bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Persistence of soil microbial function at the rock‐soil interface in degraded karst topsoils
Authors: Wang Ying , Dungait Jennifer A.J. , Xing Kaixiong , Green Sophie M. , Hartley Iain , Tu Chenglong , Quine Timothy A. , Tian Jing , Kuzyakov Yakov
Published: December 2019

Extensive and progressive rock emergence in karst ecosystems may cause localized variations in soil biogeochemical and microbial properties, and thus produce nutrient cycling 'hot spots' that could alter functional responses to perturbation. Here, we investigated the differences between microbial compositions and functions in topsoils at the rock‐soil interface (RSI) compared with adjacent bulk soil along a gradient of increasing human perturbation in the Chinese Karst Critical Zone Observatory. Microbial abundance decreased with increasing perturbation and was higher at the RSI compared to bulk soil. Compared with the bulk soil, C‐cycling and N cycling enzyme activities at the RSI were 72–427% higher, respectively, and those related to N cycling were 72–98% higher, and were greatest in primary forest and abandoned land. Mineral contents explained the large variances in enzyme activities suggesting that mineral availability modified microbial functions for nutrients acquisition in nutrient‐poor karst system. The significantly larger nutrient contents of RSI soil in the primary forest suggest that weathering of the karst rocks in unperturbed environments is the primary source of nutrients, which is driven by microbial enzyme production. The enzyme activities related to C and N cycling were highest in abandoned land, which suggests a rapid switch in microbial function caused by nutrient limitation when cultivation ceased. In conclusion, soil microbial abundance and function next to karst rocks is higher than bulk soils and persists after recovery. This suggests that the potential for long‐term recovery of very degraded karst landscapes is possible after abandonment because microbial functions for C and nutrient cycling persist in RSI 'hot spots'.
High frequency arbitrary waveform generator using a nonlinear transmission line
Authors: Kim Chanwoo , Bae Jaemin , Han Heeje , Park Soonwoo , Kim Hongjoon
Published: December 2019

In this article, a high‐frequency arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) based on Fourier synthesis theory is presented. A key element consists of a nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) that acts as a harmonic generator for large signals and as a phase shifter for small signals. The harmonics generated by the NLTL are separated into four channels using power dividers and each harmonic is bandpass filtered in each channel. The phase and the amplitude are then modulated in each channel by an NLTL phase shifter and a voltage variable attenuator. Finally, vector modulated signals from each channel are combined in Wilkinson power combiners to form any waveform shape. We used 0.5 GHz as a master signal and synthesized waveforms using all four channels.
Metabolomic Profiles Associated with BMI, Waist Circumference, and Diabetes and Inflammation Biomarkers in Women
Authors: Stevens Victoria L. , Carter Brian D. , McCullough Marjorie L. , Campbell Peter T. , Wang Ying
Published: November 2019

Objective

This study was undertaken to identify metabolites associated with BMI and waist circumference (WC) in women and to determine whether these metabolites are associated with biomarkers of metabolic health.

Methods

Untargeted metabolomic analysis was done on serum from 1,534 women. Metabolites associated with BMI and WC were identified using linear regression with a Bonferroni‐corrected P value. Clustered blocks of these metabolites were then defined whose association with the anthropometric measures could be represented by a single metabolite. The association of these representative metabolites with biomarkers for diabetes and inflammation was then determined.

Results

About one‐third of 781 metabolites included in the analyses were associated with BMI and/or WC. Associations were found for some novel metabolites, including several sphingolipids, nucleotides, and modified fatty acids. Among metabolites most strongly inversely associated with BMI, the choline‐containing plasmalogen (O‐16:0/18:1) (β = −0.30, P = 6.62 × 10−32) was also inversely associated with c‐peptide and positively associated with adiponectin. Adjustment for BMI attenuated the metabolite‐biomarker associations more for hemoglobin A1c (> 100%) and c‐peptide (58.8% to > 100%) than for C‐reactive protein (10.5%‐40.0%) and adiponectin (7.0%‐30.4%).

Conclusions

These results add to the list of metabolites associated with adiposity and indicate that some may influence processes that contribute to the development of obesity‐related diseases.
On linear quadratic optimal control of discrete‐time complex‐valued linear systems
Authors: Zhou Bin
Published: December 2019

We study in this paper the linear quadratic optimal control (linear quadratic regulation, LQR for short) for discrete‐time complex‐valued linear systems, which have several potential applications in control theory. Firstly, an iterative algorithm was proposed to solve the discrete‐time bimatrix Riccati equation associated with the LQR problem. It is shown that the proposed algorithm converges to the unique positive definite solution (bimatrix) to the bimatrix Riccati equation with appropriate initial conditions. With the help of this iterative algorithm, the LQR problem for the antilinear system, which is a special case of complex‐valued linear system, was carefully examined and three different Riccati equations–based approaches were provided, namely, bimatrix Riccati equation, anti‐Riccati equation, and normal Riccati equation. The established approach is then used to solve the LQR problem for a discrete‐time time‐delay system with one‐step state delay, and a numerical example was used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Investigation on mechanical, thermal, and flame retardant properties of particulate SiO2 reinforced cardanol based composites
Authors: Thenmozhi Sivalingam , Murugavel Salem Chandrasekaran
Published: November 2019

Cardanol based epoxy thermosets and particulate SiO2 incorporated composite systems were developed by blending various ratios of commercial diglycidyl ethers of bisphenol‐A (DGEBA) with epoxidized cardanol (EPC) using melt mixing method followed by sonication. Physico chemical properties of the prepared resins were studied. Various percentage of SiO2 was incorporated in to the resin system [15% EPC + 85% DGEBA] (BEPC1)] to improve their thermo mechanical properties. The effect of loading content on the curing behavior, mechanical, and thermal properties were investigated by FT‐IR, mechanical tests, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Particle size and dispersion probability of SiO2 in the composites were studied by field emission scanning electron microscope. These studies showed that 1% SiO2 reinforced BEPC1 matrix system were effective in enhancing mechanical strength and thermal stability of composites. The prominent char residue value obtained in the TGA analysis predicted the good flame retardant property of the developed composite. This was evidenced in UL‐94 test and limited oxygen index (LOI) determination.
Mechanical properties and water absorption of kenaf/pineapple leaf fiber‐reinforced polypropylene hybrid composites
Authors: Feng Ng Lin , Malingam Sivakumar Dhar , Ping Chen Wei , Razali Nadlene
Published: November 2019

Hybrid composites have shown innumerable benefits to the research communities in terms of environmental friendliness and mechanical properties. This research study presents the mechanical characterization and moisture uptake of kenaf/pineapple leaf fiber‐reinforced polypropylene hybrid composites with several relative fiber ratios. A comparison was also made between nonhybrid and hybrid kenaf/pineapple leaf fiber‐reinforced composites to investigate the hybridization effect. In this work, the composite materials were fabricated via the hot compression technique. Mechanical tests were performed to obtain the tensile, flexural, and Charpy impact properties of nonhybrid and hybrid kenaf/pineapple leaf fiber‐based composites. The water absorption characteristics were then obtained by immersing the composite materials in the water until the saturation point was reached. The findings concluded that the mechanical properties and moisture uptake behaviors of the composites were improved through the hybridization. The hybrid composites with a relative fiber ratio of 25:75 were particularly promising with the improvement of 10.90% in tensile strength; 16.13% in flexural strength; and 6.80% in impact strength in both flatwise and edgewise orientations compared to nonhybrid kenaf‐based composites. Meanwhile, the diffusion coefficient of hybrid composites (25:75) was 56.12% lower than nonhybrid pineapple leaf fiber‐based composites. Thus, the results indeed demonstrated that the balance between mechanical properties and moisture sensitivity can be obtained through the hybridization of kenaf and pineapple leaf fiber in the composite materials.
Remaining useful life prediction of crude oil pipeline by means of deterioration curves
Authors: Shaik Nagoor Basha , Pedapati Srinivasa Rao , Abd Dzubir Faizul Azly
Published: November 2019

Pipelines sometimes generate different kinds of environmental damages which are irreparable and hazardous due to various reasons such as natural hazards, external loads, and corrosion. Many soft computational methods have been introduced to assess the failure rates of pipelines since decades. However, the majority of studies were limited to specific conditions. The aim of this paper is to predict the remaining useful life of the crude oil pipeline by generating the deteriorating curves. The historical inspection data have been used to calculate the metal loss (ML) growth rates. ML anomalies were found to be a major effect on the deterioration rate of a crude oil pipeline. Deterioration curves were developed using ML growth rates on a timely basis. The results may help pipeline technicians in decision making for overhaul planning and to take essential arrangements or to repair when needed, so that produce losses of oil and gas industries can be reduced and hence the lifespan of a pipeline can be increased.
Assessing the impact of observations in a multi‐year reanalysis
Authors: Diniz Fábio L. R. , Todling Ricardo
Published: November 2019

Operational and quasi‐operational weather prediction centres have been routinely assessing the contribution from various observing systems to reducing errors in short‐range forecasts for a number of years now. The original technique, Forecast Sensitivity‐based Observation Impact (FSOI), involves definition of a forecast error measure and evaluation of sensitivities with respect to changes in the observations that require adjoint operators of both the underlying tangent linear model and corresponding analysis technique. The present work applies FSOI to reanalysis and aims at providing an expanded view of the contribution of various observing systems over nearly 40 years of assimilation. Specifically, this study uses MERRA‐2, given that its supporting software includes all ingredients necessary to calculate FSOI. Part of this work shows how the quality of forecasts improves over the course of the reanalysis, and examines forecast sensitivities relevant to FSOI. The assessment here finds that, for example, conventional observations are a major player in reducing forecast error throughout the 40 years of reanalysis, even when their volume reduces from 45% in the earlier periods to about 5% in the modern era; satellite radiances, especially microwave instruments are major contributors to error reduction from the early single platform TIROS‐N days to the current multi‐platform scenario, though their fractional contribution reduces slightly from the early 2000's onward after the increased availability of wind observation from aircraft and atmospheric motion vectors, and the introduction of GPSRO; infrared instruments play a secondary role to microwave but are significant still, with the peculiar result of fractional impacts contribution from modern hyperspectral instruments being roughly similar to those from early infrared instruments. The dependence of results on the chosen error measure is emphasized throughout.
Theoretical studies on the BC2N monolayers with promising photoelectronic characteristics and remarkable environmental stabilities
Authors: Xu Chengcheng , Huang Xinyue , Xu Xin , Zhang Xiao , Zhang Haijun
Published: December 2019

In this study, density functional theory calculations were performed to investigate the geometric structures, thermodynamic and mechanical stabilities, electronic, and optical properties of two BC2N monolayers with honeycomb structure. The computational results demonstrate that the BC2N monolayers have not only visible‐light absorption, but also high reducing capacity of photo‐induced electrons and excellent carrier mobility. Also, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations with considering the O2 and H2O molecule were carried out, which suggest that the crystal structures of both BC2N monolayers can be well maintained in the moisture‐laden air filled with O2 molecules at 800 K. Accordingly, these BC2N monolayers with promising photoelectronic characteristics and environmental stability could be utilized as metal‐free visible‐light‐driven photocatalysts in high‐temperature environment with moisture and oxygen, which is worthy of being further investigated in experimental and theoretical studies.
Ti‐Based Oxide Anode Materials for Advanced Electrochemical Energy Storage: Lithium/Sodium Ion Batteries and Hybrid Pseudocapacitors
Authors: Lou Shuaifeng , Zhao Yang , Wang Jiajun , Yin Geping , Du Chunyu , Sun Xueliang
Published: November 2019

Titanium‐based oxides including TiO2 and M‐Ti‐O compounds (M = Li, Nb, Na, etc.) family, exhibit advantageous structural dynamics (2D ion diffusion path, open and stable structure for ion accommodations) for practical applications in energy storage systems, such as lithium‐ion batteries, sodium‐ion batteries, and hybrid pseudocapacitors. Further, Ti‐based oxides show high operating voltage relative to the deposition of alkali metal, ensuring full safety by avoiding the formation of lithium and sodium dendrites. On the other hand, high working potential prevents the decomposition of electrolyte, delivering excellent rate capability through the unique pseudocapacitive kinetics. Nevertheless, the intrinsic poor electrical conductivity and reaction dynamics limit further applications in energy storage devices. Recently, various work and in‐depth understanding on the morphologies control, surface engineering, bulk‐phase doping of Ti‐based oxides, have been promoted to overcome these issues. Inspired by that, in this review, the authors summarize the fundamental issues, challenges and advances of Ti‐based oxides in the applications of advanced electrochemical energy storage. Particularly, the authors focus on the progresses on the working mechanism and device applications from lithium‐ion batteries to sodium‐ion batteries, and then the hybrid pseudocapacitors. In addition, future perspectives for fundamental research and practical applications are discussed.
A deep recurrent Q network towards self‐adapting distributed microservice architecture
Authors: Magableh Basel , Almiani Muder
Published: November 2019

One desired aspect of microservice architecture is the ability to self‐adapt its own architecture and behavior in response to changes in the operational environment. To achieve the desired high levels of self‐adaptability, this research implements distributed microservice architecture model running a swarm cluster, as informed by the Monitor, Analyze, Plan, and Execute over a shared Knowledge (MAPE‐K) model. The proposed architecture employs multiadaptation agents supported by a centralized controller, which can observe the environment and execute a suitable adaptation action. The adaptation planning is managed by a deep recurrent Q‐learning network (DRQN). It is argued that such integration between DRQN and Markov decision process (MDP) agents in a MAPE‐K model offers distributed microservice architecture with self‐adaptability and high levels of availability and scalability. Integrating DRQN into the adaptation process improves the effectiveness of the adaptation and reduces any adaptation risks, including resource overprovisioning and thrashing. The performance of DRQN is evaluated against deep Q‐learning and policy gradient algorithms, including (1) a deep Q‐learning network (DQN), (2) a dueling DQN (DDQN), (3) a policy gradient neural network, and (4) deep deterministic policy gradient. The DRQN implementation in this paper manages to outperform the aforementioned algorithms in terms of total reward, less adaptation time, lower error rates, plus faster convergence and training time. We strongly believe that DRQN is more suitable for driving the adaptation in distributed services‐oriented architecture and offers better performance than other dynamic decision‐making algorithms.
Recent trends in applying TPM to cloud computing
Authors: Hosseinzadeh Shohreh , Sequeiros Bernardo , Inácio Pedro R. M. , Leppänen Ville
Published: November 2019

Trusted platform modules (TPM) have become important safe‐guards against variety of software‐based attacks. By providing a limited set of cryptographic services through a well‐defined interface, separated from the software itself, TPM can serve as a root of trust and as a building block for higher‐level security measures. This article surveys the literature for applications of TPM in the cloud‐computing environment, with publication dates comprised between 2013 and 2018. It identifies the current trends and objectives of this technology in the cloud, and the type of threats that it mitigates. Toward the end, the main research gaps are pinpointed and discussed. Since integrity measurement is one of the main usages of TPM, special attention is paid to the assessment of run time phases and software layers it is applied to.
Lysophosphatidic acid receptor 4 regulates osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of progenitor cells via inactivation of RhoA/ROCK1/β-catenin signaling
Authors: Xie Yan , Wang Xiaochen , Wu Xiaowen , Tian Lijie , Zhou Jie , Li Xiaoxia , Wang Baoli
Published: November 2019

Recent evidence revealed that lysophosphatidic acid receptor 4 (LPAR4) plays a role in osteogenesis and bone remodeling in mice. However, the molecular mechanism by which LPAR4 controls osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal progenitor cells remains pending. In the current study, our data showed that Lpar4 was expressed in bone and adipose tissue and the expression increased during osteoblast and adipocyte differentiation. Lpar4 overexpression in stromal ST2 and preosteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells inhibited osteogenic differentiation. By contrast, Lpar4 overexpression in ST2 and mesenchymal C3H10T1/2 cells enhanced adipogenic differentiation. Conversely, depletion of endogenous Lpar4 in the progenitor cells induced osteogenic differentiation and inhibited adipogenic differentiation. Furthermore, enhanced osteoblast differentiation and alleviated fat accumulation were observed in marrow of mice after in vivo transfection of Lpar4 siRNA. Mechanism investigations revealed that LPAR4 inhibited the activation of ras homolog family member A (RhoA)/Rho-associated kinases 1 (ROCK1) and canonical Wnt signal pathways. ROCK1 was shown to be able to activate Wnt/β-catenin pathway. We further demonstrated that the overexpression of ROCK1 stimulated osteogenic differentiation and restrained adipogenic differentiation from stromal progenitor cells. Moreover, overexpression of ROCK1 attenuated the inhibition of osteogenic differentiation by LPAR4. The current study has provided evidences demonstrating that RhoA/ROCK1 activates β-catenin signaling to promote osteogenic differentiation and conversely restrain adipogenic differentiation. The inactivation of RhoA/ROCK1/β-catenin signaling is involved in LPAR4 regulation of the directional differentiation of marrow stromal progenitor cells.
Linc1557 is critical for the initiation of embryonic stem cell differentiation by directly targeting the LIF/STAT3 signaling pathway
Authors: Lan Yuanyuan , Lu Chenqi , Yang Yiwei , Liu Xiaoqin , Guo Xudong , Xi Jiajie , Kang Jiuhong , Wang Guiying
Published: November 2019

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation potential and perform critical functions in development and biomedicine. Several long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported as key regulators of stem cell pluripotency and differentiation. However, the function and regulatory mechanism of lncRNAs during the initiation of ESC differentiation remains unclear. Here, we found that linc1557 was highly expressed in mouse ESCs and required for the initiation of ESC differentiation. Knockdown of linc1557 increased the expression and phosphorylation levels of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), a key factor in the leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)/STAT3 signaling pathway. Furthermore, we found that linc1557 directly bound to Stat3 mRNA and affected its stability. The differentially expressed transcriptome after linc1557 knockdown in ESCs was involved primarily in multicellular organism development and cell differentiation as similar to that after Stat3 knockdown. Moreover, either knockdown of Stat3 or addition of a LIF/STAT3 signaling inhibitor rescued the suppressive effects of linc1557 knockdown on the initiation of mouse ESC differentiation. These findings not only elucidated the critical function of linc1557 in the initiation of mouse ESC differentiation but also clarified that its specific mechanism as directly affecting Stat3 mRNA stability, which enhanced the understanding of the lncRNA-mediated regulatory mechanism for mRNA stability and key signaling pathways in ESC pluripotency and differentiation.
Recapitulating human tissue damage, repair, and fibrosis with human pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids
Authors: Sobral-Reyes Maria F. , Lemos Dario R.
Published: November 2019

As new applications for human pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids in drug screenings and tissue replacement therapies emerge, there is a need to examine the mechanisms of tissue injury and repair recently reported for various organoid models. In most cases, organoids contain the main cell types and tissues present in human organs, spatially arranged in a manner that largely resembles the architecture of the organ. Depending on the differentiation protocol used, variations may exist in cell type ratios relative to the organ of reference, and certain tissues, including some parenchymal components and the endothelium, might be poorly represented, or lacking altogether. Despite those caveats, recent studies have shown that organoid tissue injury recapitulates major events and histopathological features of damaged human tissues. In particular, major mechanisms of parenchyma cell damage and interstitial fibrosis can be reproduced with remarkable faithfulness. Although further validation remains to be done in order to establish the relevance of using organoid for either mechanistic studies or drug assays, this technology is becoming a promising tool for the study of human tissue homeostasis, injury, and repair.
Qualitative assessment on premature human mortality due to the emission of fine particulate matter from the Matarbari coal power plant
Authors: Ahmed Sheikh Imran Uddin
Published: November 2019

This study reports the probability of increased mortality of people within the political border of Bangladesh due to the emission of fine particulate matter with diameters of 2.5 microns or less (PM2.5) from the Matarbari coal power plant (MCPP). A Gaussian plume dispersion model has been used for this estimation. The PM2.5 emission rate data are unavailable as the construction of MCPP is still in its initial stage; therefore, the anticipated PM2.5 emission rate has been estimated based on data from a number of coal‐fired power plants in India and China. To make this study more meaningful, two different emission rates have been considered representing the best‐case and worst‐case scenarios. In both cases, the intake fraction has been found to be 0.12×10−2, and the value of relative risk varies between 1.134 and 1.374, respectively. Finally, it is estimated that approximately 11.5 million people inside Bangladesh will be exposed to the PM2.5 emission from MCPP, and between 7,667 and 17,675 people will experience premature death every year.
Recent developments in symmetry‐adapted perturbation theory
Authors: Patkowski Konrad
Published: November 2019

Symmetry‐adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) is a well‐established method to compute accurate intermolecular interaction energies in terms of physical effects such as electrostatics, induction (polarization), dispersion, and exchange. With many theory levels and variants, and several computer implementations available, closed‐shell SAPT has been applied to produce numerous intermolecular potential energy surfaces for complexes of experimental interest, and to elucidate the interactions in various complexes relevant to catalysis, organic synthesis, and biochemistry. In contrast, the development of SAPT for general open‐shell complexes is still a work in progress. In the last decade, new developments from several research groups, including the author's, have greatly enhanced the capabilities of SAPT. The new and emerging approaches are designed to make SAPT more widely applicable (including interactions involving multireference systems, complexes in arbitrary spin states, and intramolecular noncovalent interactions), more accurate (enhanced description of intramolecular correlation, a better account of exchange effects, relativistic SAPT, and explicitly correlated SAPT), and more efficient (enhanced density‐fitted implementations, linear‐scaling variants, empirical dispersion, and an implementation on graphics processing units). The new developments open up avenues for SAPT applications to an unprecedented variety of weakly interacting complexes.

This article is categorized under:

Electronic Structure Theory > Ab Initio Electronic Structure Methods

Electronic Structure Theory > Density Functional Theory

Molecular and Statistical Mechanics > Molecular Interactions
Prosody indexes both competence and performance
Authors: Watson Duane G. , Jacobs Cassandra L. , Buxó‐Lugo Andrés
Published: November 2019

Prosody is an important feature of language that conveys a wide range of information. However, prosody is widely considered to be a difficult domain of study within the language sciences. One consequence of this is that existing grammatical theories of prosody fail to explain prosodic choices that seem to arise from nonlinguistic cognitive demands, such as communicative context, top‐down expectations, and recent articulatory and acoustic experience. We provide an account of some of these phenomena and argue that linguistic theories that do not incorporate these factors into models of prosody are likely to mischaracterize its role in language.

This article is categorized under:

Linguistics > Language in Mind and Brain

Psychology > Language

Linguistics > Linguistic Theory
Laws, Rights, and Norms
Authors: Pineda Victor Santiago
Published: November 2019

Legal systems reflect the cultural norms that shape laws with respect to disability and access. By taking a theoretical and empirical approach to disability rights, it is possible to assess how basic functionings and freedoms are affected by laws, rights, and norms. This chapter examines how the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and Federal Law No. 29 differ significantly in their approach to social inclusion (i.e., social protectionism vs. human rights) and assesses what levels of progress were achieved in the implementation and enforcement of the national laws at local levels. In many instances, Federal Law No. 29 can be seen to have fallen short of the guidelines outlined by the CRPD. At a fundamental level, the federal law characterizes disability as a failure in the capacities of the individual regardless of their environment. A clear example can be seen in the federal law which emphasizes a protectionist approach to independent living and community involvement, in stark contrast to the CRPD’s Article 19 that outlines a rights-based model. Dubai’s local-level law on disability passed in 2014 presents a strong alternative by shifting the focus to rights, equity, and access.
Laws Are Not Enough: Unlocking Capabilities Through Innovations in Governance
Authors: Pineda Victor Santiago
Published: November 2019

Many factors beyond the legal system determine the ultimate success or failure of implementing comprehensive accessibility policies and programs. There are two main drivers for inclusive urban development: political commitment to inclusive practices, and the mechanisms and institutions needed to administer and facilitate them. This chapter explores how the narrative and conditions that determine equity and access in cities are shaped. There is a clear need globally to strengthen administrative and coordinating capacities and improve connections between cities and their citizens. This chapter highlights the importance of creating and disseminating information regarding accommodations, assistive technologies, and training throughout schools, community centers, advocacy organizations, and other social institutions. It defines leadership (executive and budgetary support), institutions (administrative and coordinating capacities), attitudes (beliefs), and participation (representation) as central evaluative criteria for evaluating progress at the local level. It also highlights how attitudes and cultural beliefs may produce negative associations of people with disabilities by assuming high dependency and individual fault, rather than pursuing policies aimed at equity, access, and inclusion.
Some New q-Congruences for Truncated Basic Hypergeometric Series: Even Powers
Authors: Guo Victor J. W. , Schlosser Michael J.
Published: November 2019

We provide several new q-congruences for truncated basic hypergeometric series with the base being an even power of q. Our results mainly concern congruences modulo the square or the cube of a cyclotomic polynomial and complement corresponding ones of an earlier paper containing q-congruences for truncated basic hypergeometric series with the base being an odd power of q. We also give a number of related conjectures including q-congruences modulo the fifth power of a cyclotomic polynomial and a congruence for a truncated ordinary hypergeometric series modulo the seventh power of a prime greater than 3.
The unicompartmental knee is the preferred side in individuals with both a unicompartmental and total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Wiik Anatole Vilhelm , Nathwani Dinesh , Akhtar Ahsan , Al-Obaidi Bilal , Strachan Robin , Cobb Justin Peter
Published: November 2019

Purpose

To determine the preferred knee in patients with both one total and one unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

Method

Patients simply with a unicompartmental (UKA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) on contralateral sides were retrospectively screened from three senior knee surgeon’s logs over a 15 year period. Patients safe and free from other diseases to affect gait were approached. A total of 16 patients (mean age 70 ± 8) agreed to ground reaction force testing on an instrumented treadmill at a fair pace and incline. A gender-ratio identical group of 16 healthy control subjects (mean age 67 ± 10) and 16 patients with ipsilateral medial knee OA (mean age 66 ± 7) were analysed to compare.

Results

Radiographically the mode preoperative Kellgren–Lawrence knee grade for each side was 3. Postoperatively, the TKA side had a mean coronal femoral component alignment of 7° and a mean tibial coronal alignment of 89° with a mean posterior slope of 5° in the sagittal plane. The UKA side had a mean coronal femoral component alignment of 7° and a mean tibial coronal alignment of 86° with a mean posterior slope of 4° in the sagittal plane. In 7 patients, the TKA was the first procedure, while 6 for the UKA and 3 done simultaneously. Gait analysis demonstrated in both walking conditions the UKA limb was the preferred side through all phases of loading (p < 0.05) and nearer to normal than the TKA limb when compared to healthy controls and patients with knee OA. The greatest difference was observed between the transition of weight acceptance and midstance (p = 0.008), when 22% more load was taken by the UKA side.

Conclusion

By using a dynamic metric of an everyday activity, a distinct gait difference between differing arthroplasty types were established. A more natural loading pattern can be achieved with unicompartmentals as compared to total knees.

Level of evidence

Retrospective comparative study, Level III.
Cross-modal reaction of auditory and visual cortices after long-term bilateral hearing deprivation in the rat
Authors: Pernia M. , Díaz I. , Colmenárez-Raga A. C. , Rivadulla C. , Cudeiro J. , Plaza I. , Merchán M. A.
Published: November 2019

Visual cortex (VC) over-activation analysed by evoked responses has been demonstrated in congenital deafness and after long-term acquired hearing loss in humans. However, permanent hearing deprivation has not yet been explored in animal models. Thus, the present study aimed to examine functional and molecular changes underlying the visual and auditory cross-modal reaction. For such purpose, we analysed cortical visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and the gene expression (RT-qPCR) of a set of markers for neuronal activation (c-Fos) and activity-dependent homeostatic compensation (Arc/Arg3.1). To determine the state of excitation and inhibition, we performed RT-qPCR and quantitative immunocytochemistry for excitatory (receptor subunits GluA2/3) and inhibitory (GABAA-α1, GABAB-R2, GAD65/67 and parvalbumin-PV) markers. VC over-activation was demonstrated by a significant increase in VEPs wave N1 and by up-regulation of the activity-dependent early genes c-Fos and Arc/Arg3.1 (thus confirming, by RT-qPCR, our previously published immunocytochemical results). GluA2 gene and protein expression were significantly increased in the auditory cortex (AC), particularly in layers 2/3 pyramidal neurons, but inhibitory markers (GAD65/67 and PV-GABA interneurons) were also significantly upregulated in the AC, indicating a concurrent increase in inhibition. Therefore, after permanent hearing loss in the rat, the VC is not only over-activated but also potentially balanced by homeostatic regulation, while excitatory and inhibitory markers remain imbalanced in the AC, most likely resulting from changes in horizontal intermodal regulation.
Convolution operators on weighted spaces of continuous functions and supremal convolution
Authors: Kleiner T. , Hilfer R.
Published: November 2019

The convolution of two weighted balls of measures is proved to be contained in a third weighted ball if and only if the supremal convolution of the corresponding two weights is less than or equal to the third weight. Here supremal convolution is introduced as a type of convolution in which integration is replaced with supremum formation. Invoking duality the equivalence implies a characterization of equicontinuity of weight-bounded sets of convolution operators having weighted spaces of continuous functions as domain and range. The overall result is a constructive method to define weighted spaces on which a given set of convolution operators acts as an equicontinuous family of endomorphisms. The result is applied to linear combinations of fractional Weyl integrals and derivatives with orders and coefficients from a given bounded set.
Gender effects for loss aversion: Yes, no, maybe?
Authors: Bouchouicha Ranoua , Deer Lachlan , Eid Ashraf Galal , McGee Peter , Schoch Daniel , Stojic Hrvoje , Ygosse-Battisti Jolanda , Vieider Ferdinand M.
Published: December 2019

Gender effects in risk taking have attracted much attention by economists, and remain debated. Loss aversion—the stylized finding that a given loss carries substantially greater weight than a monetarily equivalent gain—is a fundamental driver of risk aversion. We deploy four definitions of loss aversion commonly used in the literature to investigate gender effects. Even though the definitions only differ in subtle ways, we find women to be more loss averse than men according to one definition, while another definition results in no gender differences, and the remaining two definitions point to women beinglessloss averse than men. Conceptually, these contradictory effects can be organized by systematic measurement error resulting from model mis-specifications relative to the true underlying decision process.
Implementation of maternal blood cell-free DNA testing in early screening for aneuploidies
Authors: Gil María M. , Nicolaides Kypros H.
Published: November 2019

Several externally blinded validation and implementation studies in the last 9 years have shown that it is now possible, through analysis of cell-free (cf) DNA in maternal blood, to effectively detect a high proportion of fetuses affected by trisomies 21, 18, and 13 at a much lower false-positive rate (FPR) than all other existing screening methods. This article is aimed at reviewing technical and clinical considerations for implementing cfDNA testing in routine practice, including methods of analysis, performance of the test, models for clinical implementation, and interpretation of results.
Shape factor for regular and irregular matrix blocks in fractured porous media
Authors: Rostami Peyman , Sharifi Mohammad , Dejam Morteza
Published: November 2019

Describing matrix–fracture interaction is one of the most important factors for modeling natural fractured reservoirs. A common approach for simulation of naturally fractured reservoirs is dual-porosity modeling where the degree of communication between the low-permeability medium (matrix) and high-permeability medium (fracture) is usually determined by a transfer function. Most of the proposed matrix–fracture functions depend on the geometry of the matrix and fractures that are lumped to a factor called shape factor. Unfortunately, there is no unique solution for calculating the shape factor even for symmetric cases. Conducting fine-scale modeling is a tool for calculating the shape factor and validating the current solutions in the literature. In this study, the shape factor is calculated based on the numerical simulation of fine-grid simulations for single-phase flow using finite element method. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to calculate the shape factors for multidimensional irregular bodies in a systematic approach. Several models were used, and shape factors were calculated for both transient and pseudo-steady-state (PSS) cases, although in some cases they were not clarified and assumptions were not clear. The boundary condition dependency of the shape factor was also investigated, and the obtained results were compared with the results of other studies. Results show that some of the most popular formulas cannot capture the exact physics of matrix–fracture interaction. The obtained results also show that both PSS and transient approaches for describing matrix–fracture transfer lead to constant shape factors that are not unique and depend on the fracture pressure (boundary condition) and how it changes with time.
OSU-6162, a Sigma1R Ligand in Low Doses, Can Further Increase the Effects of Cocaine Self-Administration on Accumbal D2R Heteroreceptor Complexes
Authors: Borroto-Escuela Dasiel O. , Romero-Fernandez Wilber , Wydra Karolina , Zhou Zilong , Suder Agata , Filip Malgorzata , Fuxe Kjell
Published: November 2019

Cocaine was previously shown to act at the Sigma1R which is a target for counteracting cocaine actions. It therefore becomes of interest to test if the monoamine stabilizer (–) OSU-6162 (OSU-6162) with a nanomolar affinity for the Sigma1R can acutely modulate in low doses the effects of cocaine self-administration. In behavioral studies, OSU-6162 (5 mg/kg, s.c.) did not significantly change the number of active lever pressing and cocaine infusions. However, a trend to reduce cocaine readouts was found after 3 days of treatment. In contrast, in maintenance of cocaine self-administration, the proximity ligation assay performed on brains from rats pretreated with OSU-6162 showed highly significant increases in the density of the D2R-Sigma1R heteroreceptor complexes in the shell of the nucleus accumbens versus OSU-6162 induced increases in this region of yoked saline rats. In cocaine self-administration, highly significant increases were also induced by OSU-6162 in the A2AR-D2R heteroreceptor complexes in the nucleus accumbens shell versus vehicle-treated rats. Furthermore, ex vivo, the A2AR agonist CGS21680 (100 nM) produced a marked and significant increase of the D2R Ki high values in the OSU-6162-treated versus vehicle-treated rats under maintenance of cocaine self-administration. These results indicate a substantial increase in the inhibitory allosteric A2AR-D2R interactions following cocaine self-administration upon activation by the A2AR agonist ex vivo. The current results indicate that OSU-6162 via its high affinity for the Sigma1R may increase the number of accumbal shell D2R-Sigma1R and A2AR-D2R heteroreceptor complexes associated with further increases in the antagonistic A2AR-D2R interactions in cocaine self-administration.
Effect of rapid thermal annealing on structural and optical properties of ZnS thin films fabricated by RF magnetron sputtering technique
Authors: Bashar M. S. , Matin Rummana , Sultana Munira , Siddika Ayesha , Rahaman M. , Gafur M. A. , Ahmed F.
Published: December 2019

The ZnS thin films have been deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering at room temperature. Post-deposition rapid thermal annealing treatment was done for the films deposited at different powers ranging from 70 to 100 W. One peak is observed for as-deposited and annealed thin films at around 28.48° corresponding to the (111) reflection plane indicating a zincblende structure. The overall intensity of the peaks and the FWHM values of as-deposited films increased after annealing corresponding to the increase in crystallinity. The optical energy bandgap is found in the range of 3.24–3.32 eV. With increasing annealing temperature, the decrease in the Urbach energy values indicating a decrease in localized states which is in good agreement with the XRD results where the crystallinity increased. The surface morphology of the films seems to be composed of Nano-granules with a compact arrangement. Apparently, the grain size increases in the deposited films as annealing temperature increases. The compositional ratio attained close to the stoichiometric ratio of 1:1 after annealing. From the Hall effect measurement, the carrier concentration and mobility are found to increase after annealing. The high carrier concentration and mobility also comply with structural and optical analysis. Best results are found for the film annealed at 400 °C deposited at 90 W.
Victimization Experiences and Mental Health Outcomes Among Grades 7 to 12 Students in Manitoba, Canada
Authors: Stewart-Tufescu Ashley , Salmon Samantha , Taillieu Tamara , Fortier Janique , Afifi Tracie O.
Published: December 2019

Victimization experiences, including traditional forms of bullying, discriminatory harassment, and cyber victimization, are associated with numerous detrimental consequences in adolescence and over the life course. The objective of the current study was to understand the relationships between nine experiences of victimization and mental health outcomes among students in grades 7 to 12 in Manitoba, Canada. Data were drawn from the 2012–2013 Manitoba Youth Health Survey (N = 64,174; response rate = 67%). Mental health outcomes included mental health functioning and emotional well-being, and feelings of sadness and hopelessness. The prevalence of moderate/languishing mental health functioning and emotional well-being ranged from 35.2% (boys in grades 7 to 9) to 51.0% (girls in grades 10 to 12). The prevalence of feeling sad and hopeless ranged from 31.4% (boys in grades 7 to 9) to 57.7% (girls in grades 10 to 12). All nine victimization types were associated with increased odds of having moderate/languishing mental health functioning and emotional well-being and feeling sad and hopeless for both boys and girls in grades 7 to 9 and 10 to 12, although some gender and grade differences were noted. A dose-response trend was found with increased odds of moderate/languishing mental health functioning and emotional well-being corresponding with increased frequency of being victimized. A similar trend was noted for girls only for feeling sad and hopeless. Effective prevention and intervention strategies targeting boys and girls and across grades 7 to 12 are needed to improve mental health functioning and emotional well-being, and reduce feelings of sadness and hopelessness among adolescents with victimization experiences.
Translational Informatics for Parkinson’s Disease: From Big Biomedical Data to Small Actionable Alterations
Authors: Shen Bairong , Lin Yuxin , Bi Cheng , Zhou Shengrong , Bai Zhongchen , Zheng Guangmin , Zhou Jing
Published: November 2019

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurological disease in elderly people, and its morbidity and mortality are increasing with the advent of global ageing. The traditional paradigm of moving from small data to big data in biomedical research is shifting toward big data-based identification of small actionable alterations. To highlight the use of big data for precision PD medicine, we review PD big data and informatics for the translation of basic PD research to clinical applications. We emphasize some key findings in clinically actionable changes, such as susceptibility genetic variations for PD risk population screening, biomarkers for the diagnosis and stratification of PD patients, risk factors for PD, and lifestyles for the prevention of PD. The challenges associated with the collection, storage, and modelling of diverse big data for PD precision medicine and healthcare are also summarized. Future perspectives on systems modelling and intelligent medicine for PD monitoring, diagnosis, treatment, and healthcare are discussed in the end.
Partisan selective exposure in online news consumption: evidence from the 2016 presidential campaign
Authors: Peterson Erik , Goel Sharad , Iyengar Shanto
Published: November 2019

Where do partisans get their election news in the contemporary media environment? We track the online news consumption of a national sample during the 2016 presidential campaign. We find levels of partisan isolation in news exposure are two to three times greater than in prior studies, although the absolute level of isolation remains modest. The partisan divide for election-related news exceeds the divide for non-political news. This tendency of partisans to follow like-minded news providers occurs despite the relatively small differences in the partisan slant of the content offered by the majority of sources they visited. Finally, we find that partisans who gravitated to congenial news providers did not shift their evaluations of the presidential candidates during the campaign.
#Blockade: Social Media and the Gulf Diplomatic Crisis
Authors: Mitchell Jocelyn Sage
Published: November 2019

The online public sphere, and the ways in which its digital media platforms influence discourse, is a crucial but understudied area of research in the six Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf. Through a case study of the ongoing Gulf diplomatic crisis, which began in June 2017, this essay draws on the disciplines of political science, communication, and digital media studies to analyze qualitative examples of digital discourse: the role of women, territorial boundaries, and the FIFA World Cup 2022. Linking these flash points to historical struggles between the countries, this essay suggests that the politicization of the online public sphere in the region does not represent a fundamental change in the diplomacy of the region but rather a new battleground for old regional rivalries.