bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Alkali Treatment on the Physicochemical and Mechanical Properties of Starch Chitosan Films
Authors: Sakkara Seema , Nataraj Divya , Venkatesh Krishna , Reddy Narendra
Published: September 2018

Treating starch‐chitosan films with mild alkali makes them insoluble in water and common solvents, required for converting chitosan‐starch blends into value added products. Chitosan has good antibacterial properties but has poor resistance to aqueous conditions. Although chemical and physical modification helps to improve properties of chitosan and starch, most of these modifications are expensive. Previous studies have shown that alkali treatment can affect the structure and properties of chitosan and starch. Hence, the objective of present work is to study the effect of alkali treatment on the physicochemical and mechanical properties of chitosan starch blends. Various ratios of chitosan are blended with starch and made into films using the solution casting process. Films formed are immersed in a 0.5 N NaOH solution for 10 min which resulted in substantial transformation of the polymers, particularly chitosan. Mechanical properties, swelling, and sorption in water and physical characteristics of the pure and blend films are investigated. Chitosan starch blend film after alkali treatment in neutral and alkaline medium showed decrease in water sorption from 800 to 100% whereas strength of the chitosan starch blend films increased with increasing starch percentage. The 50/50 blend film had strength of 9 MPa and the alkali treatment helps in increasing the flexibility of the films by nearly 50%. The films are resistant to common solvents and even boiling water after the alkali treatment. The extent of changes in water sorption and mechanical properties were dependent on the proportion of starch/chitosan. Pure and blend films after alkali treatment could be considered for packaging, medical, and other applications.
The feasibility of using treated industrial wastewater to produce concrete
Authors: Asadollahfardi Gholamreza , Mahdavi Amir R.
Published: September 2018

We studied the feasibility of reusing of treated industrial wastewater from Tehran Refinery and Distribution Company in the production of concrete. Three types of concrete samples with 350, 400, and 450 kg/m3 of cement were made with two different types of water, including drinking water and treated industrial wastewater. The results indicated that the use of treated industrial wastewater in the production of concrete instead of drinking water resulted in a 6.9% decreased in compressive strength of cement sand mortar at the age of 28 days. Nevertheless, the strength of cement mortar satisfied the standard of ASTM C109/C109M‐16a. The compressive strength of concrete sample produced using treated industrial wastewater decreased by 8.7%; however, the results complied with BS EN 1008. The results of final setting time of cement paste made with treated industrial wastewater had 17 min delay related to using drinking water. Nonetheless, the results satisfy ASTMC191‐13. Normal consistency of hydraulic cement, water absorption percentage, the air content of freshly mixed concrete, and concrete density of concrete samples made with treated industrial wastewater did not change significantly related to concrete samples made with drinking water. Similarly, the results of electrical resistivity of concrete samples increased by an average 7.7%, while using treated wastewater instead of drinking water. Nevertheless, the chlorine ion penetration potential was very low. As a result, we could use the treated industrial wastewater for producing concrete.
Implicit STEM ability beliefs predict secondary school students' STEM self‐efficacy beliefs and their intention to opt for a STEM field career
Authors: van Aalderen‐Smeets Sandra I. , Walma van der Molen Juliette H. , Xenidou‐Dervou Iro
Published: September 2018

Despite the widely accepted view that low self‐efficacy beliefs negatively influence students' intention to opt for a STEM field oriented study or career path, it remains unclear how to effectively stimulate these beliefs in students who do seem to have the ability and motivation to opt for a STEM career. A suggestion from previous literature is that students' implicit beliefs about the malleability of their learning ability can have a major impact on their self‐efficacy beliefs, and, importantly, that these implicit beliefs are malleable themselves. Even though this relation between implicit beliefs, self‐efficacy, and STEM field aspirations has been suggested multiple times, there is no empirical evidence to support this claim. The goal of the current study was to examine whether implicit beliefs about the malleability of STEM ability are associated with secondary school students' intention to opt for a STEM field bachelor's degree, using a Structural Equation Modelling approach. Furthermore, we examined the mediating role of STEM‐oriented self‐efficacy beliefs on the relationship between implicit ability beliefs and STEM intention. We used a Likert‐type questionnaire, consisting of subscales to measure ability beliefs, self‐efficacy, and intention to opt for a STEM degree of secondary school students in their fifth grade (n = 483). Results showed that there is a positive relation between implicit STEM ability beliefs and the intention to opt for a STEM field bachelor degree, and that this relation is partly mediated by self‐efficacy beliefs. Incremental STEM ability beliefs predicted positive self‐efficacy beliefs and increased STEM intention. These findings provide a foundation for a novel approach to stimulate and motivate students for the STEM field, namely by stimulating incremental beliefs about their STEM ability.
Improvement in Low Temperature Izod Impact Strength of SAN/ASA/HNBR Ternary Blends Considering Competing Effects of Glass Transition Temperature and Compatibility
Authors: Mao Zepeng , Zhang Jun
Published: September 2018

The competing effects of glass transition temperature (Tg) and compatibility on the low temperature Izod impact toughness of styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer/acrylonitrile–styrene‐acrylate terpolymer (SAN/ASA, 75/25, w/w) blends were investigated by using a series of hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubbers (HNBRs) with different acrylonitrile (AN) contents. The results showed that the HNBR with AN mass content ranging from 21% to 43% had good compatibility with polymer matrix and exhibited dramatic toughening effect at 25°C. Owing to their lowTgs, only the HNBRs (AN = 21% and 25%) remained favorable toughening effect at 0 and −30°C, respectively. Furthermore, the HNBR with 0% AN content was represented by butadiene rubber (BR). Although, BR has an extremely lowTg(−94.5°C), it is incompatible with polymer matrix, and then could not toughen the material at three temperatures (−30, 0, and 25°C, respectively). Various characterizations including solubility parameters, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and so on were carried out to elucidate the toughening mechanism. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 25:225–235, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Two non‐elliptical decagonal quasicrystalline inclusions with internal uniform hydrostatic phonon stresses
Authors: Wang Xu , Schiavone Peter
Published: September 2018

We use complex variable techniques to prove that the phonon stresses inside two non‐elliptical decagonal quasicrystalline inclusions can be uniform and hydrostatic provided four specific conditions are met. The first condition is a restriction on the phonon elastic constants of the two inclusions, whilst the remaining three conditions can be considered as constraints on the remote phonon and phason stresses for given material and geometric parameters. Once these conditions are satisfied, the hoop phonon stress in the matrix is found to be uniformly distributed along the two inclusion‐matrix interfaces. Moreover, the two inclusions are found to satisfy the harmonic field condition.
QCD domain walls, Chern-Simons theories and holography
Authors: Argurio Riccardo , Bertolini Matteo , Bigazzi Francesco , Cotrone Aldo L. , Niro Pierluigi
Published: September 2018

Abstract

Massive QCD atθ=πbreaks CP spontaneously and admits domain walls whose dynamics and phases depend on the number of flavors and their masses. We discuss these issues within the Witten-Sakai-Sugimoto model of holographic QCD. Besides showing that this model reproduces all QCD expectations, we address two interesting claims in the literature. The first is about the possibility that the QCD domain-wall theory is fully captured by three-dimensional physics, only. The second regards the existence of quantum phases in certain Chern-Simons theories coupled to fundamental matter. Both claims are supported by the string theory construction.
Racing through the swampland: de Sitter uplift vs. weak gravity
Authors: Moritz Jakob , Van Riet Thomas
Published: September 2018

Abstract

We observe that racetrack models for moduli stabilization are in tension with strong forms of the Weak Gravity Conjecture (WGC). Moreover, recently, it was noted that controlled KKLT-type de Sitter vacua seem to require a racetrack fine-tuning of the type introduced by Kallosh and Linde. We combine these observations and conclude that the quests for realizing parametrically large axion decay constants and controlled de Sitter vacua are intimately related. Finally, we discuss possible approaches to curing the conflict between the racetrack scheme and the WGC.
A kinetic study for the Fenton and photo-Fenton paracetamol degradation in an annular photoreactor
Authors: Audino Francesca , Conte Leandro Oscar , Schenone Agustina Violeta , Pérez-Moya Montserrat , Graells Moisès , Alfano Orlando Mario
Published: September 2018

A kinetic model describing Fenton and photo-Fenton degradation of paracetamol (PCT) and consumption of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was proposed. A set of Fenton and photo-Fenton experiments (18 runs in total) was performed by fixing the initial concentration of PCT to 40 mg L−1and varying the initial concentrations of H2O2and ferrous ion, Fe2+. The experimental set-up was a well-stirred annular photoreactor equipped with an actinic BL TL-DK 36 W/10 1SL lamp. Experimental results highlighted that PCT is no more detected by HPLC analysis within a minimum reaction time of 2.5 and a maximum reaction time of 15.0 min. Besides, a maximum conversion of total organic carbon (TOC) of 68.5% was observed after 75 min of reaction in case of using UV radiation and the highest concentrations of the Fenton reagents. The experimental data were used to fit the kinetic model. The radiation field inside the reactor was taken into account through the local volumetric rate of photon absorption, evaluated by assuming a line source model with spherical and isotropic emission. The kinetic parameters were estimated by using a non-linear least-squares regression procedure and root mean square errors (RMSE) were calculated in order to validate the feasibility of the proposed model. A good agreement between experimental and predicted data was observed and the lowest values of RMSE resulted in 5.84 and 9.59% for PCT and H2O2normalized concentrations, respectively.
An Analysis of Consumer Protection for Gamblers Across Different Online Gambling Operators in Ireland: A Descriptive Study
Authors: Cooney Caoimhe , Columb David , Costa Joao , Griffiths Mark D. , O’ Gara Colin
Published: September 2018

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the responsible gambling tools which are available to online gamblers at Irish online gambling websites. The present study used a similar methodology to a recent study carried out on the world’s most popular websites (Bonello and Griffiths Gaming Law Review and Economics, 21, 278–285, 2017), where 50 of the most advertised online gambling websites were evaluated in relation to their responsible gambling (RG) practices. The present study evaluated 39 gambling websites with either a “.ie” or “.com/ie” domain. Each website was evaluated by checking for a number of RG practices, including presence of a dedicated RG page; age verification; access to gambling account history; the availability of RG tools, such as limit setting facilities and exclusion settings; and links to limit-setting options on the deposit page. Descriptive statistics were then performed on the results from each website. Of the 39 online gambling operators identified, 22 redirected gamblers to a “.com” domain, while 17 operators remained as a “.ie” domain. Thirty-five websites (89.7%) visited had a dedicated RG page. Responsible gambling features were evaluated and demonstrated to be available in an inconsistent manner across online gambling websites. Irish websites were shown to perform poorly in comparison with non-Irish counterparts in the provision of RG tools. The researchers of the present study are not aware of any similar studies conducted to date in Ireland.
Bacteroides fragilis meningitis in a Saudi infant
Authors: Farah Sara , Alshehri Mohammed A. , Alfawaz Tariq S. , Ahmad Maqsood , Alshahrani Dayel A.
Published: September 2018

Background:

Anaerobic meningitis is mainly caused by Bacteroides fragilis and it is rarely detected in children. Few cases have been reported and there is usually an underlying cause. The timing of early recognition is crucial because any delay in the diagnosis and initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy has a devastating outcome. Only 14 cases have been reported in 50 years. To the best of our knowledge, the present case is the first to be reported in Saudi Arabia with no underlying etiology.

Case presentation:

We describe a 35-day-old male infant with culture-negative pyogenic meningitis who did not show satisfactory response to the empirical antibiotics, consequently, he developed severe subdural/epidural empyema and ventriculitis. When the drained empyema was cultured anaerobically, B. fragilis was detected and the patient improved after treatment with metronidazole combined with adjuvant surgical drainage of the empyema, and he finally had hydrocephalus. No underlying etiology was found to explain his infection.

Conclusion:

B. fragilis is an uncommon cause of meningitis that requires a high index of clinical suspicion. Any pyogenic cerebrospinal fluid with negative culture should draw the attention of physicians to an unusual organisms such as anaerobes because early identification and initiation of appropriate antimicrobials can prevent long-term morbidity and mortality.
Low-velocity impact response of sandwich cylindrical panels with nanotube-reinforced and metal face sheet in thermal environment
Authors: Bayat M. R. , Mosavi Mashhadi M. , Rahmani O.
Published: September 2018

Employing an analytical method, non-linear low-velocity impact response of carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced sandwich cylindrical panels in thermal environments is analysed. Two types of core (i.e. homogenous and functionally graded) are considered for sandwich panels. The face sheets of sandwich panels are multi-layer which consist of CNT-reinforced composite (CNTRC) and metal layers. Micromechanical models are used to estimate the material properties of CNTRCs. A higher-order shear deformation theory with a von Kármán-type of kinematic non-linearity provides the equations of motion. Temperature-dependent material properties are used to include the thermal effects. The equations of motion are solved using a two-step perturbation technique. Existing numerical results in the literature are used to validate the present method. The effect of nanotube volume fraction, material property gradient, impactor initial velocity, geometrical parameters of cylindrical panel, temperature change and edge boundary condition on the impact response of cylindrical panel structures is discussed. The quantitative results and analytical formulations can be helpful in better designing of CNTRC structures subjected to low-velocity impact in thermal environments.
On the Subject of Negative Auxiliary Inversion
Authors: Blanchette Frances , Collins Chris
Published: September 2018

This article presents a novel analysis ofNegative Auxiliary Inversion(NAI) constructions such asdidn't many people eat, in which a negated auxiliary appears in pre-subject position. NAI, found in varieties including Appalachian, African American, and West Texas English, has a word order identical to a yes/no question, but is pronounced and interpreted as a declarative. We propose that NAI subjects are negative DPs, and that the negation raises from the subject DP to adjoin to Fin (a functional head in the left periphery). Three properties of NAI motivate this analysis: (i) scope freezing effects, (ii) the various possible and impossible NAI subject types, and (iii) the incompatibility of NAI constructions with true Double-Negation interpretations. Implications for theories of Negative Concord, Negative Polarity Items, and the representation of negation are discussed.
Prolonged antimicrobial prophylaxis following cardiac device procedures increases preventable harm: insights from the VA CART program
Authors: Asundi Archana , Stanislawski Maggie , Mehta Payal , Barón Anna E. , Gold Howard , Mull Hillary , Ho P. Michael , Gupta Kalpana , Branch-Elliman Westyn
Published: September 2018

Background

The rate of cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infection is increasing coincident with an increase in the number of device procedures. Preprocedural antimicrobial prophylaxis reduces CIED infections; however, there is no evidence that prolonged postprocedural antimicrobials additionally reduce risk. Thus, we sought to quantify the harms associated with this approach.

Objective

To measure the association betweenClostridium difficileinfection (CDI), acute kidney injury (AKI) and receipt of prolonged postprocedural antimicrobials.

Methods

CIED procedures entered into the VA Clinical Assessment Reporting and Tracking Electrophysiology (CART-EP) database during fiscal years 2008–2016 were included. The primary outcome was 90-day incidence of CDI and the secondary outcome was the 7-day incidence of AKI. The primary exposure measure was duration of postprocedural antimicrobial therapy. Associations were measured using Cox-proportional hazards and binomial regression.

Results

Prolonged postprocedural antimicrobial therapy was identified following 3,331 of 6,497 CIED procedures (51.3%), and the median duration of prophylaxis was 5 days. Prolonged postprocedural antimicrobial use was associated with increased risk of CDI (hazard ratio [HR], 2.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.54–5.46). Of the 27 patients who developed CDI, 11 subsequently died. Postprocedural antimicrobial use with ≥2 antimicrobials was associated with an increased risk of AKI (OR, 4.16; 95% CI, 2.50–6.90). The impact was particularly significant when one of the dual agents prescribed was vancomycin (adjusted OR, 8.41; 95% CI, 5.53–12.79).

Conclusions

Prolonged antimicrobial prophylaxis following CIED procedures increases preventable harm; this practice should be discouraged in procedural settings such as the cardiac electrophysiology laboratory.
Effectiveness of ultraviolet disinfection in reducing hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus on a bone marrow transplant unit
Authors: Brite Jennifer , McMillen Tracy , Robilotti Elizabeth , Sun Janet , Chow Hoi Yan , Stell Frederic , Seo Susan K. , McKenna Donna , Eagan Janet , Montecalvo Marisa , Chen Donald , Sepkowitz Kent , Kamboj Mini
Published: September 2018

Objective

To determine the effectiveness of ultraviolet (UV) environmental disinfection system on rates of hospital-acquired vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) and Clostridium difficile.

Design

Using active surveillance and an interrupted time-series design, hospital-acquired acquisition of VRE and C. difficile on a bone marrow transplant (BMT) unit were examined before and after implementation of terminal disinfection with UV on all rooms regardless of isolation status of patients. The main outcomes were hospital-based acquisition measured through (1) active surveillance: admission, weekly, and discharge screening for VRE and toxigenic C. difficile (TCD) and (2) clinical surveillance: incidence of VRE and CDI on the unit.

Setting

Bone marrow transplant unit at a tertiary-care cancer center.

Participants

Stem cell transplant (SCT) recipients.

Intervention

Terminal disinfection of all rooms with UV regardless of isolation status of patients.

Results

During the 20-month study period, 579 patients had 704 admissions to the BMT unit, and 2,160 surveillance tests were performed. No change in level or trend in the incidence of VRE (trend incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81–1.14; level IRR, 1.34; 95% CI, 0.37–1.18) or C. difficile (trend IRR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.89–1.31; level IRR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.13–2.11) was observed after the intervention.

Conclusions

Utilization of UV disinfection to supplement routine terminal cleaning of rooms was not effective in reducing hospital-acquired VRE and C. difficile among SCT recipients.
Particle paths in nonlinear Schrödinger models in the presence of linear shear currents
Authors: Curtis C. W. , Carter J. D. , Kalisch H.
Published: September 2018

We investigate the effect of constant-vorticity background shear on the properties of wavetrains in deep water. Using the methodology of Fokas (A Unified Approach to Boundary Value Problems, 2008, SIAM), we derive a higher-order nonlinear Schrödinger equation in the presence of shear and surface tension. We show that the presence of shear induces a strong coupling between the carrier wave and the mean-surface displacement. The effects of the background shear on the modulational instability of plane waves is also studied, where it is shown that shear can suppress instability, although not for all carrier wavelengths in the presence of surface tension. These results expand upon the findings of Thomas et al. (Phys. Fluids, vol. 24 (12), 2012, 127102). Using a modification of the generalized Lagrangian mean theory in Andrews & McIntyre (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 89, 1978, pp. 609–646) and approximate formulas for the velocity field in the fluid column, explicit, asymptotic approximations for the Lagrangian and Stokes drift velocities are obtained for plane-wave and Jacobi elliptic function solutions of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation. Numerical approximations to particle trajectories for these solutions are found and the Lagrangian and Stokes drift velocities corresponding to these numerical solutions corroborate the theoretical results. We show that background currents have significant effects on the mean transport properties of waves. In particular, certain combinations of background shear and carrier wave frequency lead to the disappearance of mean-surface mass transport. These results provide a possible explanation for the measurements reported in Smith (J. Phys. Oceanogr., vol. 36, 2006, pp. 1381–1402). Our results also provide further evidence of the viability of the modification of the Stokes drift velocity beyond the standard monochromatic approximation, such as recently proposed in Breivik et al. (J. Phys. Oceanogr., vol. 44, 2014, pp. 2433–2445) in order to obtain a closer match to a range of complex ocean wave spectra.
Ascocerid cephalopods from the Hirnantian?–Llandovery stages of the southern Paraná Basin (Paraguay, South America): first record from high paleolatitudes
Authors: Cichowolski M. , Uriz N.J. , Alfaro M.B. , Galeano Inchausti J.C.
Published: September 2018

Ascocerid cephalopods are described for the first time from high paleolatitudes of Gondwana. Studied material was collected from the Hirnantian?–Llandovery strata of the Eusebio Ayala and Vargas Peña formations, Paraná Basin, southeastern Paraguay. The specimens are poorly preserved and were questionably assigned to the subfamily Probillingsitinae Flower, 1941, being undetermined at genus and species rank because diagnostic characters are not visible. A particular feature seen in our material is the presence of both parts of the ascocerid conch (the juvenile or cyrtocone and the mature or brevicone) joined together, which is a very rare condition in the known paleontological record. The specimens are interpreted as at a subadult stage of development because fully grown ascocerids would have lost the juvenile shell. A planktonic vertical migrant mode of life with a subvertical attitude is proposed for the juvenile, and a horizontal demersal nektonic mode for the adult form, as has been previously suggested. A subvertical orientation near the bottom is proposed for the subadult stage. We suggest that the immigration of ascocerids to southwestern Gondwana was possible through ocean currents that would carry the planktonic juveniles from low to high latitudes during the end-Ordovician postglacial transgression that flooded the intracratonic basins of the region.
Diet quality as assessed by the Healthy Food Intake Index and relationship with serum lipoprotein particles and serum fatty acids in pregnant women at increased risk for gestational diabetes
Authors: Valkama Anita J. , Meinilä Jelena M. , Koivusalo Saila B. , Lindström Jaana , Rönö Kristiina , Stach-Lempinen Beata , Eriksson Johan G.
Published: September 2018

The importance of overall diet in modifying circulating lipoprotein particles and fatty acids during pregnancy is unclear. We examined the relationships of diet quality as assessed by the validated Healthy Food Intake Index (HFII) with serum HDL, LDL and VLDL particle concentrations and sizes and proportions of serum fatty acids in pregnant women at high risk for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Overall, 161 women with a BMI of ≥30 kg/m2and/or a history of GDM were drawn from the Finnish Gestational Diabetes Prevention Study, which is a dietary and exercise intervention trial to prevent GDM. At baseline, the HFII score was inversely related to concentrations of HDL particles (P=0·010) and MUFA (P=0·010) and positively related to concentrations ofn-3 (P<0·001) andn-6 (P=0·003) PUFA. The significance for MUFA disappeared after adjustments. An increase in the HFII score from the first to second trimester of pregnancy correlated with reduced VLDL particle size (r−0·16, 95 % CI −0·31, −0·01), decreased MUFA concentrations (r−0·17, 95 % CI −0·31, −0·01) and elevatedn-6 PUFA concentrations (r0·16, 95 % CI 0·01, 0·31). In the maximum-adjusted model, the results remained significant except for VLDL particle size. These findings suggest that higher diet quality as defined by the HFII is related to a more favourable serum fatty acid profile, whereas the relationship with serum lipoprotein profile is limited in pregnant women at increased GDM risk.
Trajectories of psychiatric diagnoses and medication usage in youth with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: a 9-year longitudinal study
Authors: Kates Wendy R. , Mariano Margaret A. , Antshel Kevin M. , Chandra Shanel , Gamble Hilary , Giordano Mark , MacMaster Eric , Mattar Mirabelle , St. Fleur Diane , Faraone Stephen V. , Fremont Wanda P.
Published: September 2018

Background

Chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is associated with high rates of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia in up to 30% of individuals with the syndrome. Despite this, we know relatively little about trajectories and predictors of persistence of psychiatric disorders from middle childhood to early adulthood. Accordingly, we followed youth over four timepoints, every 3 years, to assess long-term trajectories of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, mood, and psychosis-spectrum disorders (PSDs), as well as medication usage.

Methods

Eighty-seven youth with 22q11DS and 65 controls between the ages of 9 and 15 years at the first timepoint (T1; mean age 11.88 ± 2.1) were followed for 9 years (mean age of 21.22 ± 2.01 years at T4). Baseline cognitive, clinical, and familial predictors of persistence were identified for each class of psychiatric disorders.

Results

Baseline age and parent-rated hyperactivity scores predicted ADHD persistence [area under curve (AUC) = 0.81]. The presence of family conflict predicted persistence of anxiety disorders (ADs) whereas parent ratings of child internalizing symptoms predicted persistence of both anxiety and mood disorders (MDs) (AUC = 0.84 and 0.83, respectively). Baseline prodromal symptoms predicted persistent and emergent PSDs (AUC = 0.83). Parent-reported use of anti-depressants/anxiolytics increased significantly from T1 to T4.

Conclusions

Psychiatric, behavioral, and cognitive functioning during late childhood and early adolescence successfully predicted children with 22q11DS who were at highest risk for persistent psychiatric illness in young adulthood. These findings emphasize the critical importance of early assessments and interventions in youth with 22q11DS.
THE FRIENDSHIP PARADOX FOR WEIGHTED AND DIRECTED NETWORKS
Authors: Berenhaut Kenneth S. , Jiang Hongyi
Published: September 2018

This paper studies the friendship paradox for weighted and directed networks, from a probabilistic perspective. We consolidate and extend recent results of Cao and Ross and Kramer, Cutler and Radcliffe, to weighted networks. Friendship paradox results for directed networks are given; connections to detailed balance are considered.
Using legal language as a non-lawyer: Danish lay judges’ linguistic strategies during criminal trials
Authors: Johansen Louise Victoria
Published: September 2018

Lay participation in criminal trials has primarily been studied in common law systems, thereby mainly focusing on the separate role of juries. These studies have provided detailed accounts of language use between jurors during deliberation as well as their use of storytelling techniques and common-sense reasoning in decision-making. However, only few studies have focused on the linguistic learning processes that lay judges in other legal systems go through when they deliberate casestogetherwith a professional judge both in reaching a verdict and in sentencing. In Denmark, lay judges are appointed for a period of four years, and this paper presents findings from an ethnographic study of lay judges and their growing experience with interactions in the deliberation room. It argues that lay judges learn to use legal language in order to strengthen their arguments vis-à-vis the professional judges. Lay judges feel that their influence is dependent on how well they master new, legal context-specific ways of expressing themselves, a point that may run counter to their legitimation as lay voices in an otherwise formalized judiciary.
In the wake of hate: A mixed-method analysis of anonymous threatening communications sent during the 2016 US presidential election
Authors: Nick I. M.
Published: September 2018

On January 20, 2017, Republican candidate Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. The run-up to this inauguration was marked by unusually hostile political rhetoric. For many, this linguistic divisiveness was fodder for the post-election surge in physical and verbal aggression. Using a mixed-method approach that combines actuarial and speech act assessment, this study examines 30 Anonymous Threatening Communications sent during the US presidential election for the presence and prevalence of (para)linguistic features associated with verbal and physical threat. The article argues for more forensic linguistic research into mainstream producers and consumers of hate-filled political rhetoric.
Greening the Dark Side of Chocolate: A Qualitative Assessment to Inform Sustainable Supply Chains
Authors: Camargo Marisa Camilher , Hogarth Nicholas J , Pacheco Pablo , Nhantumbo Isilda , Kanninen Markku
Published: September 2018

Despite the plethora of discourse about how sustainable development should be pursued, the production of agricultural commodities is held responsible for driving c. 80% of global deforestation. Partially as a response, the private sector has made commitments to eliminate deforestation, but it is not yet clear what factors these commitments should take into account to effectively halt deforestation while also contributing to broader sustainable development. In the context of private sector commitments to zero-deforestation, this study characterizes the perceptions of different types of stakeholders along the cocoa and chocolate supply chain in order to determine the main challenges and solutions to encourage sustainable production. The main purpose is to understand the key factors that could facilitate a transition to a more sustainable supply while harmonizing the multiple actors’ interests. A qualitative thematic analysis of perceptions was conducted based on responses from 59 interviews with different stakeholders along the cocoa and chocolate supply chain in six key producing and consuming countries. Thematic analysis of the responses revealed six main themes: (1) make better use of policies, regulations and markets to help promote sustainability; (2) improve information and data (e.g., impacts of climate change on cocoa) to inform sound interventions; (3) focus on the landscape rather than the farm-level alone and improve integration of supply chain actors; (4) promote better coordination between stakeholders and initiatives (e.g., development assistance projects and corporate sustainability efforts); (5) focus on interdependent relationships between social, environmental and economic dimensions to achieve sustainable development; and (6) engage with the private sector. The study shows the importance of identifying different stakeholder priorities in order to design solutions that accommodate multiple interests. It also emphasizes the need to improve coordination and communication between stakeholders and instruments in order to address the three different dimensions of sustainability in a synergistic manner, considering the interactions from production of raw material to end consumer.
Party Control of Government and American Party Ideology Development
Authors: Lewis Verlan
Published: September 2018

Throughout U.S. history, the two major political parties have switched positions many times on a variety of issues, including how powerful the national government should be and how much it should regulate and guide the American economy. Are these changes simply the product of historical contingency, or are there structural factors at work that can help explain these developments? This article finds that change in party control of government can help explain change in party ideologies with respect to economic policy. Parties in long-term control of unified government tend to develop their ideology in ways that call for a stronger national government and more economic intervention, while parties in opposition tend to change their ideology in ways that call for less national government power and less economic intervention.
Dynamics and asymptotic profiles of endemic equilibrium for two frequency-dependent SIS epidemic models with cross-diffusion
Authors: LI HUICONG , PENG RUI , XIANG TIAN
Published: September 2018

This paper is concerned with two frequency-dependent susceptible–infected–susceptible epidemic reaction–diffusion models in heterogeneous environment, with a cross-diffusion term modelling the effect that susceptible individuals tend to move away from higher concentration of infected individuals. It is first shown that the corresponding Neumann initial-boundary value problem in an n-dimensional bounded smooth domain possesses a unique global classical solution which is uniformly in-time bounded regardless of the strength of the cross-diffusion and the spatial dimension n. It is further shown that, even in the presence of cross-diffusion, the models still admit threshold-type dynamics in terms of the basic reproduction number $\mathcal {R}_0$ – i.e. the unique disease-free equilibrium is globally stable if $\mathcal {R}_0\lt1$, while if $\mathcal {R}_0\gt1$, the disease is uniformly persistent and there is an endemic equilibrium (EE), which is globally stable in some special cases with weak chemotactic sensitivity. Our results on the asymptotic profiles of EE illustrate that restricting the motility of susceptible population may eliminate the infectious disease entirely for the first model with constant total population but fails for the second model with varying total population. In particular, this implies that such cross-diffusion does not contribute to the elimination of the infectious disease modelled by the second one.
The time-dependent Schrödinger equation with piecewise constant potentials
Authors: SHEILS NATALIE E. , DECONINCK BERNARD
Published: September 2018

The linear Schrödinger equation with piecewise constant potential in one spatial dimension is a well-studied textbook problem. It is one of only a few solvable models in quantum mechanics and shares many qualitative features with physically important models. In examples such as ‘particle in a box’ and tunnelling, attention is restricted to the time-independent Schrödinger equation. This paper combines the unified transform method and recent insights for interface problems to present fully explicit solutions for the time-dependent problem.
Targeted energy transfer in stochastically excited system with nonlinear energy sink
Authors: KUMAR P. , NARAYANAN S. , GUPTA S.
Published: September 2018

This study investigates the phenomenon of targeted energy transfer (TET) from a linear oscillator to a nonlinear attachment behaving as a nonlinear energy sink for both transient and stochastic excitations. First, the dynamics of the underlying Hamiltonian system under deterministic transient loading is studied. Assuming that the transient dynamics can be partitioned into slow and fast components, the governing equations of motion corresponding to the slow flow dynamics are derived and the behaviour of the system is analysed. Subsequently, the effect of noise on the slow flow dynamics of the system is investigated. The Itô stochastic differential equations for the noisy system are derived and the corresponding Fokker–Planck equations are numerically solved to gain insights into the behaviour of the system on TET. The effects of the system parameters as well as noise intensity on the optimal regime of TET are studied. The analysis reveals that the interaction of nonlinearities and noise enhances the optimal TET regime as predicted in deterministic analysis.
Approximate analytical solutions for a class of nonlinear stochastic differential equations
Authors: MEIMARIS A. T. , KOUGIOUMTZOGLOU I. A. , PANTELOUS A. A.
Published: September 2018

An approximate analytical solution is derived for a certain class of stochastic differential equations with constant diffusion, but nonlinear drift coefficients. Specifically, a closed form expression is derived for the response process transition probability density function (PDF) based on the concept of the Wiener path integral and on a Cauchy–Schwarz inequality treatment. This is done in conjunction with formulating and solving an error minimisation problem by relying on the associated Fokker–Planck equation operator. The developed technique, which requires minimal computational cost for the determination of the response process PDF, exhibits satisfactory accuracy and is capable of capturing the salient features of the PDF as demonstrated by comparisons with pertinent Monte Carlo simulation data. In addition to the mathematical merit of the approximate analytical solution, the derived PDF can be used also as a benchmark for assessing the accuracy of alternative, more computationally demanding, numerical solution techniques. Several examples are provided for assessing the reliability of the proposed approximation.
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome: from fetus to fontan
Authors: Roeleveld Peter P. , Axelrod David M. , Klugman Darren , Jones Melissa B. , Chanani Nikhil K. , Rossano Joseph W. , Costello John M.
Published: September 2018

The care of children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome is constantly evolving. Prenatal diagnosis of hypoplastic left heart syndrome will aid in counselling of parents, and selected fetuses may be candidates forin uterointervention. Following birth, palliation can be undertaken through staged operations: Norwood (or hybrid) in the 1st week of life, superior cavopulmonary connection at 4–6 months of life, and finally total cavopulmonary connection (Fontan) at 2–4 years of age. Children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome are at risk of circulatory failure their entire life, and selected patients may undergo heart transplantation. In this review article, we summarise recent advances in the critical care management of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome as were discussed in a focused session at the 12th International Conference of the Paediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society held on 9 December, 2016, in Miami Beach, Florida.
Using clausal embedding to identify language impairment in sequential bilinguals
Authors: SCHEIDNES MAUREEN , TULLER LAURICE
Published: September 2018

Assessing language in sequential bilinguals (L2 children) for the identification of language impairment suffers from lack of appropriate standardized tools and from limited understanding of the developmental trajectories of these learners. This longitudinal study compares L2 children to children with SLI in order to better understand where these groups have overlapping performance and where they differ. An analysis of standardized test scores as well as frequency of clausal embedding and morphosyntactic errors in spontaneous speech was conducted with 22 English-speaking children (aged 6;9-12;7) acquiring French as an L2 in France and 19 monolingual French-speaking children with SLI (aged 6;5–12;11). The results revealed that L2 children used clausal embedding more often than the children with SLI, but both groups had similar rates of morphosyntactic accuracy. Facility with clausal embedding from early stages of development and continuing difficulty with morphosyntactic accuracy are argued to be characteristic of typical development in L2 children.
The Implications of the Departure of the UK for EU Social Policy
Authors: Daly Mary
Published: September 2018

This article considers the significance of the UK departure for EU social policy from the perspective of the economic orientation of policy, institutional configuration and associated political agency. The analysis first focuses on the role the UK has played since it joined in 1973, highlighting the UK's strong support for the EU as a market project with a secondary role for social policy. It can as a consequence claim some success in imprinting its (neo)liberal orientation on EU policy while at the same time securing favourable terms for its own selective engagement with EU policy. The signals regarding EU social policy's future after the UK departs are very mixed. While there are some signs of a more social impulse in policy, the strong ties to a market approach, lack of consensus around the need for a different type of EU social policy engagement and institutional and political hierarchies constrain change.
Weed Control with Halauxifen-Methyl Applied Alone and in Mixtures with 2,4-D, Dicamba, and Glyphosate
Authors: Zimmer Marcelo , Young Bryan G. , Johnson William G.
Published: September 2018

Synthetic auxin herbicides such as 2,4-D and dicamba are often utilized to control broadleaf weeds in preplant burndown applications to soybean. Halauxifen-methyl is a new synthetic auxin herbicide for broadleaf weed control in preplant burndown applications to corn, cotton, and soybean at low use rates (5 g ae ha–1). Field experiments were conducted to evaluate efficacy and weed control spectrum of halauxifen-methyl applied alone and in mixtures with 2,4-D (560 g ae ha–1), dicamba (280 g ae ha–1), and glyphosate (560 g ae ha–1). Glyphosate-resistant (GR) horseweed was controlled with halauxifen-methyl applied alone (90% control) and in mixtures (87% to 97% control) 35 d after treatment (DAT). Common ragweed was controlled 93% with halauxifen-methyl applied alone and 91% to 97% in mixtures 35 DAT. Halauxifen-methyl applied alone resulted in poor giant ragweed control 21 DAT (73% control); however, mixtures of halauxifen-methyl with 2,4-D, dicamba, or glyphosate controlled giant ragweed (86% to 98% control). Halauxifen-methyl alone resulted in poor redroot pigweed control (62% control) 21 DAT; however, mixtures of halauxifen-methyl with dicamba, 2,4-D, or glyphosate controlled redroot pigweed (89% to 98% control). Halauxifen-methyl controls GR horseweed and common ragweed applied alone and in mixtures with other synthetic auxin herbicides and glyphosate. Furthermore, mixing 2,4-D or dicamba with halauxifen-methyl can increase the weed control spectrum in preplant burndown applications.
Competitiveness of Herbicide-Resistant Waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) with Soybean
Authors: Butts Thomas R. , Vieira Bruno C. , Latorre Débora O. , Werle Rodrigo , Kruger Greg R.
Published: September 2018

Waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus(Moq.) J. D. Sauer] is a troublesome weed occurring in cropping systems throughout the U.S. Midwest with an ability to rapidly evolve herbicide resistance that could be associated with competitive disadvantages. Little research has investigated the competitiveness of differentA. tuberculatuspopulations under similar environmental conditions. The objectives of this study were to evaluate: (1) the interspecific competitiveness of three herbicide-resistantA. tuberculatuspopulations (2,4-D and atrazine resistant [2A-R], glyphosate and protoporphyrinogen oxidase [PPO]-inhibitor resistant [GP-R], and 2,4-D, atrazine, glyphosate, and PPO-inhibitor susceptible [2AGP-S]) with soybean [Glycine max(L.) Merr.]; and (2) the density-dependent response of eachA. tuberculatuspopulation within a constant soybean population in a greenhouse environment.Amaranthus tuberculatuscompetitiveness with soybean was evaluated across five target weed densities of 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 plants pot−1(equivalent to 0, 20, 40, 80, and 160 plants m−2) with 3 soybean plants pot−1(equivalent to 300,000 plants ha−1). At the R1 soybean harvest time, no difference in soybean biomass was observed acrossA. tuberculatuspopulations. AtA. tuberculatusdensities <8 plants pot−1, the 2AGP-S population had the greatest biomass and stem diameter per plant. At the R7 harvest time, the 2AGP-S population caused the greatest loss in soybean biomass and number of pods compared with the other populations at densities of <16 plants pot−1. The 2AGP-S population had greater early-season biomass accumulation and stem diameter compared with the otherA. tuberculatuspopulations, which resulted in greater late-season reduction in soybean biomass and number of pods. This research indicates there may be evidence of interspecific competitive fitness cost associated with the evolution of 2,4-D, atrazine, glyphosate, and PPO-inhibitor resistance inA. tuberculatus. Focus should be placed on effectively using cultural weed management practices to enhance crop competitiveness, especially early in the season, to increase suppression of herbicide-resistantA. tuberculatus.