bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using One Dying Regime to Save Another: The Influence of International Drug Conventions on United States’ Cannabis Research Policy
Authors: Mikos Robert A.
Published: October 2020

Cannabis reforms are proliferating. A handful of nations have already legalized the drug for recreational purposes, and several more may soon follow suit. These national cannabis reforms are generating bottom-up pressure to liberalize the transnational legal order (TLO) for cannabis prohibition, one that involves not only international law, but also domestic law and regulatory practice. Based on a trio of international conventions, this TLO currently requires member states to limit access to marijuana, especially for non-medical or non-scientific purposes. But even as it comes under attack from below, the existing cannabis prohibition TLO may be exerting its own downward pressure on national cannabis policies. This essay uses a timely case study involving the United States’ marijuana research policy to explore the two-way relationship between international law and national cannabis policies in the dynamics of transnational legal ordering. It highlights an overlooked way the international conventions are currently helping to stifle national cannabis reforms, and it discusses the possible ramifications of that top-down pressure for the future of the cannabis prohibition TLO.
Drug Policy Reform in the Americas: A Welcome Challenge to International Law
Authors: Santos Álvaro
Published: October 2020

Drug policy in the American hemisphere is in flux. After decades whereby a prohibitionist regime reigned supreme and proposing alternatives was taboo, several countries have begun to reconsider policy, particularly in the case of marijuana. International law has been instrumental in building the legal and institutional regime of prohibition, and it has remained largely impervious to critiques of its disastrous consequences. Indeed, when it comes to drug law and policy, international law has been part of the problem. Nevertheless, countries in the Americas have begun to adopt innovative strategies that also embrace international obligations. In this essay, I examine the failures of the law and order paradigm behind prohibition. I then analyze legal reforms in the Americas as motivated by three different perspectives: 1) human rights, 2) public health and 3) political economy. Each one offers a powerful challenge to prohibition but relies on different assumptions and offers different transformative potential.
Cannabis Policy Innovations and the Challenges for EU Coordination in Drug Policy
Authors: Sánchez-Avilés Constanza
Published: October 2020

In the past decades, Europe has been the site of multiple drug policy innovations and cannabis policy experimentation. Most of the policy reforms in this area are taking place at the national and subnational levels. They have not resulted from agreements or harmonization initiatives at the EU level, but rather from bottom-up adoption of cannabis policies and practices that deviate from punitive approaches. Cannabis regulation has been only marginally debated by European institutions and is not discussed in depth in any EU document. On the one hand, the diversity of European drug policies is a positive development: it serves as a policy laboratory and reflects adaptations to local contexts in light of drug market-related challenges. On the other hand, a greater EU consensus would be helpful for policy coordination and international engagement.
Management of a Nursing Unit in a Temporary COVID-19 Specialized Hospital in Wuhan, China
Authors: Luo Chunmei
Published: October 2020

The purpose of this article was to summarize the experience of conversion and management of a nursing unit in a newly revised coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) specialized hospital during the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China. Six characteristics of management were included: nurse selection and training, transformation of ward layout, nurse position setting, quality control, humanistic care, and safety and comfort of individual protection. Orderly and efficient nursing management during COVID-19 treatment is very important to ensure the quality of clinical nursing, improve the cure rate and avoid the infection of nurses. This practical experience of the establishment and management of the nursing unit can provide reference for the nursing management of other public health events, such as the treatment of infectious diseases.
Changes in human milk fatty acid composition and maternal lifestyle-related factors over a decade: a comparison between the two Ulm Birth Cohort Studies
Authors: Siziba Linda P. , Lorenz Leonie , Brenner Hermann , Carr Prudence , Stahl Bernd , Mank Marko , Marosvölgyi Tamás , Decsi Tamás , Szabó Éva , Rothenbacher Dietrich , Genuneit Jon
Published: October 2020

Human milk fatty acid composition varies during lactation and is influenced by maternal diet, maternal lifestyle-related factors and genetic background. This is one of the first studies to investigate a period effect, that is, the impact of lifestyle-related changes on human milk fatty acid composition, in two different cohorts. Lactating women were recruited from the general population a decade apart in Ulm, Germany, using similar methodology. Human milk samples collected 6 weeks postpartum were analysed (Ulm Birth Cohort Study (UBCS (2000)), n 567; Ulm SPATZ Health Study (SPATZ (2012)), n 458). Centred log ratio transformation was applied to fatty acid data. Principal component analysis was used to determine study-dependent fatty acid profiles. A general linear model was used to determine the study (or period) effect on fatty acid profiles adjusting for duration of gestation, age, education, delivery mode, smoking and pre-pregnancy BMI. Two principal components were retained (PC1 and PC2). PC1 was associated with UBCS, while PC2 was associated with SPATZ. PC1 comprised high SFA, and low MUFA, n-6 and n-3 long-chain PUFA (LCPUFA). The inverse was true for PC2. Although human milk remains a source of essential fatty acids, infants could be at risk of inadequate n-3 and n-6 LCPUFA intake through human milk. The differences in the human milk fatty acid profiles also reflect changes in maternal dietary habits in the more recent cohort, which may comprise lower intakes of dietary trans-fatty acids and SFA and higher intakes of vegetable oils.
Reply to ‘Uppermost Cambrian carbon chemostratigraphy: the HERB and undocumented TOCE events are not synonymous’
Authors: Zhu Maoyan , Babcock Loren E. , Peng Shanchi , Ahlberg Per
Published: October 2020

In a recent communication on carbon isotope chemostratigraphy of the uppermost Cambrian strata, it was claimed that the Top of Cambrian Excursion (TOCE) is (1) an undocumented negative δ13Ccarb excursion; (2) ambiguously defined; (3) deliberately fictitious or, in the authors’ words, a ‘nihilartikel’; and (4) not synonymous with the Hellnmaria–Red Tops Boundary (HERB) Event. As the authors who have been involved in much of the discussion surrounding the TOCE since its introduction and in subsequent clarification, we wish to emphasize that the recent communication overlooks the fact that the TOCE is in fact a well-documented and clearly defined negative δ13Ccarb excursion, and that the term ‘HERB Event’ was originally used informally, without definition or reference data, for a negative δ13Ccarb peak, a peak later shown to occur within the TOCE excursion. Nearly a decade after the TOCE was named, the concept of the HERB Event was modified from a negative δ13Ccarb peak to a negative δ13Ccarb excursion, making it conceptually synonymous with the TOCE excursion. The recently published commentary is misleading and replete with misconceptions, as we discuss here.
The Early Chinese Press and the Agency of Its Readers: The Dynamics of the Transcultural Spread of the “Press” as an Institution
Authors: Wagner Rudolf
Published: October 2020

Habermas saw the public sphere as coterminous with the national space. Anderson dreamed of newspaper readers facing the same paper for breakfast forming an “imagined community,” which he saw as vital for supplementing the subjective side of nationhood. Historical evidence supports neither proposition. Both remain locked in a nation-state focused history and have to sideline large and crucial parts of the record. This article studies two early Chinese-language periodical publications characterised by their radical difference to the standard European models, theEast Western Monthly Magazine(1833–1838) and theShenbao(1872–1949), and considers the implications of these examples for dominant conceptual frameworks.
The ExoMol project: An update
Authors: Tennyson Jonathan , Yurchenko Sergei N.
Published: October 2020

Spectra of exoplanets, cool stars and brown dwarfs contain features due to molecular absorptions. Modelling these requires extensive line lists which are provided by the ExoMol project. Here we report on current progress and future prospects for the project.
The gas structure of the HD 163296 planet-forming disk - gas gaps or not?
Authors: Rab C. , Muro-Arena G. A. , Kamp I. , Dominik C. , Waters L. B. F. M. , Thi W-F. , Woitke P.
Published: October 2020

HD 163296 is a young star surrounded by a planet-forming disk that shows clear signatures of dust gaps and rings; likely an indication of ongoing planet formation. We use the radiation thermochemical disk code ProDiMo to investigate the impact of dust/gas gaps on the temperature, chemistry and observables. Furthermore, we model high spatial resolution gas and dust observation of HD 163296 (ALMA/DSHARP). Our first results indicate that features in the observed radial intensity profile of the 12CO line are a consequence of the dust gaps and do not require gas depletion. Those preliminary results indicate that self-consistent modelling of the gas (chemistry, heating/cooling) and dust is necessary to accurately infer the degree of gas depletion within dust gaps. Such information is crucial to understand the processes that generate the disk substructure and their relation to planet formation.
Complex organic molecules tracing the comet-forming zones in protoplanetary disks
Authors: Walsh Catherine , Ilee John D.
Published: October 2020

Resolved emission from gas-phase methanol can reveal the abundance and distribution of the comet-forming ice reservoir in protoplanetary disks. ALMA Cycle 4 observations of four transitions of gas-phase methanol in TW Hya allow the first model-independent determination of the rotational temperature of methanol in a prototoplanetary disk. The data confirm that the methanol is rotationally cold (Trot < 50 K), and well constrain the column density to 2 × 1012 cm−2. Astrochemical models will constrain the chemical origin of methanol in TW Hya.
Photoprocessing of large PAH cations
Authors: Wenzel Gabi , Rodriguez Castillo Sarah , Mulas Giacomo , Ji Ming-Chao , Bonnamy Anthony , Sabbah Hassan , Giuliani Alexandre , Nahon Laurent , Joblin Christine
Published: October 2020

In cosmic environments, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) strongly interact with vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photons emitted by young stars. Trapped PAH cations ranging in size from 30 to 48 carbon atoms were irradiated by tunable synchrotron light (DESIRS beamline at SOLEIL). Their ionization and dissociation cross sections were determined and compared with TD-DFT computed photoabsorption cross sections. Evidence for radiative cooling is reported.
Desorption of volatile molecules from the surface of interstellar carbonaceous dust analogs
Authors: Herrero Víctor J. , Maté Belén , Tanarro Isabel , Jiménez-Redondo Miguel , Peláez Ramón J. , Escribano Rafael
Published: October 2020

The desorption of volatile molecules from dust grains in cold dense clouds is crucial for the chemical inventory in the various stages of cloud collapse. In this work we investigate the desorption of N2, CO, CH4 and CO2 from surfaces of hydrogenated amorphous carbon (HAC), which, according to IR observations, is one of the main components of interstellar dust.
High resolution rotational spectroscopy of elusive molecules at the Center for Astrochemical Studies (CAS@MPE)
Authors: Spezzano Silvia , Lattanzi Valerio , Laas Jacob , Chantzos Johanna , Bizzocchi Luca , Prudenzano Domenico , Caselli Paola
Published: October 2020

The laboratories at the Centre for Astrochemical Studies at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics are devoted to spectroscopic studies of molecules of astrophysical relevance. In particular, in this paper we report on the two experiments that can produce and probe unstable molecules, like radicals and ions.
The latest spectral analysis on asteroids at NAO Rozhen
Authors: Bebekovska Elena Vchkova , Borisov Galin , Donchev Zahary , Apostolovska Gordana
Published: October 2020

By virtue of the physical, chemical and dynamical characteristics of asteroids, researchers gain insight into the formation and evolution of our Solar system. Since these objects do not undergo any changes, or the changes during the Solar system evolution are insignificant, we are certain they carry important information regarding the formation of our planetary system and its evolution. Knowing the spectral class of an asteroid is crucial for determining its chemical properties. In our work the spectral classification was done on several asteroids by comparing their spectra with laboratory spectra. We determined spectral types of the asteroids by the overall shapes of the spectra between 450 nm and 700 nm. Increasing the number of asteroids with known rotation period, shapes and spectra enriches the asteroid database of physical and dynamical characteristics of asteroid population.
The importance of being stable: New results about the survival of PAHs in extreme astrophysical environments
Authors: Micelotta Elisabetta R.
Published: October 2020

Increasing observational evidence shows that a non-negligible fraction of the cosmic carbon is locked into macromolecules like Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). Interstellar PAHs live in extreme environments where there are processed by energetic photons (UV and X-rays) and by ions and electrons accelerated in hot shocked plasma and arising from cosmic rays. It is therefore important to quantify the capability of PAHs to survive under these extreme conditions and to determine the structural modifications induced by such energetic processing. I will present some novel results on this topic, focusing on the bombardment by ions and electrons in interstellar shocks. This work shows the importance of pairing an appropriate physical description of the interaction between target and projectiles with updated laboratory measurements of the relevant physical parameters. The results from physical modeling allowed to derive updated astronomical lifetimes for PAHs.
Citation of evolving data in distributed asynchronous infrastructures
Authors: Zwölf C. M. , Moreau N. , Ba Y. A. , Dubernet M. L.
Published: October 2020

The VAMDC Consortium intended to find a way for users to cite the datasets accessed through the infrastructure. The Research Data Alliance Data citation working group provided the researchers and data centres communities with a recommendation to identify and cite dynamic data. This recommendation perfectly matched the VAMDC needs: the proposed solution relies on a query centric view and the set-up of a Query Store. Data should be stored in a versioned time-stamped manner and accessed through queries. The Query Store we implemented for VAMDC is interlinked with Zenodo. Since Zenodo is indexed in OpenAIRE and since the latter implements Scholix, VAMDC indirectly implements Scholix via its Query Store. The paper outlines the successes and limitations of the above approach.
New laboratory techniques using heterodyne receivers
Authors: Wehres Nadine , Borisov Kirill , von Schoeler Katharina , Pütz Patrick , Honingh Cornelia , Lewen Frank , Schlemmer Stephan
Published: October 2020

Two laboratory emission spectrometers have been designed and described previously. Here, we present a follow-up study with special focus on absolute intensity calibration of the new SURFER-spectrometer (SUbmillimeter Receiver For Emission spectroscopy of Rotational transitions), operational between 300 and 400 GHz and coincident with ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) Band 7.

Furthermore, we present a feasibility study to extend the detection frequencies up to 2 THz. First results have been obtained using the SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for IR Astronomy) upGREAT laboratory setup which is located at the University of Cologne. Pure rotational spectra of the complex molecule vinyl cyanide have been obtained and are used to give an estimate on the sensitivity to record ro-vibrational transitions of molecules with astrophysical importance at 2 THz.
Supernova abundance analysis with NLTE spectral models
Authors: Jerkstrand A.
Published: October 2020

Supernovae provide environments with strong links to laboratory astrophysics. Diverse physical processes spanning from hot gas and semi-relativistic particles down to cold dusty clumps require extensive atomic data and understanding of processes across different physical regimes. The current status of modelling and analyzing supernova spectra is reviewed, with focus on recent results for diagnosing the production of oxygen and nickel.
Carbonaceous chondrite meteorites as a record of protoplanetary disk conditions
Authors: Russell Sara S. , Bonato Enrica , Bates Helena , King Ashley J. , Almeida Natasha V. , Schofield Paul F.
Published: October 2020

Chondritic meteorites, and especially the most volatile-rich chondrites, the carbonaceous chondrites, preserve a record of the solar protoplanetary disk dust component and how it has been changed both in the disk environment itself and in its asteroidal parent body. Here we review some of the key features of carbonaceous chondrites and report some new data on their organics component. These show that the nebula reached temperature of >10000C, but only very locally, to produce chondrules. Most meteoritic material underwent thermal and/or aqueous processing, but some retain delicate nebular components such as complex organic molecules and amorphous silicates.
Gas-phase reactivity of CH3C(O) CH3 with OH radicals at interstellar Temperatures (T = 11.7 – 64.4 K) using the CRESU technique
Authors: Blázquez Sergio , Ocaña Antonio J. , García Alberto , Ballesteros Bernabé , Canosa André , Antiñolo María , Albaladejo José , Jiménez Elena
Published: October 2020

The rate coefficients, k(T= 11.7 – 64.4 K), for the gas-phase reaction between OH radicals and acetone, CH3C(O) CH3, have been measured using the pulsed CRESU (French acronym for Reaction Kinetics in a Uniform Supersonic Flow) technique, the most suitable one to cool down gases below the freezing point without gas condensation. The experimental k(T) was found to increase as temperature was lowered and is several orders of magnitude higher for low temperature than k(300 K). No pressure dependence of k(20 K) and k(64 K) was observed, while k(50 K) at the largest gas density is twice higher than the average values found at lower gas densities. The obtained values of k(11.7 K) and k(21.1 K) were 2.45’10-10 and 1.39’10-10 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, respectively.
The vibrational signatures of polyaromatic hydrocarbons on an ice surface
Authors: Clark Victoria H.J. , Benoit David M.
Published: October 2020

We use quantum chemical techniques to model the vibrational spectra of small aromatic molecules on a proton-ordered hexagonal crystalline water ice (XIh) model. We achieve a good agreement with experimental data by accounting for vibrational anharmonicity and correcting the potential energy landscape for known failures of density functional theory. A standard harmonic description of the vibrational spectra only leads to a broad qualitative agreement.
Towards disentangling photodesorption and photodissociation in astronomical ice analogues
Authors: Bulak Michał , Paardekooper Daniel , Bouwman Jordy , Fedoseev Gleb , Linnartz Harold
Published: October 2020

UV irradiation of ices plays an important role in different inter- and circumstellar environments. Following the absorption of UV photons in ice, two processes compete: photodesorption and photodissociation/chemistry. From an experimental point of view it is very hard to discriminate between photodesorption and photodissociation (and resulting photochemistry). In this work we present our first attempts to distinguish both effects. The performance is demonstrated on the example of CO-ice, known not to dissociate upon UV irradiation, and CH4-ice that does fragment.
Laboratory simulation of light scattering from regolith analogue: Effect of porosity and particle size
Authors: Kar Amritaksha , Sen Asoke K
Published: October 2020

The surfaces of most of the atmosphereless solar system bodies are referred to as regolith or layers of usually loosely connected fragmentary debris, produced by meteorite impacts. Measurement of light scattered from such surfaces provide information about the composition and structure of the surface. In the present work, the effect of porosity and particle size, on reflectance is studied for regolith like samples. For modelling the experimental data Hapke 2008 is used and found to be in good agreement with laboratory data. From the present study, it can be concluded that the physical properties of a regolith, such as porosity, particle size etc are effectively represented by albedo.
Use, and perceived usefulness, of cognitive behavioural therapy techniques for self-care among therapists
Authors: Andersson Gerhard , Björklind Andreas , Bennett-Levy James , Bohman Benjamin
Published: October 2020

Mental health problems are prevalent among therapists and may have a negative impact on therapist effectiveness. To counteract such problems, therapist self-care (for example, striking a balance between personal and professional demands and seeking personal therapy), has received increased attention. Conceptually, self-care can be considered as part of a personal practice model, focusing on techniques that therapists engage with self-experientially with a focus on their personal and/or professional development. However, studies of the self-application of specific treatment techniques are lacking. We aimed to explore the use, and perceived usefulness, of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques for self-care to prevent or treat own mental health problems among practising therapists. Participants were therapists (n = 228) of various professional backgrounds in Sweden. Data were collected using a web-based survey. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and non-parametric analyses conducted to investigate associations of 13 CBT techniques with therapist characteristics. Use of CBT techniques for self-care was highly prevalent among participants, and they perceived the techniques as useful, irrespective of characteristics such as gender, age, profession, years since graduation, clinical experience, level of training in CBT, and previous experience of personal CBT. The high prevalence among therapists of the use of treatment techniques for self-care is very encouraging. Therapist self-care, including the self-application of treatment techniques, may be an important factor for therapist effectiveness, which calls for further development of personal practice models with respect to self-care, and future studies investigating associations between therapist mental health, self-care, effectiveness and patient outcome.

Key learning aims

(1)

Therapist self-care using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques to prevent or treat own mental health problems may influence therapist effectiveness. However, studies of self-application of treatment techniques are lacking.

(2)

In the present survey study, the use of CBT techniques for self-care was highly prevalent among practising therapists, and they perceived the techniques as useful, irrespective of characteristics such as gender, age, profession, years since graduation, clinical experience, level of training in CBT, and previous experience of personal CBT.

(3)

Almost all therapists believed that it was a good idea to self-apply CBT techniques for their own sake and for the benefit of their patients.
From Physics to Climate Science
Authors: North Gerald R.
Published: October 2020

I began my career in climate science in 1974 when I went on Sabbatical from a tenured position in a physics department to National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). I began working on simple climate models that year, and it led a few years later to a senior scientist position at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (1978–1986). During this time, colleagues and I continued working on simple models expanding them to two horizontal dimensions and with many applications in paleoclimatology. When the models were forced by white noise the response was remarkably close to those of general circulation models. My group did numerous studies on the sampling errors in estimating empirical orthogonal functions and in the identification, evaluation, and estimation of errors for satellite retrieval of rain. I was the first study scientist for the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission. I moved to Texas A&M University in 1986 and served as department head from 1995–2003. At A&M I continued working on statistical problems related to Tropical Rain Measuring Mission (TRMM) and other applications such as detection of climate signals. I served in many service roles such as on boards, award committees, and as editor‐in‐chief for a journal and an encyclopedia. I also wrote, coauthored, or edited books on paleoclimatology, thermodynamics, climate models, and memoirs. I became Distinguished Professor Emeritus in 2014 and Research Professor until 2020, when I left the payroll.
The Role of Premagmatic Rifting in Shaping a Volcanic Continental Margin: An Example From the Eastern North American Margin
Authors: Lang G. , ten Brink U. S. , Hutchinson D. R. , Mountain G. S. , Schattner U.
Published: October 2020

Both magmatic and tectonic processes contribute to the formation of volcanic continental margins. Such margins are thought to undergo extension across a narrow zone of lithospheric thinning (~100 km). New observations based on existing and reprocessed data from the Eastern North American Margin contradict this hypothesis. With ~64,000 km of 2‐D seismic data tied to 40 wells combined with published refraction, deep reflection, receiver function, and onshore drilling efforts, we quantified along‐strike variations in the distribution of rift structures, magmatism, crustal thickness, and early post‐rift sedimentation under the shelf of Baltimore Canyon Trough (BCT), Long Island Platform, and Georges Bank Basin (GBB). Results indicate that BCT is narrow (80–120 km) with a sharp basement hinge and few rift basins. The seaward dipping reflectors (SDR) there extend ~50 km seaward of the hinge line. In contrast, the GBB is wide (~200 km), has many syn‐rift structures, and the SDR there extend~200 km seaward of the hinge line. Early post‐rift depocenters at the GBB coincide with thinner crust suggesting “uniform” thinning of the entire lithosphere. Models for the formation of volcanic margins do not explain the wide structure of the GBB. We argue that crustal thinning of the BCT was closely associated with late syn‐rift magmatism, whereas the broad thinning of the GBB segment predated magmatism. Correlation of these variations to crustal terranes of different compositions suggests that the inherited rheology determined the premagmatic response of the lithosphere to extension.
Self‐Potential Tomography of a Deep‐Sea Polymetallic Sulfide Deposit on Southwest Indian Ridge
Authors: Zhu Z. , Tao C. , Shen J. , Revil A. , Deng X. , Liao S. , Zhou J. , Wang W. , Nie Z. , Yu J.
Published: October 2020

Deep‐sea polymetallic sulfides associated with hydrothermal systems are considered a potential viable resource for base and precious metals. The Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR, Indian Ocean) hosts active and inactive hydrothermal systems. Inactive hydrothermal fields are more abundant than active fields but are difficult to remotely characterize. We report a deep‐sea self‐potential investigation to locate inactive ore deposits at the Yuhuang hydrothermal field on the ultraslow‐spreading SWIR. A horizontal array of six nonpolarizing AgCl electrodes are attached to a deep‐towed transient electromagnetic system to record the electrical field at a height of 40 m above the seafloor. The observed electrical field strength near a previously recognized sulfide deposits (verified by drilling) reaches an amplitude of 0.5 mV/m. Negative self‐potential anomalies (~ −27 mV) were observed by integrating the measured electrical field. The high electrical conductivities (up to 12 S/m) of sulfide samples measured in the laboratory and the oxidized sulfides recovered from the surface of the deposit suggest that the self‐potential anomalies are due to sulfide mineralization and corrosion of the polymetallic sulfides. Inversion of the self‐potential data reveals a localized body with a thickness of ~65 m, which is interpreted as the Yuhuang ore deposit. Our field data demonstrate that the self‐potential method is a useful exploration method to identify and image seafloor massive sulfide deposits hosted in inactive hydrothermal fields at mid‐ocean ridges.
A Floating Optical Buoy (FOBY) for Direct Measurement of Water‐Leaving Radiance Based on the Skylight‐Blocked Approach (SBA): An Experiment in Honghu Lake, China
Authors: Tian Liqiao , Li Sen , Li Yong , Sun Zhaohua , Song Qingjun , Zhao Jun
Published: October 2020

Water‐leaving radiance (Lw), or remote sensing reflectance (Rrs), is a fundamental parameter of water color remote sensing. However, obtaining accurate and precise measurements of Lw is quite challenging. This study is intended to illustrate the design and implementation of a novel floating optical buoy (FOBY) to measure Lw directly in the field based on the skylight‐blocked approach (SBA). To assess the performance of FOBY, an experiment was conducted in Honghu Lake, China, a typical shallow turbid lake. FOBY‐derived Rrs can characterize the spectral features of different water types including water with kelp as substrate, relatively high chlorophyll‐a contents, and high amounts of suspended sediment (SS). FOBY‐derived Rrs is superior to that from a portable spectroradiometer (PSR 3500+, Spectral Evolution Inc.) based on the conventional above‐surface approach (ASA) in terms of data quality and stability. FOBY measurements had a quality assurance score (QAS) of 0.98 and a mean coefficient of variation (CV) of 3.6–7.0%, while the mean CV for PSR measurements is more than 2 times larger than that of FOBY in the visible domain. The measurement uncertainties may result from self‐shading, sensor tilt, and the immersed depth of the cone (IDC), which deserve further investigations. In the future, long‐term continuous floating observations of different aquatic environments can be conducted using the instrument with well‐refined data quality control.
Urbanization Impact on Regional Wind Stilling: A Modeling Study in the Beijing‐Tianjin‐Hebei Region of China
Authors: Wang Jun , Feng Jinming , Yan Zhongwei , Zha Jinlin
Published: October 2020

Prominent slowdown in near‐surface wind speed (NSWS) has been observed in the Beijing‐Tianjin‐Hebei (BTH) region of China, which has important implications for regional haze mitigation and wind energy production. Other than large‐scale climatic variation, this decline is suspected of being linked to the impact of urbanization. Based on nested high‐resolution simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting model, we assessed quantitatively the respective roles of urban development and anthropogenic heat (AH) in regional NSWS change over the BTH region from a climatological perspective. The contribution of urbanization to station average annual NSWS over 1980–2018 was estimated to be approximately −0.37 m s−1, with the largest decline exceeding −1.0 m s−1 in some highly urbanized areas. The effect of urban development on NSWS was found partly offset by the AH effect. Urbanization‐induced NSWS decrease was most remarkable in spring and early in the night. Urbanization impacts on NSWS were more remarkable when regional prevailing winds were northeasterly and northwesterly. Further analysis showed that the simulated urbanization‐induced decreases in NSWS were highly correlated with the background regional NSWS levels. Our simulation results indicated that urbanization was an important but not a dominant cause of the observed regional wind stilling, even in such a rapidly urbanizing region, although it had remarkable influence on local NSWS in highly urbanized areas.
Importance of Shaded Leaf Contribution to the Total GPP of Canadian Terrestrial Ecosystems: Evaluation of MODIS GPP
Authors: Chen Bin , Arain M. Altaf , Chen Jing M. , Wang Shaoqiang , Fang Hongliang , Liu Zhenhai , Mo Gang , Liu Jane
Published: October 2020

Terrestrial gross primary productivity (GPP) quantifies the photosynthetic uptake by vegetation and it is the largest component of the terrestrial carbon cycle. The separation of sunlit and shaded leaves has been shown to be an effective leaf‐to‐canopy upscaling method for modeling vegetation GPP. In this study, the performance of the Integrated Carbon‐Canadian Land Surface Scheme (IC‐CLASS) based on Farquhar's photosynthetic model and the two‐leaf approach was compared against that of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) GPP algorithm using the light use efficiency (LUE) approach, validated with eddy covariance (EC) measured GPP over a variety of terrestrial ecosystems in Canada. There were systematic differences between the IC‐CLASS simulated GPP and the MODIS GPP product in spatial distribution patterns. The differences were due to inherent shortcomings of the LUE modeling approach where a constant maximum LUE value is specified for each biome type, ignoring the variation of shaded leaf contribution to total GPP. The IC‐CLASS model separates the sunlit and shaded leaves and the bias in simulating GPP was minimized. The IC‐CLASS performed better than the MODIS GPP algorithm compared with monthly and annual GPP derived from EC flux data at 13 Canadian Carbon Program sites. The differences between the IC‐CLASS and the MODIS GPP estimates were larger in more clumped canopies (i.e. forests), because of the increase in the shaded leaf fraction. Different LUEs in sunlit and shaded portions of the canopy should be considered for effective and reliable estimation of GPP at regional scale.
STAT3 in the dorsal raphe gates behavioural reactivity and regulates gene networks associated with psychopathology
Authors: Reisinger Sonali N. , Sideromenos Spyros , Horvath Orsolya , Derdak Sophia , Cicvaric Ana , Monje Francisco J. , Bilban Martin , Häring Martin , Glat Micaela , Pollak Daniela D.
Published: October 2020

The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signalling pathway is activated through phosphorylation by Janus kinases in response to a diverse set of immunogenic and non-immunogenic triggers. Several distinct lines of evidence propose an intricate involvement of STAT3 in neural function relevant to behaviour in health and disease. However, in part due to the pleiotropic effects resulting from its DNA binding activity and the consequent regulation of expression of a variety of genes with context-dependent cellular consequences, the precise nature of STAT3 involvement in the neural mechanisms underlying psychopathology remains incompletely understood. Here, we focused on the midbrain serotonergic system, a central hub for the regulation of emotions, to examine the relevance of STAT3 signalling for emotional behaviour in mice by selectively knocking down raphe STAT3 expression using germline genetic (STAT3 KO) and viral-mediated approaches. Mice lacking serotonergic STAT3 presented with reduced negative behavioural reactivity and a blunted response to the sensitising effects of amphetamine, alongside alterations in midbrain neuronal firing activity of serotonergic neurons and transcriptional control of gene networks relevant for neuropsychiatric disorders. Viral knockdown of dorsal raphe (DR) STAT3 phenocopied the behavioural alterations of STAT3 KO mice, excluding a developmentally determined effect and suggesting that disruption of STAT3 signalling in the DR of adult mice is sufficient for the manifestation of behavioural traits relevant to psychopathology. Collectively, these results suggest DR STAT3 as a molecular gate for the control of behavioural reactivity, constituting a mechanistic link between the upstream activators of STAT3, serotonergic neurotransmission and psychopathology.
Novel MNZ-type microwave sensor for testing magnetodielectric materials
Authors: Jha Abhishek Kumar , Delmonte Nicolò , Lamecki Adam , Mrozowski Michal , Bozzi Maurizio
Published: October 2020

A novel microwave sensor with the mu-near-zero (MNZ) property is proposed for testing magnetodielectric material at 4.5 GHz. The sensor has a double-layer design consisting of a microstrip line and a metal strip with vias on layers 1 and 2, respectively. The proposed sensor can detect a unit change in relative permittivity and relative permeability with a difference in the operating frequency of 45 MHz and 78 MHz, respectively. The MNZ sensor is fabricated and assembled on two layers of Taconic RF-35 substrate, with thicknesses of 0.51 mm and 1.52 mm, respectively, for the measurement of the sample under test using a vector network analyzer. The dielectric and magnetic properties of two standard dielectric materials (Taconic CER-10 and Rogers TMM13i) and of yttrium–gadolinium iron garnet are measured at microwave frequencies. The results are found to be in good agreement with the values available in the literature, which shows the applicability of the prototype for sensing of magnetodielectric materials.
Modeling Posidonia oceanica shoot density and rhizome primary production
Authors: Catucci Elena , Scardi Michele
Published: October 2020

Posidonia oceanica meadows rank among the most important and most productive ecosystems in the Mediterranean basin, due to their ecological role and to the goods and services they provide. Estimations of crucial ecological process such as meadows productivity could play a major role in an environmental management perspective and in the assessment of P. oceanica ecosystem services. In this study, a Machine Learning approach, i.e. Random Forest, was aimed at modeling P. oceanica shoot density and rhizome primary production using as predictive variables only environmental factors retrieved from indirect measurements, such as maps. Our predictive models showed a good level of accuracy in modeling both shoot density and rhizome productivity (R2 = 0.761 and R2 = 0.736, respectively). Furthermore, as shoot density is an essential parameter in the estimation of P. oceanica productivity, we proposed a cascaded approach aimed at estimating the latter using predicted values of shoot density rather than observed measurements. In spite of the complexity of the problem, the cascaded Random Forest performed quite well (R2 = 0.637). While direct measurements will always play a fundamental role, our estimates could support large scale assessment of the expected condition of P. oceanica meadows, providing valuable information about the way this crucial ecosystem works.
A comprehensive examination of the local- and long-range structure of Sb6O13 pyrochlore oxide
Authors: Mayer S. F. , Rodrigues J. E. , Marini C. , Fernández-Díaz M. T. , Falcón H. , Asensio M. C. , Alonso J. A.
Published: October 2020

The crystal structure of the Sb6O13oxide, exhibiting a defect pyrochlore crystal structure with atomic vacancies, has been studied using a complete set of state-of-the-art techniques. The degree of antimony disproportionation in Sb3+and Sb5+valence states has been directly determined around 36% and 64%, respectively, using X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES). These findings are in excellent agreement with our Rietveld analysis of synchrotron X-ray (SXRD) and neutron powder diffraction (NPD) results. Moreover, the highly distorted Sb3+coordination due to its lone electron pair has been critically revisited. The bonding distances and coordination of Sb3+and Sb5+species closely agree with an extensive dynamic and crystallographic determination using the Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) technique. Most importantly, the specific local disorder of the two distinctive Sb ions has been crosschecked monitoring their unusual Debye–Waller factors.
Assessment of conbercept therapy for high myopia macular neovascularization by optical coherence tomography angiography
Authors: Cheng Lu-Na , Lin Yu-Xi , Liu Lei , Zhang Xu-He , Xue Yan-Qi , Zhou Sheng-Di , Liu Zhe-Li , Zhang Han
Published: October 2020

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the intravitreal injection of conbercept in the treatment of macular neovascularization (MNV) secondary to high myopia and to observe the application of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in the treatment follow-up. We reviewed the medical records of 20 patients (21 eyes) with MNV secondary to high myopia who were enrolled in the Department of Ophthalmology of the First Hospital of China Medical University between May 2018 and January 2020. Each patient received one or more intravitreal injections of conbercept (0.5 mg/0.05 mL). The treatment was conducted according to a 1 + PRN (pro re nata) regimen. The changes of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), and selected MNV and flow areas measured by OCTA were observed over a 6-month follow-up period. The mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) BCVA was 1.03 ± 0.61 before treatment and improved to 0.83 ± 0.59 (P = 0.007), 0.78 ± 0.62 (P = 0.001), 0.81 ± 0.73 (P = 0.027), and 0.79 ± 0.72 (P = 0.023) at 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment, respectively. The mean CMT was 358.16 ± 206.11 μm before treatment and decreased to 295.38 ± 178.70 μm (P = 0.003), 288.34 ± 165.60 μm (P = 0.004), 284.36 ± 163.07 μm (P = 0.005), and 283.00 ± 160.32 μm (P = 0.004) at 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment, respectively. Nineteen eyes (90.5%) had stable or improved vision at 6 months of follow-up. One month after conbercept injection, in OCTA images, the small-diameter blood vessels of the MNV decreased, the intertwined small blood vessels decreased or even disappeared, and the main or larger-diameter blood vessels were still present. The mean selected MNV and blood flow areas were 0.62 ± 0.81 and 0.22 ± 0.27 mm2, respectively, before treatment and decreased to 0.23 ± 0.33 and 0.07 ± 0.08 mm2(P = 0.04 for both), respectively, 1 month after treatment. No drug-related systemic or ocular adverse effects were observed. Our results suggest that conbercept can effectively and safely improve BCVA and reduce CMT in patients with myopic MVN (mMNV). OCTA can be used to observe MNV area, blood flow area, and MNV morphological changes after treatment with conbercept, thus providing a reference for treatment follow-up.
Acute respiratory muscle unloading improves time-to-exhaustion during moderate- and heavy-intensity cycling in obese adolescent males
Authors: Alemayehu Hailu Kinfu , Salvadego Desy , Tringali Gabriella , De Micheli Roberta , Caccavale Mara , Sartorio Alessandro , Grassi Bruno
Published: October 2020

Obesity significantly impairs breathing during exercise. The aim was to determine, in male obese adolescents (OB), the effects of acute respiratory muscle unloading, obtained by switching the inspired gas from ambient air (AIR) to a normoxic helium + oxygen gas mixture (HeO2) (AIR → HeO2) during moderate [below gas exchange threshold (GET)] and heavy [above GET] constant work rate cycling. Ten OB [age 16.0 ± 2.0 years (mean ± SD); body mass index (BMI) 38.9 ± 6.1 kg/m2] and ten normal-weight age-matched controls (CTRL) inspired AIR for the entire exercise task, or underwent AIR → HeO2 when they were approaching volitional exhaustion. In OB time to exhaustion (TTE) significantly increased in AIR → HeO2 vs. AIR during moderate [1524 ± 480 s vs. 1308 ± 408 (P = 0.024)] and during heavy [570 ± 306 s vs. 408 ± 150 (P = 0.0154)] exercise. During moderate exercise all CTRL completed the 40-min task. During heavy exercise no significant differences were observed in CTRL for TTE (582 ± 348 s [AIR → HeO2] vs. 588 ± 252 [AIR]). In OB, but not in CTRL, acute unloading of respiratory muscles increased TTE during both moderate- and heavy-exercise. In OB, but not in CTRL, respiratory factors limit exercise tolerance during both moderate and heavy exercise.
A systematic review of employment outcomes from youth skills training programmes in agriculture in low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Maïga W. H. Eugenie , Porgo Mohamed , Zahonogo Pam , Amegnaglo Cocou Jaurès , Coulibaly Doubahan Adeline , Flynn Justin , Seogo Windinkonté , Traoré Salimata , Kelly Julia A. , Chimwaza Gracian
Published: October 2020

Engagement of youth in agriculture in low- and middle-income countries may offer opportunities to curb underemployment, urban migration, disillusionment of youth and social unrest, as well as to lift individuals and communities from poverty and hunger. Lack of education or skills training has been cited as a challenge to engage youth in the sector. Here we systematically interrogate the literature for the evaluation of skills training programmes for youth in low- and middle-income countries. Sixteen studies—nine quantitative, four qualitative and three mixed methods—from the research and grey literature documented the effects of programmes on outcomes relating to youth engagement, including job creation, income, productivity and entrepreneurship in agriculture. Although we find that skills training programmes report positive effects on our chosen outcomes, like previous systematic reviews we find the topic to chronically lack evaluation. Given the interest that donors and policymakers have in youth engagement in agriculture, our systematic review uncovers a gap in the knowledge of their effectiveness.
Accelerated discovery of high-strength aluminum alloys by machine learning
Authors: Li Jiaheng , Zhang Yingbo , Cao Xinyu , Zeng Qi , Zhuang Ye , Qian Xiaoying , Chen Hui
Published: October 2020

Aluminum alloys are attractive for a number of applications due to their high specific strength, and developing new compositions is a major goal in the structural materials community. Here, we investigate the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy system (7xxx series) by machine learning-based composition and process optimization. The discovered optimized alloy is compositionally lean with a high ultimate tensile strength of 952 MPa and 6.3% elongation following a cost-effective processing route. We find that the Al8Cu4Y phase in wrought 7xxx-T6 alloys exists in the form of a nanoscale network structure along sub-grain boundaries besides the common irregular-shaped particles. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of using machine learning to search for 7xxx alloys with good mechanical performance.
Atomic scale surface modification of TiO2 3D nano-arrays: plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition of NiO for photocatalysis
Authors: Innocent Jerome W. F. , Napari Mari , Johnson Andrew L. , Harris-Lee Thom R. , Regue Miriam , Sajavaara Timo , MacManus-Driscoll Judith L. , Marken Frank , Alkhalil Feras
Published: October 2020

Here we report the development of a new scalable and transferable plasma assisted atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process for the production of uniform, conformal and pinhole free NiO with sub-nanometre control on a commercial ALD reactor.