bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rheological analysis of mud from Port of Hamburg, Germany
Authors: Shakeel Ahmad , Kirichek Alex , Chassagne Claire
Published: September 2019

Purpose

An innovative way to define navigable fluid mud layers is to make use of their rheological properties, in particular their yield stress. In order to help the development of in situ measurement techniques, it is essential that the key rheological parameters are estimated beforehand. Is there only one yield stress? In which shear rate/shear stress range is yield expected to occur? How is yield stress dependent on depths and locations in the harbor? In order to answer these questions, we investigated the changes in the rheological properties of mud from along the river stream in the Port of Hamburg, Germany, using a recently developed laboratory protocol.

Materials and methods

In this study, a detailed rheological analysis was carried out on the mud samples collected from different locations and depths of the Port of Hamburg. A variety of rheological tests was performed including: stress sweep tests, flow curves, thixotropic tests, oscillatory amplitude, and frequency sweep tests.

Results and discussion

The yield stresses of sediments from different locations were significantly dissimilar from each other due to differences in densities and organic matter content. Two yield stresses (termed static and fluidic) were observed for every sample and linearly correlated to each other. The thixotropic studies showed that all mud samples, except from one location, displayed a combination of thixotropic and anti-thixotropic behaviors. The results of frequency sweep tests showed the solid-like character of the sediments within the linear viscoelastic limit. The yield stresses, thixotropy, and moduli of the mud samples increased by going deeper into the sediment bed due to the increase in density of the sediments.

Conclusions

This study confirmed the applicability of the recently developed protocol as a fast and reliable tool to measure the yield stresses of sediments from different locations and depths in the Port of Hamburg. The fluid mud layer, in all the locations it was observed, exhibited relatively small yield stress values and weak thixotropic behavior. This confirms that despite the fact that rheology of fluid mud is complex, this layer can be navigable.
What Have Slow Progressors Taught Us About T1D—Mind the Gap!
Authors: Gillespie Kathleen M. , Long Anna E.
Published: September 2019

Purpose of Review

Progression rate from islet autoimmunity to clinical diabetes is unpredictable. In this review, we focus on an intriguing group of slow progressors who have high-risk islet autoantibody profiles but some remain diabetes free for decades.

Recent Findings

Birth cohort studies show that islet autoimmunity presents early in life and approximately 70% of individuals with multiple islet autoantibodies develop clinical symptoms of diabetes within 10 years. Some “at risk” individuals however progress very slowly. Recent genetic studies confirm that approximately half of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is diagnosed in adulthood. This creates a conundrum; slow progressors cannot account for the number of cases diagnosed in the adult population.

There is a large “gap” in our understanding of the pathogenesis of adult onset T1D and a need for longitudinal studies to determine whether there are “at risk” adults in the general population; some of whom are rapid and some slow adult progressors.
An integrated custom decision-support computer aided facility management informative system for healthcare facilities and analysis
Authors: Iadanza Ernesto , Luschi Alessio
Published: September 2019

This article presents a Computer Aided Facility Management informative system which can output Key Performance Indicators and quantitative parameters about the analysed healthcare facility. The designed system is a self-sufficient application able to manage and analyse digital plans of hospital buildings with no need of third-party plugins or licenses. The system maps hospital’s inner organisation, destinations of use and environmental comforts giving quantitative, qualitative and graphical reports. The core database is linked to other existing hospital databases, so that the system can act as a central control cockpit. Outputs can be used by top-management and decisional staff as a decision-support tool in order to improve hospital’s structure and organisation and to reduce the major workflow risks. Furthermore, many plug-ins and modules have been developed through the years which can be easily linked to the main application thanks to its REST architecture, and which contribute to a complete analysis and management of the healthcare facilities.
Distribution of Flavobacterium psychrophilum and its gyrA genotypes in a river
Authors: Fujiwara-Nagata Erina , Shindoh Yuki , Yamamoto Michitaka , Okamura Takashi , Takegami Kentaro , Eguchi Mitsuru
Published: September 2019

Flavobacterium psychrophilum can be divided into three genotypes, G-C type (ayu type), A-C type (multi-fish type), and A-T type (salmon-trout type), by two single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the DNA gyrase subunit A (gyrA) gene. We isolated F. psychrophilum from various samples collected from the lower basin of a river flowing into Lake Biwa, as a model for bacterial survey, in Shiga Prefecture in June, September, and December from 2010 to 2013 and investigated their gyrA genotypes. All three types of F. psychrophilum were isolated in June when ayu went up the river from the lake. In September, ayu gathered in the lower river basin for spawning and became high in density, almost all of the isolates were of the G-C genotype and the A-T genotype was never isolated. In December, only the A-T type was isolated from the river samples, when Biwa trout Oncorhynchus masou rhodurus came to the river to spawn and were present in the sampling area. In accordance with the seasonal change of the host fish species in the river, the genotype of F. psychrophilum isolated from the environment seems to have changed as well.
A generic Internet of things (IoT) platform supporting plug-and-play device management based on the semantic web
Authors: Kim Woongsup , Ko Haram , Yun Hyeonjin , Sung Jiae , Kim Seeun , Nam Jiseung
Published: September 2019

There is a large variety of Internet of things (IoT) devices and their peripherals available in consumer markets, and IoT deployers should work on customizing device drivers that are compatible with their peripherals. Implementing compatible device drivers, however, often requires a burden of work. This paper proposes a generic platform that enables plug-and-play (PnP) integration for sensors and actuators to allow the addition and removal of IoT device peripherals without re-customizing all the device drivers. To this end, we employ IoT ontologies and semantics to represent IoT device characteristics and to infer IoT device behaviors. IoT device behavior is then passed to the generic device driver to cover device-specific operation. Since the generic device driver selectively operates most of the available function calls required in IoT devices, most of the programming work that is normally required for device customization is removed, and management overhead for software installation and maintenance can be minimized. To this end, we employ IoT ontologies and semantics as well as generic programming techniques in the generic platform in order to configure and control IoT devices. In the proposed platform, IoT device characteristics, including I/O functions and configuration rules, are defined using custom-built IoT ontologies, and operational behaviors are inferred through SPARQL queries. The generic platform then passes function-call name and configuration rules corresponding to the newly added peripheral device’s specification. The experimental results show that our generic platform covers most of the popular sensors available in the market. Our solution therefore enables a true PnP experience of sensors and actuator peripherals in IoT devices.
The study of imaging method for the moving controlled-source electromagnetic method
Authors: Xu Fengjiao , Yan Liangjun , Kachaje Osborne
Published: September 2019

Improving the accuracy and enhancing the reliability of controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) inversion in oil exploration in order to identify the interface between oil and water is a great challenge. In this paper, we proposed a variable-angle geometry imaging method by moving the source of CSEM (MCSEM). Firstly, based on the concept of multi-channel transient electromagnetic method, we obtained the quantitative relationship between the offset and detection depth, and then the geometry imaging principle of MCSEM was set up. Secondly, the feasibility study of the geometry imaging method was tested through the 1-D and 3-D forward modeling. Finally, by analyzing the collected field data of MCSEM method in Daqing oil reservoir, high-accuracy pseudo-apparent resistivity profile was obtained based on the geometry imaging method with the help of well-logging calibration. The results showed good compatibility with the 2-D TEM resistivity inversion which demonstrates that the MCSEM has great prospect potential in the identification of oil–water interface explorations.
Regional oncology network between pancreatic centers safeguards waiting times for pancreatoduodenectomy
Authors:   For the Gastrointestinal Oncology Center Amsterdam (GIOCA), Steen M. Willemijn , van Vliet Claire , Festen Sebastiaan , Besselink Marc G. , Gerhards Michael F. , Busch Olivier R.
Published: September 2019

Pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) is increasingly performed in high-volume centers, which may compromise waiting times. The aim of this study was to evaluate patient flow and outcome of PD within a regional oncology network of two high-volume centers. A post hoc analysis of a partially retrospective and prospective database was performed of all patients who underwent PD for pancreatic or periampullary neoplasms in both centers of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Center Amsterdam, a collaboration between an academic center and affiliated general teaching hospital, from 2010 to 2014. Outcomes included waiting time to surgery and postoperative morbidity and mortality. A total of 525 PDs were performed, 329 in the academic center (annual volume 66) and 196 in the teaching hospital (annual volume 39). Neoadjuvant treatment was more often used in the academic center, other baseline characteristics were similar. Overall time to surgery was 26 days, which was significantly less in the teaching hospital. The major postoperative morbidity rate was 38.3% (n = 201), and the 30- and 90-day mortality was 2.3% and 3.6%. A regional oncology network between an academic center and a general teaching hospital for PD can be an attractive option to safeguard waiting times in selected patients, without compromising outcome.
Development of multiplex PCR to detect slow rust resistance genes Lr34 and Lr46 in wheat
Authors: Skowrońska Roksana , Kwiatek Michał , Tomkowiak Agnieszka , Nawracała Jerzy
Published: September 2019

Leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina belongs to one of the most dangerous fungal diseases of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and is the cause of large yield losses every year. Here we report a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, which was developed for detection of two important wheat slow rust resistance genes Lr34 and Lr46, using two molecular markers: csLV34 and Xwmc44, respectively. The presence of genes was analyzed in one winter wheat variety TX89D6435 and five spring wheat varieties: Pavon F76, Parula ‘S’, Rayon 89, Kern, Mochis 88. Both Lr34 and Lr46 genes were identified in variety TX89D6435, gene Lr34 was also identified in Parula ‘S’ and Kern varieties, and gene L46 occurs in Pavon F76 and Mochis 88 variety. None of the resistance genes tested was detected in the Rayon 89 variety. The use of the multiplex PCR method allowed to shorten the analysis time, reduce costs of analyses, and reduce the workload.
Future therapeutic strategies for metastatic prostate cancer
Authors: Smits Minke , Gerritsen Winald , Mehra Niven
Published: September 2019

During the last decade several new therapies have been investigated and approved for metastatic prostate cancer that greatly impacts patients’ quality of life and outcome. Nevertheless, optimal sequencing algorithms are still lacking, as are combinatory strategies that deliver long-term disease stabilization. Precision medicine, utilizing molecular profiles from tissue biopsies, will help us deliver optimal patient care by identifying patients that may benefit from targeted- and immunotherapy, and help guide treatment decisions by use of predictive biomarkers. Here, we present an overview of predictive biomarkers in prostate cancer, including mismatch repair and DNA damage repair deficiency, and promising novel targeted- and immunotherapies regimens, such as PSMA-radioligand therapy, PARP inhibition and PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA‑4 checkpoint therapy. We anticipate that these agents in monotherapy and in combination regimens will alter uro-oncological patient management within the next ten years.
Designing of stand-alone hybrid PV/wind/battery system using improved crow search algorithm considering reliability index
Authors: Moghaddam Sasan , Bigdeli Mehdi , Moradlou Majid , Siano Pierluigi
Published: September 2019

In this paper, the design of a hybrid renewable energy PV/wind/battery system is proposed for improving the load supply reliability over a study horizon considering the Net Present Cost (NPC) as the objective function to minimize. The NPC includes the costs related to the investment, replacement, operation, and maintenance of the hybrid system. The considered reliability index is the deficit power-hourly interruption probability of the load demand. The decision variables are the number of PV panels, wind turbines and batteries, capacity of transferred power by inverter, angle of PV panels, and wind tower height. To solve the optimization problem, a new algorithm named improved crow search algorithm (ICSA) is proposed. The design of the system is done for Zanjan city, Iran based on real data of solar radiation and wind speed of this area. The performance of the proposed ICSA is compared with crow search algorithm (CSA) and particle swarm optimization methods in different combinations of system. This comparison shows that the proposed ICSA algorithm has better performance than other methods.
Effects of hydraulic oil and lubricant additives on dynamic friction properties under various reciprocating sliding conditions
Authors: Kato Shinji , Sasaki Shinya
Published: September 2019

The friction characteristics of a shock absorber are very complex because the reciprocating motion is not always identical. In this study a device was developed and used to analyze the dynamic friction characteristics under various reciprocating sliding conditions to determine the sliding materials and hydraulic oils that improve the shock absorber performance. This study describes the influence of hydraulic oil additive on the fine reciprocating friction characteristics of steel and copper alloy. Hydraulic oils were prepared by blending a paraffinic mineral oil with zinc dithiophosphate (ZnDTP) and polyhydric alcohol ester as additives. The results show that the dynamic frictional characteristics vary mainly depending on the additive concentration. A specific additive formulation induces a unique amplitude-dependent friction behavior. In addition, the influence of different additives on the lubrication mechanism is investigated based on the instrumental analysis of the friction surface.
Response of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria to remediation abandoned solid waste of coal mine
Authors: Bi Yinli , Xiao Li , Liu Rongrong
Published: September 2019

Coal is the vital resource of energy in China, but abandoned coal ash and gangue lead to the degradation of vegetation cover and reduce soil quality. Both arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) play a key role in biogeochemical cycle such as soil organic matter decomposition, nutrition release, and energy flow. To improve and reclamation the soil quality and ecological efficiency of the coal mining waste, we investigated the effects of an AMF strain (Glomus mosseae) and a PSB strain (Pantoesstewarti) on phytate mineralization and subsequent transfer to the host plant (Medicago sativaL.) using a two-compartment microcosm with a central 30 mm nylon mesh barrier. The results showed that significantly higher available P (AP), above ground biomass (AGB) and underground biomass (UGB) were in combined inoculation of AMF-PSB than other treatments in root and hyphae compartment. The microbial inoculum of the AMF or PSB had a significant influence on soil acid phosphatase activities (ACP). AMF-PSB enhanced phytate mineralization, improved plant biomass. AP and ACP positively influenced the AGB and UGB. AMF-PSB could be used as bioinoculant to enhance sustainable production of the plant in abandoned solid waste of coal mine.
Highlights of the 14th International Congress of the European Geriatric Medicine Society
Authors: Piotrowicz Karolina , Fähling Katrin , Roubaud-Baudron Claire , Sánchez-Rodríguez Dolores , Bauer Jürgen , Gąsowski Jerzy
Published: September 2019

Purpose

To report the most important messages of the 2018 EuGMS Congress in Berlin.

Methods

Review based on an on-site attendance in the sessions by the European Academy for Medicine of Aging graduates.

Results

The 14th Congress of the European Geriatric Medicine Society which took place in Berlin, Germany, from 10 to 12 October 2018, addressed the issue of challenges and opportunities associated with a fast changing modern world. Covering among other topics social issues, new technologies and the much-awaited new European definition of sarcopenia, the meeting streamed with important information.

Conclusions

Attended by more than 1800 participants from Europe and from across the world, it was one of the most successful geriatric events in 2018. In the following text, in preparation to the next, 15th Congress in Kraków, Poland, we briefly describe the highlights of the Berlin Congress.
The tenuous link between CSR performance and support for regulation: Business associations and Nordic regulatory preferences regarding the corporate transparency law 2014/95/EU
Authors: Kinderman Daniel
Published: September 2019

Do countries with high corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance support more stringent supranational regulation? Following this logic, existing scholarship claims that Nordic countries push for tougher regulations to sharpen their competitive advantage. On the basis of an examination of the negotiations over the EU Directive 2014/95/EU, a corporate transparency law that requires firms to report on their social, environmental, and human rights impacts, this paper argues that strong CSR performance does not necessarily entail strong support for regulation. Nordic companies perform well when it comes to sustainability, but except for Denmark, Nordic governments’ support for the Directive was lukewarm. To explain why, I examine the dynamics between CSR leaders, business associations, and party politics. I find that business associations are key for explaining this outcome. While some Nordic CSR leaders provided support, business associations, in which SMEs with lower CSR performance comprise the bulk of the members, were forceful opponents of regulation, unless domestic regulations are in place, in which case these associations support supranational regulations to level the playing field. I also stress the importance of partisan politics and extend the analysis to mandatory human rights due diligence. In sum, Nordic countries are much more heterogeneous than what the literature often suggests.
Moral lessons in late Byzantium: rhetorical models and didacticism in Joseph Bryennios’Forty-Nine Chapters(c. 1402)
Authors: Leonte Florin
Published: September 2019

This article examines Joseph Bryennios’Forty-Nine Chapters, a text that has been hitherto explored mostly for the information on social practices in late Byzantium. The analysis of the text's rhetorical techniques indicates that Bryennios departed significantly from other contemporary collections ofkephalaiawhich relied on the inherited wisdom of gnomologia. I argue that the pervasiveness of figurative language and vivid analogies in theForty-Nine Chaptersshaped his specific didacticism and unveiled the author's acquaintance with the technique of rhetorical amplification.
Pathways to European Policy and Regulation in the Crypto-economy
Authors: CHIU Iris H-Y
Published: September 2019

The EU has yet to develop definitive policies for the crypto-economy, and this article argues that policy development should follow a “systemic” and not “sectoral” approach. This is because the crypto-economy is not merely a financialised space and new productive activity is occurring that would benefit from more holistic policy development than regulation focused on securities and investments. This article proposes that the EU should develop policy for the crypto-economy based more broadly on innovation policy and perhaps feed into the Single Market project.
Courts as extra-cabinet control mechanisms for secondary legislation: evidence from Italy
Authors: Rebessi Elisa , Zucchini Francesco
Published: September 2019

Ministers can have an incentive to adopt policies through secondary legislation that deviates from the general compromise reached via the primary legislation. We suggest that when secondary legislation is at stake, in some countries coalition partners can rely upon the ex-ante legal scrutiny of courts as an extra-cabinet control mechanism. We focus on the interaction between governments and the Council of State, the highest administrative court and the most important consultative body of the government in Italy. Our findings support the general hypothesis that the Council's activism as an advisor is generated by the demand for control mechanisms on the secondary legislation. Such a demand is affected by specific political conditions, i.e. the level of government heterogeneity and government alternation. The findings on the Italian case can be a starting point for research on the different levels of involvement of administrative courts in the executive politics that characterize European Democracies.
Exact regularised point particle (ERPP) method for particle-laden wall-bounded flows in the two-way coupling regime
Authors: Battista F. , Mollicone J.-P. , Gualtieri P. , Messina R. , Casciola C. M.
Published: September 2019

The exact regularised point particle (ERPP) method is extended to treat the inter-phase momentum coupling between particles and fluid in the presence of walls by accounting for vorticity generation due to particles close to solid boundaries. The ERPP method overcomes the limitations of other methods by allowing the simulation of an extensive parameter space (Stokes number, mass loading, particle-to-fluid density ratio and Reynolds number) and of particle spatial distributions that are uneven (few particles per computational cell). The enhanced ERPP method is explained in detail and validated by considering the global impulse balance. In conditions when particles are located close to the wall, a common scenario in wall-bounded turbulent flows, the main contribution to the total impulse arises from the particle-induced vorticity at the solid boundary. The method is applied to direct numerical simulations of particle-laden turbulent pipe flow in the two-way coupling regime to address turbulence modulation. The effects of the mass loading, the Stokes number and the particle-to-fluid density ratio are investigated. The drag is either unaltered or increased by the particles with respect to the uncoupled case. No drag reduction is found in the parameter space considered. The momentum stress budget, which includes an extra stress contribution by the particles, provides the rationale behind the drag behaviour. The extra stress produces a momentum flux towards the wall that strongly modifies the viscous stress, the culprit of drag at solid boundaries.
Micromorphological evidence for the role of pressurised water in the formation of large-scale thrust-block moraines in Melasveit, western Iceland
Authors: Sigfúsdóttir Thorbjörg , Phillips Emrys , Benediktsson Ívar Örn
Published: September 2019

Pressurised meltwater has a major impact on ice dynamics, as well as on sedimentary and deformational processes occurring below/in front of glaciers and ice sheets, but its role in glaciotectonic processes is yet to be fully understood. This study explores micro- and macroscale structures developed within décollements in two thrust-block moraines of Late Weichselian age in Melasveit, western Iceland. The aim is to investigate how pressurised subglacial meltwater can aid the dislocation and transport of large, unfrozen and unlithified sediment blocks by glaciers. A detailed model is constructed for the development of the thrust-block moraines and the microscale processes occurring along their detachments during thrusting. The detachments are characterized by relatively thin zones of crosscutting hydrofractures, which reflect fluctuating water pressures during glaciotectonism. Little evidence of shearing is observed along the leading edges of the thrusts in both moraines. This is supported by high water pressures along the detachments and indicates that the thrust blocks were initially decoupled from the underlying deposits. As the thrust moraines evolved, an increased amount of shear occurred in between events of sediment liquefaction, hydrofracturing, and fluid escape. This was followed by progressive locking up of the detachments and eventual cessation in the accretion of the thrust blocks.
The Political Dynamics of Portfolio Design in European Democracies
Authors: Sieberer Ulrich , Meyer Thomas M. , Bäck Hanna , Ceron Andrea , Falcó-Gimeno Albert , Guinaudeau Isabelle , Hansen Martin Ejnar , Kolltveit Kristoffer , Louwerse Tom , Müller Wolfgang C. , Persson Thomas
Published: September 2019

The design of government portfolios – that is, the distribution of competencies among government ministries and office holders – has been largely ignored in the study of executive and coalition politics. This article argues that portfolio design is a substantively and theoretically relevant phenomenon that has major implications for the study of institutional design and coalition politics. The authors use comparative data on portfolio design reforms in nine Western European countries since the 1970s to demonstrate how the design of government portfolios changes over time. Specifically, they show that portfolios are changed frequently (on average about once a year) and that such shifts are more likely after changes in the prime ministership or the party composition of the government. These findings suggest a political logic behind these reforms based on the preferences and power of political parties and politicians. They have major implications for the study of institutional design and coalition politics.
Grain legume inclusion in cereal–cereal rotation increased base crop productivity in the long run
Authors: Ghosh Probir Kumar , Hazra Kali Krishna , Venkatesh Madasur Subbabhat , Praharaj Chandra Sekhar , Kumar Narendra , Nath Chaitanya Prasad , Singh Ummed , Singh Sati Shankar
Published: September 2019

Sustainability of cereal-based cropping systems remains crucial for food security in South Asia. However, productivity of cereal–cereal rotations has declined in the long run, demonstrating the need for a sustainable alternative. Base crop, that is, common crop in different crop rotations, productivity could be used as a sustainability indicator for the assessment of different long-term crop rotations. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of grain legume inclusion in lowland rice–wheat (R-W) and upland maize–wheat (M-W) rotation on system’s base crop (rice in lowland and wheat in upland crop rotations) productivity and sustainability and also in soil fertility. Mung bean (April–May) inclusion in R-W rotation increased rice grain yield by 10–14%. In upland, mung bean inclusion in M-W rotation increased wheat grain yield by 5–11%. Replacing wheat with chickpea in R-W rotation increased rice grain yield by 5–8%. Increased base crop productivity in legume inclusive rotations was attributed to significant improvement in panicle (rice) or spike (wheat) attributes. Increased soil organic carbon and available nitrogen and phosphorus in the legume inclusive rotations significantly influenced the base crop productivity in both the production systems. Among the crop rotations, R-W-Mb (in lowland) and M-W-Mb (in upland) rotations had the highest system productivity and net return. Therefore, intensification/diversification of cereal–cereal rotations with grain legume could improve soil fertility and sustain crop productivity.
The Teacher, the Activist, and the Maulvi: Emancipatory visions and insurgent citizenship among Gujjars in Himachal Pradesh
Authors: AXELBY RICHARD
Published: September 2019

Exploring the intersection of state, religion, and ethnicity, this article considers the opportunities for individual and collective advancement available to Muslim Gujjars in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. Following the lives of three prominent members of the community—a teacher, a political activist, and a maulvi—it considers their respective orientations to the state and their relationships with their fellow Gujjars, to illustrate the different ways in which Gujjars have sought to transcend their marginal and subordinated position as an ethnic and religious minority. With state-promoted schemes of affirmative action and reservation offering only limited opportunities for social and economic advancement, we see how Gujjars have responded to their continued marginalization, first through political mobilization as an ethnic group and, more recently, through the establishment of Islamic educational institutions and association with Tablighi Jama'at. This leads to an evaluation of the emancipatory potentials and contradictions of insurgent citizenship when mobilized around specific aspects of ethnic and religious identity. Against a backdrop of economic liberalization and accompanying shifts in civil society, I show how the distribution of rewards that derive from strategies of assimilation, engagement, and withdrawal are structured in particular ways, including by class and gender.
Impairments of large-scale functional networks in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analysis of resting-state functional connectivity
Authors: Gao Yingxue , Shuai Dandan , Bu Xuan , Hu Xinyu , Tang Shi , Zhang Lianqing , Li Hailong , Hu Xiaoxiao , Lu Lu , Gong Qiyong , Huang Xiaoqi
Published: September 2019

Altered resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) has been noted in large-scale functional networks in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, identifying consistent abnormalities of functional networks is difficult due to varied methods and results across studies. To integrate rsFC alterations and search for coherent patterns of intrinsic functional network impairments in ADHD, this research conducts a coordinate-based meta-analysis of voxel-wise seed-based rsFC studies comparing rsFC between ADHD patients and healthy controls. A total of 25 datasets from 21 studies including 700 ADHD patients and 580 controls were analyzed. We extracted the coordinates of seeds and between-group effects. Each seed was then categorized into a seed-network by its location within priori 7-network parcellations. Then, pooled meta-analyses were conducted for the default mode network (DMN), frontoparietal network (FPN) and affective network (AN) separately, but not for the ventral attention network (VAN), dorsal attention network (DAN), somatosensory network (SSN) and visual network due to a lack of primary studies. The results showed that ADHD was characterized by hyperconnectivity between the FPN and regions of the DMN and AN as well as hypoconnectivity between the FPN and regions of the VAN and SSN. These findings not only support the triple-network model of pathophysiology associated with ADHD but also extend this model by highlighting the involvement of the SSN and AN in the mechanisms of network interactions that may account for motor hyperactivity and impulsive symptoms.
Rebalancing state and Indigenous sovereignties in international law: An Arctic lens on trajectories for global governance
Authors: Ahmad Khan Sabaa
Published: September 2019

The environmental and economic realities of Arctic climate change present novel problems for international law. Arctic warming and pollution raise important questions about responsibilities and accountabilities across borders, as they result from anthropogenic activities both within and outside the Arctic region, from the Global North and the Global South. Environmental interdependencies and economic development prospects connect in a nexus of risk and opportunity that raises difficult normative questions pertaining to Arctic governance and sovereignty. This article looks at how the Arctic has been produced in international legal spaces. It addresses the implication of states and Indigenous peoples in processes of Arctic governance. Looking at specific international legal instruments relevant to Arctic climate change and development, the author attempts to tease out the relationship between the concepts of Indigenous rights and state sovereignty that underlie these international legal realms. What do these international legal regimes tell us with respect to the role of Arctic Indigenous peoples and the role of states in governing the ‘global’ Arctic? It is argued that while international law has come a long way in recognizing the special status of Indigenous peoples in the international system, it still hesitates to recognize Indigenous groups as international law makers. Comparing the status of Indigenous peoples under specific international regimes to their role within the Arctic Council, it becomes evident that more participatory forms of global governance are entirely possible and long overdue.
Building the English health visitor workforce as a result of the Health Visitor Implementation Plan 2011–2015: a survey study of career progression and retention for newly qualified health visitors
Authors: Brook Judy , Thurtle Valerie , Murray Joy
Published: September 2019

Aim:

This study aimed to explore the extent to which health visitors who trained and qualified in both Greater London and the South West of England between September 2011 and January 2016 were employed in health visiting posts and have remained in the profession.

Background:

In 2011, the UK Government launched the Health Visitor Implementation Plan ‘A Call to Action’ (Department of Health, 2011) to develop the health visitor workforce by training 4200 health visitors over a four-year period. By April 2015, 4000 additional health visitors were trained, but the total workforce has since fallen back to pre-Implementation Plan size.

Methods:

Data were collected using a survey, completed online by participants. All participants had undertaken a health visitor education programme at one of two participating universities. The survey was distributed in January 2017 and completed by 180 individuals. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS; association was assessed using individual chi-square tests or Fisher’s exact test. Free-text responses were thematically analysed.

Findings:

Most (153; 87%) participants were still working as health visitors. Length of time spent working in the community prior to completing health visitor training was associated with staying in the role (χ2(with Fisher’s exact test = 7.998,P= .027). Current pay was associated with attrition from the health visitor workforce (χ2(with Fisher’s exact test) = 67.559,P< .001.). The majority who had left the health visitor role were on higher pay bands in their new post compared to those that had stayed (12; 60%). Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) theory of socio-ecological development was used as a framework to interpret the results. While participants made an active choice to join the profession, leaving was influenced more by factors outside their control. To influence health visitor retention, both local and strategic changes are required.
Characterization of chickpea gene pools for nutrient concentrations under agro-climatic conditions of North-Western Himalayas
Authors: Fayaz Humara , Rather Irshad Ahmad , Wani Aijaz A. , Tyagi Sandhya , Pandey Renu , Mir Reyazul Rouf
Published: September 2019

Chickpea is one of the most important nutritious grain legume crops in the world. There is limited information available on micro- and macro-nutrients in chickpea. Therefore, an effort was made to evaluate a set of 40 chickpea genotypes belonging to all the gene pools including cultivated (Cicer arietinum) as well as wild, Cicer reticulatum from the primary gene pool, Cicer echinospermum from the secondary gene pool and Cicer microphyllum from the tertiary gene pools. Concentration in the seed of the micro- (Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn) and macro-nutrients (Ca, Mg and K) was studied. Substantial variation was observed among different gene pools for the concentration of all the nutrients. The cultivated chickpea exhibited higher seed Cu, Mn, Mg and Ca than wilds indicating positive domestication effect, whereas wild crop relatives were found to have higher levels than cultivated chickpeas for seed Zn, Fe and K concentrations. While comparing desi-type chickpeas with Kabulis, it was revealed that desi types possessed more Zn, Cu, Ca and Mg than Kabulis but reverse was true for seed Fe, Mn and K. Among different desi types (desi brown, desi green and desi black), desi brown types were generally associated with higher mineral nutrient levels. The present study led to the identification of most promising genotypes for different seed micro- and macro-nutrients. These promising lines may serve as genetic resources useful in gene discovery programmes and for alleviating malnutrition or hidden hunger in the developing world.
FRACTIONAL SEMANTICS FOR CLASSICAL LOGIC
Authors: PIAZZA MARIO , PULCINI GABRIELE
Published: September 2019

This article presents a new (multivalued) semantics for classical propositional logic. We begin by maximally extending the space of sequent proofs so as to admit proofs for any logical formula; then, we extract the new semantics by focusing on the axiomatic structure of proofs. In particular, the interpretation of a formula is given by the ratio between the number of identity axioms out of the total number of axioms occurring in any of its proofs. The outcome is an informational refinement of traditional Boolean semantics, obtained by breaking the symmetry between tautologies and contradictions.
An Update of Twin Research in Spain: The Murcia Twin Registry
Authors: Ordoñana Juan R. , Carrillo Eduvigis , Colodro-Conde Lucía , García-Palomo Francisco J. , González-Javier Francisca , Madrid-Valero Juan J. , Martínez Selva José M. , Monteagudo Olga , Morosoli José J. , Pérez-Riquelme Francisco , Sánchez-Romera Juan F.
Published: September 2019

The Murcia Twin Registry (MTR) is the only population-based registry in Spain. Created in 2006, the registry has been growing more than a decade to become one of the references for twin research in the Mediterranean region. The MTR database currently comprises 3545 adult participants born between 1940 and 1977. It also holds a recently launched satellite registry of university students (N = 204). Along five waves of data collection, the registry has gathered questionnaire and anthropometric data, as well as biological samples. The MTR keeps its main research focus on health and health-related behaviors from a public health perspective. This includes lifestyle, health promotion, quality of life or environmental conditions. Future short-term development points to the expansion of the biobank and the continuation of the collection of longitudinal data.
The German Twin Family Panel (TwinLife)
Authors: Mönkediek Bastian , Lang Volker , Weigel Lena , Baum Myriam A. , Eifler Eike F. , Hahn Elisabeth , Hufer Anke , Klatzka Christoph H. , Kottwitz Anita , Krell Kristina , Nikstat Amelie , Diewald Martin , Riemann Rainer , Spinath Frank M.
Published: September 2019

The German Twin Family Panel (TwinLife) is a German longitudinal study of monozygotic and dizygotic same-sex twin pairs and their families that was designed to investigate the development of social inequalities over the life course. The study covers an observation period from approximately 2014 to 2023. The target population of the sample are reared-together twins of four different age cohorts that were born in 2009/2010 (cohort 1), in 2003/2004 (cohort 2), in 1997/1998 (cohort 3) and between 1990 and 1993 (cohort 4). In the first wave, the study included data on 4097 twin families. Families were recruited in all parts of Germany so that the sample comprises the whole range of the educational, occupational and income structure. As of 2019, two face-to-face, at-home interviews and two telephone interviews have been conducted. Data from the first home and telephone interviews are already available free of charge as a scientific use-file from the GESIS data archive. This report aims to provide an overview of the study sample and design as well as constructs that are unique in TwinLife in comparison with previous twin studies — such as an assessment of cognitive abilities or information based on the children’s medical records and report cards. In addition, major findings based on the data already released are displayed, and future directions of the study are presented and discussed.
Rising Islamism and the Struggle for Islamic Authority in Post-Reformasi Indonesia
Authors: Arifianto Alexander R.
Published: September 2019

The successful ‘Defending Islam’ rallies of 2016–2017 provide clear evidence that Islamism is on the rise in contemporary Indonesia. Mainstream Islamic authorities, including groups such as Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, are increasingly losing their authority to newer, more conservative Islamic preachers and groups. What explains this phenomenon – and what does it mean for the moderate perspectives that many predicted would dominate Islam in Indonesia in the post-Reformasi era?

This article argues that three main mechanisms can explain the rise of Islamism in Indonesia: 1) the creation of a ‘marketplace of ideas’ in post-Reformasi Indonesia and the way in which this marketplace has contributed to the rise of Islamism and the breakdown of Islamic authority; 2) the ascent of new Islamic authority figures, who propagate their views using new methods, ranging from social media to campus da'wa organisations and community-based activities (majelis taklim); and 3) the growing influence of new Islamic groups and preachers, who are building alliances with established religious elites and politicians. Such alliances strengthen the influence of new Islamic authorities, while further marginalising religious minorities, such as Ahmadi and Shi'a Muslims.
Separating Content and Structure in Humor Appreciation
Authors: Heintz Sonja
Published: September 2019

Abstract. The present study empirically tests a bimodal model of humor appreciation. In this model, individual differences in evaluating jokes and cartoons are attributed to their contents (sexual and aggressive) and structures (incongruity-resolution and nonsense). A total of 225 participants (64% women, Mage = 32.37 years) rated 50 jokes and cartoons on funniness, offensiveness, and boringness. They also completed a standard humor appreciation measure (the 3 WD). Using structural equation modeling, the bimodal model was found to be superior to alternative models. Regressions predicting the 3 WD categories supported the convergent and discriminant validity of the content and structure factors. In line with previous research, gender differences were found for the content factors, but not for the structure factors. Overall, this study is the first to show the viability of bimodal models of humor appreciation. They allow capturing the sources of individual differences in humor appreciation more adequately than previous models, thus providing a basis for future theories, research, and applications.
Historical Changes in Lower Columbia River and Estuary Floods: A Numerical Study
Authors: Helaire Lumas T. , Talke Stefan A. , Jay David A. , Mahedy Drew
Published: September 2019

Over the past 150 years, the Lower Columbia River Estuary controlling depth has approximately doubled, the majority of historical wetlands and floodplain have been reclaimed, numerous infrastructure projects have altered and confined flow pathways, and significant natural and anthropogenic changes to the discharge hydrograph have occurred. To investigate the effect of these changes on tides, river slope, and flood water levels, we construct and validate numerical models that simulate flow over late nineteenth‐century and present‐day bathymetry. The models are validated using archival (1853–1877) and modern tide measurements throughout the Lower Columbia River Estuary and river stage measurements from the tidal river (1876–present). Historical flood plain roughness and levee heights are validated iteratively by requiring simulations to match the observed roll off in the river stage rating curve during floods. Measurements and model results show that environmental change has amplified tidal constituents, with peak change about 60 km from the coast. By contrast, increased depth has reduced river slope for low and moderate river discharge. For rarely observed extreme floods of 30 × 103m3/s, simulated modern water levels exceed historical in Portland (OR). These observations highlight competing hydrodynamic effects, which are investigated by scaling the St. Venant equations for a simulated 25 × 103‐m3/s flood: While larger modern depth reduces frictional effects and decreases surface slope, reduced floodplain access confines modern flow into channels, increasing velocity, bed stress, and water levels. However, the highly frictional historical floodplain conveyed little flow, limiting the effect of floodplain to storage effects; hence, most simulated historical floods exceed modern levels.
Kinetic Energy of Eddy‐Like Features From Sea Surface Altimetry
Authors: Martínez‐Moreno Josué , Hogg Andrew McC. , Kiss Andrew E. , Constantinou Navid C. , Morrison Adele K.
Published: September 2019

The mesoscale eddy field plays a key role in the mixing and transport of physical and biological properties and redistribution of energy in the ocean. Eddy kinetic energy is commonly defined as the kinetic energy of the time‐varying component of the velocity field. However, this definition contains all processes that vary in time, including coherent mesoscale eddies, jets, waves, and large‐scale motions. The focus of this paper is on the eddy kinetic energy contained in coherent mesoscale eddies. We present a new method to decompose eddy kinetic energy into oceanic processes. The proposed method uses a new eddy identification algorithm (TrackEddy). This algorithm is based on the premise that the sea level signature of a coherent eddy can be approximated as a Gaussian feature. The eddy Gaussian signature then allows for the calculation of kinetic energy of the eddy field through the geostrophic approximation. TrackEddy has been validated using synthetic sea surface height data and then used to investigate trends of eddy kinetic energy in the Southern Ocean using satellite sea surface height anomaly (AVISO+). We detect an increasing trend of eddy kinetic energy associated with mesoscale eddies in the Southern Ocean. This trend is correlated with an increase in the coherent eddy amplitude and the strengthening of wind stress over the last two decades.