bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Conspiracy Mentality Scale
Authors: Stojanov Ana , Halberstadt Jamin
Published: July 2019

Abstract. Beliefs in conspiracy theories, generally considered to be a unidimensional construct, are associated with negative outcomes. The existing measures of conspiracy theory beliefs have number of shortcomings. We present the development of a novel measure of the tendency to believe in conspiracy theories and report the discovery of a second factor that reflects rational skepticism. In Study 1 ( N = 500) we use item response theory to devise the final items. In Study 2 ( N = 202) we demonstrate the predictive validity of the two factors for different types of conspiracies. In Study 3 ( N = 308) we demonstrate convergent/divergent validity. In Study 4 ( N = 800) we demonstrate construct validity in three countries. Implications for the concept of conspiracy theory and conspiracy theory beliefs are discussed.
Attitudes Toward Open Science and Public Data Sharing
Authors: Abele-Brehm Andrea E. , Gollwitzer Mario , Steinberg Ulf , Schönbrodt Felix D.
Published: July 2019

Abstract. Central values of science are, among others, transparency, verifiability, replicability, and openness. The currently very prominent Open Science (OS) movement supports these values. Among its most important principles are open methodology (comprehensive and useful documentation of methods and materials used), open access to published research output, and open data (making collected data available for re-analyses). We here present a survey conducted among members of the German Psychological Society ( N = 337), in which we applied a mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative data) to assess attitudes toward OS in general and toward data sharing more specifically. Attitudes toward OS were distinguished into positive expectations (“hopes”) and negative expectations (“fears”). These were un-correlated. There were generally more hopes associated with OS and data sharing than fears. Both hopes and fears were highest among early career researchers and lowest among professors. The analysis of the open answers revealed that generally positive attitudes toward data sharing (especially sharing of data related to a published article) are somewhat diminished by cost/benefit considerations. The results are discussed with respect to individual researchers’ behavior and with respect to structural changes in the research system.
Perpetrator Religion and Perceiver’s Political Ideology Affect Processing and Communication of Media Reports of Violence
Authors: Habib Samia , Adelman Levi , Leidner Bernhard , Pasha Shaheen , Sibii Razvan
Published: July 2019

Abstract. People’s interpretations of media reports about crimes may be biased by their motivations to construct and protect their worldviews and, relatedly, by criminals’ group membership. Two large-scale experiments ( Ns = 248 and 1,115) investigated how American adults interpret reports of crimes committed by either a Christian or Muslim, and how these interpretations depend on political ideology. Results show liberals attributing crimes more to religion for Christian rather than Muslim offenders, with the opposite effect for conservatives. Importantly, these biases also influenced how people communicated the news report to others. Additionally, evidence suggests that attitudes toward Islam and not toward Muslims may explain these effects. Implications for how political ideology affects interpretation and communication of media portrayals of Muslims are discussed.
Depth Determination of the 2010 El Mayor‐Cucapah Earthquake Sequence (M ≥ 4.0)
Authors: Yu Chunquan , Hauksson Egill , Zhan Zhongwen , Cochran Elizabeth S. , Helmberger Donald V.
Published: July 2019

The 2010 MW 7.2 El Mayor‐Cucapah earthquake ruptured a zone of ~120 km in length in northern Baja California. The geographic distribution of this earthquake sequence was well constrained by waveform relocation. The depth distribution, however, was poorly determined as it is near the edge of, or outside, the Southern California Seismic Network. Here we use two complementary methods to constrain the focal depths of moderate‐sized events (M ≥ 4.0) in this sequence. We first determine the absolute earthquake depth by modeling the regional depth phases at high frequencies (~1 Hz). We mainly focus on Pn and its depth phases pPn and sPn, which arrive early at regional distance and are less contaminated by crustal multiples. To facilitate depth phase identification and to improve signal‐to‐noise ratio, we take advantage of the dense Southern California Seismic Network and use array analysis to align and stack Pn waveforms. For events without clear depth phases, we further determine their relative depths with respect to those with known depths using differential travel times of the Pn, direct P, and direct S phases recorded for event pairs. Focal depths of 93 out of 122 M ≥ 4.0 events are tightly constrained with absolute uncertainty of about 1 km. Aftershocks are clustered in the depth range of 3–10 km, suggesting a relatively shallow seismogenic zone, consistent with high surface heat flow in this region. Most aftershocks are located outside or near the lower terminus of coseismic high‐slip patches of the main shock, which may be governed by residual strains, local stress concentration, or postseismic slip.
An Observing System Simulation Experiment for Ocean State Estimation to Assess the Performance of the SWOT Mission: Part 1—A Twin Experiment
Authors: Li Zhijin , Wang Jinbo , Fu Lee‐Lueng
Published: July 2019

The Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission is planned for launch in 2021. It will use the technique of radar interferometry to measure sea surface height over a 120‐km‐wide swath with a 20‐km gap around the satellite's nadir track. The oceanographic objectives of the mission are to study ocean circulation at scales down to 15 km. To prepare for the evaluation of the mission's performance, we are undertaking a series of studies to explore the efficacy of an assimilative high‐resolution modeling system for estimating the state of the ocean based on independent observations from both spaceborne and in situ measurements. The system is based on the heritage of a multiscale approach to data assimilation by the Regional Ocean Modeling System. Observing System Simulation Experiments were first conducted in the setup of an identical twin experiment to assess the system's performance near the calibration/validation site of SWOT off the coast of California. The system was applied to a nested model domain with 1‐km resolution. Simulated satellite observations of SSH, sea surface temperature, salinity, in situ observations of upper ocean temperature, and salinity by profiling floats and a dedicated notional array of station‐keeping gliders were assimilated by the system. The results indicate that such an observing system can accurately estimate the state of the ocean, and in particular SSH for the evaluation of SWOT performance.
The Unusual Thermophysical and Surface Properties of the Daedalia Planum Lava Flows
Authors: Simurda C. M. , Ramsey M. S. , Crown D. A.
Published: July 2019

Daedalia Planum contains numerous young lava flows with diverse flow morphology. Previous thermal infrared studies avoided this region because of the moderately high visible albedo, assumed to be caused by optically thick dust, and overall low thermal inertia. The Daedalia Planum flows, however, have some of the roughest surfaces on Mars and display an unusual thermophysical behavior that most likely indicates different areal percentages of dust, sand, and lava outcrops. Recent studies suggest that these surfaces contain significant proportions of lava outcrops rising above low‐lying regions of sand with a spatially discontinuous dust layer. A multi‐instrument, multispectral approach combined with prior morphological mapping is applied here to discriminate between individual flows and determine the variation of thermophysical units on the surface. High‐resolution ConTeXt Camera and High‐Resolution Imaging Science Experiment data are used to investigate the flow surfaces and degree of mantling. Thermal Emission Imaging System and Thermal Emission Spectrometer thermal infrared data are analyzed to quantify the thermophysical variations between flows, identify surfaces with minimally mantled lava outcrops, and apply a thermophysical classification to differentiate the surface units. The results demonstrate that the observed thermal variations are due to different distributions of blocky lavas and sand infill. A majority of lava flows with rough surfaces display a diurnal and thermal inertia response indicative of a larger areal percentage of those outcrops versus that of sand and dust. This approach identifies surfaces with more exposed lava outcrops, promising targets for future composition analysis, in regions previously thought to be too dusty for such studies using thermal infrared data.
Quantifying Soil Phosphorus Dynamics: A Data Assimilation Approach
Authors: Hou Enqing , Lu Xingjie , Jiang Lifen , Wen Dazhi , Luo Yiqi
Published: July 2019

The dynamics of soil phosphorus (P) control its bioavailability. Yet it remains a challenge to quantify soil P dynamics. Here we developed a soil P dynamics (SPD) model. We then assimilated eight data sets of 426‐day changes in Hedley P fractions into the SPD model, to quantify the dynamics of six major P pools in eight soil samples that are representative of a wide type of soils. The performance of our SPD model was better for labile P, secondary mineral P, and occluded P than for nonoccluded organic P (Po) and primary mineral P. All parameters describing soil P dynamics were approximately constrained by the data sets. The average turnover rates were labile P 0.040 g g−1 day−1, nonoccluded Po 0.051 g g−1 day−1, secondary mineral P 0.023 g g−1 day−1, primary mineral P 0.00088 g g−1 day−1, occluded Po 0.0066 g g−1 day−1, and occluded inorganic P 0.0065 g g−1 day−1, in the greenhouse environment studied. Labile P was transferred on average more to nonoccluded Po (transfer coefficient of 0.42) and secondary mineral P (0.38) than to plants (0.20). Soil pH and organic C concentration were the key soil properties regulating the competition for P between plants and soil secondary minerals. The turnover rate of labile P was positively correlated with that of nonoccluded Po and secondary mineral P. The pool size of labile P was most sensitive to its turnover rate. Overall, we suggest data assimilation can contribute significantly to an improved understanding of soil P dynamics.
Next‐Generation Sequencing to Identify Lacustrine Haptophytes in the Canadian Prairies: Significance for Temperature Proxy Applications
Authors: Plancq Julien , Couto Jillian M. , Ijaz Umer Z. , Leavitt Peter R. , Toney Jaime L.
Published: July 2019

The Great Plains of North America often experience prolonged droughts that have major economic and environmental impacts. Temperature reconstructions are thus crucial to help decipher the mechanisms responsible for drought occurrences. Long‐chain alkenones (LCAs), lipids produced by three major phylogenetic groups (Groups I, II, and III) of haptophyte algae within the order Isochrysidales, are increasingly used for temperature reconstructions in lacustrine settings. However, to select the most appropriate calibration of the LCA‐based temperature proxy, it is first essential to identify the LCA‐producing haptophyte species present. Here we used next‐generation sequencing to target the 18S rRNA haptophyte gene from sediments with distinct LCA profiles to identify the LCA‐producer(s) from five Canadian prairie lakes. In total, 374 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified across the studied samples, of which 234 fell within the Phylum Haptophyta. Among the most abundant OTUs, three were characterized as LCA‐producers, one falling within the Group I haptophytes and two within the Group II haptophytes. The OTU from Group I haptophytes was associated with a single, highly specific LCA profile, whereas Group II OTUs showed higher variability in LCA distributions. Our study revealed that most of the LCA‐producing OTUs thriving in the Canadian lakes are included within the genus Isochrysis, which helps guide selection of the most appropriate calibration for down‐core temperature reconstructions. Our findings also suggest that the temperature dependency is likely consistent within different taxa from Group I and Group II haptophytes, but that other environmental parameters may influence the accuracy of the calibration.
Improving Representation of Deforestation Effects on Evapotranspiration in the E3SM Land Model
Authors: Cai Xitian , Riley William J. , Zhu Qing , Tang Jinyun , Zeng Zhenzhong , Bisht Gautam , Randerson James T.
Published: July 2019

Evapotranspiration (ET) plays an important role in land‐atmosphere coupling of energy, water, and carbon cycles. Following deforestation, ET is typically observed to decrease substantially as a consequence of decreases in leaf area and roots and increases in runoff. Changes in ET (latent heat flux) revise the surface energy and water budgets, which further affects large‐scale atmospheric dynamics and feeds back positively or negatively to long‐term forest sustainability. In this study, we used observations from a recent synthesis of 29 pairs of adjacent intact and deforested FLUXNET sites to improve model parameterization of stomatal characteristics, photosynthesis, and soil water dynamics in version 1 of the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) Land Model (ELMv1). We found that default ELMv1 predicts an increase in ET after deforestation, likely leading to incorrect estimates of the effects of deforestation on land‐atmosphere coupling. The calibrated model accurately represented the FLUXNET observed deforestation effects on ET. Importantly, the search for global optimal parameters converged at values consistent with recent observational syntheses, confirming the reliability of the calibrated physical parameters. Applying this improved model parameterization to the globe scale reduced the bias of annual ET simulation by up to ~600 mm/year. Analysis on the roles of parameters suggested that future model development to improve ET simulation should focus on stomatal resistance and soil water‐related parameterizations. Finally, our predicted differences in seasonal ET changes from deforestation are large enough to substantially affect land‐atmosphere coupling and should be considered in such studies.
Are U‐Th Dates Correlated With Historical Records of Earthquakes? Constraints From Coseismic Carbonate Veins Within the North Anatolian Fault Zone
Authors: Karabacak Volkan , Uysal I. Tonguç , Mutlu Halim , Ünal‐İmer Ezgi , Dirik R. Kadir , Feng Yue‐xing , Akıska Sinan , Aydoğdu İsmail , Zhao Jian‐xin
Published: July 2019

U‐Th dating of carbonate veins in connection with active tectonics has recently been used as an attractive tool for constraining the absolute timing of late Quaternary crustal deformations. In this study, for the first time we correlate U‐Th ages of travertine deposits in coseismic fissures along the North Anatolian Fault Zone with records of paleoseismological studies supported by historical earthquake catalogued data. U‐Th ages are assessed in relation to the recurrence interval and the size and epicenter distance of major Holocene earthquakes. Our statistical evaluations on age correlations indicate that the carbonate vein precipitation is concentrated in eight different periods along the North Anatolian Fault Zone. The periods are well correlated with historical earthquake records and with previous dating results of the nearby trench studies. At least six of the periods correspond to the earthquakes reported in the historical catalogues. The age correlations of carbonate precipitation intervals for the last millennium show a recurrence along the eastern North Anatolian Fault Zone with a mode at 130–330 years that is consistent with a previously proposed paleoseismic recurrence interval of the fault. Recorded events in carbonate veins indicate a close‐epicenter (d< 200 km) and high‐intensity (I > VI) paleoearthquakes. Our results suggest that coseismic carbonate veins could be used to determine paleoseismic records as a supplementary tool to augment paleoseismological techniques. This tool has advantages over traditional paleoseismological methods for the understanding of long‐term earthquake behavior, particularly for prehistoric late Pleistocene events which cannot be dated easily by traditional paleoseismological methods.
Apollo's Legacy: 50 Years of Lunar Geology
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: July 2019

Samples of the Moon’s surface brought back by Apollo astronauts ushered in a new era of planetary science. Scientists today continue the legacy.
Contrasting Response of Precipitation to Aerosol Perturbation in the Tropics and Extratropics Explained by Energy Budget Considerations
Authors: Dagan Guy , Stier Philip , Watson‐Parris Duncan
Published: July 2019

Precipitation plays a crucial role in the Earth's energy balance, the water cycle, and the global atmospheric circulation. Aerosols, by direct interaction with radiation and by serving as cloud condensation nuclei, may affect clouds and rain formation. This effect can be examined in terms of energetic constraints, that is, any aerosol‐driven diabatic heating/cooling of the atmosphere will have to be balanced by changes in precipitation, radiative fluxes, or divergence of dry static energy. Using an aqua‐planet general circulation model (GCM), we show that tropical and extratropical precipitation have contrasting responses to aerosol perturbations. This behavior can be explained by contrasting ability of the atmosphere to diverge excess dry static energy in the two different regions. It is shown that atmospheric heating in the tropics leads to large‐scale thermally driven circulation and a large increase in precipitation, while the excess energy from heating in the extratropics is constrained due to the effect of the Coriolis force, causing the precipitation to decrease.
Investigation on the Variability of the Geomagnetic Daily Current During Sudden Stratospheric Warmings
Authors: Owolabi Charles , Lei Jiuhou , Bolaji O. S. , Jimoh Oluwaseyi , Ruan Haibing , Li Na , Niu Xiaojuan , Yoshikawa Akimasa
Published: July 2019

The magnetic field records of the magnetometer networks in the American, East Asian‐Australian, and European‐African sectors were employed in this present work. We used them to investigate equatorial electrojet (EEJ), counter electrojet (CEJ), tidal variability in EEJ strength and ionospheric current during the 2005/2006 and 2008/2009 sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events. In addition to the well‐investigated tidal variability in EEJ strength over the American and East Asian sectors, we investigated that of the African sector for the first time. Interestingly, the tidal components in EEJ strength during both SSW events clearly exhibit marked longitudinal differences with high, moderate, and low amplitudes in the American, East Asian, and African sectors, respectively. An exception found around day 71 in the African sector after the 2008/2009 SSW event had higher solar diurnal tidal component as compared to that of the Asian sector. Over the American sector, solar and lunar semidiurnal tides were strongly associated with CEJ current during both SSW events, whereas at the African and East Asian sectors such variabilities are not evident. A solar diurnal tidal component was strongly related to a reduction in the EEJ strength over the East Asian sector. In addition, a prolonged period of CEJ occurrence that begins during the SSW precondition and ends when the SSW was evolving characterized the African sector during both SSW events. There is a steady shift in phase at later hours when both SSW events are evolving.
The Connected Isotopic Water Cycle in the Community Earth System Model Version 1
Authors: Brady E. , Stevenson S. , Bailey D. , Liu Z. , Noone D. , Nusbaumer J. , Otto‐Bliesner B. L. , Tabor C. , Tomas R. , Wong T. , Zhang J. , Zhu J.
Published: July 2019

Because of the pervasive role of water in the Earth system, the relative abundances of stable isotopologues of water are valuable for understanding atmospheric, oceanic, and biospheric processes, and for interpreting paleoclimate proxy reconstructions. Isotopologues are transported by both large‐scale and turbulent flows, and the ratio of heavy to light isotopologues changes due to fractionation that can accompany condensation and evaporation processes. Correctly predicting the isotopic distributions requires resolving the relationships between large‐scale ocean and atmospheric circulation and smaller‐scale hydrological processes, which can be accomplished within a coupled climate modeling framework. Here we present the water isotope‐enabled version of the Community Earth System Model version 1 (iCESM1), which simulates global variations in water isotopic ratios in the atmosphere, land, ocean, and sea ice. In a transient Last Millennium simulation covering the 850–2005 period, iCESM1 correctly captures the late‐twentieth‐century structure of δ18O and δD over the global oceans, with more limited accuracy over land. The relationship between salinity and seawater δ18O is also well represented over the observational period, including interbasin variations. We illustrate the utility of coupled, isotope‐enabled simulations using both Last Millennium simulations and freshwater hosing experiments with iCESM1. Closing the isotopic mass balance between all components of the coupled model provides new confidence in the underlying depiction of the water cycle in CESM, while also highlighting areas where the underlying hydrologic balance can be improved. The iCESM1 is poised to be a vital community resource for ongoing model development with both modern and paleoclimate applications.
Universal perpendicular orientation of block copolymer microdomains using a filtered plasma
Authors: Oh Jinwoo , Suh Hyo Seon , Ko Youngpyo , Nah Yoonseo , Lee Jong-Chan , Yeom Bongjun , Char Kookheon , Ross Caroline A. , Son Jeong Gon
Published: July 2019

Sub-10 nm patterns prepared by directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymer (BCP) thin films offer a breakthrough method to overcome the limitations of photolithography. Perpendicular orientation of the BCP nanostructures is essential for lithographic applications, but dissimilar surface/interfacial energies of two blocks generally favour parallel orientations, so that the perpendicular orientation could only be obtained under very limited conditions. Here, we introduce a generalized method for creating perpendicular orientations by filtered plasma treatment of the BCP films. By cross-linking the surface of disordered BCP films using only physical collisions of neutral species without ion bombardment or UV irradiation, neutral layers consistent with the BCP volume fraction are produced that promote the perpendicular orientations. This method works with BCPs of various types, volume fractions, and molecular weights individually at the top and bottom interfaces, so it was applied to orientation-controlled 3D multilayer structures and DSA processes for sub-10 nm line-spacing patterns.
Untwisted restacking of two-dimensional metal-organic framework nanosheets for highly selective isomer separations
Authors: Tao Ze-Rong , Wu Jian-Xiang , Zhao Ying-Jie , Xu Ming , Tang Wen-Qi , Zhang Qing-Hua , Gu Lin , Liu Da-Huan , Gu Zhi-Yuan
Published: July 2019

The stacking between nanosheets is an intriguing and inevitable phenomenon in the chemistry of nano-interfaces. Two-dimensional metal-organic framework nanosheets are an emerging type of nanosheets with ultrathin and porous features, which have high potential in separation applications. Here, the stacking between single-layer metal-organic framework nanosheets is revealed to show three representative conformations with tilted angles of 8°, 14°, and 30° for Zr-1, 3, 5-(4-carboxylphenyl)-benzene framework as an example. Efficient untwisted stacking strategy by simple heating is proposed. A detailed structural analysis of stacking modes reveals the creation of highly ordered sub-nanometer micropores in the interspacing of untwisted nano-layers, yielding a high-resolution separator for the pair of para-/meta-isomers over the twisted counterparts and commercial HP-5MS and VF-WAXMS columns. This general method is proven by additional nanosheet examples and supported by Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulation. This finding will provide a synthetic route in the rational design of functionalities in two-dimensional metal-organic framework nanosheet.
Fokker-Planck analysis of optical near-field traps
Authors: Zaman Mohammad Asif , Padhy Punnag , Hesselink Lambertus
Published: July 2019

The motion of a nanoparticle in the vicinity of a near-field optical trap is modeled using the Fokker-Planck equation. A plasmonic C-shaped engraving on a gold film is considered as the optical trap. The time evolution of the position probability density of the nanoparticle is calculated to analyze the trapping dynamics. A spatially varying diffusion tensor is used in the formulation to take into account the hydrodynamic interactions. The steady-state position distribution obtained from the Fokker-Planck equation is compared with experimental results and found to be in good agreement. Computational cost of the proposed method is compared with the conventionally used Langevin equation based approach. The proposed method is found to be computationally efficient (requiring 35 times less computation time) and scalable to more complex lab-on-a-chip systems.
Stargazin and γ4 slow the channel opening and closing rates of GluA4 AMPA receptors
Authors: Pierce Vincen D. , Niu Li
Published: July 2019

As auxiliary subunits, transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory proteins (TARPs) are known to enhance macroscopic current amplitude and alter kinetic properties of AMPA receptors on slow time scale, such as desensitization rate. Whether TARPs affect the rate of AMPA channel opening and closing, however, remains elusive. Using a laser-pulse photolysis technique, we investigated the effect of γ-2 (stargazin, a type 1a TARP) and γ-4 (a type 1b TARP) on the channel-opening and channel-closing rate constants (i.e., kop and kcl) of GluA4 homomeric channels. We found both TARPs slow the kop and kcl by 4-fold and 3-fold, respectively, without appreciable change of channel-opening probability, as compared with GluA4 channel alone. On the other hand, γ-4 has a stronger effect on slowing the channel desensitization rate than γ-2; yet, γ-2 causes a much more pronounced left shift of the dose-response relationship by increasing its affinity towards glutamate than γ-4. Our study shows that on the faster time scale, the major impact of TARP association with GluA4 is to lengthen the lifetime of the open channel, which is slow to form, to allow a larger charge transfer through the open channel that closes more slowly, without appreciable change of channel opening probability.
A novel polysaccharide obtained from Craterellus cornucopioides enhances immunomodulatory activity in immunosuppressive mice models via regulation of the TLR4-NF-κB pathway
Authors: Guo M.-Z. , Meng M. , Feng C.-C. , Wang X. , Wang C.-L.
Published: July 2019

A novel polysaccharide from Craterellus cornucopioides (CCP) showed significant immunomodulatory activity by modulating the TLR4-NF-κB pathways in immunosuppressive mice models.
Effects of chain length on the size, stability, and electronic structure of redox-active organic–inorganic hybrid polyoxometalate micelles
Authors: Amin Sharad , Cameron Jamie M. , Watts Julie A. , Walsh Darren A. , Sans Victor , Newton Graham N.
Published: July 2019

Double-chain redox-active surfactants based on hybrid polyoxometalates show solvent-dependent assembly into nanoscale micellar architectures.
Computational screening, synthesis and testing of metal–organic frameworks with a bithiazole linker for carbon dioxide capture and its green conversion into cyclic carbonates
Authors: Müller Philipp , Bucior Benjamin , Tuci Giulia , Luconi Lapo , Getzschmann Jürgen , Kaskel Stefan , Snurr Randall Q. , Giambastiani Giuliano , Rossin Andrea
Published: July 2019

A combined theoretical–experimental approach has been exploited for the design of a zirconium bithiazole-based MOF for CO2 adsorption and its reaction with epoxides under green conditions.
Control of upconversion luminescence by gold nanoparticle size: from quenching to enhancement
Authors: Mendez-Gonzalez Diego , Melle Sonia , Calderón Oscar G. , Laurenti Marco , Cabrera-Granado E. , Egatz-Gómez Ana , López-Cabarcos Enrique , Rubio-Retama Jorge , Díaz Elena
Published: July 2019

We report on the quenching-to-enhancement continuous transition of gold-nanoparticle (AuNP) plasmon assisted upconversion (UC) luminescence with increasing AuNP size, as a guideline for the design of optimal sensors based on UCNPs-AuNPs pairs.
Chemoselective and living/controlled polymerization of polar divinyl monomers by N-heterocyclic olefin based classical and frustrated Lewis pairs
Authors: Zhao Wuchao , Wang Qianyi , He Jianghua , Zhang Yuetao
Published: July 2019

Chemoselective and living/controlled polymerization of polar divinyl monomers by N-heterocyclic olefin based classical and frustrated Lewis pairs.
Asymmetric synthesis of polycyclic 3-fluoroalkylproline derivatives by intramolecular azomethine ylide cycloaddition
Authors: Rabasa-Alcañiz Fernando , Hammerl Daniel , Sánchez-Merino Anabel , Tejero Tomás , Merino Pedro , Fustero Santos , del Pozo Carlos
Published: July 2019

The asymmetric intramolecular dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides was developed for fluorinated dipolarophiles, being the RF group crucial for selectivity.
In situreal-time tracing of hierarchical targeting nanostructures in drug resistant tumors using diffuse fluorescence tomography
Authors: Guo Qianqian , Wang Yangyun , Zhang Limin , Zhang Peng , Yu Yunjian , Zhang Yanqi , Li Chaoxing , Jiang Shaoyi , Zhang Xinge
Published: July 2019

Nanoparticles that respond to specific endogenous or exogenous stimuli in tumor tissues are actively being developed to address multidrug resistance owing to multiple advantages, including a prolonged circulation time, enhanced permeability and retention effect, and superior cellular uptake.
Nicotinamide riboside promotes autolysosome clearance in preventing doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity
Authors: Zheng Dong , Zhang Yi , Zheng Ming , Cao Ting , Wang Grace , Zhang Lulu , Ni Rui , Brockman Joseph , Zhong Huiting , Fan Guo-Chang , Peng Tianqing
Published: July 2019

Doxorubicin (DOX) is widely used as a first-line chemotherapeutic drug for various malignancies. However, DOX causes severe cardiotoxicity, which limits its clinical uses. Oxidative stress is one of major contributors to DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. While autophagic flux serves as an important defense mechanism against oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes, recent studies have demonstrated that DOX induces the blockage of autophagic flux, which contributes to DOX cardiotoxicity. The present study investigated whether nicotinamide riboside (NR), a precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)+, prevents DOX cardiotoxicity by improving autophagic flux. We report that administration of NR elevated NAD+ levels, and reduced cardiac injury and myocardial dysfunction in DOX-injected mice. These protective effects of NR were recapitulated in cultured cardiomyocytes upon DOX treatment. Mechanistically, NR prevented the blockage of autophagic flux, accumulation of autolysosomes, and oxidative stress in DOX-treated cardiomyocytes, the effects of which were associated with restoration of lysosomal acidification. Furthermore, inhibition of lysosomal acidification or SIRT1 abrogated these protective effects of NR during DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Collectively, our study shows that NR enhances autolysosome clearance via the NAD+/SIRT1 signaling, thereby preventing DOX-triggered cardiotoxicity.
Language Proficiency and Dominance Considerations When Working With Spanish–English Bilingual Adults
Authors: Vicente Manuel , Calandruccio Lauren , Miller Margaret K. , Browning Jenna M. , Oleson Jacob , Leibold Lori J.
Published: July 2019

Purpose

As the Hispanic population continues to increase within the United States, there is a pressing need to incorporate rigorous and efficient clinical assessments of language dominance and proficiency when working with Spanish–English bilingual patients. The purpose of this study was to begin addressing this need by evaluating the association between language dominance and language proficiency.

Method

The association between scores for the English Versant Test (
Pearson Education, 2010
), an automated assessment of spoken language proficiency, and dominance and proficiency scores obtained using the Bilingual Language Profile, a self-report questionnaire was evaluated.

Results

The results indicated that half of the variance in the English Versant Test was explained by the response to a single question included in the Bilingual Language Profile.

Conclusion

These data support the inclusion of asking patients to not only indicate how many languages they speak but, for those patients that speak more than 1 language, to also ask how well they understand each of the languages.
How Old Do You Think I Am? Speech-Language Predictors of Perceived Age and Communicative Competence
Authors: Gordon Jean K. , Andersen Kim , Perez Gabriella , Finnegan Eileen
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Spoken language serves as a primary means of social interaction, but speech and language skills change with age, a potential source of age-related stereotyping. The goals of this study were to examine how accurately age could be estimated from language samples, to determine which speech and language cues were most informative, and to assess the impact of perceived age on judgments of the speakers' communication skills.

Method

We analyzed narratives from 84 speakers aged 30–89 years to identify age-related differences and compared these differences to factors affecting perceptions of age and communicative competence. Three groups of raters estimated the speakers' ages and judged the quality of their communication: 44 listeners listened to audio-recorded narratives, 51 readers read transcripts of the narratives, and 24 voice raters listened to 10-s samples of speech extracted from one of the narratives.

Results

Older speakers spoke more slowly but showed minimal linguistic differences compared to younger speakers. Speakers' ages were estimated quite accurately, even from 10-s samples. Estimates were largely based on cues available in the acoustic signal—speech rate and vocal characteristics—so listeners were more accurate than readers. However, an overreliance on these cues also contributed to overestimates of speakers' ages. Communication ratings were not strongly related to perceived age but were influenced by various aspects of speech and language. In particular, speakers who produced longer narratives and spoke more quickly were judged to be better communicators.

Conclusion

Speakers tend to be judged on relatively superficial aspects of spoken language, in part because age-related change is most evident at these levels. Implications of these findings for age-related theories of stereotyping and speech-language intervention are discussed.
Effects of Social Stress on Autonomic, Behavioral, and Acoustic Parameters in Adults Who Stutter
Authors: Bauerly Kim R. , Jones Robin M. , Miller Charlotte
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to assess changes in autonomic, behavioral, and acoustic measures in response to social stress in adults who stutter (AWS) compared to adults who do not stutter (ANS).

Method

Participants completed the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (Speilberger, Gorsuch, Luschene, Vagg, & Jacobs, 1983). In order to provoke social stress, participants were required to complete a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-M,Kirschbaum, Pirke, & Hellhammer, 1993), which included completing a nonword reading task and then preparing and delivering a speech to what was perceived as a group of professionals trained in public speaking. Autonomic nervous system changes were assessed by measuring skin conductance levels, heart rate, and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Behavioral changes during speech production were measured in errors, percentage of syllable stuttered, percentage of other disfluencies, and speaking rate. Acoustic changes were measured using 2nd formant frequency fluctuations. In order to make comparisons of speech with and without social–cognitive stress, measurements were collected while participants completed a speaking task before and during TSST-M conditions.

Results

AWS showed significantly higher levels of self-reported state and trait anxiety compared to ANS. Autonomic nervous system changes revealed similar skin conductance level and heart rate across pre–TSST-M and TSST-M conditions; however, RSA levels were significantly higher in AWS compared to ANS across conditions. There were no differences found between groups for speaking rate, fundamental frequency, and percentage of other disfluencies when speaking with or without social stress. However, acoustic analysis revealed higher levels of 2nd formant frequency fluctuations in the AWS compared to the controls under pre–TSST-M conditions, followed by a decline to a level that resembled controls when speaking under the TSST-M condition.

Discussion

Results suggest that AWS, compared to ANS, engage higher levels of parasympathetic control (i.e., RSA) during speaking, regardless of stress level. Higher levels of self-reported state and trait anxiety support this view point and suggest that anxiety may have an indirect role on articulatory variability in AWS.
Validation of a Parent Report Tool for Monitoring Early Vocal Stages in Infants
Authors: Moeller Mary Pat , Thomas Anne E. , Oleson Jacob , Ambrose Sophie E.
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Tracking of infants' progression through early vocal stages supports the identification of children at risk for language delays and guides early intervention for children with disabilities. However, few clinical tools are available to support systematic assessment of infants' early vocal development. This study sought to develop and conduct a preliminary evaluation of the validity of a parent report tool designed for this purpose, the Vocal Development Landmarks Interview (VDLI).

Method

The participants were caregivers of 160 typically developing 6- to 21-month-old infants. Caregivers participated in the VDLI, which uses audio samples of authentic infant vocalizations to query parents regarding their children's vocal behaviors. The VDLI yields 3 subscale scores (Precanonical, Canonical, and Word) and a total score. Caregivers also completed sections of the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile Caregiver Questionnaire that yielded a speech composite score.

Results

Cross-sectional analyses showed that the VDLI is sensitive to age and captures the expected developmental trajectories of vocal behaviors. A strong, positive correlation (r= .93) was found between VDLI total scores and the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile speech composite score, indicating concurrent validity. Subscales were found to be internally consistent.

Conclusion

Preliminary findings of sensitivity to age, concurrent validity, and internal consistency provide support for the eventual use of the VDLI as a clinical tool for tracking vocal and early verbal milestones. Future research will explore the level of concordance between parent report and researcher observations of child vocal behaviors.

Supplemental Material

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.8330003
Minimising wind power curtailments using OPF considering voltage stability
Authors: Nycander Elis , Söder Lennar , Eriksson Robert , Hamon Camille
Published: July 2019

As the amount of wind power in power systems has increased, it has become necessary to curtail wind power in some high‐penetration situations. In order to assess the need for curtailment arising from voltage stability considerations the authors develop a security constrained optimal power flow (SCOPF) for minimising the expected curtailment. The authors find that with a very high wind penetration and wind farms operating at unity power factor curtailment becomes necessary to satisfy voltage limits. In this case, the optimal solution in the studied system is to curtail at a single bus rather than curtailing by a smaller amount at several buses. However, allowing for reactive power production from wind farms reduces the need for curtailments.
Search for gas from the disintegrating rocky exoplanet K2-22b
Authors: Ridden-Harper A. R. , Snellen I. A. G. , Keller C. U. , Mollière P.
Published: July 2019

Context. The red dwarf star K2-22 is transited every 9.14 h by an object which is best explained by being a disintegrating rocky exoplanet featuring a variable comet-like dust tail. While the dust is thought to dominate the transit light curve, gas is also expected to be present, either from being directly evaporated off the planet or by being produced by the sublimation of dust particles in the tail.

Aims. Both ionized calcium and sodium have large cross-sections, and although present at low abundance, exhibit the strongest atomic absorption features in comets. We therefore also identify these species as the most promising tracers of circumplanetary gas in evaporating rocky exoplanets and search for them in the tail of K2-22 b to constrain the gas-loss and sublimation processes in this enigmatic object.

Methods. We observed four transits of K2-22 b with X-shooter on the Very Large Telescope operated by ESO to obtain time series of intermediate-resolution (R ~ 11 400) spectra. Our analysis focussed on the two sodium D lines (588.995 and 589.592 nm) and the Ca+ triplet (849.802, 854.209, and 866.214 nm). The stellar calcium and sodium absorption was removed using the out-of-transit spectra. We searched for planet-related absorption in the velocity rest frame of the planet, which changes from approximately −66 to +66 km s−1 during the transit.

Results. Since K2-22 b exhibits highly variable transit depths, we analysed the individual nights and their average. By injecting signals we reached 5σ upper limits on the individual nights that range from 11–13% and 1.7–2.0% for the sodium and ionized calcium absorption of the tail, respectively. Night 1 was contaminated by its companion star so we considered weighted averages with and without Night 1 and quote conservative 5σ limits without Night 1 of 9 and 1.4%, respectively. Assuming their mass fractions to be similar to those in the Earth’s crust, these limits correspond to scenarios in which 0.04 and 35% of the transiting dust is sublimated and observed as absorbing gas. However, this assumes the gas to be co-moving with the planet. We show that for the high irradiation environment of K2-22 b, sodium and ionized calcium could be quickly accelerated to 100s of km s−1 owing to radiation pressure and entrainment by the stellar wind, making these species much more difficult to detect. No evidence for such possibly broad and blue-shifted signals are seen in our data.

Conclusions. Future observations aimed at observing circumplanetary gas should take into account the possible broad and blue-shifted velocity field of atomic and ionized species.
Modelling of the B-type binaries CW Cephei and U Ophiuchi
Authors: Johnston C. , Pavlovski K. , Tkachenko A.
Published: July 2019

Context. Intermediate-mass stars are often overlooked. They are not supernova progenitors, but still host convective cores and complex atmospheres that require computationally expensive treatment. This means that there is a general lack of this class of stars modelled by state-of-the-art stellar structure and evolution codes.

Aims. We used high-quality spectroscopy to update the dynamically obtained stellar parameters and to produce a new evolutionary assessment of the bright B0.5+B0.5 and B5V+B5V binary systems CW Cep and U Oph.

Methods.We used new spectroscopy obtained with the Hermes spectrograph to revisit the photometric binary solution of the two systems. The updated mass ratio and effective temperatures are incorporated to obtain new dynamical masses for the primary and secondary. With these data we performed evolutionary modelling using isochrone-clouds to investigate the core properties of these stars.

Results. We report the first abundances for CW Cep and U Oph, and we report an updated dynamical solution for the two systems. We find that we cannot uniquely constrain the amount of core boundary mixing in any of the stars we consider. Instead, we report their core masses and compare our results to previous studies.

Conclusions. We find that the per-cent level precision on fundamental stellar quantities are accompanied with core mass estimates to a precision between ∼5% and 15%. We find that differences in analysis techniques can lead to substantially different evolutionary modelling results, which calls for the compilation of a homogeneously analysed sample to draw inferences on internal physical processes.
Masses of the Hyades white dwarfs
Authors: Pasquini L. , Pala A. F. , Ludwig H.-G. , Lẽao I. C. , de Medeiros J. R. , Weiss A.
Published: July 2019

Context. It is possible to accurately measure the masses of the white dwarfs (WDs) in the Hyades cluster using gravitational redshift, because the radial velocity of the stars can be obtained independently of spectroscopy from astrometry and the cluster has a low velocity dispersion.

Aims. We aim to obtain an accurate measurement of the Hyades WD masses by determining the mass-to-radius ratio (M/R) from the observed gravitational redshift, and to compare them with masses derived from other methods.

Methods. We analyse archive high-resolution UVES-VLT spectra of six WDs belonging to the Hyades to measure their Doppler shift, from which M/R is determined after subtracting the astrometric radial velocity. We estimate the radii using Gaia photometry as well as literature data.

Results. The M/R error associated to the gravitational redshift measurement is about 5%. The radii estimates, evaluated with different methods, are in very good agreement, though they can differ by up to 4% depending on the quality of the data. The masses based on gravitational redshift are systematically smaller than those derived from other methods, by a minimum of ∼0.02 up to 0.05 solar masses. While this difference is within our measurement uncertainty, the fact that it is systematic indicates a likely real discrepancy between the different methods.

Conclusions. We show that the M/R derived from gravitational redshift measurements is a powerful tool to determine the masses of the Hyades WDs and could reveal interesting properties of their atmospheres. The technique can be improved by using dedicated spectrographs, and can be extended to other clusters, making it unique in its ability to accurately and empirically determine the masses of WDs in open clusters. At the same time we prove that gravitational redshift in WDs agrees with the predictions of stellar evolution models to within a few percent.
Zur Prognose von Schluckstörungen nach
Schlaganfall
Authors: Stiegert Julia , Klonowski Madleen
Published: July 2019

Prognose bei Schluckstörung – zu diesem Thema ließen sich vermutlich ganze Bücher
verfassen. Ein Gebiet, das extrem weitläufig und nur schwer zu greifen ist. Denn
„die“ Prognose gibt es nicht. Dennoch ist diese Thematik von hoher Relevanz,
denn im klinischen Alltag gilt es die drängenden Fragen der Betroffenen nach dem
„Wann“ zufriedenstellend beantworten zu können. Im Folgenden sollen klinisch
relevante Studienergebnisse dargestellt und darauf aufbauend Implikationen für
die Angehörigenberatung herausgearbeitet werden.