bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ecology of the meadow spittlebug Philaenus spumarius in the Ajaccio region (Corsica) – I: spring
Authors: Albre Jérôme , García Carrasco José María , Gibernau Marc
Published: December 2020

The meadow spittlebug, Philaenus spumarius (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae), is the main vector in Europe of the recently detected plant pathogen bacterium Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al. (Xanthomonadales: Xanthomonadaceae). While the ecology of continental populations is well documented, nothing is known about the insular populations of P. spumarius, such as in Corsica, where the bacterium was detected in 2015. Hence, in an epidemiological context, the ecology of P. spumarius has been studied in a maquis landscape in the Ajaccio region between 2017 and 2019. Adults and nymphs were almost exclusively collected on Cistus monspeliensis L. (Cistaceae). However, very few specimens were collected in summer, suggesting a movement of the adults to sheltered habitats. Unfortunately, despite several trapping methods used, the location of adult summer habitat remains unknown for the studied population. It might be tempting to destroy the central plant host of P. spumarius populations. However, as spittlebug nymphs are highly polyphagous on low-growing plant species and as the females can lay eggs in any dead plant tissues, such practice could have limited the impact. Instead, the strong relationship between P. spumarius and C. monspeliensis could be used to monitor spittlebug populations, to limit/concentrate the means of insect control, or in an agronomic context to lure insects away from crops. Maintaining natural arboreal vegetation around agronomic systems could help decrease insect abundance – and potentially, pathogen load – on cultivated species. Such hypotheses need to be further studied by landscape experiments.
Digital De-Citizenship: The Rise of the Digital Denizen in Bahrain
Authors: Jones Marc Owen
Published: December 2020

Revolutions seldom involve more than one percent of the population. However, in Bahrain, a small island nation with a population of around 570,000, twenty percent of the population took to the streets in February 2011 to demand greater democratic reform, making it “proportionally one of the greatest shows of ‘people power’ in modern history.” The regime's response was disproportionally brutal. Saudi-dominated troops from the Gulf Cooperation Council Peninsula Shield Force were “invited to” or “invaded” Bahrain, depending on who is telling the story. Under cover of the Saudi military, Bahrain's security forces killed dozens of civilians, torturing, maiming, and raping many others. The arsenal of repressive techniques was exhaustive. Belonging also was used as a tool of repression, with many being stripped of their Bahraini citizenship on spurious, terror-related charges.
Effects of high and low frequency ultrasound on the production of volatile compounds in milk and milk products – a review
Authors: Thi Hong Bui Anh , Cozzolino Daniel , Zisu Bogdan , Chandrapala Jayani
Published: December 2020

The effects of low and high frequency ultrasound on the production of volatile compounds along with their derivation and corresponding off-flavours in milk and milk products are discussed in this review. The review will simultaneously discuss possible mechanisms of applied ultrasound and their respective chemical and physical effects on milk components in relation to the production of volatile compounds. Ultrasound offers potential benefits in dairy applications over conventional heat treatment processes. Physical effects enhance the positive alteration of the physicochemical properties of milk proteins and fat. However, chemical effects propagated by free radical generation cause redox oxidations which in turn produce undesirable volatile compounds such as aldehydes, ketones, acids, esters, alcohols and sulphur, producing off-flavours. The extent of volatile compounds produced depends on ultrasonic processing conditions such as sonication time, temperature and frequency. Low frequency ultrasound limits free radical formation and results in few volatile compounds, while high ultrasonic frequency induces greater level of free radical formation. Furthermore, the compositional variations in terms of milk proteins and fat within the milk systems influence the production of volatile compounds. These factors could be controlled and optimized to reduce the production of undesirable volatiles, eliminate off-flavours, and promote the application of ultrasound technology in the dairy field.
Parmenides on ‘naming’ and ‘meaning’: a disjunctivist reading of the Poem
Authors: Di Iulio Erminia
Published: December 2020

A well-established tradition has argued that it is not legitimate to attribute to Parmenides a Fregean semantics, i.e. the distinction between ‘naming’ and ‘meaning’. Nonetheless, Parmenides claims more than once (B 8.53, B 9.1) that mortalsdo namereality, although incorrectly. As many scholars have emphasised, because it is fair neither to conclude that mortals’ names are ‘empty names’ nor dismiss Opinion's account (i.e., broadly speaking, the mortals’ account of reality) itself as meaningless, it seems that Parmenides is suggesting that some kind of distinction between what names refer to and what names mean must be drawn. In view of this, what is Parmenides’ account of names?

My suggestion is that in order to explain the Eleatic philosophy of language (and the Eleatic account of names) a step back is required. More specifically, Parmenides’ epistemology has to be taken into account. Indeed, if we assume that Parmenides is arguing for an ‘epistemological disjunctivism’ – such that the veridical and truthful state and the erroneous and deceptive state are essentially different – it will be clear that he is further arguing for what could be defined as a ‘semantic disjunctivism’, so that true speech and false speech are essentially different as well.
Price gouging and the duty of easy rescue
Authors: Brake Elizabeth
Published: December 2020

What, if anything, is wrong with price gouging? Its defenders argue that it increases supply of scarce necessities; critics argue that it is exploitative, inequitable and vicious. In this paper, I argue for its moral wrongness and legal prohibition, without relying on charges of exploitation, inequity or poor character. What is fundamentally wrong with price gouging is that it violates a duty of easy rescue. While legal enforcement of such duties is controversial, a special case can be made for their legal enforcement in this context. This account distinguishes, morally, price gouging by corporations from that of individual entrepreneurs.
Developing recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease: the role of the patient's perspective in a controversial environment
Authors: Pomey Marie-Pascale , Bush Paula L. , Demers-Payette Olivier , L'Espérance Audrey , Lochhead Louis , Ganache Isabelle , Roy Denis
Published: December 2020

Context

The Ministry of Health in Québec requested the National Institute of Excellence in Health and Social Services to produce clinical and implementation recommendations for the prophylaxis, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease.

Objectives

(i) Describe the process of trialing different modalities of patient engagement as a means to integrate a diversity of patient perspectives and (ii) Describe the learning process of INESSS regarding the integration of the patient perspective.

Methodology

All documents were analyzed, and a survey with all advisory committee members and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders were conducted. Each interview was transcribed verbatim and imported into QDA miner software for the purposes of analysis. Data analysis was carried out concurrently with data collection to allow for an iterative approach between data collection and analysis.

Results

Five methods to integrate the perspectives of patients were used: (i) interviews with patients, (ii) inclusion of patient partners within the advisory committee, (iii) literature review, (iv) focus groups with one patient association, and (v) feedback from patient associations on recommendations intended for decision makers and other targeted stakeholders. The patient partners influenced decisions by sharing their experiential knowledge. The patient interviews and the literature review added an in-depth perspective on the disease and experience with the healthcare system. The patient association members shared their perspectives and helped disseminate the recommendation to sustain a practice change.

Conclusion

The combination of methods to collect and integrate patients’ knowledge and patient associations’ perspectives helped develop a comprehensive understanding of a controversial object of evaluation.
International Institutions, Institutional Balancing, and Peaceful Order Transition
Authors: He Kai , Feng Huiyun
Published: December 2020

As part of the roundtable “International Institutions and Peaceful Change,” this essay focuses on the “Kindleberger trap,” a term coined by Joseph Nye Jr. referring to the situation in which no country takes the lead to maintain international institutions in the international system. President Trump's destructive policies toward many international institutions seem to push the current international order to the brink of the Kindleberger trap. Ironically, China has pledged, at least rhetorically, to support and even save these existing international institutions. Based on an institutional-balancing perspective, we suggest that the worry about the Kindleberger trap is unwarranted because the international institutional order will not easily collapse after the decline of U.S. hegemony. Institutional competition among great powers and institutional changes within the institutional order have become two remedies to maintain international institutions and to avoid the Kindleberger trap during the international order transition. What states, including the United States and China, should do is to reembrace and reinvigorate the role of multilateralism in world politics so that the dynamics of institutional balancing and consequential institutional changes in the context of U.S.-China competition do not deprive international society of the public goods and normative values of international institutions. The future international order should not be led by a single country, but by dynamic and balanced international institutions.
Whither the Liberal International Order? Authority, Hierarchy, and Institutional Change
Authors: Lake David A.
Published: December 2020

The liberal international order is being challenged today by populism and unilateralism. Though it has been resilient in the past, the current challenges from within the order are unprecedented. Without being too pessimistic, I expect the LIO will survive but retract to its original core states in North America, Europe, and Northeast Asia, shedding some of its universal pretensions. States that remain within the liberal order, in turn, will compete with an alternative Chinese-led international hierarchy built around all or part of the current Belt and Road Initiative countries. While international institutions can facilitate cooperation, they do not bridge this emerging divide sufficiently to forestall conflict and, in any event, will not be sufficiently robust to prevent a new cold war. As part of the roundtable “International Institutions and Peaceful Change,” this brief essay sketches this argument and concludes with some possible ways of moderating future conflicts.
The Regional Path to Peaceful Change: What the Asian and European Experiences Tell Us
Authors: Beeson Mark
Published: December 2020

One of the more striking, surprising, and optimism-inducing features of the contemporary international system has been the decline of interstate war. The key question for students of international relations and comparative politics is how this happy state of affairs came about. In short, was this a universal phenomenon or did some regions play a more important and pioneering role in bringing about peaceful change? As part of the roundtable “International Institutions and Peaceful Change,” this essay suggests that Western Europe generally and the European Union in particular played pivotal roles in transforming the international system and the behavior of policymakers. This helped to create the material and ideational conditions in which other parts of the world could replicate this experience, making war less likely and peaceful change more feasible. This argument is developed by comparing the experiences of the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and their respective institutional offshoots. The essay uses this comparative historical analysis to assess both regions’ capacity to cope with new security challenges, particularly the declining confidence in institutionalized cooperation.
TOLERANCE OF INCOHERENCE IN LAW, GRADED SPEECH ACTS AND ILLOCUTIONARY PLURALISM
Authors: Perez Oren
Published: December 2020

One of the most difficult challenges of mature legal systems is the need to balance the conflicting demands of stability and flexibility. The demand for flexibility is at odds with the principle of impartiality, which is considered a cornerstone of the rule of law. In the present article, I explore the way in which the law copes with this dilemma by developing the idea of tolerance of incoherence. I argue that tolerance of incoherence emerges from the interplay between the inferential and lexical-semantic rules that determine the meaning of legal speech acts. I base this argument on an inferential model of speech acts, which I develop through a discussion of graded speech acts, and on the idea that the use of speech acts is governed by multiple and potentially conflicting conventions. I show how this tolerance allows the law to resolve the tension between dynamism and traditionality, and discuss its sociological and moral implications.
A NOTE ON POPULATION AGING AND EFFECTIVENESS OF FISCAL POLICY
Authors: Miyamoto Hiroaki , Yoshino Naoyuki
Published: December 2020

This paper examines how population aging affects the output effect of a government spending shock by using a panel data of OECD countries. The government spending shock is identified as a forecast error of government spending, and its output effect is estimated by using the local projection method. We find that population aging affects the output effect of the government spending shock. While in non-aging economies, government spending shock increases output significantly in both short- and medium-terms, in aging economies, output responses are not statistically significant.
Unleashing the literature: a scoping review of canine zoonotic and vectorborne disease research in Canis familiaris in North America
Authors: Julien Danielle A. , Sargeant Jan M. , Filejski Catherine , Versluis Ali M. , Waind Victoria , Harper Sherilee L.
Published: December 2020

Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) provide important benefits to human beings but can also transmit pathogens. Information on the breadth of canine zoonoses and vectorborne research in North America is scarce. A scoping review was conducted to examine (1) the number and type of canine zoonoses and vectorborne studies in domestic dogs conducted in North America since the start of the 21st century; (2) the main research methods reported; (3) the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI) countries in which research was conducted; and (4) whether collaborative integrated terminology was reported in objectives or methods sections. Title/abstract screening, full-text screening, and data-charting were completed by two reviewers. We identified 507 publications evaluating 43 zoonotic or vectorborne pathogens in domestic dogs. Most studies (n = 391 of 512 (76.37%)) were conducted in the USA. The five most frequently researched pathogens were Ehrlichia spp. (n = 81 of 507 (15.98%)), Borrelia burgdorferi (n = 64 of 507 (12.62%)), Leptospira spp. (n = 54 of 507 (10.65%)), Rabies virus (n = 42 of 507 (8.28%)), and Influenza viruses (n = 41 of 507 (8.09%)). These pathogens can cause moderate to severe health outcomes in human beings and in dogs irrespective of IHDI ranking; our review highlights important counts of research conduct among North American countries.
Covid-19 and a Change in the Legal Information Landscape
Authors: Cross Felicity
Published: December 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic drastically changed the information landscape. For us it exponentially increased our workload and unequivocally demonstrated how much value we could add to the business. The skill set of information professionals is in demand like never before, changing many of our roles for the better. This article, written by Felicity Cross, discusses the effect the pandemic has had on her department and what that means for our profession as a whole.
#polisci Twitter: A Descriptive Analysis of how Political Scientists Use Twitter in 2019
Authors: Bisbee James , Larson Jennifer , Munger Kevin
Published: December 2020

Knowledge creation is a social enterprise, especially in political science. Sharing new findings widely and quickly is essential for progress. Scholars can now use Twitter to rapidly disseminate ideas, and many do. What are the implications of this new tool? Who uses it, how do they use it, and what are the implications for exacerbating or ameliorating existing inequalities in terms of research dissemination and attention? We construct a novel dataset of all 1,236 political science professors at PhD-granting institutions in the United States who have a Twitter account to answer these questions. We find that female scholars and those on the tenure track are more likely to use Twitter, especially for the dissemination of research. However, we consistently find that research by men shared on Twitter is more likely to be passed along further by men than research by women.
Cognitive Reserve Mitigates Decline in Executive Functioning Following Hepatobiliary Diseases
Authors: Ihle Andreas , Gouveia Élvio R. , Gouveia Bruna R. , Haas Maximilian , Zuber Sascha , Orsholits Dan , Cheval Boris , Sieber Stefan , Cullati Stéphane , Kliegel Matthias
Published: December 2020

Abstract. The cognitive reserve hypothesis postulates that lifelong cognitive stimulation establishes a buffer that is instrumental in maintaining cognitive health. To examine this conceptual proposition in detail, we applied a novel, more general conceptual view that included recent models of vulnerability and examined whether the longitudinal association between hepatobiliary diseases and later decline in executive functioning across 6 years varied by cognitive reserve. For this purpose, we investigated longitudinal data from 897 older individuals ( M = 74.33 years) tested using the Trail Making Test (TMT) in two waves 6 years apart. Individuals reported information on key commonly used indicators of lifelong cognitive reserve build-up (i.e., education, work, and participation in leisure activity) and hepatobiliary diseases. The results revealed a significant interaction of hepatobiliary diseases with participation in leisure activity on latent change in executive functioning. Specifically, only in individuals with little (but not greater) participation in leisure activity did hepatobiliary diseases significantly predict a steeper decline in executive functioning over 6 years (i.e., increases in TMT finishing time). In conclusion, the unfavorable aftereffects of hepatobiliary diseases on a later decline in executive functioning seem to be mitigated in individuals who have built up greater cognitive reserve via participation in leisure activity during their life.
How Musicality, Cognition and Sensorimotor Skills Relate in Musically Untrained Children
Authors: James Clara E. , Zuber Sascha , Dupuis-Lozeron Elise , Abdili Laura , Gervaise Diane , Kliegel Matthias
Published: December 2020

Abstract. Whereas a growing corpus of research has investigated the impact of music practice on several domains of cognition, studies on the relationships between musicality and other abilities and skills in musically untrained children are scarce. The present study examined the associations between musicality, cognition, and sensorimotor skills in 69 musically untrained primary school children of around 10 years of age, using a test battery of musical, cognitive, and sensorimotor abilities. We analyzed the results using nonparametric correlations and an exploratory factor analysis. It was our anticipation that basic cognitive resources (short-term and working memory, attention, processing speed) would relate to both higher-order cognition and musicality. Results indicated that, in musically untrained children, the interconnections between musical and cognitive abilities restrain to auditory short-term and working memory. Direct associations between musicality and higher-order cognitive processes did not occur. An interesting secondary finding comprised associations between sensorimotor function, as measured by the Purdue Pegboard test, and higher-order cognition. Specifically, we found an association between bimanual coordination of fine finger dexterity and matrix reasoning. This outcome suggests that higher-order cognitive function benefits from an efficient mastering of procedural aspects of sensorimotor skills.
Modeling Value-Based Decision-Making Policies Using Genetic Programming
Authors: Pirrone Angelo , Gobet Fernand
Published: December 2020

Abstract. An important way to develop models in psychology and cognitive science is to express them as computer programs. However, computational modeling is not an easy task. To address this issue, some have proposed using artificial-intelligence (AI) techniques, such as genetic programming (GP) to semiautomatically generate models. In this paper, we establish whether models used to generate data can be recovered when GP evolves models accounting for such data. As an example, we use an experiment from decision-making which addresses a central question in decision-making research, namely, to understand what strategy, or “policy,” agents adopt in order to make a choice. In decision-making, this often means understanding the policy that best explains the distribution of choices and/or reaction times of two-alternative forced-choice decisions. We generated data from three models using different psychologically plausible policies and then evaluated the ability and extent of GP to correctly identify the true generating model among the class of virtually infinite candidate models. Our results show that, regardless of the complexity of the policy, GP can correctly identify the true generating process. Given these results, we discuss implications for cognitive science research and computational scientific discovery as well as possible future applications.
Goals Do Not Buy Well-Being, but They Help
Authors: Joly-Burra Emilie , Gallerne Elisa , Van der Linden Martial , Ghisletta Paolo
Published: December 2020

Abstract. Although personal goals give meaning to life and contribute to well-being, achieving goals can become difficult in older adults faced with age-related challenges. A group of 49 older adults aged 65 to 92 years completed a semistructured interview on personal goals, obstacles to goal achievement, and contributors to well-being. Using thematic analysis, we identified several types of goals contributing to well-being and general aspects of well-being. Results revealed that, although older people might say that they no longer have major goals in their lives, they end up mentioning many activities that theoretically are goals. Many of these activities are geared toward maintaining or increasing their general well-being. Of importance, they report few complaints regarding goal achievement, which they explained by (1) reducing the number and breadth of their goals, (2) adjusting and reevaluating these goals, and (3) overcoming difficulties and stabilizing current functioning, thereby maintaining a sense of continuity and satisfactory levels of well-being. This study illustrates the interactions between resources and stressors from the viewpoint of older adults. Taken together, the results advocate for the usefulness of the functional quality of life model and proactive approaches to successful aging, and they provide directions for individualized interventions in the elderly.
Anisotropic Electron Fluid Closure Validated by in Situ Spacecraft Observations in the far Exhaust of Guide‐field Reconnection
Authors: Wetherton Blake A. , Egedal Jan , Le Ari , Daughton William
Published: December 2020

Anisotropic electron heating predictions of the equations of state of Le et al. (2009); https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.085001 (“the EoS”) are applied to reconnection in the Earth's magnetosheath. The model is applicable to open systems where electrons are streaming along magnetic field lines into the reconnection region, sourced by fixed external reservoirs of plasma ambient to the reconnection region. While spacecraft observations have previously shown the EoS to hold in the region near the X‐line, we find that for an event observed far downstream (∼100 di) from the X‐line both inflows and the exhaust follow the predictions of the EoS. Furthermore, the model underlying the EoS is extended to include additional perpendicular heating terms relevant to the considered event undergoing active magnetic compression with local electron trapping. The agreement between the spacecraft observations and the EoS emphasizes the roles of the ambient plasma sources and the dynamics of trapped and passing electrons in setting and controlling the anisotropic electron heating at large scale in naturally occurring plasma configurations.
Patterns, Drivers, and Ecological Implications of Upwelling in Coral Reef Habitats of the Southern Red Sea
Authors: DeCarlo Thomas M. , Carvalho Susana , Gajdzik Laura , Hardenstine Royale S. , Tanabe Lyndsey K. , Villalobos Rodrigo , Berumen Michael L.
Published: December 2020

Coral reef ecosystems are highly sensitive to thermal anomalies, making them vulnerable to ongoing global warming. Yet, a variety of cooling mechanisms, such as upwelling, can offer some respite to certain reefs. The Farasan Banks in the southern Red Sea is home to hundreds of coral reefs covering 16,000 km2 and experiences among the highest water temperatures of any coral‐reef region despite exposure to summertime upwelling. We deployed an array of temperature loggers on coral reefs in the Farasan Banks, enabling us to evaluate the skill of satellite‐based sea surface temperature (SST) products for capturing patterns of upwelling. Additionally, we used remote sensing products to investigate the physical drivers of upwelling, and to better understand how upwelling modulates summertime heat stress on coral communities. Our results show that various satellite SST products underestimate reef‐water temperatures but differ in their ability to capture the spatial and temporal dynamics of upwelling. Monsoon winds from June to September drive the upwelling in the southern Red Sea via Ekman transport of surface waters off the shelf, and this process is ultimately controlled by the southwest Indian monsoon in the Arabian Sea. Further, the timing of the cessation of monsoon winds regulates the maximum water temperatures that are reached in September and October. In addition to describing the patterns and mechanisms of upwelling, we discuss the potential ecological implications of this upwelling system, including modulation of coral bleaching events and effects on biodiversity, sea turtle reproduction, fish pelagic larval duration, and planktivore populations.
Quantifying Seasonal Seagrass Effects on Flow and Sediment Dynamics in a Back‐Barrier Bay
Authors: Zhu Qingguang , Wiberg Patricia L. , Reidenbach Matthew A.
Published: December 2020

Seagrass growth and senescence exert a strong influence on flow structure and sediment transport processes in coastal environments. However, most previous studies of seasonal seagrass effects either focused on small‐scale field measurements or did not fully resolve the synergistic effects of flow‐wave‐vegetation‐sediment interaction at a meadow scale. In this study, we applied a coupled Delft3D‐FLOW and SWAN model that included effects of seagrass on flow, waves, and sediment resuspension in a shallow coastal bay to quantify seasonal seagrass impacts on bay dynamics. The model was extensively validated using seasonal field hydrodynamic and suspended sediment data within a seagrass meadow and a nearby unvegetated site. Our results show that seagrass meadows significantly attenuated flow (60%) and waves (20%) and reduced suspended sediment concentration (85%) during summer when its density reached a maximum. Probability density distributions of combined wave‐current bed shear stress within the seagrass meadow indicate that significant reductions in sediment resuspension during summer were mainly caused by flow retardation rather than wave attenuation. Although low‐density seagrass in winter resulted in much smaller reductions in flow and waves compared with summer meadows, small changes in winter seagrass density resulted in large differences in the magnitude of attenuation of flow and shear stress. Similarly, while high seagrass densities effectively trapped sediment during summer, small changes in winter density resulted in strong changes in net sediment flux into/out of the meadow. At our study site, low seagrass densities provided significant reductions in wintertime sediment loss compared to losses associated with completely unvegetated conditions.
Cross‐Shore Flow and Implications for Carbon Export in the California Current Ecosystem: A Lagrangian Analysis
Authors: Chabert P. , d'Ovidio F. , Echevin V. , Stukel M. R. , Ohman M. D.
Published: December 2020

Eastern Boundary Current Upwelling Systems are regions of elevated primary production and carbon export and thus play a central role in the global carbon cycle. In these regions, nutrient upwelling occurs in a narrow region close to the coast, but primary production and carbon export are typically observed across a broader region. The fact that productive waters reach the open ocean has important consequences for the biological carbon pump, because such transport connects nutrient sources close to the coast to the deep carbon sinks of the offshore ocean. However, many aspects of this offshore transport are still not known. Here we address seasonal and interannual variability of upwelling‐related cross‐shore flows in the California current ecosystem (CCE) by employing Lagrangian diagnostics of horizontal transport inferred from satellite data. We define an advective age as the time a water parcel flowed offshore of the 500 m isobath. We find that the offshore extension of high Chl‐a waters covaries with the age of a coastal water parcel, and is consistent with mesoscale circulation. Interannual variability in the offshore extent of older waters is primarily driven by mesoscale variability and covaries with large scale forcing by both ENSO and the NPGO. The measured ratio of in‐situ new production: carbon export also covaries with water age, and tends to be ≫ 1 in younger and more balanced in older waters. Our results may help to parameterize the role of the finescale on the export of carbon in upwelling regions for climate resolving models.
Climatic and Biotic Controls on Topographic Asymmetry at the Global Scale
Authors: Smith T. , Bookhagen B.
Published: December 2020

Insolation differences play a primary role in controlling microclimate and vegetation cover, which together influence the development of topography. Topographic asymmetry (TA), or slope differences between terrain aspects, has been well documented in small‐scale, field‐based, and modeling studies. Here we combine a suite of environmental (e.g., vegetation, temperature, solar insolation) and topographic (e.g., elevation, drainage network) data to explore the driving mechanisms and markers of TA on a global scale. Using a novel empirical TA analysis method, we find that (1) steeper terrain has higher TA magnitudes, (2) globally, pole‐facing terrain is on average steeper than equator‐facing terrain, especially in mid‐latitude, tectonically quiescent, and vegetated landscapes, and (3) high‐elevation and low‐temperature regions tend to have terrain steepened toward the equator. We further show that there are distinct differences in climate and vegetation cover across terrain aspects, and that TA is reflected in the size and form of fluvial drainage networks. Our work supports the argument that insolation asymmetries engender differences in local microclimates and vegetation on opposing terrain aspects, which broadly encourage the development of asymmetric topography across a range of lithologic, tectonic, geomorphic, and climatic settings.
Artificial intelligence predicts the immunogenic landscape of SARS-CoV-2 leading to universal blueprints for vaccine designs
Authors: Malone Brandon , Simovski Boris , Moliné Clément , Cheng Jun , Gheorghe Marius , Fontenelle Hugues , Vardaxis Ioannis , Tennøe Simen , Malmberg Jenny-Ann , Stratford Richard , Clancy Trevor
Published: December 2020

The global population is at present suffering from a pandemic of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel coronavirus Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The goal of this study was to use artificial intelligence (AI) to predict blueprints for designing universal vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, that contain a sufficiently broad repertoire of T-cell epitopes capable of providing coverage and protection across the global population. To help achieve these aims, we profiled the entire SARS-CoV-2 proteome across the most frequent 100 HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-DR alleles in the human population, using host-infected cell surface antigen presentation and immunogenicity predictors from the NEC Immune Profiler suite of tools, and generated comprehensive epitope maps. We then used these epitope maps as input for a Monte Carlo simulation designed to identify statistically significant “epitope hotspot” regions in the virus that are most likely to be immunogenic across a broad spectrum of HLA types. We then removed epitope hotspots that shared significant homology with proteins in the human proteome to reduce the chance of inducing off-target autoimmune responses. We also analyzed the antigen presentation and immunogenic landscape of all the nonsynonymous mutations across 3,400 different sequences of the virus, to identify a trend whereby SARS-COV-2 mutations are predicted to have reduced potential to be presented by host-infected cells, and consequently detected by the host immune system. A sequence conservation analysis then removed epitope hotspots that occurred in less-conserved regions of the viral proteome. Finally, we used a database of the HLA haplotypes of approximately 22,000 individuals to develop a “digital twin” type simulation to model how effective different combinations of hotspots would work in a diverse human population; the approach identified an optimal constellation of epitope hotspots that could provide maximum coverage in the global population. By combining the antigen presentation to the infected-host cell surface and immunogenicity predictions of the NEC Immune Profiler with a robust Monte Carlo and digital twin simulation, we have profiled the entire SARS-CoV-2 proteome and identified a subset of epitope hotspots that could be harnessed in a vaccine formulation to provide a broad coverage across the global population.
Machine learning-integrated omics for the risk and safety assessment of nanomaterials
Authors: Ahmad Farooq , Mahmood Asif , Muhmood Tahir
Published: December 2020

Omics data processed by machine learning algorithms to characterize endotypes for the autonomous comparison of safety and risk assessment of nanomaterials for preclinical safety assessment and post-marketing vigilance and decision making.
Tetrazine-mediated bioorthogonal removal of 3-isocyanopropyl groups enables the controlled release of nitric oxide in vivo
Authors: Wu Jianbing , Sun Tao , Yang Chenxi , Lv Tian , Bi Yuyang , Xu Yuan , Ling Yong , Zhao Jun , Cong Rigang , Zhang Yihua , Wang Jianhua , Wen Hao , Jiang Hulin , Li Fei , Huang Zhangjian
Published: December 2020

3a can be triggered by BTZ and then liberate NO and acrolein. By liposomes of 3a and BTZ, the bioorthogonal reactions between them was limited within the implanted cancer cells in zebrafish, thus generating potent cancer inhibitory activity.
Tuning the stereoelectronic factors of iron(ii)-2-aminophenolate complexes for the reaction with dioxygen: oxygenolytic C–C bond cleavage vs. oxidation of complex
Authors: Chatterjee Sayanti , Banerjee Sridhar , Jana Rahul Dev , Bhattacharya Shrabanti , Chakraborty Biswarup , Jannuzzi Sergio Augusto Venturinelli
Published: December 2020

Modular tuning of stereoelectronic factors of Iron(ii)-2-aminophenolate complexes during the reaction with dioxygen enables to control oxygenolytic C–C bond cleavage vs. metal and/or ligand based oxidation.
Enhancement of the carbamate activation rate enabled syntheses of tetracyclic benzolactams: 8-oxoberbines and their 5- and 7-membered C-ring homologues
Authors: Kurouchi Hiroaki
Published: December 2020

A route to the direct amidation of aromatic-ring-tethered N-carbamoyl tetrahydroisoquinoline substrates was developed.
Direct molecular confinement in layered double hydroxides: from fundamental to advanced photo-luminescent hybrid materials
Authors: Zhang Fen-Di , Lin Chang-Gen , Diao Shu-Jing , Miras Haralampos N. , Song Yu-Fei
Published: December 2020

We report here new approaches for the direct intercalation of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) from carbonate-LDHs by using various organic acids as proton sources for de-carbonation.
Polydimethylsiloxane nanocomposite macroporous films preparedviaPickering high internal phase emulsions as effective dielectrics for enhancing the performance of triboelectric nanogenerators
Authors: Blancas Flores José Miguel , Pérez García María Guadalupe , González Contreras Gabriel , Coronado Mendoza Alberto , Romero Arellano Victor Hugo
Published: December 2020

High internal phase emulsion (HIPE) templating technique to fabricate and control porous PDMS-films, to enhance the TENG's performance.
Development of a multicolor upconversion fluorescence immunoassay for the simultaneous detection of thiamethoxam and dextran by magnetic separation
Authors: Li Chuanyong , Sun Wanlin , Huang Lianrun , Sun Nana , Hua Xiude , Wang Minghua , Liu Fengquan
Published: December 2020

The anti-thiamethoxam and anti-dextran monoclonal antibodies were prepared to develop a multicolor upconversion fluorescence immunoassay for the simultaneous determination of thiamethoxam (544 nm) and dextran (477 nm).
Edge length-dependent interlayer friction of graphene
Authors: Zhang Hongwei , Li Yanwei , Qu Jinfeng , Zhang Jingnan
Published: December 2020

The present work demonstrates the intrinsic dependence of friction on the contact edge size of incommensurate graphene layers.
Removal of mercury from polluted water by a novel composite of polymer carbon nanofiber: kinetic, isotherm, and thermodynamic studies
Authors: Al-Yaari Mohammad , Saleh Tawfik A. , Saber Osama
Published: December 2020

This work aims at the synthesis of a polymer of poly-trimesoyl chloride and polyethyleneimine grafted on carbon fibers (PCF) derived from palm to remove mercury (ii) from aqueous solutions using batch adsorption studies at different temperatures.
Dispersion forces drive water oxidation in molecular ruthenium catalysts
Authors: Johansson Mikael P. , Niederegger Lukas , Rauhalahti Markus , Hess Corinna R. , Kaila Ville R. I.
Published: December 2020

Rational design of artificial water-splitting catalysts is central for developing new sustainable energy technology.
Synthetic and thermal studies of four insensitive energetic materials based on oxidation of the melamine structure
Authors: Zhang Jiarong , Bi Fuqiang , Zhang Junlin , Wang Xiaohong , Yang Zhi , Zhang Guofang , Wang Bozhou
Published: December 2020

The synthesis, thermal behavior and detonation performance of MDO and its monoanionic energetic salts were comprehensively studied.
Propionamide participating in H2SO4-based new particle formation: a theory study
Authors: Zhao Xianwei , Li Yunfeng , Zuo Chenpeng , Sun Yanhui , Xu Fei , Nadykto Alexey B. , Du Lin , Xu Yisheng , Zhang Qingzhu , Wang Wenxing
Published: December 2020

Propionamide (PA), an important pollutant emitted into the atmosphere from a variety of sources, is abundant in many areas worldwide, and could be involved in new particle formation (NPF).
Synthesis of porous carbon material based on biomass derived from hibiscus sabdariffa fruits as active electrodes for high-performance symmetric supercapacitors
Authors: Hamouda Hamouda Adam , Cui Shuzhen , Dai Xiuwen , Xiao Lele , Xie Xuan , Peng Hui , Ma Guofu
Published: December 2020

Carbon-based materials are manufactured as high-performance electrodes using biomass waste in the renewable energy storage field.
Rolled-up island-bridge (RIB): a new and general electrode configuration design for a wire-shaped stretchable micro-supercapacitor array
Authors: Li Zhen , Song Jian , Hu Haibo , Yuan Changzhou , Wu Mingzai , Ho Derek
Published: December 2020

The “rolled-up island-bridge” design enables the wire-shaped stretchable micro-supercapacitor array to achieve a high linear/areal energy density (7.94 μW h cm−1/7.22 μW h cm−2), large elongation (100%), and stable and tunable electrochemical output.
A colloidal ZnTe quantum dot-based photocathode with a metal–insulator–semiconductor structure towards solar-driven CO2 reduction to tunable syngas
Authors: Wen Peng , Li Hui , Ma Xiao , Lei Renbo , Wang Xinwei , Geyer Scott M. , Qiu Yejun
Published: December 2020

A Ag3Cu/TiO2/ZnTe photocathode which integrates fast interface-carrier migration, catalytic selectivity, and stability was fabricated for solar-driven CO2 reduction to tunable syngas.
Introduction of a secondary ligand into titanium-based metal–organic frameworks for visible-light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide production from dioxygen reduction
Authors: Chen Xiaolang , Kuwahara Yasutaka , Mori Kohsuke , Louis Catherine , Yamashita Hiromi
Published: December 2020

The introduction of a secondary ligand into titanium-based metal–organic frameworks for visible-light-driven photocatalytic H2O2 production from dioxygen reduction.
Biodegradable aniline-derived electroconductive film for the regulation of neural stem cell fate
Authors: Chao Keui-Yu , Huang Wei-Yuan , Ho Chia-Yu , Wan Dehui , Wang Huan-Chih , Yang Chun-Yi , Wang Tzu-Wei
Published: December 2020

Schematic of biodegradable aniline-derived electroconductive film (4a-PLAAP) for the modulation of neural stem cells (NSCs) behavior.
The YMgB5O10 crystal preparation and attractive multi-wavelength emission characteristics of doping Nd3+ ions
Authors: Sun Shijia , Wei Qi , Li Bingxuan , Shi Xingjun , Yuan Feifei , Lou Fei , Zhang Lizhen , Lin Zhoubin , Zhong Degao , Huang Yisheng , Teng Bing
Published: December 2020

YMB and Nd:YMB crystals with excellent physicochemical properties have been grown by TSSG method. The intense multi-wavelength emissions reveal the potential of THz technology.
W18O49/N-doped reduced graphene oxide hybrid architectures for full-spectrum photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants in water
Authors: Wang Jia , Fang Xiao-Chen , Liu Yue , Fu Su-Lei , Zhuo Ming-Peng , Yao Mu-Dan , Wang Zuo-Shan , Chen Wei-Fan , Liao Liang-Sheng
Published: December 2020

Full-spectrum photocatalysis from ultraviolet to near infrared has generated immense scientific interest in environmental purification and energy conversion, which is still a huge challenge.
Four Jovian planets around low-luminosity giant stars observed by the EXPRESS and PPPS
Authors: Jones M. I. , Wittenmyer R. , Aguilera-Gómez C. , Soto M. G. , Torres P. , Trifonov T. , Jenkins J. S. , Zapata A. , Sarkis P. , Zakhozhay O. , Brahm R. , Ramírez R. , Santana F. , Vines J. I. , Díaz M. R. , Vučković M. , Pantoja B.
Published: December 2020

We report the discovery of planetary companions orbiting four low-luminosity giant stars with M⋆ between 1.04 and 1.39 M⊙. All four host stars have been independently observed by the EXoPlanets aRound Evolved StarS (EXPRESS) program and the Pan-Pacific Planet Search (PPPS). The companion signals were revealed by multi-epoch precision radial velocities obtained in nearly a decade. The planetary companions exhibit orbital periods between ~1.2 and 7.1 yr, minimum masses of mpsin i ~ 1.8–3.7 MJ, and eccentricities between 0.08 and 0.42. With these four new systems, we have detected planetary companions to 11 out of the 37 giant stars that are common targets in the EXPRESS and PPPS. After excluding four compact binaries from the common sample, we obtained a fraction of giant planets (mp ≳ 1– 2 MJ) orbiting within 5 AU from their parent star of f = 33.3−7.1+9.0%. This fraction is slightly higher than but consistent at the 1σ level with previous results obtained by different radial velocity surveys. Finally, this value is substantially higher than the fraction predicted by planet formation models of gas giants around stars more massive than the Sun.
Cosmological constraints on the magnification bias on sub-millimetre galaxies after large-scale bias corrections
Authors: González-Nuevo J. , Cueli M. M. , Bonavera L. , Lapi A. , Migliaccio M. , Argüeso F. , Toffolatti L.
Published: December 2020

Context. The study of the magnification bias produced on high-redshift sub-millimetre galaxies by foreground galaxies through the analysis of the cross-correlation function was recently demonstrated as an interesting independent alternative to the weak-lensing shear as a cosmological probe.

Aims. In the case of the proposed observable, most of the cosmological constraints mainly depend on the largest angular separation measurements. Therefore, we aim to study and correct the main large-scale biases that affect foreground and background galaxy samples to produce a robust estimation of the cross-correlation function. Then we analyse the corrected signal to derive updated cosmological constraints.

Methods. We measured the large-scale, bias-corrected cross-correlation functions using a background sample of H-ATLAS galaxies with photometric redshifts > 1.2 and two different foreground samples (GAMA galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts or SDSS galaxies with photometric ones, both in the range 0.2 < z < 0.8). These measurements are modelled using the traditional halo model description that depends on both halo occupation distribution and cosmological parameters. We then estimated these parameters by performing a Markov chain Monte Carlo under multiple scenarios to study the performance of this observable and how to improve its results.

Results. After the large-scale bias corrections, we obtain only minor improvements with respect to the previous magnification bias results, mainly confirming their conclusions: a lower bound on Ωm > 0.22 at 95% CL and an upper bound σ8 < 0.97 at 95% CL (results from the zspec sample). Neither the much higher surface density of the foreground photometric sample nor the assumption of Gaussian priors for the remaining unconstrained parameters significantly improve the derived constraints. However, by combining both foreground samples into a simplified tomographic analysis, we were able to obtain interesting constraints on the Ωm − σ8 plane as follows: Ωm = 0.50−0.20+0.14 and σ8 = 0.75−0.10+0.07 at 68% CL.