bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) Derived from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) Equivalent to Adipose-Derived MSC in Promoting Intestinal Healing and Microbiome Normalization in Mouse Inflammatory Bowel Disease Model
Authors: Soontararak Sirikul , Chow Lyndah , Johnson Valerie , Coy Jonathan , Wheat William , Regan Daniel , Dow Steven
Published: April 2018

Cellular therapy with allogeneic or autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) has emerged as a promising new therapeutic strategy for managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, MSC therapy ideally requires a convenient and relatively homogenous cell source (typically bone marrow or adipose tissues) and the ability to generate cells with stable phenotype and function. An alternative means of generating allogeneic MSC is to derive them from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), which could in theory provide an indefinite supply of MSC with well-defined phenotype and function. Therefore, we compared the effectiveness of iPSC-derived MSC (iMSC) and adipose-derived MSC (adMSC) in a mouse model of IBD (dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis), and investigated mechanisms of intestinal protection. We found that iMSC were equivalent to adMSC in terms of significantly improving clinical abnormalities in treated mice and reducing lesion scores and inflammation in the gut. Administration of iMSC also stimulated significant intestinal epithelial cell proliferation, increased in the numbers of Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells, and increased intestinal angiogenesis. In addition, the microbiome alterations present in mice with colitis were partially restored to resemble those of healthy mice following treatment with iMSC or adMSC. Thus, iMSC administration improved overall intestinal health and healing with equivalent potency to treatment with adMSC. This therefore is the first report of the effectiveness of iMSC in the treatment of IBD, along with a description of unique mechanisms of action with respect to intestinal healing and microbiome restoration.
Cobalt Phosphide Composite Encapsulated within N,P‐Doped Carbon Nanotubes for Synergistic Oxygen Evolution
Authors: Li Hui , Xu Si‐Min , Yan Hong , Yang Lan , Xu Sailong
Published: April 2018

Exploring highly efficient and stable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts such as transition‐metal phosphides (TMPs) is critical to advancing renewable hydrogen fuel. TMP nanostructures typically involving binary or ternary TMPs tuned by cation or anion doping are suggested to be promising low‐cost and durable OER catalysts. Herein, the preparation of CoP/CoP2 composite nanoparticles encapsulated within N,P‐doped carbon nanotubes (CoP/CoP2@NPCNTs) is demonstrated as a synergistic electrocatalyst for OER via the calcination of a CoAl‐layered double hydroxide/melamine mixture and subsequent phosphorization. Facile visualization by scanning electron microscopy in conjunction with electron backscatter diffraction demonstrates the encapsulation of the CoP/CoP2 nanoparticles within the N,P‐codoped CNTs. Electrocatalytic evaluation shows that the composite electrode requires a low overpotential of 300 mV for the OER at 10 mA cm−2 in a 1.0 m KOH solution and, in particular, exhibits an excellent long‐term durability of ≈100 h, which is superior to that of the state‐of‐the‐art RuO2 electrocatalyst. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the synergistic effect of CoP and CoP2 can enhance the electrocatalytic performance. In addition, molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that the generated O2 molecules can readily diffuse out of the CNTs. Both the effects give rise to the observed OER enhancement.
Numerical modeling of steel–concrete composite structures
Authors: Qiang Zhang , Yaozhuang Li , Kolozvari Kristijan
Published: April 2018

Steel–concrete composite structures are diverse in form and are widely used in industrial and civil infrastructures. To effectively simulate nonlinear behavior of composite structures under vertical load and horizontal earthquake action, a group of material constitutive models suitable for concrete in composite structures, concrete‐filled steel tubes that consider restraining effect, steel bars, and steel plates are developed via the User subroutine to define a material's mechanical behavior (UMAT) of a large‐scale finite element program ABAQUS based on extensive research. Based on analytical results, a section analysis method is proposed for round‐end sections, which is integrated into a fiber beam‐column model of steel–concrete composite structures in combination with the existing fiber discretization program. To verify the accuracy and applicability of the proposed fiber beam‐column model, trial computation is performed with the present fiber model versus PQ‐fiber model and OpenSees fiber beam‐column element. Comparison with extensive tests shows that the present fiber model has good accuracy and applicability.
Uncertainty analysis of the power law extrapolation techniques for adhesive anchors
Authors: Podroužek Jan , Wan‐Wendner Roman
Published: April 2018

Modern construction industry is increasingly utilizing postinstalled adhesive anchors as an alternative to traditional mechanical anchors. Although the application of adhesive anchors under sustained load offers many advantages, the associated approval guidelines based on a power law extrapolation technique have a number of ambiguities and limitations, which are shortly reviewed in this paper and subjected to uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analyses. Some of the observations presented may be considered as specific to the available experimental database of sustained load test, while some recommendations are universal, as they relate to the underlying creep phenomena and robust measures in regression. It is further shown, how a regression based safety factor could be derived from an experimental database and a possibilistic set of plausible choices.
A neutral point potential control for three‐level neutral‐point‐clamped converters based on the search optimization method of the two degrees of freedom
Authors: Guan Bo , Doki Shinji
Published: April 2018

To realize the neutral point potential (NPP) control for three‐level neutral‐point‐clamped (TL‐NPC) converters, a novel NPP control based on the search optimization method of the two degrees of freedom is proposed in this paper. It can overcome the low‐frequency NPP fluctuation problem that appears under nearest‐three‐vector pulse width modulation (PWM)‐based NPP control under some operating conditions. Although the traditional dual modulation wave method can also solve the low‐frequency NPP problem, the zero‐sequence voltage is limited under this modulation. It decreases the control domain of the neutral point current (io), which causes serious NPP drift problem especially in some special operating conditions, such as a long dead time, a strong asymmetrical load, or serious switch device inconsistency. The proposed method can expand the control domain of io by defining a new degree of freedom, thus lifting the limits of the zero‐sequence voltage and searching for the optimal two degrees of freedom. The wider control domain of io corresponds to a stronger NPP control ability. Experiments are carried out finally to prove the merits of the proposed method, by comparing the switching frequency, the NPP control speed, and the output performance. © 2018 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Training dilemmas and recommendations with volunteer instructors in small, faith‐based adult ESL programs
Authors: Durham Lisa , Kim Soonhyang
Published: April 2018

Faith‐based adult English as a second language (ESL) programs provide beneficial services to the underserved adult English language learner (ELL) population in the United States (Chao & Mantero, ). However, these programs face a critical training dilemma, often lacking qualified volunteer instructors and the time or resources to train them, which can negatively impact student learning (Chao & Kuntz, ; Pennycook & Coutand‐Marin, ; Perry & Hart, ). Directors in these programs grapple with the realities of their volunteer workforce and faith context while providing the instructor training necessary to meet student needs and facilitate high‐quality instruction. Nevertheless, research has overlooked smaller volunteer‐run ESL programs (Mathews‐Aydinli, ), primarily focusing on ESL programs in K–12 and higher education settings. In order to understand the complex instructor training dilemma that faces faith‐based ESL programs and provide some solutions, this article discusses the current status of adult English language education in the United States, highlights the need for training volunteer instructors in faith‐based adult ESL programs, and examines the constraints of developing training in these programs. The article concludes with recommendations for teacher training along with several suggestions for future research to adequately address student needs in small, faith‐based adult ESL contexts.
Evaluation of the association between strong ion acid–base disturbances and mortality in dogs: a retrospective study
Authors: Zager Erik , Fletcher Daniel J. , Goggs Robert
Published: April 2018

Acid–base abnormalities are frequently encountered in veterinary emergency and critical care, but information regarding the prognostic value of these findings is limited. Several systems for analysing acid–base disturbances have been reported, but the prognostic abilities of these systems have not been compared in dogs. The objectives of this retrospective study were to determine if the commonly used acid–base interpretation methods (Henderson–Hasselbalch, Stewart and semi‐quantitative) have prognostic value, and to compare the performance of the three methods. Electronic medical records were searched to create a database containing point‐of‐care blood‐gas, electrolyte and serum chemistry values for 1024 dogs assessed at a university teaching hospital. Dogs with contemporaneous blood‐gas analysis, blood lactate and serum biochemistry samples were eligible for study, and only the first recorded analyses for each patient visit were included. Components of the Henderson–Hasselbalch, Stewart and semi‐quantitative methods were calculated. To assess prognostic ability and to compare analysis system performance, receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curves for survival to hospital discharge were created. Of the 1024 dogs identified, case fatality rate was 23.8%. Area under theROCcurve did not exceed 0.63 for any calculated variable. Performance of all three analysis systems was similar. While some acid–base abnormalities identified were associated with mortality, no individual abnormality or system output yielded sensitive and specific cut‐off values for mortality prediction, and no interpretation method outperformed the others. This study suggests that initial acid–base abnormalities have limited prognostic utility and that various analysis systems can be used to assess acid–base disturbances in critically ill dogs.
Mix‐and‐match nanobiosensor design: Logical and spatial programming of biosensors using self‐assembled DNA nanostructures
Authors: Liu Ying , Kumar Sriram , Taylor Rebecca E.
Published: April 2018

The evergrowing need to understand and engineer biological and biochemical mechanisms has led to the emergence of the field of nanobiosensing. Structural DNA nanotechnology, encompassing methods such as DNA origami and single‐stranded tiles, involves the base pairing‐driven knitting of DNA into discrete one‐, two‐, and three‐dimensional shapes at nanoscale. Such nanostructures enable a versatile design and fabrication of nanobiosensors. These systems benefit from DNA's programmability, inherent biocompatibility, and the ability to incorporate and organize functional materials such as proteins and metallic nanoparticles. In this review, we present a mix‐and‐match taxonomy and approach to designing nanobiosensors in which the choices of bioanalyte and transduction mechanism are fully independent of each other. We also highlight opportunities for greater complexity and programmability of these systems that are built using structural DNA nanotechnology.

This article is categorized under:

Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants

Diagnostic Tools > Biosensing

Biology‐Inspired Nanomaterials > Nucleic Acid‐Based Structures

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology
Hfq chaperone brings speed dating to bacterial sRNA
Authors: Santiago‐Frangos Andrew , Woodson Sarah A.
Published: April 2018

Hfq is a ubiquitous, Sm‐like RNA binding protein found in most bacteria and some archaea. Hfq binds small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs), facilitates base pairing between sRNAs and their mRNA targets, and directly binds and regulates translation of certain mRNAs. Because sRNAs regulate many stress response pathways in bacteria, Hfq is essential for adaptation to different environments and growth conditions. The chaperone activities of Hfq arise from multipronged RNA binding by three different surfaces of the Hfq hexamer. The manner in which the structured Sm core of Hfq binds RNA has been well studied, but recent work shows that the intrinsically disordered C‐terminal domain of Hfq modulates sRNA binding, creating a kinetic hierarchy of RNA competition for Hfq and ensuring the release of double‐stranded sRNA–mRNA complexes. A combination of structural, biophysical, and genetic experiments reveals how Hfq recognizes its RNA substrates and plays matchmaker for sRNAs and mRNAs in the cell. The interplay between structured and disordered domains of Hfq optimizes sRNA‐mediated post‐transcriptional regulation, and is a common theme in RNA chaperones.

This article is categorized under:

Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs

RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA–Protein Complexes

RNA Structure and Dynamics > RNA Structure, Dynamics, and Chemistry
Chiral Recognition of Racemic Proline based on Chiral Macrocyclic Nickel(II) Complex: Synthesis and Crystal Structures
Authors: Li Huan‐Yong , Jia Guo‐Kai , Zeng Fei , Tang Shan‐Shan , Ou Guang‐Chuan
Published: April 2018

The reactions of dl‐proline with chiral macrocyclic NiII complex [Ni(SS‐L)](ClO4)2 in acetonitrile/water gave a six‐coordinate enantiomer formulated as [Ni(SS‐L)(l‐Pro)](ClO4)2·H2O (1). Another enantiomer of [Ni(RR‐L)(d‐Pro)](ClO4)2·H2O (2) was obtained when [Ni(RR‐L)](ClO4)2 was used (L = 5,5,7,12,12,14‐hexamethyl‐1,4,8,11‐tetraazacyclotetradecane, Pro = proline). Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses of complexes 1 and 2 revealed that the NiII atom has a distorted octahedral coordination arrangement, being coordinated by four nitrogen atoms of L in a folded configuration, plus two carboxylate oxygen atoms of proline in mutually cis positions. Complexes 1 and 2 are supramolecular stereoisomers, which are constructed with hydrogen bonding linking of [Ni(SS‐L)(l‐Pro)]2+ and [Ni(RR‐L)(d‐Pro)]2+ monomers to form one‐dimensional zigzag chains. The homochiral natures of complexes 1 and 2 were confirmed by solid CD spectroscopy.
Mucormycosis Vertebral Osteomyelitis
Authors: Fung Chan Chun , Ting Wong Martin Chung , Kin Cheung Ka , On Cheng Hung , Ngai Yim Wing , Eleanor Wen
Published: April 2018

Fungal vertebral osteomyelitis by mucormycosis is extremely rare. We report a 16-year-old patient with newly diagnosed acute lymphoid leukaemia who developed extensive vertebral osteomyelitis caused by mucormycosis. He was treated with three-level subtotal spondylectomy and long-term oral antifungal medications. He had no neurological deficit after the operation.
Origin of last-glacial loess in the western Yukon-Tanana Upland, central Alaska, USA
Authors: Muhs Daniel R. , Pigati Jeffrey S. , Budahn James R. , Skipp Gary L. , Bettis E. Arthur , Jensen Britta
Published: April 2018

Loess is widespread over Alaska, and its accumulation has traditionally been associated with glacial periods. Surprisingly, loess deposits securely dated to the last glacial period are rare in Alaska, and paleowind reconstructions for this time period are limited to inferences from dune orientations. We report a rare occurrence of loess deposits dating to the last glacial period, ~19 ka to ~12 ka, in the Yukon-Tanana Upland. Loess in this area is very coarse grained (abundant coarse silt), with decreases in particle size moving south of the Yukon River, implying that the drainage basin of this river was the main source. Geochemical data show, however, that the Tanana River valley to the south is also a likely distal source. The occurrence of last-glacial loess with sources to both the south and north is explained by both regional, synoptic-scale winds from the northeast and opposing katabatic winds that could have developed from expanded glaciers in both the Brooks Range to the north and the Alaska Range to the south. Based on a comparison with recent climate modeling for the last glacial period, seasonality of dust transport may also have played a role in bringing about contributions from both northern and southern sources.
Assessment and calibration of representational bias in soil phytolith assemblages in Northeast China and its implications for paleovegetation reconstruction
Authors: Gao Guizai , Jie Dongmei , Liu Lidan , Liu Hongyan , Li Dehui , Li Nannan , Shi Jichen , Leng Chengcheng , Qiao Zhihe
Published: April 2018

The assessment and calibration of representational bias in modern soil phytolith assemblages provide the basis for improving interpretation of fossil phytolith assemblages. We studied soil phytolith representation by comparing phytoliths from living plant communities with those from paired surface soils, representing 39 plant communities in Northeast China. Together with the use of representation indices, the 34 and 30 soil morphotypes observed in forest and grassland samples, respectively, were both classified into the following four groups: “Associated types” were similarly represented in soils and in the corresponding species inventory data; “Over-represented types” and “Under-represented types” were respectively over- and under-represented in soils compared to the inventory data; and, in the case of “Special types,” the relationship with the parent plants was unclear. In addition, the diagnostic types exhibited different degrees of representation, while the most common morphotypes were equally represented between grassland samples and forest samples. On this basis, a comparison between the original and corrected soil phytolith indices of the additional 29 soil samples was conducted. The soil phytoliths frequencies corrected by R-values differed between plots with differing plant compositions, and were moderately consistent with actual plant richness in the plot inventory data. We therefore confirmed that R-values are a promising means of correcting soil phytoliths for representational bias in temperate regions. The corrected soil phytoliths can be used to reliably reflect vegetation variability. Overall, our study provides an improved understanding of soil phytolith representation and offers a potential method for improving the accuracy of paleovegetation reconstruction.
An Inductive Julia-Carathéodory Theorem for Pick Functions in Two Variables
Authors: Pascoe J. E.
Published: April 2018

Classically, Nevanlinna showed that functions from the complex upper half plane into itself which satisfy nice asymptotic conditions are parametrized by finite measures on the real line. Furthermore, the higher order asymptotic behaviour at infinity of a map from the complex upper half plane into itself is governed by the existence of moments of its representing measure, which was the key to his solution of the Hamburger moment problem. Agler and McCarthy showed that an analogue of the above correspondence holds between a Pick function f of two variables, an analytic function which maps the product of two upper half planes into the upper half plane, and moment-like quantities arising from an operator theoretic representation for f. We apply their ‘moment’ theory to show that there is a fine hierarchy of levels of regularity at infinity for Pick functions in two variables, given by the Löwner classes and intermediate Löwner classes of order N, which can be exhibited in terms of certain formulae akin to the Julia quotient.
ALBERT LUTHULI'S PRIVATE STRUGGLE: HOW AN ICON OF PEACE CAME TO ACCEPT SABOTAGE IN SOUTH AFRICA
Authors: VINSON ROBERT TRENT , CARTON BENEDICT
Published: April 2018

In December 1961, Albert Luthuli, leader of the African National Congress (ANC), arrived in Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Journalists in Norway noted how apartheid crackdowns failed to poison the new laureate's ‘courteous’ commitment to nonviolence. The press never reported Luthuli's acceptance that saboteurs in an armed wing, Umkhonto weSizwe (MK or Spear of the Nation), would now fight for freedom. Analyzing recently available evidence, this article challenges a prevailing claim that Luthuli always promoted peace regardless of state authorities who nearly beat him to death and massacred protesting women, children, and men. We uncover his evolving views of justifiable violence, which guided secret ANC decisions to pursue ‘some kind of violence’ months before his Nobel celebration. These views not only expand knowledge of ‘struggle history’, but also alter understandings of Luthuli's aim to emancipate South Africa from a system of white supremacy that he likened to ‘slavery’.
DILEMMAS OF POSTCOLONIAL DIPLOMACY: ZAMBIA, KENNETH KAUNDA, AND THE MIDDLE EAST CRISIS, 1964–73
Authors: SCHLER LYNN
Published: April 2018

This article examines Zambia's engagement with the Middle East conflict from 1964–73 as a window into the political strategies and ideological ambitions of Kaunda's government in the first decade of independence. At the start of independence, Kaunda's domestic agenda led him to establish ties with Israel and to advance a program for cooperative development based on Israeli technical assistance. However, broader international concerns, filtered through the struggle against white minority regimes in southern Africa, ultimately led Kaunda to embrace a leadership role in international protests against Israel's policies towards its neighboring states. Zambia's foray into Middle East diplomacy in the first decade of independence enables a focused examination of Kaunda's presence in the international arena, while also revealing the compromises he made in the face of conflicting interests. Zambia's role in the Middle East conflict highlights this era as a time of confidence and claim-making by African leaders, but also one of concessions.
CONSISTENCY OF THE EFFECTS OF FEMALE EDUCATION ON FERTILITY ACROSS THE NORTH–SOUTH DEMOGRAPHIC DIVIDE IN NIGERIA, 2003–2013
Authors: Wusu Onipede , Isiugo-Abanihe Uche C.
Published: April 2018

Most studies examining the association between female education and fertility have reported an inverse association. However, little is known about the consistency of the relationship, or what level of education triggers an inverse association. This study examined the consistency of the association between female education and fertility across the north–south demographic divide in Nigeria. Data on women aged 40–49 were taken from the 2003, 2008 and 2013 Nigerian DHS data sets. The results showed that female education remained significantly and consistently inversely related to fertility in both the north and south of Nigeria. Women with secondary or higher level of education reported a lower number of children ever born (CEB) than those with primary or no education in both the north and south (p<0.05). The findings suggest that female education has a more effective negative effect on fertility in the south, where the level of female schooling is higher, than in the north, with its limited level of female education. Primary-level female education appeared to be ineffective in reducing fertility in the study sample. Women with primary schooling reported a slightly higher CEB than those who did not have any formal education. Also, age at marriage and child mortality were found to be consistent and significant predictors of fertility in both the north and south (p<0.001). Women who married at relatively higher ages and those who had never lost a child reported a smaller CEB consistently in both the north and south (p<0.001). Therefore, to attain sustainable fertility decline throughout Nigeria, it is imperative that policies aimed at increasing the prevalence and quality of female education are pursued, and there must be a focus on social, physical, environmental and cultural factors influencing age at marriage and child mortality.
Integrated Care Approaches Used for Transitions from Hospital to Community Care: A Scoping Review
Authors: Brown Cara L. , Menec Verena
Published: April 2018

Les soins intégrés constituent une approche prometteuse pour améliorer les transitions entre les soins pour les personnes âgées, mais il n’existe pas de consensus concernant ce concept ou ses applications. Cet examen de la portée décrit l’ampleur et le contenu des publications sur les initiatives de soins intégrés visant les transitions entre les soins hospitaliers et les soins en milieu communautaire pour les aînés (âgés de 65 ans ou plus), et la conceptualisation des soins intégrés dans ces écrits. Une recherche systématique dans la littérature des 10 dernières années a permis d’identifier 899 documents qui ont été examinés par deux évaluateurs. Des 48 documents sélectionnés, 26 étaient des articles de revues scientifiques et 22 des articles de la littérature grise.

Les analyses réalisées incluent des statistiques descriptives et une analyse de contenu qui résume les caractéristiques des initiatives de soins intégrés. Les résultats suggèrent que l’intégration de la prestation des soins et services est principalement visée par ces travaux, plutôt que l’intégration du financement, de l’administration ou de l’organisation des soins. Afin de permettre des comparaisons sur le plan international des initiatives de soins intégrés visant l’amélioration des transitions entre les soins, une description détaillée des contextes organisationnels serait aussi nécessaire.
‘The whole art of war is reduced to money’: remittances, short-term credit and financial intermediation in Anglo-Dutch military finance, 1688–1713
Authors: Brandon Pepijn
Published: April 2018

The literature on the financial revolution and the rise of the English fiscal-military state frequently gives the impression that a singular set of reforms emanating from the Glorious Revolution of 1688 changed the entire landscape of English army finances, allowing a fundamental shift from patchwork solutions based on short-term credit and managed through a system of wholesale venality to a solid system of long-term funded loans raised on an impersonal market. This article focuses on the crucial role that merchant networks and the personal connections of financial intermediaries continued to play in international troop payments arranged by the English state through the Dutch Republic. Even when the English or Dutch treasuries could find the necessary money to pay and provision the troops in time, getting the money to the military commanders in the field or to their distant suppliers often depended on long and complex credit lines. Short-term loans acquired in making military expenditure – consisting of unpaid bills to suppliers, payments advanced by officials and officers, and temporary loans contracted by financial intermediaries – as well as the widespread reliance on commercial credit in the form of bills of exchange as a way to transfer funds effectively formed the life thread of army finance. The ability to finance the military in times of exploding costs and permanent emergencies without defaulting rested not only on the capacity to draw on financial resources at home, but also on the strength of commercial and financial networks abroad. In doing so, closeness to the centres of emerging international financial capitalism seems to have been of greater importance than a specific set of institutional innovations.
‘The most difficult financial matter that has ever presented itself’: paper money and the financing of warfare under Louis XIV
Authors: Félix Joël
Published: April 2018

Based on an extensive survey of French primary sources and a discussion of the recent literature on fiscal policy in France and Europe during Louis XIV's wars, this article revisits the rationale behind the first experiment with paper money undertaken by finance minister Michel Chamillart, comparing it to other belligerents’ strategies, in particular England's, to adjust their monetary regime to the challenges of funding long wars of attrition. The article shows how concerns about economic activity, coinage and the need to finance the war deficit led to a series of debasements of the French currency, the establishment of a bank in the form of aCaisse des empruntsand the introduction of mint bills, which became legal tender and caused the first experience of fiat money inflation in history. Whereas Chamillart's personal shortcomings have been recently suggested as the cause of Louis XIV's humbling in the War of the Spanish Succession, I argue on the contrary that the introduction of paper money in 1704 was key to the capacity of France to sustain its military effort, but that a succession of military defeats against a more powerful coalition led to inflation. I also argue that the introduction of paper money saved theCaisse des empruntsand its bonds which helped sustain the war effort up until the peace. By situating the use of paper money within the broader question of the exercise of power in the absolute monarchy, this article examines the formation of fiscal policy, paying attention to the ways in which government sought advice from experts. It concludes by calling for further studies on policy- and decision-making under Louis XIV.
The Mission and Responsibilities of Innovative Universities
Authors: Zhang Lei , Liu Ji’An , Zhang Jie
Published: April 2018

This article is adapted from a speech delivered at the ‘2016 University Presidents Forum’ on 7 April 2016. Modern human society confronts two great challenges: one from the conflict between nature and humankind, the other from the clash of different civilizations. As one of the most innovative components of society, research universities should shoulder the responsibilities for, and contribute to the sustainable development of, human society and the peaceful development of the world. One possible road to take for research universities is to accelerate building innovative universities, and hand-in-hand develop an innovation network with other innovative components of society. Here, the concept of an innovative university, beyond the perspective of a single innovative component, refers to a university with an innovation capacity as well as an organizer, connector and coordinator of various innovative components, (1) adding value through innovation and creating excellence; (2) acquiring the competitiveness for resources, and optimizing and upgrading itself; and (3) developing the capability of consolidating high quality resources through openness, sharing and collaboration. However, research universities should realize that neither the capacity of acquiring nor consolidating high quality resources can be achieved by an individual university or universities in a single region. That means future innovation should be made through networks. Only those who have access to the key nodes of the network can stand on the central stage of the global innovation system. Thus, an innovative university plays an irreplaceable role in the formation and function of such an innovation network to sustain its position in the global innovation system. These are the mission and responsibilities of the leading research universities.
Strength, Stamina, and Sexism in the 2016 Presidential Race
Authors: Conroy Meredith
Published: April 2018

On September 11, 2016, less than two months before Election Day, Hillary Clinton attended the 9/11 memorial service in New York City. Reportedly, Clinton left the event early, and as she was getting into her SUV, she fainted. A bystander caught on camera a wobbly Clinton needing assistance getting into her vehicle, which he posted to Twitter, where it immediately circulated (Kafka 2016). News media outlets soon picked it up and were quick to air the footage. Initially, the Clinton campaign explained that Clinton had been “overheated.” Later that afternoon, however, the campaign announced that two days prior, Clinton had been diagnosed with walking pneumonia, and despite being advised to rest, she had attended the memorial event.
Inverted-L microstrip open slot antenna with wideband circularly polarization for Wimax application
Authors: Lv Cheng-Zhong , Yang Lu-Chun
Published: April 2018

A novel wideband circularly polarized printed antenna is proposed in this paper. It consists of asymmetrical ground and monofilar spiral stubs connecting to it. By employing an inverted L-shaped microstrip feedline to excite the slit etched in the ground and spiral stubs, a wideband culalry polarized performance of the proposed antenna is realized. After optimization, the measured results of the final structure demonstrate that a 10 dB bandwidth of 76.2% from 2.6 to 5.8 GHz and a 3 dB axial-ratio bandwidth for circular polarization of 72.9% from 2.7 to 5.8 GHz could be achieved which could completely cover the Wimax (3.3–3.8 GHz) band.
Convolutional neural networks for parking space detection in downfire urban radar
Authors: Martinez Javier , Zoeke Dominik , Vossiek Martin
Published: April 2018

We present a method for detecting parking spaces in radar images based on convolutional neural networks (CNN). A multiple-input multiple-output radar is used to render a slant-range image of the parking scenario and a background estimation technique is applied to reduce the impact of dynamic interference from the surroundings by separating the static background from moving objects in the scene. A CNN architecture, that also incorporates mechanisms to generalize the model to new scenarios, is proposed to determine the occupancy of the parking spaces in the static radar images. The experimental results show very high accuracy even in scenarios where little or no training data is available, proving the viability of the proposed approach for its implementation at large scale with reduced deployment efforts.
Micromachining integration platform for sub-terahertz and terahertz systems
Authors: Ermolov Vladimir , Lamminen Antti , Saarilahti Jaakko , Wälchli Ben , Kantanen Mikko , Pursula Pekka
Published: April 2018

We demonstrate a sub-terahertz (THz) and THz integration platform based on micromachined waveguides on silicon. The demonstrated components in the frequency range 225–325 GHz include waveguides, filters, waveguide vias, and low-loss transitions between the waveguide and the monolithic integrated circuits. The developed process relies on microelectromechanical systems manufacturing methods and silicon wafer substrates, promising a scalable and cost-efficient system integration method for future sub-THz and THz communication and sensing applications. Low-temperature Au/In thermo-compression and Au–Au laser bonding processes are parts of the integration platform enabling integration of millimeter-wave monolithic integrated circuits.
Portuguese Norms of Name Agreement, Concept Familiarity, Subjective Frequency and Visual Complexity for 150 Colored and Tridimensional Pictures
Authors: Soares Ana Paula , Pureza Rita , Comesaña Montserrat
Published: April 2018

Pictures are complex stimuli that require a careful control of several characteristics and attributes standardized for different languages. In this work we present for the first time European Portuguese (EP) norms for name agreement, concept familiarity, subjective frequency and visual complexity for a new set of 150 colored pictures. These pictures were selected to represent exemplars of the most used semantic categories in research and to depict objects which, though familiar to the participants, were rarely used in daily life, which makes them particularly prone to speech failures such as tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) states. Norms were collected from 640 EP native speakers that rated each picture in the four variables through a web-survey procedure. Results showed, as expected, that a large number of pictures in the dataset elicited a TOT response, and additionally that the ratings obtained in each of the dimensions are in line with those observed in other pictorial datasets. Norms can be freely downloaded at https://www.psi.uminho.pt/en/Research/Psycholinguistics/Pages/Databases.aspx
Messung der Therapeutenkompetenz in Psychotherapiegruppen
Authors: Pohl Nadine , Albus Christian , Herpertz Stephan , Petrak Frank
Published: April 2018

Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: Methodisch betrachtet stellt die psychotherapeutische Kompetenz ein wichtiges Qualitätsmerkmal zur Überprüfung der Validität in Psychotherapiestudien dar. Bisher lag kein Instrument zur Erfassung der Psychotherapeutenkompetenz in Gruppentherapien vor. Fragestellung: Eignet sich die hier vorgestellte Adaptation der deutschsprachigen Version der Cognitive Therapy Scale (CTS-D-G) zur Erfassung der psychotherapeutischen Kompetenz in kognitiv-verhaltenstherapeutischen Gruppen? Methodik: Das Ratingsystem wurde anhand von 32 exemplarischen Videoaufzeichnungen von 7 Therapeut_innen und 68 Patient_innen aus 16 Therapiegruppen von zwei Ratern evaluiert. Die Evaluierung erfolgte im Rahmen einer randomisierten, kontrollierten Studie mit depressiven Diabetespatient_innen. Ergebnisse: Es konnten eine sehr gute Interraterreliabilität (r = .82) und eine hohe interne Konsistenz (Cronbach’s α = .96) nachgewiesen werden. Schlussfolgerung: Die Studie liefert erste Hinweise, dass die CTS-D-G zur Erfassung der psychotherapeutischen Kompetenz in verhaltenstherapeutischen Gruppentherapie geeignet ist.
Soziales Kompetenztraining in Virtueller Realität bei sozialer Angst
Authors: Reichenberger Jonas , Diemer Julia , Zwanzger Peter , Notzon Swantje , Mühlberger Andreas
Published: April 2018

Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: Soziale Kompetenztrainings sind wichtige Werkzeuge bei der Psychotherapie der Sozialen Angststörung. Die Durchführung in Virtueller Realität (VR) könnte die Verfügbarkeit und Effektivität erhöhen, allerdings besteht ein Bedarf an validierten VR-Szenarien. Fragestellung: Geprüft wird die Validität von zwei in Anlehnung an das Gruppentraining sozialer Kompetenzen von Hinsch und Pfingsten (2015) entwickelten VR-Szenarien. Es wird angenommen, dass die durch das Szenario ausgelösten Komponenten sozialer Angst auf subjektiver, psychophysiologischer und kognitiver Ebene signifikant zwischen höher (HSA) und niedriger (NSA) sozial ängstlichen Personen differenzieren. Methode: Insgesamt durchliefen N = 55 HSA und NSA Studierende zwei VR-Szenarien vom Typ „Recht durchsetzen“. Zusätzlich wurde experimentell die Blickkontaktdauer des virtuellen Gesprächspartners variiert. Hauptoutcome war die erlebte Angst in den Rollenspielen. Zusätzlich wurden Herzschlagfrequenz, Hautleitfähigkeit sowie die Einschätzung der eigenen Kompetenz erfasst. Ergebnisse: HSA im Vergleich zu NSA berichteten für beide Szenarien signifikant höhere Angst sowie negative Verzerrungen in Bezug auf die Einschätzung der eigenen Kompetenz. Zusätzlich zeigte sich eine physiologische Aktivierung während der Rollenspiele, aber keine Differenzierung zwischen beiden Gruppen. Beide VR-Szenarien wurden als realistisch empfunden. Schlussfolgerungen: Virtuelle Interaktionsszenarien können zu Trainingszwecken genutzt werden und Soziale Kompetenztrainings in VR haben ein großes Potential für den Einsatz als psychotherapeutisches Verfahren bei Sozialer Angststörung.
The Variable and Changing Southern Ocean Silicate Front: Insights From the CESM Large Ensemble
Authors: Freeman Natalie M. , Lovenduski Nicole S. , Munro David R. , Krumhardt Kristen M. , Lindsay Keith , Long Matthew C. , Maclennan Michelle
Published: April 2018

The location of the Southern Ocean Silicate Front (SF) is a key indicator of physical circulation, biological productivity, and biogeography, but its variability in space and time is currently not well understood due to a lack of time‐varying nutrient observations. This study provides a first estimate of the spatiotemporal variability of the SF, defined using the silicate‐to‐nitrate (Si:N) ratio as simulated by the Community Earth System Model (CESM) Large Ensemble (1920–2100), and its response to a changing Southern Ocean. The latitude where Si:N = 1 largely coincides with regions of high gradients in silicate and the observed position of the Antarctic Polar Front (PF) and serves as an indicator of waters with adequate nutrients available for diatom growth. On seasonal to interdecadal time scales, variability in the location of the SF is largely determined by biological nutrient utilization and Southern Ocean bathymetry, respectively. From 1920 to 2100, under historical and RCP8.5 forcing, the zonally averaged SF shifts poleward by ∼3° latitude, with no discernible shift in the position of the simulated location of the PF or the core of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. A more poleward SF is primarily driven by long‐term reductions in silicate and nitrate concentrations at the surface as a consequence of greater iron availability and a warmer, more stratified Southern Ocean. These results suggest a decoupling of the SF and PF by the end of the century, with implications for local biogeography, global thermocline nutrient cycling, and the interpretation of paleoclimate records from deep sea sediments.
Shelf‐Scale Submarine Groundwater Discharge in the Northern South China Sea and East China Sea and its Geochemical Impacts
Authors: Tan Ehui , Wang Guizhi , Moore Willard S. , Li Qing , Dai Minhan
Published: April 2018

To evaluate biogeochemical impacts of shelf‐scale submarine groundwater discharge (SGD), the northern South China Sea (NSCS) and the East China Sea (ECS) shelf were chosen for this study. Based on a three end‐member mixing model and a Ra box model, SGD fluxes on NSCS (west and east of the Pearl River Estuary, WPRE and EPRE, respectively) and ECS shelf in winter were estimated to be 3.8–9.5 × 109, 1.4–2.2 × 109 and 0.7–2.2 ×1010 m3 d−1, respectively. Our results were equivalent to the SGD flux to the entire Mediterranean Sea, and were an order of magnitude greater than fluxes to the South Atlantic Bight. SGD associated nutrient fluxes into WPRE, EPRE and ECS were almost in the same order of magnitude, 0.2–2.4 × 103 mol m−1 d−1 for dissolved inorganic nitrogen, 1.2–9.8 mol m−1 d−1 for soluble reactive phosphorus, and 0.4–3.4 × 103 mol m−1 d−1 for dissolved silicate. Moreover, SGD delivered 1.1–2.8 × 104, 0.6–0.9 × 104, 1.7–5.1 × 104 mol m−1 d−1 dissolved inorganic carbon and 1.1–2.7 × 104, 0.5–0.8 × 104, 1.6–4.8 × 104 mol m−1 d−1 total alkalinity to WPRE, EPRE and ECS, respectively. Shelf‐scale SGD is a significant source of nutrients and carbon, and may pose great impacts on regional marine ecosystems.
Cases Study of Nonlinear Interaction Between Near‐Inertial Waves Induced by Typhoon and Diurnal Tides Near the Xisha Islands
Authors: Liu Junliang , He Yinghui , Li Juan , Cai Shuqun , Wang Dongxiao , Huang Yandan
Published: April 2018

Nonlinear interaction between near‐inertial waves (NIWs) and diurnal tides (DTs) after nine typhoons near the Xisha Islands of the northwestern South China Sea (SCS) were investigated using three‐year in situ mooring observation data. It was found that a harmonic wave (f + D1, hereafter referred to as fD1 wave), with a frequency equal to the sum of frequencies of NIWs and DTs (hereafter referred to as f and D1, respectively), was generated via nonlinear interaction between typhoon‐induced NIWs and DTs after each typhoon. The fD1 wave mainly concentrates in the subsurface layer, and is mainly induced by the first component of the vertical nonlinear momentum term, the product of the vertical velocity of DT and vertical shear of near‐inertial current (hereafter referred to as Component 1), in which the vertical shear of the near‐inertial current greatly affects the strength of the fD1 current. The larger the Component 1, the stronger the fD1 currents. The background preexisting mesoscale anticyclonic eddy near the mooring site may also enhance the vertical velocity of DT and thus Component 1, which subsequently facilitates the nonlinear interaction‐induced energy transfer to the fD1 wave and enhances the fD1 currents after the passage of a typhoon.
Variation of Residual Current in the Seto Inland Sea Driven by Sea Level Difference Between the Bungo and Kii Channels
Authors: Taniguchi Naokazu , Huang Chen‐Fen , Arai Masazumi , Howe Bruce M.
Published: April 2018

Understanding residual (i.e., total minus tidal) currents in coastal seas is important because the residual currents affect long‐term material transports. In the Seto Inland Sea, Japan (SIS), a Bungo Channel to Kii Channel sea level difference causes a horizontal pressure gradient in the SIS and thus affects the residual current in the SIS. This study applies a linear regression method to examine how the residual current responds to the Bungo‐Kii sea level difference. The residual current is obtained using the reciprocal acoustic transmission data collected in the eastern portion of the Aki‐Nada sea area in 2012. The residual currents are estimated in the following three periods: from 12 April to 9 June, from 15 June to 21 July, and from 20 September to 27 October. In the regression analysis, an additional term is included to account for the fortnightly variation of the tide‐induced residual current. More than 75% of the observed residual currents can be explained by the sea level difference and the fortnightly variation. For the three periods, the variations of the residual current along the acoustic transmission line are, respectively, 0.20 ± 0.01, 0.22 ± 0.01, and 0.30 ± 0.01 cm s−1 per 1 cm of the Bungo‐Kii sea level difference. The corresponding variations in the volume transport are 920 ± 149,
, and
m3 s−1 per 1 cm sea level difference. Comparing with the wind‐induced volume transport, we find that the sea level difference can cause a comparable volume transport variation.
Characterizing Drainage Multiphase Flow in Heterogeneous Sandstones
Authors: Jackson Samuel J. , Agada Simeon , Reynolds Catriona A. , Krevor Samuel
Published: April 2018

In this work, we analyze the characterization of drainage multiphase flow properties on heterogeneous rock cores using a rich experimental data set and mm‐m scale numerical simulations. Along with routine multiphase flow properties, 3‐D submeter scale capillary pressure heterogeneity is characterized by combining experimental observations and numerical calibration, resulting in a 3‐D numerical model of the rock core. The uniqueness and predictive capability of the numerical models are evaluated by accurately predicting the experimentally measured relative permeability of N2—DI water and CO2—brine systems in two distinct sandstone rock cores across multiple fractional flow regimes and total flow rates. The numerical models are used to derive equivalent relative permeabilities, which are upscaled functions incorporating the effects of submeter scale capillary pressure. The functions are obtained across capillary numbers which span four orders of magnitude, representative of the range of flow regimes that occur in subsurface CO2 injection. Removal of experimental boundary artifacts allows the derivation of equivalent functions which are characteristic of the continuous subsurface. We also demonstrate how heterogeneities can be reorientated and restructured to efficiently estimate flow properties in rock orientations differing from the original core sample. This analysis shows how combined experimental and numerical characterization of rock samples can be used to derive equivalent flow properties from heterogeneous rocks.