bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A simple model for nonlinear analysis of steel plate shear wall structural systems
Authors: Vasseghi Akbar
Published: December 2020

This paper presents a simple and efficient analytical model for nonlinear response analysis of steel plate shear wall (SPSW) structural systems. The proposed model combines individual contributions of the boundary frame and the infill plate. It includes a nonlinear spring element that simulates the global response of the infill plate. The load‐deformation characteristic of this element is defined by a backbone curve and the pinched oriented Ibarra–Krawinkler hysteretic model. SPSW panels in the proposed model are differentiated as intermediate and end panels with two different backbone curves. Based on the theory of pure diagonal tension and experimental data, a basic backbone curve is first developed for the intermediate panel. For the end panel where the strength and stiffness of the infill plate are adversely affected by the flexibility of the anchor beam (the horizontal boundary element at the free end), the basic backbone curve is modified using appropriate strength and stiffness reduction factors. These factors are found by incorporating the strain energy of the anchor beam in the strain energy formulation of the theory of pure diagonal tension. Experimental results on several large‐scale SPSW specimens indicate that the proposed model reliably predicts the hysteretic behavior of SPSW structural systems.
Realizing the World-Class University: An Ecological Approach
Authors: Barnett Ronald
Published: December 2020

The ‘world-class university’ has become a trope of two rivalrous perspectives. On the one hand, it is used by cross-national and national organizations and institutions (and their leaders) to promote global positioning and achievement. On the other hand, it is deployed as a target of critique by scholars, it being observed that the term – ‘world-class university’ – presses interests, of cognitive capitalism, institutional entrepreneurialism and hierarchy amongst universities. Much less evident in these rivalrous discourses is an attempt to derive a way of holding onto the term – ‘world-class university’ – that retains links with core values of the university itself, such as those of reason, inquiry, understanding, and learning. I wish to use my chapter to mount such an inquiry and to do so by deploying an ecological approach. The university is interconnected with the world in manifold ways, through multiple ecosystems, but those ecosystems –such as those of knowledge, learning, social institutions, persons, the economy, culture and the natural environment – are impaired. Accordingly, could it not be suggested that a ‘world-class university’ would be one that draws on its resources in advancing the wellbeing of the major ecosystems of the world? Such a university would be a university in a class-of-and-for-the-world.
From sources to initial data and back again: on bulk singularities in Euclidean AdS/CFT
Authors: Belin Alexandre , Withers Benjamin
Published: December 2020

Abstract

A common method to prepare states in AdS/CFT is to perform the Euclidean path integral with sources turned on for single-trace operators. These states can be interpreted as coherent states of the bulk quantum theory associated to Lorentzian initial data on a Cauchy slice. In this paper, we discuss the extent to which arbitrary initial data can be obtained in this way. We show that the initial data must be analytic and define the subset of it that can be prepared by imposing bulk regularity. Turning this around, we show that for generic analytic initial data the corresponding Euclidean section contains singularities coming from delta function sources in the bulk. We propose an interpretation of these singularities as non-perturbative objects in the microscopic theory.
Constraining lepton number violating interactions in rare kaon decays
Authors: Deppisch Frank F. , Fridell Kåre , Harz Julia
Published: December 2020

Abstract

We investigate the possibility to probe lepton number violating (LNV) operators in the rare kaon decayK → πνν. Performing the analysis in the Standard Model effective field theory with only light active Majorana neutrinos, we determine the current limits on the corresponding LNV physics scale from the past E949 experiment at BNL as well as the currently operating experiments NA62 at CERN and KOTO at J-PARC. We focus on the specific signature of scalar currents inK → πννarising from the LNV nature of the operators and study the effect on the experimental sensitivity, stressing the need for dedicated searches for beyond the SM currents. We find that the rare kaon decays probe high operator scales ΛLNV≈15 to 20 TeV in different quark and neutrino flavours compared to neutrinoless double beta decay. Furthermore, we comment that the observation of LNV in kaon decays can put high-scale leptogenesis under tension. Finally, we discuss the connection with small radiatively generated neutrino masses and show how the severe constraints therefrom can be evaded in a minimal ultraviolet-complete scenario featuring leptoquarks.
Sustainable management of the vine mealybug in organic vineyards
Authors: Cocco Arturo , Pacheco da Silva Vitor Cezar , Benelli Giovanni , Botton Marcos , Lucchi Andrea , Lentini Andrea
Published: December 2020

The vine mealybug (VMB),Planococcus ficus, is a major grapevine pest worldwide, whose chemical control is often unsatisfactory due to its cryptic behavior, insecticide resistance and high fecundity rate. Recently, increasing restrictions have been applied to insecticides used for managing VMB. This review discusses sustainable VMB management strategies in organic viticulture. Pheromone-mediated mating disruption has been proved to be effective in both organic wine and table-grape vineyards. Biocontrol projects carried out through the release of parasitoids and/or predators have often provided inconclusive results, ranging from effective reduction of mealybug infestation to a marginal impact of parasitoids on VMB density. The latter outcome is likely due to constraints affecting the parasitoid activity, such as the disrupting activity of mealybug-tending ants and broad-spectrum insecticides, or untimely release of parasitoids. Ant suppression should be associated with the release of beneficial organisms, as mealybug-tending ants can severely affect the parasitoid activity. Cultural and physical control and the employment of entomopathogens and natural products mitigate the buildup of VMB populations, but they are not widely applied. VMB control in organic viticulture requires the integration of different strategies, as application of single control tools as a stand-alone treatment may not be effective, especially for high pest infestation. Future research to determine the density action threshold below which sustainable methods are effective and calibrate efforts in relation with pest infestation is needed. A multi-disciplinary approach is required to define the most appropriate sustainable control protocols in different environmental conditions and promote a further spread of organic viticulture.
The fate of calcium in temperate forest soils: a Ca K-edge XANES study
Authors: Prietzel Jörg , Klysubun Wantana , Hurtarte Luis Carlos Colocho
Published: December 2020

Calcium (Ca) plays a crucial role for plant nutrition, soil aggregation, and soil organic matter (SOM) stabilization. Turnover and ecological functions of Ca in soils depend on soil Ca speciation. For the first time, we used synchrotron-based X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy at the Ca K-edge (4038 eV) to investigate Ca speciation in soils. We present Ca K-edge XANES spectra of standard compounds with relevance in soils (e.g. calcite, dolomite, hydroxyapatite, anorthite, clay mineral-adsorbed Ca; Ca oxalate, formate, acetate, citrate, pectate, phytate). Calcium XANES spectra with good signal-to-noise ratios were acquired in fluorescence mode for Ca concentrations between 1 and 10 mg g−1. Most standard spectra differed markedly among each other, allowing the identification of different Ca species in soils and other environmental samples as well as Ca speciation by linear combination fitting. Calcium XANES spectra obtained for samples from different horizons of twelve temperate forest soils revealed a change from dominating lithogenic Ca to clay mineral-bound and/or organically bound Ca with advancing pedogenesis. O layer Ca was almost exclusively organically bound. With increasing SOM decomposition, shares of oxalate-bound Ca decreased. Oxalate-bound Ca was absent in calcareous, but not in silicate subsoil horizons, which can be explained by microbial decomposition in the former vs. stabilization by association to pedogenic minerals in the latter soils. Synchrotron-based Ca XANES spectroscopy is a promising novel tool to investigate the fate of Ca during pedogenesis and—when performed with high spatial resolution (µ-XANES), to study aggregation and SOM stabilization mechanisms produced by Ca.
Pro-inflammatory cytokines, but not brain- and extracellular matrix-derived proteins, are increased in the plasma following electrically induced kindling of seizures
Authors: Chmielewska Natalia , Maciejak Piotr , Osuch Bartosz , Kursa Miron B. , Szyndler Janusz
Published: December 2020

Background

The aim of the study was to evaluate the brain-derived proteins, extracellular matrix-derived protein and cytokines as potential peripheral biomarkers of different susceptibility to seizure development in an animal model of epilepsy evoked by chronic focal electrical stimulation of the brain.

Methods

The plasma levels of IL-1β (interleukin 1β), IL-6 (interleukin 6), UCH-L1 (ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase 1), MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase 9), and GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein) were assessed. The peripheral concentrations of the selected proteins were analyzed according to the status of kindling and seizure severity parameters. In our study, increased concentrations of plasma IL-1β and IL-6 were observed in rats subjected to hippocampal kindling compared to sham-operated rats.

Results

Animals that developed tonic–clonic seizures after the last stimulation had higher plasma concentrations of IL-1β and IL-6 than sham-operated rats and rats that did not develop seizure. Elevated levels of IL-1β and IL-6 were observed in rats that presented more severe seizures after the last five stimulations compared to sham-operated animals. A correlation between plasma IL-1β and IL-6 concentrations was also found. On the other hand, the plasma levels of the brain-derived proteins UCH-L1, MMP-9, and GFAP were unaffected by kindling status and seizure severity parameters.

Conclusions

The plasma concentrations of IL-1β and IL-6 may have potential utility as peripheral biomarkers of immune system activation in the course of epilepsy and translational potential for future clinical use. Surprisingly, markers of cell and nerve ending damage (GFAP, UCH-L1 and MMP-9) may have limited utility.
Transforming the Sacred into Saintliness
Authors: Palaver Wolfgang
Published: December 2020

Studies into religion and violence often put religion first. René Girard started with violence in his book Violence and the Sacred and used the Durkheimian term 'sacred' as its correlate in his study of early religions. During the unfolding of his theory, he more and more distinguished the sacred from saintliness to address the break that the biblical revelation represented in comparison to early religions. This distinction between the sacred and saintliness resembles Henri Bergson's complementing Emile Durkheim's identification of the sacred and society with a dynamic religion that relies on individual mystics. Girard's distinction also relates to the insights of thinkers like Jacques Maritain, Simone Weil, and Emmanuel Levinas. This element explores some of Girard's main features of saintliness. Girard pleaded for the transformation of the sacred into holy, not their separation.
A Middle-Quality Institutional Trap: Democracy and State Capacity in Latin America
Authors: Mazzuca Sebastián L. , Munck Gerardo L.
Published: December 2020

Latin America is currently caught in a middle-quality institutional trap, combining flawed democracies and low-to-medium capacity States. Yet, contrary to conventional wisdom, the sequence of development - Latin America has democratized before building capable States - does not explain the region's quandary. States can make democracy, but so too can democracy make States. Thus, the starting point of political developments is less important than whether the State-democracy relationship is a virtuous cycle, triggering causal mechanisms that reinforce each other. However, the State-democracy interaction generates a virtuous cycle only under certain macroconditions. In Latin America, the State-democracy interaction has not generated a virtuous cycle: problems regarding the State prevent full democratization and problems of democracy prevent the development of state capacity. Moreover, multiple macroconditions provide a foundation for this distinctive pattern of State-democracy interaction. The suboptimal political equilibrium in contemporary Latin America is a robust one.
“Optimism Is a Strategy for Making a Better	Future”
Authors: Marton Giulia , Monzani Dario , Vergani Laura , Pizzoli Silvia Francesca Maria , Pravettoni Gabriella
Published: December 2020

Abstract. Cancer is a deadly disease that can lead to psychological suffering and decreased quality of life (QoL). Personality has been proven to have an effect on QoL and, in particular, Dispositional Optimism (DO) has been studied in relation to overcoming health crisis. The aim of this systematic review is to deepen the state of art of the relationship between QoL and DO in cancer patients. PubMed and Embase databases were systematically searched. Fifteen studies were included with a total of 5,249 cancer patients. All of the studies consider the relationship between DO and QoL, some studies analyze the correlation between the two variables and found a positive association. The majority of the studies investigate the predictive power of DO over QoL and most of them found DO to be predictive of a higher QoL. Results confirmed the association between DO and QoL in a sample of cancer patients. These results could influence the clinical practice as DO has been proven to have a beneficial effect on mental and physical health.
MMS Observations of the Multiscale Wave Structures and Parallel Electron Heating in the Vicinity of the Southern Exterior Cusp
Authors: Nykyri K. , Ma X. , Burkholder B. , Rice R. , Johnson J. R. , Kim E‐K. , Delamere P. , Michael A. , Sorathia K. , Lin D. , Merkin S. , Fuselier S. , Broll J. , Le Contel O. , Gershman D. , Cohen I. , Giles B. , Strangeway R. J. , Russell C. T. , Burch J. L.
Published: December 2020

Understanding the physical mechanisms responsible for the cross‐scale energy transport and plasma heating from solar wind into the Earth's magnetosphere is of fundamental importance for magnetospheric physics and for understanding these processes in other places in the universe with comparable plasma parameter ranges. This paper presents observations from the Magnetosphere Multiscale (MMS) mission at the dawn‐side high‐latitude dayside boundary layer on February 25, 2016 between 18:55 and 20:05 UT. During this interval, MMS encountered both the inner and outer boundary layers with quasiperiodic low frequency fluctuations in all plasma and field parameters. The frequency analysis and growth rate calculations are consistent with the Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability (KHI). The intervals within the low frequency wave structures contained several counter‐streaming, low‐ (0–200 eV) and mid‐energy (200 eV–2 keV) electrons in the loss cone and trapped energetic (70–600 keV) electrons in alternate intervals. The counter‐streaming electron intervals were associated with large‐magnitude field‐aligned Poynting fluxes. Burst mode data at the large Alfvén velocity gradient revealed a strong correlation between counter streaming electrons, enhanced parallel electron temperatures, strong anti‐field aligned wave Poynting fluxes, and wave activity from sub‐proton cyclotron frequencies extending to electron cyclotron frequency. Waves were identified as Kinetic Alfvén waves but their contribution to parallel electron heating was not sufficient to explain the >100 eV electrons.
Spectral Observations of Optical Emissions Associated With Terrestrial Gamma‐Ray Flashes
Authors: Heumesser Matthias , Chanrion Olivier , Neubert Torsten , Christian Hugh J. , Dimitriadou Krystallia , Gordillo‐Vazquez Francisco J. , Luque Alejandro , Pérez‐Invernón Francisco Javier , Blakeslee Richard J. , Østgaard Nikolai , Reglero Victor , Köhn Christoph
Published: December 2020

The Atmosphere‐Space Interactions Monitor measures Terrestrial Gamma‐Ray Flashes (TGFs) simultaneously with optical emissions from associated lightning activity. We analyzed optical measurements at 180–230, 337, and 777.4 nm related to 69 TGFs observed between June 2018 and October 2019. All TGFs are associated with optical emissions and 90% of them are at the onset of a large optical pulse, suggesting that they are connected with the initiation of current surges. A model of photon delay induced by cloud scattering suggests that the sources of the optical pulses are from 0.7 ms before to 4.4 ms after the TGFs, with a median of −10 ± 80 µs, and 1–5 km below the cloud top. The pulses have rise times comparable to lightning but longer durations. Pulse amplitudes at 337 nm are ∼3 times larger than at 777.4 nm. The results support the leader‐streamer mechanism for TGF generation.
Climate Impacts of COVID‐19 Induced Emission Changes
Authors: Gettelman A. , Lamboll R. , Bardeen C. G. , Forster P. M. , Watson‐Parris D.
Published: December 2020

The COVID‐19 pandemic led to dramatic changes in economic activity in 2020. We use estimates of emission changes for 2020 in two Earth System Models (ESMs) to simulate the impacts of the COVID‐19 economic changes. Ensembles of nudged simulations are used to separate small signals from meteorological variability. Reductions in aerosol and precursor emissions, chiefly black carbon and sulfate (SO4), led to reductions in total anthropogenic aerosol cooling through aerosol‐cloud interactions. The average overall Effective Radiative Forcing (ERF) peaks at +0.29 ± 0.15 Wm−2 in spring 2020. Changes in cloud properties are smaller than observed changes during 2020. Impacts of these changes on regional land surface temperature range up to +0.3 K. The peak impact of these aerosol changes on global surface temperature is very small (+0.03 K). However, the aerosol changes are the largest contribution to radiative forcing and temperature changes as a result of COVID‐19 affected emissions, larger than ozone, CO2 and contrail effects.
Observation of Postsunset OI 135.6 nm Radiance Enhancement Over South America by the GOLD Mission
Authors: Cai Xuguang , Burns Alan G. , Wang Wenbin , Qian Liying , Liu Jing , Solomon Stanley C. , Eastes Richard W. , Daniell Robert E. , Martinis Carlos R. , McClintock William E. , Batista Inez S.
Published: December 2020

The Global‐scale Observation of Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission, for the first time, provides synoptic two‐dimensional (2D) maps of OI 135.6 nm observations. These maps describe the unambiguous and dynamic evolution of nighttime ionospheric F2‐peak electron densities (NmF2) as the 135.6 nm airglow emission radiance correlates well with NmF2 at night. On November 19, 2018, the 135.6 nm radiance measured by GOLD, NmF2 measured by a digisonde, and GPS total electron content (TEC) measurements at Cachoeira Paulista (CP) all showed a postsunset enhancement, with an increase near 22:30 universal time. The 135.6 nm radiance map showed that this enhancement was due to the southward movement of the southern equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) crest. Therefore, the GOLD observation showed the linkage between postsunset enhancement of NmF2 and EIA movement. Furthermore, unlike the southward movement of the southern crest, the corresponding EIA northern crest, however, did not show northward motion. This is the first time that the EIA hemispheric asymmetry, which included both different densities and movement of two crests in a short time period (<2‐h), was captured. The cause of this asymmetric movement of the two crests is not clear and requires further investigation.
Inferring Interseismic Coupling Along the Lesser Antilles Arc: A Bayesian Approach
Authors: van Rijsingen E. M. , Calais E. , Jolivet R. , de Chabalier J.‐B. , Jara J. , Symithe S. , Robertson R. , Ryan G. A.
Published: December 2020

The Lesser Antilles subduction zone is a challenging region when it comes to unraveling its seismogenic behavior. Over the last century, the subduction megathrust has been seismically quiet, with no large thrust event recorded, which raises the question whether this subduction zone is able to produce large interplate earthquakes or not. However, two historical earthquakes in the 19th century, a M 7–8 in 1839 and M 7.5–8.5 in 1843, are proposed to have occurred along the subduction megathrust, although no direct evidence exists. Here we provide a new assessment of interseismic coupling for the Lesser Antilles subduction zone, based on updated Global Positioning System (GPS) velocities and the latest models of the slab geometry and elastic crustal structure. We use a Bayesian approach, allowing us to explore the entire range of plausible models and to provide realistic estimates of interseismic coupling and associated uncertainties. We find low to very low coupling along the entire plate interface, including in the proposed rupture areas of the 1839 and 1843 events, where the sensitivity of our model is high. While a further understanding of temporal variations in interseismic coupling needs to be addressed in future studies, our results indicate that the Lesser Antilles subduction zone is uncoupled, which challenges the idea that the 1839 and 1843 earthquakes were thrust events. The updated GPS velocities of this work now also reveal a small, but detectable amount of along‐arc extension, consistent with geological observations of active normal faulting within the arc.
Satellite‐Derived Characteristics of Saharan Cold Pool Outflows During Boreal Summer
Authors: Caton Harrison Thomas , Washington Richard , Engelstaedter Sebastian
Published: December 2020

Cold pool outflows (CPOs) are thought to be the most significant meteorological mechanism of mineral dust emission from the world's largest source in the central and western Sahara in boreal summer. An absence of CPOs from numerical models and reanalyses used to simulate Saharan dust emission leads to considerable error in modeling of dust fluxes from the Sahara. As such, the role of CPOs in the observed variability of dust through the monsoon season remains unclear. To remedy these issues, an improved observational benchmark is needed. In this research, an automated approach to identify and track CPOs in dust imagery from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) is derived. The approach is found to flag 74.2% of events identified manually (26/35). 1,559 events are tracked for June, July and August of 2004–2017. CPOs follow a clear diurnal cycle, peaking at 1700–1900 Universal Time Coordinated. Propagation speeds decay exponentially through their lifetime, but on average speeds are 1.5 ms−1  higher at night. About 22.5% of the observed events exceed a total traveled distance of 300 km, with an overwhelming preference for northwestwards propagation. Common across the southern central and western Sahara, CPO activity shifts north through summer in line with observed dust emission. The exception to this is the development of an intense hotspot of CPO activity in southern Algeria in August, which does not parallel any known late season outbreaks of dust. The results underline the importance of the southernmost Saharan dust sources, activated by frequent CPO occurrence in early summer.
Biological efficacy of perpendicular type-I collagen protruded from TiO2-nanotubes
Authors: Chen Chia-Yu , Kim David. M. , Lee Cliff , Da Silva John , Nagai Shigemi , Nojiri Toshiki , Nagai Masazumi
Published: December 2020

The aim of this study was to evaluate the biological efficacy of a unique perpendicular protrusion of type-I collagen (Col-I) from TiO2 nanotubes (NT-EPF surface). We hypothesized that the NT-EPF surface would play bifunctional roles in stimulating platelet-mediated fibroblast recruitment and anchoring fibroblast-derived Col-I to form a perpendicular collagen assembly, mimicking the connective tissue attachment around natural teeth for the long-term maintenance of dental implants. Ti surface modification was accomplished in two steps. First, TiO2 nanotubes (NT) array was fabricated via anodization. Diameters and depths of NTs were controlled by applied voltage and duration. Subsequently, an electrophoretic fusion (EPF) method was applied to fuse Col-I into nanotube arrays in a perpendicular fashion. Surface wettability was assessed by contact angle measurement. The bioactivity of modified TiO2 surfaces was evaluated in terms of NIH3T3 fibroblast attachment, platelet activation, and collagen extension. Early attachment, aggregation, and activation of platelets as well as release of platelet-related growth factors were demonstrated on NT-EPF surfaces. Platelet-mediated NIH3T3 cells migration toward NT-EPF was significantly increased and the attached cells showed a typical fibrous morphology with elongated spindle shape. A direct linkage between pseudopod-like processes of fibroblasts to NT-EPF surfaces was observed. Furthermore, the engineered EPF collagen protrusion linked with cell-derived collagen in a perpendicular fashion. Within the limitation of this in vitro study, the TiO2 nanotube with perpendicular Col-I surface (NT-EPF) promoted better cell attachment, induced a strong platelet activation which suggested the ability to create a more robust soft tissue seal.
Glycocalyx regulates the strength and kinetics of cancer cell adhesion revealed by biophysical models based on high resolution label-free optical data
Authors: Kanyo Nicolett , Kovacs Kinga Dora , Saftics Andras , Szekacs Inna , Peter Beatrix , Santa-Maria Ana R. , Walter Fruzsina R. , Dér András , Deli Mária A. , Horvath Robert
Published: December 2020

The glycocalyx is thought to perform a potent, but not yet defined function in cellular adhesion and signaling. Since 95% of cancer cells have altered glycocalyx structure, this role can be especially important in cancer development and metastasis. The glycocalyx layer of cancer cells directly influences cancer progression, involving the complicated kinetic process of cellular adhesion at various levels. In the present work, we investigated the effect of enzymatic digestion of specific glycocalyx components on cancer cell adhesion to RGD (arginine–glycine–aspartic acid) peptide motif displaying surfaces. High resolution kinetic data of cell adhesion was recorded by the surface sensitive label-free resonant waveguide grating (RWG) biosensor, supported by fluorescent staining of the cells and cell surface charge measurements. We found that intense removal of chondroitin sulfate (CS) and dermatan sulfate chains by chondroitinase ABC reduced the speed and decreased the strength of adhesion of HeLa cells. In contrast, mild digestion of glycocalyx resulted in faster and stronger adhesion. Control experiments on a healthy and another cancer cell line were also conducted, and the discrepancies were analysed. We developed a biophysical model which was fitted to the kinetic data of HeLa cells. Our analysis suggests that the rate of integrin receptor transport to the adhesion zone and integrin-RGD binding is strongly influenced by the presence of glycocalyx components, but the integrin-RGD dissociation is not. Moreover, based on the kinetic data we calculated the dependence of the dissociation constant of integrin-RGD binding on the enzyme concentration. We also determined the dissociation constant using a 2D receptor binding model based on saturation level static data recorded at surfaces with tuned RGD densities. We analyzed the discrepancies of the kinetic and static dissociation constants, further illuminating the role of cancer cell glycocalyx during the adhesion process. Altogether, our experimental results and modelling demonstrated that the chondroitin sulfate and dermatan sulfate chains of glycocalyx have an important regulatory function during the cellular adhesion process, mainly controlling the kinetics of integrin transport and integrin assembly into mature adhesion sites. Our results potentially open the way for novel type of cancer treatments affecting these regulatory mechanisms of cellular glycocalyx.
Colloidal chemical bottom-up synthesis routes of pnictogen (As, Sb, Bi) nanostructures with tailored properties and applications: a summary of the state of the art and main insights
Authors: Mourdikoudis Stefanos , Sofer Zdeněk
Published: December 2020

Adjusting the colloidal chemistry synthetic parameters for pnictogen nanostructures leads to a fine control of their physical properties and the resulting performance in applications. Image adapted from Slidesgo.com.
Tuning the work function of nickel oxide using triethoxysilane functionalized monolayers
Authors: Chen Gang , Wang Xinquan , Shi Yuting , Tinkham Jonathan S. , Brenner Thomas M. , Olson Dana C. , Sellinger Alan , Furtak Thomas E.
Published: December 2020

We have synthesized a family of styryl-based molecules that have been attached to nickel oxide films using a novel ethoxysilane chemistry to modify the work function over a range of 900 meV.
A thread/fabric-based band as a flexible and wearable microfluidic device for sweat sensing and monitoring
Authors: Zhao Zhiqi , Li Qiujin , Chen Linna , Zhao Yu , Gong Jixian , Li Zheng , Zhang Jianfei
Published: December 2020

Thread/fabric-based microfluidic device for sweat sensing and monitoring.
A comprehensive review of caged phosphines: synthesis, catalytic applications, and future perspectives
Authors: Shet Harshita , Parmar Udaysinh , Bhilare Shatrughn , Kapdi Anant R.
Published: December 2020

Caged phosphines are versatile ligands due to their rigid backbones, exhibiting a range of catalytic activities, as depicted through the given pictorial representation.
Generation and precise control of sulfonyl radicals: visible-light-activated redox-neutral formation of sulfonates and sulfonamides
Authors: Zhang Mingjun , Ding Xin , Lu Aidang , Kang Jin , Gao Yongyue , Wang Ziwen , Li Hongyan , Wang Qingmin
Published: December 2020

An efficient protocol to direct sulfonamidation or sulfonation of electron-deficient alkenes for furnishing alkylsulfonamides or sulfonates has been achieved.
Substrate-induced DMSO activation and subsequent reaction for rapid construction of substituted pyrimidines
Authors: Wang Anan , Liu Xuesong , Kong Yi , Wang Jing , Jiang Tao-Shan
Published: December 2020

A metal-free direct synthesis of pyrimidines from amidine hydrochlorides, ketones and DMSO through substrate-induced DMSO activation and involved reactions has been developed.
Constructing chiral aza-quaternary carbon centers by enantioselective carbonylative Heck reaction of o-iodoanilines with allenes
Authors: Xu Zhengshuai , Shen Chaoren , Zhang Hongru , Wang Peng , Dong Kaiwu
Published: December 2020

The construction of chiral aza-quaternary C-centers via C–N bond formation is achieved by a Pd-catalysed asymmetric carbonylative Heck reaction of o-iodoanilines with allenes, providing chiral dihydroquinolinone derivatives with moderate to high yield and enantiomeric ratio.
Revealing the degradation mechanism of Ni-rich cathode materials after ambient storage and related regeneration method
Authors: Lv Congjie , Li Zhenguo , Ren Xiaoning , Li Kaixiang , Ma Jianmin , Duan Xiaochuan
Published: December 2020

The degradation mechanism of Ni-rich cathode material after storing in the ambient air is comprehensively investigated. A facile method for regenerating the degraded NCA after ambient storage is proposed.
AFM-IR probing the influence of polarization on the expression of proteins within single macrophages
Authors: Liu Zhibin , Zeng Huarong , Xu Kunqi , Zhao Kunyu , Liu Zhifu , Yao Jianjun , You Yanan , Wang Dong
Published: December 2020

Based on AFM-based infrared spectroscopy, the different expression behavior of proteins of macrophages polarized to the M1/M2 phenotype could be disclosed at a subcellular scale with a nanoscale resolution.
Epitaxial growth of perovskite oxide films facilitated by oxygen vacancies
Authors: Tyunina M. , Rusevich L. L. , Kotomin E. A. , Pacherova O. , Kocourek T. , Dejneka A.
Published: December 2020

Anisotropic elastic dipoles of oxygen vacancies interact with substrate-induced misfit strain in epitaxial oxide films. This interaction leads to specific spatial alignment of the dipoles that facilitates coherent growth.
Independent and Combined Effects of Fundamental Frequency and Vocal Tract Length Differences for School-Age Children's Sentence Recognition in a Two-Talker Masker
Authors: Flaherty Mary M. , Buss Emily , Leibold Lori J.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the independent and combined contributions of fundamental frequency (F0) and vocal tract length (VTL) differences on children's speech-in-speech recognition in the presence of a competing two-talker masker.

Method

Participants were 64 children (5–17 years old) and 25 adults (18–39 years old). Sentence recognition thresholds were measured in a two-talker masker. Target sentences had either the same mean F0 and VTL of the masker or were digitally altered so that the target and masker differed in F0 (Experiment 1), differed in VTL (Experiment 2), or differed in both F0 and VTL (Experiment 3). To determine the benefit, masking release was computed by subtracting thresholds in each shifted condition from the threshold in the unshifted condition.

Results

Results demonstrate that children's ability to benefit from either F0 or VTL differences (Experiments 1 and 2) depended on listener age, with younger children showing less improvement in speech reception thresholds compared to older children and adults. Age effects were also evident in the combined-cue conditions (Experiment 3), but children showed greater improvements compared to F0-only or VTL-only manipulations.

Conclusions

There was a prolonged pattern of development in children's ability to benefit from F0 or VTL differences between target and masker speech. Young children failed to capitalize on F0 and VTL differences to the same extent as older children and adults but did show a robust benefit when the cues were combined, supporting the hypothesis that younger children rely more heavily on redundant cues compared to older children and adults.
Evaluation of Efferent Auditory System and Hearing Quality in Parkinson's Disease: Is the Difficulty in Speech Understanding in Complex Listening Conditions Related to Neural Degeneration or Aging?
Authors: Gökay Nuriye Yıldırım , Gündüz Bülent , Söke Fatih , Karamert Recep
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The effects of neurological diseases on the auditory system have been a notable issue for investigators because the auditory pathway is closely associated with neural systems. The purposes of this study are to evaluate the efferent auditory system function and hearing quality in Parkinson's disease (PD) and to compare the findings with age-matched individuals without PD to present a perspective on aging.

Method

The study included 35 individuals with PD (mean age of 48.50 ± 8.00 years) and 35 normal-hearing peers (mean age of 49 ± 10 years). The following tests were administered for all participants: the first section of the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale; pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, tympanometry, and acoustic reflexes; and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and contralateral suppression of DPOAEs. SPSS Version 25 was used for statistical analyses, and values of
p
< .05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences in the pure-tone audiometry thresholds and DPOAE responses between the individuals with PD and their normal-hearing peers (
p
= .732). However, statistically significant differences were found between the groups in suppression levels of DPOAEs and hearing quality (
p
< .05). In addition, a statistically significant and positive correlation was found between the amount of suppression at some frequencies and the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale scores.

Conclusions

This study indicates that medial olivocochlear efferent system function and the hearing quality of individuals with PD were affected adversely due to the results of PD pathophysiology on the hearing system. For optimal intervention and follow-up, tasks related to hearing quality in daily life can also be added to therapies for PD.
Measuring “Language Access Profiles” in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children With the DHH Language Exposure Assessment Tool
Authors: Hall Matthew L. , De Anda Stephanie
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purposes of this study were (a) to introduce “language access profiles” as a viable alternative construct to “communication mode” for describing experience with language input during early childhood for deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children; (b) to describe the development of a new tool for measuring DHH children's language access profiles during infancy and toddlerhood; and (c) to evaluate the novelty, reliability, and validity of this tool.

Method

We adapted an existing retrospective parent report measure of early language experience (the Language Exposure Assessment Tool) to make it suitable for use with DHH populations. We administered the adapted instrument (DHH Language Exposure Assessment Tool [D-LEAT]) to the caregivers of 105 DHH children aged 12 years and younger. To measure convergent validity, we also administered another novel instrument: the Language Access Profile Tool. To measure test–retest reliability, half of the participants were interviewed again after 1 month. We identified groups of children with similar language access profiles by using hierarchical cluster analysis.

Results

The D-LEAT revealed DHH children's diverse experiences with access to language during infancy and toddlerhood. Cluster analysis groupings were markedly different from those derived from more traditional grouping rules (e.g., communication modes). Test–retest reliability was good, especially for the same-interviewer condition. Content, convergent, and face validity were strong.

Conclusions

To optimize DHH children's developmental potential, stakeholders who work at the individual and population levels would benefit from replacing communication mode with language access profiles. The D-LEAT is the first tool that aims to measure this novel construct. Despite limitations that future work aims to address, the present results demonstrate that the D-LEAT represents progress over the status quo.
A Survey of Speech-Language Pathologists' Approaches to Assessing Social Communication Disorders in Children
Authors: Izaryk Kristen , Edge Robin , Lechwar Dawn
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to explore and describe the approaches and specific assessment tools that speech-language pathologists are currently using to assess social communication disorders (SCDs) in children, in relation to current best practices.

Method

Ninety-four speech-language pathologists completed an online survey asking them to identify which of the following approaches they use to assess children with SCD: parent/teacher report, naturalistic observation, formal assessment, language sample analysis, interviews, semistructured tasks, and peer/self-report. Participants were also asked to identify specific assessment tools they use within each approach.

Results

Participants most commonly assess SCDs by combining interviews, naturalistic observation, language sampling, parent/teacher report, and formal assessment. Semistructured tasks and peer/self-report tools were less frequently utilized. Several established parent/teacher report and formal assessment tools were commonly identified for assessing SCDs. Most participants use an informal approach for interviews, language sampling, and naturalistic observations in their SCD assessment process.

Conclusions

Generally, participants follow best practices for assessing SCDs by combining several different approaches. Some considerations for future assessment are identified, including the use of established protocols in the place of informal approaches in order to make the assessment of SCDs more systematic. Future directions for research are discussed.
Promoting Cultural and Linguistic Competence in Speech Science Courses
Authors: Neel Amy T.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Speech conveys information about a speaker's identity—their age, gender, size, health, region of origin, language learning background, sexual orientation, and race—through a variety of acoustic cues. This review of the production and perception of extralinguistic information about speaker identity is intended to help instructors promote cultural and linguistic competence in basic anatomy and physiology, phonetics, and speech science courses through the understanding of indexical information in speech.

Conclusions

In assisting our students to recognize the anatomical/physiological and learned social and cultural speech features associated with the expression of personal identity, basic science instructors contribute to heightened awareness of listener expectations, stereotypes, and prejudices by future speech-language pathologists and audiologists so that they are better equipped to avoid misdiagnosis of speech differences and disorders, under referral or over referral of clients from vulnerable populations, and discriminatory practices leading to health disparities in clinical services and research.
Robust PIλ controller design for AUV motion control with guaranteed frequency and time domain behaviour
Authors: Liu L. , Zhang L. , Zhang S.
Published: December 2020

Autonomous underwater vehicles require a motion control system for performing underwater tasks such as exploring and developing marine resources. This study proposes a fractional‐order proportional‐integral () controller for autonomous underwater vehicles motion control that simultaneously guarantees frequency and time domain behaviour. First, a stabilisation process is presented for the controlled system, and a three‐dimensional stable surface is obtained. Subsequently, the controller parameters can be tuned. Then, to guarantee frequency and time domain control performance simultaneously, the frequency domain behaviour is studied through a modified flat phase property, and the time domain behaviour is improved through parameter optimisation. The set‐point regulation and noise suppression performances of the autonomous underwater vehicles motion control system indicate that the proposed controller provides more flexibility in improving the system's robustness and transient performance.
Membership‐function‐dependent approach to design filter for non‐linear systems with time‐varying delay via interval type‐2 fuzzy model
Authors: Ran Guangtao , Li Chuanjiang
Published: December 2020

This paper addresses the problem of filtering for non‐linear systems with time‐varying delay via the interval type‐2 (IT2) fuzzy model and the membership‐function‐dependent approach. By taking the time‐varying delay and uncertainties into consideration, the non‐linear plant is modelled as an IT2 fuzzy delayed system, which fully captures the parameter uncertainties of the systems by using upper and lower membership functions. An IT2 fuzzy filter is designed to estimate the unknown information of the non‐linear systems, which does not require the same premise variables as the plant. By combining the IT2 fuzzy delayed system and the IT2 fuzzy filter, a filtering error system is established. Based on the Lyapunov theory, a fuzzy‐dependent Lyapunov function is constructed. Then, the membership‐function‐dependent approach, delay analysis approach, and some slack matrix variables are employing to analyse the derivative terms of the Lyapunov function, and a less conservative condition is derived to guarantee the filtering error system is stable. Moreover, the standard conditions of the filter are given in the form of linear matrix inequalities via the matrix decoupling technique. Finally, a numerical example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness and merits of the proposed method.
Audible noise spectral characteristics of high‐voltage ac bundled conductors at high altitude
Authors: He Wangling , Wan Baoquan , Liu Yunpeng , Liu Xingfa , Huang Shilong , Zhang Yinlu , Zhang Jiangong
Published: December 2020

At high altitudes, the corona discharge around a conductor surface is severe, and the induced audible noise (AN) is irritating; this is due to the low air density at high altitudes. Therefore, AN has become a crucial limiting factor in the design of ac power lines of 500 kV or higher at high altitudes. An investigation of the spectral characteristics of AN should help provide a greater understanding of corona noise; however, only a few studies have investigated the spectral characteristics of AN in practical bundled conductors at high altitude. Therefore, it is difficult for power utility companies to select suitable conductors. In this study, the AN spectral characteristics of 6 × LGJ400, 6 × LGJ720, and 8 × LGJ500 bundled conductors were investigated using an ultra‐high‐voltage corona cage (8 × 8 × 35 m) in Xining, Qinghai Province (altitude: 2261 m). The AN equivalent A‐weighted level and the 1/3‐octave frequency characteristics of these three conductors were obtained, and the influence of the electric field (E‐field) on these characteristics was analysed. Subsequently, the relationship between the AN A‐weighted level and the 8‐kHz level was examined. We found that, with the increase of the E‐field, the low‐frequency components of AN level did not exhibit an obvious trend, but in the high‐frequency band (1.6–20 kHz), a clear positive correlation was observed between the spectrum level and E‐field strength. Among these three conductors, the 8 × LGJ500 conductor was the optimal conductor for reducing the AN levels at high altitude. The results obtained in this study can provide a data reference for the construction of high‐altitude ac power lines.
An adaptive level set method based on joint estimation dealing with intensity inhomogeneity
Authors: Zhu Jiang , Zeng Yan , Li Jianqi , Tian Shujuan , Liu Haolin
Published: December 2020

Automatic object segmentation has been a challenging task due to intensity inhomogeneity. The traditional way is to eliminate the intensity inhomogeneity, which causes the object to lose useful intensity information. The authors propose an adaptive level set method for the segmentation of intensity inhomogeneous images. Firstly, global and local features are utilised to collaboratively estimate the image, which devotes to compensating for intensity inhomogeneity. The local estimation retains detailed spatial information, and the global estimation mainly contains the regional information of the partitioned object. Then, during the construction of the energy functional, joint estimation is introduced to create the external energy. To acquire the precise location of the boundary, a weighting factor indicated by the gradient is introduced into the internal energy. Finally, after the numerical calculation of the energy functional by additive operator splitting algorithm, this method achieves the desired performance in terms of accuracy and robustness. Experimental results verify this method outperforms the comparative methods and can be applied to many real‐world scenarios.