bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mapping Plastic-Mulched Farmland with C-Band Full Polarization SAR Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Hasituya  , Chen Zhongxin , Li Fei , Hongmei
Published: December 2017

Plastic mulching is an important technology in agricultural production both in China and the rest of the world. In spite of its benefit of increasing crop yields, the booming expansion of the plastic mulching area has been changing the landscape patterns and affecting the environment. Accurate and effective mapping of Plastic-Mulched Farmland (PMF) can provide useful information for leveraging its advantages and disadvantages. However, mapping the PMF with remote sensing is still challenging owing to its varying spectral characteristics with the crop growth and geographic spatial division. In this paper, we investigated the potential of Radarsat-2 data for mapping PMF. We obtained the backscattering intensity of different polarizations and multiple polarimetric decomposition descriptors. These remotely-sensed information was used as input features for Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers. The results indicated that the features from Radarsat-2 data have great potential for mapping PMF. The overall accuracies of PMF mapping with Radarsat-2 data were close to 75%. Although the classification accuracy with the back-scattering intensity information alone was relatively lower owing to the inherent speckle noise in SAR data, it has been improved significantly by introducing the polarimetric decomposition descriptors. The accuracy was nearly 75%. In addition, the features derived from the Entropy/Anisotropy/Alpha (H/A/Alpha) polarimetric decomposition, such as Alpha, entropy, and so on, made a greater contribution to PMF mapping than the Freeman decomposition, Krogager decomposition and the Yamaguchi4 decomposition. The performances of different classifiers were also compared. In this study, the RF classifier performed better than the SVM classifier. However, it is expected that the classification accuracy of PMF with SAR remote sensing data can be improved by combining SAR remote sensing data with optical remote sensing data.
A 30-Year Assessment of Phytoplankton Blooms in Erhai Lake Using Landsat Imagery: 1987 to 2016
Authors: Tan Wenxia , Liu Pengcheng , Liu Yi , Yang Shao , Feng Shunan
Published: December 2017

Long-term information of phytoplankton bloom is critical for assessing the processes driving blooms in lakes. A three-decade survey of the phytoplankton blooms was completed for Erhai Lake from 1987 to 2016 with Landsat imagery. A modified three-band model using Landsat broad bands is developed by comparing reflectance data from Landsat imagery to two field datasets. The model is applied to the archived imagery (1987–2016) to predict chlorophyll-a (Chl-a). Predicted ln(Chl-a) and observed ln(Chl-a) measurements are significantly correlated (R2 = 0.70; RMSE = 0.13 ug/L). Bloom maps are generated by identifying Landsat pixels that have Chl-a concentrations larger than 20 ug/L as bloom area. Bloom extent and magnitude are estimated. Our study reveals that algal blooms first occurred in 1996 with a bloom area of 150 km2. Bloom occurred frequently from 2002 to 2016, with extreme blooms in 2003, 2013 and 2016. Algal blooms were mostly distributed in the northern and southern part of the lake. The proposed method uses one model for all Landsat images for Erhai Lake and can predict past blooms and extend the record to early years when field data is not available. The bloom extent and magnitude produced in this study can be used as the basis for the understanding of the processes that control the bloom outbreak.
Co-Cultured Continuously Bioluminescent Human Cells as Bioreporters for the Detection of Prodrug Therapeutic Impact Pre- and Post-Metabolism
Authors: Xu Tingting , Conway Michael , Frank Ashley , Ripp Steven , Sayler Gary , Close Dan
Published: December 2017

Modern drug discovery workflows require assay systems capable of replicating the complex interactions of multiple tissue types, but that can still function under high throughput conditions. In this work, we evaluate the use of substrate-free autobioluminescence in human cell lines to support the performance of these assays with reduced economical and logistical restrictions relative to substrate-requiring bioluminescent reporter systems. The use of autobioluminescence was found to support assay functionality similar to existing luciferase reporter targets. The autobioluminescent assay format was observed to correlate strongly with general metabolic activity markers such as ATP content and the presence of reactive oxygen species, but not with secondary markers such as glutathione depletion. At the transcriptional level, autobioluminescent dynamics were most closely associated with expression of the CYP1A1 phase I detoxification pathway. These results suggest constitutively autobioluminescent cells can function as general metabolic activity bioreporters, while pairing expression of the autobioluminescent phenotype to detoxification pathway specific promoters could create more specific sensor systems.
Quantitative Analyses of Transition Pension Liabilities and Solvency Sustainability in China
Authors: Zhao Yueqiang , Bai Manying , Liu Yali , Hao Junzhang
Published: December 2017

In the context of the aging population, the debt risk and solvency situation of China’s pension plan are of major concern for government and individuals. The aim of this paper is to project public pension liabilities and evaluate the solvency sustainability of China’s pension reform during transition periods. By using cohort component and actuarial models, transition debt and solvency sustainability are projected under the existing policy scenario and several sets of hypothetical policy scenarios. We find that the transition liabilities will peak in 2035 and the pension plan will become unsustainable in 2048 under existing policies. In the proposed scenario, postponing retirement age helps to maintain pension plan sustainability until 2083, but this option can’t solve the financial distress in the long run. Further, the transition pension debt will double in the peak moment if the retirement age is postponed for five years, which would pose a risk to the liquidity of the fund. Moreover, an increase to invest return can only improve the baseline solvency in short term. Sustainable options should be designed as composite reform measures, including retirement and investment adjustment.
Innovation Systems for Transformations towards Sustainability? Taking the Normative Dimension Seriously
Authors: Schlaile Michael , Urmetzer Sophie , Blok Vincent , Andersen Allan , Timmermans Job , Mueller Matthias , Fagerberg Jan , Pyka Andreas
Published: December 2017

The aim of this article is to complement research on transformations towards sustainability by drawing upon the innovation systems (IS) framework. The IS framework already serves as a suitable and influential basis for research on processes of technological innovation and economic change. We argue that improving the capacity of an IS framework for dealing with wicked problems and the normative complexity of sustainability requires a fundamental paradigm shift because in the current IS paradigm innovations are considered as per se desirable and in mostly technological terms. Therefore, we call for IS dedicated to transformations towards sustainability by opening up for systemic innovations beyond the technological dimension and by acknowledging that stakeholders have conflicting visions, interests, norms, and expectations with regard to sustainability goals. Taking the normative dimension of transformations towards sustainability seriously thus requires more explicit and integrative research on directionality, legitimacy, responsibility, and their interrelation in IS. The article concludes by proposing suggestions for future research based on IS-related approaches that can serve as building blocks for an IS framework capable of incorporating legitimate goal-orientation for transformative innovation by and for society.
The New Pyramid of Needs for the Digital Citizen: A Transition towards Smart Human Cities
Authors: Carrasco-Sáez José , Careaga Butter Marcelo , Badilla-Quintana María
Published: December 2017

This article analyzes the cultural transition towards postmodernity or a knowledge society and its impact on the changing needs of cities. This transition is characterized by a growing diversification of the use of technologies in most of the economic, political, educational, social, and cultural activities of different human groups. The concept of smart cities emerges, in which the roles and behaviors of citizens are redefined in physical spaces and in their interactions, as well as the function of institutions and interpersonal relationships. Emerging models of social and cultural behavior are required to analyze and systematize these realities, to understand how to increase effectiveness in action, and to rethink education and new ways of teaching and learning. All these processes are based on phenomena of innovation and management, mediated by technology. We proposed an analysis of the new digital skills of these individuals. The elements that shape the reformulation of roles and reference models, as well as an analysis of the postmodern cultural changes and the formation of a holistic, human-community-technology vision, are based on a new pyramid of training needs in which technologies are placed at the service of people’s development, organizations, society, and culture.
Longitudinal Control for Mengshi Autonomous Vehicle via Gauss Cloud Model
Authors: Gao Hongbo , Zhang Xinyu , Liu Yuchao , Li Deyi
Published: December 2017

Dynamic robustness and stability control is a requirement for self-driving of autonomous vehicle. Longitudinal control technique of autonomous vehicle is basic theory and one key complex technique which must have the reliability and precision of vehicle controller. The longitudinal control technique is one of the foundations of the safety and stability of autonomous vehicle control. In our paper, we present a longitudinal control algorithm based on cloud model for Mengshi autonomous vehicle to ensure the dynamic stability and tracking performance of Mengshi autonomous vehicle. The longitudinal control algorithm mainly uses cloud model generator to control the acceleration of the autonomous vehicle to achieve the goal that controls the speed of Mengshi autonomous vehicle. The proposed longitudinal control algorithm based on cloud model is verified by real experiments on Highway driving scene. The experiments results of the acceleration and speed show that the algorithm is validity and stability.
Using Agent-Based Modeling to Assess Liquidity Mismatch in Open-End Bond Funds
Authors: Berndt Donald , Boogers David , Chakraborty Saurav , McCart James
Published: December 2017

In this paper, we introduce a small-scale heterogeneous agent-based model of the US corporate bond market. The model includes a realistic micro-grounded ecology of investors that trade a set of bonds through dealers. Using the model, we simulate market dynamics that emerge from agent behaviors in response to basic exogenous factors (such as interest rate shocks) and the introduction of regulatory policies and constraints. A first experiment focuses on the liquidity transformation provided by mutual funds and investigates the conditions under which redemption-driven bond sales may trigger market instability. We simulate the effects of increasing mutual fund market shares in the presence of market-wide repricing of risk (in the form of a 100 basis point increase in the expected returns). The simulations highlight robust-yet-fragile aspects of the growing liquidity transformation provided by mutual funds, with an inflection point beyond which redemption-driven negative feedback loops trigger market instability.
Insight into the Mode of Action of Celangulin V on the Transmembrane Potential of Midgut Cells in Lepidopteran Larvae
Authors: Wang Yingying , Zhang Jiwen , Feng Mingxing , Wu Wenjun , Hu Zhaonong
Published: December 2017

Celangulin V (CV) is the main insecticidal constituent of Celastrus angulatus. The V-ATPase H subunit of the midgut cells of lepidopteran larvae is the putative target protein of CV. Here, we compared the effects of CV on the midgut membrane potentials of Mythimna separata and Agrotis ipsilon larvae with those of the Cry1Ab toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis and with those of inactive CV-MIA, a synthetic derivative of CV. We investigated the changes in the apical membrane potentials (Vam) and basolateral membrane potentials (Vbm) of the midguts of sixth-instar larvae force-fed with the test toxins. We also measured the Vam and Vbm of larval midguts that were directly incubated with the test toxins. Similar to the effect of Cry1Ab, the Vam of CV-treated midguts rapidly decayed over time in a dose-dependent manner. By contrast, CV-MIA did not influence Vam. Meanwhile, the Vam of A. ipsilon larval midguts directly incubated with CV decayed less than that of M. separata larval midguts, whereas that of larvae force-fed with CV did not significantly change. Similar to Cry1Ab, CV did not affect the Vbm of isolated midguts. CV significantly inhibited V-ATPase activity in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, CV initially inhibits V-ATPase in the apical membrane and affects intracellular pH, homeostasis, and nutrient transport mechanisms in lepidopteran midgut cells.
High-Resolution Structure Analysis of Antibody V5 and U4 Conformational Epitopes on Human Papillomavirus 16
Authors: Guan Jian , Bywaters Stephanie , Brendle Sarah , Ashley Robert , Makhov Alexander , Conway James , Christensen Neil , Hafenstein Susan
Published: December 2017

Cancers attributable to human papillomavirus (HPV) place a huge burden on the health of both men and women. The current commercial vaccines are genotype specific and provide little therapeutic benefit to patients with existing HPV infections. Identifying the conformational epitopes on the virus capsid supports the development of improved recombinant vaccines to maximize long-term protection against multiple types of HPV. Fragments of antibody (Fab) digested from the neutralizing monoclonal antibodies H16.V5 (V5) and H16.U4 (U4) were bound to HPV16 capsids and the structures of the two virus-Fab complexes were solved to near atomic resolution using cryo-electron microscopy. The structures reveal virus conformational changes, the Fab-binding mode to the capsid, the residues comprising the epitope and indicate a potential interaction of U4 with the minor structural protein, L2. Competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) showed V5 outcompetes U4 when added sequentially, demonstrating a steric interference even though the footprints do not overlap. Combined with our previously reported immunological and structural results, we propose that the virus may initiate host entry through an interaction between the icosahedral five-fold vertex of the capsid and receptors on the host cell. The highly detailed epitopes identified for the two antibodies provide a framework for continuing biochemical, genetic and biophysical studies.
Characteristics and Factors Influencing the Hysteresis of Water Area–Stage Curves for Poyang Lake
Authors: Huang Aiping , Peng Wenqi , Liu Xiaobo , Du Yanliang , Zhang Shijie , Wang Shiyan , Du Fei , Dong Fei
Published: December 2017

Flood dynamics of large lake floodplain systems are typically complex. This paper analyses the characteristics and factors that influence the hysteresis of water area–stage curves for Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China characterized by complex geomorphology and upstream–downstream exchange conditions. For this purpose, a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model (EFDC) based on seven scenarios is established. The results indicate that the area–stage curve presents significant hysteretic characteristics due to different water surface gradients that emerge during the water-rising and water-falling periods. Counter-clockwise, clockwise, and splayed hysteresis directions observed at the northern, southern, and central hydrometric stations, respectively, are found in Poyang Lake for the first time. Upstream catchment inflows and Hukou stage reflecting the downstream condition are the main factors that influence hysteresis. The temporal fluctuation of catchment inflows and Hukou stage has a remarkably positive impact on hysteresis, namely, an increase in fluctuation brings about a larger hysteresis. The effects of magnitude change in the two factors on hysteresis are opposing. Catchment inflows are positively related, while the decline of the Hukou stage will produce a more pronounced hysteresis. The outcomes of this study will benefit the water management of Poyang Lake and other similar large lakes.
Evolutionary history of two pollen self‐incompatibility factors reveals alternate routes to self‐compatibility within Solanum
Authors: Markova Dragomira N. , Petersen Jennifer J. , Yam Sarah E. , Corral Adryanna , Valle Matthew J. , Li Wentao , Chetelat Roger T.
Published: December 2017

PREMISE OF THE STUDY:

Self‐incompatibility (SI) prevents self‐fertilization and reduces inbreeding. While SI is common in plants, transitions to self‐compatibility (SC) occur frequently. Little is known about the genetic changes and evolutionary steps underlying these shifts.

METHODS:

In the Solanaceae, SI is gametophytic, with specificity determined by S‐RNases in the pistil and S‐locus F‐box proteins (SLFs) in pollen. We examined the role of two pollen factors, Cullin1 (CUL1) and SLF‐23, in SI → SC transitions in wild tomato species from the Arcanum species group (Solanum arcanum, S. neorickii, and S. chmielewskii). Pollen compatibility was assessed on tester lines that reject pollen lacking functional SLF‐23 or CUL1. Complementation tests, gene sequencing, and phylogenetic analyses were used to characterize both functional and nonfunctional alleles.

KEY RESULTS:

We found evidence for multiple independent SI → SC transitions. In S. arcanum and S. chmielewskii, SC is caused by loss of pistil S‐RNase activity, while in S. neorickii SC is associated with expression of a functional SLF‐23 that recognizes the S9 type S‐RNase expressed in its pistils. Interestingly, we found identical deletion mutations in CUL1 exon 7 of S. chmielewskii as previously seen in S. habrochaites.

CONCLUSIONS:

Mating system transitions in the Arcanum group have occurred via both pistil loss‐of‐function and pollen gain‐of‐function SC mutations. Mutations common to S. chmielewskii and S. habrochaites must have arisen in a common ancestor, possibly to the entire tomato clade, then became fixed in different lineages after loss of pistil‐side SI function.
Palladium-catalyzed Heck-type reaction of secondary trifluoromethylated alkyl bromides
Authors: Fan Tao , Meng Wei-Dong , Zhang Xingang
Published: December 2017

An efficient palladium-catalyzed Heck-type reaction of secondary trifluoromethylated alkyl bromides has been developed. The reaction proceeds under mild reaction conditions with high efficiency and excellent functional group tolerance, even towards formyl and hydroxy groups. Preliminary mechanistic studies reveal that a secondary trifluoromethylated alkyl radical is involved in the reaction.
Photometric Redshifts with the LSST: Evaluating Survey Observing Strategies
Authors: Graham Melissa L. , Connolly Andrew J. , Ivezić Željko , Schmidt Samuel J. , Jones R. Lynne , Jurić Mario , Daniel Scott F. , Yoachim Peter
Published: December 2017

In this paper we present and characterize a nearest-neighbors color-matching photometric redshift estimator that features a direct relationship between the precision and accuracy of the input magnitudes and the output photometric redshifts. This aspect makes our estimator an ideal tool for evaluating the impact of changes to LSST survey parameters that affect the measurement errors of the photometry, which is the main motivation of our work (i.e., it is not intended to provide the “best” photometric redshifts for LSST data). We show how the photometric redshifts will improve with time over the 10 year LSST survey and confirm that the nominal distribution of visits per filter provides the most accurate photo-z results. The LSST survey strategy naturally produces observations over a range of airmass, which offers the opportunity of using an SED- and z-dependent atmospheric affect on the observed photometry as a color-independent redshift indicator. We show that measuring this airmass effect and including it as a prior has the potential to improve the photometric redshifts and can ameliorate extreme outliers, but that it will only be adequately measured for the brightest galaxies, which limits its overall impact on LSST photometric redshifts. We furthermore demonstrate how this airmass effect can induce a bias in the photo-z results, and caution against survey strategies that prioritize high-airmass observations for the purpose of improving this prior. Ultimately, we intend for this work to serve as a guide for the expectations and preparations of the LSST science community with regard to the minimum quality of photo-z as the survey progresses.
On the Spatially Resolved Star Formation History in M51. I. Hybrid UV+IR Star Formation Laws and IR Emission from Dust Heated by Old Stars
Authors: Eufrasio R. T. , Lehmer B. D. , Zezas A. , Dwek E. , Arendt R. G. , Basu-Zych A. , Wiklind T. , Yukita M. , Fragos T. , Hornschemeier A. E. , Markwardt L. , Ptak A. , Tzanavaris P.
Published: December 2017

We present Lightning, a new spectral energy distribution fitting procedure, capable of quickly and reliably recovering star formation history (SFH) and extinction parameters. The SFH is modeled as discrete steps in time. In this work, we assumed lookback times of 0–10 Myr, 10–100 Myr, 0.1–1 Gyr, 1–5 Gyr, and 5–13.6 Gyr. Lightning consists of a fully vectorized inversion algorithm to determine SFH step intensities and combines this with a grid-based approach to determine three extinction parameters. We apply our procedure to the extensive far-UV-to-far-IR photometric data of M51, convolved to a common spatial resolution and pixel scale, and make the resulting maps publicly available. We recover, for M51a, a peak star formation rate (SFR) between 0.1 and 5 Gyr ago, with much lower star formation activity over the past 100 Myr. For M51b, we find a declining SFR toward the present day. In the outskirt regions of M51a, which includes regions between M51a and M51b, we recover an SFR peak between 0.1 and 1 Gyr ago, which corresponds to the effects of the interaction between M51a and M51b. We utilize our results to (1) illustrate how UV+IR hybrid SFR laws vary across M51 and (2) provide first-order estimates for how the IR luminosity per unit stellar mass varies as a function of the stellar age. From the latter result, we find that IR emission from dust heated by stars is not always associated with young stars and that the IR emission from M51b is primarily powered by stars older than 5 Gyr.
Transient Spiral Arms from Far Out-of-equilibrium Gravitational Evolution
Authors: Benhaiem David , Joyce Michael , Sylos Labini Francesco
Published: December 2017

We describe how a simple class of out-of-equilibrium, rotating, and asymmetrical mass distributions evolve under their self-gravity to produce a quasi-planar spiral structure surrounding a virialized core, qualitatively resembling a spiral galaxy. The spiral structure is transient, but can survive tens of dynamical times, and further reproduces qualitatively noted features of spiral galaxies such as the predominance of trailing two-armed spirals and large pitch angles. As our models are highly idealized, a detailed comparison with observations is not appropriate, but generic features of the velocity distributions can be identified to be the potential observational signatures of such a mechanism. Indeed, the mechanism leads generically to a characteristic transition from predominantly rotational motion, in a region outside the core, to radial ballistic motion in the outermost parts. Such radial motions are excluded in our Galaxy up to 15 kpc, but could be detected at larger scales in the future by GAIA. We explore the apparent motions seen by external observers of the velocity distributions of our toy galaxies, and find that it is difficult to distinguish them from those of a rotating disk with sub-dominant radial motions at levels typically inferred from observations. These simple models illustrate the possibility that the observed apparent motions of spiral galaxies might be explained by non-trivial non-stationary mass and velocity distributions without invoking a dark matter halo or modification of Newtonian gravity. In this scenario the observed phenomenological relation between the centripetal and gravitational acceleration of the visible baryonic mass could have a simple explanation.
The Sleeping Monster: NuSTAR Observations of SGR 1806–20, 11 Years After the Giant Flare
Authors: Younes George , Baring Matthew G. , Kouveliotou Chryssa , Harding Alice , Donovan Sophia , Göğüş Ersin , Kaspi Victoria , Granot Jonathan
Published: December 2017

We report the analysis of five Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) observations of SGR 1806−20 spread over a year from 2015 April to 2016 April, more than 11 years following its giant flare (GF) of 2004. The source spin frequency during the NuSTAR observations follows a linear trend with a frequency derivative

Hz s−1, implying a surface dipole equatorial magnetic field

G. Thus, SGR 1806−20 has finally returned to its historical minimum torque level measured between 1993 and 1998. The source showed strong timing noise for at least 12 years starting in 2000, with

increasing one order of magnitude between 2005 and 2011, following its 2004 major bursting episode and GF. SGR 1806−20 has not shown strong transient activity since 2009, and we do not find short bursts in the NuSTAR data. The pulse profile is complex with a pulsed fraction of

with no indication of energy dependence. The NuSTAR spectra are well fit with an absorbed blackbody,

, plus a power law,

. We find no evidence for variability among the five observations, indicating that SGR 1806−20 has reached a persistent and potentially its quiescent X-ray flux level after its 2004 major bursting episode. Extrapolating the NuSTAR model to lower energies, we find that the 0.5–10 keV flux decay follows an exponential form with a characteristic timescale

days. Interestingly, the NuSTAR flux in this energy range is a factor of ∼2 weaker than the long-term average measured between 1993 and 2003, a behavior also exhibited in SGR 1900+14. We discuss our findings in the context of the magnetar model.
Testing the Isotropic Universe Using the Gamma-Ray Burst Data of Fermi/GBM
Authors: Řípa Jakub , Shafieloo Arman
Published: December 2017

The sky distribution of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) has been intensively studied by various groups for more than two decades. Most of these studies test the isotropy of GRBs based on their sky number density distribution. In this work, we propose an approach to test the isotropy of the universe through inspecting the isotropy of the properties of GRBs such as their duration, fluences, and peak fluxes at various energy bands and different timescales. We apply this method on the Fermi/Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) data sample containing 1591 GRBs. The most noticeable feature we found is near the Galactic coordinates

,

, and radius

. The inferred probability for the occurrence of such an anisotropic signal (in a random isotropic sample) is derived to be less than a percent in some of the tests while the other tests give results consistent with isotropy. These are based on the comparison of the results from the real data with the randomly shuffled data samples. Considering the large number of statistics we used in this work (some of which are correlated with each other), we can anticipate that the detected feature could be a result of statistical fluctuations. Moreover, we noticed a considerably low number of GRBs in this particular patch, which might be due to some instrumentation or observational effects that can consequently affect our statistics through some systematics. Further investigation is highly desirable in order to clarify this result, e.g., utilizing a larger future Fermi/GBM data sample as well as data samples of other GRB missions and also looking for possible systematics.
IN-SYNC. VII. Evidence for a Decreasing Spectroscopic Binary Fraction (from 1 to 100 Myr) within the IN-SYNC Sample
Authors: Jaehnig Karl , Bird Jonathan C. , Stassun Keivan G. , Rio Nicola Da , Tan Jonathan C. , Cotaar Michiel , Somers Garrett
Published: December 2017

We study the occurrence of spectroscopic binaries in young star-forming regions using the INfrared Spectroscopy of Young Nebulous Clusters (IN-SYNC) survey, carried out in SDSS-III with the APOGEE spectrograph. Multi-epoch observations of thousands of low-mass stars in Orion A, NGC 2264, NGC 1333, IC 348, and the Pleiades have been carried out, yielding H-band spectra with a nominal resolution of R = 22,500 for sources with H < 12 mag. Radial velocity precisions of ∼0.3

 were achieved, which we use to identify radial velocity variations indicative of undetected companions. We use Monte Carlo simulations to assess the types of spectroscopic binaries to which we are sensitive, finding sensitivity to binaries with orbital periods

days, for stars with

and

 < 100 

. Using Bayesian inference, we find evidence for a decline in the spectroscopic binary fraction, by a factor of 3–4, from the age of our pre-main-sequence (PMS) sample to the Pleiades age . The significance of this decline is weakened if spot-induced radial-velocity jitter is strong in the sample, and is only marginally significant when comparing any one of the PMS clusters against the Pleiades. However, the same decline in both sense and magnitude is found for each of the five PMS clusters, and the decline reaches a statistical significance of greater than 95% confidence when considering the PMS clusters jointly. Our results suggest that dynamical processes disrupt the widest spectroscopic binaries (

days) as clusters age, indicating that this occurs early in the stars’ evolution, while they still reside within their nascent clusters.
The Extremely Luminous Quasar Survey in the SDSS Footprint. I. Infrared-based Candidate Selection
Authors: Schindler Jan-Torge , Fan Xiaohui , McGreer Ian D. , Yang Qian , Wu Jin , Jiang Linhua , Green Richard
Published: December 2017

Studies of the most luminous quasars at high redshift directly probe the evolution of the most massive black holes in the early universe and their connection to massive galaxy formation. However, extremely luminous quasars at high redshift are very rare objects. Only wide-area surveys have a chance to constrain their population. The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) has so far provided the most widely adopted measurements of the quasar luminosity function at

. However, a careful re-examination of the SDSS quasar sample revealed that the SDSS quasar selection is in fact missing a significant fraction of

quasars at the brightest end. We identified the purely optical-color selection of SDSS, where quasars at these redshifts are strongly contaminated by late-type dwarfs, and the spectroscopic incompleteness of the SDSS footprint as the main reasons. Therefore, we designed the Extremely Luminous Quasar Survey (ELQS), based on a novel near-infrared JKW2 color cut using Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mission (WISE) AllWISE and 2MASS all-sky photometry, to yield high completeness for very bright (

) quasars in the redshift range of

. It effectively uses random forest machine-learning algorithms on SDSS and WISE photometry for quasar–star classification and photometric redshift estimation. The ELQS will spectroscopically follow-up ∼230 new quasar candidates in an area of ∼12,000 deg2 in the SDSS footprint to obtain a well-defined and complete quasar sample for an accurate measurement of the bright-end quasar luminosity function (QLF) at

. In this paper, we present the quasar selection algorithm and the quasar candidate catalog.
Ion–Ion Equilibration and Particle Distributions in a 3000 km s−1 Shock in SN 1006
Authors: Raymond J. C. , Winkler P. F. , Blair W. P. , Laming J. M.
Published: December 2017

SN 1006 is the most attractive target for investigating the physics of collisionless shock waves faster than 2000

. We obtained UV and optical spectra and an Hα image of a 3000

shock driven by a clump of ejecta that has overtaken the blast wave. It is 500 km s–1 faster than the filament studied earlier. We find kinetic temperatures of H, He, C, and N that are consistent with being mass proportional, suggesting little or no energy transfer among species. We also find evidence that the electron temperature is less than 10% of the proton temperature and that the velocity distribution of H atoms is non-Maxwellian. We measure a proper motion of 0.″34 ± 0.″01 yr−1 for the bow shock, which implies a distance to SN 1006 of 1.85 ± 0.25 kpc, and we discuss the role of plasma turbulence in determining the shape of the velocity distribution.
Copious Amounts of Dust and Gas in a z = 7.5 Quasar Host Galaxy
Authors: Venemans Bram P. , Walter Fabian , Decarli Roberto , Bañados Eduardo , Carilli Chris , Winters Jan Martin , Schuster Karl , da Cunha Elisabete , Fan Xiaohui , Farina Emanuele Paolo , Mazzucchelli Chiara , Rix Hans-Walter , Weiss Axel
Published: December 2017

We present IRAM/NOEMA and JVLA observations of the quasar J1342+0928 at z = 7.54 and report detections of copious amounts of dust and [C ii] emission in the interstellar medium (ISM) of its host galaxy. At this redshift, the age of the universe is 690 Myr, about 10% younger than the redshift of the previous quasar record holder. Yet, the ISM of this new quasar host galaxy is significantly enriched by metals, as evidenced by the detection of the [C ii] 158 μm cooling line and the underlying far-infrared (FIR) dust continuum emission. To the first order, the FIR properties of this quasar host are similar to those found at a slightly lower redshift (

), making this source by far the FIR-brightest galaxy known at

. The [C ii] emission is spatially unresolved, with an upper limit on the diameter of 7 kpc. Together with the measured FWHM of the [C ii] line, this yields a dynamical mass of the host of

. Using standard assumptions about the dust temperature and emissivity, the NOEMA measurements give a dust mass of

. The brightness of the [C ii] luminosity, together with the high dust mass, imply active ongoing star formation in the quasar host. Using [C ii]–SFR scaling relations, we derive star formation rates of 85–545

yr−1 in the host, consistent with the values derived from the dust continuum. Indeed, an episode of such past high star formation is needed to explain the presence of ∼108
M
☉ of dust implied by the observations.
Direct Measurement of Anisotropic and Asymmetric Wave Vector Spectrum in Ion-scale Solar Wind Turbulence
Authors: Roberts O. W. , Narita Y. , Escoubet C. P.
Published: December 2017

This analysis represents the first time that a simultaneous measurement of parallel and perpendicular spectral indices at both inertial and kinetic scales has been made directly in wave vector space, using a single interval of solar wind plasma. An interferometric wave vector analysis method is applied to four-point magnetometer data from the Cluster spacecraft to study for the first time the anisotropic and axially asymmetric energy spectrum directly in the three-dimensional wave vector space in the solar wind on spatial scales for the fluid picture (at about 6000 km) down to the ion kinetic regime (at about 400 km) without invoking Taylor’s frozen-in flow hypothesis. At fluid scales, the spectral index is found to transition from −2 along the large-scale magnetic field direction to a spectral index approaching −5/3 in the perpendicular direction. The wave number for the spectral break between ion inertial and kinetic scales occurs at larger scales in the parallel projection, compared to the perpendicular. At ion kinetic scales, the spectrum in the parallel direction is difficult to measure, while the two perpendicular directions are also anisotropic and vary between −8/3 and −11/3. This suggests that a single anisotropic process where symmetry is broken in a single direction cannot account for the results.
The First Detection of a Pulsar with ALMA
Authors: Mignani R. P. , Paladino R. , Rudak B. , Zajczyk A. , Corongiu A. , de Luca A. , Hummel W. , Possenti A. , Geppert U. , Burgay M. , Marconi G.
Published: December 2017

Although there is a general consensus on the fact that pulsars’ radio emission is coherent in nature, whereas the emission from the optical to high-energy γ-rays is due to incoherent processes, it has not been established yet at which wavelengths the transition occurs, which is key information for all emission models of pulsar magnetospheres. Of course, to address this issue, covering the spectral region between the GHz radio frequencies and the mid-infrared (IR) is crucial. We used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to observe the Vela pulsar (PSR B0833−45), one of the very few observed in radio and from the mid-IR up to the very high-energy γ-rays. We detected Vela at frequencies of 97.5, 145, 233, and 343.5 GHz, which makes it the first pulsar ever detected with ALMA. Its energy density spectrum follows a power law of spectral index α = −0.93 ± 0.16. This corresponds to very high brightness temperatures—from 1017 to 1015 K—suggesting that a coherent radiative process still contributes to the millimeter/submillimeter emission. Therefore, this is the first indication of coherent emission in pulsars extending to the submillmeter range. At the same time, we identified an extended structure, preliminarily detected in ground-based near-IR observations, at a distance of ∼1.″4 from the pulsar, possibly interpreted as a counter-jet protruding from the pulsar.
Intermezzo. Des animaux friands d’histoires
Authors: Legrain Laurent
Published: December 2017

Cet intermezzo synthétise les résultats d’une déambulation libre et heureuse dans des disciplines sœurs de l’anthropologie comme la psychologie du développement et la linguistique. Je m’attache à établir un fondement commun – et humain – à la menterie. C’est dans l’histoire du développement du langage que je trouve le fondement de cette compétence au mensonge ainsi que notre irrésistible tendance à nous laisser tromper.
Intermezzo. Hudal. De l’erreur aux tromperies en passant par l’art bien balancé de l’éternel brodeur
Authors: Legrain Laurent
Published: December 2017

Dans cet intermezzo, j’analyse plusieurs des sens donnés au hudal mongol – souvent traduit par « mensonge ». Sous nos latitudes, les sens subsumés sous le hudal mongol portent des appellations variées : erreur, affabulation, fourberie, baratin, blague. Je place ces usages du langage en relation avec certaines formes d’organisations sociales.
What does it mean “to lie” in an “honest village”?
Authors: Tutorskiy Andrey V.
Published: December 2017

Cet article constitue une exploration du rôle joué par le mensonge dans la vie quotidienne et dans la construction identitaire en Russie européenne septentrionale. J’ai réalisé mon travail de terrain dans le village de Prokopiévo, dans le district d’Ustiany dans l’Oblast d’Arkhangelsk durant l’été 2014. L’intimité est le concept crucial sur lequel s’appuie cet article. La contradiction contenue dans ce concept est celle-ci : les relations d’intimité sont souvent perçues comme éternelles ou comme ayant des effets thérapeutiques. Mais, dans le même temps, elles suscitent des problèmes et des perturbations. Le mensonge est une pratique conspuée dans la Russie septentrionale. Les locaux favorisent une « culture de l’honnêteté ». A contrario, les étrangers, venus de la ville ou les migrants ruraux sont généralement perçus comme des menteurs. Ne pas dire la vérité à ce genre de menteurs (otnekivanie) est une pratique acceptable. Viveiros de Castro et Rupert Stasch ont récemment montré que ce style de fissures dans l’ordre communicatif est utilisé pour maintenir et consolider les relations de long court dans les petites communautés. Dans cet article, je souligne également le fait qu’il y a des pratiques au sein desquelles il est autorisé de mentir.
Les fonctions de l’écrit intime dans la constitution du héros : Jackson Teller, volonté intime et destin tragique
Authors: Loubet-Poëtte Vanessa
Published: December 2017

Bien qu’ultra-violente et basée sur le quotidien de bikers hors-la-loi, la série Sons of Anarchy (FX, 2008-2014) multiplie les références littéraires (William Shakespeare, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Stephen King), mythologique (Œdipe, Prométhée) et bibliques. Oscillant entre l’allusion légère et l’appropriation perspicace, ces mentions troublent les limites entre un espace culturel fictif et un espace culturel réel et sont pour le créateur Kurt Sutter l’occasion de questionner le travail même de l’écriture. Mieux, grâce à la figure du diariste, qui unit par-delà la mort un père et son fils – tous deux rédigeant des carnets intimes –, Sons of Anarchy établit la lecture et l’écriture comme ressources efficientes de son fonctionnement scénaristique. Mais plus encore que des procédés narratifs, ces actes instillent à la série une distance propice autant à l’affirmation d’une volonté intime dans un parcours initiatique – celui suivi par Jax Teller, successivement jeune homme dérouté, prince flamboyant et roi sanguinaire – qu’à l’émergence d’une force tragique – celle entrelaçant ses inconciliables conditions de fils, d’époux, de père et de chef de bande. C’est en cela que les écrits intimes dépassent l’écueil de leur caractère fragmentaire et privé pour devenir de véritables moteurs pour la constitution psychologique et ontologique du héros, grâce à plusieurs fonctions majeures (dialogique, introspective, programmatique et narrative).
Pre-Test and Analysis of a Reinforced Concrete Slab Subjected to Blast From a Non-Confined Explosive
Authors: Mendonça Fausto B. , Urgessa Girum S.
Published: December 2017

A large scale experimental program consisting of testing 10 RC slabs with different variations of concrete compressive strength, reinforcement ratio and retrofit was conducted in Brazil. As part of that test program, a small-scale blast pre-test setup and associated dynamic analysis were conducted in order to confirm the proper functioning of the blast test sensors (pressure gages, displacement meter and accelerometers). The results of the pre-test were compared with theoretical blast wave parameter predictions using established equations and maximum displacement predictions using simplified dynamic analysis. The pre-test experiment provided useful insights and was shown to be critical for the success of the subsequent large scale blast tests.
An Analysis of the Initiation Process of Electroexplosive Devices
Authors: Faria Paulo C. C.
Published: December 2017

Electroexplosive devices, EEDs or squibs (an electric resistance encapsulated by a primary explosive), fundamentally convert electrical energy into heat, solely to start off an explosive chemical reaction. Obviously, the EED activation shall not happen by accident or, even worse, by intentional exogenous influence. From an ordinary differential equation (ODE), which describes this device thermal behaviour for both continuous and pulsed electrical excitation, a remarkable, but certainly not intuitive, dependence of the temperature response on the heat transfer process time-constant is verified: the EED temperature profile dramatically changes as the time-constant spans a wide range of values, from much lesser than the pulse width to much greater than the pulse period. On the basis of this dependence, important recommendations, concerning the EED safety (and efficient) operation, are presented.
Decision Making Under Deep Uncertainty With Fuzzy Algorithm in Framework of Multi-Model Approach
Authors: Kostyuchenko Yuriy V. , Stoyka Yulia , Negoda Iurii , Kopachevsky Ivan
Published: December 2017

Task of soft computing for decision support in field of risk management is analyzed in this chapter. Multi-model approach is described. Interrelations between models, remote sensing data and forecasting are described. Method of water quality assessment using satellite observation is described. Method is based on analysis of spectral reflectance of aquifers. Correlations between reflectance and pollutions are quantified. Fuzzy logic based approach for decision support in field of water quality degradation risk is discussed. Decision on water quality is making based on fuzzy algorithm using limited set of uncertain parameters. It is shown that this algorithm allows estimate water quality degradation rate and pollution risks. Using proposed approach, maps of surface water pollution risk from point and diffuse sources are calculated. Conclusions concerned soft computing in risk management are proposed and discussed. It was demonstrated, that basing on spatially distributed measurement data, proposed approach allows to calculate risk parameters with resolution close to observations.
Identification of Optimal Process Parameters in Electro-Discharge Machining Using ANN and PSO
Authors: Kumar Kaushik , Davim J. Paulo
Published: December 2017

Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) process is a widely used machining process in several fabrication, construction and repair work applications. Considering Pulse-On Time, Pulse OFF time, Peak-Current and Gap voltage as the inputs and among all possible outputs, in the present work Material Removal Rate and Surface Roughness are considered as outputs. In order to reduce the number of experiments Design of Experiments (DOE) was undertaken using Orthogonal Array and later on the outputs were optimized using ANN and PSO. It was found that the results obtained from both the techniques were tallying with each other.
Applying Multi-Objective Optimization Algorithms to Mechanical Engineering
Authors: Shivach Preeti , Nautiyal Lata , Ram Mangey
Published: December 2017

In today's scenarios, the utilization of simulation and optimization in the field of designing is achieving wider recognition in the various zones of commerce as the computational competences of computers upsurge day by day. The result is that the uses for numerical optimization have increased tremendously. Design process in engineering is a distinct practice of solving the problems where a group of recurrently indistinct objectives has to be well-adjusted deprived of violating any given circumstances. Consequently, it seems quite ordinary to consider a design process as an optimization process. The design process could be articulated as to allocate values to the system parameters to confirm that the state variables and the characteristics are as suitable as possible through an inclusive range of operating and environmental variables. This is a complex multi-objective optimization problem (MOOP). This chapter discusses the use of MOO algorithms in mechanical engineering.
The Sky Is the Limit!
Authors: Drivas George , Sotiriou Chryssanthe , Bonanou Helen , Saliari Sofia , Balafouti Michelle , Tsevi Helen
Published: December 2017

Technology and particularly Cloud technology can definitely prove to be a powerful tool in linking the physical to the virtual world by allowing an escape and freedom from the two-dimensional world of paper-based teaching and learning. Balance is therefore achieved while educators and students access and create digital information on top of the physical world. Technology is everybody's favorite thus educators should definitely consider integrating them in their teaching in order to increase motivation. In the era of technology, access to on-line information is at the end of learners' and educators' fingertips. Simple but appealing electronic tools like mind maps, blogs, online quizzes or games, QR codes, digital educational platforms and infographics can boost inspiration, promote collaborative learning and make engagement more effective. This chapter will provide a theoretical background and showcase projects that exemplify the aspects highlighted here, each one from a different perspective.