bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of sustainable supply chain management performance: Indicators
Authors: Narimissa Omid , Kangarani‐Farahani Ali , Molla‐Alizadeh‐Zavardehi Saber
Published: July 2019

Supply chain requires simultaneous enhancement of the economic, environmental, and social performance of the business toward sustainability. For this aim, a sustainable performance assessment system is needed to be implemented for evaluating different supply chain segments and clarify supply chains' indicators. The assessment can be performed based on three sustainability dimensions: economical, environmental, and social. The first purpose of this paper helps to identify sustainability issues and highlights the gaps and inconsistencies of literature. The second purpose of the study is to identify the most important indicators of sustainability for sustainable development supply chain of Iranian Oil Company stakeholder engagement. The indicators of the sustainable supply chain are studied and collected using metasynthesis approach, and the most important indicators of sustainability were identified for the company with Delphi technique. The proposed sustainability indicators can be useful for the researchers to develop practical and comprehensive measures in their respective industries.
How intra‐ and interfirm agglomeration affect new‐unit geographic distance decisions of multiunit firms
Authors: Woo Hyun‐Soo , Cannella Albert , Mesquita Luiz
Published: July 2019

Research Summary

Prior agglomeration research takes a competitive‐level view, where any incumbent is considered as a rival by a new entrant in the same geographic market. Our study suggests an alternative corporate‐level view, where entry by multiunit firms must consider sister units as well as rivals in the market. Theorizing about a sharing mechanism between sister units distinct from a spillover mechanism between rivals, we expect that multiunit firms locate new units nearer sister vis‐à‐vis rival units and that the size, quality, and organizational form of a new unit moderate these associations. Finally, we predict that multiunit firms establish new units distant from same‐brand and same‐market‐segment sister units. We find robust empirical support from the geographic distance decisions of 10 multiunit hotel firms in 20 U.S. cities.

Managerial Summary

Where should multiunit firms (e.g., fast‐food chains, hotels) locate new business units relative to others? Current competitive‐level‐strategy perspective argues new units should locate “far‐from‐others” if they have superior capabilities (to avoid being imitated) and “near‐others” if inferior ones (to better imitate others). We instead examine this phenomenon from a corporate‐level‐strategy perspective, regarding locally available synergies sister units can garner to better compete. We argue that new units locate nearer sister (i.e., business‐units of same‐parent firms) than rival units; that this effect is stronger if new units are larger, have better quality, and are company‐operated rather than franchised; and that this base effect is weaker when sisters belong to same‐ rather than different‐brand companies of the same parent‐firm. We provide supporting empirical evidence from the hotel industry.
Investigation of the requirements change management challenges in the domain of global software development
Authors: Akbar Muhammad Azeem , Sang Jun , Khan Arif Ali , Hussain Shahid
Published: July 2019

The phenomenon of global software development (GSD) has been adopted by a majority of the software development firms to achieve the significant benefits it offers. However, there are many challenges faced by the GSD organizations, which are mainly related to requirements change management (RCM). The key objective of this study is to identify the challenges of RCM process in GSD domain. The systematic literature review (SLR) approach has been used to investigate the challenges of RCM activities, and a total of 30 challenges were identified. We have further classified the identified challenges in the domain of client and vendor GSD organizations, aiming to provide a clear understanding of the RCM process and its challenges in the context of both types of GSD organizations. The identified challenges were also categorized into three core types according to the organization size (small, medium sized, or large), which highlights the significance of each challenge for a specific organizational size. In addition, the criticality of the identified challenges was assessed using the criteria of challenges having a frequency greater than or equal to 50%. According to the findings of this study, a framework is provided that could help GSD organizations address the problems related to RCM in a GSD environment.
Shear strength of RC deep beams with web openings based on two‐parameter kinematic theory
Authors: Liu Jian , Mihaylov Boyan
Published: July 2019

Deep concrete beams often feature web openings that disrupt the flow of forces from the loads to the supports and reduce the shear strength of the member. While such openings can significantly impact the safety level of the structure, the research on deep beams has been focused mostly on the shear behavior of solid members. To address this issue, this paper proposes a new model for deep beams with rectangular openings that stems from a two‐parameter kinematic theory (2PKT) for solid beams. The model is established based on an analysis of the shear behavior and failure modes of test specimens using nonlinear finite element and strut‐and‐tie models. In the new model, a deep shear span with an opening is represented by two solid shear spans, one above and one below the opening. By linking the two sub‐models, the proposed kinematics‐based approach describes the complete deformed shape of the shear span with four degrees of freedom (DOFs). These DOFs are predicted by combining the kinematic conditions with equilibrium conditions and constitutive relationships for the mechanisms of shear resistance across the critical shear cracks. The model is validated with 27 tests from the literature showing adequate shear strength predictions.
Exploring the impact of bulk and substrate physics on hydrolysis rates and biogas yields of anaerobic digesters pretreated with thermal hydrolysis
Authors: Manning Elizabeth , Romero Adrian , Li Baoqiang , Al‐Omari Ahmed , Higgins Matthew J. , Riffat Rumana , Murthy Sudhir , De Clippeleir Haydee
Published: July 2019

This study evaluated the role of bulk and substrate physics on hydrolysis rates and biogas yields in anaerobic digestion (AD) pretreated by thermal hydrolysis (THP). Although THP decreases sludge viscosity, no evidence was found that bulk viscosity impacted the biogas yield or hydrolysis kinetics. In addition, no significant difference between the biogas yields for different total solids concentrations nor floc sizes was detected. However, increased mixing speeds did increase biogas yields. As a result of thermal treatment, the model protein, bovine serum albumin, was harder to degrade in terms of both overall biodegradability and hydrolysis rates when their macrostructures were changed from liquid to gel and to solid structures; the opposite was true for the model polysaccharide, amylopectin. These results demonstrated that hydrolysis in THP‐AD systems was impacted mostly by the physical properties of the substrate (gelation) rather than the bulk physical properties within the digester.

Practitioner points

Bulk viscosity does not significantly impact hydrolysis efficiency (biogas yield). However, mixing speed impacts hydrolysis beyond biogas holdup effect.

Increasing the amount of substrate–microbe collisions through increasing biomass concentration does not have an impact on hydrolysis efficiency or biogas yield.

Proteins are harder to degrade when macrostructure changes from liquid to gel/solid as a result of heat treatment.

Polysaccharides are easier to degrade when macrostructure changes from liquid to gel/solid as a result of heat treatment.

The time required for digesters to reach peak biogas production rates increased with decreasing specific surface available on gel and solid structures.
Removal and enrichment of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions by lotus seed pods
Authors: Shi Xiongying , Gong Bo , Liao Shuijiao , Wang Jinling , Liu Yonghong , Wang Tongyu , Shi Junkai
Published: July 2019

Chromium (Cr(VI)) is highly toxic and carcinogenic. Cr(VI) water pollution has become more and more serious. This article reports on a study in which lotus seed pods (LSP), an agricultural waste product, was used to efficiently remove Cr(VI) from an aqueous solution, and the carbonization product of LSP after the removal of Cr(VI) (CPLSP) can be regarded as a resource containing Cr. Cr(VI) removed by LSP fits a pseudo‐second‐order model. pH levels greatly influence the amount of Cr removed. The maximum removal of Cr(VI) by LSP in aqueous solution was 153.85 mg/g. The possible removal mechanism is absorption, redox, and reabsorption based upon SEM/EDS, FT‐IR, and XPS spectra results. The Cr content of CPLSP was 42.95% by ammonium persulfate oxidation titrimetric method. These results suggest that LSP can be an excellent, low cost, biomaterial for removing and enriching Cr(VI) from an aqueous solution.

Practitioner points

Lotus seed pods are an efficient adsorbent for Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions.

The Cr removal by lotus seed pods occurs via absorption, redox, and reabsorption.

Cr can be captured after the pods are carbonized.

Lotus seed pods can be applied to the removal and enrichment of Cr(VI) from waste water.
The nitrogen removal and sludge reduction performance of a multi‐stage anoxic/oxic (A/O) biofilm reactor
Authors: Wang Yonglei , Du Zhenqi , Liu Yongjian , Wang Hongbo , Xu Fei , Liu Baozhen , Zheng Zedong
Published: July 2019

To overcome the problems of high excess sludge yield and poor nitrogen removal efficiency in traditional biological treatment processes, a multi‐stage A/O biofilm reactor was developed by combining the multi‐stage A/O process with novel floating spherical carriers, resulting in repeated coupling of anoxic and aerobic environments. Results showed that the system achieved COD, , and TN removal efficiencies of 93.8%, 84.5%, and 75.7%, respectively, with average effluent concentrations lower than: 29.8 COD mg/L, 4.3  mg/L, and 13.2 TN mg/L. The observed sludge yield was 0.139 g MLSS/g COD, which was lower than that of the conventional activated sludge process. Microbial analysis showed that the community structure and cell morphology of microorganisms changed greatly with alternating aerobic–anoxic condition; high‐throughput sequencing results proved that functional microorganisms can be enriched on the surface of the carries and therefore improved the nitrogen removal efficiency and meanwhile minimize the sludge yield within the system.

Practitioner points

The research innovatively developed a novel floating spherical carrier and coupled it with multi‐stage A/O process.

The complex redox environments inside the floating spherical carriers improves the nitrogen removal efficiency and the sludge reduction effect.

Nitrospirae, Hydrogenophaga promoted the nitrogen removal, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Dechloromonas promoted the in‐situ sludge reduction of the system.
Tensor decomposition for dimension reduction
Authors: Cheng Yu‐Hsiang , Huang Tzee‐Ming , Huang Su‐Yun
Published: July 2019

Tensor data are data with multiway array structure. They are often very high dimensional and are routinely encountered in many scientific fields. Dimension reduction is the technique of reducing the number of underlying variables for compressed data representation and for model parsimony. Tensor dimension reduction aims for reducing the tensor data dimension while keeping data's tensor structure.

This article is categorized under:

Statistical Learning and Exploratory Methods of the Data Sciences > Deep Learning

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Dimension Reduction

Statistical Learning and Exploratory Methods of the Data Sciences > Modeling Methods

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Analysis of High Dimensional Data
Mapping the kidney disease quality of life 36-item short form survey (KDQOL-36) to the EQ-5D-3L and the EQ-5D-5L in patients undergoing dialysis
Authors: Yang Fan , Wong Carlos K. H. , Luo Nan , Piercy James , Moon Rebecca , Jackson James
Published: July 2019

Objectives

To develop algorithms mapping the Kidney Disease Quality of Life 36-Item Short Form Survey (KDQOL-36) onto the 3-level EQ-5D questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L) and the 5-level EQ-5D questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) for patients with end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis.

Methods

We used data from a cross-sectional study in Europe (France, n = 299; Germany, n = 413; Italy, n = 278; Spain, n = 225) to map onto EQ-5D-3L and data from a cross-sectional study in Singapore (n = 163) to map onto EQ-5D-5L. Direct mapping using linear regression, mixture beta regression and adjusted limited dependent variable mixture models (ALDVMMs) and response mapping using seemingly unrelated ordered probit models were performed. The KDQOL-36 subscale scores, i.e., physical component summary (PCS), mental component summary (MCS), three disease-specific subscales or their average, i.e., kidney disease component summary (KDCS), and age and sex were included as the explanatory variables. Predictive performance was assessed by mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE) using 10-fold cross-validation.

Results

Mixture models outperformed linear regression and response mapping. When mapping to EQ-5D-3L, the ALDVMM model was the best-performing one for France, Germany and Spain while beta regression was best for Italy. When mapping to EQ-5D-5L, the ALDVMM model also demonstrated the best predictive performance. Generally, models using KDQOL-36 subscale scores showed better fit than using the KDCS.

Conclusions

This study adds to the growing literature suggesting the better performance of the mixture models in modelling EQ-5D and produces algorithms to map the KDQOL-36 onto EQ-5D-3L (for France, Germany, Italy, and Spain) and EQ-5D-5L (for Singapore).
A phase 1b dose escalation study of Wnt pathway inhibitor vantictumab in combination with nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine in patients with previously untreated metastatic pancreatic cancer
Authors: Davis S. Lindsey , Cardin Dana B. , Shahda Safi , Lenz Heinz-Josef , Dotan Efrat , O’Neil Bert H. , Kapoun Ann M. , Stagg Robert J. , Berlin Jordan , Messersmith Wells A. , Cohen Steven J.
Published: July 2019

Vantictumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits Wnt pathway signaling through binding FZD1, 2, 5, 7, and 8 receptors. This phase Ib study evaluated vantictumab in combination with nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine in patients with untreated metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Patients received vantictumab at escalating doses in combination with standard dosing of nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine according to a 3 + 3 design. A total of 31 patients were treated in 5 dosing cohorts. Fragility fractures attributed to vantictumab occurred in 2 patients in Cohort 2 (7 mg/kg every 2 weeks), and this maximum administered dose (MAD) on study was considered unsafe. The dosing schedule was revised to every 4 weeks for Cohorts 3 through 5, with additional bone safety parameters added. Sequential dosing of vantictumab followed by nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine was also explored. No fragility fractures attributed to vantictumab occurred in these cohorts; pathologic fracture not attributed to vantictumab was documented in 2 patients. The study was ultimately terminated due to concerns around bone-related safety, and thus the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of the combination was not determined. The MAD of vantictumab according to the revised dosing schedule was 5 mg/kg (n = 16).
Coordinated optimization of equipment operations in a container terminal
Authors: Jonker T. , Duinkerken M. B. , Yorke-Smith N. , de Waal A. , Negenborn R. R.
Published: July 2019

Increasing international maritime transport drives the need for efficient container terminals. The speed at which containers can be processed through a terminal is an important performance indicator. In particular, the productivity of the quay cranes (QCs) determines the performance of a container terminal; hence QC scheduling has received considerable attention. This article develops a comprehensive model to represent the waterside operations of a container terminal. Waterside operations comprise single and twinlift handling of containers by QCs, automated guided vehicles and yard cranes. In common practice, an uncoordinated scheduling heuristic is used to dispatch the equipment operating on a terminal. Here, uncoordinated means that the different machines that operate in the container terminal seek optimal productivity solely considering their own respective stage. By contrast, our model provides a coordinated schedule in which operations of all terminal equipment can be considered at once to achieve productivity closer to the QC optimal. The model takes the form of a hybrid flow shop (HFS) with novel features for bi-directional flows and job pairing. The former enables jobs to move freely through the HFS in both directions; the latter constrains certain jobs to be performed simultaneously by a single machine. We solve the coordinated model by means of a tailored simulated annealing (SA) algorithm that balances solution quality and computational time. We empirically study time-bounded variants of SA and compare them with a branch-and-bound algorithm. We show that our approach can produce coordinated schedules for a terminal with up to eight QCs in near real time.
Factor structure and test-retest reliability of the Polish version of the Clarity of Auditory Imagery Scale
Authors: Tużnik Przemysław , Francuz Piotr
Published: July 2019

Vividness of imagery usually refers to the degree of similarity between mental images and corresponding percepts of real objects. One of the recently developed questionnaires, proposed to measure the vividness of auditory imagery, is the Clarity of Auditory Imagery Scale (CAIS). The main goal of the present study was to assess the factor structure, internal consistency, and test–retest reliability of the Polish version of the CAIS. The study was conducted on musicians (N = 39) and non-musicians (N = 40) to establish differences between the two groups in the vividness (or more specifically, clarity) of their auditory images. A combination of the minimum average partial (MAP) test and parallel analysis (PA) was used as a method of establishing the number of factors and provided evidence that the CAIS is one factor questionnaire. Test–retest reliability was measured by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between the mean scores obtained in two measurements made over a one-week interval. The test–retest (ICC) obtained between two measurements equaled .85. The ICC value showed satisfactory stability of the measurement of the vividness of auditory images, at least for short time intervals. The internal consistency of the scale was also satisfactory (Cronbach’s α = .87). Summarizing, the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the CAIS indicate that the scale is a reliable measure of the vividness of auditory imagery. Vividness of auditory imagery measured by the CAIS was not influenced by sex or musical expertise factors.
lead Independent Directors: Good governance or window dressing?
Authors: Lamoreaux Phillip T. , Litov Lubomir P. , Mauler Landon M.
Published: July 2019

We document the emergence of the Lead Independent Director (LID) board role in a sample of U.S. firms from 1999–2015. We find that firms that adopt an LID board role are larger and have more independent boards, higher institutional investor holdings, and an NYSE listing. Firms with greater anticipated benefits from monitoring also adopt an LID role, e.g., firms with dual CEO-Chairman, with more takeover defense mechanisms, and with higher cash holdings. Using an event study methodology, we find that investors respond positively to the adoption of an LID board role. Lastly, using instrumental variables to address endogeneity in the LID board role, we find that firms with an LID are more likely to terminate poorly performing CEOs. Taken as a whole, these results suggest that the LID board role enhances firm value and improves the quality of corporate governance.
Homogenisation for the Stokes equations in randomly perforated domains under almost minimal assumptions on the size of the holes
Authors: Giunti Arianna , Höfer Richard M.
Published: July 2019

We prove the homogenisation to the Brinkman equations for the incompressible Stokes equations in a bounded domain which is perforated by a random collection of small spherical holes. The fluid satisfies a no-slip boundary condition at the holes. The balls generating the holes have centres distributed according to a Poisson point process and i.i.d. unbounded radii satisfying a suitable moment condition. We stress that our assumption on the distribution of the radii does not exclude that, with overwhelming probability, the holes contain clusters made by many overlapping balls. We show that the formation of these clusters has no effect on the limit Brinkman equations. Due to the incompressibility condition and the lack of a maximum principle for the Stokes equations, our proof requires a very careful study of the geometry of the random holes generated by the class of probability measures considered.
Impact of Crisis Intervention on the Mental Health Status of Emergency Responders Following the Berlin Terrorist Attack in 2016
Authors: Wesemann Ulrich , Mahnke Manuel , Polk Sarah , Bühler Antje , Willmund Gerd
Published: July 2019

Objective:

The most common crisis intervention used with German rescue workers is Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). Results regarding its effectiveness are inconsistent. A negative reinforcement of avoidance, due to premature termination of strong emotions during the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD), may explain this. The effectiveness of the CISD after terror attacks in Germany has not yet been investigated.

Methods:

All emergency responders deployed at the terror attack on Breitscheidplatz in Berlin were invited to take part in the study; 37 of the N = 55 participants had voluntarily participated in CISD; 18 had not.

Results:

Participants with CISD showed lower quality of life in psychological health and higher depressive symptomatology. Of these, females had lower quality of life in social relationships, whereas males showed more posttraumatic stress symptoms. Emergency responders from non-governmental organizations had higher phobic anxiety. Emergency medical technicians showed more somatic and depressive symptoms.

Conclusion:

There is no conclusive explanation for why rescue workers with CISD score worse on certain measures. It is possible that CISD has a harmful influence due to negative reinforcement, or that there was a selection effect. Further research differentiating occupational group, sex, and type of event is necessary.
Shared Tasks, but Separated Controls: Building the System of Control for Shared Administration in an EU Multi-Jurisdictional Setting
Authors: SCHOLTEN Miroslava
Published: July 2019

In order to address “wicked problems”, complex, multi-level governance structures must be established. These structures in turn require sophisticated systems of controls over public power to safeguard the rule of law. This seems to have been ignored in EU legislative practice and relevant research. This article argues that future research and legislative design of controls over public power in the EU need to be guided by the principle of connecting, aligning and making interplay between relevant concepts, institutions, procedures and scopes of different types of control belonging to the many jurisdictions, whose actors are involved in the executing of (shared) tasks in the EU. Connecting the disciplines that study these issues is a necessary prerequisite to this endeavour.
Amplification of 200-ps high-intensity laser pulses via frequency matching stimulated Brillouin scattering
Authors: Yuan Hang , Wang Yulei , Yuan Qiang , Hu Dongxia , Cui Can , Liu Zhaohong , Li Sensen , Chen Yi , Jing Feng , Lü Zhiwei
Published: July 2019

Laser pulses of 200 ps with extremely high intensities and high energies are sufficient to satisfy the demand of shock ignition, which is an alternative path to ignition in inertial confinement fusion (ICF). This paper reports a type of Brillouin scheme to obtain high-intensity 200-ps laser pulses, where the pulse durations are a challenge for conventional pulsed laser amplification systems. In the amplification process, excited Brillouin acoustic waves fulfill the nonlinear optical effect through which the high energy of a long pump pulse is entirely transferred to a 200-ps laser pulse. This method was introduced and achieved within the SG-III prototype system in China. Compared favorably with the intensity of
$2~\text{GW}/\text{cm}^{2}$
in existing ICF laser drivers, a 6.96-
$\text{GW}/\text{cm}^{2}$
pulse with a width of 170 ps was obtained in our experiment. The practical scalability of the results to larger ICF laser drivers is discussed.
Effect of Beam Transmission of Stable Isotopes on Online δ13C for SSAMS
Authors: Prasad G V Ravi , Cherkinsky Alexander , Culp Randy
Published: July 2019

It is known that 12C beam transmission through the accelerator decreases at high beam currents. This effect depends on machine design and varies across different types of AMS instruments. For beam currents of about 100 μA, the effect is small on the 500 kV tandem CAMS unit, whereas beam saturation is observed for similar high beam currents on the 250 kV SSAMS unit. While this effect is very evident for high 12C beam currents, we have also observed that even the 13C beam is found to suffer modest transmission loss with beam current. As a result, the 13C/12C ratio does not remain constant with beam current. By correcting for the effects of 12C beam saturation and decreased 13C transmission, we have obtained online δ13C values that are more accurate and precise at moderately high beam currents for SSAMS.
The double empathy problem, camouflage, and the value of expertise from experience
Authors: Mitchell Peter , Cassidy Sarah , Sheppard Elizabeth
Published: July 2019

To understand why autistic people are misperceived in the way Jaswal & Akhtar suggest, we should embrace concepts like the “double empathy problem” and camouflaging and recognize the negative consequences these have for mental health in autism. Moreover, we need to value expertise from experience so that autistic people have a voice and indeed a stake in research into autism.
Whose words are these? Statements derived from Facilitated Communication and Rapid Prompting Method undermine the credibility of Jaswal & Akhtar's social motivation hypotheses
Authors: Vyse Stuart , Hemsley Bronwyn , Lang Russell , Lilienfeld Scott O. , Mostert Mark P. , Schlinger Henry D. , Shane Howard C. , Sherry Mark , Todd James T.
Published: July 2019

Jaswal & Akhtar provide several quotes ostensibly from people with autism but obtained via the discredited techniques of Facilitated Communication and the Rapid Prompting Method, and they do not acknowledge the use of these techniques. As a result, their argument is substantially less convincing than they assert, and the article lacks transparency.
“Autistic people”? Who do you mean?
Authors: Levy Yonata
Published: July 2019

Jaswal & Akhtar (J&A) offer evidence against lack of social motivation in “autistic people,” providing no further phenotypic details as to the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) subgroups that they refer to. I will argue that given the extensive behavioral and neurobiological heterogeneity among people who receive the diagnosis, reference to “autistic people” is misleading. As a consequence, J&A's claims are difficult to interpret.
Novel epigenetic, quantitative, and qualitative insights on the socialness of autism
Authors: Brown William Michael , Foxley-Webb Ewan
Published: July 2019

Three complementary points to Jaswal & Akhtar are raised: (1) As a person with autism, I desire sociality despite vulnerability to others’ antisocial behaviour; (2) Asperger's conflation of autism with psychopathy (Czech 2018) likely caused clinicians to disregard social motivation among those with autism; and (3) adverse experiences cause social-engagement diversity to develop in all people, not just those on the spectrum.
The loneliness of me: The assumption of social disinterest and its worrying consequences in autism
Authors: Moseley Rachel Louise , Sui Jie
Published: July 2019

We share Jaswal & Akhtar's concerns about the unintended repercussions of assumed social disinterest in autism. We expand consideration of these consequences with discussion of the literature and our own work on loneliness, mental ill-health, and self-representation, which is a cornerstone to social and emotional health. Further study is needed with expansive, mixed methodologies and involvement of the autistic community.
To be or not to be emotionally aware and socially motivated: How alexithymia impacts autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Pastore Luigi , Dellantonio Sara , Mulatti Claudio , Esposito Gianluca
Published: July 2019

Autism often co-occurs with alexithymia, a condition characterized by no or diminished awareness of emotions that significantly impacts an individual's social relationships. We investigate how the social motivation of autistics would be eroded by comorbidity with alexithymia and why this diminished motivation would be difficult for non-autistic people to perceive and reciprocate.
Challenges to the social motivation theory of autism: The dangers of counteracting an imprecise theory with even more imprecision
Authors: Uljarević Mirko , Vivanti Giacomo , Leekam Susan R. , Hardan Antonio Y.
Published: July 2019

The arguments offered by Jaswal & Akhtar to counter the social motivation theory (SMT) do not appear to be directly related to the SMT tenets and predictions, seem to not be empirically testable, and are inconsistent with empirical evidence. To evaluate the merits and shortcomings of the SMT and identify scientifically testable alternatives, advances are needed on the conceptualization and operationalization of social motivation across diagnostic boundaries.
Expanding the critique of the social motivation theory of autism with participatory and developmental research
Authors: Kapp Steven K. , Goldknopf Emily , Brooks Patricia J. , Kofner Bella , Hossain Maruf
Published: July 2019

We argue that understanding of autism can be strengthened by increasing involvement of autistic individuals as researchers and by exploring cascading impacts of early sensory, perceptual, attentional, and motor atypicalities on social and communicative developmental trajectories. Participatory action research that includes diverse participants or researchers may help combat stigma while expanding research foci to better address autistic people's needs.
Supporting autistic flourishing
Authors: Jaswal Vikram K. , Akhtar Nameera
Published: July 2019

In response to the 32 commentaries, we clarify and extend two of the central arguments in our target article: (1) Social motivation is a dynamic, emergent process, not a static characteristic of individuals, and (2) autistic perspectives are essential to the study of autistic social motivation. We elaborate on how taking these two arguments seriously can contribute to a more accurate, humane, and useful science of autism.
Reframing Technology's Role in Language Teaching: A Retrospective Report
Authors: Lomicka Lara , Lord Gillian
Published: July 2019

As the field of applied linguistics ponders and even embraces the myriad roles technology affords language education, we frame this critical report within the context of the Modern Language Association's 2007 report, along with earlier state-of-the-fieldAnnual Review of Applied Linguistics(ARAL) pieces (e.g., Blake, 2007; 2011) to consider not only where we've come from but also, crucially, where the field is headed. This article begins with an overview of the field, examining the role of technology and how it has been leveraged over decades of language teaching. We also explore issues such as the goals established by the Modern Language Association (MLA) with respect to shaping technological vision and the role of technology in enhancing the field of language education. We use this critical assessment to offer insights into how the field of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) can help shape the future of language teaching and learning.
Interstitial 5p15.2-p13.3 deletion in association with situs inversus, dextrocardia, L-loop of the ventricles, and transposition of great arteries in a newborn infant
Authors: Manzar Shabih , Walyat Nitin , Jones Ryan C.
Published: July 2019

We report a rare association of interstitial deletion of 5p15.2-p13.3 with situs inversus, dextrocardia, L-loop of the ventricles, and transposition of great arteries: [I, L, L] Transposition of Great Arteries. We did not find such an association reported in the medical literature.
Journey to the East: A Philosophical Inquiry into the Early Reception of St. Augustine in China
Authors: Gao Yuan
Published: July 2019

In modern scholarship, much ink has been spilled over the significance of St. Augustine in the history of Western philosophy and theology. However, little effort has been made to clarify the legacy of Augustine in East Asia, especially his contribution to China during the early Jesuit missionary work through the Maritime Silk Road. The present article attempts to fill this lacuna and provide a philosophical analysis of the encounter of Chinese indigenous religions with St Augustine, by inquiring into why and how Augustine was taken as a model for the Chinese in their acceptance of the Christian faith. The analysis is split into three parts. The first part reflects on the contemporary disputations over the quality of the paraphrasing work of the early Jesuits, analyzing the validity of the allegedly careless inaccuracies in their introduction of Augustine's biography. The second part analyses some rarely discussed Chinese translations of Augustine, which I recently found in the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary, with particular focus on their ideological context. In particular, the paraphrased text concerning Augustine's theory of sin and the two cities will be highlighted. The third part goes a step further in exploring the reason why Augustine was considered an additional advantage in dealing with the conflicts between Christian and Confucian values. The primary contribution this essay makes is to present a philosophical inquiry into the role of Augustine in the early acceptance of Christianity in China by suggesting that a strategy of “Confucian-Christian synthesis” had been adopted by the Jesuit missionaries. Thereby, they accommodated Confucian terms without dropping the core values of the orthodox Catholic faith. The conclusion revisits the critics’ arguments and sums up with an evaluation of the impact of Augustine's religious values in the indigenization of Christianity in China.
Crustal Structure of the Eastern Arunta Region, Central Australia, From Magnetotelluric, Seismic, and Magnetic Data
Authors: Kirkby Alison , Duan Jingming
Published: July 2019

We present a 3‐D inversion of magnetotelluric data acquired along a 340‐km transect in Central Australia. The results are interpreted with a coincident deep crustal seismic reflection survey and magnetic inversion. The profile crosses three Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic basement provinces, the Davenport, Aileron, and Warumpi Provinces, which are overlain by remnants of the Neoproterozoic to Cambrian Centralian Surperbasin, the Georgina and Amadeus Basins, and the Irindina Province. The inversion shows conductors near the base of the Irindina Province that connect to moderately conductive pathways from 50‐km depth and to off‐profile conductors at shallower depths. The shallow conductors may reflect anisotropic resistivity and are interpreted as sulfide minerals in fractures and faults near the base of the Irindina Province. Beneath the Amadeus Basin, and in the Aileron Province, there are two conductors associated strong magnetic susceptibilities from inversions, suggesting they are caused by magnetic, conductive minerals such as magnetite or pyrrhotite. Beneath the Davenport Province, the inversion images a conductive layer from ∼15‐ to 40‐km depth that is associated with elevated magnetic susceptibility and high seismic reflectivity. The margins between the different basement provinces from previous seismic interpretations are evident in the resistivity model. The positioning and geometry of the southern margin of the crustal conductor beneath the Davenport Province supports the positioning of the south dipping Atuckera Fault as interpreted on the seismic data. Likewise, the interpreted north dipping margin between the Warumpi and Aileron Province is imaged as a transition from resistive to conductive crust, with a steeply north dipping geometry.
Stochastic Assessment of Nonpoint Source Contamination: Joint Impact of Aquifer Heterogeneity and Well Characteristics on Management Metrics
Authors: Vincent Henri Christopher , Harter Thomas
Published: July 2019

Nonpoint source (NPS) groundwater contamination in sedimentary basin aquifers with overlying agricultural activities increasingly threatens groundwater supplies. The role of aquifer heterogeneity has not been well understood in the assessment of NPS and in linking pollution sources to impacts in water supply wells. A typical well taps into and mixes groundwater varying in age by decades or even centuries. This study investigates the joint impact of aquifer heterogeneity and pumping well characteristics (well depth, pumping rate, and screen length) on expected values of and uncertainty about key management metrics: (1) travel time of a NPS contaminant to a production well, (2) spatiotemporal characteristics of the source area, and (3) contaminant compliance at production wells. A stochastic approach is employed using Monte Carlo simulation of flow and nonreactive transport in 3‐D highly heterogeneous alluvial aquifer systems. Well design is shown to dominate the distribution of travel time mixing and the overall location and spread of the source area. Larger extraction intensity and closer proximity to the land surface are shown to significantly suppress effects of large aquifer heterogeneity on uncertainty on all metrics. Deep wells and wells with lower pumping rates have more uncertain source areas. Long‐term NPS contaminants with high source concentration (>10 times compliance level) will be exceeded in most wells within decades, while low‐intensity source concentrations (2–4 times compliance level, typical for nitrate and salinity) have large uncertainty about time to exceedance suggesting wide variability among a set of wells with similar well design subject to the same NPS pollution.
A World of Cobenefits: Solving the Global Nitrogen Challenge
Authors: Houlton Benjamin Z. , Almaraz Maya , Aneja Viney , Austin Amy T. , Bai Edith , Cassman Kenneth G. , Compton Jana E. , Davidson Eric A. , Erisman Jan Willem , Galloway James N. , Gu Baojing , Yao Guolin , Martinelli Luiz A. , Scow Kate , Schlesinger William H. , Tomich Thomas P. , Wang Chao , Zhang Xin
Published: July 2019

Nitrogen is a critical component of the economy, food security, and planetary health. Many of the world's sustainability targets hinge on global nitrogen solutions, which, in turn, contribute lasting benefits for (i) world hunger; (ii) soil, air, and water quality; (iii) climate change mitigation; and (iv) biodiversity conservation. Balancing the projected rise in agricultural nitrogen demands while achieving these 21st century ideals will require policies to coordinate solutions among technologies, consumer choice, and socioeconomic transformation.
Far-Flung Dust Storms Deliver Nutrient Boosts to North Pacific
Authors: Morton Mary
Published: July 2019

Barren marine deserts bloom seasonally with iron infusions from Asian dust storms.
Nineteen Eighty-Forams
Authors: Joel Lucas
Published: July 2019

Facial recognition technology is helping researchers identify marine microorganisms.
Meridional Distribution of Middle‐Energy Protons and Pressure‐Driven Currents in the Nightside Inner Magnetosphere: Arase Observations
Authors: Imajo S. , Nosé M. , Kasahara S. , Yokota S. , Matsuoka A. , Keika K. , Hori T. , Teramoto M. , Yamamoto K. , Oimatsu S. , Nomura R. , Fujimoto A. , Shinohara I. , Miyoshi Y.
Published: July 2019

We examined the average meridional distribution of middle‐energy protons (10–180 keV) and pressure‐driven currents in the nightside (20–04 hr magnetic local time) ring current region during moderately disturbed times using the Arase satellite's data. Because the Arase satellite has a large inclination orbit of 31°, it covers the magnetic latitude (MLAT) in the range of −40° to 40° and a radial distance of <6RE. We found that the plasma pressure decreased significantly with increasing MLAT. The plasma pressure on the same L* shell at 30° < MLAT < 40° was ∼10–60% of that at 0° < 4 MLAT < 10°, and the rate of decrease was larger on lower L* shells. The pressure anisotropy, derived as the perpendicular pressure divided by the parallel pressure minus 1, decreased with radial distance and showed a weak dependence on MLAT. The magnitude of the plasma beta at 30°<MLAT<40° was 1 or 2 orders smaller than that at 0°<MLAT<10°. The plasma pressure normalized by the value at 0°<MLAT<10° estimated from the magnetic strength and anisotropy was roughly consistent with the observed plasma pressure for L*=3.5–5.5. The azimuthal pressure‐gradient current derived from the plasma pressure was distributed over MLAT∼0–20° , while the curvature current was limited within MLAT∼0–10° . We suggest that the latitudinal dependence should be taken into account in interpretations of plasma parameters in successive orbits during magnetic storms.
Surface‐Atmosphere Coupling Scale, the Fate of Water, and Ecophysiological Function in a Brazilian Forest
Authors: Baker Ian T. , Denning A.Scott , Dazlich Don A. , Harper Anna B. , Branson Mark D. , Randall David A. , Phillips Morgan C. , Haynes Katherine D. , Gallup Sarah M.
Published: July 2019

Tropical South America plays a central role in global climate. Bowen ratio teleconnects to circulation and precipitation processes far afield, and the global CO2 growth rate is strongly influenced by carbon cycle processes in South America. However, quantification of basin‐wide seasonality of flux partitioning between latent and sensible heat, the response to anomalies around climatic norms, and understanding of the processes and mechanisms that control the carbon cycle remains elusive. Here, we investigate simulated surface‐atmosphere interaction at a single site in Brazil, using models with different representations of precipitation and cloud processes, as well as differences in scale of coupling between the surface and atmosphere. We find that the model with parameterized clouds/precipitation has a tendency toward unrealistic perpetual light precipitation, while models with explicit treatment of clouds produce more intense and less frequent rain. Models that couple the surface to the atmosphere on the scale of kilometers, as opposed to tens or hundreds of kilometers, produce even more realistic distributions of rainfall. Rainfall intensity has direct consequences for the “fate of water,” or the pathway that a hydrometeor follows once it interacts with the surface. We find that the model with explicit treatment of cloud processes, coupled to the surface at small scales, is the most realistic when compared to observations. These results have implications for simulations of global climate, as the use of models with explicit (as opposed to parameterized) cloud representations becomes more widespread.
Seasonal and Topographic Variations in Ecohydrological Separation Within a Small, Temperate, Snow‐Influenced Catchment
Authors: Knighton James , Souter‐Kline Valessa , Volkmann Till , Troch Peter A. , Kim Minseok , Harman Ciaran J. , Morris Chelsea , Buchanan Brian , Walter M. Todd
Published: July 2019

The hypothesis of ecohydrological separation (ES) proposes that the water contained in surface soils is not uniformly extracted by root water uptake nor uniformly displaced by infiltration. Rather vegetation selectively removes water held under tension, and water infiltrating wet soil will bypass much of the water‐filled pore space. Methodological differences across previous studies have contributed to disagreement concerning the prevalence of ES. We measured stable isotopes of O and H in precipitation, snowpack, canopy throughfall, and stream water over a period of 18 months in a temperate catchment. At six locations across a wetness gradient, we sampled bulk soil water isotopes weekly and xylem water of Eastern hemlock and American beech stems seasonally. We used these observations in a soil column model including StorAge Selection functions to estimate the isotopic composition and ages of groundwater recharge and ET. Our findings suggest ES may exist with spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Root water uptake ages possibly vary between Eastern hemlock and American beech, suggesting functional strategies for water uptake may control the presence of ES. Newly infiltrated water bypassing the shallow soil was the most likely explanation for bulk soil isotopic measurements made at upslope locations during the winter and summer seasons, whereas rapid displacement of stored soil water by infiltrated waters was the most likely during the spring and fall seasons. Future research incorporating high temporal frequency soil and plant xylem water isotopic measurements applied to StorAge Selection functions may provide a useful framework for understanding rooting zone isotope dynamics.
A broadband achromatic metalens array for integral imaging in the visible
Authors: Fan Zhi-Bin , Qiu Hao-Yang , Zhang Han-Le , Pang Xiao-Ning , Zhou Li-Dan , Liu Lin , Ren Hui , Wang Qiong-Hua , Dong Jian-Wen
Published: July 2019

Integral imaging is a promising three-dimensional (3D) imaging technique that captures and reconstructs light field information. Microlens arrays are usually used for the reconstruction process to display 3D scenes to the viewer. However, the inherent chromatic aberration of the microlens array reduces the viewing quality, and thus, broadband achromatic imaging remains a challenge for integral imaging. Here, we realize a silicon nitride metalens array in the visible region that can be used to reconstruct 3D optical scenes in the achromatic integral imaging for white light. The metalens array contains 60 × 60 polarization-insensitive metalenses with nearly diffraction-limited focusing. The nanoposts in each high-efficiency (measured as 47% on average) metalens are delicately designed with zero effective material dispersion and an effective achromatic refractive index distribution from 430 to 780 nm. In addition, such an achromatic metalens array is composed of only a single silicon nitride layer with an ultrathin thickness of 400 nm, making the array suitable for on-chip hybrid-CMOS integration and the parallel manipulation of optoelectronic information. We expect these findings to provide possibilities for full-color and aberration-free integral imaging, and we envision that the proposed approach may be potentially applicable in the fields of high-power microlithography, high-precision wavefront sensors, virtual/augmented reality and 3D imaging.
Nanosecond modulation of thermal emission
Authors: Wasserman Daniel
Published: July 2019

Femtosecond laser pulses are used to modulate the thermal emission from semiconductor materials at the nanosecond timescale. A visible-frequency laser photoexcites energetic free carriers in intrinsic Si and GaAs wafers. As these free carriers return to equilibrium, they not only emit thermal radiation on a picosecond time scale but also modulate the semiconductor thermal emission on a nanosecond to microsecond time scale, offering a novel route towards ultrafast infrared optical pulses.