bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Catalytic Performance of In/HZSM‐5 for Coupling Propane with CO2 to Propylene
Authors: Tian Haifeng , Liao Jiankang , Zha Fei , Guo Xiaojun , Tang Xiaohua , Chang Yue , Ma Xiaoxun
Published: March 2020

The dehydrogenation of propane to propylene is endothermic reaction will generate hydrogen, while the hydrogenation of CO2 to light olefins is exothermic reaction with hydrogen as reactant. Using the CO2 hydrogenation reaction to consume the hydrogen from the propane dehydrogenation reaction, which is more beneficial to propylene generation. Thus, a promising approach of coupling propane with CO2 to produce propylene was proposed. A simple wetness impregnation method was used to prepare the In/HZSM‐5 composite catalyst for this coupling reaction. It was characterized by means of XRD, SEM, TEM, H2‐TPR, NH3‐TPD, XPS, TG, and N2 isothermal adsorption‐desorption. Effects of indium loading, feed volume ratio of propane to CO2, reaction pressure and temperature on the coupling of propane with CO2 to propylene were investigated in a fixed‐bed reactor. When the mass content of indium is 12%, the feeding volume ratio of propane to CO2 is 1 : 4, the reaction pressure is 0.3 MPa and the reaction temperature is 580 °C, the propylene selectivity is 71.41%, as well as the conversion per pass of propane and CO2 is 17.74% and 5.08%, respectively.
Scalable Exfoliation and High‐Efficiency Separation Membrane of Boron Nitride Nanosheets
Authors: Wang Zhen , Zhu Yanjiao , Ji Dong , Li Zhifeng , Yu Haibin
Published: March 2020

Hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (h‐BNNSs) refer to a class of two‐dimensional materials with promising applications. However, the current method of exfoliating hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) into h‐BNNS limits its large‐scale application. Herein, a method was developed to exfoliate h‐BN through sucrose assisted discontinuous, multiple ball milling. A series of defect‐free, ultra‐thin large lateral‐size h‐BNNSs were successfully obtained, with a yield as high as 85 wt %. Finally, the membranes of BNNS obtained by vacuum filtration displayed a good separation performance in different organic pigment solutions. The separation rates of BNNS‐20 membranes for methylene blue and Congo red reached 87 % and 95 %, respectively. The results show that the functionalized h‐BNNSs obtained by sucrose‐assisted discontinuation, multiple ball milling have good stability in water, and hence can be applied to wastewater treatment.
Engineering Biomimetic Nanofiber Microspheres with Tailored Size, Predesigned Structure, and Desired Composition via Gas Bubble–Mediated Coaxial Electrospray
Authors: John Johnson V. , McCarthy Alec , Wang Hongjun , Chen Shixuan , Su Yajuan , Davis Ethan , Li Xiaowei , Park Jae Sung , Reinhardt Richard A. , Xie Jingwei
Published: March 2020

Minimally invasive therapies avoiding surgical complexities evoke great interest in developing injectable biomedical devices. Herein, a versatile approach is reported for engineering injectable and biomimetic nanofiber microspheres (NMs) with tunable sizes, predesigned structures, and desired compositions via gas bubble–mediated coaxial electrospraying. The sizes and structures of NMs are controlled by adjusting processing parameters including air flow rate, applied voltage, distance, and spinneret configuration in the coaxial setup. Importantly, unlike the self‐assembly method, this technique can be used to fabricate NMs from any material feasible for electrospinning or other nanofiber fabrication techniques. To demonstrate the versatility, open porous NMs are successfully fabricated that consist of various short nanofibers made of poly(ε‐caprolactone), poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid), gelatin, methacrylated gelatin, bioglass, and magneto‐responsive polymer composites. Open porous NMs support human neural progenitor cell growth in 3D with a larger number and more neurites than nonporous NMs. Additionally, highly open porous NMs show faster cell infiltration and host tissue integration than nonporous NMs after subcutaneous injection to rats. Such a novel class of NMs holds great potential for many biomedical applications such as tissue filling, cell and drug delivery, and minimally invasive tissue regeneration.
Effect of Interfacial Reaction between CaO–BaO–Al2O3‐Based Mold Fluxes and High‐Mn–High‐Al Steels on Fundamental Properties and Lubrication of Mold Flux
Authors: Yan Xiaobo , Yuan Huazhi , Zhang Shaoda , Wang Qiangqiang , Zhang Xubin , He Shengping , Wang Qian
Published: March 2020

Contact experiments between low‐reactivity CaO–BaO–Al2O3‐based mold fluxes, F1 and F2, and 1.4–2.2 mass% of Al‐containing steels are conducted to investigate the effect of interfacial reaction on mold flux properties and the ultimate limit of reaction duration capacity of the developed mold flux. F1 contains 30.76% CaO, 17.03% Al2O3, 13.40% BaO, and 10.70% SiO2, whereas F2 consists of 27.90% CaO, 23.60% Al2O3, 12.90% BaO, and 9.57% SiO2 of the mass. The pre‐ and post‐experimental wettability of slag samples on steel substrates and the lubrication behavior of slags are discussed. The main results reveal that SiO2, Na2O, and B2O3 in the mold flux react with [Al] in the molten steel at steel–slag interface. The variations in slag properties indicate that both reaction durations between F1 reacting with twinning‐induced plasticity (TWIP) and F2 reacting with 20Mn23AlV steel can last for 40 min, whereas F2 has wider potential applicability for the continuous casting of Al‐containing steels. Interfacial reaction deteriorates the wettability of slag F2 on 20Mn23AlV steel substrate and reduces slag consumption, as equilibrium contact angle increases from approximately 3° to 37°, but slag consumption prediction is 0.22 kg m−2, which is likely to meet the requirement for lubrication.
Physical Modeling Evaluation on Refining Effects of Ladle with Different Purging Plug Designs
Authors: Tan Fangguan , He Zhu , Jin Shengli , Pan Liping , Li Yawei , Li Baokuan
Published: March 2020

Circular slits are introduced in purging plugs for alleviating the stress concentration to prolong their service life. Herein, the effects of slits with different geometries on the mixing time, inclusion removal rate, and slag eye area are studied by water model method. Experimental results show that the inclusion removal rate decreases with increasing slit angle for the gas flow rate of less than 6.02 NL min−1. Moreover, with slit diameter increases, the mixing time and inclusion removal rate decrease when a gas flow rate is less than 5.26 NL min−1. The slag eye area increases with increasing slit diameter, and the slit angle has a positive influence on the formation of the slag eye. Finally, the optimization of the mixing time and inclusion removal rate for less consumption of stirring energy and less slag entrapment indicates that the smaller the slag eye area is, the better the refining effect is.
A sorghum practical haplotype graph facilitates genome‐wide imputation and cost‐effective genomic prediction
Authors: Jensen Sarah E. , Charles Jean Rigaud , Muleta Kebede , Bradbury Peter J. , Casstevens Terry , Deshpande Santosh P. , Gore Michael A. , Gupta Rajeev , Ilut Daniel C. , Johnson Lynn , Lozano Roberto , Miller Zachary , Ramu Punna , Rathore Abhishek , Romay M. Cinta , Upadhyaya Hari D. , Varshney Rajeev K. , Morris Geoffrey P. , Pressoir Gael , Buckler Edward S. , Ramstein Guillaume P.
Published: March 2020

Successful management and utilization of increasingly large genomic datasets is essential for breeding programs to accelerate cultivar development. To help with this, we developed a Sorghum bicolor Practical Haplotype Graph (PHG) pangenome database that stores haplotypes and variant information. We developed two PHGs in sorghum that were used to identify genome‐wide variants for 24 founders of the Chibas sorghum breeding program from 0.01x sequence coverage. The PHG called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with 5.9% error at 0.01x coverage—only 3% higher than PHG error when calling SNPs from 8x coverage sequence. Additionally, 207 progenies from the Chibas genomic selection (GS) training population were sequenced and processed through the PHG. Missing genotypes were imputed from PHG parental haplotypes and used for genomic prediction. Mean prediction accuracies with PHG SNP calls range from .57–.73 and are similar to prediction accuracies obtained with genotyping‐by‐sequencing or targeted amplicon sequencing (rhAmpSeq) markers. This study demonstrates the use of a sorghum PHG to impute SNPs from low‐coverage sequence data and shows that the PHG can unify genotype calls across multiple sequencing platforms. By reducing input sequence requirements, the PHG can decrease the cost of genotyping, make GS more feasible, and facilitate larger breeding populations. Our results demonstrate that the PHG is a useful research and breeding tool that maintains variant information from a diverse group of taxa, stores sequence data in a condensed but readily accessible format, unifies genotypes across genotyping platforms, and provides a cost‐effective option for genomic selection.
Golf Courses as Potential Habitat for Urban Coyotes
Authors: Wurth Ashley M. , Ellington E. Hance , Gehrt Stanley D.
Published: March 2020

Wildlife increasingly live in and adapt to urban landscapes as natural habitat becomes urbanized. Many carnivores take advantage of undeveloped or open developed areas called green spaces, such as parks or cemeteries, to meet their requirements in urban areas. For instance, coyotes (Canis latrans) expanded their range across most of North America into metropolitan areas and even within highly developed areas, where home ranges of coyotes are associated with green spaces or areas that humans used least. Golf courses are a unique type of green space within urban landscapes that can provide cover and prey for coyotes, as well as limit human presence, especially at night and during the winter off‐season. We estimated selection of golf courses and urban green spaces by coyotes within the Chicago Metropolitan Area, Illinois, USA (2009 to 2012) that had access to golf courses (home range composed of >3% golf course; n = 30) using radiotelemetry. We found that coyotes selected for golf courses more at night and during the off‐season, indicating that they were responding to the decreased human presence during this time. Spatial status (resident vs. transient) and the amount of developed land in a home range did not influence selection of golf courses. Conversely, selection of urban green spaces was greater in the summer for transients and with proportion of developed land, but not influenced by time of day. However, there was considerable intra‐ and inter‐individual variability in coyote selection of both golf courses and urban green spaces. Individual variability could be driven by coyote characteristics (i.e., prey preferences, natal habitat, or social status) or by golf course and urban green space characteristics (i.e., landscaping, golfing hours, average human occupancy, or tolerance by personnel). © 2020 The Wildlife Society.
Multiscale modeling of vertebrate limb development
Authors: Glimm Tilmann , Bhat Ramray , Newman Stuart A.
Published: March 2020

We review the current state of mathematical modeling of cartilage pattern formation in vertebrate limbs. We place emphasis on several reaction–diffusion type models that have been proposed in the last few years. These models are grounded in more detailed knowledge of the relevant regulatory processes than previous ones but generally refer to different molecular aspects of these processes. Considering these models in light of comparative phylogenomics permits framing of hypotheses on the evolutionary order of appearance of the respective mechanisms and their roles in the fin‐to‐limb transition.

This article is categorized under:

Analytical and Computational Methods > Computational Methods

Models of Systems Properties and Processes > Mechanistic Models

Developmental Biology > Developmental Processes in Health and Disease

Analytical and Computational Methods > Analytical Methods
A monotone combination scheme of diffusion equations on polygonal meshes
Authors: Zhao Fei , Sheng Zhiqiang , Yuan Guangwei
Published: March 2020

We present a novel monotone scheme which is a combination of linear scheme and nonlinear monotone scheme for solving diffusion problems on general polygonal meshes. It will be called as a combination scheme and consists of two steps. Firstly, a second‐order accurate linear scheme is used to obtain an approximate solution. Secondly, a nonlinear monotone scheme is used to solve the diffusion equation, where the unknowns in the nonlinear coefficient of the nonlinear monotone scheme are taken as the approximate solution of the linear scheme above, i.e., a linearized monotone scheme is obtained. So the combination scheme does not require nonlinear iterations for solving linear diffusion problems, moreover, it benefits from the accuracy and efficiency of the linear scheme, as well as the monotonicity of nonlinear monotone scheme. We also analyze some properties satisfied by the combination scheme, such as conservation, stability, monotonicity and convergence. Numerical results are presented to show the performance of the monotone combination scheme on distorted meshes, especially some numerical comparisons among our combination scheme with some existing linear and nonlinear monotone schemes are given.
The Study of Irregular Migration
Authors: Echeverría Gabriel
Published: March 2020

The study of irregular migration as a specific social phenomenon took off during the 70s in the US. Since then, the academic interest has continually grown and spread, first to Europe and, in the last years, to other regions worldwide. This interest can certainly be related to the increasing attention paid to the study of migrations more in general (Castles & Miller, 1993). The trend can be linked to those broad and complex social and economic changes, often subsumed under the concept of globalization. The specific focus on irregular migration, though gaining momentum throughout the 1980s, reached preeminent attention in the 1990s. On both sides of the Atlantic, the explosion of the so-called “migration crisis” (Zolberg & Benda, 2001) and the emergence of irregular migration as a widespread social fact raised the attention of public opinion and academics alike. Moreover, in recent years, what seemed at first to be an issue concerning only the high-income regions of the planet, now involves also medium and low-income ones, making irregular migration a truly global structural phenomenon (Cvajner & Sciortino, 2010a; Düvell, 2006).
Understanding Irregular Migration Through a Social Systems Perspective
Authors: Echeverría Gabriel
Published: March 2020

The numerous problems and limitations that have affected the theoretical understanding of irregular migration cannot be simply related to a lack of empirical data or to the complexity of the phenomenon. Rather, they reveal important obstacles épistémologiques (Luhmann, 2007, p. 11) and conceptual problems that demand a reconsideration of many of the theoretical assumptions that have been generally used. Both the lack of differentiated analysis and the use of mono-causal explanations, which have been indicated as the most evident symptoms of theoretical ineffectiveness, have been linked to three broader and deeper causes. In particular: (a) a limited and often misguiding conception of society, usually subsumed within the concept of state; (b) the simplistic understanding of the different social actors and their interests; (c) the deterministic, cause-effect interpretation of social interactions. The extent and complexity of these issues, that evidently surpass the confines of the so-called migration studies, require a more general reflection on contemporary society and its functioning. From this perspective, international migration and, in our case, irregular migration, need to be considered as part and parcel, both products and determinants, of the broader social processes and structures. A satisfactory understanding of them can only be achieved in connection with a more general interpretation of contemporary society, one that critically reviews many important assumptions and preconceptions that have been imposed by the effects of methodological nationalism.
Methodological Note
Authors: Echeverría Gabriel
Published: March 2020

The second part of the book will present the results of an empirical study of the experience of Ecuadorian irregular migrants in the cities of Amsterdam and Madrid. While the general overview of the methodological conceptualization that is the backbone of the whole research work has already been outlined in the introduction, in this brief chapter the focus will be centred on the specific methodological issues concerning the empirical study.
Ecuadorian Migration in Amsterdam and Madrid: The Structural Contexts
Authors: Echeverría Gabriel
Published: March 2020

The scope of this chapter is to outline the main characteristics of the two contexts that were the scenario of the phenomenon that is the object of this book. The analysis will centre on those structural features of the cities of Amsterdam and Madrid and, more in general, of the Netherlands and Spain, that may have had an influence on the experience of Ecuadorian irregular migrants.
Ecuadorian Irregular Migrants in Amsterdam and Madrid: The Lived Experience
Authors: Echeverría Gabriel
Published: March 2020

In this chapter the results of the fieldwork realized in Amsterdam and Madrid will be presented. In particular, using the stories and information collected with the methodologies described in Chap. 5, a comparative analysis of the experience of Ecuadorian irregular migrants in the two cities will be discussed.
Steps Towards a Systemic Theory of Irregular Migration
Authors: Echeverría Gabriel
Published: March 2020

In this last, conclusive chapter, the main question at the origin of all the research work in this book – how can irregular migration be explained? – will be the focus of the discussion. The chapter is divided into two parts. In the first part, the aforementioned question will be addressed in relation to cases of the empirical study and it will then be reframed in the following terms: how can Ecuadorian irregular migration in Amsterdam and Madrid be explained? To answer this question, the efficacy of the “classic” theories, discussed in the Chap. 3, will be firstly tested. As it will be pointed out, many of the limitations which emerged in the theoretical discussion will become evident also when those theories are applied to concrete cases. Then, a systemic explanation, based on the theoretical approach developed in Chap. 4, will be proposed as a possible alternative.
The partonic structure of the electron at the next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy in QED
Authors: Bertone V. , Cacciari M. , Frixione S. , Stagnitto G.
Published: March 2020

Abstract

By working in QED, we obtain the electron, positron, and photon Parton Distribution Functions (PDFs) of the unpolarised electron at the next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy. The PDFs account for all of the universal effects of initial-state collinear origin, and are key ingredients in the calculations of cross sections in the so-called structure- function approach. We present both numerical and analytical results, and show that they agree extremely well with each other. The analytical predictions are defined by means of an additive formula that matches a large-z solution that includes all orders in the QED coupling constant α, with a small- and intermediate-z solution that includes terms up to $$ \mathcal{O} $$
O
(α3).
Quasi-integrable KdV models, towers of infinite number of anomalous charges and soliton collisions
Authors: Blas H. , Ochoa R. , Suarez D.
Published: March 2020

Abstract

We found, through analytical and numerical methods, new towers of infinite number of asymptotically conserved charges for deformations of the Korteweg-de Vries equation (KdV). It is shown analytically that the standard KdV also exhibits some towers of infinite number of anomalous charges, and that their relevant anomalies vanish for N −soliton solution. Some deformations of the KdV model are performed through the Riccati-type pseudo-potential approach, and infinite number of exact non-local conservation laws is provided using a linear formulation of the deformed model. In order to check the degrees of modifications of the charges around the soliton interaction regions, we compute numerically some representative anomalies, associated to the lowest order quasi-conservation laws, depending on the deformation parameters {ϵ1, ϵ2}, which include the standard KdV (ϵ1 = ϵ2 = 0), the regularized long-wave (RLW) (ϵ1 = 1, ϵ2 = 0), the modified regularized long-wave (mRLW) (ϵ1 = ϵ2 = 1) and the KdV-RLW (KdV-BBM) type (ϵ2 = 0, ≠ = {0, 1}) equations, respectively. Our numerical simulations show the elastic scattering of two and three solitons for a wide range of values of the set {ϵ1, ϵ2}, for a variety of amplitudes and relative velocities. The KdV-type equations are quite ubiquitous in several areas of non-linear science, and they find relevant applications in the study of General Relativity on AdS3, Bose-Einstein condensates, superconductivity and soliton gas and turbulence in fluid dynamics.
Precision calculation of the axion-nucleon coupling in chiral perturbation theory
Authors: Vonk Thomas , Guo Feng-Kun , Meißner Ulf-G.
Published: March 2020

Abstract

We derive the axion-nucleon interaction Lagrangian in heavy baryon chiral perturbation theory up to next-to-next-to-leading order. The effective axion-nucleon coupling is calculated to a few percent accuracy.
The Higgs trilinear coupling and the scale of new physics
Authors: Chang Spencer , Luty Markus A.
Published: March 2020

Abstract

We consider modifications of the Higgs potential due to new physics at high energy scales. These upset delicate cancellations predicted by the Standard Model for processes involving Higgs bosons and longitudinal gauge bosons, and lead to a breakdown of the theory at high energies. We focus on modifications of the Higgs trilinear coupling and use the violation of tree-level unitarity as an estimate of the scale where the theory breaks down. We obtain a completely model-independent bound of $$ \underset{\sim }{<} $$

<
˜

13 TeV for an order-1 modification of the trilinear. We argue that this bound can be saturated only in fine-tuned models, and the scale of new physics is likely to be much lower. The most stringent bounds are obtained from amplitudes involving multiparticle states that are not conventional scattering states. Our results show that a future determination of the Higgs cubic coupling can point to a well-defined scale of new physics that can be targeted and explored at future colliders.
The Page curve of Hawking radiation from semiclassical geometry
Authors: Almheiri Ahmed , Mahajan Raghu , Maldacena Juan , Zhao Ying
Published: March 2020

Abstract

We consider a gravity theory coupled to matter, where the matter has a higher-dimensional holographic dual. In such a theory, finding quantum extremal surfaces becomes equivalent to finding the RT/HRT surfaces in the higher-dimensional theory. Using this we compute the entropy of Hawking radiation and argue that it follows the Page curve, as suggested by recent computations of the entropy and entanglement wedges for old black holes. The higher-dimensional geometry connects the radiation to the black hole interior in the spirit of ER=EPR. The black hole interior then becomes part of the entanglement wedge of the radiation. Inspired by this, we propose a new rule for computing the entropy of quantum systems entangled with gravitational systems which involves searching for “islands” in determining the entanglement wedge.
Information flow in black hole evaporation
Authors: Chen Hong Zhe , Fisher Zachary , Hernandez Juan , Myers Robert C. , Ruan Shan-Ming
Published: March 2020

Abstract

Recently, new holographic models of black hole evaporation have given fresh insights into the information paradox [1–3]. In these models, the black hole evaporates into an auxiliary bath space after a quantum quench, wherein the holographic theory and the bath are joined. One particularly exciting development is the appearance of ‘ER=EPR’-like wormholes in the (doubly) holographic model of [3]. At late times, the entanglement wedge of the bath includes the interior of the black hole. In this paper, we employ both numerical and analytic methods to study how information about the black hole interior is encoded in the Hawking radiation. In particular, we systematically excise intervals from the bath from the system and study the corresponding Page transition. Repeating this process ad infinitum, we end up with a fractal structure on which the black hole interior is encoded, implementing the überholography protocol of [4].
Deformations of boards from uneven-aged Norway spruce stands
Authors: Piispanen Riikka , Heikkinen Juha , Valkonen Sauli
Published: March 2020

This study focused on wood distortion of boards sawn from Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) trees grown in uneven-aged stands. The stands were multi-aged with tree ages up to 170 years. In total, 60 trees were harvested from six stands that had been managed by single-tree selection for decades. A butt log and a top log were sawn from each tree, both 2.5 m long. Wood deformations were measured from boards dried to an average moisture content of 7–10% from the 2.5 m long boards. A linear mixed model was constructed to describe the variation in twist deformations in the boards after drying. According to the model analysis, twist increased with greater grain angle, greater average annual ring width and relative ring width difference, greater knot size and count, and the interaction of grain angle with the vertical log position along the stem. Greater distance of the board from the pith was associated with lesser twist. Contrary to expectations, proportion of compression wood and tree position in the stand diameter distribution were not correlated with twist. Pin knots, although their occurrence and size was minimal, had a high degree of correlation with twist. The occurrence and severity of twist remained approximately at the same level as in even-aged Norway spruce as observed in other studies.
Viewpoint oscillation improves the perception of distance travelled in static observers but not during treadmill walking
Authors: Bossard Martin , Goulon Cédric , Mestre Daniel
Published: March 2020

Optic flow has been found to be a significant cue for static observers’ perception of distance travelled. In previous research conducted in a large-scale immersive display (CAVE), adding viewpoint oscillations to a radial optic flow simulating forward self-motion was found to modulate this perception. In the present two experiments, we investigated (1) whether the improved distance travelled perceptions observed with an oscillating viewpoint in a CAVE were also obtained when the subjects were wearing a head mounted display (HMD, an Oculus Rift) and (2) whether the absence of viewpoint oscillations during treadmill walking was liable to affect the subjects’ perception of self-motion. In Experiment 1, static observers performed a distance travelled estimation task while facing either a purely linear visual simulation of self-motion (in depth) or the same flow in addition to viewpoint oscillations based on the subjects’ own head oscillations previously recorded during treadmill walking. Results show that the benefits of viewpoint oscillations observed in a CAVE persisted when the participants were wearing an HMD. In Experiment 2, participants had to carry out the same task while walking on a treadmill under two different visual conditions simulating self-motion in depth: the one with and the other without the visual consequences of their head translations. Results showed that viewpoint oscillations did not improve the accuracy of subjects’ distance travelled estimations. A comparison between the two experiments showed that adding internal dynamic information about actual self-motion to visual information did not allow participants better estimates.
Hydrogeologische Herkunft und geothermisches Potenzial der Thermalquellen von Hintertux, Österreich
Authors: Heldmann Claus-Dieter , Sass Ingo , Schäffer Rafael
Published: March 2020

Europas höchste Thermalquellen in Hintertux, Tirol, sind bis zu 22,5 °C warm und werden zu etwa 30 % genutzt. Bisher lag kein detailliertes konzeptionelles Modell vor, das alle Besonderheiten der Anomalie gemeinsam erklärt hätte. Nur mit einem hydrogeologischen Modell ist eine Erweiterung der Nutzung nachhaltig planbar. Es wurden klassische hydrogeologische und hydrochemische Methoden eingesetzt, unter anderem natürliche Tracer, geochemische Indikatoren und stabile Isotopen (δ18O, δD, δ34S), um die Entstehung der Thermalwässer und darin involvierte Grundwasserleiter zu identifizieren. Die Untersuchungen wurden 2011–2018 an Wässern aus 14 weiteren Quellen und zwei Tunneln durchgeführt. Die Studie zeigt, dass das Grierkar zum meteorischen Einzugsgebiet der Thermalquellen gehört, wobei der Abfluss über die Schwinden an der Grieralm in den Hochstegenmarmor gelangt. Die Temperaturerhöhung erfolgt ursächlich aus dem weiteren Zufluss (20–40 %) von tieferen Zentralgneiswässern im Nordhang des Schmittenberges, wobei diese hydraulische Verbindung wahrscheinlich im Zusammenhang mit den Tuxer Scherzonen steht.
Climate humanitarian visa: international migration opportunities as post-disaster humanitarian intervention
Authors: Matias Denise Margaret S.
Published: March 2020

With global action being outpaced by climate change impacts, communities in climate-vulnerable countries are at increased risk of incurring climate-induced losses and damages. In the last few years, disasters from extreme weather events such as typhoons have increased and have breached records, with typhoon Haiyan being the strongest ever typhoon to make landfall. Such an event solicited global compassion and altruism where Canada and the USA, apart from doling out traditional humanitarian aid, also offered immigration relief opportunities to typhoon Haiyan victims who have familial connections to their residents. Drawing from these immigration relief interventions, this paper uses a sociopolitical approach in proposing a climate humanitarian visa that would be offered to climate change victims on the basis of transnational family networks and skilled labor. Noting that several countries such as in Europe have demographic deficits and labor shortages, such a scheme would benefit both climate change victims and receiving countries. To counter the risk of selective compassion against economically trapped populations, potential receiving countries could provide skills upgrading geared toward addressing their labor shortages through their existing development programs. While migration is only one strategy in a spectrum of responses to climate change impacts, a climate humanitarian visa could provide climate change victims a legal choice for mobility while invoking altruism, hospitality, and compassion from potential receiving countries, whether or not they historically cause climate change.
Participatory design of persuasive technology in a blended learning course: A qualitative study
Authors: Engelbertink Monique M. J. , Kelders Saskia M. , Woudt-Mittendorff Kariene M. , Westerhof Gerben J.
Published: March 2020

Whereas blended learning can deliver several benefits to students in higher education, their achievement depends on how exactly it is designed. A participatory design is recommendable to try to meet the needs of all stakeholders. The Persuasive System Design-model can be used to motivate students during the online part of the course. In the design there has to be an optimal blend between the different parts of the course. A participatory design is used to design a blended learning course of autobiographical reflection for second year social work students. The blended course was developed in six meetings with a working group, including all stakeholders (students, teachers, instructional designers, educational experts and professionals). Almost all techniques of the first three categories of the PSD-model were used in the design of the blended course. None of the techniques of the fourth category ‘Social Support’ of the PSD-model were used, mostly because they touch on the personal process of autobiographical reflection. It was considered helpful for teachers to have a protocol that assists them in blending the different parts and this in turn could stimulate students to be engaged in the different parts of the blended learning course. In this study, we found that the participatory design approach may lead to an engaging blended learning course that encourages the use of persuasive technology with an optimal focus on content, target group, context and ethical aspects of the blended course. We suggest adding a new fifth category ‘Blended Learning Support’.
Identifying areas of degrading and improving groundwater-quality conditions in the State of California, USA, 1974–2014
Authors: Jurgens Bryant C. , Fram Miranda S. , Rutledge Jeffrey , Bennett V. George L.
Published: March 2020

Areas of improving and degrading groundwater-quality conditions in the State of California were assessed using spatial weighting of a new metric for scoring wells based on constituent concentrations and the direction and magnitude of a trend slope (Sen). Individual well scores were aggregated across 2135 equal-area grid cells covering the entire groundwater resource used for public supply in the state. Spatial weighting allows results to be aggregated locally (well or grid cell), regionally (groundwater basin), provincially, or statewide. Results differentiate degrading (increasing concentration trends) areas with low to moderate concentrations (unimpaired) from degrading areas with moderate to high concentrations (impaired). Results also differentiate improving areas (decreasing concentration trends) in the same manner. Multi-year to decadal groundwater-quality trends were computed from periodic, inorganic water-quality data for 38 constituents collected between 1974 and 2014 for compliance monitoring of nearly 13,000 public-supply wells (PSWs) in the State of California. Mann-Kendall (MK) rank correlations and Sen’s slope estimator were used to detect statistically significant trends for the entire period of recorded data (long-term trend), for the period since 2000 (recent trend), for different pumping seasons (seasonal trend), and for reversals of trends. Statewide, the most frequently detected trends since 2000 were for nitrate (36%), gross alpha/uranium (10%), arsenic (14%), total dissolved solids (TDS) (23%), and the major ions that contribute to TDS (19–28%). The Transverse and Selected Peninsular Ranges (TSPR) and the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) hydrogeologic provinces had the largest percentage of areas with moderate to high nitrate concentrations and groundwater quality trends. Improving nitrate concentrations in parts of the TSPR is associated with long-term managed aquifer recharge that has replaced historical, agriculturally affected groundwater with low-nitrate recharge in parts of the TSPR. This example suggests that application of dilute, excess surface water to agricultural fields during the winter could improve groundwater-quality in the SJV over the long term.
CO2, CH4 and N2O fluxes in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau as affected by N-addition and grazing exclusion
Authors: Luo Caiyun , Wang Shiping , Zhang Lirong , Wilkes Andreas , Zhao Liang , Zhao Xinquan , Xu Shixiao , Xu Burenbayin
Published: March 2020

Limited understanding of the effects of enhanced nitrogen (N) addition and grazing exclusion (E) on greenhouse gases fluxes (GHGs: CO2, CH4, and N2O) in grasslands constrains our ability to respond to the challenges of future climate change. In this study, we conducted a field experiment using a static closed opaque chamber to investigate the response of GHG fluxes to N addition (69 kg N ha−1 year−1 applied in 3 splits) and grazing exclusion in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau during the growing seasons from 2011 to 2013. Our results showed that winter grazing significantly raised soil temperature (ST), while grazing exclusion (E) had no effect on soil moisture (SM), and N fertilizer (F) had no effect on ST or SM. Aboveground biomass (AB) and root biomass (RB) were not significantly affected by E in 2011-2013 (p > 0.05), but F significantly affected AB and RB (p < 0.05). Compared with winter grazing, only E substantially reduced seasonal mean CO2 emissions (by about 20.1%) during the experimental period. E did not significantly directly affect CH4 uptake, whereas N addition reduced seasonal mean CH4 uptake by about 6.5%, and N addition changed seasonal average absorption of N2O into an emission source. CO2 flux is the major contributor to CO2 equivalent emissions in this area. Our results indicate that exclosure from livestock grazing might be a promising measure to reduce CO2 emissions, while enhanced N addition might reduce CH4 uptake and increase N2O emission in the alpine meadow under future climate change.
Relative Topological Entropy for Actions of Non-discrete Groups on Compact Spaces in the Context of Cut and Project Schemes
Authors: Hauser T.
Published: March 2020

In the study of aperiodic order via dynamical methods, topological entropy is an important concept. In this paper, parts of the theory, like Bowen’s formula for fibre wise entropy or the independence of the definition from the choice of a Van Hove sequence, are extended to actions of several non-discrete groups. To establish these results, we will show that the Ornstein–Weiss lemma is valid for all considered groups which appear in the study of cut and project schemes.
Multidimensional Mortality Selection: Why Individual Dimensions of Frailty Don’t Act Like Frailty
Authors: Wrigley-Field Elizabeth
Published: March 2020

Theoretical models of mortality selection have great utility in explaining otherwise puzzling phenomena. The most famous example may be the Black-White mortality crossover: at old ages, Blacks outlive Whites, presumably because few frail Blacks survive to old ages while some frail Whites do. Yet theoretical models of unidimensional heterogeneity, or frailty, do not speak to the most common empirical situation for mortality researchers: the case in which some important population heterogeneity is observed and some is not. I show that, when one dimension of heterogeneity is observed and another is unobserved, neither the observed nor the unobserved dimension need behave as classic frailty models predict. For example, in a multidimensional model, mortality selection can increase the proportion of survivors who are disadvantaged, or “frail,” and can lead Black survivors to be more frail than Whites, along some dimensions of disadvantage. Transferring theoretical results about unidimensional heterogeneity to settings with both observed and unobserved heterogeneity produces misleading inferences about mortality disparities. The unusually flexible behavior of individual dimensions of multidimensional heterogeneity creates previously unrecognized challenges for empirically testing selection models of disparities, such as models of mortality crossovers.
Ethnic Violence and Birth Outcomes: Evidence From Exposure to the 1992 Conflict in Kenya
Authors: Guantai Fredah , Kijima Yoko
Published: March 2020

This study is an examination of the effect of intrauterine exposure to electoral violence on child birth weight, an outcome that has long-term effects on an individual’s education, income, and health in later life. We consider the electoral violence that resulted from the introduction of multiparty democracy in Kenya as an exogenous source of shock, using a difference-in-differences method and a mother fixed-effects model. We find that prenatal exposure to the violence increased the probabilities of low birth weight and a child being of very small size at birth by 19 and 6 percentage points, respectively. Violence exposure in the first trimester of pregnancy decreased birth weight by 271 grams and increased the probabilities of low birth weight and very small size at birth by 18 and 4 percentage points, respectively. The results reaffirm the significance of the nine months in utero as one of the most critical periods in life that shapes future health, economic, and educational trajectories.
Social benefits require a community: the influence of colony size on behavioral immunity in honey bees
Authors: Bonoan Rachael E. , Iglesias Feliciano Paola M. , Chang Joanna , Starks Philip T.
Published: March 2020

Emergent properties of eusocial insect colonies (e.g., nest architecture and defense) highlight benefits of group living. Such emergent properties, however, may only function as a benefit if the group is large enough. We tested the effect of group size on colony-level fever in honey bees. When a colony is infected withAscosphaera apis, a heat-sensitive brood pathogen, adult bees raise the temperature to kill the pathogen and keep brood disease free. In relatively large colonies, we show a rhythm to honey bee fever: colonies inoculated withA.apisgenerated a fever in the afternoon and at night but not in the morning. In comparison, relatively small colonies did not generate a fever following inoculation, although they invested more in thermoregulation on a “per bee” basis than control colonies. Thus, in small colonies, honey bee fever could be regarded as a cost of group living: individuals futilely exerted valuable energy towards fighting a pathogen.
Predicting risk of stillbirth and preterm pregnancies with machine learning
Authors: Koivu Aki , Sairanen Mikko
Published: March 2020

Modelling the risk of abnormal pregnancy-related outcomes such as stillbirth and preterm birth have been proposed in the past. Commonly they utilize maternal demographic and medical history information as predictors, and they are based on conventional statistical modelling techniques. In this study, we utilize state-of-the-art machine learning methods in the task of predicting early stillbirth, late stillbirth and preterm birth pregnancies. The aim of this experimentation is to discover novel risk models that could be utilized in a clinical setting. A CDC data set of almost sixteen million observations was used conduct feature selection, parameter optimization and verification of proposed models. An additional NYC data set was used for external validation. Algorithms such as logistic regression, artificial neural network and gradient boosting decision tree were used to construct individual classifiers. Ensemble learning strategies of these classifiers were also experimented with. The best performing machine learning models achieved 0.76 AUC for early stillbirth, 0.63 for late stillbirth and 0.64 for preterm birth while using a external NYC test data. The repeatable performance of our models demonstrates robustness that is required in this context. Our proposed novel models provide a solid foundation for risk prediction and could be further improved with the addition of biochemical and/or biophysical markers.
Platelets: Mechanistic and Diagnostic Significance in Transplantation
Authors: Khedraki Raneem , Dhar Jayeeta , Baldwin William M.
Published: March 2020

Purpose of Review

In addition to their function in coagulation, platelets recently have been recognized as an important component of innate immune responses. This review relates salient immune functions of platelets to transplants.

Recent Findings

Platelets are critical bridges between vascular endothelium and leukocytes. Real-time imaging of platelets has demonstrated that platelets rapidly adhere to vascular endothelium and form a nidus for attachment of neutrophils and then monocytes. However, the majority of platelets subsequently release from endothelium and return to the circulation in an activated state. These recycled platelets have the potential to transport proteins and RNA from the graft to the recipient. Some of the platelets that return to the circulation are attached to leukocytes.

Platelets have the potential to modulate many elements of the graft and the immune response from the time of organ retrieval through ischemia-reperfusion to acute and chronic rejection. Beyond mechanistic considerations, assays that detect changes in platelet protein or RNA expression could be used to monitor early inflammatory responses in transplants.
Partial Atomic Tin Nanocomplex Pillared Few-Layered Ti3C2Tx MXenes for Superior Lithium-Ion Storage
Authors: Zhang Shunlong , Ying Hangjun , Yuan Bin , Hu Renzong , Han Wei-Qiang
Published: March 2020

MXenes have attracted great interest in various fields, and pillared MXenes open a new path with larger interlayer spacing. However, the further study of pillared MXenes is blocked at multilayered state due to serious restacking phenomenon of few-layered MXene nanosheets. In this work, for the first time, we designed a facile NH4+ method to fundamentally solve the restacking issues of MXene nanosheets and succeeded in achieving pillared few-layered MXene. Sn nanocomplex pillared few-layered Ti3C2Tx (STCT) composites were synthesized by introducing atomic Sn nanocomplex into interlayer of pillared few-layered Ti3C2Tx MXenes via pillaring technique. The MXene matrix can inhibit Sn nanocomplex particles agglomeration and serve as conductive network. Meanwhile, the Sn nanocomplex particles can further open the interlayer spacing of Ti3C2Tx during lithiation/delithiation processes and therefore generate extra capacity. Benefiting from the “pillar effect,” the STCT composites can maintain 1016 mAh g−1 after 1200 cycles at 2000 mA g−1 and deliver a stable capacity of 680 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1, showing one of the best performances among MXene-based composites. This work will provide a new way for the development of pillared MXenes and their energy storage due to significant breakthrough from multilayered state to few-layered one.
Intentional Training in Two- vs. Three-Dimensional Spatial Environments to Enhance Spatial Cognition
Authors: Paruchuri Haneesha , Carlin Cole F. , Ehrman Jonathan D. , Marasco Christina C.
Published: March 2020

Spatial cognition encompasses the ability to recognize dimensional properties of objects, individually and with respect to other objects. Studies demonstrate that intentional training in spatial cognitive tasks in two-dimensional environments can effectively improve spatial cognitive abilities. The increasing popularity of and access to virtual reality (VR) inspires the question of whether virtual training environments could equally or more effectively improve spatial cognitive abilities. Thirty-three participants (15 males, 18 females) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control, two-dimensional training, and three-dimensional training and completed a pre- and post-test separated by group-specific training. Reaction times and accuracy rates of completing Shepard-Metzler mental rotation tasks (MRT), cube rotation tasks (CRT), and verbal analogies tasks (VAT) were observed to compare the effectiveness of the training methods. The reaction time results demonstrated a significant improvement from pre- to post-test compared with control in the MRT and CRT in the two-dimensional (MRT: t = 2.663, p < 0.05; CRT: t = 1.668, p < 0.05) and three-dimensional (MRT: t = 1.557, p < 0.05; CRT: t = 1.006, p < 0.05) training groups. In the VAT, only the two-dimensional training group had significant improvement (VAT: t = 2.125, p < 0.05). The three-dimensional group did not have greater improvement in MRT and CRT than the two-dimensional group (p > 0.05), but did have greater improvement than control (p < 0.1). These results indicate that traditional two-dimensional and virtual three-dimensional training give equal improvement in spatial cognitive training outcomes.