bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrical resistivity contrasts in the geotechnical assessment of iron caves, N4EN mine, Carajás, Brazil
Authors: Barbosa Marcelo Roberto , Braga Marco Antonio , da Gama Maria Filipa Perez , de Paula Rafael Guimarães , Brandi Iuri Viana , de Oliveira Dias Leonardo Santana
Published: October 2019

Although environmental laws and regulations vary among countries regarding natural caves near mine operations, all caves require studies for safety, preservation, and/or operational licensing purposes. Therefore, understanding the cave’s stability features and their risks of collapse are important considerations for mining companies. A near-surface electric resistivity survey applied to natural caves in the surroundings of an iron mine in Carajás, state of Pará, Brazil, identified three electrical patterns as indicative of points/zones of cave ceiling lithostructural weaknesses and instabilities: (1) low-resistivity contrast, in which the signatures abruptly pass to a low resistivity ([Formula: see text]) within a high-resistivity domain ([Formula: see text]), (2) high-intermediate resistivity contrast, a transition zone at the edge of the cave between a high resistivity at the center of the cave and a resistivity of approximately 900 ohm-m in the background, and (3) angular-resistivity contrast, a zone in which the section indicates vertical geometric patterns. We found five examples of these types of anomalies. When mining operations occurred closer to a known cave, a total of 15 rock falls were mapped. We found that 11 of these (73%) had geoelectrical anomalies similar to the patterns that we identified. These results contribute to improving the predictability of cave damage and its monitoring issues in which caves should be preserved during mining operations in their vicinity.
A comparison of deep machine learning and Monte Carlo methods for facies classification from seismic data
Authors: Grana Dario , Azevedo Leonardo , Liu Mingliang
Published: October 2019

Among the large variety of mathematical and computational methods for estimating reservoir properties such as facies and petrophysical variables from geophysical data, deep machine-learning algorithms have gained significant popularity for their ability to obtain accurate solutions for geophysical inverse problems in which the physical models are partially unknown. Solutions of classification and inversion problems are generally not unique, and uncertainty quantification studies are required to quantify the uncertainty in the model predictions and determine the precision of the results. Probabilistic methods, such as Monte Carlo approaches, provide a reliable approach for capturing the variability of the set of possible models that match the measured data. Here, we focused on the classification of facies from seismic data and benchmarked the performance of three different algorithms: recurrent neural network, Monte Carlo acceptance/rejection sampling, and Markov chain Monte Carlo. We tested and validated these approaches at the well locations by comparing classification predictions to the reference facies profile. The accuracy of the classification results is defined as the mismatch between the predictions and the log facies profile. Our study found that when the training data set of the neural network is large enough and the prior information about the transition probabilities of the facies in the Monte Carlo approach is not informative, machine-learning methods lead to more accurate solutions; however, the uncertainty of the solution might be underestimated. When some prior knowledge of the facies model is available, for example, from nearby wells, Monte Carlo methods provide solutions with similar accuracy to the neural network and allow a more robust quantification of the uncertainty, of the solution.
The Founding and Fracturing of the Mosquito Confederation: Zambos, Tawiras, and New Archival Evidence, 1711–1791
Authors: Mendiola Daniel
Published: October 2019

The purpose of this article is to assess the political, diplomatic, and ethnic dynamics of the Mosquito Kingdom, an Afro-indigenous alliance based along Central America's Caribbean coast, during the eighteenth century. Drawing from new archival sources—most notably those of the National Archives of Costa Rica—this essay first examines the political organization of the Mosquitos, demonstrating that early leaders consolidated their authority by unifying different factions into a powerful confederation with expansionist tendencies. This essay then presents new evidence against the hypothesis that ethnic rivalry was a major source of factional conflict within the kingdom and thereby calls for a reexamination of the causes of the confederation's descent into civil war in 1791.
European Auteurs Revisit the Western: Thomas Bidegain’sLes Cowboysand Valeska Grisebach’sWestern
Authors: Morari Codruţa
Published: October 2019

The classical film western enacts the myth of American manifest destiny, codifying and promulgating stories of the conquest of the West. Subsequent so-called revisionist westerns, of which John Ford’s The Searchers (1956) is the preeminent example, call this triumphal master narrative into question and probe the darker sides of American expansionism. Recent returns to the western by European auteurs both revisit the classic western and revise its revisionist extensions, foregrounding experiences of sociopolitical crisis, displacement, and disintegration of values such as community and home in an age of transnationalism and globalism. Focusing on two productions that self-consciously redeploy the western’s legacy, Thomas Bidegain’s Les Cowboys (2015) and Valeska Grisebach’s Western (2017), as well as some related examples, this article scrutinizes the myths of the genre and their enduring contemporary relevance.
Class Relations: Diagnoses of the Present in the Films of Julian Radlmaier and Max Linz
Authors: Pantenburg Volker
Published: October 2019

This article examines the work of Max Linz and Julian Radlmaier, two German directors born in the mid-1980s. It traces their academic and practical training in film studies and film directing and highlights their aesthetic and political approach as an attempt to counter the cinema of the Berlin School. Amalgamating various German and international influences, from Christoph Schlingensief, Alexander Kluge, and Rainer Werner Fassbinder (Linz) to Roberto Rossellini, Pier Paolo Pasolini, and the classical avant-gardes of the 1920s (Radlmaier), their student shorts and feature films combine a playful eclecticism with an acute sense of contemporary political issues like precarious working conditions, gentrification, and the commodification of art and culture.
Architectures of Images, Avalanches of Memory: Dominik Graf’s Urban Essay Films
Authors: Frahm Laura A.
Published: October 2019

This article sheds light on Dominik Graf’s long-standing and often-overlooked engagement with the essay film since the mid-1990s. The article contends that his urban essays, his cinema and television essays, and his commemorative essays are driven by a reconstructive impetus that takes stock of the state of German cities, German media, and German society from the viewpoint of their “end.” In reading these three variations of his essay films as “architectures of images,” the article presents Graf and his collaborators as “collectors” and “combiners,” who not only (re)construct highly layered works out of archival materials that activate multiple public and personal histories at once but also elicit a larger reflection on the potential of moving images to capture these layered histories in their constant transformation.
Expecting the Unexpected: Emissions Uncertainty and Environmental Market Design
Authors: Borenstein Severin , Bushnell James , Wolak Frank A. , Zaragoza-Watkins Matthew
Published: October 2019

We study potential equilibria in California’s cap-and-trade market for greenhouse gases (GHGs) based on information available before the market started. We find large ex ante uncertainty in business-as-usual emissions and in the abatement that might result from non-market policies, much larger than the reduction that could plausibly occur in response to an allowance price within a politically acceptable range. This implies that the market price is very likely to be determined by an administrative price floor or ceiling. Similar factors seem likely to be present in other cap-and-trade markets for GHGs. (JEL D47, D81, Q54, Q58, R11)
Monetary Policy, Bounded Rationality, and Incomplete Markets
Authors: Farhi Emmanuel , Werning Iván
Published: October 2019

This paper extends the benchmark New-Keynesian model by introducing two frictions: (i) agent heterogeneity with incomplete markets, uninsurable idiosyncratic risk, and occasionally-binding borrowing constraints; and (ii) bounded rationality in the form of level-k thinking. Compared to the benchmark model, we show that the interaction of these two frictions leads to a powerful mitigation of the effects of monetary policy, which is more pronounced at long horizons, and offers a potential rationalization of the “forward guidance puzzle.” Each of these frictions, in isolation, would lead to no or much smaller departures from the benchmark model. (JEL D52, D81, E12, E52)
The Paradox of Global Thrift
Authors: Fornaro Luca , Romei Federica
Published: October 2019

This paper describes a paradox of global thrift. Consider a world in which interest rates are low and monetary policy is constrained by the zero lower bound. Now imagine that governments implement prudential financial and fiscal policies to stabilize the economy. We show that these policies, while effective from the perspective of individual countries, might backfire if applied on a global scale. In fact, prudential policies generate a rise in the global supply of savings and a drop in global aggregate demand. Weaker global aggregate demand depresses output in countries at the zero lower bound. Due to this effect, noncooperative financial and fiscal policies might lead to a fall in global output and welfare. (JEL E21, E23, E43, E44, E52, E62, F32)
Liquidity Sentiments
Authors: Asriyan Vladimir , Fuchs William , Green Brett
Published: October 2019

We develop a rational theory of liquidity sentiments in which the market outcome in any given period depends on agents’ expectations about market conditions in future periods. Our theory is based on the interaction between adverse selection and resale considerations giving rise to an intertemporal coordination problem that yields multiple self-fulfilling equilibria. We construct “sentiment” equilibria in which sunspots generate fluctuations in prices, volume, and welfare, all of which are positively correlated. The intertemporal nature of the coordination problem disciplines the set of possible sentiment dynamics. In particular, sentiments must be sufficiently persistent and transitions must be stochastic. We consider an extension with production in which asset quality is endogenously determined and provide conditions under which sentiments are a necessary feature of any equilibrium. A testable implication is that assets produced in good times are of lower average quality than those produced in bad times. (JEL D84, D82, E32, E44, G12)
Did Austerity Cause Brexit?
Authors: Fetzer Thiemo
Published: October 2019

This paper documents a significant association between the exposure of an individual or area to the UK government’s austerity-induced welfare reforms begun in 2010, and the following: the subsequent rise in support for the UK Independence Party, an important correlate of Leave support in the 2016 UK referendum on European Union membership; broader individual-level measures of political dissatisfaction; and direct measures of support for Leave. Leveraging data from all UK electoral contests since 2000, along with detailed, individual-level panel data, the findings suggest that the EU referendum could have resulted in a Remain victory had it not been for austerity. (JEL D72, F15, F60, H53, I38)
Ethnic and age differences in right-left breast asymmetry in a large population-based screening population
Authors: Hudson Sue M , Wilkinson Louise S , Denholm Rachel , De Stavola Bianca L , dos-Santos-Silva Isabel
Published: October 2019

Objective:

Exposure to sex hormones is important in the pathogenesis of breast cancer and inability to tolerate such exposure may be reflected in increased asymmetrical growth of the breasts. This study aims to characterize, for the first time, asymmetry in breast volume (BV) and radiodense volume (DV) in a large ethnically diverse population.

Methods:

Automated measurements from digital raw mammographic images of 54,591 cancer-free participants (aged 47–73) in a UK breast screening programme were used to calculate absolute (cm3) and relative asymmetry in BV and DV. Logistic regression models were fitted to assess asymmetry associations with age and ethnicity.

Results:

BV and DV absolute asymmetry were positively correlated with the corresponding volumetric dimension (BV or DV). BV absolute asymmetry increased, whilst DV absolute asymmetry decreased, with increasing age (P-for-linear-trend <0.001 for both). Relative to Whites, Blacks had statistically significantly higher, and Chinese lower, BV and DV absolute asymmetries. However, after adjustment for the corresponding underlying volumetric dimension the age and ethnic differences were greatly attenuated. Median relative (fluctuating) BV and DV asymmetry were 2.34 and 3.28% respectively.

Conclusion:

After adjusting for the relevant volumetric dimension (BV or DV), age and ethnic differences in absolute breast asymmetry were largely resolved.

Advances in knowledge:

Previous small studies have reported breast asymmetry—breast cancer associations. Automated measurements of asymmetry allow the conduct of large-scale studies to further investigate these associations.
Kinetic analysis of IFIT1 and IFIT5 interactions with different native and engineered RNAs and its consequences for designing mRNA-based therapeutics
Authors: Miedziak Beata , Dobieżyńska Anna , Darżynkiewicz Zbigniew M. , Bartkowska Julia , Miszkiewicz Joanna , Kowalska Joanna , Warminski Marcin , Tyras Michal , Trylska Joanna , Jemielity Jacek , Darzynkiewicz Edward , Grzela Renata
Published: October 2019

In response to foreign RNA, cellular antiviral mechanisms stimulate high expression of interferon-induced proteins with tetratricopeptide repeats (IFITs). Two members of the IFIT protein family, IFIT1 and IFIT5, are capable of binding the very terminal 5′ end of mRNA. In eukaryotes, these mRNA termini contain a cap structure (m7GpppN, cap 0) that is often subjected to further modifications. Here, we performed a thorough examination of IFIT1 and IFIT5 binding to a wide spectrum of differently capped as well as fully uncapped mRNAs. The kinetic analysis of IFIT1 and IFIT5 interactions with mRNA ligands indicates that the cap structure modifications considerably influence the stability of IFIT1/RNA complexes. The most stable complexes were formed between IFIT1 and GpppG/A- and m7GpppG/A-RNAs. Unexpectedly, we found that NAD+- and NADH-capped RNAs associate with IFIT5 with kinetic parameters comparable to pppG–RNA. Finally, we measured interactions of IFIT1 with mRNAs bearing modified synthetic cap analogs that start to become the important tools in biotechnological and medicinal research. We found that incorporation of modified cap analogs to the RNA protects the latter, to a certain degree, from the translational inhibition caused by IFIT1 protein.
HIGH-PRODUCTIVE FODDER VARIETY “ENDAN”
Authors: Блохин Василий , Blokhin Vasiliy , Ганиева Ирина , Ganieva Irina , Сержанов Игорь , Serzhanov Igor , Каримов Ханиф , Karimov Khanif
Published: October 2019

Generating a variety of spring barley for feed use, which is the main forage crop in our region, and contributing to the main forage crop in our region, helps to increase the efficiency of livestock production. According to the results of scientific research, conducted in 2015-2018, a comparative assessment submitted for state variety testing in 2017 in 2 regions of the Russian Federation: Volga-Vyatskiy (4) and Srednevolzhskiy (7) the spring barley variety “Endan” showed, that it corresponds to the feed direction, characterized by high yield, environmental stability with increased feed grain quality. The new variety of spring barley “Endan” fully meets the basic requirements of agricultural production in many respects. In all the years of research, the “Endan” variety surpasses the standard “Raushan” variety in grain productivity. The feed direction value of this variety is that it has a high yield of crude protein per unit of sown area at high yields. The “Endan” variety combines high productivity with environmental stability and adaptive ability to external conditions. A production test proves the ability of this variety to produce high yields compared to the standard and the new Kamashevsky variety.
Managing Portfolio of Elective Surgical Procedures: A Multidimensional Inverse Newsvendor Problem
Authors: Bavafa Hessam , Leys Charles M. , Örmeci Lerzan , Savin Sergei
Published: October 2019

Hospital care is one of the fundamental components in any healthcare delivery system. Within hospital care, surgical procedures account for the largest share of the revenue generated. Traditionally, the operating room (OR) capacity is viewed as a major constraint limiting a hospital's ability to increase the number of surgical procedures and the accompanying revenues. However, each procedure consumes not only the OR capacity but also, the hospital bed capacity. In “Managing Portfolio of Elective Surgical Procedures: A Multidimensional Inverse Newsvendor Problem,” Hessam Bavafa, Charles M. Leys, Lerzan Örmeci, and Sergei Savin investigate the effects of the interaction between the two resources (i.e., OR and recovery beds) on the optimal number of elective surgical procedures to be performed daily. They evaluate the performance of the “front-end” approach, which considers only the OR capacity, in different settings. Moreover, they show how the variability of the resource utilization by surgical procedures affects the optimal elective portfolio.
Vascular dementia: diagnosis, treatment and medical management
Authors: Nazarko Linda
Published: October 2019

In the UK, an estimated 954 000 people have dementia. Vascular dementia (VaD) is the second most common type of dementia and affects around 257 607 people ( Prince et al, 2014:16—Table 4 ). This article explains about the pathophysiology and clinical features of VaD, how it can be prevented, how it is diagnosed and the medication used to treat VaD.
Music in mechanically ventilated stroke patients
Authors: Olson DaiWai M , Perera Anjali , Atem Folefac , Wagner Audra S , Zanders Michael , Venkatachalam Aardhra M , Stutzman Sonja E
Published: October 2019

Background:

Music as a therapeutic intervention for critically ill stroke patients has not been adequately researched. This may be related to a limited number of tools being available to measure the hypnotic response when patients cannot respond verbally. This pilot study examines the feasibility of bispectral index (BIS) monitoring to study music as a stress-reduction intervention in the neurocritical care setting.

Methods:

This prospective, randomised, crossover, pilot study enrolled 30 patients. On each of two consecutive days, patients were randomised to either 1 hour of silence followed by a crossover to 1 hour of music, or the reverse (music then silence). BIS values were recorded to evaluate stress and agitation before, during and after the 2-hour study period.

Results:

There were no reported adverse events, supporting feasibility of this pilot intervention. BIS values were sampled once every 6 seconds during the 2-hour study period. There was a statistically significant difference in BIS scores between the music and no music group (p<0.0001).

Conclusion:

The use of neurofunction monitors to assess response to music is feasible during the critical care phase for patients with stroke. Additional studies should focus on genre, timing and route of delivery for music as an intervention.
Veterinary nurses must be conscious of recent research indicating early neutering of bitches increases incontinence risk
Authors: Pegram Camilla
Published: October 2019

A new study by the Royal Veterinary College has found that there is a link between early-onset urinary incontinence in female dogs and the age at which they are neutered. RVC epidemiologist Camilla Pegram explains.
Proteomic analysis of extracellular vesicles from medullospheres reveals a role for iron in the cancer progression of medulloblastoma
Authors: Larsen Maja , Kuhlmann Matthias Kuhlmann , Hvam Michael , Howard Kenneth
Published: October 2019

Background: Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant childhood brain tumor with the propensity todisseminate at an early stage, and is associated with high morbidity. New treatment strategies are needed toimprove cure rates and to reduce life-long cognitive and functional deficits associated with current therapies.Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) are important players in cell-to-cell communication in health and diseases. A clearerunderstanding of cell-to-cell communication in tumors can be achieved by studying EV secretion inmedullospheres. This can reveal subtle modifications induced by the passage from adherent to non-adherentgrowth, as spheres may account for the adaptation of tumor cells to the mutated environment.Methods: Formation of medullospheres from MB cell lines stabilized in adherent conditions was obtained throughculture conditioning based on low attachment flasks and specialized medium. EVs collected by ultracentrifugation,in adherent conditions and as spheres, were subjected to electron microscopy, NanoSight measurements andproteomics.Results: Interestingly, iron carrier proteins were only found in EVs shed by CSC-enriched tumor cell population ofspheres. We used iron chelators when culturing MB cell lines as spheres. Iron chelators induced a decrease innumber/size of spheres and in stem cell populations able to initiate in vitro spheres formation.Conclusions: This work suggests a not yet identified role of iron metabolism in MB progression and invasion andopens the possibility to use chelators as adjuvants in anti-tumoral chemotherapy.
Small bowel obstruction secondary to diaphragmatic herniation following transabdominal cardiac ablation
Authors: Sharma E , Bussa-Rao C , Sergot A , Ratnasigham K , Thomas GP
Published: October 2019

We report an unusual case of strangulated diaphragmatic hernia secondary to a pericardial ablation, which resulted in necrosis of the incarcerated small bowel. Through a literature search, we have found a limited number of similar cases introducing a case series for this rare but potentially fatal condition.
Research note: A prenotice greeting card’s impact on response rates and response time
Authors: Griggs Ashley K. , Powell Rebecca J. , Keeney Jennifer , Waggy Megan , Harris Kathleen Mullan , Halpern Carolyn T. , Dean Sarah
Published: October 2019

Maintaining high response rates over time is critical for the integrity of longitudinal studies. A best practice for encouraging survey participation in cross-sectional studies is to send sample members a pre-incentive with the survey invitation. However, in longitudinal studies this may change sample members’ future expectations of incentives. Instead researchers can use a prenotice to remind longitudinal sample members of the study and inform them of the upcoming wave. A unique greeting card format for a prenotice was experimentally tested against a $10 pre-incentive in the longitudinal study Add Health. The prenotice card, which thanked sample members for their ongoing contributions to the study over the last 20-plus years, significantly increased response rates and decreased survey response times over the 12-month course of data collection compared to the control. At the end of data collection, the prenotice card was equally effective as a $10 pre-incentive. However, in the first month of data collection, the combination of the prenotice card and pre-incentive was the most effective approach, suggesting that the best approach may depend on the planned duration of data collection. Additionally, sample members who did not participate in a previous wave had higher response rates this wave with the pre-incentive compared to the control. The findings suggest that long-term longitudinal study participants may evaluate researchers’ gratitude as a type of benefit on par with monetary incentives, offering researchers opportunities to reduce incentive costs, but this may differ based on previous wave participation.
A longitudinal examination of the measurement equivalence of mental health assessments in two British birth cohorts
Authors: Ploubidis George B. , McElroy Eoin , Moreira Hugo Cogo
Published: October 2019

Valid inference from the investigation of mental health relies – among others – on the assumption of no measurement error. However, it is well known that data from self-reported measures are likely to be biased by some process that is driven by the respondent’s personality and/or circumstances. We capitalised on data available in two nationally representative birth cohorts, the National Child Development Study (1958 birth cohort) and the 1970 British Cohort Study to formally test the longitudinal measurement equivalence of the nine-item version of the Malaise Inventory, a measure of psychological distress. The inclusion of identical assessments of mental health in adulthood in both cohorts allowed us to evaluate their measurement properties and investigate whether the passage of time has differentially affected the interpretation of mental health assessments. To do so, we employed methods within the generalised latent variable measurement modelling framework and related extensions for formally testing measurement invariance. We found that the passage of two decades and more in both cohorts have not influenced how participants respond to the short version of the Malaise Inventory. The observed scalar invariance of the short version of the Malaise Inventory implies that potential sources of bias such as age effects, survey design, period effects, or cohort specific effects did not influence the way participants in the two cohorts respond to the symptoms described in the Malaise Inventory. Our results offer some reassurance for the extent to which self-reported mental health survey questions are affected by systematic sources of error.
Chord language
Authors: LI Xiaohong
Published: October 2019

Chord language is based on chord (quantum) spectrum, string (open, closed, membrane), etc., and is used to express time (music), space (painting), life (meridians, chakras); Chord semantics comes from chord (quantum) spectrum, which is natural information and will.

Chords (quantum spectrum, strings) express space-time, life, etc., and the universe is based on chords.
Otimização do aproveitamento hídrico superficial no alto curso do rio Uberaba, Triângulo Mineiro
Authors: Costa Emiliano Silva , Salla Marcio Ricardo , Pereira Carlos Eugênio , Lima Guilherme de
Published: October 2019

Atualmente os recursos hídricos têm importância acentuada devido ao desenvolvimento econômico do Brasil e do mundo, com a multiplicidade em seus usos, como por exemplo, o abastecimento público, irrigação de culturas, geração de energia hidroelétrica, dessedentação de animais, entre outros. A fim de minimizar a pressão hídrica, instrumentos de gestão vêm sendo desenvolvidos para apoiar o planejamento e a gestão a nível de bacia hidrográfica. Sendo assim, o presente artigo teve como objetivo geral trazer alternativas de otimização do aproveitamento hídrico superficial no alto curso do rio Uberaba, Triângulo Mineiro. Verificou-se que a substituição da base de cálculo da vazão Q7,10 anual para mensal apresentou aumento da vazão disponível para a maior parte do ano, sendo o mais significativo no mês de fevereiro, com 2.488% de aumento na disponibilidade hídrica, enquanto o mês de outubro apresentou 47,22% a menos quando comparado com a Q7,10 anual. Dentre os critérios para concessão de outorga estudados, o critério de 50% da Q7,10 mensal apresentou maior aumento na disponibilidade hídrica.
Role of Nanomedicine in Redox Mediated Healing at Molecular Level
Authors: Adhikari Aniruddha , Mondal Susmita , Darbar Soumendra , Kumar Pal Samir
Published: October 2019

Nanomedicine, the offspring born from the marriage of nanotechnology and medicine, has already brought momentous advances in the fight against a plethora of unmet diseases from cardiovascular and neurodegenerative to diabetes and cancer. Here, we review a conceptual framework that will provide a basic understanding about the molecular mechanism of action of a therapeutic nanomaterial inside biological milieu. In this review, we highlight how the catalytic nature of a transition metal oxide nanomaterial influences the cellular redox homeostasis, supports the cellular antioxidant defence system and reactivates the reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated signalling to perform normal cell functions like cell cycle, differentiation, apoptosis, inflammation, toxicity, and protein interactions. With numerous examples, we describe the redox modulatory nature of d-block metal oxide nanomaterials and their biomimetic nanozyme activities to protect the mitochondria, the cellular redox mediator which prevents an organism from various diseases. This knowledge will be useful to design new nanomaterials capable of intracellular redox modulation, which in turn can be effective therapeutic agents for treatment of various unmet diseases that are beyond the ability of modern synthetic medicine.
Sonographic visibility of cannulas using convex ultrasound transducers
Authors: Rumble Stephen , Schmitz Georg , Dencks Stefanie
Published: October 2019

The key for safe ultrasound (US)-guided punctures is a good visibility of the cannula. When using convex transducers for deep punctures, the incident angle between US beam and cannula varies along the cannula leading to a complex visibility pattern. Here, we present a method to systematically investigate the visibility throughout the US image. For this, different objective criteria were defined and applied to measurement series with varying puncture angles and depths of the cannula. It is shown that the visibility not only depends on the puncture angle but also on the location of the cannula in the US image when using convex transducers. In some image regions, an unexpected good visibility was observed even for steep puncture angles. The systematic evaluation of the cannula visibility is of fundamental interest to sensitise physicians to the handling of convex transducers and to evaluate new techniques for further improvement.
Miscibility studies of polystyrene/polyvinyl chloride blend in presence of organoclay
Authors: Aseeri Jumaa , Alandis Naser M. , Mekhamer Waffa , Alam Manawwer
Published: October 2019

Polystyrene (PS)/ polyvinyl chloride (PVC) blends of different compositions, with and without organoclay (OC) were prepared by a solution casting method. PS and PVC were combined in ratios of 100/0, 90/10, 10/90, and 0/100. Local clay was treated with 0.5M NaCl to generate sodium clay (Na-clay). The Na-clay was subsequently modified using the cationic surfactant, cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), at a concentration of 0.5 times that of Na-clay. The CPC-modified clay was denoted as organoclay (OC). The organoclay was dispersed in PS/PVC blends (90/10 and 10/90) with different weight percentages of OC (0%, 1%, 5%, and 10%). To evaluate the miscibility of PS/PVC blends, the blends with and without OC were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). The addition of OC to the PS/PVC blends produced exfoliated nanocomposites, as proven by XRD. The SEM and TEM micrographs showed that the PS/PVC(10/90) blend components were more miscible than those of the PS/PVC(90/10) blend, leading to favorable morphology.
Molecular Properties of Symmetrical Networks Using Topological Polynomials
Authors: Wang Xing-Long , Liu Jia-Bao , Ahmad Maqsood , Kamran Siddiqui Muhammad , Hussain Muhammad , Saeed Muhammad
Published: October 2019

A numeric quantity that comprehend characteristics of molecular graph Γ of chemical compound is known as topological index. This number is, in fact, invariant with respect to symmetry properties of molecular graph Γ. Many researchers have established, after diverse studies, a parallel between the physico chemical properties like boiling point, stability, similarity, chirality and melting point of chemical species and corresponding chemical graph. These descriptors defined on chemical graphs are extremely helpful for researchers to conduct regression model like QSAR/QSPR and better understand the physical features, complexity of molecules, chemical and biological properties of underlying compound.

In this paper, several structure descriptors of vital importance, namely, first, second, modified and augmented Zagreb indices, inverse and general Randic indices, symmetric division, harmonic, inverse sum and forgotten indices of Hex-derived Meshes (networks) of two kinds, namely, HDN1(n) and HDN2(n) are computed and recovered using general approach of topological polynomials.
Computer technology of the thermal stress state and fatigue life analysis of turbine engine exhaust support frames
Authors: Ryabov A. A. , Romano V. I. , Rechkin V. N. , Kudryavtsev A. Yu. , Strelets D. Yu.
Published: October 2019

An advanced computer technology of the thermal stress state and fatigue life analysis of turbine engine exhaust support frames based on the use of licensed engineering analysis software, as well as some specialized home codes are presented in the paper. The developed technology allows perform simulations for the full model of the structure, not only for the typical fragments models, and increase an accuracy of calculations and significantly reduce a design time.
On the Fitness between Law and Economics—Or Sunstein between Posner and Calabresi
Authors: Esposito Fabrizio
Published: October 2019

This article strengthens Calabresi’s call for a bilateral relationship between law and economics with two claims. The first claim is that the fitness analysis of Law and Economics (“concept-based fitness”) requires studying legal reasons and reasoning. This is a remarkable difference with the fitness analysis performed by the Economic Analysis of Law (“effect-based fitness”). Accordingly, Law and Economics and Economic Analysis of Law differ at the fitness stage already. The second claim is that Sunstein’s research on minimalism resonates well with Calabresi’s project although Sunstein has failed to acknowledge this in his book review. The article concludes with a discussion of how a minimalist approach contributes to a bilateral relationship between economics and law.
Commons in the Past and the Future of Law and Economics
Authors: Stojanovic Aleksandar
Published: October 2019

This article explores the role of commons in law and economics under the assumption that its strength (following Calabresi. 2016. The Future of Law and Economics: Essays in Reform and Recollection. Yale University Press) comes from the ability to amplify economic theory by integrating elements of institutional reality into the analytic framework. Following an analysis of the role that the spoilage of commons has played in the early developments of the transaction cost framework, the article considers the ways in which the success of commons could amplify the law and economics further. I conclude these costs could be conceptualized by extending Calabresi’s own past work on the role of values in institutional arrangements in the direction of understanding the contributions and losses of different arrangements concerning the capacity of values motivate economic activity.
Impact of dissolved organic matter in D0- and AD0-stages in bleaching of birch kraft pulp
Authors: Wilke Caroline , Andersson Niclas , Germgård Ulf
Published: October 2019

To be able to charge a correct amount of chlorine dioxide in the D0-stage, a pulp mill needs good control of the bleaching process and good sensors to keep the variability of the bleaching result on an acceptable level. It is also important to include the bleaching agent demand from the dissolved matter in the pulp slurry. If this is done correctly, over- or undercharging of bleaching agents can be reduced, which lead to lower bleaching chemical cost, lower polluting emissions and higher pulp quality.

Our previous research has shown that the dissolved organic carryover from the O2-stage varies significantly when bleaching softwood kraft pulp. The present study investigated the corresponding impact in the case of bleaching of birch pulp. Different mill configurations and process conditions have been simulated in laboratory trials, including proceeding A-stage treatment, different degrees of washing before and between the stages, and a comparison of the effects of recycled and non-recycled wash filtrates. The results have confirmed the significant impact of the dissolved organic matter, and the knowledge which have been generated can be used to understand how measurement and control concepts can be developed to improve the pulp quality control and to decrease production cost.
Effect of austenitising heat treatment on microstructure and properties of a nitrogen bearing martensitic stainless steel
Authors: Li Xiao , Wei Yinghui
Published: October 2019

The effect of austenitising heat treatment on the microstructure, hardness and metal release of the nitrogen bearing, martensitic stainless steel 420U6 was investigated. The heat treatment was carried out at temperatures between 950 to 1,150∘C with a holding time between 30 to 120min, followed by air cooling. The quenched microstructures observed by a scanning electron microscope indicated that by increasing the austenitising temperature and holding time, the number of carbides decreases while the grain size and the amount of retained austenite increases. For a given holding time, the hardness increases to a peak and then decreases continuously with the increase of temperature. The metal release test, according to the GB 4806.9-2016 standard, reveals that the metal release concentration is highly affected by the austenitising temperature. The parameters of the austenitising heat treatment, which can achieve the optimum combination of hardness and metal release, were obtained.
Rhythmic Temporal Expectation Boosts Neural Activity by Increasing Neural Gain
Authors: Auksztulewicz Ryszard , Myers Nicholas E. , Schnupp Jan W. , Nobre Anna C.
Published: October 2019

Temporal orienting improves sensory processing, akin to other top–down biases. However, it is unknown whether these improvements reflect increased neural gain to any stimuli presented at expected time points, or specific tuning to task-relevant stimulus aspects. Furthermore, while other top–down biases are selective, the extent of trade-offs across time is less well characterized. Here, we tested whether gain and/or tuning of auditory frequency processing in humans is modulated by rhythmic temporal expectations, and whether these modulations are specific to time points relevant for task performance. Healthy participants (N= 23) of either sex performed an auditory discrimination task while their brain activity was measured using magnetoencephalography/electroencephalography (M/EEG). Acoustic stimulation consisted of sequences of brief distractors interspersed with targets, presented in a rhythmic or jittered way. Target rhythmicity not only improved behavioral discrimination accuracy and M/EEG-based decoding of targets, but also of irrelevant distractors preceding these targets. To explain this finding in terms of increased sensitivity and/or sharpened tuning to auditory frequency, we estimated tuning curves based on M/EEG decoding results, with separate parameters describing gain and sharpness. The effect of rhythmic expectation on distractor decoding was linked to gain increase only, suggesting increased neural sensitivity to any stimuli presented at relevant time points.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTBeing able to predict when an event may happen can improve perception and action related to this event, likely due to the alignment of neural activity to the temporal structure of stimulus streams. However, it is unclear whether rhythmic increases in neural sensitivity are specific to task-relevant targets, and whether they competitively impair stimulus processing at unexpected time points. By combining magnetoencephalography and encephalographic recordings, neural decoding of auditory stimulus features, and modeling, we found that rhythmic expectation improved neural decoding of both relevant targets and irrelevant distractors presented and expected time points, but did not competitively impair stimulus processing at unexpected time points. Using a quantitative model, these results were linked to nonspecific neural gain increases due to rhythmic expectation.
Multiple Timescales Account for Adaptive Responses across Sensory Cortices
Authors: Latimer Kenneth W. , Barbera Dylan , Sokoletsky Michael , Awwad Bshara , Katz Yonatan , Nelken Israel , Lampl Ilan , Fairhall Adriene L. , Priebe Nicholas J.
Published: October 2019

Sensory systems encounter remarkably diverse stimuli in the external environment. Natural stimuli exhibit timescales and amplitudes of variation that span a wide range. Mechanisms of adaptation, a ubiquitous feature of sensory systems, allow for the accommodation of this range of scales. Are there common rules of adaptation across different sensory modalities? We measured the membrane potential responses of individual neurons in the visual, somatosensory, and auditory cortices of male and female mice to discrete, punctate stimuli delivered at a wide range of fixed and nonfixed frequencies. We find that the adaptive profile of the response is largely preserved across these three areas, exhibiting attenuation and responses to the cessation of stimulation, which are signatures of response to changes in stimulus statistics. We demonstrate that these adaptive responses can emerge from a simple model based on the integration of fixed filters operating over multiple time scales.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTOur recent sensations affect our current expectations and perceptions of the environment. Neural correlates of this process exist throughout the brain and are loosely termed adaptation. Adaptive processes have been described across sensory cortices, but direct comparisons of these processes have not been possible because paradigms have been tailored specifically for each modality. We developed a common stimulus set that was used to characterize adaptation in somatosensory, visual, and auditory cortex. We describe here the similarities and differences in adaptation across these cortical areas and demonstrate that adaptive responses may emerge from a set of static filters that operate over a broad range of timescales.
Leptin and insulin in young adulthood are associated with weight in infancy
Authors: Simeoni Umberto , Osmond Clive , Garay Ricardo , Buffat Christophe , Boubred Farid , Chagnaud Christophe , Jouve Elisabeth , Audebert Christine , Antoine Jean-Michel , Thornburg Kent
Published: October 2019

Low weight in early infancy is a known risk factor for cardio-metabolic syndrome in adult life. However, little is known either about developmental programming in subjects of normal birthweight or about events between the ages which separate early programming and the occurrence of disease at late adulthood. We tested the hypothesis that circulating concentrations of leptin, adiponectin and insulin in young, healthy adults, born with a birth size within the normal range, are influenced by early life growth patterns. In an observational study of 188 healthy volunteers aged 18–25 years (97 males, 91 females) we investigated the association of metabolic function with their birth size, their growth during childhood and their body composition. High plasma leptin in early adulthood, a risk factor for cardio-metabolic syndrome, was associated with low weight at age 2 years (correlation coefficient controlled for adult weight = −0.21, P < 0.01). It was also positively associated with pre-prandial insulin and with HOMA (Homeostasis Model Assessment) insulin resistance. Leptin, leptin-adiponectin ratio and insulin correlated with lean mass, fat mass and percent fat (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, high leptin in early adulthood was associated with both low weight at age 2 years and insulin resistance. We speculate that high leptin is developmentally programmed and can contribute to the association between low weight in early infancy and increased cardio-metabolic risk in adulthood in healthy subjects.
Eine europäische Digitalplattform – Illusion oder Vision?
Authors: Selle Johannes
Published: October 2019

Der digitale Wandel durchzieht unsere Lebensbereiche. Medienlandschaft und Medienkonsum verändern sich disruptiv. Untersuchungen zeigen, dass 80 % der Acht- bis Neunjährigen gelegentlich online unterwegs sind. Vierzehn- bis Neunundzwanzigjährige verbringen durchschnittlich sechs Stunden im Internet. Dort unterliegen sie Einflüssen (z. B. von geschickten Persönlichkeiten, Influencer genannt) oder Suchstrategien und Algorithmen, die zunehmend individuell ausgerichtet auf die jeweilige Vorliebe und das jeweilige Verhalten der Nutzer im Netz mit Angeboten reagieren. Das alles mit dem Hintergrund, den Nutzer zu binden und kommerziell daraus Nutzen zu ziehen. Wenn eine Privatperson, eine Institution, Sender, Wirtschaftsbetriebe im Internet wirksam etwas verbreiten oder in den Austausch treten wollen, dann sind sie auf amerikanische Technologien und amerikanische Plattformen angewiesen und unterliegen den Algorithmen, auf die sie keinen Einfluss haben. Zum Disruptiven in diesem Bereich gehört auch, dass die bisherigen Anbieter von technischen Dienstleistungen schrittweise das Geschäft der Inhalteproduktion für sich entdeckt haben und folglich zunehmend Inhalte produzieren, die mit ihrer Reichweite dem gleichen Streben nach Rendite unterliegen.
Модернистський дискурс про скінченність людського життя в сплетінні філософських, релігійних і наукових підходів
Authors: Maslov Glib M.
Published: October 2019

Аналізуються дискусії в європейській (переважно - російській та італійській) періодиці кінця ХІХ - початку ХХ століття навколо проблеми скінченності людини і їх вплив на формування модерністської парадигми. Виявляючи аргументи на користь оптимістичної або песимістичної позиції у ставленні до проблеми смерті в науковій, релігійній та філософській спадщині епохи, робиться висновок, що культура не змогла запропонувати єдиного задовільного рішення для пом’якшення конфлікту між модерністської спрямованістю до вдосконалення людини і її смертністю.