bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immigration/migration and healthy publics: the threat of food insecurity
Authors: Carney Megan A. , Krause Keegan C.
Published: May 2020

Global climate change and the continued neoliberalization of food systems have exacerbated levels of food insecurity and hunger, producing an ever-expanding population of displaced persons who are also nutritionally vulnerable. Restrictive immigration policies in post-arrival and resettlement contexts compound with other cultural, social, political, and economic conditions to negatively affect the food security and health of displaced persons. This article engages a comparative ethnographic perspective for examining the migration-food security nexus. Drawing on ethnographic research with Mexican and Central American im/migrants in the Western United States, Haitian im/migrants in the Dominican Republic, and African im/migrant populations in Italy, this article analyzes local experiences of food insecurity in restrictive immigration policy contexts through an intersectional lens. Finally, this article examines the possibilities for engaged research oriented toward generating “healthy publics” and addressing food insecurity across disparate geographical and political settings and amid structural and social constraints.
CLIL teachers’ views on cognitive development in primary education
Authors: Campillo-Ferrer José-María , Miralles-Martínez Pedro , Sánchez-Ibáñez Raquel
Published: May 2020

Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) has been implemented in Spain for more than two decades, and the number of schools that have joined CLIL initiatives has progressively grown in an attempt to increase students’ proficiency in English; all of these developments are indicative of the importance of foreign language learning (FLL) in this country. The aim of this paper is to analyse the promotion of cognitive skills by teachers in the subjects of science and social science in primary education in the Spanish Region of Murcia. A mixed methodology combining techniques for collecting both quantitative and qualitative data was implemented. The results show a tendency to lapse into low-order thinking skills, which can hinder the development of demanding cognitive skills and creative learning processes in CLIL lessons. Some factors might affect these teaching practices, such as the type of teaching staff position or the experience that teachers have gained over time. The article concludes with some suggestions for further research.
Variational nonlinear WKB in the Eulerian frame
Authors: Burby J. W. , Ruiz D. E.
Published: May 2020

Nonlinear WKB is a multiscale technique for studying locally plane-wave solutions of nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs). Its application comprises two steps: (1) replacement of the original PDE with an extended system separating the large scales from the small and (2) reduction of the extended system to its slow manifold. In the context of variational fluid theories with particle relabeling symmetry, nonlinear WKB in the mean Eulerian frame is known to possess a variational structure. This much has been demonstrated using, for instance, the theoretical apparatus known as the generalized Lagrangian mean. On the other hand, the variational structure of nonlinear WKB in the conventional Eulerian frame remains mysterious. By exhibiting a variational principle for the extended equations from step (1) above, we demonstrate that nonlinear WKB in the Eulerian frame is in fact variational. Remarkably, the variational principle for the extended system admits loops of relabeling transformations as a symmetry group. Noether’s theorem therefore implies that the extended Eulerian equations possess a family of circulation invariants parameterized by S1. As an illustrative example, we use our results to systematically deduce a variational model of high-frequency acoustic waves interacting with a larger-scale compressible isothermal flow.
A differential Galois approach to path integrals
Authors: Morales-Ruiz Juan J.
Published: May 2020

We point out the relevance of the differential Galois theory of linear differential equations for the exact semiclassical computations in path integrals in quantum mechanics. The main tool will be a necessary condition for complete integrability of classical Hamiltonian systems obtained by Ramis and myself [Morales-Ruiz and Ramis, Methods Appl. Anal. 8, 33–96 (2001); see also Morales-Ruiz, in Differential Galois Theory and Non-Integrability of Hamiltonian Systems, Modern Birkhäuser Classics (Springer, Basel, 1999)]; if a finite dimensional complex analytical Hamiltonian system is completely integrable with meromorphic first integrals, then the identity component of the Galois group of the variational equation around any integral curve must be abelian. A corollary of this result is that, for finite dimensional integrable Hamiltonian systems, the semiclassical approach is computable in a closed form in the framework of the differential Galois theory. This explains in a very precise way the success of quantum semiclassical computations for integrable Hamiltonian systems.
Direct observation of cross sectional local conductive paths in a degraded multilayered ceramic capacitor
Authors: Izawa K. , Sada T. , Utsunomiya M. , Inayama S. , Fujikawa N. , Matsubara K. , Yasukawa K.
Published: May 2020

Using scanning spreading resistance microscopy, we obtained images of local conduction paths on the cross section of a multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) just before electrical breakdown. The images were observed after the local low-resistance part in the MLCC was identified as being degraded according to the highly accelerated lifetime test. Each grain in the conductive path images was clearly visible, and the insulation resistance (IR) around the cathode was lower than that near the anode. It was concluded that this is a phenomenon that accompanies the migration of oxygen vacancies. We directly observed the degraded resistance distribution of ceramic grains, which showed the bulk-limited conduction mechanism formed by IR degradation.
Hybrid superconductor-semiconductor systems for quantum technology
Authors: Benito M. , Burkard Guido
Published: May 2020

Superconducting quantum devices provide excellent connectivity and controllability, while semiconductor spin qubits stand out with their long-lasting quantum coherence, fast control, and potential for miniaturization and scaling. In the last few years, remarkable progress has been made in combining superconducting circuits and semiconducting devices into hybrid quantum systems that benefit from the physical properties of both constituents. Superconducting cavities can mediate quantum-coherent coupling over long distances between electronic degrees of freedom such as the spin of individual electrons on a semiconductor chip and, thus, provide essential connectivity for a quantum device. Electron spins in semiconductor quantum dots have reached very long coherence times and allow for fast quantum gate operations with increasing fidelities. We summarize recent progress and theoretical models that describe superconducting–semiconducting hybrid quantum systems, explain the limitations of these systems, and describe different directions where future experiments and theory are headed.
Frequency dependence of the capacitive excitation of plasma: An experimental proof
Authors: Porteanu Horia-Eugen , Wolf Denis , Heinrich Wolfgang
Published: May 2020

Today, most of the microwave plasma sources are driven at 2.45 GHz. Meanwhile, GaN technology offers high-power components working efficiently at higher frequencies. Therefore, the perspective of plasma excitation at increased frequencies has to be investigated. The present work compares two plasma sources fabricated in the same way, having the same size discharge zone, however, different lengths in order to resonate at 2.45 GHz and 5.8 GHz, respectively. We conclude that, at the higher frequency, for the same absorbed microwave power, the electron density is almost two times higher. This evidence comes from microwave impedance analysis, optical emission intensities, and current voltage measurement on the effluent plasma jet.
Shock Hugoniot measurements of single-crystal 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) compressed to 83 GPa
Authors: Marshall M. C. , Fernandez-Pañella A. , Myers T. W. , Eggert J. H. , Erskine D. J. , Bastea S. , Fried L. E. , Leininger L. D.
Published: May 2020

We present laser-driven shock Hugoniot measurements of single-crystal (SC) 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) between 15 and 83 GPa, spanning pressures below and well above the Chapman–Jouguet pressure of ∼28 GPa for TATB formulations (TATB grains mixed with plastic binders at 5–10 wt. %). The new SC data are generally ∼3% more compressible than previously published data on neat and formulated TATB measured in gas-gun and explosive-driven experiments. An exception is at compressions in the density of ∼1.5 (∼30–40 GPa), where our new SC data exhibit significantly lower pressures than previous results on overdriven TATB formulations, suggesting that our SC samples remain largely unreacted below 35 GPa over the short nanosecond-time scales inherent to our laser-driven experiments. These novel equation-of-state measurements are a critical step toward understanding TATB in its most fundamental form and improving predictive modeling of TATB-based explosives.
PSI4 1.4: Open-source software for high-throughput quantum chemistry
Authors: Smith Daniel G. A. , Burns Lori A. , Simmonett Andrew C. , Parrish Robert M. , Schieber Matthew C. , Galvelis Raimondas , Kraus Peter , Kruse Holger , Di Remigio Roberto , Alenaizan Asem , James Andrew M. , Lehtola Susi , Misiewicz Jonathon P. , Scheurer Maximilian , Shaw Robert A. , Schriber Jeffrey B. , Xie Yi , Glick Zachary L. , Sirianni Dominic A. , O’Brien Joseph Senan , Waldrop Jonathan M. , Kumar Ashutosh , Hohenstein Edward G. , Pritchard Benjamin P. , Brooks Bernard R. , Schaefer Henry F. , Sokolov Alexander Yu. , Patkowski Konrad , DePrince A. Eugene , Bozkaya Uğur , King Rollin A. , Evangelista Francesco A. , Turney Justin M. , Crawford T. Daniel , Sherrill C. David
Published: May 2020

PSI4 is a free and open-source ab initio electronic structure program providing implementations of Hartree–Fock, density functional theory, many-body perturbation theory, configuration interaction, density cumulant theory, symmetry-adapted perturbation theory, and coupled-cluster theory. Most of the methods are quite efficient, thanks to density fitting and multi-core parallelism. The program is a hybrid of C++ and Python, and calculations may be run with very simple text files or using the Python API, facilitating post-processing and complex workflows; method developers also have access to most of PSI4’s core functionalities via Python. Job specification may be passed using The Molecular Sciences Software Institute (MolSSI) QCSCHEMA data format, facilitating interoperability. A rewrite of our top-level computation driver, and concomitant adoption of the MolSSI QCARCHIVE INFRASTRUCTURE project, makes the latest version of PSI4 well suited to distributed computation of large numbers of independent tasks. The project has fostered the development of independent software components that may be reused in other quantum chemistry programs.
Molecular beam epitaxy of high-quality CuI thin films on a low temperature grown buffer layer
Authors: Inagaki S. , Nakamura M. , Aizawa N. , Peng L. C. , Yu X. Z. , Tokura Y. , Kawasaki M.
Published: May 2020

We show a growth of high-quality thin films of a wide bandgap semiconductor copper iodide (CuI) on Al2O3 substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. Employing a thin buffer layer deposited at a lower temperature (160 °C) prior to the main growth, the maximum growth temperature is elevated up to 240 °C, resulting in a significant improvement in the crystallinity as verified by sharp x-ray diffraction peaks as well as a step-and-terrace structure observed by atomic force microscopy. Optimum films show more intense free exciton emission in photoluminescence spectra than others, implying the suppression of defects. These results indicate that the fabrication process developed in this study is quite effective at realizing high-quality CuI thin films.
X-ray source improvements for EXAFS measurement on SGIII prototype facility
Authors: Hu Yun , Jiang Shaoen , Zhang Jiyan , Xue Quanxi , Wang Zhebin , Ye Qing
Published: May 2020

A proper x-ray source is crucial to extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurement as parameter diagnosis for compressed materials on large laser facilities. In this article, modification of the CH capsule as an x-ray source has been done through simulations and experiments for the SGIII prototype laser facility. On the one hand, simulation results show that the radiation intensity of the CH capsule increases largely while wall thickness decreases. On the other hand, chlorine atoms whose atomic number is higher than that of carbon were brought into the capsule by doping on the inner side wall to enhance x-ray radiation intensity. CH capsules were designed, and experiments were carried out on the SGIII prototype laser facility. The x-ray source spectrum, size, radiation intensity, radiation pulse, and Ti K-edge EXAFS spectrum under ambient conditions were compared and discussed. Experimental results show that, with the doping of chlorine atoms and decreasing the wall thickness from 9 µm to 6 µm, the x-ray radiation intensity increases by about 63.5 times, energy efficiency is improved a lot, and other properties are also improved. The chlorine atom doped CH capsule with 6 µm wall thickness is proved to be the best x-ray source in the experiments in this article. Its size is 57 ± 0.5 µm, pulse width is 240 ps, and radiation intensity is about 9.1 times the undoped one with the same wall thickness. The methods can be extended to other laser facilities for the EXAFS measurement of other materials.
Thermal stability investigation for Ohmic contact properties of Pt, Au, and Pd electrodes on the same hydrogen-terminated diamond
Authors: Yuan Xiaolu , Liu Jiangwei , Shao Siwu , Liu Jinlong , Wei Junjun , Da Bo , Li Chengming , Koide Yasuo
Published: May 2020

Here, thermal stabilities for Ohmic contact properties of Pt, Au, and Pd on the same hydrogen-terminated diamond (H-diamond) epitaxial layer are investigated. A long-term annealing process is performed with an annealing temperature and time of 400 °C and 8 h, respectively. Before annealing, good Ohmic contact properties are observed for only two contacts of the Pt/H-diamond and Pd/H-diamond with specific contact resistivity (ρC) values of 2.7 × 10−3 Ω cm2 and 2.6 × 10−4 Ω cm2, respectively. After long-term annealing, all three contacts on the H-diamond show good Ohmic contact properties. The ρC values for the Pt/H-diamond and Au/H-diamond are 3.1 × 10−2 Ω cm2 and 4.2 × 10−4 Ω cm2, respectively. They are higher than that of the Pd/H-diamond (1.1 × 10−4 Ω cm2). Therefore, low ρC and good thermal stability for the Pd/H-diamond are achieved. This is meaningful for pushing forward the development of H-diamond-based electronic devices for high-temperature applications.
Demography and spatial requirements of the endangered northern quoll on Groote Eylandt
Authors: Heiniger Jaime , Cameron Skye F. , Madsen Thomas , Niehaus Amanda C. , Wilson Robbie S.
Published: May 2020

Abstract
ContextAustralia has experienced the highest number of mammal extinctions of any continent over the past two centuries. Understanding the demography and spatial requirements of populations before declines occur is fundamental to confirm species trajectory, elucidate causes of decline and develop effective management strategies.
AimsWe evaluated the demography and spatial requirements of a northern quoll, Dasyurus hallucatus, population on Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory. Groote Eylandt is considered a refuge for the species because key threatening processes are absent or limited; cane toads and introduced ungulates are absent, feral cats are infrequently detected and the fire regime is benign compared with mainland Northern Territory.
MethodsWe conducted a 4-year capture–mark–recapture study to monitor growth, reproduction and survival of northern quolls within a 128-ha area, and we evaluated spatial requirements by attaching GPS units to both sexes. To assess the status of the Groote Eylandt population, we compared the demographics with existing data from mainland populations.
Key resultsThe average density of northern quolls was 0.33ha−1. However, there was a 58% decline in female density, primarily between 2012 and 2013, corresponding with a decrease in female body mass. Females survived and bred in up to 3 years and adult survival rates did not vary among years, suggesting that juvenile recruitment drives population fluctuations. Male quolls were semelparous, with die-off occurring in the months following breeding. The median female and male home ranges were 15.7ha and 128.6ha respectively, and male ranges increased significantly during breeding, with 1616ha being the largest recorded.
ConclusionsThe northern quoll population on Groote Eylandt had a higher density, female survival and reproductive success than has been previously recorded on the mainland. However, a marked decline was recorded corresponding with a decrease in female mass, indicating below-average rainfall as the likely cause.
ImplicationsGroote Eylandt remains a refuge for the endangered northern quoll. However, even in the absence of key threatening processes, the population has declined markedly, highlighting the impact of environmental fluctuations. Maintaining the ecological integrity of Groote Eylandt is imperative for population recovery, and managing threats on the mainland over appropriate spatial scales is necessary to increase population resilience.
Coalescence of martensite under uniaxial tension of iron crystallites by atomistic simulations
Authors: Ou Xiaoqin , Sietsma Jilt , Santofimia Maria J.
Published: May 2020

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the effects of tensile loading on nucleation and subsequent growth of bcc phase in pure fcc iron. The results show that orientation variant selection occurs during the stress-induced fcc-to-bcc transformation, which leads to the coalescence of neighbouring bcc platelets with identical orientation. The bcc phase nucleates mainly following Nishiyama–Wassermann and Kurdjumov–Sachs orientation relationships with the parent fcc phase. The present simulations contribute to a better understanding of mechanisms controlling mechanically induced martensitic transformation as well as coalescence of bcc platelets in steels.
Zimbabwe's 2018 elections: funding, public resources and vote buying
Authors: Ndakaripa Musiwaro
Published: May 2020

Using the concept of ‘competitive authoritarianism’, this briefing examines how the governing Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF) retained power in the July 2018 presidential, parliamentary and local government elections. It advances that, having come to power through military assistance in November 2017, the new ZANU–PF government instituted cosmetic political reforms to gain domestic and international legitimacy while maintaining financial networks and tentacles on public institutions. This briefing posits that, with a huge funding base, abuse of public resources and massive vote buying, materially, Zimbabwe's 2018 elections were heavily slanted in favour of ZANU–PF.
Change of impervious surface area and its impacts on urban landscape: an example of Shenyang between 2010 and 2017
Authors: Wu Wen , Li Chunlin , Liu Miao , Hu Yuanman , Xiu Chunliang
Published: May 2020

Introduction

One of the most striking features of urbanization is the replacement of the original natural land cover type by artificial impervious surface area (ISA). However, the extent of the contribution of various environmental factors, especially the growth of 3D space to ISA expansion, and the scope and mechanism of their influences in dramatically expanding cities, are yet to be determined. The boosted regression tree (BRT) model was adopted to analyze the main influencing factors and driving mechanisms of ISA change in Shenyang, China between 2010 and 2017.

Outcomes

The nearly complete-coverage ISA (≥0.7) increased from 42% in 2010 to 47% in 2017. The percentage of landscape with a high ISA fraction increased, while the landscape evenness and diversity of ISA decreased. The BRT analysis revealed that elevation, regional population density, and landscape class had the largest influences on the change of urban ISA, contributing 22.55%, 18.16%, and 11.18% to the model, respectively.

Conclusion

Overall, topographic and socioeconomic factors had the greatest influence on urban ISA change in Shenyang, followed by land use type and building pattern indices. The trend of high aggregation was strong in large commercial and residential areas. The 3D expansion of the city had an influence on its areal expansion.
Inversion method of bubble size distribution based on acoustic nonlinear coefficient measurement*
Authors: Shi Jie , Liu Yulin , Shi Shengguo , Deng Anding , Li Hongdao
Published: May 2020

Measurements of bubble size distribution require the understanding of the acoustic characteristics of the medium. The bubbles show highly nonlinear properties under finite amplitude acoustic excitation, so the acoustic fields from bubble population are easily observed at the second harmonics as well as at the fundamental frequency, which shows that the nonlinear coefficient increases obviously. The inversion method of bubble size distribution based on nonlinear acoustic effects can peel off the influence of complex environment and obtain the size distribution coefficient information of bubbles more accurately. The previous nonlinear inversion methods of bubble size distribution are mostly based on the nonlinear scattering cross-section characteristics of bubbles. However, the stability of inversion is not high enough. In this paper, we introduce a new acoustic inversion method for bubble size distribution, which is based on the nonlinear coefficients of bubble medium. Compared with other inversion methods based on linear or nonlinear scattering cross section, the inversion method based on nonlinear coefficients of bubble medium proposed in this paper shows good robustness in both simulation and experiment.
Patterns of cross-correlation in time series: A case study of gait trails*
Authors: Song Jia , Weng Tong-Feng , Gu Chang-Gui , Yang Hui-Jie
Published: May 2020

A complex system contains generally many elements that are networked by their couplings. The time series of output records of the system’s dynamical process is subsequently a cooperative result of the couplings. Discovering the coupling structure stored in the time series is an essential task in time series analysis. However, in the currently used methods for time series analysis the structural information is merged completely by the procedure of statistical average. We propose a concept called mode network to preserve the structural information. Firstly, a time series is decomposed into intrinsic mode functions and residue by means of the empirical mode decomposition solution. The mode functions are employed to represent the contributions from different elements of the system. Each mode function is regarded as a mono-variate time series. All the mode functions form a multivariate time series. Secondly, the co-occurrences between all the mode functions are then used to construct a threshold network (mode network) to display the coupling structure. This method is illustrated by investigating gait time series. It is found that a walk trial can be separated into three stages. In the beginning stage, the residue component dominates the series, which is replaced by the mode function numbered M
14 with peaks covering ∼680 strides (∼12 min) in the second stage. In the final stage more and more mode functions join into the backbone. The changes of coupling structure are mainly induced by the co-occurrent strengths of the mode functions numbered as M
11, M
12, M
13, and M
14, with peaks covering 200–700 strides. Hence, the mode network can display the rich and dynamical patterns of the coupling structure. This approach can be extended to investigate other complex systems such as the oil price and the stock market price series.
Relative phase-dependent two-electron emission dynamics with two-color circularly polarized laser fields*
Authors: Xu Tong-Tong , Zhang Lian-Lian , Jin Zhao , Gong Wei-Jiang
Published: May 2020

With the semiclassical ensemble model, we explore the relative phase-dependent nonsequential double ionization (NSDI) of Mg by counter-rotating two-color circularly polarized (TCCP) laser pulses. The yield of Mg2+ sensitively depends on the relative phase Δφ and the intensity of TCCP laser fields. At Δφ = 1.5π, the yield of Mg2+ exhibits a pronounced peak in the 0.05 PW/cm2 laser field. This behavior results from the increase of the initial transverse velocity compensating for the drift velocity with the decreasing angle by analyzing the angular distributions of the electron pairs in four relative phases. By changing the relative phases, we find that the recollision excitation with subsequent ionization and the recollision-impact ionization mechanisms can be controlled with TCCP laser fields.
Polarization conversion metasurface in terahertz region*
Authors: Zhou Chen , Li Jiu-Sheng
Published: May 2020

Polarization conversion is a very important electromagnetic wave manipulation method. In this paper, we investigate a high-efficiency linear-to-circular polarization and cross-polarization converter by utilizing coding metasurface. The coding particle consists of top layer metal pattern and bottom metal plate sandwiched with square F4B dielectric, which can manipulate the linear-to-circular polarization and cross-polarization converter of the reflected wave simultaneously. In the terahertz frequency range of 1.0 THz–2.0 THz, the reflection magnitudes reach approximately 90% and the axial ratio is less than 3 dB. The proposed polarization converter may lead to advances in a variety of applications such as security, microscopy, information processing, stealth technology, and data storage.
Seasonal representation of extreme precipitation indices over the United States in CMIP6 present-day simulations
Authors: A A Akinsanola , G J Kooperman , A G Pendergrass , W M Hannah , K A Reed
Published: May 2020

Realistically representing the present-day characteristics of extreme precipitation has been a challenge for global climate models, which is due in part to deficiencies in model resolution and physics, but is also due to a lack of consistency in gridded observations. In this study, we use three observation datasets, including gridded rain gauge and satellite data, to assess historical simulations from sixteen Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models. We separately evaluate summer and winter precipitation over the United States (US) with a comprehensive set of extreme precipitation indices, including an assessment of precipitation frequency, intensity and spatial structure. The observations exhibit significant differences in their estimates of area-average intensity distributions and spatial patterns of the mean and extremes of precipitation over the US. In general, the CMIP6 multi-model mean performs better than most individual models at capturing daily precipitation distributions and extreme precipitation indices, particularly in comparison to gauge-based data. Also, the representation of the extreme precipitation indices by the CMIP6 models is better in the summer than winter. Although the ‘standard’ horizontal-resolution can vary significantly across CMIP6 models, from ∼0.7° to ∼2.8°, we find that resolution is not a good indicator of model performance. Overall, our results highlight common biases in CMIP6 models and demonstrate that no single model is consistently the most reliable across all indices.
Effect of femtosecond laser power and overlap ratio on surface roughness parameters, contact angle, and tribological properties of the textured SKD 61 tool steel with oil lubrication
Authors: Chang Chang-Shuo , Hou Kung-Hsu , Chung Chen-Kuei , Tsai Tsung-Wen , Lin Jen-Fin
Published: May 2020

This study prepared samples with femtosecond(fs)-laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSSs) controlled by laser power (or peak fluence, F0) and overlap ratio (OR) to improve the friction and wear behavior of the SKD 61 tool steel sliding against a hard Si3N4 ceramic counterface in oil lubrications. Pin-on-plate (pin: Si3N4; plate: SKD 61 steel) tribological tests were conducted with the reciprocating motion perpendicular to the laser scanning direction and having an incline angle (40°∼50°) with respect to the LIPSSs. The contact angles (θ) formed on the textured surfaces were measured for an oil lubricant. The (θ)oil results were found to have their correlation with the areal surface roughness (Sa), skewness (Sk), and kurtosis (Ku) of the textured surfaces produced at various F0 and OR values. The mean friction coefficient (μ) and wear loss (W) of the steel specimens in oil lubrications are reduced by decreasing contact angle, (θ)oil. The combined effect of F0 and OR on the (θ)oil and the (θ)oil effect on μ and W are thus linked together, and the correlation provides an efficient and convenient way in the choices of laser operating conditions with the minimum μ and W. The minimum values of μ (=0.0089) and W (=2.124 × 104
μm3) were obtained with OR = 50% and a laser power of 17 mW.
Comparison of material measures for areal surface topography measuring instrument calibration
Authors: Eifler M , Hering J , Seewig J , Leach R K , von Freymann G , Hu X , Dai G
Published: May 2020

The calibration of areal surface topography measuring instruments is a topic that is currently under discussion in international standard committees and a specification standard that defines the so-called ‘metrological characteristics’ has been published. For the broad industrial adoption of the metrological characteristics for calibration, however, clear and easy-to-apply calibration guidelines are required. Thus, a single-sample calibration artefact has been developed which allows the determination of the standardised metrological characteristics. In order to promote the adoption of the metrological characteristics calibration framework, measurements of the material measures with different instruments have been conducted and the results are presented. We report early work on the uncertainty of the comparison results and discuss systematic deviations between the various surface topography measuring instruments.
Scatterometry and diffractometry techniques to monitor surfaces textured by rapid ultra-short pulse laser
Authors: Alleaume C , Alamri S , Kunze T , Ziegler J , Wilson A , Bola R
Published: May 2020

The overall aim of the PROMETHEUS project is to develop high power ultra-short pulse lasers and the associated optics to enable the precise periodic texturing of surfaces to impart a range of surface functionalities at unprecedented processing speeds. The project focusses upon the industrial application of ultra-short pulse lasers for manufacturing and on the development of high power ultra-short pulse laser technologies in the range of 700 ps – 10 ns. In summary, new textures will be manufactured to achieve functional surfaces utilising fewer raw materials, less energy and less waste; improve accuracy, power and control over existing technologies; increase achievable precision and minimize heat impact on sensitive materials. This article will provide the outcomes of the first results achieved from the monitoring solutions being used to assess surface textures with micrometer resolution.
Photoelectron spectroscopy of large water clusters ionized by an XUV comb
Authors: Trabattoni Andrea , Colaizzi Lorenzo , Ban Loren , Wanie Vincent , Saraswathula Krishna , Månsson Erik P , Rupp Philipp , Liu Qingcao , Seiffert Lennart , Herzig Elisabeth A , Cartella Andrea , Yoder Bruce L , Légaré François , Kling Matthias F , Fennel Thomas , Signorell Ruth , Calegari Francesca
Published: May 2020

Detailed knowledge about photo-induced electron dynamics in water is key to the understanding of several biological and chemical mechanisms, in particular for those resulting from ionizing radiation. Here we report a method to obtain photoelectron spectra from neutral water clusters following ionization by an extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) attosecond pulse train, representing a first step towards a time-resolved analysis. Typically, a large background signal in the experiment arises from water monomers and carrier gas used in the cluster source. We report a protocol to quantify this background in order to eliminate it from the experimental spectra. We disentangle the accumulated XUV photoionization signal into contributions from the background species and the photoelectron spectra from the clusters. This proof-of-principle study demonstrates feasibility of background free photoelectron spectra of neutral water clusters ionized by XUV combs and paves the way for the detailed time-resolved analysis of the underlying dynamics.
Kubrick, A.I., and the Problem of Pinocchio: Reassessing the Evidence of A.I.: Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Allen Graham
Published: May 2020

Utilizing the extensive materials available at the Stanley Kubrick Archive, this paper presents a re-evaluation of Kubrick’s part in the creation of Spielberg’s 2001 film, A.I. Artificial Intelligence. I begin by going over the manner in which the film’s contemporary reviewers produced the sense of a film full of tension and unresolvable contradiction, something largely attributed to the radically distinct styles and world-views of Spielberg and his mentor, Kubrick. The paper then goes on to read Kubrick’s work (mainly on treatments of the developing story) with the last two writers he worked with on the project. This return to the narrative work Kubrick and his writers expended on the story, demonstrates that far from being the project of irreconcilable differences between the two writers, Kubrick always faced and never successfully resolved a tension within his story between science and myth, between a narrative of scientific orientation (humanity evolving into machines) and a narrative of fantasy and myth (a machine-boy who becomes human).
Make Mission Impossible Feasible: The Experience of a Multidisciplinary Team Providing Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder to Homeless Individuals
Authors: Dionisi Tommaso , Mosoni Carolina , Di Sario Giovanna , Tarli Claudia , Antonelli Mariangela , Sestito Luisa , D’Addio Stefano , Tosoni Alberto , Ferrarese Daniele , Iasilli Giovanna , Vassallo Gabriele A , Mirijello Antonio , Gialloreti Leonardo Emberti , Di Giuda Daniela , Gasbarrini Antonio , Addolorato Giovanni
Published: May 2020

Aim

People experiencing homelessness are often excluded from treatment programs for alcohol use disorder (AUD). The goal of this study was to describe the impact of a multidisciplinary treatment program on alcohol consumption and social reintegration in individuals with AUD experiencing homelessness.

Methods

Thirty-one individuals with AUD experiencing homelessness were admitted to an inpatient unit for 5–6 days for clinical evaluation and to treat potential alcohol withdrawal syndrome. A group of volunteers, in collaboration with the Community of Sant’Egidio, provided social support aimed to reintegrate patients. After inpatient discharge, all patients were followed as outpatients. Alcohol intake (number drinks/day), craving and clinical evaluation were assessed at each outpatient visit. Biological markers of alcohol use were evaluated at enrollment (T0), at 6 months (T1) and 12 months (T2).

Results

Compared with T0, patients at T1 showed a significant reduction in alcohol consumption [10 (3–24) vs 2 (0–10); P = 0.015] and in γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase [187 (78–365) vs 98 (74–254); P = 0.0021]. The reduction in alcohol intake was more pronounced in patients with any housing condition [10 (3–20) vs 1 (0–8); P = 0.008]. Similarly, compared with T0, patients at T2 showed significant reduction in alcohol consumption [10 (3–24) vs 0 (0–15); P = 0.001], more pronounced in patients with any housing condition [10 (3–20) vs 0 (0–2); P = 0.006]. Moreover, at T2 patients showed a significant reduction in γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase [187 (78–365) vs 97 (74–189); P = 0.002] and in mean cell volume [100.2 (95–103.6) vs 98.3 (95–102); P = 0.042].

Conclusion

Patients experiencing homelessness may benefit from a multidisciplinary treatment program for AUD. Strategies able to facilitate and support their social reintegration and housing can improve treatment outcomes.
Machine learning-based approaches for disease gene prediction
Authors: Le Duc-Hau
Published: May 2020

Disease gene prediction is an essential issue in biomedical research. In the early days, annotation-based approaches were proposed for this problem. With the development of high-throughput technologies, interaction data between genes/proteins have grown quickly and covered almost genome and proteome; thus, network-based methods for the problem become prominent. In parallel, machine learning techniques, which formulate the problem as a classification, have also been proposed. Here, we firstly show a roadmap of the machine learning-based methods for the disease gene prediction. In the beginning, the problem was usually approached using a binary classification, where positive and negative training sample sets are comprised of disease genes and non-disease genes, respectively. The disease genes are ones known to be associated with diseases; meanwhile, non-disease genes were randomly selected from those not yet known to be associated with diseases. However, the later may contain unknown disease genes. To overcome this uncertainty of defining the non-disease genes, more realistic approaches have been proposed for the problem, such as unary and semi-supervised classification. Recently, more advanced methods, including ensemble learning, matrix factorization and deep learning, have been proposed for the problem. Secondly, 12 representative machine learning-based methods for the disease gene prediction were examined and compared in terms of prediction performance and running time. Finally, their advantages, disadvantages, interpretability and trust were also analyzed and discussed.
Discovery of G-quadruplex-forming sequences in SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Ji Danyang , Juhas Mario , Tsang Chi Man , Kwok Chun Kit , Li Yongshu , Zhang Yang
Published: May 2020

The outbreak caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has been declared a global health emergency. G-quadruplex structures in genomes have long been considered essential for regulating a number of biological processes in a plethora of organisms. We have analyzed and identified 25 four contiguous GG runs (G2NxG2NyG2NzG2) in the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome, suggesting putative G-quadruplex-forming sequences (PQSs). Detailed analysis of SARS-CoV-2 PQSs revealed their locations in the open reading frames of ORF1 ab, spike (S), ORF3a, membrane (M) and nucleocapsid (N) genes. Identical PQSs were also found in the other members of the Coronaviridae family. The top-ranked PQSs at positions 13385 and 24268 were confirmed to form RNA G-quadruplex structures in vitro by multiple spectroscopic assays. Furthermore, their direct interactions with viral helicase (nsp13) were determined by microscale thermophoresis. Molecular docking model suggests that nsp13 distorts the G-quadruplex structure by allowing the guanine bases to be flipped away from the guanine quartet planes. Targeting viral helicase and G-quadruplex structure represents an attractive approach for potentially inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
PASSION: an ensemble neural network approach for identifying the binding sites of RBPs on circRNAs
Authors: Jia Cangzhi , Bi Yue , Chen Jinxiang , Leier André , Li Fuyi , Song Jiangning
Published: May 2020

Motivation

Different from traditional linear RNAs (containing 5′ and 3′ ends), circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a special type of RNAs that have a closed ring structure. Accumulating evidence has indicated that circRNAs can directly bind proteins and participate in a myriad of different biological processes.

Results

For identifying the interaction of circRNAs with 37 different types of circRNA-binding proteins (RBPs), we develop an ensemble neural network, termed PASSION, which is based on the concatenated artificial neural network (ANN) and hybrid deep neural network frameworks. Specifically, the input of the ANN is the optimal feature subset for each RBP, which has been selected from six types of feature encoding schemes through incremental feature selection and application of the XGBoost algorithm. In turn, the input of the hybrid deep neural network is a stacked codon-based scheme. Benchmarking experiments indicate that the ensemble neural network reaches the average best area under the curve (AUC) of 0.883 across the 37 circRNA datasets when compared with XGBoost, k-nearest neighbor, support vector machine, random forest, logistic regression and Naive Bayes. Moreover, each of the 37 RBP models is extensively tested by performing independent tests, with the varying sequence similarity thresholds of 0.8, 0.7, 0.6 and 0.5, respectively. The corresponding average AUC obtained are 0.883, 0.876, 0.868 and 0.883, respectively, highlighting the effectiveness and robustness of PASSION. Extensive benchmarking experiments demonstrate that PASSION achieves a competitive performance for identifying binding sites between circRNA and RBPs, when compared with several state-of-the-art methods.

Availability and implementation

A user-friendly web server of PASSION is publicly accessible at http://flagship.erc.monash.edu/PASSION/.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A morphometric assessment of species boundaries in a widespread anole lizard (Squamata: Dactyloidae)
Authors: Myers Tanner C , de Mello Pietro L H , Glor Richard E
Published: May 2020

Cryptic species – genetically distinct species that are morphologically difficult to distinguish – present challenges to systematists. Operationally, cryptic species are very difficult to identify and sole use of genetic data or morphological data can fail to recognize evolutionarily isolated lineages. We use morphometric data to test species boundaries hypothesized with genetic data in the North Caribbean bark anole (Anolis distichus), a suspected species complex. We use univariate and multivariate analyses to test if candidate species based on genetic data can be accurately diagnosed. We also test alternative species delimitation scenarios with a model fitting approach that evaluates normal mixture models capable of identifying morphological clusters. Our analyses reject the hypothesis that the candidate species are diagnosable. Neither uni- nor multivariate morphometric data distinguish candidate species. The best-supported model included two morphological clusters; however, these clusters were uneven and did not align with a plausible species divergence scenario. After removing two related traits driving this result, only one cluster was supported. Despite substantial differentiation revealed by genetic data, we recover no new evidence to delimit species and refrain from taxonomic revision. This study highlights the importance of considering other types of data along with molecular data when delimiting species.
Digit identity matters: origin and evolution of sexual dimorphism in the digit lengths of tropidurid lizards
Authors: Lofeu Leandro , Brandt Renata , Kohlsdorf Tiana
Published: May 2020

Sexual dimorphism in digit lengths reflects phenotypic evolution mediated by developmental steroids. Differences in the identity of the sexually-dimorphic digit may evolve if the concentrations of sex-steroid receptors in the digit are easily modified and the initial changes have low impact on fitness. Accordingly, sexual dimorphism in digit lengths might initially originate under neutral selective regimes, being subsequently co-opted by embryonic hormonal effects on sensitive traits that are more likely to be targeted by selection. Correlated variation among sexually-dimorphic traits might therefore reflect pleiotropic hormonal modulation during development. Moreover, the identity and trend of the sexually-dimorphic digit might be evolutionarily labile even among closely-related species. We evaluated this model by assessing the identity of sexually-dimorphic digits among 11 Tropiduridae lizard species and inferring evolutionary patterns of sexual dimorphism. Assuming that digit lengths can be used as a proxy for hormonal modulation of steroid-sensitive traits during development, we tested for evolutionary associations among sexual dimorphism of digit lengths, body size and other traits that may be direct targets of sexual selection in the Tropiduridae. Sexual dimorphism in digit lengths is evolutionarily labile in the Tropiduridae, and diversity, instead of conservatism, seems to rule developmental mechanisms underlying the evolution of sexual dimorphism in digit ratios.
Odor Sensitivity Versus Odor Identification in Older US Adults: Associations With Cognition, Age, Gender, and Race
Authors: Xu Lucy , Liu Jia , Wroblewski Kristen E , McClintock Martha K , Pinto Jayant M
Published: May 2020

The ability to identify odors predicts morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. It varies by age, gender, and race and is used in the vast majority of survey and clinical literature. However, odor identification relies heavily on cognition. Other facets of olfaction, such as odor sensitivity, have a smaller cognitive component. Whether odor sensitivity also varies by these factors has not been definitively answered. We analyzed data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, a nationally representative study of older US adults (n = 2081). Odor identification was measured using 5 validated odors presented with Sniffin’ Stick pens as was odor sensitivity in a 6-dilution n-butanol constant stimuli detection test. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression modeled relationships between olfaction and age, gender, race, cognition, education, socioeconomic status, social network characteristics, and physical and mental health. Odor sensitivity was worse in older adults (P < 0.01), without gender (P = 0.56) or race (P = 0.79) differences. Odor identification was also worse in older adults, particularly men (both P ≤ 0.01), without differences by race. Decreased cognitive function was associated with worse odor identification (P ≤ 0.01) but this relationship was weaker for odor sensitivity (P = 0.02) in analyses that adjusted for other covariates. Odor sensitivity was less strongly correlated with cognitive ability than odor identification, confirming that it may be a more specific measure of peripheral olfactory processing. Investigators interested in associations between olfaction and health should consider both odor sensitivity and identification when attempting to understand underlying neurosensory mechanisms.
COVID-19 Pandemic: Time to Revive the Cyclophilin Inhibitor Alisporivir
Authors: Pawlotsky Jean-Michel
Published: May 2020

December 2019 saw the emergence of a new epidemic of pneumonia of varying severity, called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by a newly identified coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). No therapeutic option is available to treat this infection that has already killed > 310 000 people worldwide. This Viewpoint summarizes the strong scientific arguments supporting the use of alisporivir, a nonimmunosuppressive analogue of cyclosporine A with potent cyclophilin inhibition properties that has reached phase 3 clinical development, for the treatment of COVID-19. They include the strong cyclophilin dependency of the life cycle of many coronaviruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and preclinical data showing strong antiviral and cytoprotective properties of alisporivir in various models of coronavirus infection, including SARS-CoV-2. Alisporivir should be tested without delay on both virological and clinical endpoints in patients with or at risk of severe forms of SARS-CoV-2 infection.