bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Частотный электрогидравлический дезинтегратор железобетона для МЧС и промышленности
Authors: Тарковский Викентий , Василевич Александр , Балыкин Александр , Леванович Андрей , Филипович Сергей Михайлович , Сакович Эрнест
Published: April 2019

Разработан частотный электрогидравлический дезинтегратор железобетонных объектов. Дезинтегратор предназначен для использования в подразделениях МЧС при разрушении бетонных объектов и их утилизации, а также решения ряда задач промышленности (очистки отливок от формовочной смеси; декольматации фильтров водозаборных скважин; очистки труб от наслоений; поиска места повреждения подземного кабеля; раскалывания гранитных негабаритов в карьерах; установки свай по технологии РИТ и множестве других применений).
Модели поведения лесных массивов при воздействии на них ветровых нагрузок
Authors: Ребко Дмитрий , Камлюк Андрей , Борисевич Сергей
Published: April 2019

Проведен обзор двух механико-эмпирических моделей HWIND и GALES, используемых в настоящее время для определения ветровой нагрузки на деревья и скорости ветра, при которой произойдет выворот деревьев или повреждение стволов. В модели GALES вычисляется аэродинамическая шероховатость и смещение нулевой плоскости лесных насаждений. Обе величины позволяют подсчитать действующий на дерево изгибающий момент для любой скорости ветра и предсказать скорость ветра, при которой произойдет выворот дерева или повреждение его ствола. В модели HWIND момент, возникающий от ветровой нагрузки на крону дерева, вычисляется из предположения, что профиль скорости ветра имеет логарифмический характер. Прочность на изгиб ствола дерева и момент сопротивления корневой системы опрокидыванию дерева находятся на основании эксперимента, что позволяет рассчитать скорость ветра необходимую для выворота дерева и разрушения ствола. Проведено сравнение двух моделей и указано направление их усовершенствования.
The Influence of Meta-Experimental Factors on Compliance and Attitudes: Participant Motivation and Experimenter Demeanor
Authors: Hubers Kelly Jo , Graf Elizabeth , Lantinga Sherri
Published: April 2019

An experimental study examined the effects of participant motivation (required vs. voluntary participation) and experimenter demeanor (participants treated as co-researchers or as data-producers) on compliance and participant attitude. Participants completed a meaningless task and then filled out a questionnaire about their attitudes toward the experimenter and task. Compliance was measured by how long and how accurately participants worked on the task. Results indicate that Participant Motivation type affects attitudes toward the experimenter and task and Experimenter Demeanor affects compliance on a task. Voluntary Co-Researcher participants had more positive attitudes and marked on the most number of pages but did not complete the task correctly compared to other participants. Future research could increase the impossibility of the task to see how much participants will comply, and should look at the effect on compliance that a greater difference in position between experimenters and participants may have.
Electrodeposition of Silver and Copper/Silver Multilayer on Ruthenium Substrate as a Potential New Metal Interconnect for Integrated Circuits
Authors: Cheng Chris , Arunagiri Tiruchirapalli , Chyan Oliver
Published: April 2019

As the demand for faster and cheaper integrated circuits prevalent in today’s technology continues to rise, there is a challenge to produce even smaller and faster circuits in less time and for less cost. Our work explores the superior conductivity of silver metal for the application as a more conductive metal interconnects in next generation integrated circuits. In this work, ruthenium was chosen as the diffusion barrier platform on which a precise and uniform coating of silver would be deposited electrochemically. However, the adhesion testing revealed poor adhesion between deposited Ag thin film and its Ru substrate. The adhesion problem was corrected by installing a thin Cu priming layer on Ru prior to Ag deposition. A two- steps Ag plating protocol was developed to overcome the unwanted Ag displacement reaction with Cu and achieved the preparation of Ag/Cu/Ru multiplayer, which showed good adhesion after peel test.
The “Arousal Effect”: An Alternative Interpretation of the Mozart Effect
Authors: Gonzalez Jr. Melecio , Smith IV Glenn , Stockwell David , Horton Robert
Published: April 2019

Previous research suggests that listening to Mozart’s music enhances performance on subsequent tests of spatial ability. One explanation for this result is that Mozart’s music produces a positive arousal state that increases alertness and thus, enhances spatial performance. In this study, we sampled elementary students in order to investigate (1) the presence of the Mozart effect and (2) the possibility that the Mozart effect can be explained by increased levels of arousal. We assigned participants randomly to (1) listen to Mozart (Mozart group), (2) play active games (active group), or (3) sit in silence (control group) prior to completing a spatial abilities task. We expected that (1) both the Mozart and active groups would perform better on the spatial test than the control group and (2) the active group would perform better on the spatial test than the Mozart group. Pre-planned orthogonal contrasts revealed that the Mozart and active groups outperformed the control group but the Mozart and active groups performed similarly. Implications of these data for understanding the Mozart effect and for improving grade school education are discussed.
Theoretical Neuroscience: Modeling the Activation Mechanism of Potassium Channels in Neurons
Authors: Twedt Kevin
Published: April 2019

We have modeled the electrostatic interaction between the S4 segment of the potassium channel molecule and the surrounding water molecules on both the intracellular and extracellular sides of the neural axon cell membrane. Two methods were used to approximate this interaction: (i) a macroscopic evaluation in which the water was treated as a dielectric medium with dielectric constant 80; (ii) a microscopic evaluation considering the effects of each individual water molecule fixed in position within the water pockets surrounding the S4 segment. The potential energy of the S4 due to the water pockets was plotted against the rotation of the S4 segment, while keeping the water pockets in their fixed positions. Although the two methods gave some differing results, both methods produced single well potential energy curves of ~6-9 eV depth. Based on this energy curve, we show that other forces on the S4 must create an effective torsional spring force with spring constant k~3-5 eV in order to produce a two well potential energy curve in qualitative agreement with experimental data.
Computerized Data Reduction and Analysis in Positron Annihilation Coincidence Doppler Broadening Spectroscopy
Authors: Harrich A , Jagsch S , Riedler S , Rosinger W
Published: April 2019

Positron annihilation spectroscopy is a sensitive probe for studying the electronic structure of defects in solids. The high-momentum part of the Doppler-broadened spectra can be used to distinguish different elements at the annihilation site. This can be achieved by using a two-detector coincidence system, which reduces the peak to background ratio dramatically. The coincident events have to be extracted from a two-dimensional spectrum that is recorded by two high-purity germanium detectors. For this purpose the computer program MePASto was developed, which allows an automated data reduction from such Doppler-coincidence spectra, supplemented by a post-processing unit for data analysis. Additionally a case study of the identification of defect sites in an intermetallic compound is presented.
NBA Draft Lottery Probabilities
Authors: Florke Chad , Ecker Mark
Published: April 2019

We examine the evolution of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA’s) Draft Lottery by showing how the changes implemented by the Board of Governors have impacted the probabilities of obtaining top picks in the ensuing draft lottery. We explore how these changes have impacted the team with the worst record and also investigate the conditional probabilities of the fourth worst team receiving the third pick. These calculations are conditioned upon two specified teams receiving the first two selections. We show that the probability of the fourth worst team receiving the third pick can be made unconditionally. We calculate the probabilities for the fourth worst team to move up in the draft to receive either the first, second, or third selections, along with its chance of keeping the fourth pick or even dropping in the draft. We find there is a higher chance for the fourth worst team to drop to the fifth, sixth or seventh position than to stay at the fourth position or move up.
Isoflavone Content of Kansas Soybeans
Authors: Swanson M , Stoll M , Schapaugh W , Takemoto L
Published: April 2019

Isoflavones occurring in soybean seed have been thought to have a positive effect on the health of humans, especially in cancer prevention. This positive impact may be a result of their antioxidant properties, estrogenic activity, or a combination of mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to quantify and compare different levels of isoflavones in various Kansas soybean cultivars. Seeds of four different cultivars grown in 2001 at three different locations were analyzed. There were significant differences in total and individual amounts of isoflavones across both cultivars and locations. These results demonstrated a large variation in isoflavone content in different cultivars grown in different locations, suggesting that selection of cultivar and growing location are important parameters in optimizing the isoflavone content of soybeans grown in Kansas.
Cadmium Bioaccumulation in Yellow Foxtail (Setaria glauca L. P. Beauv): Impact on Seed Head Morphology
Authors: Kosma D , Long J , Ebb S
Published: April 2019

Yellow foxtail (Setaria glauca L. P. Beauv) growing on a cadmium-contaminated site was sampled to determine the extent of cadmium bioaccumulation in aerial tissues and the impact of cadmium on growth and development. Water-extractable Cd concentrations in the soil ranged from 5.0 to 18.0 mg L-1. Aerial tissues contained elevated concentrations of Cd (16-48 μg g-1 DW), with mean concentration ratios of >3.0. Since foxtail frequently colonizes disturbed sites, the bioaccumulation of Cd in aerial tissues of foxtail suggests that wildlife feeding upon this plant species could be exposed to elevated Cd levels. A significant negative correlation (r2=0.98) was observed between water-extractable Cd in the soil and seed head length in foxtail, indicative of an adverse effect of Cd on reproductive development. This correlation further suggests seed head length as a biomarker for soluble Cd in contaminated soils.

KEYWORDS:
Cadmium, bioaccumulation, biomarker, phytotoxicity
Unruly Gestures: Seven Cine-Paragraphs on Reading/Writing Practices in our Post-Digital Condition
Authors: Adema Janneke , Kuc Kamila
Published: April 2019

Unruly gestures presents a hybrid performative intervention by means of video, text, and still images. With this experimental essay we aspire to break down various preconceptions about reading/writing gestures. Breaking away from a narrative that sees these gestures foremost as passive entities – as either embodiments of pure subjective intentionality, or as bodily movements shaped and controlled by media technologies (enabling specific sensory engagements with texts) – we aim to reappraise them. Indeed, in this essay we identify numerous dominant narratives that relate to gestural agency, to the media-specificity of gestures, and to their (linear) historicity, naturalness and humanism. This essay disrupts these preconceptions, and by doing so, it unfolds an alternative genealogy of ‘unruly gestures.’ These are gestures that challenge gestural conditioning through particular media technologies, cultural power structures, hegemonic discourses, and the biopolitical self. We focus on reading/writing gestures that have disrupted gestural hegemonies and material-discursive forms of gestural control through time and across media. Informed by Tristan Tzara’s cut-up techniques, where through the gesture of cutting the Dadaists subverted established traditions of authorship, intentionality, and linearity, this essay has been cut-up into seven semi-autonomous cine-paragraphs (accessible in video and print). Each of these cine-paragraphs confronts specific gestural preconceptions while simultaneously showcasing various unruly gestures.
Investigation of In-Vitro Antioxidant and Electrochemical Activities of Isolated Compounds from Salvia chamelaeagnea P.J.Bergius Extract
Authors: Etsassala Ninon G.E.R. , Adeloye Adewale O. , El-Halawany Ali , Hussein Ahmed A. , Iwuoha Emmanuel I.
Published: April 2019

We have investigated the in-vitro antioxidant activity and electrochemical redox properties of a number of natural compounds (carnosol, carnosic acid, 7-ethoxyrosmanol, ursolic acid, rosmanol and ladanein) isolated from the methanolic extract of Salvia chamelaeagnea collected from the Cape floristic region, South Africa. The results from trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), ferric-ion reducing antioxidant parameter (FRAP) oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), as well as the inhibition of Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation showed strong antioxidant capacities for carnosol and rosmanol. A structural analysis of the compounds suggests that multiple OH substitution, conjugation and lactone ring in carnosol and rosmanol are important determinants of the free radical scavenging activity and electrochemical behavior. Pharmacophore generated demonstrates H-donor/acceptor capabilities of the most active compounds. Rosmanol, when compared to other compounds, exhibits the lowest oxidation potential value with an anodic peak potential (Epa) value of 0.11 V, indicating that rosmanol has the highest antioxidant power, which is in good agreement with ORAC and lipid peroxidation experiments. The lipophilic nature of carnosol, carnosic acid and rosmanol enhanced their absorption and activity against oxidative stress related to the treatment of age-related diseases. These results confirm the first report on the in-vitro antioxidant and electrochemical activities of S. chamelaeagnea constituents and underline the medicinal uses of this plant as natural preservatives for skin ageing or in pharmaceutical applications.
Typographic Reification: Instantiations from the Lucy Lloyd Archive and Contemporary Typefaces from Southern Africa
Authors: Campbell Kurt
Published: April 2019

This paper argues that we may read the images from the Lucy Lloyd archive of ancient Khoe and San symbols, drawings and pictograms in a special way that offers an intellectual seriousness to these collaborative picture-word creations that attempted to hold certain faunal and floral knowledge and descriptions from the South African landscape on the transcriber’s page. By foregrounding moments of textual innovation as is evident in the Lloyd archive, I make a case for what that I term ‘typographic reification’. This ‘reification’ is the fulcrum of the ancient drive of the indigenous people of Southern Africa (the Khoe and the San) to offer an excess beyond the translation of their world into a Roman alphabet (the given form) by linguists that came with this aim in mind. Contemporary advances in New Media technology allow this very element of typographic reification (observed in textual and graphic elements recorded on pages of sketchbooks and notebooks from the Lloyd archive) to be offered anew to an international public through the digital typefaces of the South African designer Jan Erasmus who similarly draws his natural environment into the very fabric of his creations. The parallels visible between the innovative methods of transcription and picture-word creations of Lloyd and her Khoe and San collaborators on the one hand, and the digital creation of Erasmus on the other, serve to amplify a conceptual agility that must be celebrated in the South African social imagination as an intellectual bridge between different spaces and times that is a contribution to African philology and a critical history of the text.
Frozen Core Approximation and Nuclear Screening Effects in Single Electron Capture Collisions
Authors: Harris Allison
Published: April 2019

Differential cross sections (DCS) for single electron capture from helium by heavy ion impact are calculated using a frozen core 3-body model and an active electron 4-body model within the first Born approximation. DCS are presented for H+, He2+, Li3+, and C6+ projectiles with velocities of 1 MeV/amu and 10 MeV/amu. In general, the DCS from the two models are found to differ by about one to two orders of magnitude with the active electron 4-body model showing better agreement with experiment. Comparison of the models reveals two possible sources of the magnitude difference: the inactive electron’s change of state and the projectile–target Coulomb interaction used in the different models. Detailed analysis indicates that the uncaptured electron’s change of state can safely be neglected in the frozen core approximation, but that care must be used in modeling the projectile–target interaction.
Effect of Mixed Li+/Na+-ion Electrolyte on Electrochemical Performance of Na4Fe3(PO4)2P2O7 in Hybrid Batteries
Authors: Kosova Nina V. , Shindrov Alexander A.
Published: April 2019

The mixed sodium-iron ortho-pyrophosphate Na4Fe3(PO4)2P2O7 (NFPP) is a promising Na-containing cathode material with the highest operating voltage among sodium framework structured materials. It operates both in Na and Li electrochemical cells. When cycled in a hybrid Li/Na cell, a competitive co-intercalation of the Li+ and Na+ ions occurs at the cathode side. The present study shows that this process can be tuned by changing the concentration of the Na+ ions in the mixed Li+/Na+-ion electrolyte and current density. It is shown that if the Na concentration in the electrolyte increases, the specific capacity of NFPP also increases and its high-rate capability is significantly improved.
An Organophosphorus(III)-Selective Chemodosimeter for the Ratiometric Electrochemical Detection of Phosphines
Authors: Spring Sam A. , Goggins Sean , Frost Christopher G.
Published: April 2019

The high toxicity of phosphine and the use of organophosphines as nerve agent precursors has provoked the requirement for a rapid and reliable detection methodology for their detection. Herein, we demonstrate that a ferrocene-derived molecular probe, armed with an azidobenzene trigger, delivers a ratiometric electrochemical signal selectively in response to organophosphorus(III) compounds and can be accurately measured with an inexpensive, handheld potentiostat. Through an intensive assay optimization process, conditions were found that could determine the presence of a model organophosphine(III) nerve agent precursor within minutes and achieved a limit of detection for triphenylphosphine of just 13 ppm. Due to the portability of the detection system and the excellent stability of the probe in solution, we envisaged that this proof-of-concept of work could easily be taken into the field to enable potentially toxic organophosphorus(III) compounds to be detected at the point-of-need.
Discrete Geometry from Quantum Walks
Authors: Debbasch Fabrice
Published: April 2019

A particular family of Discrete Time Quantum Walks (DTQWs) simulating fermion propagation in 2D curved space-time is revisited. Usual continuous covariant derivatives and spin-connections are generalized into discrete covariant derivatives along the lattice coordinates and discrete connections. The concepts of metrics and 2-beins are also extended to the discrete realm. Two slightly different Riemann curvatures are then defined on the space-time lattice as the curvatures of the discrete spin connection. These two curvatures are closely related and one of them tends at the continuous limit towards the usual, continuous Riemann curvature. A simple example is also worked out in full.
A Systematically Assembled Signature of Genes to be Deep-Sequenced for Their Associations with the Blood Pressure Response to Exercise
Authors: Pescatello Linda S. , Parducci Paul , Livingston Jill , Taylor Beth A.
Published: April 2019

Background: Exercise is one of the best nonpharmacologic therapies to treat hypertension. The blood pressure (BP) response to exercise is heritable. Yet, the genetic basis for the antihypertensive effects of exercise remains elusive. Methods: To assemble a prioritized gene signature, we performed a systematic review with a series of Boolean searches in PubMed (including Medline) from earliest coverage. The inclusion criteria were human genes in major BP regulatory pathways reported to be associated with: (1) the BP response to exercise; (2) hypertension in genome-wide association studies (GWAS); (3) the BP response to pharmacotherapy; (4a) physical activity and/or obesity in GWAS; and (4b) BP, physical activity, and/or obesity in non-GWAS. Included GWAS reports disclosed the statistically significant thresholds used for multiple testing. Results: The search yielded 1422 reports. Of these, 57 trials qualified from which we extracted 11 genes under criteria 1, 18 genes under criteria 2, 28 genes under criteria 3, 27 genes under criteria 4a, and 29 genes under criteria 4b. We also included 41 genes identified from our previous work. Conclusions: Deep-sequencing the exons of this systematically assembled signature of genes represents a cost and time efficient approach to investigate the genomic basis for the antihypertensive effects of exercise.
Refugee Status as a Possible Risk Factor for Childhood Enuresis
Authors: Jurković Marija , Tomašković Igor , Tomašković Mirna , Smital Zore Branka , Pavić Ivan , Roić Andrea Cvitković
Published: April 2019

This study investigated the influence of refugee status on the occurrence of enuresis. It was performed among school children aged 6 to 11 years and their parents in the Vukovarsko-srijemska County (eastern Croatia), which had many displaced persons and refugees (mostly women and children) in the 1990s due to the wars in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. A specially designed questionnaire (about the child’s age and gender, the child’s enuresis history and that of the parents, and data on parental refugee status in childhood) was completed by one of the parents. Adequate data were collected for 3046 children. The prevalence of enuresis among the studied children was quite low (2.3%) but the prevalence distribution according to gender, the decline by age, and the higher odds ratio for paternal enuresis were in line with the results of other studies. The prevalence of parental enuresis in childhood was higher than their children’s enuresis (mothers: 5.8%, fathers: 3.6%, p < 0.001), and significantly higher among parents who had been refugees (mothers: p = 0.001, fathers: p = 0.04). Parental refugee status had no influence on the children’s enuresis. The results suggest that refugee status is a risk factor for the occurrence of enuresis in childhood.
Accuracy of Customized Prefabricated Screw-Type Immediate Provisional Restorations after Single-Implant Placement
Authors: Oh Kyung Chul , Kim Jee-Hwan , Woo Chang-Woo , Moon Hong Seok
Published: April 2019

Limited evidence is available comparing the differences between pre-operative and post-operative 3D implant positions from the viewpoint of prosthetics. We aimed to investigate the differences between preplanned positions of virtual provisional restorations and their actual positions following fully guided single-implant placement. Ten maxillary typodonts with missing right central incisors were imaged using cone-beam computed tomography, and digital impressions were obtained using an intraoral scanner. These data were imported into implant-planning software, following which the provisional restorations were designed. After data superimposition, an appropriate implant position was determined, and a computer-assisted implant surgical guide was designed for each typodont. Orders generated from the implant-planning software were imported into relevant computer-aided design software to design the custom abutments. The abutments, provisional restorations, and surgical guides were fabricated, and each restoration was cemented to the corresponding abutments, generating a screw-type immediate provisional restoration. The implants were placed using the surgical guides, and the screw-type provisional restorations were engaged to the implants. The typodonts were then rescanned using the intraoral scanner. The restorations designed at the treatment planning stage were compared with those in the post-operative scan using metrology software. The angular deviation around the central axis of the implant was measured, and the differences in the crown position were converted to root mean square (RMS) values. The post-operative provisional restorations exhibited an absolute angular deviation of 6.94 ± 5.78° and an RMS value of 85.8 ± 20.2 µm when compared with their positions in the pre-operative stage. Within the limitations of the present in vitro study, the results highlight the potential application of customized prefabricated immediate provisional restorations after single-implant placement.
Outcome of Robot-Assisted Bilateral Internal Mammary Artery Grafting via Left Pleura in Coronary Bypass Surgery
Authors: Wu Chieh-Jen , Chen Hsin-Hung , Cheng Pei-Wen , Lu Wen-Hsien , Tseng Ching-Jiunn , Lai Chi-Cheng
Published: April 2019

Studies are extremely limited for the investigation of the clinical outcome of da Vinci robot-assisted bilateral internal mammary artery (BIMA) grafting in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. This study aimed to explore the short-term outcome of da Vinci robot-assisted BIMA grafting through the left pleural space. Relevant data were collected from patients with multi-vessel coronary artery disease receiving two kinds of CABG: a group of patients receiving da Vinci robot-assisted CABG with BIMA grafting, and another group of patients receiving sternotomy CABG with BIMA grafting. Primary endpoints, which included cardiovascular and renal endpoints, were analyzed between the groups using the chi-square test, analysis of variance test, and Kaplan–Meier analysis. Compared with the conventional group (n = 22), the robotic group (n = 22) had a significantly longer operation time (12.7 ± 1.7 vs. 8.5 ± 1.5 hours; p < 0.01) and a marginally lower mean of serum creatinine at baseline (1.2 ± 0.3 vs. 2.0 ± 1.7 mg/dL; p = 0.04). Primary endpoints (5, 22.7% vs. 12, 54.5%; p = 0.03) and renal endpoints (1, 4.5% vs. 7, 31.8%; p = 0.02) at six months were significantly reduced in the robotic group compared with the conventional group. There were no differences in cardiovascular endpoints at six months between the groups (1, 4.5% vs. 0; p = 1.00). The data showed that da Vinci robot-assisted BIMA grafting was safe, with equal cardiovascular events and lowered renal events at six months, as compared to conventional sternotomy BIMA grafting, despite the longer procedure time. The short-term study suggests that da Vinci robot-assisted BIMA grafting may be considered a favorable surgical option for patients with severe coronary artery disease.
Probiotics: If It Does Not Help It Does Not Do Any Harm. Really?
Authors: Lerner Aaron , Shoenfeld Yehuda , Matthias Torsten
Published: April 2019

Probiotics per definition should have beneficial effects on human health, and their consumption has tremendously increased in the last decades. In parallel, the amount of published material and claims for their beneficial efficacy soared continuously. Recently, multiple systemic reviews, meta-analyses, and expert opinions expressed criticism on their claimed effects and safety. The present review describes the dark side of the probiotics, in terms of problematic research design, incomplete reporting, lack of transparency, and under-reported safety. Highlighted are the potential virulent factors and the mode of action in the intestinal lumen, risking the physiological microbiome equilibrium. Finally, regulatory topics are discussed to lighten the heterogeneous guidelines applied worldwide. The shift in the scientific world towards a better understanding of the human microbiome, before consumption of the probiotic cargo, is highly endorsed. It is hoped that better knowledge will extend the probiotic repertoire, re-confirm efficacy or safety, establish their efficacy and substantiate their beneficial effects.
Adsorption of Tea Polyphenols using Microporous Starch: A Study of Kinetics, Equilibrium and Thermodynamics
Authors: Hu Xianchun , Du Xianfeng
Published: April 2019

Microporous starch (MPS) granules were formed by the partial hydrolysis of starch using α–amylase and glucoamylase. Due to its biodegradability and safety, MPS was employed to adsorb tea polyphenols (TPS) based on their microporous characteristics. The influences of solution pH, time, initial concentration and temperature on the adsorptive capacity were investigated. The adsorption kinetics data conformed to the pseudo second–order kinetics model, and the equilibrium adsorption data were well described by the Langmuir isotherm model. According to the fitting of the adsorption isotherm formula, the maximum adsorption capacity of TPS onto MPS at pH 6.7 and T = 293 K was approximately 63.1 mg/g. The thermodynamic parameters suggested that the adsorption of TPS onto MPS was spontaneous and exothermic. Fourier transform infrared (FT–IR) analysis and the thermodynamics data were consistent with a physical adsorption mechanism. In addition, MPS-loaded TPS had better stability during long-term storage at ambient temperature.
Excitation Schemes of Plasmonic Angular Ring Resonator-Based Band-Pass Filters Using a MIM Waveguide
Authors: Mittapalli Vishwanath , Khan Habibulla
Published: April 2019

This article describes the analysis and design of the excitation schemes of the plasmonic angular ring resonator-based band-pass filters using a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide. The excitation schemes of the plasmonic angular ring resonator-based band-pass filters have been analyzed in terms of their physical length by using commercially available electromagnetic full-wave simulation software (CST microwave studio). The excitation schemes of the plasmonic angular ring resonator-based band-pass filter using a MIM waveguide have been realized at the optical O (1260–1360 nm) and U (1625–1675 nm) bands, respectively, as it has dual-band characteristics. The excitation schemes of the plasmonic angular ring resonators have been designed and simulated to determine the variation in transmission and reflection coefficients. The magnetic field distribution of the proposed filters was observed. The ring resonators require low power and had a compact size, which was further used for the development of photonic integrated circuits (PICs). The applications of these resonators are further extended and they are used in the development of antennas, branch line couplers, directional couplers and diplexers.
Special Issue: Methods in Computational Biology
Authors: Carlson Ross P. , Sauro Herbert M.
Published: April 2019

Biological systems are multiscale with respect to time and space, exist at the interface of biological and physical constraints, and their interactions with the environment are often nonlinear [...]
3-D Convolution-Recurrent Networks for Spectral-Spatial Classification of Hyperspectral Images
Authors: Seydgar Majid , Alizadeh Naeini Amin , Zhang Mengmeng , Li Wei , Satari Mehran
Published: April 2019

Nowadays, 3-D convolutional neural networks (3-D CNN) have attracted lots of attention in the spectral-spatial classification of hyperspectral imageries (HSI). In this model, the feed-forward processing structure reduces the computational burden of 3-D structural processing. However, this model as a vector-based methodology cannot analyze the full content of the HSI information, and as a result, its features are not quite discriminative. On the other hand, convolutional long short-term memory (CLSTM) can recurrently analyze the 3-D structural data to extract more discriminative and abstract features. However, the computational burden of this model as a sequence-based methodology is extremely high. In the meanwhile, the robust spectral-spatial feature extraction with a reasonable computational burden is of great interest in HSI classification. For this purpose, a two-stage method based on the integration of CNN and CLSTM is proposed. In the first stage, 3-D CNN is applied to extract low-dimensional shallow spectral-spatial features from HSI, where information on the spatial features are less than that of the spectral information; consequently, in the second stage, the CLSTM, for the first time, is applied to recurrently analyze the spatial information while considering the spectral one. The experimental results obtained from three widely used HSI datasets indicate that the application of the recurrent analysis for spatial feature extractions makes the proposed model robust against different spatial sizes of the extracted patches. Moreover, applying the 3-D CNN prior to the CLSTM efficiently reduces the model’s computational burden. The experimental results also indicated that the proposed model led to a 1% to 2% improvement compared to its counterpart models.
Performance of Microfinance Institutions in Ethiopia: Integrating Financial and Social Metrics
Authors: Wassie Solomon Bizuayehu , Kusakari Hitoshi , Sumimoto Masahiro
Published: April 2019

Since their inception in the 1970s, microfinance institutions (MFIs) have received increasing attention both from policymakers and academic circles. Using unbalanced panel data (2000–2017) from Ethiopia, in this paper, we investigated the performance of MFIs and its determinants on the one hand and whether or not mission drift exists on the other hand. To this end, we employed seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) and fixed/random effect panel models. The results indicate that, based on different outreach and financial performance metrics, the MFIs in Ethiopia have good performance compared with those of the 10 biggest economies in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The econometric estimation results show that asset holding and the yield on gross portfolio have a positive and significant effect on the social and financial performances of MFIs in Ethiopia. Furthermore, the number of loan officers, loan officer productivity, and personnel productivity have a positive and significant impact on the financial performance of MFIs. Our results also suggest that the null hypothesis—that MFIs are not shifting away from poorer clients—cannot be rejected, implying that there is no mission drift by MFIs in Ethiopia.
Soil N2O, CH4, and CO2 Fluxes in Forest, Grassland, and Tillage/No-Tillage Croplands in French Guiana (Amazonia)
Authors: Petitjean Caroline , Le Gall Cécile , Pontet Célia , Fujisaki Kenji , Garric Bernard , Horth Jean-Claude , Hénault Catherine , Perrin Anne-Sophie
Published: April 2019

The agricultural landscape of French Guiana (Amazonia) is expected to undergo substantial change as a result of rapid population growth in the region. Such changes in the landscape will lead to the conversion of tropical forests into land destined for agricultural use. Little information is available on the effect of different agricultural systems on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in French Guiana. For our experiment, two hectares of forest were cleared, without the use of fire, at the Combi experimental site (sandy-clayey Ferralsol) at the end of 2008. After one year with legume and grass cover, the site was modified to include the following three fertilized agricultural systems: (1) Grassland (Brachiaria ruziziensis, mowed), (2) cropland (maize/soybean rotation) with disc tillage, and (3) cropland (maize/soybean rotation) with no-tillage in direct seeding. Soil N2O, CH4, and CO2 fluxes were measured with dark chambers from May 2011 to November 2014. Our results show that grassland was a significantly lower emitter of N2O but a significantly higher emitter of CH4 compared to the two cropland systems studied. We did not observe significant differences between the two cropland systems for N2O and CH4 fluxes. Measurements of the net ecosystem CO2 exchange would be useful to better compare the role of different agricultural systems as a source of GHGs.
Modified Optimal Class of Newton-Like Fourth-Order Methods for Multiple Roots
Authors: Kansal Munish , Behl Ramandeep , Mahnashi Mohammed Ali A. , Mallawi Fouad Othman
Published: April 2019

Here, we propose optimal fourth-order iterative methods for approximating multiple zeros of univariate functions. The proposed family is composed of two stages and requires 3 functional values at each iteration. We also suggest an extensive convergence analysis that demonstrated the establishment of fourth-order convergence of the developed methods. It is interesting to note that some existing schemes are found to be the special cases of our proposed scheme. Numerical experiments have been performed on a good number of problems arising from different disciplines such as the fractional conversion problem of a chemical reactor, continuous stirred tank reactor problem, and Planck’s radiation law problem. Computational results demonstrates that suggested methods are better and efficient than their existing counterparts.
NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TWO GROUPS OF PROBABLE-AD PATIENTS FROM DIFFERENT AREAS OF BRAZILNEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TWO GROUPS OF PROBABLE-AD PATIENTS FROM DIFFERENT AREAS OF BRAZIL
Authors: De Oliveira Analucy A V
Published: April 2019

During normal aging there are some cognitive and behavioral changes similar to those observed in a transitional state or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early onset dementia, making it challenging for health care professionals to reach an accurate and reliable diagnosis. Objective: The current study examined the performance of two different groups of patients diagnosed with probable Alzheimer’s disease (AD) on a neuropsychological test battery. Methods: Twenty-two AD patients from Brasília-DF (AD1) and thirty-four AD patients from Palmas-TO, northern Brazil (AD2), were selected and a short neuropsychological battery administered. To verify the reliability of these previous diagnoses of AD, both groups of patients were compared with a group of healthy controls. Results: AD patients showed cognitive deficit but scores were lower for the AD2 group compared with the AD1 group considering the cut-off point. Notably, patients from the AD1 group were older (p=0.004) and had less formal education (p<0.001) than those from the AD2 group. Comparing different cognitive domains between AD groups, post hoc analysis showed that the AD1 group was characterized by deficits in episodic memory retrieval (p<0.001), semantic memory (p<0.001) and verbal fluency (p<0.001). In contrast, the AD2 group showed lower scores in attention (p=0.007), executive functioning (p<0.001) and working memory (p<0.001). Conclusion: This pattern suggests that the Palma group of patients had a neuropsychological profile that was inconsistent with AD. Although the results of this study have important clinical implications, the effects of age, education, and gender on cognitive performance should be explored further.
Процес прийняття рішення на ведення бойових дій в сухопутних військах збройних сил країн НАТО
Authors: Polishchuk L. , Klymovych O. K. , Bohutskyi S. M. , Pashchetnyk A. D.
Published: April 2019

У статті представлено порядок прийняття військових рішень у Сухопутних військах Збройних Сил країн НАТО за їх стандартами. Для детального аналізу варіантів бойових дій розглянута воєнна гра, в ході якої проводиться візуалізація ходу операцій, враховуючи сильні сторони своїх військ і їх розташування, можливості противника та можливі його варіанти бойових дій, вплив і потреби цивільного населення в районі операції, а також інші аспекти обстановки. Результатом воєнної гри є уточнений варіант бойових дій, заповнена матриця синхронізації, а також шаблон підтримки прийняття рішення і матриця підтримки рішення для кожного варіанту бойових дій.
Simulations of Water Vapor and Clouds on Rapidly Rotating and Tidally Locked Planets: A 3D Model Intercomparison
Authors: Yang Jun , Leconte Jérémy , Wolf Eric T. , Merlis Timothy , Koll Daniel D. B. , Forget François , Abbot Dorian S.
Published: April 2019

Robustly modeling the inner edge of the habitable zone is essential for determining the most promising potentially habitable exoplanets for atmospheric characterization. Global climate models (GCMs) have become the standard tool for calculating this boundary, but divergent results have emerged among the various GCMs. In this study, we perform an intercomparison of standard GCMs used in the field on a rapidly rotating planet receiving a G-star spectral energy distribution and on a tidally locked planet receiving an M-star spectral energy distribution. Experiments both with and without clouds are examined. We find relatively small difference (within 8 K) in global-mean surface temperature simulation among the models in the G-star case with clouds. In contrast, the global-mean surface temperature simulation in the M-star case is highly divergent (20–30 K). Moreover, even differences in the simulated surface temperature when clouds are turned off are significant. These differences are caused by differences in cloud simulation and/or radiative transfer, as well as complex interactions between atmospheric dynamics and these two processes. For example we find that an increase in atmospheric absorption of shortwave radiation can lead to higher relative humidity at high altitudes globally and, therefore, a significant decrease in planetary radiation emitted to space. This study emphasizes the importance of basing conclusions about planetary climate on simulations from a variety of GCMs and motivates the eventual comparison of GCM results with terrestrial exoplanet observations to improve their performance.
The Keplerian Three-body Encounter. I. Insights on the Origin of the S-stars and the G-objects in the Galactic Center
Authors: Trani Alessandro A. , Fujii Michiko S. , Spera Mario
Published: April 2019

Recent spectroscopic analysis has set an upper limit on the age of the S-stars, the ∼30 B-type stars in highly eccentric orbits around the supermassive black hole (SMBH) in the Galactic center. The inferred age (<15 Myr) is in tension with the binary breakup scenario proposed to explain their origin. However, the new estimate is compatible with the age of the disk of O-type stars that lies at a farther distance from the SMBH. Here, we investigate a new formation scenario, assuming that both S-stars and the O-type stars were born in the same disk around SgrA*. We simulate encounters between binaries of the stellar disk and stellar black holes from a dark cusp around SgrA*. We find that B-type binaries can be easily broken up by the encounters and their binary components are kicked into highly eccentric orbits around the SMBH. In contrast, O-type binaries are less frequently disrupted and their members remain in low-eccentricity orbits. This mechanism can reproduce 12 S-stars just by assuming that the binaries initially lie within the stellar disk as observed nowadays. To reproduce all the S-stars, the original disk must have been extended down to

. However, in this case many B- and O-type stars remain in low-eccentricity orbits below

, in contrast with the observations. Therefore, some other mechanism is necessary to disrupt the disk below

. This scenario can also explain the high eccentricity of the G-objects, if they have a stellar origin.
Dacha dwellers and gardeners: garden plots and second homes in Europe and Russia
Authors: Rusanov Alexander V.
Published: April 2019

Abstract

One of the ways to solve the problems associated with rapid growth of urban population and the development of industry in Western Europe in the 19th century was the creation of collective gardens and vegetable plots, which could be used to grow food for personal consumption. The peak of their popularity was during the First and Second World Wars. In the second half of the 20th century, as food shortages decrease, the number of garden plots in Western Europe sharply decreased. The revival of interest in gardening at the end of the 20 century is connected with the development of nature protection movement and ecological culture. In Eastern Europe, most of the collective gardens and vegetable plots appeared after the Second World War in a planned economy, they were most popular during the periods of economic recession. In some countries – Russia, Poland – gardeners have now become one of the largest land users. The article deals with the history and main factors that influenced the development of collective gardening and vegetable gardening in Europe and analyzes the laws presently regulating the activity of gardeners. The change of functions of garden plots in European countries in the 19–21 centuries is shown. The article presents comparative statistics on the number of second homes in Northern and Southern Europe. On the example of these two regions, the peculiarities of distribution of second homes are revealed and the main areas of their location are shown.
Poverty in Russian regions in 2000-2017: factors and dynamics
Authors: Zubarevich Natalia V.
Published: April 2019

The article considers the level and dynamics of the level of poverty in the regions of Russia for 2000-2017, shows the sustainability of regional differentiation, despite the changes in the distribution of regions by the level of poverty. Regions with different rates of poverty reduction in the period of economic growth and the factors that accelerated this process are allocated. The weak impact of the two recent crises on the dynamics of poverty in the regions with different dynamics of income is revealed. The influence of demographic (child burden) and income factors (income level and income inequality), the cost of living in regions and the level of urbanization on regional poverty indicators is considered. The change of influence of different factors of poverty in the early 2000s and in 2017 is shown. An analysis of changes in the regional picture of poverty in transition from absolute to relative criteria of its measurement is carried out.
Does Electroconvulsive Therapy Injure the Brain?
Authors: Dinwiddie Stephen H.
Published: April 2019

In the decade or so after the introduction of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), scattered reports of neuropathological changes found among people who died after treatment began to appear. Such reports, combined with laboratory studies purporting to show neurological damage in experimental animals and the demonstration of memory changes (particularly retrograde amnesia) after ECT treatment, have suggested to some that ECT must somehow result in physical damage to the brain. Although such concerns still appear to influence popular attitudes toward ECT, use of modern technique does not appear to be commonly associated with any evidence of central nervous system damage.

[
Psychiatr Ann
. 2019;49(4):148–151.]
The Artistic Patronage of the Confraternities of Schiavoni/Illyrians in Venice and Rome. Proto-National Identity and the Visual Arts
Authors: Gudelj Jasenka , Trška Tanja
Published: April 2019

Early modern immigrants across Europe often organized themselves in confraternities, creating durable institutions that acted as patrons of the visual arts. The shared origin of the members of these confraternities provides a platform to discuss and compare their strategies of visual communication with the host society. It further affords the opportunity to examine how they differentiated themselves from other brotherhoods of Schiavoni/Illyrians in the competitive environments of Italian cosmopolitan and artistic centers. This essay focuses on the two 16th-century painted programs related to Schiavoni/Illyrian confraternities in Venice and Rome, executed by Vittore Carpaccio and Giovanni Guerra with assistants, respectively, and offers a new interpretative strategy of proto-national identity to elucidate their messages.