bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chess and Individual Differences
Authors: Blanch Angel
Published: December 2020

Research from the neurosciences and behavioural sciences highlights the importance of individual differences in explaining human behaviour. Individual differences in core psychological constructs, such as intelligence or personality, account for meaningful variations in a vast range of responses and behaviours. Aspects of chess have been increasingly used in the past to evaluate a myriad of psychological theories, and several of these studies consider individual differences to be key constructs in their respective fields. This book summarizes the research surrounding the psychology of chess from an individual- differences perspective. The findings accumulated from nearly forty years' worth of research about chess and individual differences are brought together to show what is known - and still unknown - about the psychology of chess, with an emphasis on how people differ from one another.
Competitive Programming in Python
Authors: Dürr Christoph , Vie Jill-Jênn
Published: December 2020

Want to kill it at your job interview in the tech industry? Want to win that coding competition? Learn all the algorithmic techniques and programming skills you need from two experienced coaches, problem setters, and jurors for coding competitions. The authors highlight the versatility of each algorithm by considering a variety of problems and show how to implement algorithms in simple and efficient code. Readers can expect to master 128 algorithms in Python and discover the right way to tackle a problem and quickly implement a solution of low complexity. Classic problems like Dijkstra's shortest path algorithm and Knuth-Morris-Pratt's string matching algorithm are featured alongside lesser known data structures like Fenwick trees and Knuth's dancing links. The book provides a framework to tackle algorithmic problem solving, including: Definition, Complexity, Applications, Algorithm, Key Information, Implementation, Variants, In Practice, and Problems. Python code included in the book and on the companion website.
Neoliberal Selfhood
Authors: Vassallo Stephen
Published: December 2020

Psychological constructs - such as emotion regulation, creativity, grit, growth mindset, lifelong learning, and whole child - are appealing as pedagogical aspirations and outcomes. Researchers, policy-makers, and educators are likely to endorse and accept these constructs as ways to make sense of students and inform pedagogical decision-making. Few critically interrogate these constructs, as they are associated with students' academic achievement, psychological well-being, civic virtue, and career readiness. However, this book shows how these constructs become entangled in a neoliberal vision of selfhood, which is tied to market prescriptions and is thus associated with problematic ethical, psychological, moral, and economic consequences. The chapters draw attention to the ideological underpinnings in order to facilitate conversations about selfhood in schooling policy and practices.
The Afterlife of St Cuthbert
Authors: Whitehead Christiania
Published: December 2020

This ambitious book presents the first sustained analysis of the evolving representation of Cuthbert, the premier saint of northern England. The study spans both major and neglected texts across eight centuries, from his earliest depictions in anonymous and Bedan vitae, through twelfth-century ecclesiastical histories and miracle collections produced at Durham, to his late medieval appearances in Latin meditations, legendaries, and vernacular verse. Whitehead reveals the coherence of these texts as one tradition, exploring the way that ideologies and literary strategies persist across generations. An innovative addition to the literature of insular spirituality and hagiography, The Afterlife of St Cuthbert emphasises the related categories of place and asceticism. It charts Cuthbert's conceptual alignment with a range of institutional, masculine, northern, and national spaces, and examines the distinctive characteristics and changing value of his ascetic lifestyle and environment - frequently constituted as a nature sanctuary - interrogating its relation to his other jurisdictions.
Geometric functionals of fractal percolation
Authors: Klatt Michael A. , Winter Steffen
Published: December 2020

Fractal percolation exhibits a dramatic topological phase transition, changing abruptly from a dust-like set to a system-spanning cluster. The transition points are unknown and difficult to estimate. In many classical percolation models the percolation thresholds have been approximated well using additive geometric functionals, known as intrinsic volumes. Motivated by the question of whether a similar approach is possible for fractal models, we introduce corresponding geometric functionals for the fractal percolation process F. They arise as limits of expected functionals of finite approximations of F. We establish the existence of these limit functionals and obtain explicit formulas for them as well as for their finite approximations.
Draw-down Parisian ruin for spectrally negative Lévy processes
Authors: Wang Wenyuan , Zhou Xiaowen
Published: December 2020

Draw-down time for a stochastic process is the first passage time of a draw-down level that depends on the previous maximum of the process. In this paper we study the draw-down-related Parisian ruin problem for spectrally negative Lévy risk processes. Intuitively, a draw-down Parisian ruin occurs when the surplus process has continuously stayed below the dynamic draw-down level for a fixed amount of time. We introduce the draw-down Parisian ruin time and solve the corresponding two-sided exit problems via excursion theory. We also find an expression for the potential measure for the process killed at the draw-down Parisian time. As applications, we obtain new results for spectrally negative Lévy risk processes with dividend barrier and with Parisian ruin.
On component failure in coherent systems with applications to maintenance strategies
Authors: Hashemi M. , Asadi M.
Published: December 2020

Providing optimal strategies for maintaining technical systems in good working condition is an important goal in reliability engineering. The main aim of this paper is to propose some optimal maintenance policies for coherent systems based on some partial information about the status of components in the system. For this purpose, in the first part of the paper, we propose two criteria under which we compute the probability of the number of failed components in a coherent system with independent and identically distributed components. The first proposed criterion utilizes partial information about the status of the components with a single inspection of the system, and the second one uses partial information about the status of component failure under double monitoring of the system. In the computation of both criteria, we use the notion of the signature vector associated with the system. Some stochastic comparisons between two coherent systems have been made based on the proposed concepts. Then, by imposing some cost functions, we introduce new approaches to the optimal corrective and preventive maintenance of coherent systems. To illustrate the results, some examples are examined numerically and graphically.
Exact simulation for multivariate Itô diffusions
Authors: Blanchet Jose , Zhang Fan
Published: December 2020

We provide the first generic exact simulation algorithm for multivariate diffusions. Current exact sampling algorithms for diffusions require the existence of a transformation which can be used to reduce the sampling problem to the case of a constant diffusion matrix and a drift which is the gradient of some function. Such a transformation, called the Lamperti transformation, can be applied in general only in one dimension. So, completely different ideas are required for the exact sampling of generic multivariate diffusions. The development of these ideas is the main contribution of this paper. Our strategy combines techniques borrowed from the theory of rough paths, on the one hand, and multilevel Monte Carlo on the other.
Diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship with molecular respiratory testing across the SHEA Research Network
Authors: Claeys Kimberly C. , Morgan Daniel J. , Leekha Surbhi , Sullivan Kaede V.
Published: December 2020

This survey investigated diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship practices related to molecular respiratory panel testing in adults with lower respiratory tract infections at acute care hospitals. Most respondents reported use of rapid respiratory panels, but related stewardship practices were uncommon and the real-world impact of respiratory panels were difficult to quantify.
The business – government nexus: Impact of government actions and legislation on business responses to climate change
Authors: Sree Kumar Sheela , Banerjee Bobby , Duarte Fernanda de Paiva , Dadich Ann
Published: December 2020

Australia has committed to reducing emissions under the Paris Agreement by 2030, in alignment with the United Nations' (UN) Sustainability Development Goal (SDG) climate action. This articleinvestigates the responses of Australian high-emission businesses to Australian government action and legislation in relation to climate change, specifically the carbon tax, and how this knowledge can assist in delineating future carbon legislation.A qualitative study of the responses of 17 high-emission businesses and three industry associations to carbon legislation during the implementation of the carbon tax in Australia identified the use of resistive, reactive or cooperative strategies by the businesses. Issues related to carbon legislation identified by businesses included differences in time orientation, multiple regulations, political uncertainty, international positioning and the need for long-term and consolidated policies. Given these findings, this article argues that well-designed top-down legislative measures are necessary to steer businesses towards a carbon-neutral regime.
LONG-TERM CHANGES IN 14C AGE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HUMIC ACID AND PLANT FRAGMENTS AND THEIR LINKS TO PAST CLIMATE CHANGE
Authors: Kim Youngeun , Lim Jaesoo , Yu Jaehyung , Park Sujeong , Lee Jin-Young , Hong Sei-Sun , Park Gyujun
Published: December 2020

Radiocarbon (14C) dating has been widely used to determine the age of deposits, but there have been frequent reports of inconsistencies in age among different dating materials. In this study, we performed radiocarbon dating on a total of 33 samples from 8-m-long sediment cores recovered from the wetland of the Muljangori volcanic cone on Jeju Island, South Korea. Ten pairs of humic acid (HA) and plant fragments (PF) samples, and three pairs of HA and humin samples, from the same depths were compared in terms of age. The PF were consistently younger than the HA. Interestingly, the age difference between HA and PF samples showed a long-term change during the past 8000 years. To test whether there was an association between this long-term age difference and climate change, we compared with the carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratios and total organic carbon isotope (δ13CTOC) values of the sediments, as indicators of the relative abundance of terrestrial and aquatic plants; these parameters showed similar long-term trends. This suggests that the increasing (decreasing) trend in age difference was influenced by long-term dry (wet) climate change.
CONTAMINATION OF RADIOCARBON ANALYSES OF PLANT SAMPLES BY FUNGAL HYPHAE
Authors: Karig Daniel E , Mayers Chase G , Wattenburger Cassandra J , Southon John
Published: December 2020

Fungal hyphae associated with tree roots extending into the surrounding substrate are suspected to have to contaminated buried plant material with recent carbon in two examples and to have resulted in erroneously young radiocarbon ages. This problem might be overcome by choosing sampling sites far from trees or by analyzing the lignin component of samples, although the latter is presently difficult.
The Other in Deleuze and Husserl
Authors: Movahedi Hamed
Published: December 2020

There is no consensus regarding whether Gilles Deleuze offers a cogent theory of the Other. Deleuze develops the notion of the Other-structure, but given his scarce remarks on this concept, his treatment of this issue is debated. This article argues that to elucidate Deleuze's philosophy of the Other, his notion of the Other-structure must be analyzed in parallel to Edmund Husserl's intersubjective theory. This comparison, made possible by Natalie Depraz's reading of the Husserlian alterity, reveals nuanced phenomenological traces in Deleuze's Other-structure and its implicated structural moments while substantiating his affirmation of the Otherless world, as an impetus to surpass phenomenology.
Discontinuous noun phrases in Yucatec Maya
Authors: SKOPETEAS STAVROS , VERHOEVEN ELISABETH , FANSELOW GISBERT
Published: December 2020

Languages differ in whether or not they allow discontinuous noun phrases. If they do, they further vary in the ways the nominal projections interact with the available syntactic operations. Yucatec Maya has two left-peripheral configurations that differ syntactically: a preverbal position for foci orwh-elements that is filled in by movement, and the possibility to adjoin topics at the highest clausal layer. These two structural options are reflected in different ways of the formation of discontinuous patterns. Subextraction from nominal projections to the focus position yielding discontinuous NPs is possible, but subject to several restrictions. It observes conditions on extraction domains, and does not apply to the left branch of nominal structures. The topic position also appears to license discontinuity, typically involving a non-referential nominal expression as the topic and quantifiers/adjectives that form an elliptical nominal projection within the clause proper. Such constructions can involve several morphological and syntactic mismatches between their parts that are excluded for continuous noun phrases, and they are not sensitive to syntactic island restrictions. Thus, in a strict sense, discontinuities involving the topic position are only apparent, because the construction involves two independent nominal projections that are semantically linked.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anger and mental health of school students in Syria after nine years of conflict: a large-scale school-based study
Authors: Kakaje Ameer , Al Zohbi Ragheed , Alyousbashi Ayham , Abdelwahed Rawan N.K. , Hosam Aldeen Osama , Alhalabi Mohammad Marwan , Ghareeb Ayham , Latifeh Youssef
Published: December 2020

Background

The Syrian crisis has entered its ninth year with many being affected by the war. This is the largest-scale study that aims to evaluate the psychological profile of secondary school students in Syria.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study in schools in Damascus, Syria. The surveys assessed working habits, smoking, war exposure, grades, socioeconomic status (SES), social support, health-related quality of life (HRQL), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), problematic anger, and other parameters.

Results

This study included 1369 students of which 53% suffered from PTSD and 62% from problematic anger. Around 46% declared a fair or worse general health and 61% had moderate or severe mental health. Only 9.3% did not report exposure to any war-related variable. War exposure had an impact on PTSD, anger, and HRQL, but not on students' grades. Smoking, having consanguineous parents, and working did not have a clear association with grades or anger. Social support weakly reduced PTSD and anger scores. Interestingly, working was associatedwith lowerPTSD scores but was associated with a worse physical component of HRQL.

Conclusion

This is the largest study on school students in Syria that reports the psychological ramifications of war. Although the direct effects of war could not be precisely described, the high burden of PTSD and anger distress was a strong reflection of the chronic mental distress.
Eye tracking in usability of electronic chart display and information system
Authors: Arslan Omer , Atik Oguz , Kahraman Serkan
Published: December 2020

The purpose of this study is to test eye tracking in studying the usability of electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS), one of the major components of ships’ bridge navigation systems. The carriage and adequate use of ECDIS on merchant ships is mandated by international regulations to improve maritime safety. The aim of this study is to test eye tracking as an assessment tool for usability of ECDIS. Eye movement data, collected from experienced port pilots operating on three different models of ECDIS, was analysed for the study. Significant differences were found between time to first fixation measurements among three different ECDIS models, as well as differences in heat map visualisations between the participant port pilots and expert users. The results indicate that eye tracking is an effective tool for assessment of the usability of ECDIS. The study, aiming potentially to improve the effectiveness of bridge navigation systems, proposes the integration of eye tracking in research and development of ECDIS, and contributes scientifically to research on eye tracking in marine transportation.
International investment law in support of the right to development?
Authors: Fauchald Ole Kristian
Published: December 2020

There is a long-standing claim and ambition in international investment law that treaties and customary law contribute to economic development in countries hosting investment. However, this claim remains controversial and has been hotly debated among academics. The article explores how international investment law, understood as international investment agreements (IIAs) and their associated dispute settlement mechanisms, can support the right to development. It does so by analysing how rules regarding protection and flow of foreign direct investment have and can contribute to realizing the right to development and help achieve sustainable development goals. It finds that IIAs have had limited effects for promotion of investment into or restricting the policy space for least developed and low-income countries. It argues that potential effects of IIAs cannot be properly understood without taking into account other means of protecting and promoting foreign direct investment, i.e., national investment legislation and contracts. So far, national investment legislation is likely to have had more significant impact on flows of foreign direct investment and policy space of host countries than IIAs. Reforms of IIAs to increase synergies with the right to development will, therefore, have to be based on knowledge about and assessments of the dynamics between IIAs, domestic investment legislation, and investment contracts.
Modified Koch curve broadband fractal antenna for spectrum sensing in cognitive radio
Authors: Aggarwal Monika , Pharwaha Amar Partap Singh
Published: December 2020

This paper presents the design and development of broadband modified Koch curve microstrip patch antenna with multiband characteristics for spectrum sensing in cognitive radio applications. The proposed spectrum sensing antenna is designed specifically for its efficient operation in the spectrum (1.683–3.05, 4.246–9.714, and 11.25–18 GHz) specified for L, S, C, X, Ku with broadband characteristics and omnidirectional radiation pattern. The validity of the proposed shape is proved by having a comparison with other fractal shapes available in the literature.
Weeding performance of a spring-tine harrow as affected by timing and operational parameters
Authors: Zeng Zhiwei , Martin Amy , Chen Ying , Ma Xu
Published: December 2020

The spring-tine harrow is gaining popularity for mechanical weeding. However, its weeding performance and mechanism have not been well understood. A spring-tine harrow was first tested in a controlled indoor soil bin at four different travel speeds (4, 6, 8, and 10 km h−1) with three different spring-loading settings (low, medium, and high). Then the harrow was tested in a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) field at the same spring-loading settings at three different weeding timings (early, middle, and late) in 2019 and 2020. Soil cutting forces (draft and vertical), soil displacements (forward and lateral), soil working depth, weed control efficacy, weed density, and crop damage were measured. The results showed that the spring-loading setting had a more dominant effect on working depth and soil cutting forces than the speed. The soil displacements were more dependent on the speed compared with the spring-loading setting. Treatment effects on weeding performance indicators in the field were similar across years. Adjusting the spring-loading setting from low to high improved the weeding efficacy from 44.9% to 73.9% in 2019 and from 51.6% to 78.1% in 2020. Consequently, the final weed density was minimized at the high loading setting, with the reduction in 2020 being significant. The middle weeding timing caused the least crop damage, while reducing the final weed density by approximately one-third compared with the control (without mechanical weeding), which was the most desired outcome among the three timings tested.
Eine Frage des Vertrauens – Grounded Theory-Studie zum Alltagserleben HIV-positiver und an AIDS erkrankter Menschen
Authors: Wosko Paulina , Schnepp Wilfried , Mayer Hanna , Pleschberger Sabine
Published: December 2020

Zusammenfassung. Hintergrund: Bei korrekter Einnahme der antiretroviralen Therapie gilt HIV / AIDS als eine Erkrankung mit chronischem Verlauf, die ein nahezu normales Alltagsleben zulässt, das dennoch von spezifischen Herausforderungen geprägt ist. Ziel: Es soll aufgezeigt werden, wie Menschen das Leben mit einer HIV-Infektion oder AIDS-Erkrankung unter dem Umstand der Chronifizierung erleben und wie sie ihren Alltag mit der Erkrankung bewältigen. Methode: Qualitativer Ansatz gemäß der Grounded Theory nach Corbin und Strauss; problemzentrierte Interviews mit 18 HIV-positiven oder an AIDS erkrankten Personen; Analyse unter Anwendung der Kodierprozesse mit Unterstützung von MAXQDA. Ergebnisse: Vertrauensbeziehungen im privaten und beruflichen Umfeld sowie im Gesundheitssystem sind von zentraler Bedeutung, da Diskriminierung und Stigmatisierung in allen diesen Bereichen präsent sind. Problematisch gestaltet sich für die Betroffenen vor allem die Offenlegung des Infektionsstatus. Drei Vertrauensmuster wurden identifiziert: gewachsenes Vertrauen, kontrolliertes Vertrauen sowie Misstrauen bzw. Vertrauensverlust. Je nach Muster verändert sich der Umgang der Betroffenen mit der Erkrankung und hat Folgen für ihre Lebensqualität. Schlussfolgerung: Die Darstellung der Vertrauens- und Handlungsmuster schafft eine theoretische Grundlage, die als Ansatzpunkt für die Beratung und Begleitung HIV-positiver und an AIDS erkrankter Menschen dienen kann. Ein Abbau von Stigmatisierung und Diskriminierung, insbesondere im Gesundheitssystem, gehört zu den vordringlichsten Aufgaben.
Fallbericht über eine an COVID-19 erkrankte Patientin mit bestehendem Schmerzsyndrom
Authors: Peters Anja Katharina
Published: December 2020

Zusammenfassung. Hintergrund: Die Patientin, deren Erleben hier darstellt wird, zeigte die – soweit derzeit bekannt – typischen klinischen Symptome einer COVID-19-Infektion, ausgenommen Dyspnoe. Die Diagnose wurde ausschließlich basierend auf den von der Patientin geschilderten Symptomen gestellt und im August 2020 durch einen Antikörpertest bestätigt. Fragestellung / Ziel: Aufgrund des akuten Interesses der Fachöffentlichkeit an Informationen über das Krankheitsbild und seine Implikationen für die Pflege entschieden Patientin und Autorin, den vorliegenden Fall vorzustellen. Methoden: Zur Anamnese wurden die Ego-Dokumente der Patientin ausgewertet; diese umfassten ein Symptomtagebuch sowie einen Bericht über ihre Erfahrungen mit dem National Health Service (NHS). Die Texte wurden durch ein strukturiertes Interview ergänzt. Ergebnisse: Es zeigte sich, dass hier die Pflegediagnosen „Akuter Schmerz“ und „Chronischer Schmerz“ im Vordergrund stehen, die bisher wenig diskutiert werden. Schlussfolgerung: Daraus lässt sich schließen, dass die an einer vermeintlichen Lungenerkrankung orientierten Pflegediagnosen abhängig von der / dem Patient_in nicht als vollständig angenommen werden können. Das Fallbeispiel wirft außerdem ein Schlaglicht auf die schwierige Lage des britischen Gesundheitswesens.
Präventive und therapeutische Interventionen für Kinder psychisch belasteter Eltern
Authors: Döhnert Mirko , Wiegand-Grefe Silke
Published: December 2020

Zusammenfassung. Das Risiko für Kinder psychisch kranker Eltern, im Laufe ihres Lebens selbst eine psychische Störung zu entwickeln, ist deutlich erhöht. Verschiedene Risikofaktoren sind bekannt und dienen als mögliche Ansatzpunkte präventiver und therapeutischer Maßnahmen. Im Rahmen zahlreicher Untersuchungen wurde die Wirksamkeit dieser Interventionen untersucht, die sich methodisch und inhaltlich sehr heterogen darstellen. Ein Fokus liegt auf frühen Interventionen bei Säuglingen und Kleinkindern mit depressiven und substanzabhängigen Müttern, ein zweiter bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit verschiedenen elterlichen psychiatrischen Störungsbildern. Mittlerweile liegen einige Metaanalysen vor, die den Interventionen bezogen auf die Entwicklung psychischer Symptome respektive Störungen bei den betroffenen Kindern kleine Effektstärken bescheinigen. Die Qualität der vorliegenden Studien ist jedoch oft nicht ausreichend und Kosten-Nutzen-Analysen liegen lediglich punktuell vor. Die Wirksamkeit der aktuell zur Verfügung stehenden präventiven und therapeutischen Maßnahmen ist unzureichend für eine effektive Verbesserung der Problematik von Kindern psychisch belasteter Eltern. Es besteht Forschungs- und Handlungsbedarf sowohl bezüglich der Entwicklung und Implementierung effektiver und ökonomischer Interventionen als auch bezüglich methodisch anspruchsvoller Untersuchungen zur Wirksamkeit.
Ein theoretischer Beitrag zu Self-talk in der Sportpsychologie
Authors: Fritsch Julian , Hatzigeorgiadis Antonis , Jekauc Darko , Latinjak Alexander T.
Published: December 2020

Zusammenfassung. In diesem theoretischen Artikel zum Thema Self-talk wird zunächst ein kurzer historischer Abriss gegeben, in dem auf verschiedene für das Thema relevante psychologische Theorien eingegangen wird. Darauf aufbauend wird die Unterscheidung von strategischem und organischem Self-talk, die sich in zwei verschiedenen Forschungsbereichen in der sportpsychologischen Literatur widerspiegelt, dargestellt. Im Zusammenhang mit organischem Self-talk als der Forschungsbereich, der die Messung von Self-talk während der sportlichen Aktivität beinhaltet, werden auf Zwei-Prozess-Ansätze basierende Self-talk Klassifikationen vorgestellt. Dabei wird anhand des Zusammenhanges von Self-talk und Emotionen gezeigt, dass sich die Forschung vor allem auf spontanen und zielgerichteten Self-talk als zwei Unterformen des organischen Self-talks konzentriert hat. Hinsichtlich des Forschungsfelds des strategischen Self-talks, welches Self-talk im Rahmen von geplanten Selbstinstruktionen zur Verbesserung der sportlichen Leistung untersucht, wird auf mögliche Wirkmechanismen eingegangen. Zuletzt wird die Relevanz von Self-talk in der angewandten Sportpsychologie aufgezeigt und dabei reflexive Self-talk Interventionen als eine innovative Methode beschrieben.
Influence of Kappa Distributions on the Whistler Mode Instability
Authors: Summers Danny , Tang Rongxin
Published: December 2020

Kappa distributions possess an enhanced high‐energy tail characterized by a spectral index κ. Here we consider how kappa distributions influence the whistler mode instability. In a relativistic regime, we analyze the effects of the bi‐kappa and kappa loss‐cone distributions on the linear and nonlinear growth of whistler mode waves. We find that for κ = 2, the linear growth rate corresponding to the bi‐kappa distribution exceeds that for a bi‐Maxwellian distribution (κ = ∞) for electron anisotropies less than a critical value. The threshold wave amplitude for nonlinear growth corresponding to a hot injected bi‐kappa distribution can be sensitively dependent on the value of κ, but also depends crucially on the electron anisotropy, parallel hot electron temperature, and wave frequency. We plot time profiles of the wave magnetic field, frequency, total nonlinear growth rate and local nonlinear growth rate, and examine how these depend on κ. The sweep (chirp) rates of the whistler mode chorus waves are found to be in the range of observed values, for the adopted plasma parameters. For a given value of the loss‐cone parameter σ, realistic whistler mode wave profiles may only exist for a restricted range of κ. For example, for σ ≥ 4, realistic wave profiles require κ ≥ 4 as well as a sufficiently large anisotropy. In summary, this new study finds that the influence of kappa distributions on the whistler mode instability is complex, not least because the instability depends on several system parameters as well as κ.
Postpartum questionnaire survey of women who tested negative in a non-invasive prenatal testing: examining negative emotions towards the test
Authors: Hirose Tatsuko , Shirato Nahoko , Izumi Mikiko , Miyagami Keiko , Sekizawa Akihiko
Published: December 2020

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is used worldwide to screen for fetal aneuploidy. Although previous studies on the psychosocial aspects of NIPT have focused on satisfaction regarding the test, we surveyed women who experienced negative emotions after receiving NIPT. From January 2018 to March 2019, we surveyed pregnant women whose NIPT results were negative, one year after the test. Of the 526 respondents, 35 (6.7%) regretted receiving NIPT and blamed themselves for taking it. We assigned this 6.7% of respondents to the negative emotion group. Although, 76.5% of the participants in the negative emotion group reported they would like to take NIPT for their next pregnancy, it was significantly lower as compared to the control group (92%). Furthermore, 31.9% of respondents in the control group reported that they would recommend similar tests to their relatives and friends. Conversely, in the negative emotion group, this proportion was lower at 17.1%. This suggests that guilt over testing may be meaningful. Thus, this study showed that some NIPT examinees regretted taking the test and blamed themselves. Respondents reported experiencing stress, anxiety, and depression even before NIPT affirming that it is important to address pregnant women’s psychosocial status during pre-test genetic counseling.
A droplet microfluidic platform for high-throughput photochemical reaction discovery
Authors: Sun Alexandra C. , Steyer Daniel J. , Allen Anthony R. , Payne Emory M. , Kennedy Robert T. , Stephenson Corey R. J.
Published: December 2020

The implementation of continuous flow technology is critical towards enhancing the application of photochemical reactions for industrial process development. However, there are significant time and resource constraints associated with translating discovery scale vial-based batch reactions to continuous flow scale-up conditions. Herein we report the development of a droplet microfluidic platform, which enables high-throughput reaction discovery in flow to generate pharmaceutically relevant compound libraries. This platform allows for enhanced material efficiency, as reactions can be performed on picomole scale. Furthermore, high-throughput data collection via on-line ESI mass spectrometry facilitates the rapid analysis of individual, nanoliter-sized reaction droplets at acquisition rates of 0.3 samples/s. We envision this high-throughput screening platform to expand upon the robust capabilities and impact of photochemical reactions in drug discovery and development.
Upconversion NIR-II fluorophores for mitochondria-targeted cancer imaging and photothermal therapy
Authors: Zhou Hui , Zeng Xiaodong , Li Anguo , Zhou Wenyi , Tang Lin , Hu Wenbo , Fan Quli , Meng Xianli , Deng Hai , Duan Lian , Li Yanqin , Deng Zixin , Hong Xuechuan , Xiao Yuling
Published: December 2020

NIR-II fluorophores have shown great promise for biomedical applications with superior in vivo optical properties. To date, few small-molecule NIR-II fluorophores have been discovered with donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) or symmetrical structures, and upconversion-mitochondria-targeted NIR-II dyes have not been reported. Herein, we report development of D-A type thiopyrylium-based NIR-II fluorophores with frequency upconversion luminescence (FUCL) at ~580 nm upon excitation at ~850 nm. H4-PEG-PT can not only quickly and effectively image mitochondria in live or fixed osteosarcoma cells with subcellular resolution at 1 nM, but also efficiently convert optical energy into heat, achieving mitochondria-targeted photothermal cancer therapy without ROS effects. H4-PEG-PT has been further evaluated in vivo and exhibited strong tumor uptake, specific NIR-II signals with high spatial and temporal resolution, and remarkable NIR-II image-guided photothermal therapy. This report presents the first D-A type thiopyrylium NIR-II theranostics for synchronous upconversion-mitochondria-targeted cell imaging, in vivo NIR-II osteosarcoma imaging and excellent photothermal efficiency.
Common germline-somatic variant interactions in advanced urothelial cancer
Authors: Vosoughi Aram , Zhang Tuo , Shohdy Kyrillus S. , Vlachostergios Panagiotis J. , Wilkes David C. , Bhinder Bhavneet , Tagawa Scott T. , Nanus David M. , Molina Ana M. , Beltran Himisha , Sternberg Cora N. , Motanagh Samaneh , Robinson Brian D. , Xiang Jenny , Fan Xiao , Chung Wendy K. , Rubin Mark A. , Elemento Olivier , Sboner Andrea , Mosquera Juan Miguel , Faltas Bishoy M.
Published: December 2020

The prevalence and biological consequences of deleterious germline variants in urothelial cancer (UC) are not fully characterized. We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) of germline DNA and 157 primary and metastatic tumors from 80 UC patients. We developed a computational framework for identifying putative deleterious germline variants (pDGVs) from WES data. Here, we show that UC patients harbor a high prevalence of pDGVs that truncate tumor suppressor proteins. Deepening somatic loss of heterozygosity in serial tumor samples is observed, suggesting a critical role for these pDGVs in tumor progression. Significant intra-patient heterogeneity in germline-somatic variant interactions results in divergent biological pathway alterations between primary and metastatic tumors. Our results characterize the spectrum of germline variants in UC and highlight their roles in shaping the natural history of the disease. These findings could have broad clinical implications for cancer patients.
Role of Raf-like kinases in SnRK2 activation and osmotic stress response in plants
Authors: Fàbregas Norma , Yoshida Takuya , Fernie Alisdair R.
Published: December 2020

Environmental drought and high salinity impose osmotic stress, which inhibits plant growth and yield. Thus, understanding how plants respond to osmotic stress is critical to improve crop productivity. Plants have multiple signalling pathways in response to osmotic stress in which the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays important roles. However, since little is known concerning key early components, the global osmotic stress-signalling network remains to be elucidated. Here, we review recent advances in the identification of osmotic-stress activated Raf-like protein kinases as regulators of ABA-dependent and -independent signalling pathways and discuss the plant stress-responsive kinase network from an evolutionary perspective.
Laser photonic-reduction stamping for graphene-based micro-supercapacitors ultrafast fabrication
Authors: Yuan Yongjiu , Jiang Lan , Li Xin , Zuo Pei , Xu Chenyang , Tian Mengyao , Zhang Xueqiang , Wang Sumei , Lu Bing , Shao Changxiang , Zhao Bingquan , Zhang Jiatao , Qu Liangti , Cui Tianhong
Published: December 2020

Micro-supercapacitors are promising miniaturized energy storage devices that have attracted considerable research interest. However, their widespread use is limited by inefficient microfabrication technologies and their low energy density. Here, a flexible, designable micro-supercapacitor can be fabricated by a single pulse laser photonic-reduction stamping. A thousand spatially shaped laser pulses can be generated in one second, and over 30,000 micro-supercapacitors are produced within 10 minutes. The micro-supercapacitor and narrow gaps were dozens of microns and 500 nm, respectively. With the unique three-dimensional structure of laser-induced graphene based electrode, a single micro-supercapacitor exhibits an ultra-high energy density (0.23 Wh cm−3), an ultra-small time constant (0.01 ms), outstanding specific capacitance (128 mF cm−2 and 426.7 F cm−3) and a long-term cyclability. The unique technique is desirable for a broad range of applications, which surmounts current limitations of high-throughput fabrication and low energy density of micro-supercapacitors.
Synthesis of high-titer alka(e)nes in Yarrowia lipolytica is enabled by a discovered mechanism
Authors: Li Jingbo , Ma Yongshuo , Liu Nian , Eser Bekir E. , Guo Zheng , Jensen Peter Ruhdal , Stephanopoulos Gregory
Published: December 2020

Alka(e)nes are ideal fuel components for aviation, long-distance transport, and shipping. They are typically derived from fossil fuels and accounting for 24% of difficult-to-eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. The synthesis of alka(e)nes in Yarrowia lipolytica from CO2-neutral feedstocks represents an attractive alternative. Here we report that the high-titer synthesis of alka(e)nes in Yarrowia lipolytica harboring a fatty acid photodecarboxylase (CvFAP) is enabled by a discovered pathway. We find that acyl-CoAs, rather than free fatty acids (FFAs), are the preferred substrate for CvFAP. This finding allows us to debottleneck the pathway and optimize fermentation conditions so that we are able to redirect 89% of acyl-CoAs from the synthesis of neutral lipids to alka(e)nes and reach titers of 1.47 g/L from glucose. Two other CO2-derived substrates, wheat straw and acetate, are also demonstrated to be effective in producing alka(e)nes. Overall, our technology could advance net-zero emissions by providing CO2-neutral and energy-dense liquid biofuels.
Structure of voltage-modulated sodium-selective NALCN-FAM155A channel complex
Authors: Kang Yunlu , Wu Jing-Xiang , Chen Lei
Published: December 2020

Resting membrane potential determines the excitability of the cell and is essential for the cellular electrical activities. The NALCN channel mediates sodium leak currents, which positively adjust resting membrane potential towards depolarization. The NALCN channel is involved in several neurological processes and has been implicated in a spectrum of neurodevelopmental diseases. Here, we report the cryo-EM structure of rat NALCN and mouse FAM155A complex to 2.7 Å resolution. The structure reveals detailed interactions between NALCN and the extracellular cysteine-rich domain of FAM155A. We find that the non-canonical architecture of NALCN selectivity filter dictates its sodium selectivity and calcium block, and that the asymmetric arrangement of two functional voltage sensors confers the modulation by membrane potential. Moreover, mutations associated with human diseases map to the domain-domain interfaces or the pore domain of NALCN, intuitively suggesting their pathological mechanisms.
Promoting CO2 methanation via ligand-stabilized metal oxide clusters as hydrogen-donating motifs
Authors: Li Yuhang , Xu Aoni , Lum Yanwei , Wang Xue , Hung Sung-Fu , Chen Bin , Wang Ziyun , Xu Yi , Li Fengwang , Abed Jehad , Huang Jianan Erick , Rasouli Armin Sedighian , Wicks Joshua , Sagar Laxmi Kishore , Peng Tao , Ip Alexander H. , Sinton David , Jiang Hao , Li Chunzhong , Sargent Edward H.
Published: December 2020

Electroreduction uses renewable energy to upgrade carbon dioxide to value-added chemicals and fuels. Renewable methane synthesized using such a route stands to be readily deployed using existing infrastructure for the distribution and utilization of natural gas. Here we design a suite of ligand-stabilized metal oxide clusters and find that these modulate carbon dioxide reduction pathways on a copper catalyst, enabling thereby a record activity for methane electroproduction. Density functional theory calculations show adsorbed hydrogen donation from clusters to copper active sites for the *CO hydrogenation pathway towards *CHO. We promote this effect via control over cluster size and composition and demonstrate the effect on metal oxides including cobalt(II), molybdenum(VI), tungsten(VI), nickel(II) and palladium(II) oxides. We report a carbon dioxide-to-methane faradaic efficiency of 60% at a partial current density to methane of 135 milliampere per square centimetre. We showcase operation over 18 h that retains a faradaic efficiency exceeding 55%.
Rationally patterned electrode of direct-current triboelectric nanogenerators for ultrahigh effective surface charge density
Authors: Zhao Zhihao , Dai Yejing , Liu Di , Zhou Linglin , Li Shaoxin , Wang Zhong Lin , Wang Jie
Published: December 2020

As a new-era of energy harvesting technology, the enhancement of triboelectric charge density of triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is always crucial for its large-scale application on Internet of Things (IoTs) and artificial intelligence (AI). Here, a microstructure-designed direct-current TENG (MDC-TENG) with rationally patterned electrode structure is presented to enhance its effective surface charge density by increasing the efficiency of contact electrification. Thus, the MDC-TENG achieves a record high charge density of ~5.4 mC m−2, which is over 2-fold the state-of-art of AC-TENGs and over 10-fold compared to previous DC-TENGs. The MDC-TENG realizes both the miniaturized device and high output performance. Meanwhile, its effective charge density can be further improved as the device size increases. Our work not only provides a miniaturization strategy of TENG for the application in IoTs and AI as energy supply or self-powered sensor, but also presents a paradigm shift for large-scale energy harvesting by TENGs.
Author Correction: Molecular estimation of neurodegeneration pseudotime in older brains
Authors: Mukherjee Sumit , Heath Laura , Preuss Christoph , Jayadev Suman , Garden Gwenn A. , Greenwood Anna K. , Sieberts Solveig K. , De Jager Philip L. , Ertekin-Taner Nilüfer , Carter Gregory W. , Mangravite Lara M. , Logsdon Benjamin A.
Published: December 2020

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20261-6
Palaeolithic voyage for invisible islands beyond the horizon
Authors: Kaifu Yousuke , Kuo Tien-Hsia , Kubota Yoshimi , Jan Sen
Published: December 2020

How Palaeolithic maritime transportation originated and developed is one of the key questions to understand the world-wide dispersal of modern humans that began 70,000–50,000 years ago. However, although the earliest evidence of maritime migration to Sahul (Australia and New Guinea) has been intensively studied, succeeding development of Paleolithic maritime activity is poorly understood. Here, we show evidence of deliberate crossing of challenging ocean that occurred 35,000–30,000 years ago in another region of the western Pacific, the Ryukyu Islands of southwestern Japan. Our analysis of satellite-tracked buoys drifting in the actual ocean demonstrated that accidental drift does not explain maritime migration to this 1200 km-long chain of islands, where the local ocean flows have kept the same since the late Pleistocene. Migration to the Ryukyus is difficult because it requires navigation across one of the world’s strongest current, the Kuroshio, toward an island that lay invisible beyond the horizon. This suggests that the Palaeolithic island colonization occurred in a wide area of the western Pacific was a result of human’s active and continued exploration, backed up by technological advancement.
In vivo O2 imaging in hepatic tissues by phosphorescence lifetime imaging microscopy using Ir(III) complexes as intracellular probes
Authors: Mizukami Kiichi , Katano Ayaka , Shiozaki Shuichi , Yoshihara Toshitada , Goda Nobuhito , Tobita Seiji
Published: December 2020

Phosphorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (PLIM) combined with an oxygen (O2)-sensitive luminescent probe allows for high-resolution O2 imaging of living tissues. Herein, we present phosphorescent Ir(III) complexes, (btp)2Ir(acac-DM) (Ir-1) and (btp-OH)3Ir (Ir-2), as useful O2 probes for PLIM measurement. These small-molecule probes were efficiently taken up into cultured cells and accumulated in specific organelles. Their excellent cell-permeable properties allowed for efficient staining of three-dimensional cell spheroids, and thereby phosphorescence lifetime measurements enabled the evaluation of the O2 level and distribution in spheroids, including the detection of alterations in O2 levels by metabolic stimulation with an effector. We took PLIM images of hepatic tissues of living mice by intravenously administrating these probes. The PLIM images clearly visualized the O2 gradient in hepatic lobules with cellular-level resolution, and the O2 levels were derived based on calibration using cultured cells; the phosphorescence lifetime of Ir-1 gave reasonable O2 levels, whereas Ir-2 exhibited much lower O2 levels. Intravenous administration of NH4Cl to mice caused the hepatic tissues to experience hypoxia, presumably due to O2 consumption to produce ATP required for ammonia detoxification, suggesting that the metabolism of the probe molecule might affect liver O2 levels.
Identifications and classifications of human locomotion using Rayleigh-enhanced distributed fiber acoustic sensors with deep neural networks
Authors: Peng Zhaoqiang , Wen Hongqiao , Jian Jianan , Gribok Andrei , Wang Mohan , Huang Sheng , Liu Hu , Mao Zhi-Hong , Chen Kevin P.
Published: December 2020

This paper reports on the use of machine learning to delineate data harnessed by fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensors (DAS) using fiber with enhanced Rayleigh backscattering to recognize vibration events induced by human locomotion. The DAS used in this work is based on homodyne phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometry (φ-OTDR). The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the DAS was enhanced using femtosecond laser-induced artificial Rayleigh scattering centers in single-mode fiber cores. Both supervised and unsupervised machine-learning algorithms were explored to identify people and specific events that produce acoustic signals. Using convolutional deep neural networks, the supervised machine learning scheme achieved over 76.25% accuracy in recognizing human identities. Conversely, the unsupervised machine learning scheme achieved over 77.65% accuracy in recognizing events and human identities through acoustic signals. Through integrated efforts on both sensor device innovation and machine learning data analytics, this paper shows that the DAS technique can be an effective security technology to detect and to identify highly similar acoustic events with high spatial resolution and high accuracies.