology and philosophy of science serves to illuminate how Nietzsche was tackling these ideas.
Critical gravity from four dimensional scale invariant gravity
Authors: Edery Ariel , Nakayama Yu
Published: November 2019

Abstract

We show that a critical condition exists in four dimensional scale invariant gravity given by the pure quadratic action 𝛽 CμvσρCμνσρ+ 𝛼 R2 where $$ {C}_{\nu \sigma \rho}^{\mu } $$

C
νσρ
μ

is the Weyl tensor, R is the Ricci scalar and 𝛽 and 𝛼 are dimensionless parameters. The critical condition in a dS or AdS background is 𝛽 = 6𝛼. This leads to critical gravity where the massive spin two physical ghost becomes a massless spin two graviton. In contrast to the original work on critical gravity, no Einstein gravity with a cosmological constant is added explicitly to the higher-derivative action. The critical condition is obtained in two independent ways. In the first case, we show the equivalence between the initial action and an action containing Einstein gravity, a cosmological constant, a massless scalar field plus Weyl squared gravity. The scale invariance is spontaneously broken. The linearized Einstein-Weyl equations about adS or AdS background yield the critical condition 𝛽 = 6𝛼. In the second case, we work directly with the original quadratic action. After a suitable field redefinition, where the metric perturbation is traceless and transverse, we obtain linearized equations about a dS or AdS background that yield the critical condition 𝛽 = 6𝛼. As in the first case, we also obtain a propagating massless scalar field. Substituting 𝛽 = 6𝛼 into the energy and entropy formula for the Schwarzschild and Kerr AdS or dS black hole in higher-derivative gravity yields zero, the same value obtained in the original work on critical gravity. We discuss the role of boundary conditions in relaxing the 𝛽 = 6𝛼 condition.
Neue Impfstoffe gegen Tuberkulose
Authors: Kaufmann Stefan H. E.
Published: November 2019

Mit ca. 10 Mio. Erkrankungen und 1,5 Mio. Todesfällen im Jahr 2018 gehört die Tuberkulose (TB) weiterhin zu den bedrohlichsten Infektionskrankheiten weltweit. Dennoch erwartet die Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO), dass bis 2035 im Vergleich zu 2015 die Morbidität um 90 % und die Mortalität um 95 % gesenkt werden kann. Zwar stehen uns Diagnostika, Therapeutika und ein Impfstoff zur Verfügung, es besteht aber kein Zweifel, dass bessere Interventionsmaßnahmen benötigt werden, um dieses ehrgeizige Ziel zu erreichen. Der vorhandene Impfstoff Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) schützt Kleinkinder teilweise gegen TB, ist aber weitgehend wirkungslos gegen Lungen-TB bei Jugendlichen und Erwachsenen. Die Möglichkeiten dieses Impfstoffs scheinen jedoch noch nicht voll ausgeschöpft zu sein. Zudem gibt es neue Impfstoffkandidaten, die sich derzeit in klinischer Überprüfung befinden.

Da ein Viertel der Menschheit mitMycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb) latent infiziert ist, müssen neue Impfstoffe nicht nur vor der Infektion (präexpositionell), sondern auch danach (postexpositionell) gegen die Erkrankung wirken. Als klinische Endpunkte werden Schutz vor Infektion, Schutz vor Erkrankung und Schutz vor Wiederauftreten (Rekurrenz) überprüft. Der Schutz gegen TB wird wesentlich von T‑Zell-Antworten getragen, weshalb in der Impfstoffentwicklung der Schwerpunkt hierauf gelegt wird. In der klinischen Überprüfung befinden sich Protein-Adjuvans-Impfstoffe, virale Vektoren, Tot- und Lebendimpfstoffe. Auch die Möglichkeit einer therapeutischen Impfung wird untersucht, um besonders bei multiresistenten TB-Fällen die Chemotherapie zu unterstützen. Es ist wahrscheinlich, dass ein einziger Impfstoff die verschiedenen Zielstellungen nicht erfüllen kann und unterschiedliche Impfstrategien benötigt werden.
Structure and function of minor pilins of type IV pili
Authors: Jacobsen Theis , Bardiaux Benjamin , Francetic Olivera , Izadi-Pruneyre Nadia , Nilges Michael
Published: November 2019

Type IV pili are versatile and highly flexible fibers formed on the surface of many Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Virulence and infection rate of several pathogenic bacteria, such as Neisseria meningitidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are strongly dependent on the presence of pili as they facilitate the adhesion of the bacteria to the host cell. Disruption of the interactions between the pili and the host cells by targeting proteins involved in this interaction could, therefore, be a treatment strategy. A type IV pilus is primarily composed of multiple copies of protein subunits called major pilins. Additional proteins, called minor pilins, are present in lower abundance, but are essential for the assembly of the pilus or for its specific functions. One class of minor pilins is required to initiate the formation of pili, and may form a complex similar to that identified in the related type II secretion system. Other, species-specific minor pilins in the type IV pilus system have been shown to promote additional functions such as DNA binding, aggregation and adherence. Here, we will review the structure and the function of the minor pilins from type IV pili.
Differences and overlaps between Phd studies in diagnostic microbiology in industrial and academic settings
Authors: van Belkum Alex , Pelegrin Andreu Coello , Datar Rucha , Goyal Manisha , Palmieri Mattia , Mirande Caroline , Chalansonnet Valérie , Orenga Sylvain
Published: November 2019

Industrial and academic needs for innovation and fundamental research are essential and not widely different. Depending on the industrial setting, research and development (R&D) activities may be more focused on the developmental aspects given the need to ultimately sell useful products. However, one of the biggest differences between academic and industrial R&D will usually be the funding model applied and the priority setting between innovative research and product development. Generalizing, companies usually opt for development using customer- and consumer-derived funds whereas university research is driven by open innovation, mostly funded by taxpayer’s money. Obviously, both approaches require scientific rigor and quality, dedication and perseverance and obtaining a PhD degree can be achieved in both settings. The formal differences between the two settings need to be realized and students should make an educated choice prior to the start of PhD-level research activities. Intrinsic differences in scientific approaches between the two categories of employers are not often discussed in great detail. We will here document our experience in this field and provide insights into the need for purely fundamental research, industrial R&D and current mixed models at the level of European funding of research. The field of diagnostics in clinical bacteriology and infectious diseases will serve as a source of reference.
Not Wanted: On Scharp’s Solution to the Liar
Authors: Pinder Mark
Published: November 2019

Kevin Scharp argues that the concept of truth is defective, and is therefore unable to play its intended role in natural language truth-conditional semantics. As such, for this theoretical purpose, Scharp constructs two replacements: ascending truth and descending truth. Scharp applies the resultant theory, AD semantics, to the liar sentence, thereby obtaining a novel solution to the liar paradox. The aim of the present paper is fourfold. First, I show that, contrary to Scharp’s claims, AD semantics in fact yields an inconsistency when applied to standard liar sentences. Second, I diagnose the problem: AD semantics mishandles negation. I propose an alternative treatment, resulting in what I call AD* semantics. Third, I show that AD* semantics gives Scharp the resources required to respond to an alleged revenge paradox that has been raised against his view. Finally, I argue that, these consequences notwithstanding, it remains unclear whether AD* semantics provides an adequate account of alethic paradoxes more generally.
Clinal variation in growth cessation and FTL2 expression in Siberian spruce
Authors: Li Lili , Chen Jun , Lascoux Martin
Published: November 2019

Forest trees exhibit strong patterns of local adaptation in phenological traits along latitudinal gradients. Previous studies in spruce have shown that variation at genes from the photoperiodic pathway and the circadian clock are associated to these clines but it has been difficult to find solid evidence of selection for some of these genes. Here, we used growth cessation, gene expression, and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data at two major candidate loci,FLOWERING LOCUS T/TERMINAL FLOWER1-Like2(FTL2) andGIGANTEA(GI), as well as at background loci from a latitudinal gradient in Siberian spruce (Picea obovata) populations along the Ob River to test for clinal variation in growth cessation and at the two candidate genes. As in previous studies, there was a strong latitudinal cline in growth cessation that was accompanied by a significant cline in the expression ofFTL2. Expression ofFTL2was significantly associated with allele frequencies at some of theGI’s SNPs. However, the cline in allele frequency at candidate genes was not as steep as in a Norway spruce cline and in a parallel Siberian spruce cline studied previously and nonsignificant when a correction for population structure was applied. A McDonald-Kreitman test did not detect decisive evidence of selection onGI(pvalue = 0.07) and could not be applied toFTL2because of limited polymorphism. Nonetheless, polymorphisms contributed more to the increased neutrality index of PoGIthan to that of control loci. Finally, comparing the results of two previously published studies to our new dataset led to the identification of strong candidate SNPs for local adaptation inFTL2promoter andGI.
Genetic characterization of fragmented populations of Cinchona officinalis L. (Rubiaceae), a threatened tree of the northern Andean cloud forests
Authors: Cueva-Agila Augusta , Vélez-Mora Diego , Arias Daniela , Curto Manuel , Meimberg Harald , Brinegar Chris
Published: November 2019

Cinchona officinalisL., a tree species endemic to the cloud forests of the northern Tropical Andes, has suffered from historical bark harvesting for extraction of antimalarial compounds and has also experienced recent demographic losses from high rates of deforestation. Most remnant populations are found in severely degraded habitat on the edges of pastures while a minority are protected in private reserves. The goals of our research were to assess the genetic diversities of fragmented populations ofC. officinalisin the Loja province of southern Ecuador, characterize their phylogeographic distribution with respect to the region’s complex topography, and identify priority populations for conservation. Five nuclear microsatellite loci and the chloroplastrps16intron were used to analyze six populations. Moderate levels of genetic diversity were found in all populations although the more remote southern population (Angashcola) had slightly higher heterozygosity and allelic richness. There were no indications of recent genetic bottlenecks although anrps16intron haplotype was fixed in four populations. Genetic distance analysis based on microsatellite data placed the four easternmost populations in the same clade while the Angashcola population was the most divergent. Also, the most frequentrps16intron haplotype in Angashcola was not found in any other population. Although each of the studied populations should be protected from further deforestation and agricultural expansion, the Angashcola population deserves highest conservation priority.
Distribution and controls of petroliferous plays in subtle traps within a Paleogene lacustrine sequence stratigraphic framework, Dongying Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, Eastern China
Authors: Zhu Ji-Chang , Zou Cai-Neng , Feng You-Liang , Jiang Shu , Wu Wei-An , Zhu Ri-xiang , Yuan Miao
Published: November 2019

The characteristics of petroliferous plays in subtle traps within a sequence stratigraphic framework in the Dongying Depression are investigated in this study. Sand bodies within lowstand systems tracts (LSTs) of sequences, comprising incised-channel fills, sublacustrine fans, deltas in LSTs, controlled by syndepositional normal faults, and sand bodies within transgressive systems tracts (TSTs) to early highstand systems tracts (HSTs), consisting of beach bars, and turbidites, controlled by the prodelta slope, paleorelief, and syndepositional normal faults, are good subtle reservoirs. Mudstones and shale of deep lake subfacies in TSTs to early HSTs of sequences are source and cap rocks. Abnormal overpressure is the dominant dynamic factor for hydrocarbon migration from source rock to the subtle traps. Normal faults, sand bodies, and unconformities function as conduit systems. Sand bodies distributed in the abnormal overpressure source rocks within LSTs to early HSTs are petroliferous plays in lithologic traps. The petroliferous plays in stratigraphic traps are controlled by unconformities at margins of the Depression.
Modified method for fracability evaluation of tight sandstones based on interval transit time
Authors: Li Jing , Li Xiao-Rong , Zhan Hong-Bin , Song Ming-Shui , Liu Chen , Kong Xiang-Chao , Sun Lu-Ning
Published: November 2019

Fracability is a property that indicates how easy reservoir rocks can be fractured in hydraulic fracturing operations. It is a key parameter for fracturing design and evaluation. In order to utilize continuous logging data to predict fracability, synchronous tests of dynamic and static mechanical parameters of rocks under different confining pressures were conducted on 13 tight sandstone samples derived from the central Junggar Basin, China. A modified formula between dynamic and static mechanical parameters was established. Fracability of the tight reservoir in the Junggar Basin was then evaluated based on brittleness index, fracture toughness, and fracability index. The effectiveness of fracturing was analyzed combined with the oil testing curve after hydraulic fracturing. The results show that: (1) The distribution of oil-bearing formations in the studied area coincides well with stratum of higher fracability index. (2) The critical fracability index is determined to be 0.3, three formations are selected as fracturing candidates, and a thin mudstone interbed is identified in the oil-bearing formation. (3) Well testing curve verifies the reliability of the fracability evaluation method and the accuracy of the modified formula between dynamic and static mechanical parameters. This study provides useful information for improving fracturing operations of tight oil and gas reservoirs.
Vital bleaching for children with dental anomalies: EAPD members’ survey
Authors: Monteiro J. , Ashley P. F. , Parekh S.
Published: November 2019

Aim

Understand EAPD members’ practices of vital bleaching for children with dental anomalies.

Methods

An anonymous online survey sent via EAPD in January 2019, consisting of 13 questions with possible multiple answers and free text.

Results

110 responses from 24 countries were obtained. The majority worked in hospitals/universities (n = 69, 63%) or private practices (n = 50, 46%) and were specialists (n = 62, 57%) or senior academics (n = 35, 32%). Most respondents (n = 74 68%) did not provide vital bleaching for children. 88 respondents (80%) belonged to EU: of these, 46 (52%) were not aware of bleaching regulations. For respondents who provided bleaching 26 (72%) undertook home bleaching, using 10% carbamide peroxide (n = 21, 58%), most commonly for 2 weeks (n = 14, 39%), following establishment of the permanent dentition (n = 21, 58%). Deciding factors included: extent (n = 27, 75%) and shade (n = 26, 72%) of discolouration and child being teased by peers (n = 23, 64%). Main reasons for not bleaching included: concerns with side effects (n = 41; 55%) and not agreeing with bleaching (n = 23, 31%). Dentists who did not bleach managed a range of conditions, most frequently molar-incisor hypomineralisation (n = 57; 77%). The majority provided composite restorations with removal of tooth structure (n = 50; 68%) with a number opting for no treatment (n = 27, 37%).

Conclusion

This study shows wide variations in treatment of children’s dental anomalies across Europe. Fears of adverse effects and personal beliefs seemed to be the main deterrents to bleaching in children. Clinicians who provided bleaching tended to opt for more conservative techniques and to take children’s concerns into consideration.
The Financing of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: An Analysis of the Financing Gap in Brazil
Authors: Godke Veiga Marcelo , McCahery Joseph A.
Published: November 2019

While small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are important for economic growth and employment, they face numerous obstacles in accessing external finance. In this article, we review recent developments in the availability of financing for SMEs in Brazil, focusing on the greater use of equity and debt for SMEs. In assessing the barriers to external financing, we focus on the role of bank characteristics, market structure and variations of interest rate spreads across banks and time. Moreover, as banks retreat from SME financing, we examine the potential for SMEs to seek new sources of financing from private equity and venture capital funds. We examine the changes in the availability of bank loans between 2014 and 2016. By considering demand, we estimate the SME loan gap based on Central Bank and publicly available data. Our results show that the loan gap in Brazil is substantial.
Correction to: Detecting social media users based on pedestrian networks and neighborhood attributes: an observational study
Authors: Masias Victor H. , Hecking Tobias , Crespo Fernando , Hoppe H. Ulrich
Published: November 2019

Following publication of the original article [1], the author reported that figure 5 numbered correction was not implemented during the production process. The corrected figure can be found below.
Modelling urban networks using Variational Autoencoders
Authors: Kempinska Kira , Murcio Roberto
Published: November 2019

A long-standing question for urban and regional planners pertains to the ability to describe urban patterns quantitatively. Cities’ transport infrastructure, particularly street networks, provides an invaluable source of information about the urban patterns generated by peoples’ movements and their interactions. With the increasing availability of street network datasets and the advancements in deep learning methods, we are presented with an unprecedented opportunity to push the frontiers of urban modelling towards more data-driven and accurate models of urban forms.In this study, we present our initial work on applying deep generative models to urban street network data to create spatially explicit urban models. We based our work on Variational Autoencoders (VAEs) which are deep generative models that have recently gained their popularity due to the ability to generate realistic images. Initial results show that VAEs are capable of capturing key high-level urban network metrics using low-dimensional vectors and generating new urban forms of complexity matching the cities captured in the street network data.
Testing Web Mapping and Active Learning to Approach Lidar Data
Authors: Forest Marion , Costa Laurent , Combey Andy , Dorison Antoine , Pereira Grégory
Published: November 2019

After acquiring 91 km2of lidar data from the Zacapu region, West Mexico, we confronted a series of issues that most archaeologists using this technology face. These include the large volume of data available, the limited training of potential “analysts,” the difficult development of a collective mapping tool and protocol, and the reliability of desk-based interpretation of archaeological features. In this article, we present an initiative conducted in 2015 and 2017 as an attempt to answer these methodological and pedagogical issues. We developed a web mapping platform to collectively interpret archaeological features using lidar-derived imagery and to train volunteer students to participate in this desk-based web mapping within a crowdsourcing framework. After evaluating the results of this initiative, we discuss the potential and limitations of this method for both lidar-based research and future training.
Conference Report: Global Health Security Alliance (GLoHSA), a Product of the World Health Summit
Authors: Quinn John M. , Haggenmiller Christian , Wilson James M. , McNamara Tracey , Goebbels Stefan , Hansen Jan-Cedric , Opitz Anja , Bourdeaux Margaret , Sullivan Richard
Published: November 2019

Over the past decade, the World Health Summit (WHS) has provided a global platform for policy-makers and decision-makers to interact with academics and practitioners on global health. Recently the WHS adopted health security into their agenda for transnational disease risks (eg, Ebola and antimicrobial resistance) that increasingly threaten multiple sectors. Global health engagement (GHE) focuses efforts across interdisciplinary and interorganizational lines to identify critical threats and provide rapid deployment of key resources at the right time for addressing health security risks. As a product of subject matter experts convening at the WHS, a special side-group has organically risen with leadership and coordination from the German Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies in support of GHE activities across governmental, academic, and industry partners. Through novel approaches and targeted methodology that maximize outcomes and streamline global health operational process, the Global Health Security Alliance (GloHSA) was born. This short conference report describes in more detail the GloHSA.
Fluidity, Phenotype and Afro-Latin Group Consciousness
Authors: Johnson Marcus
Published: November 2019

Racial fluidity and mixed phenotype have been posited as critical barriers to politicized black identity in the region. Using an original, survey experiment in Panama, this paper finds that racial fluidity and phenotype significantly affect who identifies as black, but have relatively little impact on the strength of measures of black group consciousness. Rather than reducing the strength of group consciousness all together, racial fluidity and phenotype influence the salience of different measures of group consciousness. Afro-Panamanians with phenotypic features that stably predict black self-identification express stronger beliefs that racial discrimination is a problem in Panama (perceived discrimination) and greater dissatisfaction with the social standing of their in-group (polar power). In contrast, Afro-Panamanians with mixed phenotypic features express stronger in-group affect (pride), stronger belief in the efficacy of black collective mobilization (collective efficacy), and stronger linked fate.
Dietary protein insufficiency: an important consideration in fatty liver disease?
Authors: Ampong Isaac , Watkins Adam , Gutierrez-Merino Jorge , Ikwuobe John , Griffiths Helen R.
Published: November 2019

Dietary protein insufficiency has been linked to excessive TAG storage and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in developing countries. Hepatic TAG accumulation following a low-protein diet may be due to altered peroxisomal, mitochondrial and gut microbiota function. Hepatic peroxisomes and mitochondria normally mediate metabolism of nutrients to provide energy and substrates for lipogenesis. Peroxisome biogenesis and activities can be modulated by odd-chain fatty acids (OCFA) and SCFA that are derived from gut bacteria, for example, propionate and butyrate. Also produced during amino acid metabolism by peroxisomes and mitochondria, propionate and butyrate concentrations correlate inversely with risk of obesity, insulin resistance and NAFLD. In this horizon-scanning review, we have compiled available evidence on the effects of protein malnutrition on OCFA production, arising from loss in mitochondrial, peroxisomal and gut microbiota function, and its association with lipid accumulation in the liver. The methyl donor amino acid composition of dietary protein is an important contributor to liver function and lipid storage; the presence and abundance of dietary branched-chain amino acids can modulate the composition and metabolic activity of the gut microbiome and, on the other hand, can affect protective OCFA and SCFA production in the liver. In preclinical animal models fed with low-protein diets, specific amino acid supplementation can ameliorate fatty liver disease. The association between low dietary protein intake and fatty liver disease is underexplored and merits further investigation, particularly in vulnerable groups with dietary protein restriction in developing countries.
RETHINKING THE ETHIOPIAN RED TERROR: APPROACHES TO POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN REVOLUTIONARY ETHIOPIA
Authors: WIEBEL JACOB , ADMASIE SAMUEL ANDREAS
Published: November 2019

This article examines the role of trade unions and of theKebele– the most local urban administrative structures of the Ethiopian state – in the making of the Red Terror, a period of unprecedented political violence that closely followed the Ethiopian revolution of 1974. Drawing on a broad range of new source materials – from labour union files to oral histories and East German State Security archives – this article shows how the Red Terror was in large part the product of synergies between diverse groups and actors within these structures, and how it was rooted in histories, motives, and collaborations that have scarcely been considered in the historiography of revolutionary Ethiopia. In turn, the Red Terror radically reshaped both trade unions andKebeleadministrations, affording Ethiopian state actors an unprecedented means of control over civil society and urban residents.
REEDUCATION CAMPS, AUSTERITY, AND THE CARCERAL REGIME IN SOCIALIST MOZAMBIQUE (1974–79)
Authors: MACHAVA BENEDITO
Published: November 2019

Throughout the socialist experiment between 1974 and 1992, the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) ran a network of internment camps officially known as reeducation centers. Established in remote rural sites to mentally decolonize wayward members of urban society and putative enemies of the socialist revolution, the camps became a dumping ground for unwanted citizens accused of all kinds of wrongdoing. Although the Frelimo leaders envisioned a pedagogical institution that would undo the damage of colonialism by transforming reeducatees into new social beings, the gap between the idea of rehabilitation and the reality of detention was abysmally wide. Austerity – the order of the day throughout the fifteen years of socialist experiment in Mozambique – conditioned and defined the organic functioning of reeducation camps. Unlike internment camps elsewhere, Mozambique's camps were not strictly regimented. The carceral regime that emerged not only set Mozambique's reeducation centers apart from camps elsewhere, they were also far from the technocratic moralism and panoptic ambitions of the ruling party.
Prevalence and pattern of consanguineous marriage among educated married individuals in Riyadh
Authors: Mahboub Samira M. , Alsaqabi Alanoud A. , Allwimi Noura A. , Aleissa Dana N. , Al-Mubarak Basmah A.
Published: November 2019

Consanguineous marriage is preferred in many countries, especially by Muslims. Despite the increasing education rate in Saudi Arabia, the prevalence of consanguineous marriage does not seem to be decreasing as quickly as expected. The present study aimed to investigate the current prevalence of consanguineous marriage among educated married adults in Riyadh and to determine the factors favouring it. The cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017–18 using an online questionnaire. A total of 550 questionnaires were sent to married adults of both sexes and 417 responded, giving a response rate of 75.8%. The questionnaire consisted of two parts: the first section asked for demographic data such as age, sex, educational level, residential area and family size. The second part was about consanguineous marriage and its degree if present, family history of consanguineous marriage and level of awareness of its potential negative impact on offspring. It was found that the prevalence of consanguineous marriage among the participating educated adults was 39.8% and most of these were married to a first cousin. Neither level of education nor age affected the likelihood of consanguineous marriage, but predictors for the practice among the educated participating adults were having a family history of consanguineous marriage, having consanguineous parents and having a personal preference for consanguineous marriage. In conclusion, the prevalence of consanguineous marriage among educated adults in Riyadh was still high in 2018, especially among first-cousin relatives, and this was related to family history and personal preference rather than educational level or age. It is recommended that further research is conducted to assess the level of knowledge about, and attitude towards, consanguineous marriage among adults in Saudi Arabia.
First report ofEchinococcus granulosus sensu stricto(G1) in Nigeria, West Africa
Authors: Ohiolei J.A. , Yan H.-B. , Li L. , Isaac C. , Fu B.-Q. , Jia W.-Z.
Published: November 2019

Echinococcus granulosus sensu strictois regarded to have the highest zoonotic potential of allEchinococcustaxa. Globally, human infection due to this species constitutes over 88.44% of the total cystic echinococcosis (CE) burden. Here, we report a CE infection in a Nigerian camel caused byE. granulosusG1 genotype. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first encounter of the G1 genotype in the West Africa sub-region where the G6 genotype is reportedly prevalent, suggesting that the epidemiology of this highly zoonotic group could have a wider host range and distribution in the sub-region, and emphasizes the need for further investigation into the genetic diversity ofEchinococcusspp. in Nigeria and across the sub-region.
Soft-tissue outcomes following implantation of different types of bone conduction hearing devices in a single centre
Authors: Ray J , Lau K , Moraleda J , Yardley M , Dawoud M , Dimitriadis P A
Published: November 2019

Objective

To compare soft-tissue complications following implantation of different bone conduction hearing devices.

Methods

Adults who underwent implantation of different bone conduction hearing devices, between January 2008 and December 2016, were included in the study. Five groups were identified depending on the soft-tissue approach: (1) split-thickness skin flap with use of dermatome; (2) Sheffield ‘S’-shaped incision with skin thinning; (3) linear incision without skin thinning (hydroxyapatite-coated abutment); (4) ‘C’-shaped full-thickness incision for passive transcutaneous bone conduction hearing devices; and (5) post-aural incision for active transcutaneous bone conduction hearing devices. The main outcome measures were different soft-tissue complications.

Results

The study comprised 120 patients (group 1 = 20 patients, group 2 = 35, group 3 = 35, group 4 = 20, and group 5 = 10). Soft tissue related problems were encountered in 55 per cent of patients from group 1, 26 per cent in group 2, 3 per cent in group 3, and 0 per cent in groups 4 and 5.

Conclusion

There was a reduction in soft tissue related complications with reduced soft-tissue handling. In addition, there was a shift from an initial skin-penetrating (percutaneous) approach to a non-skin-penetrating (transcutaneous) approach.
Risk and protective factors for offending among UK Armed Forces personnel after they leave service: a data linkage study
Authors: MacManus Deirdre , Dickson Hannah , Short Roxanna , Burdett Howard , Kwan Jamie , Jones Margaret , Hull Lisa , Wessely Simon , Fear Nicola T.
Published: November 2019

Background

A proportion of ex-military personnel who develop mental health and social problems end up in the Criminal Justice System. A government review called for better understanding of pathways to offending among ex-military personnel to improve services and reduce reoffending. We utilised data linkage with criminal records to examine the patterns of offending among military personnel after they leave service and the associated risk (including mental health and alcohol problems) and socio-economic protective factors.

Method

Questionnaire data from a cohort study of 13 856 randomly selected UK military personnel were linked with national criminal records to examine changes in the rates of offending after leaving service.

Results

All types of offending increased after leaving service, with violent offending being the most prevalent. Offending was predicted by mental health and alcohol problems: probable PTSD, symptoms of common mental disorder and aggressive behaviour (verbal, property and threatened or actual physical aggression). Reduced risk of offending was associated with post-service socio-economic factors: absence of debt, stable housing and relationship satisfaction. These factors were associated with a reduced risk of offending in the presence of mental health risk factors.

Conclusions

Ex-military personnel are more likely to commit violent offences after leaving service than other offence-types. Mental health and alcohol problems are associated with increased risk of post-service offending, and socio-economic stability is associated with reduced risk of offending among military veterans with these problems. Efforts to reduce post-service offending should encompass management of socio-economic risk factors as well as mental health.
The Abstract Slave: Anti-Blackness and Marx's Method
Authors: Sorentino Sara-Maria
Published: November 2019

“The Abstract Slave: Anti-Blackness and Marx's Method” presents an immanent critique of the Marxist value-form. While Marx couldhistoricallythink the empirical reality of slavery appearing together with capitalism, the value-formtheoreticallyunthinks the significance of the conjuncture slavery and capitalism. Even with attempts to recuperate Marxism from some of the errors of evolutionism, the content and form of slavery is not usually up for debate, only the status of its interaction with capitalist circuits (a rearrangement of difference within unity). Mirroring the Marxist methodology of rising from the “abstract” to the “concrete,” this article moves to substitute the abstraction of labor with that of slavery and closes by restaging the concrete development of “real subsumption” through the problem of abolition. Such a substitution deconstructs Marx's method by situating slavery's transposition to brute force (and race's reduction to false consciousness) as the productive source of the capitalist form of value.
The Strange Career of the Convict Clause: US Prison Imperialism in the Panamá Canal Zone
Authors: Weber Benjamin D.
Published: November 2019

This article follows the “convict clause” in the Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution – the exception for slavery and involuntary servitude to continue as punishment for crime – to the Panamá Canal Zone. It argues that US officials used the prison system not only to extract labor, but to structure racial hierarchy and justify expansionist claims to jurisdiction and sovereignty. It reveals how despite the purported “usefulness” of the Black bodies conscripted in this brutal labor regime, the prison system's operational modality was racial and gendered violence which exceeded the registers of political economy, penology, and state-building in which that usefulness was framed. The Canal Zone convict road building scheme then became a cornerstone from which Good Roads Movement boosters, who claimed the convict was a slave of the state, could push for the Pan-American Highway across the hemisphere. Afro-Panamanian and Caribbean workers, who were the majority of those forced into Canal Zone chain gangs, protested the racism and imperialism of the prison system by blending anti-colonial and anti-racist strategies and deploying a positive notion of blackness as solidarity and race pride. Their efforts and insight offer an understanding of the US carceral state's imperial dimensions as well as enduring lessons for movements struggling to broaden the meaning and experience of freedom in the face of slavery's recurrent afterlives.