bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Memory‐aware kernel mechanism and policies for improving internode load balancing on NUMA systems
Authors: Chiang Mei‐Ling , Su Wei‐Lun , Tu Shu‐Wei , Lin Zhen‐Wei
Published: July 2019

Although nonuniform memory access architecture provides better scalability for multicore systems, cores accessing memory on remote nodes take longer than those accessing on local nodes. Remote memory access accompanied by contention for internode interconnection degrades performance. Properly mapping threads to cores and data accessed to their nodes can substantially improve performance and energy efficiency. However, an operating system kernel's load‐balancing activity may migrate threads across nodes, which thus messes up the thread mapping. Besides, subsequent data mapping behavior pays for the cost of page migration to reduce remote memory access. Once unsuitable threads are migrated, it is detrimental to system performance. This paper focuses on improving the kernel's internode load balancing on nonuniform memory access systems. We develop a memory‐aware kernel mechanism and policies to reduce remote memory access incurred by internode thread migration. The Linux kernel's load balancing mechanism is modified to incorporate selection policies in the internode thread migration, and the kernel is modified to track the amount of memory used by each thread on each node. With this information, well‐designed policies can then choose suitable threads for internode migration. The purpose is to avoid migrating a thread that might incur relatively more remote memory access and page migration. The experimental results show that with our mechanism and the proposed selection policies, the system performance is substantially increased when compared with the unmodified Linux kernel that does not consider memory usage and always migrates the first‐fit thread in the runqueue that can be migrated to the target central processing unit.
Embryonic development, locomotor behavior, biochemical, and epigenetic effects of the pharmaceutical drugs paracetamol and ciprofloxacin in larvae and embryos of Danio rerio when exposed to environmental realistic levels of both drugs
Authors: Nogueira Ana F. , Pinto Glória , Correia Barbara , Nunes Bruno
Published: July 2019

For several years, the scientific community has been concerned about the presence of pharmaceuticals in the wild, since these compounds may have unpredictable deleterious effects on living organisms. Two examples of widely used pharmaceuticals that are present in the environment are paracetamol and ciprofloxacin. Despite their common presence in the aquatic environment due to their poor removal by sewage treatment plants, knowledge concerning their putative toxic effects is still scarce. This work aimed to characterize the effects of paracetamol (0.005, 0.025, 0.125, 0.625, and 3.125 mg/L) and ciprofloxacin (0.005, 0.013, 0.031, 0.078, 0.195, and 0.488 μg/L) in zebrafish embryos and larvae, exposed to environmentally relevant levels, close to the real concentrations of these pharmaceuticals in surface waters and effluents. The adopted toxic end points were developmental, a behavioral parameter (total swimming time), and a biomarker‐based approach (quantification of the activities of catalase, glutathione‐S‐transferase, cholinesterases, glutathione peroxidase, and lipid peroxidation levels) combined with epigenetic analysis (immunohistochemical detection of 5‐methylcytidine). Exposure to paracetamol had effects on all of the adopted toxic end points; however, ciprofloxacin only caused effects on behavioral tests and alterations in biomarkers. It is possible to ascertain the occurrence of oxidative stress following exposure to both drugs, which was more evident regarding paracetamol, an effect that may be related to the observed epigenetic modifications.
Revisiting the predictors for the long‐range forecasting of southwest monsoon rainfall over South Asia with a focus on Pakistan
Authors: Syed Faisal S. , Farah Ikram , Awan Jahangir A.
Published: July 2019

The predictors of the south Asian summer monsoon used in statistical long‐range forecasting by the Indian and Pakistan Meteorological Departments have, in recent decades, had their validity reassessed. The results of such studies, including this one, show that the relationships between numerous predictors and the monsoon rainfall have changed over time, and many predictors have lost or gained significance. Tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST) has been identified as a robust new predictor, having been found to exhibit a significant correlation with monsoon rainfall in northern Pakistan as well as with Indian summer monsoon rainfall. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis is performed on the Pakistan monsoon rainfall data in order to identify the dominant coupled modes of variability, on interannual timescales, for the classification of two sub‐regions of Pakistan. Overall, few predictors showed significant correlations with the monsoon rainfall across Pakistan. However, with respect to rainfall over northern Pakistan, significant correlations were found for the tropical Atlantic SST anomaly, equatorial southeast Indian Ocean SST anomaly and quasi‐biennial oscillation anomaly. With respect to rainfall over southern Pakistan, warm water volume anomaly, North Asia sea level pressure tendency and Nino3.4 SST tendency showed significant correlations. Although the predictability of Pakistan summer monsoon rainfall is low, a simple multiple linear regression model has nevertheless been developed for its prediction. The model has shown good predictive skill for the primary monsoon region of Pakistan
Introduction
Authors: King Bridgett A. , Hale Kathleen , Brown Mitchell
Published: July 2019

As the American election administration landscape changes as a result of major court cases, national and state legislation, changes in professionalism, and the evolution of equipment and security, so must the work of on-the-ground practitioners change. This Open Access title presents a series of open access case studies designed to highlight practical responses to these changes from the national, state, and local levels. This book is designed to be a companion piece to The Future of Election Administration, which surveys these critical dimensions of elections from the perspectives of the most forward-thinking practitioner, policy, advocacy, and research experts and leaders in these areas today. Drawing upon principles of professionalism and the practical work that is required to administer elections, this book lifts up the voices and experiences of practitioners from around the country to describe, analyze, and anticipate the key areas of election administration systems on which students, researchers, advocates, policy makers, and practitioners should focus.
What Is the Role of the Vendor in Modern Elections?
Authors: Perkins Mindy
Published: July 2019

The election official is the voice of integrity in election administration. They represent the process when elections go wrong and when they go right. Many people and groups help support the process including political parties, nonprofit groups, and vendors. This case focuses on the vendor’s perspective of the elections process and how integral it is to incorporate vendor voices into election administration. Communication between vendors and state and local election offices leads to successful partnerships and to successful elections. It is essential that the vendor community be viewed as a subset of the larger elections community. Communication is key for election officials to be able to trust the outcome, and trust in the outcome inspires confidence in voters and stakeholders across the process.
Professional Development and Election Administration Advocacy
Authors: Forson Lindsey
Published: July 2019

Students in public administration and public policy programs often find it difficult to choose a substantive area in which to pursue a career. These are broad fields, and many different options are available. This case study summarizes the experience of choosing a substantive area for one graduate student who eventually chose election cybersecurity as her main focus. She provides insight into why she chose this policy area and why she has been successful in finding career opportunities within this space. The case study concludes with advice for students of public administration and public policy who are trying to select a specific area on which to focus their studies as well as trying to set themselves up for finding a great job and getting onto a successful career trajectory.
Observations and Lessons from Election Administration in Nigeria
Authors: St. Clair Tyler , Williams Shaniqua
Published: July 2019

The consolidation of democracy in transitioning governments is a topic of interest for established nations around the globe. As Auburn University graduate students who have focused on election administration in the United States, we found that the opportunity to observe elections in a comparative perspective created a unique learning experience. In February 2019, Nigeria was preparing to host their sixth democratic election since the end of military rule in 1999. Although these elections were expected to be the next step in launching the country forward as an exemplar of democracy, they were instead delayed at the last minute due to logistical issues. The response from the electorate was immediate: institutions and the electoral process were questioned and officials were criticized. Our in-country observations illustrate the true costs of postponing the presidential election and the impact that the decision to postpone the election had on the democratic process in Nigeria.
Inter-Organizational Implementation: Carrying Out a Federal Court Order in Alabama
Authors: Montjoy Robert
Published: July 2019

Administering elections requires coordination among independent parties. The implementation of a 1988 court ruling in Alabama was an extreme case of this proposition. State and local officials, volunteer trainers, Auburn University, and the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service worked together in a compressed time frame to carry out new procedures for recruiting and training poll workers. The case illustrates the need for and the results of interorganizational cooperation in unusual circumstances.
Election Security and Large Counties
Authors: Praetz Noah
Published: July 2019

State election officials do a tremendous service overseeing and regulating elections in America. But when it comes to defending against cyber threats the work falls to the local election officials—over 8000 nationwide—who mostly control, secure, and run elections. They are on the front lines of this new battlefield. And they are the entities most in need of support and attention from state and federal, public and private partners.
Using GIS to Improve Accuracy and Efficiency in Election Administration
Authors: Brace Kim
Published: July 2019

In addition to managing voter registration and voting, election administrators in many local jurisdictions are responsible for dividing voters into precincts. This process requires election administrators to often use data from the Census and sophisticated Geographic Information Systems software for mapping. The process of redistricting presents a variety of challenges ranging from the technical use of the software to considering the different political boundaries that voters must be incorporated into. Discussed are the challenges of redistricting and a potential strategy to address the challenges and limitations.
Communication and Etiquette Considerations When Working with Voters Who Have Disabilities
Authors: Terry Jim , Dunlap Kaylan , Flickinger Steve , Woosley Dan
Published: July 2019

When trying to provide the most optimal voting experience for voters, it is important to understand who they are and how they see themselves. This is especially true of voters with disabilities. The way individuals identify their disability as a part of their life and how they adapt or adjust to address challenges associated with disability will not always be the same. When serving the public and working with voters, it is important to understand that there are diverse orientations toward diversity and to not assume what type of resources a voter may need to ensure that information is communicated effectively.
Reflections on the Creation and Implementation of Voting System Guidelines
Authors: Davidson Donetta , Wilkey Tom
Published: July 2019

For some, it may be difficult to remember a time when we had no electronic voting equipment—no scanners accepting paper ballots, no touch screens—whereas the voting system today is the result of decades of work by federal agencies and groups of election officials about voting systems and technology. We participated in these efforts over several decades in different roles over time. This case reflects our observations and experiences about how the current certification system came to be, and reflections about how improvements can be made.
Assisting Voters, Language Access, and the Role of Election Administrators
Authors: LaVine Jill , Jarboe Alice
Published: July 2019

While the federal government under the 1965 Voting Rights Act (VRA) Section 203 requires election jurisdictions to provide language assistance to voters, there is no financial support and not enough detailed information from the government to make this a success. Election jurisdictions must find the location of the voters through extensive outreach programs, mailings, and media efforts. This is a very costly undertaking and often still does not reach the voters who really need the assistance. If a jurisdiction does not meet the needs of their voters needing language assistance, they can be sued by the Department of Justice (DOJ). Community organizations and advocacy groups can be helpful in identifying voters who need assistance, but often they have their own agenda. Election officials want to assist voters for the right reason—so the voter can be an informed voter. But this can be difficult unless we have the information we need, the financial support, and without the constant fear of being sued.
Changing Demographics in Election Administration
Authors: Dozier Shauna
Published: July 2019

Over the last 15–20 years, the election administration profession has emerged from its status as an understudied area of public administration. At the same time, there has also been a demographic, cultural, and generational shift among election administration professionals. While some have embraced the shift, others have been resistant resulting in the exposure of beliefs and behaviors that are ageist, sexist, and racist. This case presents the experience of a 17-year career professional in the field who is both a woman and African American. Discussed here are both the mentorship and professional development training opportunities which have helped her navigate the field and the barriers and challenges that she continues to face as an election administration professional.
Chiral algebras of two-dimensional SYK models
Authors: Ahn Changhyun , Peng Cheng
Published: July 2019

Abstract

We study chiral algebras in the

$$ \overline{Q} $$

Q
¯

-cohomology of two dimensional SYK models with extended supersymmetry. In a special limit discovered in [1], we are able to construct explicitly a “vertical” single-particle higher-spin algebra that is bilinear in the fundamental fields. This algebra can be regarded as the counterpart, when going away from criticality, of the infrared emergent higher-spin symmetry of the

$$ \mathcal{N}=\left(0,2\right) $$

N
=

0
2

SYK model. Moreover, a second “horizontal” single-particle higher-spin algebra appears in this limit. Together with the vertical algebra they generate a stringy algebra with a “higher spin square” structure that is believed to appear in the tensionless limit of string theory. On the other hand, we do not find single-particle higher-spin algebra away from the special limit, which is consistent with the result in [1]. Our analysis is carried out for each individual realization of the random couplings and for finite N (and M), which in particular indicates that the conclusion in [1] is robust to 1/N corrections.
ALP inflation and Big Bang on Earth
Authors: Takahashi Fuminobu , Yin Wen
Published: July 2019

Abstract

We study a hilltop inflation model where an axion-like particle (ALP) plays the role of the inflaton. We find that, for a broad class of potentials, the decay constant and the mass at the potential minimum satisfy the relation, m

ϕ
 ∼ 10− 6
f, to explain the CMB normalization. The ALP is necessarily coupled to the standard model particles for successful reheating. The ALP with the above relation can be searched at beam dump experiments, e.g., the SHiP experiment, if the inflation scale is sufficiently low. In this case, the ALP decays through the interactions that led to the reheating of the Universe. In other words, the Big Bang may be probed at ground-based experiments.
Kerr black holes with synchronised scalar hair and boson stars in the Einstein-Friedberg-Lee-Sirlin model
Authors: Kunz J. , Perapechka I. , Shnir Ya.
Published: July 2019

Abstract

We consider the Friedberg-Lee-Sirlin model minimally coupled to Einstein gravity in four spacetime dimensions. The renormalizable Friedberg-Lee-Sirlin model consists of two interacting scalar fields, where the mass of the complex scalar field results from the interaction with the real scalar field which has a finite vacuum expectation value. We here study a new family of self-gravitating axially-symmetric, rotating boson stars in this model. In the flat space limit these boson stars tend to the corresponding Q-balls. Subject to the usual synchronization condition, the model admits spinning hairy black hole solutions with two different types of scalar hair. We here investigate parity-even and parity-odd boson stars and their associated hairy black holes. We explore the domain of existence of the solutions and address some of their physical properties. The solutions exhibit close similarity to the corresponding boson stars and Kerr black holes with synchronised scalar hair in the O(3)-sigma model coupled to Einstein gravity and to the corresponding solutions in the Einstein-Klein-Gordon theory with a complex scalar field, where the latter are recovered in a limit.
3D printable inter cross-linking network (ICN) gels for reversible transparency control with water content
Authors: Watanabe Yosuke , Inoue Shota , Saito Azusa , Kawakawami Masasu , Furukawa Hidemitsu
Published: July 2019

A patient-specific phantoms, which are equivalent to human tissues, is needed in the experimental dosimetric verification before radiotherapy treatments. Most of the shape of gel phantoms have been structurally limited because of the fabrication method using mold technique. The present study focuses on direct freeform fabrication of gel phantom with the customized optical 3D gel printing system. Life-sized gel phantoms were replicated using conventional mold techniques, the 3D printer with two-step sequential free-radical polymerization process and inter cross-linking network gels as 3D printing materials. The gel phantoms are ultraviolet light-sensitive instead of radiation. The ultraviolet sensitivity of the gel phantoms (using mold techniques) with different molar ratios were experimentally evaluated with transmittance measurements, and were theoretically estimated by curve fitting to the observed data. This measurement gave us the insight that more vinyl monomers in the gel phantoms caused rapid polymerization and visibly opaque as well as conventional gel dosimeters. We confirmed that inter cross-linking network gel was 3D printable with the customized 3D printer, with resolution of fabrication 500 μm, as pre-finger-shaped phantom. The cross section of 3D printed gel phantom showed the distribution of opacity, that is, the distribution of UV irradiation. We expect that the 3D printer specialized gel materials and ICN gels are feasible for practical fabrication method of 3D gel phantom.
Sexuality-Related Factors and Quality of Life Among Reproductive-Aged Married Female Migrant Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern China
Authors: Li Bingbing , Liu Nan , Li Bo , Huang Lingling , Wang Xiaoxiao , Wu Xiao , Fu Liying , Wu Yanyan , Su Zhenzhen , Wang Peixi
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Sexuality is a critical part of overall well-being. However, until now, studies on women’s health related to the effect of sexuality on physical and psychosocial outcomes have been seriously ignored, especially the health-related quality of life (QOL) of reproductive-aged married female migrant workers.

Aim

To analyze the associations between sexuality-related factors and QOL and explore the independent contributions of sexuality-related factors to QOL in this population group in southern China.

Methods

In this cross-sectional survey, 609 Chinese married female migrant workers aged 19–49 years were studied. Clustered multiple linear regressions were used to analyze the associations between sexuality-related variables and QOL.

Outcomes

QOL was measured using the Short Form (SF-36) Healthy Survey. Details of the participants (sociodemographic, health-related and sexuality-related factors) were obtained.

Results

Approximately 10.0% of respondents always felt a lack of sexual interest and lubrication difficulties, and 37.5% of respondents seldom or never experienced sexual satisfaction. Multiple regression analyses revealed that women who never felt lubrication difficulties obtained higher role physical, bodily pain, general health, and physical component summary scores in physical domains and higher vitality (VT), mental health (MH), and mental component summary (MCS) scores in mental domains compared with those who always felt lubrication difficulties. Compared with those who always experienced sexual satisfaction, women who never experienced sexual satisfaction had relatively lower role physical, bodily pain, and general health scores in physical domains, and women who never or seldom experienced sexual satisfaction had lower VT, MH, and MCS scores in mental domains. The independent contributions of sexuality-related factors in mental domains (VT, MH, and MCS) accounted for 50.0%, 52.4%, and 39.5%, respectively; more than that of all sociodemographic and health-related variables in the VT and MH domains.

Conclusions

Sexuality-related factors (lubrication difficulties and sexual satisfaction) were significant independent determinants of QOL among reproductive-aged Chinese married female migrant workers, especially in mental domains.
Anti-spoofing's state-of-the-art: deep learning meets super sensors
Authors: AbdAlmageed Wael
Published: July 2019

In the 1968 SciFi movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, HAL 9000 famously says: “I can tell from your voice harmonics, Dave, that you're badly upset. Why don't you take a stress pill and get some rest?”. HAL (an acronym for Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer) has recognised Dave, analysed his speech and determined his mood. It's amazing – but only by 1960s standards in which Space Odyssey was a fiction movie. Fast forward five decades, and nothing that HAL did is fiction any more, thanks to major advances in sensing and artificial intelligence technologies.
The impact of GDPR one year on
Authors: Breitbarth Paul
Published: July 2019

The one-year anniversary since the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect has recently passed (25 May 2019). During the past year or so, Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) across different countries have worked diligently to enforce compliance and ensure that the core principles at the heart of the GDPR are met – namely responsible and transparent handling and protection of individuals’ personal data.

Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) across Europe have worked diligently to enforce compliance and ensure that the core principles at the heart of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are met.

Meanwhile, organisations have worked to ensure compliance. Paul Breitbarth of Nymity looks at what has been learned in the past year. How have businesses responded? Has the GDPR impacted other national data protection regulations? And what impact will the UK's impending exit from the European Union (EU) have on regulatory compliance and data flows?
Visual hacking – why it matters and how to prevent it
Authors: Barker Peter
Published: July 2019

To be truly comprehensive, security management strategies need to include prevention of visual security breaches – the ability to physically view and even photograph sensitive or confidential information. Visual privacy is either specified or implicit within a variety of regulations and industry-specific guidelines, and one area that is gaining considerable attention is preventing unauthorised viewing of sensitive or confidential information on digital screens.
Understanding the nexus of rising CO2, climate change, and evolution in weed biology
Authors: Ziska Lewis H. , Blumenthal Dana M. , Franks Steven J.
Published: July 2019

Rapid increases in herbicide resistance have highlighted the ability of weeds to undergo genetic change within a short period of time. That change, in turn, has resulted in an increasing emphasis in weed science on the evolutionary ecology and potential adaptation of weeds to herbicide selection. Here we argue that a similar emphasis would also be invaluable for understanding another challenge that will profoundly alter weed biology: the rapid rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and the associated changes in climate. Our review of the literature suggests that elevated CO2 and climate change will impose strong selection pressures on weeds and that weeds will often have the capacity to respond with rapid adaptive evolution. Based on current data, climate change and rising CO2 levels are likely to alter the evolution of agronomic and invasive weeds, with consequences for distribution, community composition, and herbicide efficacy. In addition, we identify four key areas that represent clear knowledge gaps in weed evolution: (1) differential herbicide resistance in response to a rapidly changing CO2/climate confluence; (2) shifts in the efficacy of biological constraints (e.g., pathogens) and resultant selection shifts in affected weed species; (3) climate-induced phenological shifts in weed distribution, demography, and fitness relative to crop systems; and (4) understanding and characterization of epigenetics and the differential expression of phenotypic plasticity versus evolutionary adaptation. These consequences, in turn, should be of fundamental interest to the weed science community.
Estimating forces during ploughing of a granular bed
Authors: Sonar Prasad , Modi Sachin , Sharma Ishan
Published: July 2019

We present a method for predicting forces on a plough – modelled as a flat, rigid plate inclined in the direction of motion – as it moves through a granular bed. Our method combines coarse, but representative, discrete element (DE) simulations with continuum mechanics. We first homogenize the kinematic information obtained from DE simulations to obtain a continuum strain field. The strain field is then combined with an appropriate continuum constitutive law for the granular material being ploughed and linear momentum balance to obtain forces acting on the plough. Our method has the advantage that it does not require (i) detailed DE simulations nor (ii) extensive calibration of grain parameters to match experiments which, in turn, requires significant effort and may be system dependent. Both (i) and (ii) are necessary if forces are to be estimated directly from simulations. We confirm the effectiveness of our approach by comparing our predictions with results from calibrated DE simulations and experiments.
BLACKTOWN, MASS-OBSERVATION, AND THE DYNAMICS OF VOLUNTARY ACTION IN MID-TWENTIETH-CENTURY ENGLAND
Authors: CHILD PHIL
Published: July 2019

This article examines the place of class and religion in discourses of voluntary action in mid-twentieth-century England, focusing on an overlooked Mass-Observation survey of the district of Aston in Birmingham. It situates Lord Beveridge's Voluntary Action report in its intellectual and social context, through utilizing the qualitative findings of the Mass-Observation district survey of Aston, elements of which were repurposed for the Voluntary Social Services Enquiry from which Voluntary Action emerged. The article takes a thematic approach, investigating how class and religion was seen and reported by Mass-Observers in the context of Aston. Two key arguments are made: that contrary to overarching narratives of post-war secularization, Christian churches actually remained in a relatively dominant position in terms of voluntary action; and that conceptions of voluntary action fundamentally misread working-class understandings of voluntarism, as well as the wider priorities of the post-war working classes. Drawing attention to the importance of class and religion to patterns of voluntary action evident in the Aston survey, yet less considered in historiographical terms, the construction of elite narratives of voluntary action and civil society are more discernible.
Enumerating coloured partitions in 2 and 3 dimensions
Authors: DAVISON BEN , ONGARO JARED , SZENDRŐI BALÁZS
Published: July 2019

We study generating functions of ordinary and plane partitions coloured by the action of a finite subgroup of the corresponding special linear group. After reviewing known results for the case of ordinary partitions, we formulate a conjecture concerning a basic factorisation property of the generating function of coloured plane partitions that can be thought of as an orbifold analogue of a conjecture of Maulik et al., now a theorem, in three-dimensional Donaldson–Thomas theory. We study natural quantisations of the generating functions arising from geometry, discuss a quantised version of our conjecture, and prove a positivity result for the quantised coloured plane partition function under a geometric assumption.
Impacts of Fire on Forest Biomass Dynamics at the Southern Amazon Edge
Authors: Nogueira Denis S , Marimon Beatriz S , Marimon-Junior Ben Hur , Oliveira Edmar A , Morandi Paulo , Reis Simone M , Elias Fernando , Neves Eder C , Feldpausch Ted R , Lloyd Jon , Phillips Oliver L
Published: July 2019

Over recent decades, biomass gains in remaining old-growth Amazonia forests have declined due to environmental change. Amazonia’s huge size and complexity makes understanding these changes, drivers, and consequences very challenging. Here, using a network of permanent monitoring plots at the Amazon–Cerrado transition, we quantify recent biomass carbon changes and explore their environmental drivers. Our study area covers 30 plots of upland and riparian forests sampled at least twice between 1996 and 2016 and subject to various levels of fire and drought. Using these plots, we aimed to: (1) estimate the long-term biomass change rate; (2) determine the extent to which forest changes are influenced by forest type; and (3) assess the threat to forests from ongoing environmental change. Overall, there was no net change in biomass, but there was clear variation among different forest types. Burning occurred at least once in 8 of the 12 riparian forests, while only 1 of the 18 upland forests burned, resulting in losses of carbon in burned riparian forests. Net biomass gains prevailed among other riparian and upland forests throughout Amazonia. Our results reveal an unanticipated vulnerability of riparian forests to fire, likely aggravated by drought, and threatening ecosystem conservation at the Amazon southern margins.
Phytoclimatic mapping of exoplanets
Authors: Stevenson David S.
Published: July 2019

The concept of exoplanetary habitability is evolving. The driving force is a desire to define the biological potential of planets and identify which can host complex and possibly intelligent life. To assess this in a meaningful manner, climate models need to be applied to realistic surfaces. However, the vast majority of climate models are developed using generic aquaplanet, or swamp planet, scenarios that provide uniform, surface frictional coefficients. However, aside from planets with largely uniform oceans, these models are not obviously useful when it comes to understanding the impact of climate on biodiversity. Here, we show that contrary to expectation, the aquaplanet models can be directly applied to planets with a variety of land areas, with little need for modification. Using this premise, this paper provides a simple mathematical framework that may be applied to more complex planetary surfaces and identifies the majority of the climate-model components that are needed to accurately determine the biological potential of habitable exoplanets. As a proof-of-concept, an available climate model for Proxima b is used to determine its biological potential, given a suitable atmosphere.
The relationship between spiritual well-being and quality of life in cancer survivors
Authors: Yilmaz Meryem , Cengiz Hatice Öner
Published: July 2019

Objective

To evaluate the relationship between spiritual well-being (SpWB) and quality of life (QoL) in cancer (CA) survivors.

Methods

The current study was conducted in the oncology center at a university hospital in Central Anatolia/Turkey. In this study, a descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used. The data collected included: a questionnaire form, the current study was conducted in the oncology center at a university hospital in Central Anatolia/Turkey. In this study, a descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used. SpWB was assessed by the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale, version 4 (FACIT-Sp12, v. 4), including Meaning, Peace, and Faith subscales. The QoL was evaluated using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General scale (FACT-G, v. 4). The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, independent sample t-test, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney U test.

Results

One hundred fifty patients participated in this study: 61.30% female, 78% 45 years of age or older, 94.70% married, 46% had finished, and 69% had gastrointestinal tract CA. The mean age was 53.48 (SD = 9.43). The majority of participants (96.7%) endorsed “a force pushing them a will to live” while 59.3% supported “the power of relationships with others.” There was a positive, strong correlation between overall QoL and SpWB (r = 0.619, p < 0.01). The Meaning dimensions of SpWB with Functional Well-Being (FWB) and overall QoL (r = 0.512; 0.595, p < 0.000 respectively), Peace with Emotional Well-Being (EWB) and FWB (r = 0.598; 0.540, p < 0.000 respectively) dimensions of FACT-G and overall QoL (r = 0.609, p < 0.001) were strong correlated. Faith and QoL were not significantly correlated.

Significance of results

This study demonstrates that SpWB positively contributed to the QoL of CA survivors. SpWB is not necessarily limited to any specific types of beliefs or practices. For some people, faith in self, others and/or God constitutes, in large part, the meaning, purpose, and fulfillment they find in life.
Gravity Gradiometry With GRACE Space Missions: New Opportunities for the Geosciences
Authors: Peidou A. , Pagiatakis S.
Published: July 2019

A new paradigm views the recently launched Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) follow‐on mission as a gradiometer system, outside the mission's design concept, promising potentially major implications in geosciences. We develop an innovative and straightforward concept, the “GRACE gradiometer mode,” to process future GRACE follow‐on measurements to derive three‐dimensional gravitational gradients. Using positions, accelerations, and attitude measurements from the identical predecessor mission GRACE, we generate common and differential accelerations. We validate GRACE differential accelerations using Gravity field and steady‐state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) mission gradiometer measurements and we demonstrate an important and promising agreement between GRACE and GOCE. Consequently, we estimate gravitational gradients in full and we confirm their ability to detect geophysical signals over three example regions, namely, the Himalayas, Indonesia, and Canada. Coherence analysis between GOCE and GRACE gradients reveals a strong match that reaches up to 80%. GRACE gradiometer mode gradients are also compared with GRACE level 2‐ derived gradients, and results show that the new method captures smaller spatial‐scale signals than GOCE with the trade‐off being at higher noise level. We argue that future enhancements of the proposed proof‐of‐concept method will expand and enhance the GRACE follow‐on objectives that will lead to new insights, discoveries, and applications in the Earth system and the geosciences.
Transient Deformation in California From Two Decades of GPS Displacements: Implications for a Three‐Dimensional Kinematic Reference Frame
Authors: Klein Emilie , Bock Yehuda , Xu Xiaohua , Sandwell David T. , Golriz Dorian , Fang Peng , Su Lina
Published: July 2019

Our understanding of plate boundary deformation has been enhanced by transient signals observed against the backdrop of time‐independent secular motions. We make use of a new analysis of displacement time series from about 1,000 continuous Global Positioning System (GPS) stations in California from 1999 to 2018 to distinguish tectonic and nontectonic transients from secular motion. A primary objective is to define a high‐resolution three‐dimensional reference frame (datum) for California that can be rapidly maintained with geodetic data to accommodate both secular and time‐dependent motions. To this end, we compare the displacements to those predicted by a horizontal secular fault slip model for the region and construct displacement and strain rate fields. Over the past 19 years, California has experienced 19 geodetically detectable earthquakes and widespread postseismic deformation. We observe postseismic strain rate variations as large as 1,000 nstrain/year with moment releases equivalent up to an Mw6.8 earthquake. We find significant secular differences up to 10 mm/year with the fault slip model, from the Mendocino Triple Junction to the southern Cascadia subduction zone, the northern Basin and Range, and the Santa Barbara channel. Secular vertical uplift is observed across the Transverse Ranges, Coastal Ranges, Sierra Nevada, as well as large‐scale postseismic uplift after the 1999 Mw7.1 Hector Mine and 2010 Mw7.2 El Mayor‐Cucapah earthquakes. We also identify areas of vertical land motions due to anthropogenic, natural, and magmatic processes. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of the kinematic datum by improving the accuracy of high‐spatial‐resolution 12‐day repeat‐cycle Sentinel‐1 Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar displacement and velocity maps.
Oxygen Vacancy Ordering in Aluminous Bridgmanite in the Earth's Lower Mantle
Authors: Grüninger Helen , Liu Zhaodong , Siegel Renée , Boffa Ballaran Tiziana , Katsura Tomoo , Senker Jürgen , Frost Daniel J.
Published: July 2019

Oxygen vacancies (OVs), that charge‐balance the replacement of octahedrally coordinated Si4+ by Al3+ in the mineral bridgmanite, will influence transport properties in the lower mantle but little is known about their stability and local structure. Using 27Al nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy we have characterized OVs within six aluminous bridgmanite samples. In the resulting NMR spectra sixfold, fivefold, and fourfold coordinated Al species are resolved, in addition to near eightfold coordinated Al substituting for Mg. Fivefold coordinated Al is formed by single OV sites but fourfold coordination must result from short range ordering of OVs, producing OV clusters that may form through migration into twin domain walls. Characterizing the occurrence of such OV structures is an important prerequisite for understanding how transport properties change with depth and composition in the lower mantle.
Mobility, Thickness, and Hydraulic Diffusivity of the Slow‐Moving Monroe Landslide in California Revealed by L‐Band Satellite Radar Interferometry
Authors: Hu Xie , Bürgmann Roland , Lu Zhong , Handwerger Alexander L. , Wang Teng , Miao Runze
Published: July 2019

Active landslides cause fatalities and property losses worldwide. Landslide behaviors can be enigmatic in natural landscapes and therefore require high‐quality observations of their kinematics to improve our ability to predict landslide behavior. Here we use geodetic interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) observations to characterize the geometry and the spatio‐temporal deformation of the slow‐moving, deep‐seated Monroe landslide in northern California between 2007 and 2017. InSAR phase discontinuities show that the landslide is bounded by discrete strike‐slip faults at the lateral margins and segregated into distinct kinematic elements by normal and thrust faults. We find that the Monroe landslide has been moving consistently, with a maximum rate of about 0.7 m/year in the narrowest longitudinal center of the transport zone. The thickest landslide mass is estimated to be in a zone located between subsiding and the uplifting kinematic elements at the lower transport zone. The timing and magnitude of the landslide displacement are modulated by the intensity and duration of precipitation, as well as the antecedent water content of the landslide mass. In addition, we use a one‐dimensional pore‐water pressure diffusion model to estimate the rainfall‐modulated pore‐water pressure changes and hydraulic diffusivity. We find hydraulic diffusivity values between
m2/s, which agrees with ground‐based measurements in this region. Displacement measurements on the hillslopes obtained from geodetic InSAR observations allow us to characterize the mobility, depth, and hydraulic diffusivity of slow‐moving landslides.
High‐Resolution Eocene Magnetostratigraphy of the Xijigou Section: Implications for the Infilling Process of Xining Basin, Northeastern Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Yang Fan , Guo Zhengtang , Zhang Chunxia , Abu Sadat Md Sayem , He Zhilin , Deng Chenglong
Published: July 2019

The Eocene was the initial stage of the Cenozoic global climatic transition from greenhouse to icehouse conditions. Our understanding of the Eocene climate is based mainly on marine records, and comparison of marine and terrestrial climate records of the Eocene has revealed inconsistencies. Thus, there is a need for more continuous, high‐resolution Eocene sedimentary records from land. Xining Basin in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau contains a sequence of well‐exposed and complete Eocene strata. Extending previous research, we have conducted a new high‐resolution lithostratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic study of the Xijigou section in Xining Basin. The results indicate that the Xijigou section spans the interval from ~34.2 to 53 Ma, representing an average sediment accumulation rate of ~1.4 cm/kyr. The basal ages of the Mahalagou and Honggou Formations are ~39.9 and ~52.4 Ma, respectively. A comparison of all available Eocene sedimentary records from Xining Basin indicates that the strata deposited during ~53–35 Ma developed conformably and are well correlated over space. We conclude that sediment deposition was not affected by large‐scale tectonic activity at the time and rather was controlled by the global climate. After ~35 Ma, the sediment accumulation rate increased to ~4 cm/kyr, which may reflect the far‐field influence of the India‐Eurasia collision on Xining Basin.
Aquifer Sensitivity to Earthquakes: The 1755 Lisbon Earthquake
Authors: Sanz de Ojeda Andrés , Alhama Iván , Sanz Eugenio
Published: July 2019

The development of a theoretical analytical model leads us to consider the recession coefficient as a useful hydrological parameter for studying the hydraulic impacts of an earthquake on spring flow in terms of the increase of persistent discharges and the overall alteration of springs. Both the inertia of the aquifer emptying and the increased pore pressure in the lower part of the aquifer caused by the earthquake contribute to maintaining the discharge of persistent springs. Abundant information on the hydrological phenomena induced or modified by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake (M ∈ [8,9]) and its relationship with present‐day knowledge of the geology and hydrogeology of Portugal and Spain, as well as Spanish spring statistics, have allowed us to identify the factors that most influence the hydraulic sensitivity of aquifers to that earthquake: regional faults, geological boundaries between large geological units, the granite lithology, and aquifers with high recession coefficients. We observe an overall single response, which was an increase in postseismic spring discharges over the entire of the SW quadrant of the Iberian Peninsula (1–24 months). The persisting discharges were concentrated close to the major NE‐SW directional faults located in SW Portugal that are linked to the Azores‐Gibraltar strike‐slip fault. In terms of the geographical distribution of the hydrological phenomena, we observe that in the near and intermediate field of the earthquake source, there were persistent increases in spring flow in hard rocks occurring alongside persistent diffuse discharges, liquefaction, and rising water levels in wells due to consolidation of superficial geological formations.
Metasurface orbital angular momentum holography
Authors: Ren Haoran , Briere Gauthier , Fang Xinyuan , Ni Peinan , Sawant Rajath , Héron Sébastien , Chenot Sébastien , Vézian Stéphane , Damilano Benjamin , Brändli Virginie , Maier Stefan A. , Genevet Patrice
Published: July 2019

Allowing subwavelength-scale-digitization of optical wavefronts to achieve complete control of light at interfaces, metasurfaces are particularly suited for the realization of planar phase-holograms that promise new applications in high-capacity information technologies. Similarly, the use of orbital angular momentum of light as a new degree of freedom for information processing can further improve the bandwidth of optical communications. However, due to the lack of orbital angular momentum selectivity in the design of conventional holograms, their utilization as an information carrier for holography has never been implemented. Here we demonstrate metasurface orbital angular momentum holography by utilizing strong orbital angular momentum selectivity offered by meta-holograms consisting of GaN nanopillars with discrete spatial frequency distributions. The reported orbital angular momentum-multiplexing allows lensless reconstruction of a range of distinctive orbital angular momentum-dependent holographic images. The results pave the way to the realization of ultrahigh-capacity holographic devices harnessing the previously inaccessible orbital angular momentum multiplexing.