bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrostatically Driven Nanoelectromechanical Logical Gates Utilising Selective Tungsten Chemical Vapor Deposition
Authors: Van Toan Nguyen , Zhao Dong , Inomata Naoki , Toda Masaya , Song Yunheub , Ono Takahito
Published: May 2019

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and evaluation of electrostatically driven nanoelectromechanical (NEM) switches and logical gates, including NAND and NOR gates. The conformal deposition of tungsten (W) on high aspect ratio structures is investigated by selective W chemical vapor deposition (CVD) as an electrical contact material. The switching characteristics of the NEM switches, as well as their pull‐in voltages, are evaluated. Logical gates, including NAND and NOR gates, are formed by the four NEM switches consisting of four cantilevers, two input ports, two source ports, and an output. Devices are successfully fabricated by a combination of an electron beam lithography, a deep reactive ion etching, and a selective W CVD. The truth table operations for the NAND and NOR gates are examined and demonstrated in this paper.
Instant Sensitive Measurement of Hg Concentration Using Lab‐on‐a‐Phone Colorimetry
Authors: Sajed Samira , Vafaei Khosro , Arefi Fatemeh , Fathollahzadeh Maryam , Kolahdouz Mohammadreza , Sadeghi Mohammad A. , Neshat Mohammad
Published: May 2019

Mercury is one of the most toxic heavy metals in the environment that can seriously damage the human health. Therefore, the identification of mercury in water sources such as rivers, lakes, and bays is very crucial. Many traditional methods are used for the detection of mercury (II) ions (Hg2+), but they suffer from dependence on expensive and complicated instruments and need time consuming operating process. Herein, a fast, low cost, and accurate lab‐on‐a‐phone device has been introduced for on‐site monitoring of Hg2+ in ppb level. It detects Hg2+ based on localized surface plasmon resonance property of gold nanoparticles. The apparatus consists of lightweight opto‐mechanical attachment, wirelessly connected to a smart phone. This method presents a sensitive detection of Hg2+ in water with a detection limit of 3 nM (≈0.8 ppb). Detection limit of the proposed sensor is well below the maximum allowed containment level of Hg2+ for drinking water (6 ppb) by the World Health Organization.
Morphology, Ordering, Stability, and Electronic Structure of Carbon‐Doped Hexagonal Boron Nitride
Authors: Jamróz Agnieszka , Majewski Jacek A.
Published: May 2019

Theoretical studies of morphology, stability, and electronic structure of monolayer hexagonal CBN alloys with rich content of h‐BN and carbon concentration not exceeding 50% are presented. The studies are based on the bond order type of the valence force field to account for the interactions between atomic constituents and Monte Carlo method with Metropolis algorithm to establish equilibrium distribution of atoms over the lattice. It is found that the phase separation into graphene and h‐BN domains occurs in the majority of growth conditions. Only in N‐rich growth conditions, it is possible to obtain a quasi uniform distribution of carbon atoms over the boron sublattice. It is been predicted that the energy gap in stoichiometric Cx(BN)1−x alloys exhibits extremely strong bowing.
Environmentally Benign Approach for the Synthesis of Azo Dyes in the Presence of Mesoporous Sulfated Core‐Shell Zirconia‐Copper(I) Oxide Solid Acid Catalyst
Authors: Parashuram Lakshminarayana , Sreenivasa Swamy , Akshatha Sathyanarayana Rao , Kumar Velu Udaya , Kumar Sandeep
Published: May 2019

Sulfated solid acid catalyst finds application mainly in the reactions which requires acid sites. Synthesis of azo dyes by diazo coupling in presence of sulfated core shell zirconia‐copper oxide solid acid catalyst (Cu(I)@ZrO2‐SO42−) has been discussed hereunder. A detailed investigation on, the effect of sulfate loading, surface area and surface acidity for the synthesis of azo dyes has been demonstrated. As sulfate loading increased on the catalyst, it decreased its surface area and this was evident from the Brunauer Emmett Teller surface area analysis. The robust catalytic activity of Cu(I)@ZrO2‐SO42− catalyst was due to its super acidity, which arises due to the presence of both Bronsted and Lewis acid sites, this was experimentally confirmed by Pyridine‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ammonia‐temperature programmed desorption studies. X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction techniques provided detailed information about the effect of sulfate loading on phase and crystal structure of the catalyst. In the present work we describe a simple, efficient and environmentally benign catalytic process for the synthesis of azo dyes.
Acetone Iodination Kinetics in Flow with Online UV Monitoring and Continuous Control
Authors: Yao Xingjun , Deng Qiulin , Wang Shuhao , Wang Wei , Hou YIxin , Gao Zhibin , Wu Yingshuang , Guo Zengjing
Published: May 2019

Kinetics of acetone iodide synthesis was investigated in a microchannel reaction system mainly composed of a micromixer and a tubular reactor. This system can be used as a plug flow reactor, as proved by the low variance (0.006) of residence time distribution detected by a step stimuli–response tracer. An online ultraviolet monitoring system was built to fast and reliably detect the transmittance of the flowing solution. Reaction kinetics was tested at different reactant concentrations and temperatures (35‐50 °C). Second‐order kinetics concerning acetone and HCl was identified with activation energy of 67.86 kJ/mol.
Biologically Inspired Scaffolds for Heart Valve Tissue Engineering via Melt Electrowriting
Authors: Saidy Navid T. , Wolf Frederic , Bas Onur , Keijdener Hans , Hutmacher Dietmar W. , Mela Petra , De‐Juan‐Pardo Elena M.
Published: May 2019

Heart valves are characterized to be highly flexible yet tough, and exhibit complex deformation characteristics such as nonlinearity, anisotropy, and viscoelasticity, which are, at best, only partially recapitulated in scaffolds for heart valve tissue engineering (HVTE). These biomechanical features are dictated by the structural properties and microarchitecture of the major tissue constituents, in particular collagen fibers. In this study, the unique capabilities of melt electrowriting (MEW) are exploited to create functional scaffolds with highly controlled fibrous microarchitectures mimicking the wavy nature of the collagen fibers and their load‐dependent recruitment. Scaffolds with precisely‐defined serpentine architectures reproduce the J‐shaped strain stiffening, anisotropic and viscoelastic behavior of native heart valve leaflets, as demonstrated by quasistatic and dynamic mechanical characterization. They also support the growth of human vascular smooth muscle cells seeded both directly or encapsulated in fibrin, and promote the deposition of valvular extracellular matrix components. Finally, proof‐of‐principle MEW trileaflet valves display excellent acute hydrodynamic performance under aortic physiological conditions in a custom‐made flow loop. The convergence of MEW and a biomimetic design approach enables a new paradigm for the manufacturing of scaffolds with highly controlled microarchitectures, biocompatibility, and stringent nonlinear and anisotropic mechanical properties required for HVTE.
Synthesis Process of CoSeO3 Microspheres for Unordinary Li‐ion Storage Performances and Mechanism of Their Conversion Reaction with Li ions
Authors: Park Gi Dae , Hong Jeong Hoo , Choi Jae Hun , Lee Jong‐Heun , Kim Yang Soo , Kang Yun Chan
Published: May 2019

Multicomponent materials with various double cations have been studied as anode materials of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Heterostructures formed by coupling different‐bandgap nanocrystals enhance the surface reaction kinetics and facilitate charge transport because of the internal electric field at the heterointerface. Accordingly, metal selenites can be considered efficient anode materials of LIBs because they transform into metal selenide and oxide nanocrystals in the first cycle. However, few studies have reported synthesis of uniquely structured metal selenite microspheres. Herein, synthesis of high‐porosity CoSeO3 microspheres is reported. Through one‐pot oxidation at 400 °C, CoSex–C microspheres formed by spray pyrolysis transform into CoSeO3 microspheres showing unordinary cycling and rate performances. The conversion mechanism of CoSeO3 microspheres for lithium‐ion storage is systematically studied by cyclic voltammetry, in situ X‐ray diffraction and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The reversible reaction mechanism of the CoSeO3 phase from the second cycle onward is evaluated as CoO + xSeO2 + (1 − x)Se + 4(x + 1)Li++ 4( x + 1)e− ↔ Co + (2x + 1)Li2O + Li2Se. The CoSeO3 microspheres show a high reversible capacity of 709 mA h g−1 for the 1400th cycle at a current density of 3 A g−1 and a high reversible capacity of 526 mA h g−1 even at an extremely high current density of 30 A g−1.
Synthesis and application of molecularly imprinted sol‐gels coupled with ultra high performance liquid chromatography for selective extraction and analysis of dyes from spices
Authors: Bhatia Tejasvi , Chauhan Abhishek , Asati Ankita , Pal Gaurav , Saxena Prem Narain , Mudiam Mohana Krishna Reddy
Published: May 2019

Dual‐imprinted sol‐gel was synthesized for the simultaneous extraction of dyes viz., dimethyl yellow and fast garnet base from the spices followed by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatographic analysis. Morphological and binding characterization was performed to ensure the efficient synthesis of imprinted sol‐gel. The imprinted sol‐gel was found to exhibit higher binding affinity in comparison to non‐imprinted sol gel. Method exhibit good linearity with R2 value of 0.998 and 0.999 for fast garnet base and dimethyl yellow respectively. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 0.029 and 0.097 ng g−1 for fast garnet base and 0.021 and 0.070 ng g−1 for dimethyl yellow, respectively. Recoveries of the dyes were found to be in the range of 80–91% at three different concentration levels.
Experimental and microstructural study of the compressive strength of concrete samples containing low volumes of expanded polystyrene beads
Authors: Bakhshi Mohammad , Shahbeyk Sharif
Published: May 2019

The partial replacement of aggregates with expanded polystyrene (EPS) beads is a common technique to produce lightweight concretes. Much research have been already conducted on the compressive strength of EPS concretes containing high volumes of EPS beads. In the current study, however, specimens with low EPS volume contents are also examined. The results show that all the strength versus EPS volume content graphs initiate with a nearly plateau region. The length of this plateau region is found to be an increasing function of W/C ratio. It is also observed that the replacement of redundant water with the EPS beads initially improves strength but the trend is reversed beyond a critical volume content. Finally, the new empirical findings are interpreted and justified based on the underlying microstructural failure mechanisms. The results of this study can lay fresh grounds for the development of more realistic micromechanical and numerical models for EPS concrete.
Influence of moisture content in the microstructure on the fatigue deterioration of high‐strength concrete
Authors: Tomann Christoph , Oneschkow Nadja
Published: May 2019

This paper is published on the occasion of the 65th birthday of Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Ludger Lohaus, Director of the Institute of Building Materials Science, Leibniz University Hannover, and coordinator of the SPP 2020 offering congratulations. Concrete specimens that are submerged in water have a significantly lower fatigue resistance than those that are stored and tested in air. This phenomenon was recognized in the past, but it is still unknown how the moisture content in the microstructure of the concrete influences its resistance against fatigue deterioration. Hence, within the Priority Program SPP 2020 “Cyclic deterioration of High‐Performance Concrete in an experimental virtual lab”, the influence of different moisture contents in the microstructure and the influence of water as an environment on the fatigue resistance of a high‐strength concrete are investigated at the Institute of Building Materials Science, Leibniz University Hannover. This project focuses especially on additional water‐induced damage mechanisms involved in the degradation process. This paper presents results of fatigue tests on high‐strength concrete specimens with different moisture contents tested in air and underwater. The results of the fatigue tests are analyzed regarding the numbers of cycles to failure and selected damage indicators, such as stiffness development and acoustic emission activity.
Transient stability assessment and control system for power system
Authors: Wang Huaiyuan , He Peican
Published: May 2019

This paper addresses the issue of power system transient stability assessment and control (TSA&C) based on phase plane representation of the power angle and rotor speed. First, the relationship between transient stability–instability and concavity–convexity of the phase‐plane trajectory is found and proved based on the single machine infinite bus (SMIB) system, and a transient instability criterion is derived for real‐time instability detection. Second, with the aim that the phase‐plane trajectory swings back before the unstable equilibrium point (UEP) once instability is detected, near‐optimal control size of generator tripping to stabilize the system is determined based on the relationship between unbalanced power and the slope of the phase‐plane trajectory. Finally, the instability detection and control technique is extended to a multimachine power system based on SMIB equivalent transform. The proposed method is independent of the network structure and operation mode, which can be applied for real‐time emergency control based on wide area measurement system (WAMS). The simulations in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 39‐bus system and the Sanhua Power Grid (in China) validate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method. © 2019 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Are clinical delusions adaptive?
Authors: Lancellotta Eugenia , Bortolotti Lisa
Published: May 2019

Delusions are symptoms of psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and dementia. By and large, delusions are characterized by their behavioral manifestations and defined as irrational beliefs that compromise good functioning. In this overview paper, we ask whether delusions can be adaptive notwithstanding their negative features. Can they be a response to a crisis rather than the source of the crisis? Can they be the beginning of a solution rather than the problem? Some of the psychological, psychiatric, and philosophical literature has recently suggested that they can. We consider different types of delusions and different ways in which they can be considered as adaptive: psychologically (e.g., by increasing wellbeing, purpose in life, intrapsychic coherence, or good functioning) and biologically (e.g., by enhancing genetic fitness). Although further research is needed to map the costs and benefits of adopting and maintaining delusional beliefs, a more nuanced picture of the role of delusions in people's lives has started to emerge.

This article is categorized under:

Philosophy > Representation

Philosophy > Knowledge and Belief

Neuroscience > Cognition
Sulfaquinoxaline oxidation by UV‐C activated sodium persulfate: Degradation kinetics and toxicological evaluation
Authors: Boudriche Lilya , Safaei Zahra , Ramasamy Deepika , Sillanpää Mika , Boudjemaa Amel
Published: May 2019

This study evaluates the efficiency of sulfate radicals used in advanced oxidation process in water treatment. The targeted pollutant is an antibiotic, sulfaquinoxaline (SQ‐Na) sodium, widely used in the veterinary field. The results show a degradation of SQ‐Na until 90% after 300 min of irradiation at optimal sodium persulfate (SPS) concentration (200 mg/L). Degradation of the antibiotic obeys a pseudo‐first‐order kinetics when the concentration of sulfate radicals ranging from 0 to 240 mg/L. The decomposition of SQ‐Na via the UV/SPS method is favored significantly under acidic conditions but becomes slow at neutral pH and almost inhibited under alkaline conditions. The contribution of the sulfate radicals alone and of both radicals hydroxyl and sulfate on the SQ‐Na degradation is evaluated at 69% and 80%, respectively. Toxicity tests with Sinapis alba and Daphnia magna on treated samples, before and after irradiation, indicate the formation of new by‐products more toxic during the treatment process.

Practitioner points

SQ‐Na was significantly degraded (90%) under UV/SPS system.

SQ‐Na decay exhibited a pseudo‐first‐order kinetics.

SQ‐Na was completely degraded via UV/SPS process under acidic conditions.

The shoot growth appears to be more sensitive to oxidation by‐products toxicity than root growth.

Ineffectiveness in eliminating the ecotoxicity.
The “online brain”: how the Internet may be changing our cognition
Authors: Firth Joseph , Torous John , Stubbs Brendon , Firth Josh A. , Steiner Genevieve Z. , Smith Lee , Alvarez‐Jimenez Mario , Gleeson John , Vancampfort Davy , Armitage Christopher J. , Sarris Jerome
Published: May 2019

The impact of the Internet across multiple aspects of modern society is clear. However, the influence that it may have on our brain structure and functioning remains a central topic of investigation. Here we draw on recent psychological, psychiatric and neuroimaging findings to examine several key hypotheses on how the Internet may be changing our cognition. Specifically, we explore how unique features of the online world may be influencing: a) attentional capacities, as the constantly evolving stream of online information encourages our divided attention across multiple media sources, at the expense of sustained concentration; b) memory processes, as this vast and ubiquitous source of online information begins to shift the way we retrieve, store, and even value knowledge; and c) social cognition, as the ability for online social settings to resemble and evoke real‐world social processes creates a new interplay between the Internet and our social lives, including our self‐concepts and self‐esteem. Overall, the available evidence indicates that the Internet can produce both acute and sustained alterations in each of these areas of cognition, which may be reflected in changes in the brain. However, an emerging priority for future research is to determine the effects of extensive online media usage on cognitive development in youth, and examine how this may differ from cognitive outcomes and brain impact of uses of Internet in the elderly. We conclude by proposing how Internet research could be integrated into broader research settings to study how this unprecedented new facet of society can affect our cognition and the brain across the life course.
Transdiagnostic psychiatry: a systematic review
Authors: Fusar‐Poli Paolo , Solmi Marco , Brondino Natascia , Davies Cathy , Chae Chungil , Politi Pierluigi , Borgwardt Stefan , Lawrie Stephen M. , Parnas Josef , McGuire Philip
Published: May 2019

The usefulness of current psychiatric classification, which is based on ICD/DSM categorical diagnoses, remains questionable. A promising alternative has been put forward as the “transdiagnostic” approach. This is expected to cut across existing categorical diagnoses and go beyond them, to improve the way we classify and treat mental disorders. This systematic review explores whether self‐defining transdiagnostic research meets such high expectations. A multi‐step Web of Science literature search was performed according to an a priori protocol, to identify all studies that used the word “transdiagnostic” in their title, up to May 5, 2018. Empirical variables which indexed core characteristics were extracted, complemented by a bibliometric and conceptual analysis. A total of 111 studies were included. Most studies were investigating interventions, followed by cognition and psychological processes, and neuroscientific topics. Their samples ranged from 15 to 91,199 (median 148) participants, with a mean age from 10 to more than 60 (median 33) years. There were several methodological inconsistencies relating to the definition of the gold standard (DSM/ICD diagnoses), of the outcome measures and of the transdiagnostic approach. The quality of the studies was generally low and only a few findings were externally replicated. The majority of studies tested transdiagnostic features cutting across different diagnoses, and only a few tested new classification systems beyond the existing diagnoses. About one fifth of the studies were not transdiagnostic at all, because they investigated symptoms and not disorders, a single disorder, or because there was no diagnostic information. The bibliometric analysis revealed that transdiagnostic research largely restricted its focus to anxiety and depressive disorders. The conceptual analysis showed that transdiagnostic research is grounded more on rediscoveries than on true innovations, and that it is affected by some conceptual biases. To date, transdiagnostic approaches have not delivered a credible paradigm shift that can impact classification and clinical care. Practical “TRANSD”iagnostic recommendations are proposed here to guide future research in this field.
Long‐term effectiveness of oral second‐generation antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia and related disorders: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of direct head‐to‐head comparisons
Authors: Kishimoto Taishiro , Hagi Katsuhiko , Nitta Masahiro , Kane John M. , Correll Christoph U.
Published: May 2019

Second‐generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are recommended for maintenance treatment in schizophrenia. However, comparative long‐term effectiveness among SGAs is unclear. Here we provide a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized trials lasting ≥⃒6 months comparing SGAs head‐to‐head in schizophrenia and related disorders. The primary outcome was all‐cause discontinuation. Secondary outcomes included efficacy and tolerability, i.e., psychopathology, inefficacy‐related and intolerability‐related discontinuation, relapse, hospitalization, remission, functioning, quality of life, and adverse events. Pooled risk ratio and standardized mean difference were calculated using random‐effects models. Across 59 studies (N=45,787), lasting 47.4±32.1 weeks (range 24‐186), no consistent superiority of any SGA emerged across efficacy and tolerability outcomes. Regarding all‐cause discontinuation, clozapine, olanzapine and risperidone were significantly (p<0.05) superior to several other SGAs, while quetiapine was inferior to several other SGAs. As to psychopathology, clozapine and olanzapine were superior to several other SGAs, while quetiapine and ziprasidone were inferior to several other SGAs. Data for other efficacy outcomes were sparse. Regarding intolerability‐related discontinuation, risperidone was superior and clozapine was inferior to several other SGAs. Concerning weight gain, olanzapine was worse than all other compared non‐clozapine SGAs, and risperidone was significantly worse than several other SGAs. As to prolactin increase, risperidone and amisulpride were significantly worse than several other SGAs. Regarding parkinsonism, olanzapine was superior to risperidone, without significant differences pertaining to akathisia. Concerning sedation and somnolence, clozapine and quetiapine were significantly worse than some other SGAs. In summary, different long‐term SGA efficacy and tolerability patterns emerged. The long‐term risk‐benefit profiles of specific SGAs need to be tailored to individual patients to optimize maintenance treatment outcomes.
Minimal Yukawa deflection of AMSB from the Kahler potential
Authors: Li Zhuang , Wang Fei
Published: May 2019

Abstract

We propose a minimal Yukawa deflection scenario of AMSB from the Kahler potential through the Higgs-messenger mixing. Salient features of this scenario are discussed and realistic MSSM spectrum can be obtained. Such a scenario, which are very predictive, can solve the tachyonic slepton problem with less messenger species. Numerical results indicate that the LOSPs predicted by this scenario can not be good DM candidates. So it is desirable to extend this scenario with a Peccei-Quinn sector to solve the strong CP problem and at the same time provide new DM candidates. We propose a way to obtain a light axino mass in SUSY KSVZ axion model with Yukawa deflected anomaly mediation SUSY breaking mechanism. The axino can possibly be the LSP and act as a good DM candidate.
Wavefunctions, integrability, and open strings
Authors: Mariño Marcos , Zakany Szabolcs
Published: May 2019

Abstract

It has been recently conjectured that the exact eigenfunctions of quantum mirror curves can be obtained by combining their WKB expansion with the open topological string wavefunction. In this paper we give further evidence for this conjecture. We present closed expressions for the wavefunctions in the so-called maximally supersymmetric case, in various geometries. In the higher genus case, our conjecture provides a solution to the quantum Baxter equation of the corresponding cluster integrable system, and we argue that the quantization conditions of the integrable system follow from imposing appropriate asymptotic conditions on the wavefunction. We also present checks of the conjecture for general values of the Planck constant.
Singleton portals to the twin sector
Authors: Bishara Fady , Verhaaren Christopher B.
Published: May 2019

Abstract

The mirror twin Higgs framework allows for a natural Higgs mass while being consistent with collider bounds on colored symmetry partners to standard model quarks. This mechanism relies crucially on a discrete symmetry which relates each standard model field to a mirror partner. These partners are charged under gauge groups identical to, but distinct from, those in the standard model. The minimal twin Higgs scenario provides only one low-energy connection between the visible and twin sectors, the light Higgs boson. We present a new class of portals connecting the two sectors, using fields that have no twin partner under the discrete symmetry. Scalar, fermion, and vector states may provide such singleton portals, each with unique features and experimental signatures. The vector portal, in particular, provides a variety of renormalizable interactions relevant for the LHC. We provide concrete constructions of these portals and determine their phenomenology and opportunities to probe the twin sector at the LHC. We also sketch a scenario in which the structure of the twin sector itself can be tested.
A leading-order comparison between fluid-gravity and membrane-gravity dualities
Authors: Bhattacharyya Sayantani , Biswas Parthajit , Patra Milan
Published: May 2019

Abstract

In this note, we have compared two different perturbation techniques that are used to generate dynamical black-brane solutions to Einstein’s equations in the presence of negative cosmological constant. One is the ‘derivative expansion’, where the gravity solutions are in one-to-one correspondence with the solutions of relativistic Navier-Stokes equation. The second is the expansion in terms of inverse power of space-time dimensions and here the gravity solutions are dual to a co-dimension one dynamical membrane, embedded in AdS space and coupled to a velocity field. We have shown that in a large number of space-time dimensions, there exists an overlap regime between these two perturbation techniques and we matched the two gravity solutions along with their dual systems up to the first non-trivial order in the expansion parameter on both sides.
Measuring approach–avoidance tendencies towards food with touchscreen-based arm movements
Authors: Meule Adrian , Richard Anna , Lender Anja , Dinic Radomir , Brockmeyer Timo , Rinck Mike , Blechert Jens
Published: May 2019

Most tasks for measuring automatic approach–avoidance tendencies do not resemble naturalistic approach–avoidance behaviors. Therefore, we developed a paradigm for the assessment of approach–avoidance tendencies towards palatable food, which is based on arm and hand movements on a touchscreen, thereby mimicking real-life grasping or warding movements. In Study 1 (n = 85), an approach bias towards chocolate-containing foods was found when participants reached towards the stimuli, but not when these stimuli had to be moved on the touchscreen. This approach bias towards food observed in grab movements was replicated in Study 2 (n = 60) and Study 3 (n = 94). Adding task features to disambiguate distance change through either corresponding image zooming (Study 2) or emphasized self-reference (Study 3) did not moderate this effect. Associations between approach bias scores and trait and state chocolate craving were inconsistent across studies. Future studies need to examine whether touchscreen-based approach–avoidance tasks reveal biases towards other stimuli in the appetitive or aversive valence domain and relate to relevant interindividual difference variables.
Tick saliva and its role in pathogen transmission
Authors: Nuttall Patricia A.
Published: May 2019

Tick saliva is a complex mixture of peptidic and non-peptidic molecules that aid engorgement. The composition of tick saliva changes as feeding progresses and the tick counters the dynamic host response. Ixodid ticks such as Ixodes ricinus, the most important tick species in Europe, transmit numerous pathogens that cause debilitating diseases, e.g. Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis. Tick-borne pathogens are transmitted in tick saliva during blood feeding; however, saliva is not simply a medium enabling pathogen transfer. Instead, tick-borne pathogens exploit saliva-induced modulation of host responses to promote their transmission and infection, so-called saliva-assisted transmission (SAT). Characterization of the saliva factors that facilitate SAT is an active area of current research. Besides providing new insights into how tick-borne pathogens survive in nature, the research is opening new avenues for vaccine development.
On rates of convergence for sample average approximations in the almost sure sense and in mean
Authors: Banholzer Dirk , Fliege Jörg , Werner Ralf
Published: May 2019

We study the rates at which optimal estimators in the sample average approximation approach converge to their deterministic counterparts in the almost sure sense and in mean. To be able to quantify these rates, we consider the law of the iterated logarithm in a Banach space setting and first establish under relatively mild assumptions almost sure convergence rates for the approximating objective functions, which can then be transferred to the estimators for optimal values and solutions of the approximated problem. By exploiting a characterisation of the law of the iterated logarithm in Banach spaces, we are further able to derive under the same assumptions that the estimators also converge in mean, at a rate which essentially coincides with the one in the almost sure sense. This, in turn, allows to quantify the asymptotic bias of optimal estimators as well as to draw conclusive insights on their mean squared error and on the estimators for the optimality gap. Finally, we address the notion of convergence in probability to derive rates in probability for the deviation of optimal estimators and (weak) rates of error probabilities without imposing strong conditions on exponential moments. We discuss the possibility to construct confidence sets for the optimal values and solutions from our obtained results and provide a numerical illustration of the most relevant findings.
Predicting full-scale and verbal intelligence scores from functional Connectomic data in individuals with autism Spectrum disorder
Authors: Dryburgh Elizabeth , McKenna Stephen , Rekik Islem
Published: May 2019

Decoding how intelligence is engrained in the human brain construct is vital in the understanding of particular neurological disorders. While the majority of existing studies focus on characterizing intelligence in neurotypical (NT) brains, investigating how neural correlates of intelligence scores are altered by atypical neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), is almost absent. To help fill this gap, we use a connectome-based predictive model (CPM) to predict intelligence scores from functional connectome data, derived from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI). The utilized model learns how to select the most significant positive and negative brain connections, independently, to predict the target intelligence scores in NT and ASD populations, respectively. In the first step, using leave-one-out cross-validation we train a linear regressor robust to outliers to identify functional brain connections that best predict the target intelligence score (p − value < 0.01). Next, for each training subject, positive (respectively negative) connections are summed to produce single-subject positive (respectively negative) summary values. These are then paired with the target training scores to train two linear regressors: (a) a positive model which maps each positive summary value to the subject score, and (b) a negative model which maps each negative summary value to the target score. In the testing stage, by selecting the same connections for the left-out testing subject, we compute their positive and negative summary values, which are then fed to the trained negative and positive models for predicting the target score. This framework was applied to NT and ASD populations independently to identify significant functional connections coding for full-scale and verbal intelligence quotients in the brain.
The use of a self-check-in kiosk for early patient identification and queuing in the emergency department
Authors: Coyle Natalie , Kennedy Andrew , Schull Michael J. , Kiss Alex , Hefferon Darren , Sinclair Paul , Alsharafi Zuhair
Published: May 2019

Objective

Delays in triage processes in the emergency department (ED) can compromise patient safety. The aim of this study was to provide proof-of-concept that a self-check-in kiosk could decrease the time needed to identify ambulatory patients arriving in the ED. We compared the use of a novel automated self-check-in kiosk to identify patients on ED arrival to routine nurse-initiated patient identification.

Methods

We performed a prospective trail with random weekly allocation to intervention or control processes during a 10-week study period. During intervention weeks, patients used a self-check-in kiosk to self-identify on arrival. This electronically alerted triage nurses to patient arrival times and primary complaint before triage. During control weeks, kiosks were unavailable and patients were identified using routine nurse-initiated triage. The primary outcome was time-to-first-identification, defined as the interval between ED arrival and identification in the hospital system.

Results

Median (interquartile range) time-to-first-identification was 1.4 minutes (1.0–2.08) for intervention patients and 9 minutes (5–18) for control patients. Regression analysis revealed that the adjusted time-to-first-identification was 13.6 minutes (95% confidence interval 12.8–14.5) faster for the intervention group.

Conclusion

A self-check-in kiosk significantly reduced the time-to-first-identification for ambulatory patients arriving in the ED.
Gambling on Big Data: Designing Risk in Social Casino Games
Authors: REYNOLDS Jennifer
Published: May 2019

Since 2007, a surge of new gambling opportunities, often referred to as social casino gaming, has emerged on social media platforms and mobile apps. At the present time, the social casino gaming industry is unregulated and challenges our conventional understanding of gambling and risk. Currently, the minimum age requirement to create a profile on Facebook and engage in social casino games is 13 years of age. The emergence of this new gambling frontier, and its low barrier to entry, inevitably adds a new layer of risk and raises several ethical considerations for public health and risk regulation professionals, particularly to developers’ use of game mechanics and advanced data analytics. Using findings from a virtual ethnographic case study focusing on Zynga Poker (ZP), this article will call attention to potential ethical and risk concerns about game mechanics and the use of big data to personalise players’ gameplay to optimise player engagement and monetisation.
The Archive and Chieftainship Claims in Zimbabwe: Some Methodological Reflections
Authors: Bishi George
Published: May 2019

This article focuses on the uses of the archive in contemporary Zimbabwe by individuals and families making claims to chieftaincy. A reading of the colonial archive on chieftainship histories reveals that there is an information gap especially for some years. For instance, from the 1960s to the present, there are relatively few documents specifically relating to the subject of chiefs and headmen in Zimbabwe. As a result, researchers working on chieftainships, hired historians, and claimants to chieftaincy face a frustrating challenge of limited sources. This article analyzes the sources that hired historians use to write chieftaincy claims reports in Zimbabwe for their clients. It also explores the use of oral evidence to complement or counter the narratives offered through colonial documents, and it also recommends the use of alternative sources on chieftaincy, both within and beyond the repositories of the National Archives of Zimbabwe (NAZ).
Crossing Multiple Borders: “The Manyema” in Colonial East Central Africa
Authors: Zöller Katharina
Published: May 2019

“The Manyema” are people who have roots in what is today known as eastern Congo and who moved towards the East African coast – and often back – since the time when their area of origin was under African-Arab domination. In separated East and Central African historiographies, the Manyema received only marginal attention so far. Tracing this highly mobile group across East and Central Africa discloses how Manyema actors, in relation to colonial and postcolonial contexts, have negotiated their mobility and identity across East and Central Africa as a single space.
Antimicrobial resistance patterns of urine culture specimens from 27 nursing homes: Impact of a two-year antimicrobial stewardship intervention
Authors: Tandan Meera , Sloane Philip D. , Ward Kimberly , Weber David J. , Vellinga Akke , Kistler Christine E. , Zimmerman Sheryl
Published: May 2019

Objective:

Identify changes in the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of potentially pathogenic bacteria in urine cultures during a 2-year antimicrobial stewardship intervention program in nursing homes (NHs).

Design:

Before-and-after intervention study.

Setting:

The study included 27 NHs in North Carolina.

Methods:

We audited all urine cultures ordered before and during an antimicrobial stewardship intervention. Analyses compared culture rates, culture positive rates, and pathogen antimicrobial resistance patterns.

Results:

Of 6,718 total urine cultures collected, 68% were positive for potentially pathogenic bacteria. During the intervention, significant reductions in the urine culture and positive culture rates were observed (P= .014). Most of the identified potentially uropathogenic isolates wereEscherichia coli(38%),Proteusspp (13%), andKlebsiella pneumoniae(12%). A significant decrease was observed during the intervention period in nitrofurantoin resistance amongE. coli(P≤ .001) and ciprofloxacin resistance amongProteusspp (P≤ .001); however carbapenem resistance increased forProteusspp (P≤ .001). Multidrug resistance also increased forProteusspp compared to the baseline. The high baseline resistance ofE. colito the commonly prescribed antimicrobials ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) did not change during the intervention.

Conclusions:

The antimicrobial stewardship intervention program significantly reduced urine culture and culture-positive rates. Overall, very high proportions of antimicrobial resistance were observed among common pathogens; however, antimicrobial resistance trended downward but reductions were too small and scattered to conclude that the intervention significantly changed antimicrobial resistance. Longer intervention periods may be needed to effect change in resistance patterns.
Raising Awareness and Appreciation: Employee Perspectives on Disability Management in Swiss Companies
Authors: Geisen Thomas , Hassler Benedikt , Wagner Shannon , Buys Nicholas , Randall Christine , Harder Henry , Fraess-Phillips Alex , Yu Ignatius TS , Howe Caroline , Scott Liz
Published: May 2019

In Western countries, an increasing number of companies has difficulties with recruiting and retaining employees, along with growing employer responsibilities in the workplace. Therefore, companies’ interest in disability management programs has increased. This article examines employee perspectives of disability management and how it is related to job satisfaction, physical and mental health, workplace morale and sickness absence. Employees from seven Swiss companies (N=482), from the private and public sector, participated in either an online and paper-and-pencil survey for this present study. The survey asked employees to report their views of how disability management is related to job satisfaction, mental health, physical health, workplace morale and absenteeism. The Swiss employees participating in the study knew about disability management and related programs, which are implemented in their company. They valued them as moderately helpful for a variety of factors related to workplace wellbeing, and regarded the programs generally as high quality and wanted them to continue, because they contribute to job satisfaction, mental health, physical health, workplace morale and reduced sickness absence. However, employees also saw more value in disability prevention (DP) and stay at work (SAW) programs than in return to work (RTW) programs. Male employees and those working for public organisations saw more benefit in disability management programs than female employees and those working in the private sector.
A problematic animal fossil from the early Cambrian Hetang Formation, South China
Authors: Tang Qing , Hu Jie , Xie Guwei , Yuan Xunlai , Wan Bin , Zhou Chuanming , Dong Xu , Cao Guohua , Lieberman Bruce S. , Leys Sally P. , Xiao Shuhai
Published: May 2019

The lower-middle Hetang Formation (Cambrian Stage 2–3) deposited in slope-basinal facies in South China is well known for its preservation of the earliest articulated sponge fossils, providing an important taphonomic window into the Cambrian Explosion. However, the Hetang Formation also hosts a number of problematic animal fossils that have not been systematically described. This omission results in an incomplete picture of the Hetang biota and limits its contribution to the understanding of the early evolution of animals. Here we describe a new animal taxon,Cambrowania ovataTang and Xiao, new genus new species, from the middle Hetang Formation in the Lantian area of southern Anhui Province, South China. Specimens are preserved as carbonaceous compressions, although some are secondarily mineralized. A comprehensive analysis using reflected light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and micro-CT reveals that the new species is characterized by a spheroidal to fusoidal truss-like structure consisting of rafter-like crossbars, some of which are secondarily baritized and may have been internally hollow. Some specimens have aperture-like structures that are broadly similar to oscula of sponges, whereas others show evidence of a medial split reminiscent of gaping carapaces. While the phylogenetic affinity ofCambrowania ovataTang and Xiao, n. gen. n. sp. remains problematic, we propose that it may represent carapaces of bivalved arthropods or more likely sponges in early life stages. Along with other problematic metazoan fossils such as hyolithids and sphenothallids,Cambrowania ovataTang and Xiao, n. gen. n. sp. adds to the diversity of the sponge-dominated Hetang biota in an early Cambrian deepwater slope-basinal environment.

UUID:http://zoobank.org/44de9472-7e3f-42d1-9554-7b3434df91d9
Spatial Tools for Case Selection: Using LISA Statistics to Design Mixed-Methods Research
Authors: Ingram Matthew C , Harbers Imke
Published: May 2019

Mixed-methods designs, especially those in which case selection is regression-based, have become popular across the social sciences. In this paper, we highlight why tools from spatial analysis—which have largely been overlooked in the mixed-methods literature—can be used for case selection and be particularly fruitful for theory development. We discuss two tools for integrating quantitative and qualitative analysis: (1) spatial autocorrelation in the outcome of interest; and (2) spatial autocorrelation in the residuals of a regression model. The case selection strategies presented here enable scholars to systematically use geography to learn more about their data and select cases that help identify scope conditions, evaluate the appropriate unit or level of analysis, examine causal mechanisms, and uncover previously omitted variables.
Editors’ Introduction
Authors: Damrosch Lori Fisler , Oxman Bernard H.
Published: May 2019

On the docket of the United States Supreme Court in 2004 is a substantial cluster of cases at the intersection of constitutional and international law. In the previous two Supreme Court Terms, the Court had adverted to sources of law and practice outside the United States, in its treatment of constitutional claims involving the death penalty and same-sex relationships. The apparent willingness of the Court to consider international and foreign authorities in reaching its conclusions on contested issues of constitutional law has raised to new promir nence the debate over the relationship between constitutional and international law. It is not yet clear whether the new (or newly rediscovered) interest of the Court in international sources presages a long-term trend toward a more cosmopolitan constitutional jurisprudence. On the assumption that this represents more than a passing fad, advocates before the Court in die current Term—for example, in the cases involving die “enemy combatant” detainees at Guantanamo Bay—have vigorously pressed arguments concerning international and foreign law in connection with the constitutional issues at stake. The Court's acceptance of quite a few cases raising a mixture of international and constitutional questions for decision in 2004 may signal that the Court is preparing for a new era of engagement with legal developments external to the United States, or, alternatively, that it seeks to limit (or in any event to delimit) the relevance of such developments for the U.S. legal system.
State Formation and Democracy in Latin America, 1810–1900. By Fernando López-Alves. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2000. 295p. $49.95 cloth, $17.95 paper.
Authors: Boudon Lawrence
Published: May 2019

One of the most vexing questions posed over time by political scientists is: Why do democratic polities develop in some countries, but not in others? In his seminal work Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy (1986), still read today by most students of comparative politics, Barrington Moore strove to answer that question by examining the historical process in which commercial agriculture emerged in Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and China. In his book, Fernando López-Alves takes the framework that Moore provided and applies it to three countries in Latin America whose trajectories in the nineteenth century led to different polities and experiences with democracy—Argentina, Colombia, and Uruguay (he also makes brief reference to Paraguay and Venezuela as so-called control cases). While conceding the need for “further testing” (p. 220), he arrives at conclusions that differ significantly from Moore's, even though he does not attempt to dismiss that earlier work.