bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Erosion‐reducing effects of revegetation and fish‐scale pits on steep spoil heaps under concentrated runoff on the Chinese Loess Plateau
Authors: Guo Wenzhao , Kang Hongliang , Wang Wenlong , Guo Mingming , Chen Zhuoxin
Published: May 2020

Massive spoil heaps, formed during production and construction activities, have suffered from severe soil erosion, leading to land degradation and damaging the environment. Fish‐scale pits (FSPs) and revegetation (RG) are the most common measures for controlling soil erosion on spoil heaps on the Loess Plateau. To evaluate the effects of FSPs and RG on concentrated runoff erosion, scouring‐erosion experiments were conducted on FSP plots, RG plots, and bare plots (the control) in the field on two types of spoil heaps: low gravel content in soil (LGS) and high gravel content in soil (HGS) at various inflow rates. Mass movement was the main cause of the considerable fluctuations in erosion rate and sharply increased the sediment concentration, which could exceed 800 kg m−3 and cause hyperconcentrated flows. Conversely, the FSP and RG treatments observably reduced the sediment concentration and erosion rate. The erosion‐reducing benefits (ERBs) of both the FSPs and RG treatments were significant. However, the ERB of the FSPs treatment was superior to that of the RG treatment under concentrated runoff, especially high‐intensity concentrated runoff. The ERB of the FSP treatment was on average 78.5% and 80.9% for the LGS and HGS, respectively. The ERB of the RG treatment was on average 36.4% and 56.5% for the LGS and HGS, respectively. The ERBs of the FSPs and RG treatments for the HGS were greater than those for the LGS. Moreover, gravel inhibited concentrated flow erosion. Our results provide important guidance for preventing soil erosion on abandoned spoil heaps in semiarid regions.
Novel Phenotype of 6p25 Deletion Syndrome Presenting Juvenile Parkinsonism and Brain Calcification
Authors: Fan Sung‐Pin , Lee Ni‐Chung , Lin Chin‐Hsien
Published: May 2020

Background

Chromosome 6p25 deletion syndrome is a rare neurocristopathy with variable clinical features. The objective of the current study was to describe a novel phenotype for autosomal‐dominant chromosome 6p25 deletion syndrome. The presentation included bilateral basal ganglia and subcortical calcifications and juvenile parkinsonism, resembling primary familial brain calcification.

Methods

Phenotypic characterization, exome sequencing, and oligonucleotide array were carried out in the index family.

Results

The index patient and her mother had a history of developmental delay, mild facial dysmorphism, Axenfield eye anomalies, slight intellectual disability, and subsequently developed levodopa‐responsive parkinsonism in early adulthood. Brain‐computed tomography showed bilateral basal ganglia and subcortical calcifications. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed diffuse white matter lesions. A 99mTcTRODAT single‐photon emission computed tomography scan revealed bilateral dopaminergic denervation. Whole‐exome sequencing and oligonucleotide array‐based comparative genomic hybridization revealed a 2.27‐Mb chromosome 6pter‐p24 deletion, which cosegregated within the family.

Conclusions

Our findings extended the current phenotypic spectrum of chromosome 6p25 deletion syndrome. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Double stabilities of pullback random attractors for stochastic delayed p‐Laplacian equations
Authors: Zhang Qiangheng , Li Yangrong
Published: May 2020

We provide a method to study the double stabilities of a pullback random attractor (PRA) generated from a stochastic partial differential equation (PDE) with delays, such a PRA is actually a family of compact random sets Aϱ(t,·), where t is the current time and ϱ is the memory time. We study its longtime stability, which means the attractor semiconverges to a compact set as the current time tends to minus infinity, and also its zero‐memory stability, which means the delayed attractor semiconverges to the nondelayed attractor as the memory time tends to zero. The stochastic nonautonomous p‐Laplacian equation with variable delays on an unbounded domain will be applied to illustrate the method and some suitable assumptions about the nonlinearity and time‐dependent delayed forces can ensure existence, backward compactness, and double stabilities of a PRA.
A metasurface‐enabled wideband high‐gain dual‐circularly‐polarized Fabry‐Perot resonator antenna
Authors: Huang Ruimin , Wang Zhenglong , Li Guowei , Lin Chengxiu , Ge Yuehe , Pu Jixiong
Published: May 2020

This paper presents a wideband high‐gain dual‐circularly‐polarized (CP) antenna with a simple configuration. Instead of improving the gain using the dual‐CP element array, the Fabry‐Perot resonator antenna concept is applied in this work. By designing a dual‐linearly‐polarized Fabry‐Perot resonator antenna and a linear‐to‐circular polarization (LP‐CP) metasurface polarizer separately and combining them, a wideband high‐gain dual‐CP antenna can be achieved. Structural simplicity and less design difficulty are advantages of the antenna design. Experimental results validate the design concept. It exhibits 3‐dB axial‐ratio bandwidths of over 12% for both LHCP and RHCP performance, a high polarization isolation of over 25 dB, and peak gains of 12.78 dBi and 12.89 dBi for LHCP and RHCP radiations respectively.
Numerical approximation to the general kinetic model for ASL quantification
Authors: Lee Nam G. , Javed Ahsan , Jao Terrence R. , Nayak Krishna S.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

To develop a numerical approximation to the general kinetic model for arterial spin labeling (ASL) quantification that will enable greater flexibility in ASL acquisition methods.

Theory

The Bloch‐McConnell equations are extended to include the effects of single‐compartment inflow and outflow on both the transverse and longitudinal magnetization. These can be solved using an extension of Jaynes’ matrix formalism with piecewise constant approximation of incoming labeled arterial flow and a clearance operator for outgoing venous flow.

Methods

The proposed numerical approximation is compared with the general kinetic model using simulations of pulsed labeling and pseudo‐continuous labeling and a broad range of transit time and bolus duration for tissue blood flow of 0.6 mL/g/min. Accuracy of the approximation is studied as a function of the timestep using Monte‐Carlo simulations. Three additional scenarios are demonstrated: (1) steady‐pulsed ASL, (2) MR fingerprinting ASL, and (3) balanced SSFP and spoiled gradient‐echo sequences.

Results

The proposed approximation was found to be arbitrarily accurate for pulsed labeling and pseudo‐continuous labeling. The pulsed labeling/pseudo‐continuous labeling approximation error compared with the general kinetic model was less than 0.002% (<0.002%) and less than 0.05% (<0.05%) for timesteps of 3 ms and 35 ms, respectively. The proposed approximation matched well with customized signal expressions of steady‐pulsed ASL and MR fingerprinting ASL. The simulations of simultaneous modeling of flow, T2, and magnetization transfer showed an increase in steady‐state balanced SSFP and spoiled gradient signals.

Conclusion

We demonstrate a numerical approximation of the “Bloch–McConnell flow” equations that enables arbitrarily accurate modeling of pulsed ASL and pseudo‐continuous labeling signals comparable to the general kinetic model. This enables increased flexibility in the experiment design for quantitative ASL.
An exploratory study of contractile force production in muscle fibers from patients with inflammatory myopathies
Authors: Henning Franclo , Kohn Tertius Abraham
Published: May 2020

Introduction

The mechanism by which weakness develops in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) is still unclear. In this study we investigated the maximum force of single muscle fibers from patients with IIMs.

Methods

Permeabilized single muscle fibers from patients with IIMs and healthy controls were subjected to contractility measurements. Maximum force and specific force production (maximum force normalized to fiber size) and fiber type were determined for each isolated fiber.

Results

A total of 178 fibers were studied from five patients with IIMs and 95 fibers from four controls. Specific force production was significantly lower in the IIM group for all fiber types.

Discussion

The findings from this exploratory study suggest that weakness in IIMs may, in part, be caused by dysfunction of the contractile apparatus. These findings provide a basis for further studies into the mechanisms underlying weakness in IIMs.
SDN‐based teleprotection and control power systems: A study of available controllers and their suitability
Authors: Zopellaro Soares Arthur A. , Lucas Vieira Juan , Quincozes Silvio E. , Ferreira Vinicius C. , Uchôa Luana M. , Lopes Yona , Passos Diego , Fernandes Natalia C. , Monteiro Moraes Igor , Muchaluat‐Saade Débora , Albuquerque Célio
Published: May 2020

With the popularization of the smart grid paradigm, substation automation technology has gradually been upgraded with additional processing and communication capabilities within control and protection devices. Hence, the research community is pressured to find new, efficient, and reliable communication solutions for such a scenario. That task is complicated by the stringent temporal requirements defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61850 standard for power system communication comprising teleprotection schemes. Further compounding the issue is the critical nature of the power grid, in which availability is definitely a strong requirement. Software‐defined networking (SDN) may provide powerful tools to fulfill those requirements at acceptable costs. As such, this paper surveys and compares several available SDN controllers and their applicability to the teleprotection scenario. It further evaluates controllers in terms of capacity and resilience through experiments in an emulated environment.
Empirical study on sufficient numbers of minimum cuts in strongly connected directed random graphs
Authors: Chang Eric , Cheng C. K. , Gupta Anushka , Hsu Po‐Ya , Moffitt Amanda , Ren Alissa , Tsaur Irene , Wang Samuel
Published: May 2020

We focus on the all‐pairs minimum cut (APMC) problem, a graph partitioning problem whose solution requires finding the minimum cut for every pair of nodes in a given graph. While it is solved for undirected graphs, a solution for APMC in directed graphs still requires an O(n2) brute force approach. We show that the empirical number of distinct minimum cuts in randomly generated strongly connected directed graphs is proportional to n rather than the theoretical value of n2, suggesting the possibility of an algorithm which finds all minimum cuts in less than O(n2) time. We also provide an example of the strict upper bound on the number of cuts in graphs with three nodes. We model the distributions with the Generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution and enable the possibility of using a GEV distribution to predict the probability of achieving a certain number of minimum cuts, given the number of nodes and edges. Finally, we contribute to the notion of symmetric cuts by showing that there can be O(n2) symmetric cuts in graphs when node replication is allowed.
Effect of Reaction Media on Photosensitized [2+2]‐Cycloaddition of Cinnamates
Authors: Abramov Alex , Reiser Oliver , Díaz Díaz David
Published: May 2020

The outcome of photosensitized [2+2]‐cycloaddition reactions of various cinnamates has been compared in different reaction media, including homogeneous organic solutions under inert conditions, degassed water, and aerated physical gels. The reactions were performed under LED blue light (λmax=455 nm) irradiation and [Ir{dF(CF3)ppy}2(dtb‐bpy)]PF6 (1.0 mol%) as photocatalyst. The processes were optimized taking into consideration solvent, gelator, and substrate. Comparative kinetics analyses, as well as the effect of the reaction media on the diastereoselectivity of the process, were evaluated during this investigation. In a number of cases, carrying out the reaction in a less polar solvent, like toluene or highly polar solvent, like water had a tremendous impact on the diastereoselectivity of the process, pointing towards an effect on the stabilization of the putative diradical intermediate in this medium. Moreover, while for reactions run in homogeneous solution oxygen needs to be excluded, no erosion in yield is observed when the photoadditions were run in aerated gel media.
Selective Hg2+ sensor performance based various carbon‐nanofillers into CuO‐PMMA nanocomposites
Authors: Katowah Dina F. , Alqarni Sara , Mohammed Gharam I. , Al Sheheri Soad Z. , Alam M. M. , Ismail Sameh H. , Asiri Abdullah M. , Hussein Mahmoud A. , Rahman Mohammed M.
Published: May 2020

Ternary nanocomposites (NCs) containing copper oxide (CuO)/poly(methyl methacrylate)/various carbon‐based nanofillers have been successfully prepared as thin films by an ex situ method as a selective Hg+2 sensor. The structural, morphological, and electrochemical properties of the NCs were identified by all common characterization tools. The FT‐IR curves of these NCs proved the efficiency of CuO mixed with single‐walled CNTs (CuO/SWCNTs), multi‐walled CNTs (CuO/MWCNTs), or graphene (CuO/G) nanoparticles in the PMMA polymer matrix. The mixed nanofillers significantly improved the properties of the PMMA film. The thermal characteristics of the pure PMMA polymer matrix were highly developed by adding nanofillers in the form of NCs. The maximum composite degradation temperature (CDTmax) values were comparable for all the NCs and were in the range of 345 to 406°C. For fabrication, the CuO‐PMMA‐SWCNT, CuO‐PMMA‐MWCNT, and CuO‐PMMA‐GNCs were coated onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to form a tiny layer with orderly thickness using a conductive 5% Nafion chemical binder. During the electrochemical investigation, it was found that CuO‐PMMA‐SWCNT had the maximum response toward Hg2+ ions compared to the other nanofillers in a buffer medium (phosphate type). To calibrate the Hg2+ ionic sensor, the data were plotted against Hg2+ ion concentration and the proposed sensor showed linearity over a wide range of concentrations (0.1‐0.01 mM), which is called the linear dynamic range (LDR). The analytical parameters, such as sensitivity (1.70 × 102 μAμM‐1 cm−2), detection limit (55.76 ± 2.79 pM), and limit of quantification (185.87 pM) were calculated from the calibration curve. Moreover, it showed good reproducibility, fast response time, good linearity, large LDR, and good stability. The CuO‐PMMA‐SWCNT NC‐modified GCE offers a new route to fabricate novel heavy metal ionic sensors, which might be used in green environment and health development applications.
Initial psychometric analysis of novel instruments to assess decisional distress and decisional uncertainty in women who have considered using preimplantation genetic testing
Authors: Pastore Lisa M. , Rubin Lisa R. , SantaBarbara Jennifer N. , Stelling James , Lobel Marci
Published: May 2020

Objective

To analyze psychometric properties of two novel instruments assessing decisional distress and uncertainty experienced by individuals considering preimplantation genetic testing (PGT).

Methods

The new PGT Decisional Distress instrument (22 items) assesses negative/positive emotions. The new PGT Decisional Uncertainty instrument assesses Clarity about test benefits/disadvantages (5 items) and Certainty of having adequate information/support to make a good decision (7 items). Scales ranged from 0 to 4. Psychometrics (central tendencies, internal consistency reliability, and discriminant validity) were evaluated. Stratified analysis by decision stage was conducted. All participants had considered or used PGT in the previous 6 months.

Results

N = 106 females (mean age 36.5 ± 4.8 years; 16% non‐Caucasian; 9% Hispanic) across 16 US states completed an online anonymous questionnaire. On average, respondents reported minimal distress (mean 0.96), high clarity (mean 3.26), and high certainty (mean 3.06), particularly those who had already decided compared to undecided women (P ≤ .02). Instruments had excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α's 0.92‐0.94) and displayed sufficient inter‐individual variability (SD's 0.75‐0.89). Correlations confirmed expected patterns of association between instruments (P's < .01), indicating discriminant validity.

Conclusion

We document initial reliability and validity of new instruments to measure emotional distress and uncertainty in female patients who have recently considered PGT for single‐gene or chromosomal disorders.
Homogeneous surface hydrophilization on the inner walls of polymer tubes using a flexible atmospheric cold microplasma jet
Authors: Wang Tao , Shi Liping , Lv Li , Liu Jingquan
Published: May 2020

The intrinsic hydrophobic nature of polymer tubes limits their applications in biomedical and mechanical fields. In this paper, homogeneous hydrophilization on the inner surfaces of polytetrafluoroethylene tubes was realized by directly inserting a flexible atmospheric cold microplasma jet (FμPJ) into the tubes. The water contact angle, surface morphologies, and chemical compositions of the treated inner surfaces were investigated to characterize the plasma hydrophilization. Results demonstrated that the wettability of the inner walls of the tube was well improved and the wettability could be retained at a low value even after 30 days of storage. Notably, homogeneous hydrophilization was achieved along the axial and circumferential directions of the tube. The results indicated that FμPJ shows great potential for uniform inner surface modification of polymers tubes.
Composite quantile‐based classifiers
Authors: Pritchard David A. , Liu Yufeng
Published: May 2020

Accurate classification of high‐dimensional data is important in many scientific applications. We propose a family of high‐dimensional classification methods based upon a comparison of the component‐wise distances of the feature vector of a sample to the within‐class population quantiles. These methods are motivated by the fact that quantile classifiers based on these component‐wise distances are the most powerful univariate classifiers for an optimal choice of the quantile level. A simple aggregation approach for constructing a multivariate classifier based upon these component‐wise distances to the within‐class quantiles is proposed. It is shown that this classifier is consistent with the asymptotically optimal classifier as the sample size increases. Our proposed classifiers result in simple piecewise‐linear decision rule boundaries that can be efficiently trained. Numerical results are shown to demonstrate competitive performance for the proposed classifiers on both simulated data and a benchmark email spam application.
Transition coefficients between compressive strengths of samples with different shape and size in mass concrete and use of weight maturity method in dam construction
Authors: Ustabaş İlker , Deşik Fatih
Published: May 2020

Mass concrete (MC) is widely used in dam concretes due to their large aggregate grain diameters, low cement dosage, and low hydration temperatures. Monitoring of the hydration temperature and compressive strength is an important consideration during the casting of MC in the field. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the compressive strengths of cylindrical specimens with different maximum aggregate grain diameters (Dmax) and different dimensions in MCs used in dam construction and to investigate the usability of the weighted maturity method in determining the compressive strength of dam MC. In this study, the compressive strength transition coefficient (fck ø15 × 30/fck ø25 × 50) of the cylindrical samples with different dimensions in MC was found to be 1.135. It was found that the weight maturity method can be used to estimate concrete strength in dam MC with low hydration temperature.
Research on extraction method of roughness parameters of relay circular contacts
Authors: Li Wenhua , Lu Wenjiang , Li Shuang , Zhao Yueshan , Li Qizhe
Published: May 2020

Currently, the calculation of the surface roughness parameter is mainly based on the surface height data of the rectangular region, which results in the nonrectangular relay contact surface topography acquisition being limited to a certain local area, and it is difficult to characterize the overall topography state of contacts. In this paper, a method of fitting the rotation roughness parameter is proposed, which is to fit the roughness parameter of the largest inscribed square of contact surface under different rotation angles, and finally, a comprehensive roughness parameter value characterizing the whole circular contact surface is obtained. The Tamura feature analysis method is used to calculate the rotation roughness parameters of the circular contact at various angles. The effective area for calculating the surface roughness of circular contacts is increased from 63.66 to 99.14%. By calculating the moving Hurst index, the rotation roughness parameters of each angle are proven to conform to the fractional Brownian motion, and the rotation roughness parameters are fitted accordingly. Finally, the validity of the fitting parameters is verified by a neural network, which provides a feasible method for comprehensively characterizing the overall topography of circular contact. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Simultaneous multichannel multi‐offset ground‐penetrating radar measurements for soil characterization
Authors: Kaufmann Manuela Sarah , Klotzsche Anja , Vereecken Harry , van der Kruk Jan
Published: May 2020

For vadose zone studies, it is essential to characterize the soil heterogeneity. However, manual soil coring is time consuming and lacks spatial coverage. Ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) has a high potential to map these parameters. However, with conventional common‐offset profile (COP) measurements, soil layer changes are only detected as a function of time, and no exact determination of velocities, and thus permittivity, is possible. For velocity estimation, time‐consuming point‐scale common midpoint (CMP) or wide‐angle reflection and refraction (WARR) measurements are necessary. Recently, a novel simultaneous multi‐offset multichannel (SiMoc) GPR system was released, enabling rapid profiling with virtually continuous acquisition of WARR gathers. For this system, we developed a new processing approach. First, time shifts caused by the different cables and receivers were eliminated by a novel calibration method. In the obtained CMP gathers, groundwave and (when present) reflection velocities were determined with an automated semblance approach. The obtained velocity can be converted to permittivity and soil water content. We tested SiMoc GPR with a synthetic study and time‐lapse field measurements. In the synthetic study, the accuracy of velocity and layer thickness were within 0.02 m ns−1and 2 cm. The SiMoc field results (spatial sampling of 5 cm) are consistent with coarse sampled single‐channel data (spatial sampling of 10 m). Soil water content changes over the different measurement days were in agreement with nearby installed sensors (one per hectare). Overall, SiMoc GPR is a powerful tool for fast imaging of spatially highly resolved permittivity, and soil water content at a large scale.
Recent advances on synthesis and biomaterials applications of hyperbranched polymers
Authors: Cuneo Timothy , Gao Haifeng
Published: May 2020

Hyperbranched polymers represent an intriguing class of shape‐persistent soft nanomaterials that could be easily produced in one‐pot reaction to obtain highly branched arborescent structures. Although traditional synthesis of hyperbranched polymers suffers from the poorly defined structures and broad molecular weight distribution, recent progress on synthesis methods allows the production of structurally defined polymers in tunable molecular weights, composition and degree of branching. This review summarizes the recent advance on synthesis of hyperbranched polymers and their applications as biomaterials in tissue engineering scaffolds, diagnostic probe carriers and drug delivery fields.

This article is categorized under:

Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology
A formalism for the resummation of non-factorizable observables in SCET
Authors: Bauer Christian W. , Monni Pier Francesco
Published: May 2020

Abstract

In the framework of soft-collinear effective theory (SCET), we show how to formulate the resummation for a broad family of final-state, global observables in high-energy collisions in a general way that is suitable for a numerical calculation. Contrary to the standard SCET approach, this results in a method that does not require an observable-specific factorization theorem. We present a complete formulation at next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic order for e+e− observables, and show how to systematically extend the framework to higher orders. This work paves the way to automated resummation in SCET for several physical observables within a single framework.
Quantum corrections to finite radius holography and holographic entanglement entropy
Authors: Donnelly William , LePage Elise , Li Yan-Yan , Pereira Andre , Shyam Vasudev
Published: May 2020

Abstract

We calculate quantum corrections to holographic entanglement entropy in the proposed duality between $$ T\overline{T} $$
T

T
¯

-deformed holographic 2D CFTs and gravity in AdS3 with a finite cutoff. We first establish the dictionary between the two theories by mapping the flow equation of the deformed CFT to the bulk Wheeler-DeWitt equation. The latter reduces to an ordinary differential equation for the sphere partition function, which we solve to find the entanglement entropy for an entangling surface consisting of two antipodal points on a sphere. The entanglement entropy in the inverse central charge expansion yields the expectation value of the bulk length operator plus the entropy of length fluctuations, in accordance with the Ryu-Takayanagi formula and its generalization due to Faulkner, Lewkowycz, and Maldacena. Special attention is paid to the conformal mode problem and its resolution by a choice of contour for the gravitational path integral.
Eurados review of retrospective dosimetry techniques for internal exposures to ionising radiation and their applications
Authors: Giussani A. , Lopez M. A. , Romm H. , Testa A. , Ainsbury E. A. , Degteva M. , Della Monaca S. , Etherington G. , Fattibene P. , Güclu I. , Jaworska A. , Lloyd D. C. , Malátová I. , McComish S. , Melo D. , Osko J. , Rojo A. , Roch-Lefevre S. , Roy L. , Shishkina E. , Sotnik N. , Tolmachev S. Y. , Wieser A. , Woda C. , Youngman M.
Published: May 2020

This work presents an overview of the applications of retrospective dosimetry techniques in case of incorporation of radionuclides. The fact that internal exposures are characterized by a spatially inhomogeneous irradiation of the body, which is potentially prolonged over large periods and variable over time, is particularly problematic for biological and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) dosimetry methods when compared with external exposures. The paper gives initially specific information about internal dosimetry methods, the most common cytogenetic techniques used in biological dosimetry and EPR dosimetry applied to tooth enamel. Based on real-case scenarios, dose estimates obtained from bioassay data as well as with biological and/or EPR dosimetry are compared and critically discussed. In most of the scenarios presented, concomitant external exposures were responsible for the greater portion of the received dose. As no assay is available which can discriminate between radiation of different types and different LETs on the basis of the type of damage induced, it is not possible to infer from these studies specific conclusions valid for incorporated radionuclides alone. The biological dosimetry assays and EPR techniques proved to be most applicable in cases when the radionuclides are almost homogeneously distributed in the body. No compelling evidence was obtained in other cases of extremely inhomogeneous distribution. Retrospective dosimetry needs to be optimized and further developed in order to be able to deal with real exposure cases, where a mixture of both external and internal exposures will be encountered most of the times.
Fast high-pressure tanning of animal skins by accelerated chromium sulphate complexation
Authors: Prokein M. , Renner M. , Weidner E.
Published: May 2020

In the conventional leather production process, basic chromium sulphate (BCS) penetrates fully inside the collagen matrix during tanning and forms oligo-nuclear complexes that stabilize the skin structure during basification. Accelerated chromium sulphate complexation by basifying the BCS before full penetration leads to surface tanning and low leather qualities. Therefore, long processing times of 16 h for tanning and basification are common in modern tanneries. We used sodium hydrogen carbonate to basify BCS before penetration. However, instead of conventional tanning we performed CO2 tanning at 30 bar. The influence of accelerated chromium sulphate complexation on the leather quality was investigated. To estimate the structures of the formed chromium complexes, we considered the pH trend of the tanning solution during basification depending on the amount of basifying agent. The distribution of chromium oxide (Cr2O3) and the shrinkage temperature (Ts) in three different layers of the cross section were analysed. The analytics allowed the assessment whether the tanning agent penetrates through the whole cross section or adheres to the surface during CO2 tanning. We show that CO2-intensified tanning allows accelerated chromium sulphate complexation and a reduction in the tanning time from 16 to 4 h. The Cr2O3 is equally distributed, and Ts above 100 °C meets the standards of high-quality wet blue. However, the pH value of the tanning solution must not rise above 4.5 during basification. Otherwise, the Ts decrease dramatically. The feasibility of the process is demonstrated in a 1700-L drum, with a batch size of about 500 kg. The CO2-intensified tanning process has high potential to save time and chemicals and reduce emissions in industrial applications and is commercially competitive.

Graphic abstract
Non-specific phospholipase C (NPC): an emerging class of phospholipase C in plant growth and development
Authors: Nakamura Yuki , Ngo Anh H.
Published: May 2020

Non-specific phospholipase C (NPC) is a novel class of phospholipase C found only in bacteria and higher plants. NPC hydrolyzes major phospholipid classes such as phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) to produce diacylglycerol (DAG) and a corresponding phosphate-containing polar head group. Originally known as a toxin in certain bacteria to invade the host cell, this class of phospholipase has been well-investigated in bacteriology. Since the first discovery of eukaryotic NPC in Arabidopsis in 2005, this emerging class of phospholipase has received greater attention in plant biology in elucidating the biochemical characteristics and physiological function in the context of plant growth regulation and stress response. Particularly in the last few years, there has been significant progress made in understanding the fundamental character of 6 NPC isoforms in Arabidopsis, as well as novel function in other plant models. Now that research with plant NPC is entering into a new phase, this review aims to summarize recent progress in plant NPC along with some future perspectives.
Mental health of Malaysian university students: UK comparison, and relationship between negative mental health attitudes, self-compassion, and resilience
Authors: Kotera Yasuhiro , Ting Su-Hie , Neary Siobhan
Published: May 2020

Poor mental health of university students is becoming a serious issue in many countries. Malaysia - a leading country for Asia-Pacific education - is one of them. Despite the government’s effort to raise awareness, Malaysian students’ mental health remains challenging, exacerbated by the students’ negative attitudes towards mental health (mental health attitudes). Relatedly, self-compassion and resilience have been reported to improve mental health and mental health attitudes. Malaysian students (n = 153) responded to paper-based measures about mental health problems, negative mental health attitudes, self-compassion, and resilience. Scores were compared with 105 UK students, who also suffered from poor mental health and negative mental health attitudes, to make a cross-cultural comparison, to contextualise Malaysian students’ mental health status, usingttests (aim 1). Correlation, path, and moderation analyses were conducted, to evaluate the relationships among these mental health constructs (aim 2). Malaysian students scored higher on mental health problems and negative mental health attitudes, and lower on self-compassion and resilience than UK students. Mental health problems were positively associated with negative mental health attitudes, and negatively associated with self-compassion and resilience. While self-compassion mediated the relationship between negative mental health attitudes and mental health problems (high self-compassion weakened the impacts of negative mental health attitudes on mental health problems), resilience did not moderate the same relationship (the level of resilience did not influence the impact of negative mental health attitudes on mental health problems). Self-compassion training was suggested to counter the challenging mental health in Malaysian university students.
Perceived Wellbeing Effects of Ecosystems in Finland
Authors: Lyytimäki Jari , Pitkänen Kati
Published: May 2020

Human recognition, valuation, and communication lie at the heart of ecosystem goods and services. We explore how the wellbeing effects of ecosystems are recognized and communicated based on data obtained from an information campaign to increase public awareness of the health and wellbeing benefits of rural nature areas in Finland. Interested members of the public from different backgrounds were asked to outline and publicly share short descriptions of their personal recommendations for improving their wellbeing through interacting with rural landscapes. The results indicate that a wide variety of ecosystem types and functions are perceived to be important for producing a range of wellbeing benefits through experiencing and multisensory observations of natural landscapes. The importance of cultural and experiential ecosystem services were highlighted while provisioning services received only minor attention, and regulating services were almost entirely unnoted.
Interventions to Reduce Stigma Related to Mental Illnesses in Educational Institutes: a Systematic Review
Authors: Waqas Ahmed , Malik Salma , Fida Ania , Abbas Noureen , Mian Nadeem , Miryala Sannihitha , Amray Afshan Naz , Shah Zunairah , Naveed Sadiq
Published: May 2020

This investigation reviews the effectiveness of anti-stigma interventions employed at educational institutes; to improve knowledge, attitude and beliefs regarding mental health disorders among students. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist guidelines were followed and protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42018114535). Forty four randomized controlled trials were considered eligible after screening of 104 full-text articles against inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Several interventions have been employed to tackle stigma toward psychiatric illnesses, including education through lectures and case scenarios, contact-based interventions, and role-plays as strategies to address stigma towards mental illnesses. A high proportion of trials noted that there was a significant improvement for stigma (19/25, 76%), attitude (8/11, 72%), helping-seeking (8/11, 72%), knowledge of mental health including recognition of depression (11/14, 78%), and social distance (4/7, 57%). These interventions also helped in reducing both public and self-stigma. Majority of the studies showed that the anti-stigma interventions were successful in improving mental health literacy, attitude and beliefs towards mental health illnesses.
The isomerization of S-carvone over the natural clinoptilolite as the catalyst: the influence of reaction time, temperature and catalyst content
Authors: Wróblewska Agnieszka , Retajczyk Monika
Published: May 2020

This work describes the isomerization of S-carvone using a natural zeolite—clinoptilolite as the catalyst. The isomerization of S-carvone was carried out at the catalyst content in the reaction mixture from 5 to 15 wt%, in a temperature range of 190–210 °C and for the reaction time from 60 to 300 min. The main product of the isomerization of S-carvone was aromatic alcohol with many practical applications—carvacrol. The use of the most favorable reaction conditions (the reaction time of 3 h, the temperature of 210 °C and the catalyst content 15 wt%) allowed to obtain this compound with high yield amounted to about 90 mol%. The S-carvone isomerization is an example of environmentally friendly process because it does not use any solvents, S-carvone can be separated from cheap cumin waste (renewable biomass) and a cheap zeolite of natural origin—clinoptilolite can be is used as the catalyst.

Graphic abstract
Prevalence of hyponatremia among older inpatients in a general hospital
Authors: Zhang Xu , Li Xiao-Ying
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study aimed to explore the incidence, clinical features, etiology, and mortality of hyponatremia in older inpatients and thus provide preliminary data for an epidemiological study.

Methods

Hospitalized older patients diagnosed with hyponatremia at the First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital during January 2013–December 2016 were stratified by serum sodium concentrations into mild (130– < 135 mmol/L), moderate (125– < 130 mmol/L) and severe hyponatremia groups (< 125 mmol/L). Etiologies, medication histories, hospitalization times, and outcomes were analyzed.

Results

During the indicated period, 4364 older patients with hyponatremia were hospitalized, including 2934 men and 1430 women with an average age of 84.6 ± 3.5 years (range 80–104 years). The prevalence of hyponatremia was 24.7%. An analysis of common primary diseases identified respiratory diseases as the most frequent (25.0%), followed by tumors (23.1%), cardiovascular diseases (19.9%), central nervous system diseases (8.9%), and orthopedic diseases (6.1%). PPIs (59.7%), loop diuretics (57.4%), potassium-preserving diuretics (29.5%), ACEIs/ARBs (20.0%), thiazide diuretics (12.5%), and NSAIDs (12.4%) were the drugs most commonly associated with hyponatremia. The in-hospital mortality rate was 11.7%. Aggravated hyponatremia led to a prolonged hospitalization time. Moreover, when compared with mild hyponatremia, moderate and severe hyponatremia were associated with significant increases in in-hospital mortality (ORs 1.89 and 2.66, respectively; 95% CIs 1.54–2.33 and 2.06–3.43, respectively; P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Hyponatremia is a common complication in hospitalized older patients and is caused mainly by respiratory diseases, tumors, and cardiovascular diseases. Given the correlation between the degree of hyponatremia and prognosis, the early and accurate identification and treatment of this condition can reduce the associated morbidity and mortality.
Associations of mindfulness with adolescent outcomes and sexuality
Authors: Leavitt Chelom E. , Allsop David B. , Busby Dean M. , Driggs Shayla M. , Johnson Heather M. , Saxey Matthew T.
Published: May 2020

Introduction

Using an online survey, we evaluated how adolescent trait and state mindfulness was associated with positive adolescent outcomes in non‐sexually active and sexually active adolescents. Additionally, we evaluated a newly developed measure, the Sexual Mindfulness Measure (SMM), with adolescents.

Methods

We asked 2000 U.S. adolescents (half boys/girls; 1/3 low, medium, and high incomes) aged 13–18 (one group 13–15, another 16–18) about trait mindfulness, sexual state mindfulness, and adolescent outcomes. Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and structured equation modeling, we evaluated the reliability and validity of the SMM and its associations with adolescent outcomes.

Results

Using a trait mindfulness measure, we found that mindful adolescents with no sexual experience, showed positive associations with self‐efficacy, body‐esteem, and disclosure with both fathers and mothers. Evaluating adolescents who were sexually active, we confirmed that the SMM had a two‐factor structure and demonstrated acceptable reliability for both male and female adolescents. We found that the SMM was associated with positive sexual attitudes, body image, self‐efficacy, and disclosure to parents above and beyond trait mindfulness.

Conclusions

Trait mindfulness was associated with positive self‐assessments and parental disclosure. The SMM provided an important assessment of how sexually active adolescents’ ability to remain aware and non‐judgmental during sexual experiences may be positively associated with outcomes such as sexual consent, positive body image, self‐efficacy, disclosure to parents, and negatively associated with sexual shame and sexual anxiety above and beyond trait mindfulness.
Green Eagle Nation: The Politicization of Sports Journalism in the Post-Independence Nigerian Press
Authors: Schler Lynn , Dubinsky Itamar
Published: May 2020

The sports pages of the postcolonial press provide a vantage point for viewing the tensions surrounding nation-building in Nigeria. Following independence, coverage of the Green Eagles national football team reflected aspirations for a united Nigeria, but it was also an outlet for the deep political tensions plaguing Nigeria at this time. From 1960 to 1961, contentious games against Ghanaian rivals, disputes around the choice of a national coach, and clashes with referees in international matches all enabled sports journalists to become mouthpieces for both cohesion and discord. Schler and Dubinsky demonstrate that sports pages provide opportunities for viewing the links between postcolonial sports and politics.
Tools for Assessment of Country Preparedness for Public Health Emergencies: A Critical Review
Authors: Haeberer Mariana , Tsolova Svetla , Riley Paul , Cano-Portero Rosa , Rexroth Ute , Ciotti Massimo , Fraser Graham
Published: May 2020

Recent international communicable disease crises have highlighted the need for countries to assure their preparedness to respond effectively to public health emergencies. The objective of this study was to critically review existing tools to support a country’s assessment of its health emergency preparedness. We developed a framework to analyze the expected effectiveness and utility of these tools. Through mixed search strategies, we identified 12 tools with relevance to public health emergencies. There was considerable consensus concerning the critical preparedness system elements to be assessed, although their relative emphasis and means of assessment and measurement varied considerably. Several tools identified appeared to have reporting requirements as their primary aim, rather than primary utility for system self-assessment of the countries and states using the tool. Few tools attempted to give an account of their underlying evidence base. Only some tools were available in a user-friendly electronic modality or included quantitative measures to support the monitoring of system preparedness over time. We conclude there is still a need for improvement in tools available for assessment of country preparedness for public health emergencies, and for applied research to increase identification of system measures that are valid indicators of system response capability.
Accounting for phylogenetic relatedness in cross-species analyses of telomere shortening rates
Authors: Pepke Michael Le , Eisenberg Dan T.A.
Published: May 2020

Telomeres are repeating DNA sequences found on the ends of chromosomes, which shorten with age and are implicated in senescence. Cross-species analyses of telomere shortening rates (TSR) and telomere lengths are important for understanding mechanisms underlying senescence, lifespan and life-history strategies of different species. Whittemore et al. (2019) generated a new dataset on variation in TSR, lifespan and body mass. In phylogenetically uncorrected analyses they found that TSR negatively correlates with lifespan. We re-ran analyses of their dataset using appropriate phylogenetic corrections. We found a strong phylogenetic signal in the association between TSR and body mass. We were able to corroborate Whittemore et al.’s major findings, including while correcting for body mass in a multivariate analysis. Since laboratory mice have different telomere lengths and potentially different telomere dynamics than wild mice, we removed mice from the analysis, which attenuates most associations.
‘Teaching from the Heart’: challenges for non-Aboriginal teachers teaching Stage 6 Aboriginal Studies in NSW secondary schools
Authors: Stern Daniel , Burgess Cathie
Published: May 2020

Abstract
This paper explores the unique challenges, experiences and circumstances that enable and/or constrain non-Aboriginal teachers involved in teaching the Stage 6 Aboriginal Studies syllabus in the New South Wales (NSW) curriculum (2010). Drawing on the yarning inquiry methodology of Bessarab and Ng'andu, seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Aboriginal Studies teachers to open a powerful and insightful dialogue pertaining to the complexities and challenges for non-Aboriginal teachers teaching in the Aboriginal Studies space. Interview data identified key issues, strategies and themes relating to how non-Aboriginal teachers of Aboriginal Studies negotiate and operate in highly contested knowledge spaces, their roles and responsibilities as social justice educators and their capacity to enact substantive change within and beyond the Aboriginal Studies classroom. Nakata's cultural interface theory provides a useful tool for data analysis as Aboriginal Studies sits squarely at the centre of this interface. The findings provide valuable insights and practical recommendations for aspiring and current non-Aboriginal Aboriginal Studies teachers seeking to develop a clearer understanding of their, thus far under-researched, roles within the classroom, whilst opening an intriguing dialogue pertaining to the future of Aboriginal Studies in schools and its place within Australia's broader movement for conciliation.
HUMAN RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE LATE PREHISTORIC WESTERN LOESS PLATEAU, NORTHWEST CHINA
Authors: Chen Tingting , Qiu Menghan , Liu Ruiliang , Li Haiming , Hou Hongwei , Howarth Philly , Bowring Samantha , Zhou Aifeng
Published: May 2020

In order to assess late prehistoric human responses to climate change in the Western Loess Plateau (WLP), we investigated 13,567 charred plant seeds and 19 radiocarbon (14C) dates obtained from 41 late prehistoric sites in the upper Wei River valley. Based on these new dating results as well as their cultural attributes, these sites could be confidently divided into four chronological phases (Phase 1: Late Yangshao and Majiayao culture; Phase 2: Qijia culture; Phases 3 and 4: Siwa culture) but a significant gap was identified at ca. 3600–3000 cal yr BP in this region. Comparison of this interval to high-resolution paleoclimate records from Tianchi Lake suggests it could be attributed to the dramatic drop in temperature at this time. Accordingly, archaeobotanical evidence with a refined chronology shows the adoption of cold-tolerant subsistence cereal grains such as barley on the NETP (Northeast Tibetan Plateau). Drawing from various lines of knowledge (chronology, palaeoclimate, archaeobotany, and archaeology), it is reasonable to conclude that, even when confronting a similar magnitude of climate change, local human societies could vary tremendously. Different subsistence strategies were brought in by the trans-Eurasia culture exchange of prehistoric times.