bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NH3-promoted hydrolysis of NO2 induces explosive growth in HONO
Authors: Xu Wanyun , Kuang Ye , Zhao Chunsheng , Tao Jiangchuan , Zhao Gang , Bian Yuxuan , Yang Wen , Yu Yingli , Shen Chuanyang , Liang Linlin , Zhang Gen , Lin Weili , Xu Xiaobin
Published: August 2019

Abstract. The study of atmospheric nitrous acid (HONO), which is the primary source of
OH radicals, is crucial with respect to understanding atmospheric photochemistry and heterogeneous
chemical processes. Heterogeneous NO2 chemistry under haze
conditions has been identified as one of the missing sources of HONO on the
North China Plain, and also produces sulfate and nitrate. However,
controversy exists regarding the various proposed HONO production mechanisms, mainly regarding
whether SO2 directly takes part in the HONO production process and what
roles NH3 and the pH value play. In this paper, never before seen
explosive HONO production was reported and evidence was found – for the first
time in field measurements during fog (usually with 4< pH <6) and haze episodes under high relative humidity (pH ≈4) – that NH3 was the key factor that promoted the hydrolysis of
NO2, leading to the explosive growth of HONO and nitrate under both high
and relatively lower pH conditions. The results also suggest that SO2 plays a minor
or insignificant role in HONO formation during fog and haze events, but
was indirectly oxidized upon the photolysis of HONO via subsequent
radical mechanisms. Aerosol hygroscopicity significantly increased with
rapid inorganic secondary aerosol formation, further promoting HONO
production as a positive feedback. For future photochemical and aerosol
pollution abatement, it is crucial to introduce effective NH3 emission
control measures, as NH3-promoted NO2 hydrolysis is a large
daytime HONO source, releasing large amounts of OH radicals upon photolysis,
which will contribute largely to both atmospheric photochemistry and
secondary aerosol formation.
Local Stratopause Temperature Variabilities and their Embedding in the Global Context
Authors: Eixmann Ronald , Matthias Vivien , Baumgarten Gerd , Gerding Michael , Höffner Josef
Published: August 2019

Abstract. The stratopause is by definition the transition between the underlying stratosphere and the overlying mesosphere. While the circulation of the winter stratosphere is mainly driven by planetary waves, it is driven by gravity waves in the mesosphere. The aim of this study is to bring local stratopause variabilities in a global context and thus studying quantitatively the impact of quasi stationary planetary waves (PWs) on local measurements around the stratopause in winter. Therefore we combine local lidar measurements with global MERRA-2 reanalysis data and analyze the effect of global PWs on different locations with the help of the new and simple concept of local displacement. This concepts includes the amplitude and changes in phase of PWs. Our results show that about 97 % of the local day-to-day variability of the stratopause can be explained by the variability of PWs with wavenumbers 1, 2 and 3. Thus locally measured effects which are not based on PW variability can be much better identified and thus investigated. This will help to improve our understanding of local phenomena.
An analysis of forest biomass sampling strategies across scales
Authors: Hetzer Jessica , Huth Andreas , Wiegand Thorsten , Dobner Hans J. , Fischer Rico
Published: August 2019

Abstract. Tropical forests play an important role in the global carbon cycle, as they store a large amount of biomass. To estimate the biomass of a forested landscape, sample plots are often used, assuming that the biomass of these plots represents the biomass of the surrounding forest. In this study, we investigated the conditions under which a limited number of sample plots conform to this assumption. Therefore, minimum sample sizes for predicting the mean biomass of tropical forest landscapes were determined by combining statistical methods with simulations of sampling strategies. We examined forest biomass maps of Barro Colorado Island (50 ha), Panama (50 000 km2), and South America, Africa and Southeast Asia (7 million–15 million km2). The results showed that 100–200 plots (1–25 ha each) are necessary for continental biomass estimations if the sampled plots are spatially randomly distributed. The locations of the current inventory plots in the tropics and the data obtained from remote sensing often do not meet this requirement. Considering the typical aggregation of these plots considerably increase the minimum sample size required. In the case of South America, it can increase to 70 000 plots. To establish more reliable biomass predictions across South American tropical forests, we recommend more spatially randomly distributed inventory plots. If samples are generated by remote sensing, distances of more than 5 km between the measurements increase the reliability of the overall estimate, as they cover a larger area with minimum effort. The use of a combination of remote sensing data and field inventory measurements seems to be a promising strategy for overcoming sampling limitations at larger scales.
The combined processing of geomagnetic intensity vector projections and absolute magnitude measurements
Authors: Getmanov Victor G. , Gvishiani Alexei D. , Sidorov Roman V.
Published: August 2019

Abstract. A method for the combined processing measurements of the
projections and the absolute magnitudes of geomagnetic field intensity
vectors, based on mathematical technology of local approximation models, is
proposed. The approach realized in this paper, based on the proposed method,
provides an increase in quality of the measurements of the projections of
the geomagnetic intensity vector. An algorithm for the two-stage combined
processing of the measurements of projections and absolute magnitudes of
geomagnetic field intensity vectors is developed. The operation of the
combined processing algorithm was tested on models and observatory
measurements. The estimates of the combined processing algorithm errors were
obtained using statistical modelling. The reduction of the root-mean-square
error values was achieved for the estimates of the projections of
geomagnetic field intensity vectors.
The global aerosol–climate model ECHAM6.3–HAM2.3 – Part 2: Cloud evaluation, aerosol radiative forcing, and climate sensitivity
Authors: Neubauer David , Ferrachat Sylvaine , Siegenthaler-Le Drian Colombe , Stier Philip , Partridge Daniel G. , Tegen Ina , Bey Isabelle , Stanelle Tanja , Kokkola Harri , Lohmann Ulrike
Published: August 2019

Abstract. The global aerosol–climate model ECHAM6.3–HAM2.3 (E63H23)
as well as the previous model versions ECHAM5.5–HAM2.0 (E55H20) and ECHAM6.1–HAM2.2
(E61H22) are evaluated using global observational datasets for clouds and
precipitation. In E63H23, the amount of low clouds, the liquid and ice water path, and
cloud radiative effects are more realistic than in previous model versions.
E63H23 has a more physically based aerosol activation scheme, improvements
in the cloud cover scheme, changes in the detrainment of convective clouds,
changes in the sticking efficiency for the accretion of ice crystals by snow,
consistent ice crystal shapes throughout the model, and changes in mixed-phase
freezing; an inconsistency in ice crystal number concentration (ICNC) in
cirrus clouds was also removed. Common biases in ECHAM and in E63H23 (and in
previous ECHAM–HAM versions) are a cloud amount in stratocumulus
regions that is too low and deep convective clouds over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
that form too close to the continents (while tropical land precipitation is
underestimated). There are indications that ICNCs are overestimated in
E63H23. Since clouds are important for effective radiative forcing due to
aerosol–radiation and aerosol–cloud interactions (ERFari+aci) and
equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS), differences in ERFari+aci
and ECS between the model versions were also analyzed. ERFari+aci is weaker
in E63H23 (−1.0 W m−2) than in E61H22 (−1.2 W m−2) (or E55H20;
−1.1 W m−2). This is caused by the weaker shortwave ERFari+aci
(a new aerosol activation scheme and sea salt emission parameterization in
E63H23, more realistic simulation of cloud water) overcompensating for the
weaker longwave ERFari+aci (removal of an inconsistency in ICNC in
cirrus clouds in E61H22). The decrease in ECS in E63H23 (2.5 K) compared to E61H22 (2.8 K) is due to
changes in the entrainment rate for shallow convection (affecting the cloud
amount feedback) and a stronger cloud phase feedback. Experiments with minimum cloud droplet number concentrations (CDNCmin) of
40 cm−3 or 10 cm−3 show that a higher value of CDNCmin reduces
ERFari+aci as well as ECS in E63H23.
COMPARING INSPIRE AND OPENSTREETMAP DATA: HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF THE TWO WORLDS
Authors: Minghini M. , Kotsev A. , Lutz M.
Published: August 2019

Abstract. The beginning of our century has seen the rise of Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs) and crowdsourced geographic information projects. This study analyses and compares the most relevant initiatives for Europe in both contexts: INSPIRE, the Directive aiming to establish a pan-European SDI used for environmental policies, and OpenStreetMap (OSM), the largest and richest crowdsourced geospatial database. Similarities and differences, advantages and disadvantages of the two initiatives from an end user perspective are presented for a number of characteristics: underlying approach and governance, spatial scope, data structure and encoding, data access, and licensing framework. Overall, both initiatives have developed specific strengths and have achieved different types and degrees of interoperability, which would make their integration highly beneficial to multiple stakeholders. From the pure technical perspective, such integration is fully enabled by the maturity of the available FOSS4G, which offers specific support for both INSPIRE and OSM resources, also reviewed in the paper.
EFFECT OF THE DISTANCES OF PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITIES FROM THE NEAREST MAJOR ROADS ON SKILLED DELIVERIES CONDUCTED IN KISUMU COUNTY, KENYA
Authors: Rombosia K. , Oele E. , Rangara N. , Mwaura J. , Mitto B. , Ondura E. , Onyango D. , Akoth C.
Published: August 2019

Abstract. The project sought to describe health facility accessibility and its effect on skilled delivery in Kisumu in line with the pillars of UHC. Proportion of skilled deliveries for 156 public health facilities conducted in 2016 was mined from DHIS2. Healthcare physical services accessibility was represented using a 5km radius fixed distance buffering around health facilities and the health facilities’ distances to the nearest major roads. Simple linear regression was then done between distances of the health facilities to their nearest major roads and skilled deliveries conducted in the health facilities. The mean skilled delivery was 42.5% (Median = 45.8%, Range 0 to 358% and IQR = 48.6%). There exist 4 pockets of underserved areas in Nyando, Nyakach and Muhoroni sub counties measuring 21 km2, 52 km2, 60 km2, 65 km2 and 94 km2 respectively. Distance from the nearest road to skilled deliveries conducted, showed the R2 value was 0.02. The study found out that underserved areas are located away from major roads. The mean skilled delivery was lower than the national of 65%. However some facilities exceeded 100%. This can be explained by in referrals that cause such facilities to exceed their projected workloads. The distance of a health facility to the nearest major road is inversely proportional to the skilled deliveries conducted meaning that the further a heath facility is from a major road, lesser the skilled deliveries conducted in that facility and vice versa. However, this model is weak in establishing such an effect because of the low R2 value. In conclusion, there are pockets of underserved areas in Kisumu and distance of health facilities from the nearest major road does not significantly affect the conduct of skilled deliveries in Kisumu County.
AUTOMATED GIS-BASED TECHNIQUE FOR EVALUATION OF INDIRECT GROWING SEASON ESTIMATIONS
Authors: Rykin I. , Panidi E. , Tsepelev V.
Published: August 2019

Abstract. This article is based on NDWI (Normalized Difference Water Index) which is automatically computed from the daily MODIS data. The main purpose of the article is to tell how the evaluation of NDWI-based growing season estimations can be automated. The NDWI is used as an indicator of liquid water quantity in vegetation, which is less sensitive to atmospheric scattering effect then the famous growing index (NDVI). The NDWI is computed using cloud-based platform (Google Earth Engine was applied) and compared with the daily meteorological data. The available meteorological data is collected for the past 130 years and NDWI data is collecting for the past 20 years. An automated technique has been probated on the example of republic of Komi, as it has a different climate forming factors. This approach can be used to evaluate growing season estimations for other territories that contain vegetation. Due to the accumulated amount of data, the study is relevant and has a special significance for areas with sparse hydrometeorological network.
URBAN GEO BIG DATA
Authors: Brovelli M. A. , Boccardo P. , Bordogna G. , Pepe A. , Crespi M. , Munafò M. , Pirotti F.
Published: August 2019

Abstract. The paper deals with the general presentation of the Urban GEO BIG DATA, a collaborative acentric and distributed Free and Open Source (FOS) platform consisting of several components: local data nodes for data and related service Web deploy; a visualization node for data fruition; a catalog node for data discovery; a CityGML modeler; data-rich viewers based on virtual globes; an INSPIRE metadata management system enriched with quality indicators for each dataset.Three use cases in five Italian cities (Turin, Milan, Padua, Rome, and Naples) are examined: 1) urban mobility; 2) land cover and soil consumption at different resolutions; 3) displacement time series. Besides the case studies, the architecture of the system and its components will be presented.
CROSS-BORDER OPEN DATA SHARING: GIOCONDA PROJECT
Authors: Toro J. F. , Carrion D. , Albertella A. , Brovelli M. A.
Published: August 2019

Abstract. Open Data, and Open Government Data, are proving to be an important resource for the economic development inside the domain where information has a key role (Carrara et al., 2015). Although, different practices for data publishing have led to misalignment, underuse and repetition of information (Bizer et al., 2011). For this reason, the Public Administrations have undergone efforts on integrating the information and promoting interoperability through the implementation of best practices, as for example, the use of a common semantics vocabulary for the metadata (DCAT) as proposed by the ISA2 programme of the European Commission. The Interreg Italy-Switzerland GIOCOnDA project has been proposed for enhancing the data sharing processes in the cross-border area, particularly addressing tourism and mobility that are key economic activities for the region. For this work, a review on the data catalogues published in dati.lombardia.it and opendata.swiss is presented. The revision of the datasets showed the need for: 1) defining common semantics for the description of the categories of data to avoid the arbitrary use of vocabularies, and 2) adopting standards for the description of geodata. On the other hand, it was observed the potential to gather existing information to produce geodata querying the datasets with specific keywords that can provide spatial information. Open data, as well as the use of best practices for publishing data, push towards the use of FOSS. In this work, Python has been exploited to analyse the content of the catalogues to access web portals resources.
OSGEO UN COMMITTEE EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGE: A USE CASE OF SHARING SOFTWARE AND EXPERIENCE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD
Authors: Franceschi S. , Adoch K. , Kang H. K. , Hupy C. , Coetzee S. , Brovelli M. A.
Published: August 2019

Abstract. The paper presents the outcomes of an Educational Challenge launched by the OSGeo (Open Source Geospatial Foundation) United Nations (UN) Committee in 2018. The Committee promotes the development and use of open source software that meets UN needs and supports the aims of the UN. The Challenge supported the UN OpenGIS Initiative, a project “... to identify and develop an Open Source GIS bundle that meets the requirements of UN operations, taking full advantage of the expertise of mission partners including partner nations, technology contributing countries, international organizations, academia, NGOs, private sector”. The UN OpenGIS Initiative is organized into working groups, called ‘Spirals’. The OSGeo UN Challenge called for the development of training material that can be used for training UN staff working on Spirals 1 and 3. Spiral 1 focuses on a new open source web platform for data collection and Spiral 3 is related to new functionalities needed by UN staff during their field operations. The material developed for the challenges is now openly available for anybody, reaching a wider audience than only UN staff members. This paper describes the challenges and the training material developed for them. Expertise from all over the world was pulled together in designing, mentoring and developing the material.
EVALUATING STUDENT MOTIVATION AND PRODUCTIVITY DURING MAPATHONS
Authors: Green C. , Rautenbach V. , Coetzee S.
Published: August 2019

Abstract. During mapathons, volunteers from various backgrounds get together to map a specific area using satellite imagery or aerial photographs. The expertise and motivation of these volunteers generally differ. In this paper, we present our results from an evaluation of university students’ motivation for participating in mapathons and their productivity (i.e. how much data they contributed). To achieve our aim, we hosted four mapathons for final year university students where the participants were asked to complete a short questionnaire to determine their motivations and personal opinions of the mapathon. Afterwards, the productivity for two mapathons was evaluated. Participants indicated that they felt a sense of humanitarianism by contributing to communities in need. Additionally, the social aspect came through with a large percentage of the participants indicating that mapathons are fun and that they learned something new, for example, by improving their digitizing skills or that humanitarian organizations need help. Participants also indicated that the tools (i.e. OSM and iD editor) were easy to use, but that the imagery is sometimes not good enough due to cloud coverage. The general productivity for two mapathons was evaluated and we found that with more experience the participants were generally more productive. The results from this evaluation provided insight and knowledge that can assist mapathon organisers to create a productive environment for participants with the hopes of encouraging the participants to produce high quality data.
Samson's Bondage
Authors: Shullenberger William
Published: August 2019

The riddler of the Book of Judges, Samson, is a riddle himself, in the Bible and in Samson Agonistes. Samson's career can be mapped out in three stages, distinguished by Samson's different experiences of bondage. In his boisterous heyday, Samson liked to get tied up, burst free of constraints, and erupt into violence. In the time frame of Milton's drama, Samson finds himself literally blinded, and physically, psychologically, and politically reduced to bondage, to the bestial repetition of slave labor, publicly humiliated by the gazes and taunts of passersby. Søren Kierkegaard's analysis of the existential dilemma that Abraham faces provides by narrative analogy an interpretive key to the riddle of Samson's various types of bondage. The final phase of bondage for Milton's Samson is the appalling yet liberatory one in which he becomes, and acts, like Kierkegaard's Abraham, a blindly free agent because of his belief in the absurd.
Humberto Maturana y el sentimiento de lo humano
Authors: Riquelme Victor Rey
Published: August 2019

En el último curso del Servicio de Estudios de la Realidad (SER) uno de los autores y textos que más nos cuestionó y nos hizo reflexionar fue el libro del biólogo y filósofo chileno Humberto Maturana, El Sentido de lo Humano. Su pensamiento es muy original y sus aportes dan luces a todas las áreas de la vida. Este autor es uno de los que más nos ayuda en este tiempo de tantas preguntas ante un mundo nuevo. Recuerdo con alegría los momentos de conversación con los alumnos y el entusiasmo que nos generaba cada párrafo de su libro. Comparto aquí algunos de los conceptos que logramos descifrar y discernir juntos y que consideramos de vital utilidad.
Gestión de la comunicación intercultural desde el diálogo de saberes y haceres
Authors: Montoya Ortega Yulmar Runel
Published: August 2019

La Gestión de la Comunicación Intercultural juega un papel fundamental y estratégico en el Diálogo de Saberes y Haceres, porque armoniza, comparte y construye colectiva- mente. Por ello, es importante compartir y describir los procesos que se vivencian desde la comunicación occidental y la comunicación intercultural y la apuesta en la gestión de una comunicación más humana. La comunicación intercultural es un elemento en construcción, que ha venido ganando terreno por su forma de abordar y humanizar las buenas prácticas que abonan a un mundo mejor e incluyente. La comunicación intercultural tiene que ver con aspectos de propiciar relaciones interpersonales y colectivas, donde comparten conocimientos y saberes a través de la práctica, la her- mandad y la reciprocidad. En los diálogos de saberes y haceres quienes proponen y hacen son los mismos pueblos, son las comunidades indígenas y afrodescendientes, a través de sus vivencias y realidades, a través de sus procesos de construcción propia, de sus familias y comunidades, con el fin de aportar y crear espacios de visibilización y construcción participativa.
Sposoby wzmocnienia dźwigarów żelbetowych
Authors: Mularczyk Iwona
Published: August 2019

In the article, strengthening
of precast reinforced concrete girders
with span of 15 m by using prestressed
CFRP stripes is described. These girders
(together with columns) represent the main
structural elements of the canopy by the
industrial hall. The necessity to perform the
strengthening was caused by excessive
deflections of these elements, being a result
of rheological processes in the concrete
– shrinkage and creep. Possible ways of
executing the strengthening by using CFRP
strips were analyzed and compared, results
of calculations of deflections of the girders
before and after their external prestressing
were described and the technology of the
chosen prestressing system was presented.
Docieplenia ścian - metody współczesne
Authors: Rejment Mariusz , Dziadosz Agnieszka
Published: August 2019

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To the Roots: Me, My Brother, Heroin and Iboga
Authors: Mezamer Sagit
Published: August 2019

In July 2018 we met at the airport, my brother and I. We were bound for Portugal, where my brother was about to undergo treatment for his heroin addiction.

A visual essay following an Ibogaine treatment.

By artist and curator, Sagit Mezamer

The imagery in this essay is taken from drawings and photographs from Mezamer's new artwork - The Mother of Opium.
Some Responses on Copyright
Authors: Smith Lester K. , Swinton Cordelia W.
Published: August 2019

Some Responses on Copyright
Continuing Education—III
Authors: Creth Sheila
Published: August 2019

Continuing Education—III
Individual differences in numerical comparison is independent of numerical precision
Authors: Prather Richard
Published: August 2019

Numeracy, as measured by performance on the non-symbolic numerical comparison task, is a key construct in numerical and mathematical cognition. The current study examines individual variation in performance on the numerical comparison task. We contrast the hypothesis that performance on the numerical comparison task is primarily due to more accurate representations of numbers with the hypothesis that performance dependent on decision-making factors. We present data from two behavioral experiments and a mathematical model. In both behavioral experiments we measure the precision of participant’s numerical value representation using a free response estimation task. Taken together, results suggest that individual variation in numerical comparison performance is not predicted by variation in the precision of participants’ numerical value representation.
The nature of math anxiety in adults: Prevalence and correlates
Authors: Hart Sara Ann , Ganley Colleen Marie
Published: August 2019

It is important to understand the nature of math anxiety in the general adult population, as the importance of math skills does not end when one leaves school. To this end, we present a well-powered, preregistered study of English-speaking U.S. adults describing the nature of math anxiety in this population. 1000 participants were recruited online. Math anxiety was approximately normally distributed, with the mean between “some” and “moderate”. Math anxiety was significantly negatively correlated with probability knowledge and math fluency, and significantly positively correlated with general anxiety and test anxiety. Women reported higher math anxiety than did men. Participants who had completed graduate school or had a STEM career had significantly lower levels of math anxiety than did those with less education, or non-STEM careers. Thus, we see evidence for math anxiety in U.S. adults and that it correlates with factors also reported in previous studies using younger and student populations.
Phylogenetic analysis of Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don and its closely related species based on complete chloroplast genomes
Authors: Chen Qi , Wu Xiaobo , Zhang Dequan
Published: August 2019

Fritillaria cirrhosa D. Don, whose bulb is used in a well-known traditional Chinese medicine to relieve cough and eliminate phlegm, is one of the most important medicinal plants of Fritillaria L. The species is widely distributed among the alpine regions in southwestern China and possesses complex morphological variations in different distributions. A series of newly related species were reported, based on obscure morphological differences. As a result, F. cirrhosa and its closely related species constitute a taxonomically complex group. However, it is difficult to accurately identify these species and reveal their phylogenetic relationships using traditional taxonomy. Molecular markers and gene fragments have been adopted but they are not able to afford sufficient phylogenetic resolution in the genus. Here, we report the complete chloroplast genome sequences of F. cirrhosa and its closely related species using next generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Eight plastid genomes ranged from 151,058 bp to 152,064 bp in length and consisted of 115 genes. Gene content, gene order, GC content, and IR/SC boundary structures were highly similar among these genomes. SSRs and five large repeat sequences were identified and the total number of them ranged from 73 to 79 and 63 to 75, respectively. Six highly divergent regions were successfully identified that could be used as potential genetic markers of Fritillaria. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that eight Fritillaria species were clustered into three clades with strong supports and F. cirrhosa was closely related to F. przewalskii and F. sinica. Overall, this study indicated that the complete chloroplast genome sequence was an efficient tool for identifying species in taxonomically complex groups and exploring their phylogenetic relationships.
Seasonal dynamics of microbial diversity in the rhizosphere of Ulmus pumila L. var. sabulosa in a steppe desert area of Northern China
Authors: Liang Tianyu , Yang Guang , Ma Yunxia , Yao Qingzhi , Ma Yuan , Ma Hui , Hu Yang , Yang Ying , Wang Shaoxiong , Pan Yiyong , Li Gangtie
Published: August 2019

The seasonal dynamics of microbial diversity within the rhizosphere of Ulmus pumila L. var. sabulosa in the hinterland of the Otindag Sandy Land of China were investigated using high-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes and fungal ITS region sequences. A significant level of bacterial and fungal diversity was observed overall, with detection of 7,676 bacterial Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) belonging to 40 bacteria phyla and 3,582 fungal OTUs belonging to six phyla. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes were the dominant bacterial phyla among communities, while Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zygomycota were the dominant phyla of fungal communities. Seasonal changes influenced the α-diversity and β-diversity of bacterial communities within elm rhizospheres more than for fungal communities. Inferred functional analysis of the bacterial communities identified evidence for 41 level two KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) orthology groups, while guild-based analysis of the fungal communities identified eight ecological guilds. Metabolism was the most prevalent bacterial functional group, while saprotrophs prevailed among the identified fungal ecological guilds. Soil moisture and soil nutrient content were important factors that affected the microbial community structures of elm rhizospheres across seasons. The present pilot study provides an important baseline investigation of elm rhizosphere microbial communities.
Root tolerance and biochemical response of Chinese lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) genotypes to cadmium stress
Authors: Dawuda Mohammed Mujitaba , Liao Weibiao , Hu Linli , Yu Jihua , Xie Jianming , Calderón-Urrea Alejandro , Jin Xin , Wu Yue
Published: August 2019

This study was conducted to determine the root tolerance and biochemical responses of four Chinese Lactuca sativa L. genotypes (Lüsu, Lümeng, Yidali and Anyan) to cadmium (Cd2+) stress. Twenty-eight days old seedlings were exposed to Hoagland’s nutrient solution supplied with or without 100 µM CdCl2 and monitored for seven days in a climate controlled room. The 100 µM CdCl2 significantly (P < 0.001) decreased all the root morphological indexes of the four genotypes. However, Yidali, which possessed the smallest root system, exhibited greater root tolerance to Cd2+ by having the highest tolerance indexes for root volume (46%), surface area (61%), projected area (74%) and numbers of root forks (63%) and root tips (58%). Moreover, Cd2+ stress also caused increases in H2O2 contents in the roots but the increase was least in Yidali which showed greater root tolerance to Cd2+stress. The effect of Cd2+ stress on the contents of hormones in the roots depended on the genotypes. Under Cd2+ stress, abscisic acid correlated positively with indole-3-acetic acid (r = 0.669*), gibberellic acid (r = 0.630*) and cytokinin (r = 0.785**). The antioxidant enzyme activities and proline responses of the four genotypes to Cd2+ stress were similar. The SOD activity was decreased whiles the CAT and POD activities, as well as the contents of proline increased in all the genotypes under the stress condition. These results suggest that lettuce genotypes with smaller root systems could be more tolerant to Cd2+ stress compared to those with larger root systems.
Perceptual load modulates contour integration in conscious and unconscious states
Authors: Cheng Kaiwen , Yang Keyu , Qin Long , Zhuo Yixuan , Yan Hongmei
Published: August 2019

Previous research has documented that contour detection and integration may either be affected by local features such as the distances between elements or by high-level cognitive factors such as attention in our visual system. Less is known about how low and high level factors interact to influence contour integration. In this paper, we investigated how attention modulates contour integration through saliency (different element spacing) and topological propert ies (circle or S-shaped) when the state of conscious awareness is manipulated. A modified inattentional blindness (IB) combined with the Posner cuing paradigm was adopted in our three-phased experiment (unconscious-training-conscious). Attention was manipulated with high or low perceptual load for a foveal go/no-go task. Cuing effects were utilized to assess the covert processing of contours prior to a peripheral orientation discrimination task. We found that (1) salient circles and S-contours induced different cuing effects under low perceptual load but not with high load; (2) no consistent pattern of cuing effects was found for non-salient contours in all the conditions; (3) a positive cuing effect was observed for salient circles either consciously or unconsciously while a negative cuing effect occurred for salient S-contours only consciously. These results suggest that conscious awareness plays a pivotal role in coordinating a closure effect with the level of perceptual load. Only salient circles can be successfully integrated in an unconscious state under low perceptual load although both salient circles and S-contours can be done consciously. Our findings support a bi-directional mechanism that low-level sensory features interact with high-level cognitive factors in contour integration.
Influence of Technique Cultivation on Some Properties of Two Varieties of Yam (Dioscorea spp) Flour
Authors: Degbeu Kouadio Claver , Marc Adou , Olivier Kouadio Kouadio
Published: August 2019

All most of roots, tubers and seeds studied have been carried out under environmental control or glass. These methods had an advantage to minimize environmental effects on crop due to unequal distribution of the nutriment in the soil. This, have been often observed through the variability of size and form of the tubers harvested generally in farm condition. In order to evaluate the variations occurred on the nutritional (Ash, while protein and fat) and functional (clarity and swelling-solubility) values, yams cultivated in nursery gardener sachet have being compared to those of famer condition. This study has been conducted 2013-2014. Yam grown in nursery gardener sachet has the highest (p < 0.05) ash content (4.58 ± 2.18%) than this of field (1.53 ± 0.35%). Flour clarity is also affected by technical cultivation. This property is more improved by the cultivation in nursery gardener (p < 0.05). The cultivation in nursery gardener improved ash content and clarity of the suspension of yam flour.
Specialized structural and functional roles of residues selectively conserved in subfamilies of the pleckstrin homology domain family
Authors: Naveenkumar Nagarajan , Sowdhamini Ramanathan , Srinivasan Narayanaswamy
Published: August 2019

Homologous domains embedded in multidomain proteins of different domain architectures (DA) may exhibit subtle, but important, differences in their structure and function. Here, we consider two multidomain proteins, Arf nucleotide binding site opener (ARNO) and G protein‐coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2), which have very different DAs, but both contain pleckstrin homology (PH) domains. We analyzed the roles of residues selectively conserved in these subfamilies of PH domains from ARNO and GRK2 proteins. DA‐specific residues in PH domain are found to contribute to structural and functional specialization of ARNO and GRK2 in terms of (a) specific intra‐ and interprotein interactions; (b) specificity for phospholipids; and (c) participation in conformational excursions, leading to various functional forms. Our approach can also be applied to subfamilies of other protein families to identify subfamily‐specific residues and their specialized roles.
Serum neurofilament light chain levels associations with gray matter pathology: a 5‐year longitudinal study
Authors: Jakimovski Dejan , Kuhle Jens , Ramanathan Murali , Barro Christian , Tomic Davorka , Hagemeier Jesper , Kropshofer Harald , Bergsland Niels , Leppert David , Dwyer Michael G. , Michalak Zuzanna , Benedict Ralph H. B. , Weinstock‐Guttman Bianca , Zivadinov Robert
Published: August 2019

Background

Gray matter (GM) pathology is closely associated with physical and cognitive impairment in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Similarly, serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) levels are related to MS disease activity and progression.

Objectives

To assess the cross–sectional and longitudinal associations between sNfL and MRI–derived lesion and brain volume outcomes in PwMS and age–matched healthy controls (HCs).

Materials and Methods

Forty‐seven HCs and 120 PwMS were followed over 5 years. All subjects underwent baseline and follow–up 3T MRI and sNfL examinations. Lesion volumes (LV) and global, tissue–specific and regional brain volumes were assessed. sNfL levels were analyzed using single molecule array (Simoa) assay and quantified in pg/mL. The associations between sNfL levels and MRI outcomes were investigated using regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, baseline disease modifying treatment (DMT) use and change in DMT over the follow‐up. False discovery rate (FDR)–adjusted q‐values <0.05 were considered significant.

Results

In PwMS, baseline sNfL was associated with baseline T1‐, T2‐ and gadolinium‐LV (q = 0.002, q = 0.001 and q < 0.001, respectively), but not with their longitudinal changes. Higher baseline sNfL levels were associated with lower baseline deep GM (β = −0.257, q = 0.017), thalamus (β = −0.216, q = 0.0017), caudate (β = −0.263, q = 0.014) and hippocampus (β = −0.267, q = 0.015) volumes. Baseline sNfL was associated with longitudinal decline of deep GM (β = −0.386, q < 0.001), putamen (β = −0.395, q < 0.001), whole brain (β = −0.356, q = 0.002), thalamus (β = −0.272, q = 0.049), globus pallidus (β = −0.284, q = 0.017), and GM (β = −0.264, q = 0.042) volumes. No associations between sNfL and MRI–derived measures were seen in the HCs.

Conclusion

Higher sNfL levels were associated with baseline LVs and greater development of GM atrophy in PwMS.
Effect of Rotary Swaging on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of an AZ31 Magnesium Alloy
Authors: Trojanová Zuzanka , Drozd Zdeněk , Škraban Tomáš , Minárik Peter , Džugan Ján , Halmešová Kristýna , Németh Gergely , Lukáč Pavel , Chmelík František
Published: August 2019

The microstructure and mechanical properties of AZ31 alloy rods are investigated after rotary swaging in five successive steps. The microstructure is analyzed using light microscopy and electron backscattered diffraction. Swaged samples exhibit refined microstructure. Tensile and compression tests are conducted at room temperature. The yield stress and the ultimate stress are determined. Acoustic emission is measured in situ during straining. Deformation mechanisms are closely linked to twinning and dislocation slip in non‐basal planes.
Carbon‐Bonded Alumina Spaghetti Filters by Alginate‐Based Robo Gel Casting
Authors: Wetzig Tony , Schmidt Anne , Dudczig Steffen , Schmidt Gert , Brachhold Nora , Aneziris Christos G.
Published: August 2019

Metal melt filtration has become very popular over the past decades as it provides the possibility of removing nonmetallic inclusions from metal melts and reduces the amount of flow turbulence during mold filling. However, especially, the filtration of steel melts is associated with particularly harsh conditions which might require special filter solutions regarding increased strength and specified flow path. Herein, a novel approach for the manufacturing of cellular ceramic materials is investigated. Thereby, a slurry containing alginate is pumped into an aqueous solution containing Ca2+ or Ba2+ ions. The natural capability of the alginate for gelation leads to the in situ stiffening of the slurry in contact with the cross‐linking solution. Periodic strut patterns can be realized by moving the nozzle with the aid of a computer‐assisted robotic system. The influence of sodium alginate and solid content on the slurry rheology and the process parameters is analyzed based on a fixed carbon‐bonded alumina composition. Furthermore, alternative combinations of alginate types and alkaline earth sources are tested on their suitability for gel casting and their influence on the residual carbon content after pyrolysis. A suitable filter is successfully applied in steel melt immersion tests.
Scaling‐Up of Nano‐Architected Microstructures: A Mechanical Assessment
Authors: Garcia-Taormina Alina R. , Juarez Theresa , Oakdale James S. , Biener Juergen , Hodge Andrea M.
Published: August 2019

Nano‐ and micro‐architected materials generated by ultra‐high‐resolution 3D printing techniques, such as two‐photon polymerization direct laser writing (TPP‐DLW) or projection micro‐stereolithography (PμSL), have garnered great interest due to their ability to achieve exceptional combinations of material properties. The scalability of these materials, however, remains a crucial challenge as larger high‐resolution samples require stitching smaller blocks of the structure of interest together. Herein, scaling techniques and testing methodologies to investigate the effect of stitching on the integrity and mechanical behavior of TPP‐DLW parts under tensile load are explored. Specifically, stitched log‐pile I‐beam specimens with relative densities of 21.5% and 54.7% are tested herein. The micro‐tensile tests reveal that the higher‐density log‐pile samples exhibit brittle behavior with fracture loads at least four times higher than those of lower‐density samples. The location of sample failure depends on the type of stitch introduced in the sample, as well as on the relative sample density. Overall, this study highlights the importance of stitching techniques and relative density for the design of nano‐ and micro‐architected materials.
Unexpected Performance of Inkjet‐Printed Membrane Electrode Assemblies for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
Authors: Gomes Bezerra Carlos André , Deiner L. Jay , Tremiliosi-Filho Germano
Published: August 2019

The effect of the deposition substrate on the performance of inkjet‐printed membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) is investigated. MEAs are fabricated from inkjet‐printed catalyst‐coated membranes (CCMs), gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs), and a bilateral sandwich of a CCM and a GDE. All MEAs are tested in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). When a hot‐pressing step is included in the MEA construction, the power density achieved with the GDE‐based MEA is 1.067 W cm−2, exceeding that achieved with the CCM‐based MEA (0.579 W cm−2), and the bilateral sandwich MEA (0.792 W cm−2). The origin of the superior performance of the inkjet‐printed GDE‐based MEAs is investigated through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and analysis of the microstructure of the printed membranes and electrodes. Atomic force microscopy and energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy suggest that the greater surface and interfacial areas of the GDE‐printed catalyst layer may drive the unexpectedly high performance of the GDE‐based MEA as compared with its CCM and bilateral sandwich counterparts. These results provide new insights into the connections between the substrate, inkjet‐printed catalyst layer microstructure, and catalyst utilization.
Magnetic Liquid Metal (Fe‐EGaIn) Based Multifunctional Electronics for Remote Self‐Healing Materials, Degradable Electronics, and Thermal Transfer Printing
Authors: Guo Rui , Sun Xuyang , Yuan Bo , Wang Hongzhang , Liu Jing
Published: August 2019

Flexible materials with the ability to be bent, strained, or twisted play a critical role in soft robots and stretchable electronics. Although tremendous efforts are focused on developing new stretchable materials with excellent stability, inevitable mechanical damage due to long term deformation is still an urgent problem to be tackled. Here, a magnetic healing method based on Fe‐doped liquid metal (Fe‐GaIn) conductive ink via a noncontact way is proposed. Further, multifunctional flexible electronics are designed with combined performances of superior remote self‐healing under magnetic field, water‐degradable, and thermal transfer printing, which attribute to three parts of the materials including Fe‐GaIn conductive ink, degradable PVA substrate, and adhesive fructose. The as‐made light emitting diodes (LED) circuit is demonstrated with both structural and functional repairing after single or multipoint damage. The self‐healing time from multipoint damage is pretty fast within 10 s. Due to the water‐soluble PVA film, the recycling process is simple via immersing into water. Through heating, the electric circuit on fructose can be transferred to other flexible substrate with high efficiency, which broadens the practical applications of the present system. The novel and multifunctional electronics hold great promise for self‐healing electronics, transient electronics, and soft robots.
Supply chain networks servicing upstream operations in oil and gas fields after the shale revolution
Authors: Montagna Agustín F. , Cafaro Diego C.
Published: August 2019

The recent irruption of shale resources in the oil and gas (O&G) industry has dramatically changed the paradigm for managing upstream operations. Unconventional production is largely driven by drilling new wells, yielding a much larger scale of material and service flows that need to be efficiently planned. This article presents an optimization framework for the design of integrated supply chain networks (SCNs) servicing upstream operations. Novel aspects addressed in this work are the integrated planning of material and service supplies; the economies of scale in operating, transportation and capital expenditures; the concept of waiting cost to quantify production losses; and the reverse flow of materials within closed‐loop supply chains. The merits of the proposed approach are assessed through real‐world case studies from the Argentine O&G industry. Optimal designs yield significant cost savings and confirm that the integrated planning of the SCN is critical for O&G operators after the shale revolution.
Fusion of Wearable and Contactless Sensors for Intelligent Gesture Recognition
Authors: Liang Xiangpeng , Li Haobo , Wang Weipeng , Liu Yuchi , Ghannam Rami , Fioranelli Francesco , Heidari Hadi
Published: August 2019

A novel approach of fusing datasets from multiple sensors using a hierarchical support vector machine (HSVM) algorithm is presented. The validation of this method is experimentally carried out using an intelligent learning system that combines two different data sources. The sensors are based on a contactless sensor, which is a radar that detects the movements of the hands and fingers, as well as a wearable sensor, which is a flexible pressure sensor array that measures pressure distribution around the wrist. A HSVM architecture is developed to effectively fuse different data types in terms of sampling rate, data format, and gesture information from the pressure sensors and radar. In this respect, the proposed method is compared with the classification results from each of the two sensors independently. Herein, datasets from 15 different participants are collected and analyzed. The results show that the radar on its own provides a mean classification accuracy of 76.7%, whereas the pressure sensors provide an accuracy of 69.0%. However, enhancing the pressure sensors' output results with radar using the proposed HSVM algorithm improves the classification accuracy to 92.5%.