bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of the hybrid process ultrasound enhanced friction stir welding on dissimilar aluminum/dual‐phase steel and aluminum/magnesium joints
Authors: Thomä M. , Gester A. , Wagner G. , Straß B. , Wolter B. , Benfer S. , Gowda D. K. , Fürbeth W.
Published: August 2019

Friction stir welding as a solid‐state joining method with its comparatively low process temperatures is suitable for joining dissimilar materials like aluminum/magnesium or aluminum/steel. Such hybrid joints are of great interest regarding lightweight efforts in different industrial fields like the transportation area. The present work investigates the influence of additionally transmitted power ultrasound during the friction stir welding on the joint properties of EN AC‐48000/AZ91 and EN AW‐6061/DP600. Therefore, conventional friction stir welding was continuously compared to ultrasound enhanced friction stir welding. Light microscopic analysis and nondestructive testing of the joints using x‐ray and high frequency ultrasound show different morphologies of the nugget for the aluminum/magnesium joints as well as differences in the amount and size of steel particles in the nugget of aluminum/steel joints. Scanning electron microcopy proves differences in the thickness of continuous intermetallic layers for the aluminum/steel joints realized with and without power ultrasound. Regarding the tensile strength of the joints the power ultrasound leads to increased joint strengths for EN AC‐48000/AZ91 joints compared to a decrease for EN AW‐6061/DP600 joints. Corrosion investigations show an influence of the ultrasound power on the corrosion properties of EN AC‐48000/AZ91 joints which is attributed to a changed aluminum content in the nugget region. Because of the great potential difference between the magnesium and the nugget phase the transitional area exhibits strong galvanic corrosion. For EN AW‐6061/DP600 joints an increased corrosion caused by galvanic effects is not expected as the potentials of the EN AW‐6061 aluminum alloy and DP600 steel are very similar.
Sequence variants in genes causing nonsyndromic hearing loss in a Pakistani cohort
Authors: Khan Amjad , Han Shirui , Wang Rongrong , Ansar Muhammad , Ahmad Wasim , Zhang Xue
Published: August 2019

Background

Hearing loss or hearing impairment is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder. More than 117 genes were discovered to date in hereditary, nonsyndromic hearing loss (NSHL). Identifying novel gene variants and their frequency in specific populations is valuable for public health and potentially for genetic screening of NSHL.

Aims

To identify the gene variants underlying NSHL in a Pakistani cohort.

Methods and Results

A cohort of 40 school‐aged children with NSHL was initially screened for variants in GJB2, the gene with the highest incidence of variants in other populations with NSHL. We found known homozygous as well as compound heterozygous GJB variants in 15 individuals. Next, we used targeted next generation sequencing (TNGS) for the remaining 25 individuals and identified 20 different variants in 14 genes (SLC26A4, KCNQ4, MYO7A, MYO15A, TMPRSS3, ESPN, TMC1, GIPC3, LHFPL5, WFS1, DFNB59, GRXCR1, ESRRB, and LRTOMT).

Conclusions

We described common and novel variants in 15 genes in a Pakistani cohort of NSHL.
A combination of Sylvester block sum and block matrix Kronecker map for explicit solutions of Sylvester system of matrix equations
Authors: Ramadan Mohamed A. , Bayoumi Ahmed M.E. , Hadhoud Adel R.
Published: August 2019

In this paper, we consider an explicit solution of system of Sylvester matrix equations of the form A1V1 − E1V1F1 = B1W1 and A2V2 − E2V2F2 = B2W2 with F1 and F2 being arbitrary matrices, where V1,W1,V2 and W2 are the matrices to be determined. First, the definitions, of the matrix polynomial of block matrix, Sylvester sum, and Kronecker product of block matrices are defined. Some definitions, lemmas, and theorems that are needed to propose our method are stated and proved. Numerical test problems are solved to illustrate the suggested technique.
A comparison of two algorithms to identify sudden cardiac deaths in computerized databases
Authors: Min Jea Young , Grijalva Carlos G. , Morrow James A. , Whitmore Christine C. , Hawley Robert E. , Singh Sonal , Swain Richard S. , Griffin Marie R.
Published: August 2019

Purpose

Two previously validated algorithms to identify sudden cardiac death using administrative data showed high positive predictive value. We evaluated the agreement between the algorithms using data from a common source population.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional study to assess the percent agreement between deaths identified by two sudden cardiac death algorithms using Tennessee Medicaid and death certificate data from 2007 through 2014. The source population included all deceased patients aged 18 to 64 years with Medicaid enrollment in the 6 months prior to death. To identify sudden cardiac deaths, algorithm 1 used only hospital/emergency department (ED) claims from encounters at the time of death, and algorithm 2 required death certificates and used claims data for specific exclusion criteria.

Results

We identified 34 107 deaths in the source population over the study period. The two algorithms identified 4372 potential sudden cardiac deaths: Algorithm 1 identified 3117 (71.3%) and algorithm 2 identified 1715 (39.2%), with 460 (10.5%) deaths identified by both algorithms. Of the deaths identified by algorithm 1, 1943 (62.3%) had an underlying cause of death not specified in algorithm 2. Of the deaths identified by algorithm 2, 1053 (61.4%) had no record of a hospital or ED encounter at the time of death, and 202 (11.8%) had a discharge diagnosis code not specified in algorithm 1.

Conclusions

We found low agreement between the two algorithms for identification of sudden cardiac deaths because of differences in sudden cardiac death definitions and data sources.
Manufacturing and properties of biomimetic graphite nanoplatelets foils
Authors: Ricciardi Maria R. , Cristiano Francesco , Bertocchi Francesco , Martone Alfonso , Giordano Michele
Published: August 2019

Among the various architectures developed for composite materials, nanolaminated architecture is a promising candidate for the design of new materials for structural and functional applications. Nanolaminates mimic the natural occurring architecture of nacre and it is formed by highly oriented nanolaminae connected by a very low amount of matrix. Due to their architecture, inherently impermeable to fluid, such kind of materials is difficult to manufacture unless using layer‐by‐layer processes. Here, we describe the fabrication of films with nanolaminated architecture containing very high content (>80% w/w) of graphite nanoplatelets (GNPs) within an uncured epoxy matrix (prepregs), suitable for the conventional prepregs manufacturing technologies: film stacking and consolidation under temperature under pressure. Nanolaminated prepregs have been manufactured through the deposition of a paste of GNPs in epoxy enriched acetone solvent. Mainly, scanning electron microscopy has investigated the nanolaminated architecture of the prepregs. Stress–strain behavior of nanolaminated prepregs has been investigated as a function of their composition and consolidation pressure. Finally, a laminate made of six nanolaminated prepregs (about 0.3 mm thick) has been manufactured by hot pressing revealing interesting mechanical properties: a tensile modulus of 30 GPa and a damping coefficient, tan δ, of 0.03. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:2443–2448, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers
Sustainability engineering assessment research for recycling composites with high value: Stakeholders' views
Authors: Pillain Baptiste , Lefeuvre Anaële , Garnier Sébastien , Cadene Anne‐Laure , Jacquemin Leslie
Published: August 2019

Carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are increasingly employed in an extensive range of applications, such as aerospace, automotive, or renewable energy. Consequently, the establishment of a composite recycling sector will become necessary in the future. The French national agency for research had funded a project named SEARRCH, which indicates “Sustainability Engineering Assessment Research for Recycling Composites with High value” to initiate stakeholders engagement for the implementation of the CFRP recycling sector in a sustainable way. This publication aimed at giving the results and the advantages of using a participatory research approach for the implementation of a recycling sector that follows the concept of sustainable development. This participatory research approach was conducted based on a panel of 40 stakeholders from different stages of the CFRP life cycle: CFRP producers, end‐of‐life management, institutional/normative, and research groups.

A statistical quantitative analysis of 230 different criteria extracted from the interviews has demonstrated that “quality,” “mastering recycling process,” “norms and regulations,” and “maturity of the recycling process” are the most cited criteria by stakeholders. A qualitative analysis shown that, the future sustainable composites recycling sector would be utilised as a multiprocess sector that addresses a multiplicity of markets, requires the involvement of leaders and introduction of incentive tools and needs improvement regarding the maturity of recycling technologies to satisfy economic and environmental goals.
Chiral Perovskites: Promising Materials toward Next‐Generation Optoelectronics
Authors: Dong Yuze , Zhang Yupeng , Li Xinyue , Feng Yaqing , Zhang Han , Xu Jialiang
Published: August 2019

Halide perovskites have emerged as a type of extremely promising material for their diverse chemical and electronic structures along with their brilliant optoelectronic properties. The introduction of chirality into perovskite scaffolds, generating a novel concept of chiral perovskite materials, offers an immense step forward toward the development of smart optoelectronic and spintronic materials and devices. The present Review summarizes recent advances in such an emerging field regarding the design and construction of chiral perovskite materials, along with their optoelectronic performances. In addition, an outlook of future challenges as well as the potential significance of the chiral perovskite family on the optical communication is proposed.
A Functionalized Carbon Surface for High‐Performance Sodium‐Ion Storage
Authors: Lin Qiaowei , Zhang Jun , Lv Wei , Ma Jiabin , He Yanbing , Kang Feiyu , Yang Quan‐Hong
Published: August 2019

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are promising for large‐scale energy storage systems and carbon materials are the most likely candidates for their electrodes. The existence of defects in carbon materials is crucial for increasing the sodium storage ability. However, both the reversible capacity and efficiency need to be further improved. Functionalization is a direct and feasible approach to address this issue. Based on the structural changes in carbon materials produced by surface functionalization, three basic categories are defined: heteroatom doping, grafting of functional groups, and the shielding of defects. Heteroatom doping can improve the electrochemical reactivity, and the grafting of functional groups can promote both the diffusion‐controlled bulk process and surface‐confined capacitive process. The shielding of defects can further increase the efficiency and cyclic stability without sacrificing reversible capacity. In this Review, recent progresses in the ways to produce surface functionalization are presented and the related impact on the physical and chemical properties of carbon materials is discussed. Moreover, the critical issues, challenges, and possibilities for future research are summarized.
Ultrathin Ruddlesden–Popper Perovskite Heterojunction for Sensitive Photodetection
Authors: Fu Qundong , Wang Xiaolei , Liu Fucai , Dong Yuxin , Liu Zirui , Zheng Shoujun , Chaturvedi Apoorva , Zhou Jiadong , Hu Peng , Zhu Zhuqing , Bo Fang , Long Yi , Liu Zheng
Published: August 2019

Thanks to their unique optical and electric properties, 2D materials have attracted a lot of interest for optoelectronic applications. Here, the emerging 2D materials, organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites with van der Waals interlayer interaction (Ruddlesden–Popper perovskites), are synthesized and characterized. Photodetectors based on the few‐layer Ruddlesden–Popper perovskite show good photoresponsivity as well as good detectivity. In order to further improve the photoresponse performance, 2D MoS2 is chosen to construct the perovskite–MoS2 heterojunction. The performance of the hybrid photodetector is largely improved with 6 and 2 orders of magnitude enhancement for photoresponsivity (104 A W−1) and detectivity (4 × 1010 Jones), respectively, which demonstrates the facile charge separation at the interface between perovskite and MoS2. Furthermore, the contribution of back gate tuning is proved with a greatly reduced dark current. The results demonstrated here will open up a new field for the investigation of 2D perovskites for optoelectronic applications.
Bridging chromatin structure and function over a range of experimental spatial and temporal scales by molecular modeling
Authors: Portillo‐Ledesma Stephanie , Schlick Tamar
Published: August 2019

Chromatin structure, dynamics, and function are being intensely investigated by a variety of methods, including microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance, biochemical crosslinking, chromosome conformation capture, and computation. The modeling helps interpret experimental data and generate configurations and mechanisms related to the three‐dimensional organization and function of the genome. Experimental contact maps, in particular, as obtained by a variety of chromosome conformation capture methods, are of increasing interest due to their implications on genome structure and regulation on many levels. In this perspective, using seven examples from our group's studies, we illustrate how molecular modeling can help interpret such experimental data. Specifically, we show how computed contact maps related to experimental systems can help interpret structures of nucleosomes, chromatin higher‐order folding, domain segregation mechanisms, gene organization, and the effect on chromatin structure of external and internal fiber parameters, such as nucleosome positioning, presence of nucleosome free regions, histone post‐translational modifications, and linker histone binding. We argue that such computations on multiple spatial and temporal scales will be increasingly important for the integration of genomic, epigenomic, and biophysical data on chromatin structure and related cellular processes.

This article is categorized under:

Structure and Mechanism > Computational Biochemistry and Biophysics
Mother wavelet selection in the discrete wavelet transform for condition monitoring of wind turbine drivetrain bearings
Authors: Strömbergsson Daniel , Marklund Pär , Berglund Kim , Saari Juhamatti , Thomson Allan
Published: August 2019

Although the discrete wavelet transform has been used for diagnosing bearing faults for two decades, most work in this field has been done with test rig data. Since field data starts to be made more available, there is a need to shift into application studies.

The choice of mother wavelet, ie, the predefined shape used to analyse the signal, has previously been investigated with simulated and test rig data without consensus of optimal choice in literature. Common between these investigations is the use of the wavelet coefficients' Shannon entropy to find which mother wavelet can yield the most useful features for condition monitoring.

This study attempts to find the optimal mother wavelet selection using the discrete wavelet transform. Datasets from wind turbine gearbox accelerometers, consisting of enveloped vibration measurements monitoring both healthy and faulty bearings, have been analysed. The bearing fault frequencies' excitation level has been analysed with 130 different mother wavelets, yielding a definitive measure on their performance. Also, the applicability of Shannon entropy as a ranking method of mother wavelets has been investigated.

The results show the discrete wavelet transforms ability to identify faults regardless of mother wavelet used, with the excitation level varying no more than 4%. By analysing the Shannon entropy, broad predictions to the excitation level could be drawn within the mother wavelet families but no direct correlation to the main results. Also, the high computational effort of high order Symlet wavelets, without increased performance, makes them unsuitable.
A deeper understanding of the spontaneous derepression of the URA3 gene in MaV203 Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its implications for protein engineering and the reverse two‐hybrid system
Authors: Cortens David , Hansen Rebekka , Graulus Geert‐Jan , Steen Redeker Erik , Adriaensens Peter , Guedens Wanda
Published: August 2019

Within the field of protein‐based biomaterials, the need exists for both covalent and oriented bioconjugation strategies for improved performance. Such bioconjugation reactions can be facilitated by engineering proteins with chemically activated amino acids at strategically chosen sites. The incorporation of these unnatural amino acids (uAAs) can be achieved by using the nonsense suppression technique. This requires an aminoacyl‐tRNA‐synthetase (aaRS) that exclusively recognizes the uAA and loads it to the corresponding tRNA. Appropriate (aaRS) mutants can be found through reverse engineering using the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain MaV203. This strain contains a counterselectable, Gal4p‐inducible SPAL10::URA3 fusion and deletions in the endogenous GAL80 and GAL4 genes. Therefore, it has been used extensively for the screening of aaRS mutant libraries. It is generally assumed that the SPAL10 promoter actively represses the URA3 gene in the absence of Gal4p, resulting in MaV203 cells with a Ura− phenotype. The current contribution reveals that in a small fraction of MaV203 cells, a basal expression of the URA3 gene occurs. The unexpected URA3 expression is reported for the first time, and the nature of the mutation causing this expression was identified as a spontaneous recessive mutation in a single gene of a protein involved in the repression of the SPAL10 promoter. The basal URA3 expression causes aaRS mutants to be missed, which affects the outcome of the library screening. It is demonstrated that the use of diploid cells can circumvent the MaV203 Ura+ phenotype, allowing for an optimization of S. cerevisiae library screening.
Effective theories of dark mesons with custodial symmetry
Authors: Kribs Graham D. , Martin Adam , Tong Tom
Published: August 2019

Abstract

Dark mesons are bosonic composites of a new, strongly-coupled sector beyond the Standard Model. We consider several dark sectors with fermions that transform under the electroweak group, as arise from a variety of models including strongly-coupled theories of dark matter (e.g., stealth dark matter), bosonic technicolor (strongly-coupled indcued electroweak symmetry breaking), vector-like confinement, etc. We consider theories with two and four flavors under an SU(N) strong group that acquire variously chiral, vector-like, and mixed contributions to their masses. We construct the non-linear sigma model describing the dark pions and match the ultraviolet theory onto a low energy effective theory that provides the leading interactions of the lightest dark pions with the Standard Model. We uncover two distinct classes of effective theories that are distinguishable by how the lightest dark pions decay: “Gaugephilic”: where π0 → Zh, π± → W h dominate once kinematically open, and “Gaugephobic”: where

$$ {\pi}^0\to \overline{f}f $$

π
0

→

f
¯

f

,

$$ {\pi}^{\pm}\to \overline{f}^{\prime }f $$

π
±

→

f
¯

′
f

dominate. Custodial SU(2) plays a critical role in determining the “philic” or “phobic” nature of a model. In dark sectors that preserve custodial SU(2), there is no axial anomaly, and so the decay π
0 → γγ is highly suppressed. In a companion paper, we study dark pion production and decay at colliders, obtaining the constraints and sensitsivity at the LHC.
Einstein gravity from ANEC correlators
Authors: Belin Alexandre , Hofman Diego M. , Mathys Grégoire
Published: August 2019

Abstract

We study correlation functions with multiple averaged null energy (ANEC) operators in conformal field theories. For large N CFTs with a large gap to higher spin operators, we show that the OPE between a local operator and the ANEC can be recast as a particularly simple differential operator acting on the local operator. This operator is simple enough that we can resum it and obtain the finite distance OPE. Under the large N - large gap assumptions, the vanishing of the commutator of ANEC operators tightly constrains the OPE coefficients of the theory. An important example of this phenomenon is the conclusion that a = c in d = 4. This implies that the bulk dual of such a CFT is semi-classical Einstein-gravity with minimally coupled matter.
On the support of extremal martingale measures with given marginals: the countable case
Authors: Campi Luciano , Martini Claude
Published: August 2019

We investigate the supports of extremal martingale measures with prespecified marginals in a two-period setting. First, we establish in full generality the equivalence between the extremality of a given measure Q and the denseness in

$L^1(Q)$

of a suitable linear subspace, which can be seen in a financial context as the set of all semistatic trading strategies. Moreover, when the supports of both marginals are countable, we focus on the slightly stronger notion of weak exact predictable representation property (WEP) and provide two combinatorial sufficient conditions, called the ‘2-link property’ and ‘full erasability’, on how the points in the supports are linked to each other for granting extremality. When the support of the first marginal is a finite set, we give a necessary and sufficient condition for the WEP to hold in terms of the new concepts of 2-net and deadlock. Finally, we study the relation between cycles and extremality.
Transformed Lévy processes as state-dependent wear models
Authors: Hwan Cha Ji , Mercier Sophie
Published: August 2019

Many wear processes used for modeling accumulative deterioration in a reliability context are nonhomogeneous Lévy processes and, hence, have independent increments, which may not be suitable in an application context. In this work we consider Lévy processes transformed by monotonous functions to overcome this restriction, and provide a new state-dependent wear model. These transformed Lévy processes are first observed to remain tractable Markov processes. Some distributional properties are derived. We investigate the impact of the current state on the future increment level and on the overall accumulated level from a stochastic monotonicity point of view. We also study positive dependence properties and stochastic monotonicity of increments.
The diameter of KPKVB random graphs
Authors: Müller Tobias , Staps Merlijn
Published: August 2019

We consider a random graph model that was recently proposed as a model for complex networks by Krioukovet al.(2010). In this model, nodes are chosen randomly inside a disk in the hyperbolic plane and two nodes are connected if they are at most a certain hyperbolic distance from each other. It has previously been shown that this model has various properties associated with complex networks, including a power-law degree distribution and a strictly positive clustering coefficient. The model is specified using three parameters: the number of nodesN, which we think of as going to infinity, and$\alpha, \nu > 0$, which we think of as constant. Roughly speaking,$\alpha$controls the power-law exponent of the degree sequence and$\nu$the average degree. Earlier work of Kiwi and Mitsche (2015) has shown that, when$\alpha \lt 1$(which corresponds to the exponent of the power law degree sequence being$\lt 3$), the diameter of the largest component is asymptotically almost surely (a.a.s.) at most polylogarithmic inN. Friedrich and Krohmer (2015) showed it was a.a.s.$\Omega(\log N)$and improved the exponent of the polynomial in$\log N$in the upper bound. Here we show the maximum diameter over all components is a.a.s.$O(\log N),$thus giving a bound that is tight up to a multiplicative constant.
Health Care for Mitochondrial Disorders in Canada: A Survey of Physicians
Authors: Paik Karen , Lines Matthew A. , Chakraborty Pranesh , Khangura Sara D. , Latocki Maureen , Al-Hertani Walla , Brunel-Guitton Catherine , Khan Aneal , Penny Blaine , Rockman-Greenberg Cheryl , Rupar C. Anthony , Sondheimer Neal , Tarnopolsky Mark , Tingley Kylie , Coyle Doug , Dyack Sarah , Feigenbaum Annette , Geraghty Michael T. , Gillis Jane , van Karnebeek Clara D. M. , Kronick Jonathan B. , Little Julian , Potter Murray , Siriwardena Komudi , Sparkes Rebecca , Turner Lesley A. , Wilson Kumanan , Buhas Daniela , Potter Beth K. ,   in collaboration with the Canadian Inherited Metabolic Diseases Research Network
Published: August 2019

Background:

An improved understanding of diagnostic and treatment practices for patients with rare primary mitochondrial disorders can support benchmarking against guidelines and establish priorities for evaluative research. We aimed to describe physician care for patients with mitochondrial diseases in Canada, including variation in care.

Methods:

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of Canadian physicians involved in the diagnosis and/or ongoing care of patients with mitochondrial diseases. We used snowball sampling to identify potentially eligible participants, who were contacted by mail up to five times and invited to complete a questionnaire by mail or internet. The questionnaire addressed: personal experience in providing care for mitochondrial disorders; diagnostic and treatment practices; challenges in accessing tests or treatments; and views regarding research priorities.

Results:

We received 58 survey responses (52% response rate). Most respondents (83%) reported spending 20% or less of their clinical practice time caring for patients with mitochondrial disorders. We identified important variation in diagnostic care, although assessments frequently reported as diagnostically helpful (e.g., brain magnetic resonance imaging, MRI/MR spectroscopy) were also recommended in published guidelines. Approximately half (49%) of participants would recommend “mitochondrial cocktails” for all or most patients, but we identified variation in responses regarding specific vitamins and cofactors. A majority of physicians recommended studies on the development of effective therapies as the top research priority.

Conclusions:

While Canadian physicians’ views about diagnostic care and disease management are aligned with published recommendations, important variations in care reflect persistent areas of uncertainty and a need for empirical evidence to support and update standard protocols.
Displays of Violence and Power at the Edge of the Empire: Provincial Trophy Heads during Inca Times
Authors: Garrido Francisco , Morales Catalina
Published: August 2019

The Inca expansion to the southern Andes catalyzed important political and symbolic changes in local communities. In addition to economic changes in mining production and the installation of logistical and administrative infrastructure, new forms of ideological violence emerged in the Copiapó Valley, Chile. One new form was the display and discarding of human heads, a burial pattern unprecedented in the region. In this article, we present evidence of perforated heads buried without grave goods next to a local cemetery in a Late Horizon village. We argue that the performative use of modified severed heads from young individuals at the Iglesia Colorada site was part of Inca ritual practices. Their use represented an effort to ideologically rule over newly incorporated subjects by demonstrating power and ensuring their compliance.
Using Wearable Technology to Increase Police Legitimacy in Uruguay: The Case of Body-Worn Cameras
Authors: Ariel Barak , Mitchell Renée J. , Tankebe Justice , Firpo Maria Emilia , Fraiman Ricardo , Hyatt Jordan M.
Published: August 2019

What are the effects of wearable police cameras on perceptions of the police? In this study, we report causal estimates from a crossover randomized controlled trial in Uruguay on the effects of use of body-worn cameras by traffic police on the perceptions of legitimacy and satisfaction by drivers ticketed for traffic violations. We pay particular attention to the effects on procedural justice—that is, perceptions of the fairness of the interactions between officers and drivers—without neglecting other features of legitimacy (i.e., effectiveness, distributive justice, and lawfulness). With the exception of lawfulness, wearable surveillance apparatuses showed improvements across all dimensions of legitimacy compared to control conditions, with medium to large effect sizes. The overall satisfaction from the police-public interaction was significantly higher when officers used body-worn cameras. These findings suggest that wearable surveillance technology can lead to enhanced perceptions of legitimacy across multiple dimensions, not just increased efficiency, as well as the perceived overall quality of police-public interaction.
Dissecting Sites of Punishment: Penal Colonies and Their Borders
Authors: Popova Zhanna , Di Pasquale Francesca
Published: August 2019

Although a crucial element of imperial architecture, non-metropolitan penal colonies remain relatively understudied, compared with the richness of historical scholarship on modern prison systems in Western Europe and its offshoots. Complementing the perspective chosen in the recentInternational Review of Social HistorySpecial Issue 26, “Transportation, Deportation and Exile: Perspectives from the Colonies in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries”, the four articles in this Special Theme propose an additional angle of investigation of the role of convicts in the incorporation of new territories into colonial empires. The authors place sites of punishment, rather than flows of convicts, at the core of their reflection, and provide a close-up analysis of circulations of information and people across the borders of penal sites on various scales: local, trans-regional, and international. They problematize the notion of “border”, and consider it as a vantage point that leads to a new conceptualization of the penal colony as a system that expands in its surroundings and, in turn, assimilates external political, social, and economic stimuli. Relying on several distinct methodological approaches, the authors foreground the specificities of colonial punishment and demonstrate how punishment became part of the creation and maintenance of power inequalities between the colonies and the metropoles.
The Disputed Constitutionality of the Precedential Practice of the Federal Supreme Court and Its Implications for Oromia Family Law: The Case of Bigamous Marriage in Ethiopia
Authors: Hirko Sileshi Bedasie
Published: August 2019

The practice of cassation over cassation and its consequent rule of precedent have resulted in a legal quagmire. The impact is evident in the pecuniary disposition of a bigamous marriage with far-reaching legal ramifications for a valid marriage in Ethiopia. In fact, the pecuniary consequences of a bigamous marriage have remained a perplexing challenge in Ethiopia due to, inter alia, the debatable precedential practice of the Federal Supreme Court. Given the constitutionally guaranteed regional autonomy of the regional states to regulate family matters in Ethiopia, the practice has constitutional implications for the application of the Oromia Family Code. This article argues that the federal doctrine of precedent and its enabling legislation not only lack a concrete constitutional basis, but also encroach upon the constitutional autonomy of regional states and the constitutional rights of legitimate spouses. Exploring the constitutional dimensions of the practice and its legal ramifications, the article suggests possible options to change the practice at a regional level.
Dietary habits of newcomer children in Canada
Authors: Lane Ginny , Nisbet Christine , Vatanparast Hassan
Published: August 2019

Objective:

To explore the dietary habits, nutrient adequacies and dietary change experiences of immigrant and refugee children.

Design:

Mixed-methods cross-sectional design. Children completed three 24 h dietary recalls to determine nutrient inadequacies. Parents and service providers were interviewed to capture dietary practices.

Setting:

Healthy Immigrant Children study, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Participants:

Three hundred immigrant and refugee children aged 3–13 years and twenty-two parents who lived in Regina or Saskatoon for less than 5 years; twenty-four newcomer services providers.

Results:

Immigrant children had higher mean intakes of meat and alternatives, milk and alternatives, and whole grains; and consumed more vitamin B12, folate, Ca, vitamin D, Fe and Zn compared with refugee children. Refugee children were at higher risk of having inadequate intakes of folate (37 %) and Fe (18 %). Both immigrant and refugee children were at high risk of inadequate vitamin D (87 and 93 %, respectively) and Ca intakes (79 and 80 %), and a substantial portion were at risk for inadequate Zn intake (21 and 31 %). Participants mentioned challenges with maintaining a healthy traditional diet in the midst of a busy schedule, while responding to their children’s demands for foods high in fat and sugar.

Conclusions:

Newcomer children are at risk for inadequate intakes of vitamin D, Ca and Zn, while refugee children are at additional risk for inadequate folate and Fe intakes. Newcomers to Canada may experience subtle or drastic changes in their food environment leading to dietary acculturation that includes increased consumption of foods high in sugar, salt and fat.
Food insecurity and dietary intake by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation status among mainland US Puerto Rican adults after the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Authors: McClain Amanda C , Tucker Katherine L , Falcón Luis M , Mattei Josiemer
Published: August 2019

Objective:

The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) increased monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and expanded SNAP eligibility, yet limited evidence exists on the potential impact of ARRA on dietary intake among at-risk individuals. We aimed to examine pre-/post-ARRA differences in food insecurity (FI) and dietary intake by SNAP participation status.

Design:

Pre/post analysis.

Setting:

Boston, MA, USA.

Participants:

Data were from the longitudinal Boston Puerto Rican Health Study (2007–2015). The US Department of Agriculture ten-item adult module assessed FI. A validated FFQ assessed dietary intake. Diet quality was assessed using the Alternate Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010). Self-reported pre-/post-ARRA household SNAP participation responses were categorized as: sustained (n 249), new (n 95) or discontinued (n 58). We estimated differences in odds of FI and in mean nutrient intakes and AHEI-2010 scores post-ARRA.

Results:

Compared with pre-ARRA, OR (95 % CI) of FI post-ARRA were lower for all participants (0·69 (0·51, 0·94)), and within sustained (0·63 (0·43, 0·92)) but not within new (0·94 (0·49, 1·80)) or discontinued (0·63 (0·25, 1·56)) participants. Post-ARRA, total carbohydrate intake was higher, and alcohol intake was lower, for sustained and new participants, and dietary fibre was higher for sustained participants, compared with discontinued participants. Scores for AHEI-2010 and its components did not differ post-ARRA, except for lower alcohol intake for sustained v. discontinued participants.

Conclusions:

Post-ARRA, FI decreased for sustained participants and some nutrient intakes were healthier for sustained and new participants. Continuing and expanding SNAP benefits and eligibility likely protects against FI and may improve dietary intake.
Image Segmentation for FIB-SEM Serial Sectioning of a Si/C–Graphite Composite Anode Microstructure Based on Preprocessing and Global Thresholding
Authors: Kim Dongjae , Lee Sihyung , Hong Wooram , Lee Hyosug , Jeon Seongho , Han Sungsoo , Nam Jaewook
Published: August 2019

The choice of materials that constitute electrodes and the way they are interconnected, i.e., the microstructure, influences the performance of lithium-ion batteries. For batteries with high energy and power densities, the microstructure of the electrodes must be controlled during their manufacturing process. Moreover, understanding the microstructure helps in designing a high-performance, yet low-cost battery. In this study, we propose a systematic algorithm workflow for the images of the microstructure of anodes obtained from a focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM). Here, we discuss the typical issues that arise in the raw FIB-SEM images and the corresponding preprocessing methods that resolve them. Next, we propose a Fourier transform-based filter that effectively reduces curtain artifacts. Also, we propose a simple, yet an effective, global-thresholding method to identify active materials and pores in the microstructure. Finally, we reconstruct the three-dimensional structures by concatenating the segmented images. The whole algorithm workflow used in this study is not fully automated and requires user interactions such as choosing the values of parameters and removing shine-through artifacts manually. However, it should be emphasized that the proposed global-thresholding method is deterministic and stable, which results in high segmentation performance for all sectioning images.
Klinische Leitlinien: ein mehrdeutiger Begriff mit potenziell unerwarteten juristischen Konsequenzen
Authors: Ulyte Agne , Vokinger Kerstin Noëlle , Dressel Holger
Published: August 2019

Zusammenfassung. Der Begriff «Klinische Leitlinien» (Clinical Practice Guidelines, CPG) wird in der Schweiz nicht einheitlich verwendet. Die FMH definierte «Guidelines» im Jahr 1999. In der Praxis werden Dokumente, die diese Definition nicht erfüllen, teilweise trotzdem als Leitlinien bezeichnet, und andererseits Empfehlungen, die die Definition erfüllen, nicht immer. Auch Umschreibungen wie etwa «(klinische) Richtlinien», «Empfehlungen» oder «Stellungnahmen» werden verwendet. Diese Heterogenität kann zu Unsicherheiten in der Medizin und zu potenziell unerwünschten (oder zumindest unerwarteten) rechtlichen Konsequenzen führen. So können «klinische Leitlinien» zur Konkretisierung des Sorgfaltspflichtmassstabes in einem strafrechtlichen, zivilrechtlichen oder öffentlich-rechtlichen Verfahren herangezogen werden. Eine einheitliche Verwendung des Begriffs «Klinische Leitlinien» könnte in der Schweiz zur Verbesserung von Qualität und Rechtssicherheit führen.
«Ich bin plötzlich so besäuselt!» Alkoholstoffwechsel und Bariatrie: wenn ein Drink zu zwei Drinks wird
Authors: Suter Paolo M. , Perger Ludwig
Published: August 2019

Zusammenfassung. In der modernen Gesellschaft wird ein Verzicht auf Alkohol nicht toleriert und regelmässiger Konsum ist gesellschaftlich akzeptiert. Wenn auch oftmals ignoriert, ist Alkohol doch ein Risikofaktor für Übergewicht und Adipositas: Alkohol beeinflusst durch verschiedene direkte und indirekte Mechanismen alle Komponenten der Energiebilanz. Bariatrie-Patienten stellen eine neue Gruppe von Patienten dar, die bei Alkoholkonsum ein deutlich erhöhtes Gesundheitsrisiko haben. Eine Magenbypass-Operation beeinflusst den Alkoholstoffwechsel in mehrfacher Hinsicht: schnellere Absorption mit einer höheren maximalen Blut-Alkoholkonzentration und eine längere Alkoholverweildauer im Blut. Bei diesen Patienten werden aus einem Drink zwei Drinks, mit den entsprechend erhöhten Kurz- und Langzeit-Risiken. Zudem beeinflusst der Alkohol auch Strukturen und Regelkreise des Belohnungssystems, was das Risiko für einen erhöhten Konsum und eine Alkoholabhängigkeit erhöhen kann. Epidemiologische und tierexperimentelle Studien bestätigen Letzteres. Diese Veränderungen finden sich beim klassischen Magenbypass, aber auch bei Patienten mit einem Magenschlauch (nicht jedoch beim Magenband). Das Risiko für ein Alkohol-Suchtverhalten und die Entwicklung eines Alkoholabhängigkeitssyndroms ist bei Bariatrie-Patienten erhöht. Dieses erhöhte Risiko besteht wahrscheinlich schon während der ersten postoperativen Jahre, kann aber auch erst einige Jahre nach der Operation auftreten. Ein detailliertes Assessment des Alkoholkonsums vor dem Eingriff und ein diesbezügliches nachhaltiges postoperatives Monitoring sind von grosser Bedeutung. Trotz höchster Relevanz führt diese «Nebenwirkung» der Bariatrie im Moment immer noch ein stiefmütterliches Dasein. Es ist einfacher, über die Heilung eines Diabetes Typ II durch Bariatrie zu sprechen als über das Risiko für oder gar eine neu aufgetretene Alkoholabhängigkeit.
Paleontologists Peer Inside Billion-Year-Old Cells
Authors: Thomasy Hannah
Published: August 2019

Scientists have discovered the fossilized remains of Precambrian cells extraordinarily preserved with the rare earth element phosphates monazite and xenotime.
Controls on Fore‐Arc Deformation and Stress Switching After the Great 2011 Tohoku‐Oki Earthquake From Discrete Numerical Simulations
Authors: Wang Xiaoyu , Morgan Julia K.
Published: August 2019

The large magnitude of the 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku‐Oki earthquake, which occurred off the east coast of Japan, was not expected or predicted by any previous studies. One surprising observation was the sudden change in stress state; local earthquakes confirmed a compressional stress state before the main shock, whereas an extensional stress state was evident after the main shock. Using discrete element method modeling, this project attempts to reproduce the stress change after the main shock, and explores the conditions that can cause stress switching both onshore and offshore Tohoku. Our simulations demonstrate that rapid fault weakening can produce stress change and predominant normal‐fault earthquake mechanisms in the upper plate of Tohoku‐Oki. Several specific conditions seem to favor such stress switching; the megathrust fault must have been frictionally strong before the main shock, and comparable values of internal (μinternal) and basal friction (μbasal) are necessary to cause the formation of widespread normal faults within the wedge. Furthermore, dynamic extension during elastic unloading appears to play an important role in accommodating stress changes and wedge deformation in the Tohoku area; these cannot be explained solely based on Critical Coulomb Wedge models, but instead require dynamic unloading processes.
Zeeman-type spin splitting in nonmagnetic three-dimensional compounds
Authors: Mera Acosta Carlos , Fazzio Adalberto , Dalpian Gustavo M.
Published: August 2019

Despite its potential for device application, the nonmagnetic Zeeman effect has only been predicted and observed in two-dimensional compounds. We demonstrate that noncentrosymmetric three-dimensional compounds can also exhibit a Zeeman-type spin splitting, allowing the splitting control by changing the growth direction of slabs formed by these compounds. We determine the required conditions for this effect: (i) noncentrosymmetric including polar and nonpolar point groups, (ii) valence band maximum or conduction band minimum in a generic k-point, i.e., non-time-reversal-invariant momentum, and (iii) zero magnetic moment. Using these conditions as filters, we perform a material screening to systematically search for these systems in the AFLOW-ICSD database. We find 20 candidates featuring the Zeeman-type effect. We also find that the spin splitting in confined systems can be controlled by an external electric field, which in turns can induce a metal–insulator transition. We believe that this work will open the way for the discovery of novel fundamental effects related to the spin polarization control.
Evidence for tritium persistence as organically bound forms in river sediments since the past nuclear weapon tests
Authors: Eyrolle Frédérique , Copard Yoann , Lepage Hugo , Ducros Loic , Morereau Amandine , Grosbois Cécile , Cossonnet Catherine , Gurriaran Rodolfo , Booth Shawn , Desmet Marc
Published: August 2019

Tritium of artificial origin was initially introduced to the environment from the global atmospheric fallout after nuclear weapons tests. Its level was increased in rainwaters by a factor 1000 during peak emissions in 1963 within the whole northern hemisphere. Here we demonstrate that tritium from global atmospheric fallout stored in sedimentary reservoir for decades as organically bound forms in recalcitrant organic matter while tritium released by nuclear industries in rivers escape from such storages. Additionally, we highlight that organically bound tritium concentrations in riverine sediments culminate several years after peaking emission in the atmosphere due to the transit time of organic matter from soils to river systems. These results were acquired by measuring both free and bound forms of tritium in a 70 year old sedimentary archive cored in the Loire river basin (France). Such tritium storages, assumed to be formed at the global scale, as well as the decadal time lag of tritium contamination levels between atmosphere and river systems have never been demonstrated until now. Our results bring new lights on tritium persistence and dynamics within the environment and demonstrate that sedimentary reservoir constitute both tritium sinks and potential delayed sources of mobile and bioavailable tritium for freshwaters and living organisms decades after atmospheric contamination.
Sleeping Beauty Transposon-Mediated Asparaginase Gene Delivery by a Nanoparticle Platform
Authors: Chang Jen-Hsuan , Mou Kurt Yun , Mou Chung-Yuan
Published: August 2019

Transgenic genome integration using non-viral vehicles is a promising approach for gene therapy. Previous studies reported that asparagine is a key regulator of cancer cell amino acid homeostasis, anabolic metabolism and cell proliferation. The depletion of asparagine would inhibit the growth of many cancer cells. In this study, we develop a nanoparticle delivery system to permanently integrate the asparaginase gene into the genome of human lung adenocarcinoma cells. The asparaginase plasmid and the Sleeping Beauty plasmid were co-transfected using amine-functionalized mesoporous nanoparticles into the human lung adenocarcinoma cells. The intracellular asparaginase expression led to the cell cytotoxicity for PC9 and A549 cells. In addition, the combination of the chemotherapy and the asparaginase gene therapy additively enhanced the cell cytotoxicity of PC9 and A549 cells to 69% and 63%, respectively. Finally, we showed that the stable cell clones were successfully made by puromycin selection. The doxycycline-induced expression of asparaginase caused almost complete cell death of PC9 and A549 asparaginase-integrated stable cells. This work demonstrates that silica-based nanoparticles have great potential in gene delivery for therapeutic purposes.
Author Correction: Methane emissions from groundwater pumping in the USA
Authors: Kulongoski J. T. , McMahon P. B.
Published: August 2019

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.