bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Designing of Functionalized MWCNTs/Anodized Stainless Steel Heterostructure Electrode for Anodic Oxidation of Low Concentration As(III) in Drinking Water
Authors: Sarkar Arpan , Sarkar Ayan , Paul Biswajit , Khan Gobinda Gopal
Published: August 2019

Considering the severe threat of arsenic contamination in drinking water on the life of millions of people around the world‐different technologies and materials have been employed throughout the ages to provide arsenic‐free drinking water. This work, demonstrates a facile fabrication of a low‐cost, bio‐friendly p‐type functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (f‐MWCNTs)/n‐type anodized stainless steel (SS) hybrid material, which is used as an effective electrode for the easy and fast oxidation of arsenic(III) to arsenic(V), by applying relatively low positive voltage, to subsequently increase the proficiency of the process. This new material based technology used in this work is found very effective in oxidizing comparatively lower concentrations of arsenic (III) (<100 ppb) present in drinking water at 30 °C at a pH suitable for drinking water (6.5‐8.5). Fabrication of such interfacial band engineered nano‐hybrid electrode is beneficial to enhance the anodic current, which in turn, increases the As(III) oxidation. Based on the design of the electrode, the hole mediated anodic current is found to boost the oxidization of As(III). This technology could reduce the use of ultraviolet radiation and other use of costly oxidants for the oxidation of As(III) and thus can appear as a cost‐effective, energy‐efficient technique for the oxidizing of As(III) from drinking water.
Fatigue behavior of HPC and FRC under cyclic tensile loading: Experiments and modeling
Authors: Schäfer Niklas , Gudžulić Vladislav , Timothy Jithender J. , Breitenbücher Rolf , Meschke Günther
Published: August 2019

Systematic investigations of hardened cement paste, high‐performance concrete and mortar with and without microfibers, subjected to static and cyclic tensile loadings, were conducted. The material degradation was investigated by means of microscopic analyses of the microcrack development. Notched specimens were subjected to a predefined number of load cycles. A nonsteady increase of microcracking with increasing load cycles was observed in high‐strength concrete, whereas the addition of steel fibers lead to a steady increase of microcracks. High‐strength mortar often showed premature failure, while addition of steel micro fibers allowed completion of the cyclic tests. To obtain a deeper insight into physical mechanisms governing fatigue and structural failure, high‐performance concrete (HPC) and fiber‐reinforced concrete (FRC) under static and cyclic tensile loadings have been modeled using cohesive interface finite elements, micromechanics, and a fiber‐bundle model. Analysis of model predictions shows the significance of strength disorder and fiber properties on the structural behavior.
Conceptualizing the key features of cyber‐physical systems in a multi‐layered representation for safety and security analysis
Authors: Carreras Guzman Nelson H. , Wied Morten , Kozine Igor , Lundteigen Mary Ann
Published: August 2019

Many safety‐related systems are evolving into cyber‐physical systems (CPSs), integrating information technologies in their control architectures and modifying the interactions among automation and human operators. Particularly, a promising potential exists for enhanced efficiency and safety in applications such as autonomous transportation systems, control systems in critical infrastructures, smart manufacturing and process plants, robotics, and smart medical devices, among others. However, the modern features of CPSs are ambiguous for system designers and risk analysts, especially considering the role of humans and the interactions between safety and security. The sources of safety risks are not restricted to accidental failures and errors anymore. Indeed, cybersecurity attacks can now cascade into safety risks leading to physical harm to the system and its environment. These new challenges demand system engineers and risk analysts to understand the security vulnerabilities existing in CPS features and their dependencies with physical processes. Therefore, this paper (a) examines the key features of CPSs and their relation with other system types; (b) defines the dependencies between levels of automation and human roles in CPSs from a systems engineering perspective; and (c) applies systems thinking to describe a multi‐layered diagrammatic representation of CPSs for combined safety and security risk analysis, demonstrating an application in the maritime sector to analyze an autonomous surface vehicle.
Research Progress in the Field of Adsorption and Catalytic Degradation of Sewage by Hydrotalcite‐Derived Materials
Authors: Pan Duo , Ge Shengsong , Tian Jiangyang , Shao Qian , Guo Lin , Liu Hu , Wu Shide , Ding Tao , Guo Zhanhu
Published: August 2019

With the rapid development of industry and agriculture and the greatly improved living conditions, the resultant gradually deteriorated environments threaten the human beings. Refractory or even toxic pollutants, which are from different industries such as printing and dyeing, pesticides, chemicals, petrochemicals, plastics and rubber, seriously threat the ecosystems and human health. Having the advantages of flexible composition, unique structure, high stability, memory effect, easy preparation and low cost, hydrotalcite compounds have a great potential in sewage degradation and environmental protection. This study focuses on the adsorption and catalytic properties (such as photocatalysis, electrocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis) of hydrotalcite‐derived materials for treating organic, inorganic and heavy metal ion sewage. The types of adsorption and catalysis, and the effects of various influencing factors on the degradation efficiency were discussed as well.
Molecular characterization and expression analysis of copper‐zinc superoxide dismutases from the freshwater alga Closterium ehrenbergii under metal stress
Authors: Wang Hui , Ki Jang‐Seu
Published: August 2019

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) acts as the first line of defense against reactive oxygen species (ROS) within cells. In the present study, we determined two novel CuZnSOD genes (designated as CeCSD1 and CeCSD2) from the toxicity‐testing freshwater algae Closterium ehrenbergii and examined their structural features, phylogenetic relationships, and gene expression under exposure to different metals. Putative CeCSD1 (204 aa, 20.6 kDa) and CeCSD2 (155 aa, 15.3 kDa) proteins had conserved CuZnSOD family motifs and metal (Cu, Zn) binding sites, but different N‐terminus structures, that is, CeCSD1 has a signal peptide to chloroplasts. Phylogenetic analysis of each protein revealed that C. ehrenbergii was well clustered with other green algae and plants. Real‐time PCR results showed that the gene expression obviously increased with heavy metal exposure. In addition, excess copper considerably increased the SOD activity and ROS generation but decreased the photosynthetic efficiency in treated cells. These results suggest that CeCSDs are involved in the antioxidant defense system and can be regarded as potential biomarkers for monitoring metal contaminants in aquatic environments.
Understanding institutions for water allocation and exchange: Insights from dynamic agent‐based modeling
Authors: Murphy John T. , Altaweel Mark , Ozik Jonathan , Lammers Richard B.
Published: August 2019

Water allocation occurs within systems that include market‐driven and nonmarket approaches; these are often nested within complex collections of laws, contracts, and customs, and embody cultural definitions of the nature of water as a commodity or a right and the nature of fair exchanges. Understanding the dynamics of such an allocation system, including the ways that it may change through time and the ways that it can be modified to better achieve societal goals, can be challenging. One promising approach is agent‐based modeling (ABM), and specifically models in which the agents dynamically adapt to the system that they create. The potential for such modeling in the domain of water systems is only beginning to be explored. We present a highly abstract but illustrative example of an adaptive system and its analysis to show the potential for the ABM approach.

This article is categorized under:

Engineering Water > Planning Water

Human Water > Rights to Water

Engineering Water > Methods

Human Water > Water Governance
Perspectives of energy transitions in East and Southeast Asia
Authors: Li Bo , Nian Victor , Shi Xunpeng , Li Hailong , Boey Augustin
Published: August 2019

Energy transitions are designed to improve the resilience, sustainability, and productivity of a country's energy system, and are the key instruments to mitigating the warming climate. Countries and regions have unique circumstances when projecting energy transition pathways. Nonetheless, East Asian economies have shared opportunities and challenges. From the perspective of fuel mix, East Asia had some initial success in renewable energy development accompanied by energy efficiency improvements. Nuclear energy, although controversial, has been well developed and is continuing its advancement in East Asia. However, the dominance of coal in the energy mix has not been sufficiently addressed, mostly because of legacy issues. The region's renewable energy potential is also underdeveloped due to a mismatch between resources and energy demand. Since the region as whole is well endowed with renewable energy resources, the region's advancement in regional energy connectivity presents a valuable institutional asset to further decarbonize East Asian energy sector beyond individual nation's efforts.

This article is categorized under:

Energy and Climate > Economics and Policy

Energy Policy and Planning > Economics and Policy

Energy and Development > Economics and Policy
Experimental assessment of effectively probed volume in confocal XRF spectrometry using microparticles
Authors: Poths Patricia , Chinea‐Cano Ernesto , Dzigal Naida , Darby Iain Gerard , Osan Janos , Padilla‐Alvarez Roman
Published: August 2019

Current approaches for assessing a confocal micro‐X‐rayfluorescence–probing volume involve the use of sharp knife edges, thin films, or wires, which are moved through this volume. The fluorescence radiation excited in the material of the object is measured, and profiles are built to enable the determination of the full width at half maximum in any of the three axes of the excited volume. Such approaches do not provide information on the shape of the volume, and the consequent alignment of both used lenses is made based on the position of the maxima of the registered intensity measurements. The use of particles that are smaller than the interaction volume (isolated enough to prevent the influence of nearby particles) and translated through the interaction volume (3D scan) is presented as an alternative methodology to determine the confocal probing volume. Spherical shaped uranium particles with diameter of 1–3 μm originally produced for scanning electron microscopy analysis calibration purposes were used in this study. The results obtained showed that the effectively probed confocal volume has a distinct prolate spheroidal shape that is longer in the axis of the confocal detector than it is wide on the axes of the plane perpendicular to it. The diameter in the longest axis (tilted accordingly to the angle between the two silicon drift detectors) was found to be approximately 25 μm, whereas the shorter was found about 15 μm each, with a volume of about 3,000 μm3.
Junctions of mass-deformed nonlinear sigma models on the Grassmann manifold
Authors: Shin Sunyoung
Published: August 2019

Abstract

We study vacua and walls of the mass-deformed nonlinear sigma models on the Grassmann manifold

$$ {G}_{N_F}{N}_C=\frac{G_{N_F},\left({N}_F\right)}{SU\ \left({N}_C\right)\times SU\ \left({N}_F-{N}_C\right)\times U(1)} $$

G

N
F

N
C

=

G

N
F

,

N
F

SU

N
C

×
SU

N
F

−

N
C

×
U

1

and discuss three-pronged junctions for NC = 1, 2, 3 in four dimensions.
Neutrino masses and mixing from double covering of finite modular groups
Authors: Liu Xiang-Gan , Ding Gui-Jun
Published: August 2019

Abstract

We extend the even weight modular forms of modular invariant approach to general integral weight modular forms. We find that the modular forms of integral weights and level N can be arranged into irreducible representations of the homogeneous finite modular group

$$ {\Gamma}_N^{\prime } $$

Γ
N
′

which is the double covering of Γ
N
. The lowest weight 1 modular forms of level 3 are constructed in terms of Dedekind eta-function, and they transform as a doublet of

$$ {\Gamma}_3^{\prime } $$

Γ
3
′

≅ T′. The modular forms of weights 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are presented. We build a model of lepton masses and mixing based on T′ modular symmetry.
Experimental Investigation of Fastener Pull-out Response in Composite Joints under Static and Dynamic Loading Rates
Authors: Perogamvros Nikolaos , Lampeas George , Murphy Adrian
Published: August 2019

A novel device is adopted in order to experimentally investigate the effect of various loading rates on the pull-out response of a fastened composite joint configuration. The joint coupons comprise a composite plate made of the carbon/epoxy AS4/8552 material system and a centrally located titanium lockbolt. Tensile-type (pull) loading was applied to the specimens in a velocity range from quasi-static to 2.1 m/s. Both quasi-static and dynamic tests were conducted using the same specimen geometry and boundary conditions, which conform to international and industrial standards. The experimental work expands the limited literature and understanding of the mechanical response of composite pull-out joints under the action of dynamic loading. The main experimental observations revealed an increase of 15% regarding maximum load values when loading rate shifts from the static to the impact regime, while the failure patterns derived from static and dynamic tests were similar, although the latter presented a more intense damage zone.
More than meets the eye: a longitudinal analysis of climate change imagery in the print media
Authors: O’Neill Saffron
Published: August 2019

Images are ubiquitous in everyday life. They are a key part of the communication process, shaping peoples’ attitudes and policy preferences on climate change. Images which have come to dominate visual portrayals of climate change (and conversely, those that are marginalised or excluded) influence how we interact with climate change in our everyday lives. This paper presents the first in-depth, cross-cultural and longitudinal study of climate change visual discourse. It examines over a thousand images associated with articles about climate change in UK and US newspapers between 2001 and 2009, a pivotal decade for climate change engagement. Content, frame and iconographic analyses reveal a remarkably consistent visual discourse in the UK and US newspapers. The longitudinal analysis shows how the visual representation of climate changed mid-decade. Before 2005, a distancing frame was common. Imagery of polar landscapes acted as a visual synecdoche for distant climate risk. After 2005, there was a rapid increase in visual coverage, an increase in use of the contested visual frame, alongside an increase in climate cartoons, protest imagery and visual synecdoches. These synecdoches began to be subverted and parodied, particularly in the right-leaning press. These results illustrate the rise of climate change scepticism during the mid-2000s. This study has implications for public engagement with climate change. It shows that the contested and distancing visual frames are deeply and historically embedded in the meaning-making of climate change. Additionally, it showcases the importance of visual synecdoches, used by newspapers in particular circumstances to engage particular audiences. Knowing and understanding visual use is imperative to enable an evidence-based approach to climate engagement endeavours.
Cardiac output estimation by multi-beat analysis of the radial arterial blood pressure waveform versus intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution: a method comparison study in patients treated in the intensive care unit after off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery
Authors: Greiwe Gillis , Peters Valerie , Hapfelmeier Alexander , Romagnoli Stefano , Kubik Mathias , Saugel Bernd
Published: August 2019

Cardiac output (CO) is a key hemodynamic variable that can be minimally invasively estimated by pulse wave analysis. Multi-beat analysis is a novel pulse wave analysis method. In this prospective observational clinical method comparison study, we compared CO estimations by multi-beat analysis with CO measured by intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution (PATD) in adult patients treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) after off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB). We included patients after planned admission to the ICU after elective OPCAB who were monitored with a radial arterial catheter and a pulmonary artery catheter. At seven time points, we determined CO using intermittent PATD (PATD-CO; reference method) and simultaneously recorded the radial arterial blood pressure waveform that we later used to estimate CO using multi-beat analysis (MBA-CO; test method) with the Argos monitor (Retia Medical; Valhalla, NY, USA). Blood pressure waveforms impaired by inappropriate damping properties or artifacts were excluded. We compared PATD-CO and MBA-CO using Bland–Altman analysis accounting for repeated measurements, the percentage error, and the concordance rate derived from four-quadrant plot analysis (15% exclusion zone). We analyzed 167 CO values of 31 patients. Mean PATD-CO was 5.30 ± 1.22 L/min and mean MBA-CO was 5.55 ± 1.82 L/min. The mean of the differences between PATD-CO and MBA-CO was 0.08 ± 1.10 L/min (95% limits of agreement: − 2.13 L/min to + 2.29 L/min). The percentage error was 40.7%. The four-quadrant plot-derived concordance rate was 88%. CO estimation by multi-beat analysis of the radial arterial blood pressure waveform (Argos monitor) shows reasonable agreement compared with CO measured by intermittent PATD in adult patients treated in the ICU after OPCAB.
Cardiac output estimation using multi-beat analysis of the radial arterial blood pressure waveform: a method comparison study in patients having off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery using intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution as the reference method
Authors: Saugel Bernd , Heeschen Julia , Hapfelmeier Alexander , Romagnoli Stefano , Greiwe Gillis
Published: August 2019

Pulse wave analysis enables stroke volume to be estimated from an arterial blood pressure waveform. Multi-beat analysis is a novel pulse wave analysis method. We aimed to investigate cardiac output (CO) estimations using multi-beat analysis of the radial arterial blood pressure waveform in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB) using intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution (PATD) as the reference method. This was a prospective clinical method comparison study. In 58 patients, we measured CO using PATD (PATD-CO; reference method) and simultaneously recorded the radial arterial blood pressure waveform that we used for off-line estimation of CO based on multi-beat analysis (MBA-CO; test method) using the Argos CO monitor (Retia Medical; Valhalla, NY, USA). The final analysis was performed using 572 paired CO measurements. We performed Bland–Altman analysis accounting for multiple observations per patient. To describe the ability of the test method to track changes in CO over time we computed four-quadrant plots using a central exclusion zone of 15% and calculated the concordance rate. Mean PATD-CO was 4.13 ± 1.26 L/min and mean MBA-CO was 4.31 ± 1.25 L/min. The mean of the differences between PATD-CO and MBA-CO was − 0.20 L/min with a standard deviation of ± 1.14 L/min and 95% limits of agreement of − 2.48 to + 2.08 L/min. The concordance rate for CO changes between PATD-CO and MBA-CO was 89%. CO estimations using multi-beat analysis (Argos monitor) show reasonable agreement and trending ability compared with PATD-CO as the reference method in adult patients during OPCAB.
Epistemic logic without closure
Authors: Leuenberger Stephan , Smith Martin
Published: August 2019

All standard epistemic logics legitimate something akin to the principle of closure, according to which knowledge is closed under competent deductive inference. And yet the principle of closure, particularly in its multiple premise guise, has a somewhat ambivalent status within epistemology. One might think that serious concerns about closure point us away from epistemic logic altogether—away from the very idea that the knowledge relation could be fruitfully treated as a kind of modal operator. This, however, need not be so. The abandonment of closure may yet leave in place plenty of formal structure amenable to systematic logical treatment. In this paper we describe a family of weak epistemic logics in which closure fails, and describe two alternative semantic frameworks in which these logics can be modelled. One of these—which we termplurality semantics—is relatively unfamiliar. We explore under what conditions plurality frames validate certain much-discussed principles of epistemic logic. It turns out that plurality frames can be interpreted in a very natural way in light of one motivation for rejecting closure, adding to the significance of our technical work. The second framework that we employ—neighbourhood semantics—is much better known. But we show that it too can be interpreted in a way that comports with a certain motivation for rejecting closure.
Parenting practices during middle adolescence and high school dropout
Authors: Afia Kamel , Dion Eric , Dupéré Véronique , Archambault Isabelle , Toste Jessica
Published: August 2019

Introduction

Despite inconclusive findings, educational researchers have long considered adequate parenting practices instrumental in preventing high school dropout among adolescents. The present short‐term retrospective study focuses on parenting practices during middle adolescence when dropout typically occurs.

Methods

The culturally diverse, high‐risk sample of Canadian adolescents (N = 108; Mage = 16.0 years) from low‐income neighborhoods included very recent dropouts and matched still‐in‐school students. A global score reflecting the quality of parenting practices during the period preceding dropout (or comparable period) was derived from adolescents’ answers to a well‐established structured interview protocol. Transcripts of interviews were also used to identify the potentially disruptive challenges (e.g., parental incarceration) that families faced.

Results

Results show a robust relationship between current parenting practices and dropout that was not moderated by challenging family circumstances or immigration history. Descriptive findings indicate that extreme and relatively rare cases of parental neglect were associated with a high dropout risk, but that most dropouts lived in families where communication and supervision, although not entirely absent, were minimal.

Conclusion

Offering systematic support to parents of middle adolescents could help to prevent dropout in high‐risk communities.
The Indian Demand for Imported Fresh Apples: Effects of Tariff Reductions
Authors: Lee Kwanyoung , Gallardo R. Karina , Giacinti Miguel
Published: August 2019

We estimated the impact of the Indian tariff on the demand for imported fresh apples from theUnited States. A 1% decrease in the tariff would increase the quantities demanded by 3.83%. If India eliminates the tariff on all imported fresh apples, total consumer welfare in terms of the imported fresh apple market will increase by $120 million yearly, 57% of the value of all fresh apples imported by India in 2015. This study adds evidence on the effects of tariff reduction on trade volume and welfare of consumers in the importing country.
Categorical Denial: Evaluating Post-1492 Indigenous Erasure in the Paper Trail of American Archaeology
Authors: Panich Lee M. , Schneider Tsim D.
Published: August 2019

To understand the implications of archaeological site recording practices and associated inventories for studying Indigenous persistence after the arrival of Europeans, we examined the documentary record associated with nearly 900 archaeological sites in Marin County, California. Beginning with the first regional surveys conducted during the early 1900s and continuing into the present, the paper trail created by archaeologists reveals an enduring emphasis on precontact materials to the exclusion of more recent patterns of Indigenous occupation and land use. In assessing sites occupied by Indigenous people from the late sixteenth through the mid-twentieth centuries, we discuss how the use of multiple lines of evidence—including temporally diagnostic artifacts, chronometric dating techniques, and historical documentation—may help illuminate subtle but widespread patterns of Native presence that have been obscured by essentialist assumptions about Indigenous culture change. Our findings further reveal the shortcomings of traditional site recording systems, in which archaeologists typically categorize sites within the prehistoric-protohistoric-historic triad on the basis of commonsense decisions that conflate chronology with identity. Instead, we argue for recording practices that focus specifically on the calendric ages of occupation for any given site.
Cortical Ribbon Sign in Acute Hepatic Encephalopathy with Sequential Atrophy
Authors: Muir Ryan T. , Sundaram Arun N. E.
Published: August 2019

A 59-year-old man presented with confusion, decreased level of consciousness, and generalized tonic–clonic seizures. He was intubated and promptly stabilized on antiepileptic medications. He was not in status epilepticus. He improved after seizure control, though he remained confused. He was neither acutely intoxicated nor were there any substance withdrawal concerns prior to his presentation. Furthermore, no metabolic, electrolyte, or nutritional perturbations were identified. He did, however, have a history of alcoholic hepatitis and was awaiting a liver transplant, but his blood work did not reveal evidence of fulminant hepatic failure at presentation (international normalized ratio – 1.17, platelet count 161,000/µL, ammonia 18 µmol/L, blood urea nitrogen 4.5 mmol/L, and his liver enzymes were only remarkable for an elevated alkaline phosphatase of 143 U/L).
Dissemination and continuous improvement of a CTSA-based software platform, SPARCRequest©, using an open source governance model
Authors: He Wenjun , Sampson Royce , Obeid Jihad , Hutson Kyle , Knosp Boyd M. , LaSalle Bernard A. , Melancon Brian , McGhee Kimberly , Lenert Leslie A. , Brady Kathleen
Published: August 2019

SPARCRequest© (Services, Pricing, & Application for Research Centers) is a web-based research management system that provides a modular and adaptable “electronic storefront” for research-related services. Developed by the South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute at the Medical University of South Carolina, it was released as open source (OS) code in 2014. The adoption of SPARCRequest© accelerated in 2016, when, to ensure responsiveness to the needs of partners, its governance also became open. This governance model enables OS partners to suggest and prioritize features for new releases. As a result, the software code has become more modularized and can be easily customized to meet the diverse needs of adopting hubs. This article describes innovative aspects of the OS governance model, including a multi-institutional committee structure to set strategic vision, make operational decisions, and develop technical solutions; a virtual roadmap that ensures transparency and aligns adopters with release-based goals; and a business process model that provides a robust voting mechanism for prioritizing new features while also enabling fast-paced bug fixes. OS software evolves best in open governance environments. OS governance has made SPARCRequest© more responsive to user needs, attracted more adopters, and increased the proportion of code contributed by adopters.
Reapprasing the Approach of International Law to Civil Wars: Aid to Legitimate Governments or Insurgents and Conflict Minimization
Authors: BULTRINI ANTONIO
Published: August 2019

Since the Second World War, there has been a constant decrease of inter-state conflicts. In sharp contrast, the level of intra-state violence has not declined and has even reached unprecedented peaks. This points to a striking discrepancy between the rejection of violence at the inter-state level and the wide leeway that is still afforded to the use of violence at the intra-state level and to external interferences fueling it. This article takes stock of the main features (and serious flaws) of the existing legal framework on aid to governments or insurgents in internal conflict situations. On the basis of a combined legal and conflict-management analysis, the author proposes a radically different approach and formulates a number of legal and policy recommendations on how to tackle the complex phenomenon of foreign intervention in civil wars, where enormous human, economic, and social implications are at stake.
Health Consequences of Lake Urmia in Crisis in the Disaster Area: A Pilot Study
Authors: Tabrizi Jafar Sadegh , Farahbakhsh Mostafa , Sadeghi-Bazargani Homayoun , Abdolahi Hossein Mashhadi , Nikniaz Zeinab , Farhangi Mahdieh Abbasalizad , Nikniaz Leila
Published: August 2019

Objective:

This study investigated the health effects of Lake Urmia’s drought on adjacent urban and rural areas and people.

Methods:

The data for sociodemographic status, physical activity, dietary pattern, smoking, and angina of the subjects living in areas adjacent to and far from Lake Urmia were collected through validated questionnaires. Physical examinations, including blood pressure, anthropometrics, and biochemical measurements, were performed.

Results:

There were no significant differences between 2 areas in the case of age, sex, educational, and physical activity and smoking status (P > 0.05). The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures and the prevalence of hypertension, prehypertension, and anemia in cases living in the adjacent areas were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed between 2 districts in the prevalence of hyperlipidemia, overweight/obesity, asthma, angina, infraction, diabetes, and vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency.

Conclusions:

Our data showed that Lake Urmia’s drought has serious effects on hypertension and anemia. More longitudinal and well-designed studies are needed to confirm these results.
Does Preparedness Matter? The Influence of Household Preparedness on Disaster Outcomes During Superstorm Sandy
Authors: Clay Lauren A. , Goetschius James B. , Papas Mia A. , Trainor Joseph , Martins Nuno , Kendra James M.
Published: August 2019

Objectives:

This study empirically examines preparedness with a kit, medication, and a disaster plan on disaster outcomes including perceived recovery, property damage, and use of medical or mental health services.

Methods:

Using a cross-sectional, retrospective study design, 1114 households in New York City were interviewed 21-34 months following Super Storm Sandy. Bivariate associations were examined and logistic regression models fit to predict the odds of disaster outcomes given the level of preparedness.

Results:

Respondents with an evacuation plan were more likely to report not being recovered (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5-3.8), property damage (OR = 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1-1.9), and use of medical services (OR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1-4.5). Respondents reporting a supply of prescription medication were more likely to report using mental health (OR = 3.5; 95% CI: 1.2-9.8) and medical services (OR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1-4.8)

Conclusions:

Having a kit, plan, and medication did not reduce risk of adverse outcomes in Superstorm Sandy in this sample. Disaster managers should consider the lack of evidence for preparedness when making public education and resource allocation decisions. Additional research is needed to identify preparedness measures that lead to better outcomes for more efficient and effective response and recovery.
The Myth of Stochastic Infallibilism
Authors: Bricker Adam Michael
Published: August 2019

There is a widespread attitude in epistemology that, if you know on the basis of perception, then you couldn't have been wrong as a matter of chance. Despite the apparent intuitive plausibility of this attitude, which I'll refer to here as “stochastic infallibilism”, it fundamentally misunderstands the way that human perceptual systems actually work. Perhaps the most important lesson of signal detection theory (SDT) is that our percepts are inherently subject to random error, and here I'll highlight some key empirical research that underscores this point. In doing so, it becomes clear that we are in fact quite willing to attribute knowledge to S that p even when S's perceptual belief that p could have been randomly false. In short, perceptual processes can randomly fail, and perceptual knowledge is stochastically fallible. The narrow implication here is that any epistemological account that entails stochastic infallibilism, like safety, is simply untenable. More broadly, this myth of stochastic infallibilism provides a valuable illustration of the importance of integrating empirical findings into epistemological thinking.
Using social media to disseminate research in infection prevention, hospital epidemiology, and antimicrobial stewardship
Authors: Cawcutt Kelly A. , Marcelin Jasmine R. , Silver Julie K.
Published: August 2019

Social media, prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial stewardship (ASP) each impact every area of medicine. Independently, each have power to change medicine, however, synergistically, the impact could be transformative. Given the profound clinical, financial, and public health impact of infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship combined with the incomplete uptake of best practices, multimodal strategies employing social media are critical to increase the speed and reach of research. This review discusses the strategic utilization of online communication platforms to increase the dissemination of critical publications.
Effect of wing mass on the free flight of a butterfly-like model using immersed boundary–lattice Boltzmann simulations
Authors: Suzuki K. , Okada I. , Yoshino M.
Published: August 2019

The wings of butterflies are relatively heavier than those of other insects, and the inertial force and torque due to the wing mass are likely to have a significant effect on agility and manoeuvrability in the flapping flight of butterflies. In the present study, the effect of wing mass on the free flight of butterflies is investigated by numerical simulations based on an immersed boundary–lattice Boltzmann method. We use a butterfly-like model consisting of two square wings with mass connected by a rod-shaped body. We simulate the free flights of the model by changing the ratio of the wing mass to the total mass of the model and also changing the mass distributions of the wings. As a result, we find that the aerodynamic vertical and horizontal forces decrease as the wing-mass ratio increases, since for a large wing-mass ratio the body has large vertical and horizontal oscillations in each stroke and consequently the speeds of the wing tip and the leading edge relatively decrease. In addition, we find that the wing-mass ratio has a dominant effect on the rotational motion of the model, and a large wing-mass ratio reduces aerodynamic force and intensifies the time variation of the pitching angle. From the results of our free flight simulations, we clarify the critical wing-mass ratio between upward flight and downward flight and find that the critical wing-mass ratio is a function of the non-dimensional total mass and almost independent of the wing length. Then, we evaluate the effect of the wing-mass distribution on the critical wing-mass ratio. Finally, we discuss the limitations of the model.
Lagrangian coherent structures and entrainment near the turbulent/non-turbulent interface of a gravity current
Authors: Neamtu-Halic Marius M. , Krug Dominik , Haller George , Holzner Markus
Published: August 2019

In this paper, we employ the theory of Lagrangian coherent structures for three-dimensional vortex eduction and investigate the effect of large-scale vortical structures on the turbulent/non-turbulent interface (TNTI) and entrainment of a gravity current. The gravity current is realized experimentally and different levels of stratification are examined. For flow measurements, we use a multivolume three-dimensional particle tracking velocimetry technique. To identify vortical Lagrangian coherent structures (VLCSs), a fully automated three-dimensional extraction algorithm for multiple flow structures based on the so-called Lagrangian-averaged vorticity deviation method is implemented. The size, the orientation and the shape of the VLCSs are analysed and the results show that these characteristics depend only weakly on the strength of the stratification. Through conditional analysis, we provide evidence that VLCSs modulate the average TNTI height, consequently affecting the entrainment process. Furthermore, VLCSs influence the local entrainment velocity and organize the flow field on both the turbulent and non-turbulent sides of the gravity current boundary.
Earliest known spatial competition between stromatoporoids: evidence from the Upper Ordovician Xiazhen Formation of South China
Authors: Jeon Juwan , Liang Kun , Lee Mirinae , Kershaw Stephen
Published: August 2019

The earliest known interpreted spatial competition between two species of stromatoporoids, Clathrodictyon cf. C. mammillatum (Schmidt, 1858) and Labechia sp. is found in the Upper Ordovician Xiazhen Formation at Zhuzhai, South China. The interaction between these taxa was initiated by settlement of Labechia sp. on the surface of Clathrodictyon cf. C. mammillatum. Distortions of the intraskeletal elements of stromatoporoids represented by abnormally large, wide cysts and thick cyst plates in Labechia sp. are observed, along with zigzag crumpled distorted laminae and antagonistic behavior of the skeleton in Clathrodictyon cf. C. mammillatum, indicating syn-vivo interactions. The growth of Labechia sp. was terminated by the overgrowth of Clathrodictyon cf. C. mammillatum, possibly reflecting the ecological superiority of Clathrodictyon cf. C. mammillatum over Labechia sp. The observations are interpreted as competitive interaction between stromatoporoids that was most likely facultative, thus most likely occurring by chance, but the interaction allows assessment of different growth behaviors of the stromatoporoid species. Analysis of the interaction provides evidence to improve understanding of the paleoecology and growth behaviors of early stromatoporoids.
The Police as Place-Consolidators: The Organizational Amplification of Urban Inequality
Authors: Gordon Daanika
Published: August 2019

Efforts to understand racial inequality in policing often focus on the micro-level, examining the situational dynamics of police-citizen encounters. This Article explores racial inequality in policing from another angle: it asks how the police organization responds to and further constructs the surrounding urban environment. I examine a police department’s move toward local and decentralized approaches, captured in a redistricting reform and subsequent district-level strategies and initiatives. I draw on several sources of data, including public documents, in-depth interviews with decision makers and stakeholders, a year of ethnographic observation of police work in two districts, and data on calls for police service. I find that the police drew upon symbolic ideas that emphasized the violence of black neighborhoods and the economic value of white neighborhoods in developing local strategies. As they acted in relation to these distinctions, the police amplified disparities in service provision and social control, consolidating the character of an already segregated and unequal landscape
The Food Addiction Denmark (FADK) Project: a combined survey and register-based study
Authors: Horsager Christina , Østergaard Søren Dinesen , Lauritsen Marlene Briciet
Published: August 2019

Background:

Obesity represents a tremendous global health problem. Studies over the past decade have suggested that food addiction (FA), that is, physical cravings for certain foods – high in fat/sugar – and addiction-like overeating of these types of food, is a likely contributor to the obesity epidemic. While FA has been studied extensively, there are some significant gaps in the literature that need to be addressed: (I) Most estimates of the prevalence of FA are based on nonprobability sampling, which significantly limits the representativeness of the prevalence estimates. (II) Although addiction disorders are prevalent among individuals with mental disorders, large studies of FA among patients with clinically diagnosed mental disorders are lacking. (III) Most addiction disorders are heritable, but the familial transmission of FA remains virtually unknown. (IV) Due to a relative lack of longitudinal studies, little is known about the risk factors for and outcomes of FA. To close these gaps in the literature, we designed the Food Addiction Denmark (FADK) Project.

Methods:

The FADK study is a nationwide survey with retrospective and prospective register-based elements. Four randomly sampled cohorts were invited to participate in the survey: 5000 adults and 3750 adolescents from the general population and 5000 adults and 3529 adolescents with a mental disorder. The FADK questionnaire includes the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 and rating scales measuring psychopathology. Data from Danish health and socio-economic registers will be linked to all invitees.

Discussion:

We expect that the FADK Project will contribute significantly to our understanding of FA.
Weber’s Alternative Theory of Action
Authors: Schiermer Bjørn
Published: August 2019

The present paper aims to unearth the rudiments of an alternative theory of action in Weber. Centring on salient descriptions of scientific practice found in Weber, I argue that one finds so-called “relational” impulses in these instances, which are at odds with the Kantian, subject-centred and dualist perspectives pervading much of Weber’s thought.

The paper consists of two parts. In the first—critical—part, after a short sketch of my relational approach, I cite some well-known “Kantian” passages in Weber’s work and demonstrate their undesirable theoretical and empirical consequences. I investigate Weber’s “official” theory of action and understanding, his concepts of rationality and psychology, and his understanding of technological mediation. In the second—positive—part, I delve into Weber’s understanding ofcreativity, investigating relational traits in Weber’s descriptions of scientific practice and experience. I then demonstrate how Weber’s late concept ofpersonalityis based on relational and object-oriented attitudes. Further, I investigate how the two dimensions of creativity and personality merge in his concept ofSachlichkeit. Finally, I provide certain biographical observations and discuss the conflict between existentialist and relational interpretations of Weber. At the very end of the paper, I discuss some general implications of the relational perspective.
Fashioned in the light of physics: the scope and methods of Halford Mackinder's geography
Authors: HAYES EMILY
Published: August 2019

Throughout his career the geographer, and first reader in the ‘new’ geography at the University of Oxford, Halford Mackinder (1861–1947) described his discipline as a branch of physics. This essay explores this feature of Mackinder's thought and presents the connections between him and the Royal Institution professor of natural philosophy John Tyndall (1820–1893). My reframing of Mackinder's geography demonstrates that the academic professionalization of geography owed as much to the methods and instruments of popular natural philosophy and physics as it did to theories of Darwinian natural selection. In tracing the parallels between Tyndall and Mackinder, and their shared emphasis upon the technology of the magic lantern and the imagination as tools of scientific investigation and education, the article elucidates their common pedagogical practices. Mackinder's disciplinary vision was expressed in practices of visualization, and in metaphors inspired by physics, to audiences of geographers and geography teachers in the early twentieth century. Together, these features of Mackinder's geography demonstrate his role as a popularizer of science and extend the temporal and spatial resonance of Tyndall's natural philosophy.
Founders’ Fortunes and Philanthropy: A History of the U.S. Charitable-Contribution Deduction
Authors: Duquette Nicolas J.
Published: August 2019

Since 1917, tax filers in the United States who itemize tax deductions have been able to subtract gifts to eligible charities from their taxable income. The deduction is especially valuable to successful entrepreneurs who donate corporate stock. Such philanthropy was seen as a close substitute for government spending until after the mid-twentieth century. In the 1950s and 1960s, high tax rates catalyzed the formation of large foundations from industrial fortunes and precipitated a national debate about the legitimacy of such giving. The midcentury debate preceded increased oversight of charities and foundations and a shift in the way U.S. lawmakers regarded the contribution deduction—from a subsidy by philanthropists of public goods government would otherwise provide to an implicit public cost.
Upper-Chambira Urarina
Authors: Elias-Ulloa Jose , Aramburú Rolando Muñoz
Published: August 2019

Urarina (ISO 639-3, codeura– Lewis, Simons & Fennig 2016) is an Amazonian language isolate spoken in the Loreto Region of Peru. Most Urarina communities are located on the banks of the rivers Corrientes, Chambira and Urituyacu, which are tributaries of the Marañon River, which in turn is the mainstem source of the Amazon River. Figure 1 shows the map of Peru and the location of the Urarina territory.