bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Anticipation of the ENSO: What Resonantly Forced Baroclinic Waves Can Teach Us (Part II)
Authors: Pinault Jean-Louis
Published: June 2018

The purpose of the paper is to take advantage of recent work on the study of resonantly forced baroclinic waves in the tropical Pacific to significantly reduce systematic and random forecasting errors resulting from the current statistical models intended to predict El Niño. Their major drawback is that sea surface temperature (SST), which is widely used, is very difficult to decipher because of the extreme complexity of exchanges at the ocean-atmosphere interface. In contrast, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) forecasting can be performed between 7 and 8 months in advance precisely and very simply from (1) the subsurface water temperature at particular locations and (2) the time lag of the events (their expected date of occurrence compared to a regular 4-year cycle). Discrimination of precursor signals from objective criteria prevents the anticipation of wrong events, as occurred in 2012 and 2014. The amplitude of the events, their date of appearance, as well as their potential impact on the involved regions are estimated. Three types of ENSO events characterize their climate impact according to whether they are (1) unlagged or weakly lagged, (2) strongly lagged, or (3) out of phase with the annual quasi-stationary wave (QSW) (Central Pacific El Niño events). This substantial progress is based on the analysis of baroclinic QSWs in the tropical basin and the resulting genesis of ENSO events. As for cold events, the amplification of La Niña can be seen a few months before the maturation phase of an El Niño event, as occurred in 1998 and 2016.
Acquisition of French Causatives: Parallels to English Passives
Authors: Borga Jason , Snyder William
Published: June 2018

Guasti (2016) notes similarities between English get- and be-passives, and Romance causatives of the faire-par and faire-infinitif types, respectively. On this basis she conjectures that faire-infinitif will show an acquisitional delay similar to that found for English be-passives, which are not mastered until sometime after the age of four. Here, this prediction is tested and supported for French faire-infinitif causatives of transitive verbs. To explain the delay, the Universal Freezing Hypothesis (UFH) of Snyder and Hyams (2015) is extended to this type of causative: a restriction on movement is recast as a restriction on AGREE. A novel prediction, that faire causatives involving unergative or unaccusative verbs will be acquired much earlier, is also tested and supported. Finally, English get-passives and French “reflexive causative passives” are examined in light of the fact that both are acquired substantially earlier than age four.
Exploring the Potential of Electrical Impedance Tomography for Tissue Engineering Applications
Authors: Wu Hancong , Zhou Wenli , Yang Yunjie , Jia Jiabin , Bagnaninchi Pierre
Published: June 2018

In tissue engineering, cells are generally cultured in biomaterials to generate three-dimensional artificial tissues to repair or replace damaged parts and re-establish normal functions of the body. Characterizing cell growth and viability in these bioscaffolds is challenging, and is currently achieved by destructive end-point biological assays. In this study, we explore the potential to use electrical impedance tomography (EIT) as a label-free and non-destructive technology to assess cell growth and viability. The key challenge in the tissue engineering application is to detect the small change of conductivity associated with sparse cell distributions in regards to the size of the hosting scaffold, i.e., low volume fraction, until they assemble into a larger tissue-like structure. We show proof-of-principle data, measure cells within both a hydrogel and a microporous scaffold with an ad-hoc EIT equipment, and introduce the frequency difference technique to improve the reconstruction.
Springback Estimation in the Hydroforming Process of UNS A92024-T3 Aluminum Alloy by FEM Simulations
Authors: Churiaque Cristina , Sánchez-Amaya Jose Maria , Caamaño Francisco , Vazquez-Martinez Juan Manuel , Botana Javier
Published: June 2018

The production of metal parts manufactured through the hydroforming process is strongly affected by the difficulty in predicting the elastic recovery (springback) of the material. In addition, the formation of wrinkles and crack growth should be avoided. Manual cold work is widely employed in industry to obtain the final shape of the manufactured parts. Therefore, an accurate springback estimation is of high interest to reduce the overall time of manufacturing and also to decrease the manual rectification stage. A working procedure based on finite element simulations (FEM) was developed to estimate the elastic recovery and predict the final morphology of UNS A92024-T3 aluminum alloy pieces after forming. Experimental results of real hydroformed parts were compared with the results obtained in simulations performed with PAM-STAMP software. The influence of different experimental parameters on the forming processes was also analyzed, such as the material properties, the rolling direction of sheet metal, or the hardening criteria employed to characterize the plastic region of the alloy. Results obtained in the present work show an excellent agreement between real and simulated tests, the maximum morphology deviations being less than the thickness of parts (2.5 mm). FEM simulations have become a suitable and mature tool that allows the prediction of the pieces springback, a precise material characterization being required to obtain reliable results.
Corrosion Behavior Difference in Initial Period for Hot-Rolled and Cold-Rolled 2205 Duplex Stainless Steels
Authors: Gao Tao , Wang Jian , Sun Qi , Han Peide
Published: June 2018

Precipitate phases often play an important role on the corrosion resistance of 2205 Duplex stainless steels (DSS). In the present paper, the microstructure and the corrosion resistance of the hot-rolled and cold-rolled 2205 steels aged for different times at 850 °C was investigated through XRD, SEM, and potentiodynamic polarization. It was discovered that the Chi(χ) phase and Sigm(σ) phase were precipitated in turn following the aging treatment of the hot-rolled and cold-rolled steels, but the precipitate amount in the cold-rolled samples was significantly higher when compared to the hot-rolled samples. The corrosion resistance of the solution-annealed cold-rolled samples was similar to the hot-rolled samples, but the corrosion resistance of the cold-rolled sample with precipitate was weaker when compared to the hot-rolled sample following aging treatment. Pitting preferentially initiates in the Cr-depleted region from the σ phase in the aged hot-rolled 2205, becoming increasingly severe during aging for a long lime. Adversely, the initiation of pitting corrosion might occur at the phase boundary, defects, and martensite in the aged cold-rolled 2205. The σ phase was further selectively dissolved through the electrochemical method to investigate the difference in microstructure and corrosion behavior of the hot-rolled and cold-rolled 2205 duplex stainless steels.
Red and Blue Light Promote the Accumulation of Artemisinin in Artemisia annua L.
Authors: Zhang Dong , Sun Wei , Shi Yuhua , Wu Lan , Zhang Tianyuan , Xiang Li
Published: June 2018

Artemisinin, which has been isolated from Artemisia annua L., is the most effective antimalarial drug and has saved millions of lives. In addition, artemisinin and its derivatives have anti-tumor, anti-parasitic, anti-fibrosis, and anti-arrhythmic properties, which enhances the demand for these compounds. Improving the content of artemisinin in A. annua is therefore becoming an increasing research interest, as the chemical synthesis of this metabolite is not viable. Ultraviolet B and C irradiation have been reported to improve the artemisinin content in A. annua, but they are harmful to plant growth and development. Therefore, we screened other light sources to examine if they could promote artemisinin content without affecting plant growth and development. We found that red and blue light could enhance artemisinin accumulation by promoting the expression of the genes that were involved in artemisinin biosynthesis, such as amorpha-4,11-diene synthase (ADS) and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP71AV1) genes. Thus, in addition to being the main light sources for photosynthesis, red and blue light play a key role in plant secondary metabolism, and optimizing the combination of these light might allow for the productionof artemisinin-rich A. annua.
A Cost-Effective and Efficient Chick Ex-Ovo CAM Assay Protocol to Assess Angiogenesis
Authors: Naik Monali , Brahma Pratush , Dixit Manjusha
Published: June 2018

The chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) is an extra-embryonic membrane, comprised of a high density of blood and lymphatic vessels. CAM has a dense capillary network and is commonly used to study in vivo angiogenesis and anti-angiogenesis in response to potential biomolecules and drugs. Most of the earlier reported CAM assays described the in-ovo method—where the viability of the embryo is higher, but accessibility to the CAM is limited. Ex-ovo CAM methods were previously described that employed shell-less cultures of chick embryos, but the low viability of embryos reduced the overall robustness of the angiogenesis assays. We described a method (named as cup-CAM method) which is more economical, has better accessibility and has significantly improved the viability of the embryo till advanced developmental stages. We could perform this simple yet useful experimentation with the common tools available in the laboratory. We successfully used the cup-CAM method for showing the paracrine effects of conditioned media from tumor cells, on the angiogenesis. This method can be used to assay the angiogenic potential of a drug or protein and to observe the embryonic development of the chick embryo and other related scientific applications.
Seven Years after the Manifesto: Literature Review and Research Directions for Technologies in Animal Computer Interaction
Authors: Hirskyj-Douglas Ilyena , Pons Patricia , Read Janet C. , Jaen Javier
Published: June 2018

As technologies diversify and become embedded in everyday lives, the technologies we expose to animals, and the new technologies being developed for animals within the field of Animal Computer Interaction (ACI) are increasing. As we approach seven years since the ACI manifesto, which grounded the field within Human Computer Interaction and Computer Science, this thematic literature review looks at the technologies developed for (non-human) animals. Technologies that are analysed include tangible and physical, haptic and wearable, olfactory, screen technology and tracking systems. The conversation explores what exactly ACI is whilst questioning what it means to be animal by considering the impact and loop between machine and animal interactivity. The findings of this review are expected to form the first grounding foundation of ACI technologies informing future research in animal computing as well as suggesting future areas for exploration.
Platinum Nanoparticles Decrease Reactive Oxygen Species and Modulate Gene Expression without Alteration of Immune Responses in THP-1 Monocytes
Authors: Gatto Francesca , Moglianetti Mauro , Pompa Pier Paolo , Bardi Giuseppe
Published: June 2018

Platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) attract great attention due to their efficient catalysis and good degree of cytocompatibility, but information about their effects on the human immune system is still missing. Monocytes are key cells of the innate immune system and the understanding of their reactions to PtNPs is crucial in view of any feasible application to human pathologies. Here, we evaluate the internalization of citrate-coated PtNPs into THP-1 monocytes and its consequences on immune cell responses. We found that the presence of intracellular PtNPs efficiently reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) without affecting cell viability. The physiological expression of the immune receptors Cluster of Differentiation 14 (CD14), CD11b, CC-Chemokine Receptor 2 (CCR2) and CCR5 and the expression of cytokines and chemokines are not compromised by the presence of PtNPs within THP-1 cells. On the other hand, the treatment with PtNPs modulates the transcription of sixty genes, some of them involved in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) signaling in different cells. However, the treatment with PtNPs of monocytes does not compromise the LPS-induce increase of cytokines in THP-1 monocytes in vitro. Our results demonstrate that citrate-coated PtNPs are non-toxic, perform efficient intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity and possess good immune-compatibility, suggesting them as feasible synthetic enzymes for applications in nanomedicine.
Clinical Pharmacy Education in Japan: Using Simulated Patients in Laboratory-Based Communication-Skills Training before Clinical Practice
Authors: Kubota Rie , Shibuya Kiyoshi , Tanaka Yoichi , Aoki Manahito , Shiomi Megumi , Ando Wataru , Otori Katsuya , Komiyama Takako
Published: June 2018

The Japanese pharmaceutical curriculum was extended from four to six years in 2006. Students now receive practical communication-skills training in their fourth year, before progressing to train in hospital and community pharmacies in their fifth year. Kitasato University School of Pharmacy, Tokyo, had established a program to meet these aims before the 2006 guidance. In the present study, we discuss and evaluate the features of this communication-skills training program. This study enrolled 242 fourth-year pharmacy students at Kitasato University. Students filled out a questionnaire survey after completing the laboratory element of their undergraduate education. As part of training, students were asked to obtain patient data from a model medical chart, before performing simulated patient interviews covering hospital admission and patient counseling. These simulations were repeated in a small group, and feedback was provided to students by both the simulated patient and the faculty after each presentation. It was found that students were able to develop their communication skills through this approach. Thus, an effective system of gradual and continuous training has been developed, which allows students to acquire clinical and practical communication skills.
Toward a Distinct and Quantitative Validation Method for Predictive Process Modelling—On the Example of Solid-Liquid Extraction Processes of Complex Plant Extracts
Authors: Sixt Maximilian , Uhlenbrock Lukas , Strube Jochen
Published: June 2018

Physico-chemical modelling and predictive simulation are becoming key for modern process engineering. Rigorous models rely on the separation of different effects (e.g., fluid dynamics, kinetics, mass transfer) by distinct experimental parameter determination on lab-scale. The equations allow the transfer of the lab-scale data to any desired scale, if characteristic numbers like e.g., Reynolds, Péclet, Sherwood, Schmidt remain constant and fluid-dynamics of both scales are known and can be described by the model. A useful model has to be accurate and therefore match the experimental data at different scales and combinations of process and operating parameters. Besides accuracy as one quality attribute for the modelling depth, model precision also has to be evaluated. Model precision is considered as the combination of modelling depth and the influence of experimental errors in model parameter determination on the simulation results. A model is considered appropriate if the deviation of the simulation results is in the same order of magnitude as the reproducibility of the experimental data to be substituted by the simulation. Especially in natural product extraction, the accuracy of the modelling approach can be shown through various studies including different feedstocks and scales, as well as process and operating parameters. Therefore, a statistics-based quantitative method for the assessment of model precision is derived and discussed in detail in this paper to complete the process engineering toolbox. Therefore a systematic workflow including decision criteria is provided.
Optimal Multiscale Capacity Planning in Seawater Desalination Systems
Authors: Baaqeel Hassan , El-Halwagi Mahmoud M.
Published: June 2018

The increasing demands for water and the dwindling resources of fresh water create a critical need for continually enhancing desalination capacities. This poses a challenge in distressed desalination network, with incessant water demand growth as the conventional approach of undertaking large expansion projects can lead to low utilization and, hence, low capital productivity. In addition to the option of retrofitting existing desalination units or installing additional grassroots units, there is an opportunity to include emerging modular desalination technologies. This paper develops the optimization framework for the capacity planning in distressed desalination networks considering the integration of conventional plants and emerging modular technologies, such as membrane distillation (MD), as a viable option for capacity expansion. The developed framework addresses the multiscale nature of the synthesis problem, as unit-specific decision variables are subject to optimization, as well as the multiperiod capacity planning of the system. A superstructure representation and optimization formulation are introduced to simultaneously optimize the staging and sizing of desalination units, as well as design and operating variables in the desalination network over a planning horizon. Additionally, a special case for multiperiod capacity planning in multiple effect distillation (MED) desalination systems is presented. An optimization approach is proposed to solve the mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) optimization problem, starting with the construction of a project-window interval, pre-optimization screening, modeling of screened configurations, intra-process design variables optimization, and finally, multiperiod flowsheet synthesis. A case study is solved to illustrate the usefulness of the proposed approach.
The Influence of Cation Treatments on the Pervaporation Dehydration of NaA Zeolite Membranes Prepared on Hollow Fibers
Authors: Gao Xuechao , Gao Bing , Wang Xingchen , Shi Rui , Ur Rehman Rashid , Gu Xuehong
Published: June 2018

NaA zeolite membrane is an ideal hydrophilic candidate for organic dehydrations; however, its instability in salt solutions limits its application in industries as the membrane intactness was greatly affected due to the replacement of cation ions. In order to explore the relationship between the structural variation and the cation types, the obtained NaA zeolite membranes were treated by various monovalent and divalent cations like Ag+, K+, Li+, NH4+, Zn2+, Mg2+, Ba2+ and Ca2+. The obtained membranes were subsequently characterized by contact angle, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), pervaporation (PV), and vapor permeation (VP). The results showed that all of the hydrophilicities of the exchanged membrane were reduced, and the membrane performance varied with cation charges and sizes. For the monovalent cations, the membrane performance was largely determined by the cation sizes, where the membrane remained intact. On the contrary, for the divalent cation treatments, the membrane separation was generally reduced due to the presence of cation vacancies, resulting in some unbalanced stresses between the dispersive interaction and electrostatic forces, thereby damaging the membrane intactness. In the end, a set of gas permeation experiments were conducted for the two selected cation-treated membranes (K+ and Ag+) using H2, CO2, N2 and CH4, and a much higher decreasing percentage (90% for K+) occurred in comparison with the permeation drop (10%) in the PV dehydration, suggesting that the vaporization resistance of phase changing for the PV process was more influential than the water vapor transport in the pore channel.
Introduction to a New Open Access Journal by MDPI: Reactions
Authors: Murzin Dmitry
Published: June 2018

The readers of these words can all tell their personal stories [...]
A Multi-Region Magnetoimpedance-Based Bio-Analytical System for Ultrasensitive Simultaneous Determination of Cardiac Biomarkers Myoglobin and C-Reactive Protein
Authors: Yang Zhen , Wang Huanhuan , Guo Pengfei , Ding Yuanyuan , Lei Chong , Luo Yongsong
Published: June 2018

Cardiac biomarkers (CBs) are substances that appear in the blood when the heart is damaged or stressed. Measurements of the level of CBs can be used in course of diagnostics or monitoring the state of the health of group risk persons. A multi-region bio-analytical system (MRBAS) based on magnetoimpedance (MI) changes was proposed for ultrasensitive simultaneous detection of CBs myoglobin (Mb) and C-reactive protein (CRP). The microfluidic device was designed and developed using standard microfabrication techniques for their usage in different regions, which were pre-modified with specific antibody for specified detection. Mb and CRP antigens labels attached to commercial Dynabeads with selected concentrations were trapped in different detection regions. The MI response of the triple sensitive element was carefully evaluated in initial state and in the presence of biomarkers. The results showed that the MI-based bio-sensing system had high selectivity and sensitivity for detection of CBs. Compared with the control region, ultrasensitive detections of CRP and Mb were accomplished with the detection limits of 1.0 pg/mL and 0.1 pg/mL, respectively. The linear detection range contained low concentration detection area and high concentration detection area, which were 1 pg/mL–10 ng/mL, 10–100 ng/mL for CRP, and 0.1 pg/mL–1 ng/mL, 1 n/mL–80 ng/mL for Mb. The measurement technique presented here provides a new methodology for multi-target biomolecules rapid testing.
Registration of Aerial Optical Images with LiDAR Data Using the Closest Point Principle and Collinearity Equations
Authors: Huang Rongyong , Zheng Shunyi , Hu Kun
Published: June 2018

Registration of large-scale optical images with airborne LiDAR data is the basis of the integration of photogrammetry and LiDAR. However, geometric misalignments still exist between some aerial optical images and airborne LiDAR point clouds. To eliminate such misalignments, we extended a method for registering close-range optical images with terrestrial LiDAR data to a variety of large-scale aerial optical images and airborne LiDAR data. The fundamental principle is to minimize the distances from the photogrammetric matching points to the terrestrial LiDAR data surface. Except for the satisfactory efficiency of about 79 s per 6732 × 8984 image, the experimental results also show that the unit weighted root mean square (RMS) of the image points is able to reach a sub-pixel level (0.45 to 0.62 pixel), and the actual horizontal and vertical accuracy can be greatly improved to a high level of 1/4–1/2 (0.17–0.27 m) and 1/8–1/4 (0.10–0.15 m) of the average LiDAR point distance respectively. Finally, the method is proved to be more accurate, feasible, efficient, and practical in variety of large-scale aerial optical image and LiDAR data.
Improved Multitarget Tracking in Clutter Using Bearings-Only Measurements
Authors: Shi Yifang , Xue Mengfan , Ding Yuemin , Peng Dongliang
Published: June 2018

Multitarget tracking in clutter using bearings-only measurements is a challenging problem. In this paper, a performance improved nonlinear filter is proposed on the basis of the Random Finite Set (RFS) theory and is named as Gaussian mixture measurements-based cardinality probability hypothesis density (GMMbCPHD) filter. The GMMbCPHD filter enables to address two main issues: measurement-origin-uncertainty and measurement nonlinearity, which constitutes the key problems in bearings-only multitarget tracking in clutter. For the measurement-origin-uncertainty issue, the proposed filter estimates the intensity of RFS of multiple targets as well as propagates the posterior cardinality distribution. For the measurement-origin-nonlinearity issue, the GMMbCPHD approximates the measurement likelihood function using a Gaussian mixture rather than a single Gaussian distribution as used in extended Kalman filter (EKF). The superiority of the proposed GMMbCPHD are validated by comparing with several state-of-the-art algorithms via intensive simulation studies.
Methodology to Remove Strong Outliers of Non-Climacteric Melon Fruit Aroma at Harvest Obtained by HS-SPME GC-MS Analysis
Authors: Fernández-Trujillo Juan Pablo , Zarid Mohamed , Bueso María Carmen
Published: June 2018

A methodology for making consistent studies of outliers of non-climacteric melon volatile organic compounds at harvest is reported. The juice was squeezed from the fruit of the ‘Piel de sapo’ cultivar harvested during two consecutive seasons and the aroma volatiles were extracted by headspace solid phase microextraction and measured by gas chromatography coupled to mass-spectrometry. A deconvolution analysis was performed to obtain volatile organic compounds. For multivariate the reliable identification of outliers, compound classes were studied as a percentage of total area counts of the melon compounds identified in the chromatogram by principal component analysis and partial least-squares discriminant analysis, and then verified by correlation analysis, box-whisker plot, and formal tests for univariate outliers. Principal component analysis was the key methodology for selecting outliers in variables that mostly did not follow a normal distribution. The presence of an excess in terms of relative percentage of area and the diversity of minor compounds such as alcohols, terpenes, acids, among others, are usually a sign of anomalous data that can be considered outliers in the aroma of this non-climacteric cultivar. This multivariate approach removed outliers, but kept the variability of aroma among the samples of every cultivar.
Vulnerable Rights: The Incomplete Realization of Disability Social Rights in France
Authors: Revillard Anne
Published: June 2018

While disabled people embody a classical figure of vulnerability, this paper shifts the focus of attention to the vulnerability of their social rights. I address this question normatively and empirically. From a normative point of view, a common framing of disability rights as civil rights, under the influence of the Americans with disabilities Act (ADA), has tended to impede the discussion on disability social rights. By re-asserting that social rights are fundamental human rights, the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) contributes to bringing them back to the forefront of disability research. However, the realization of disability social rights also needs to be empirically assessed. Based on theories of social rights as well as on Weberian sociology of law, I point to two major ideal-typical characteristics of social rights: they are expected to reduce uncertainty, especially regarding the evolution of one’s autonomy, and to foster a sense of citizenship. I then study the reception of two types of disability benefits in France, the Adult disability benefit (AAH) and the Disability compensation benefit (PCH), to assess to what extent these promises of social rights translate into the experiences of disabled citizens. My analysis is based on 30 biographical interviews with people with either visual or mobility impairments, conducted between 2014 and 2016. The results show the persistent vulnerability of disability social rights in France, pointing to the importance of the procedural dimension of rights realization.
The Impact of Misspecified Random Effect Distribution in a Weibull Regression Mixed Model
Authors: Hernández Freddy , Giampaoli Viviana
Published: June 2018

Mixed models are useful tools for analyzing clustered and longitudinal data. These models assume that random effects are normally distributed. However, this may be unrealistic or restrictive when representing information of the data. Several papers have been published to quantify the impacts of misspecification of the shape of the random effects in mixed models. Notably, these studies primarily concentrated their efforts on models with response variables that have normal, logistic and Poisson distributions, and the results were not conclusive. As such, we investigated the misspecification of the shape of the random effects in a Weibull regression mixed model with random intercepts in the two parameters of the Weibull distribution. Through an extensive simulation study considering six random effect distributions and assuming normality for the random effects in the estimation procedure, we found an impact of misspecification on the estimations of the fixed effects associated with the second parameter σ of the Weibull distribution. Additionally, the variance components of the model were also affected by the misspecification.
The Experiential Carrying Capacity of a Barrier Island: A Norm-Based Approach at Cumberland Island National Seashore
Authors: Hallo Jeffrey C. , Brownlee Matthew T. J. , Hughes Matthew D. , Fefer Jessica P. , Manning Robert E.
Published: June 2018

Balancing the demands for recreational use against the need to preserve places is one of the most contentious and fundamental challenges of coastal area and barrier island management. This creates an inherent need to address the carrying capacity of barrier islands in a thoughtful,
deliberate, informed, and defensible manner. This article describes research that assessed the experiential carrying capacity of Cumberland Island National Seashore (CUIS), which is Georgia's largest and southern-most barrier island. Continued demand for visiting this unique island has created
a situation where the island's existing management quota of 300 visitors per day, established in 1984, is often reached during the peak season. Two visitor surveys, using norm-based visual research methods, were administered at CUIS to identify experiential indicators and to quantify related
thresholds. Results show that the level of crowding at main attraction sites and the beach were primary indicators of the visitor experience and could inform the development of an experiential carrying capacity. Thresholds derived from survey results indicate that the current number of people
within view at main attraction sites and the beach are acceptable to most visitors. This suggests that acceptability thresholds for the number of people at the site have not been violated, and therefore the number of visitors to CUIS could be modestly increased without unacceptably degrading
the experience of most visitors. The management quota of 300 people per day set in 1984 now seems outdated, and the methods and results presented in this article provide some of the information needed to accurately set and manage the experiential carrying capacity of CUIS now and in the immediate
future.
NuSTAR Detection of a Hard X-Ray Source in the Supernova Remnant-molecular Cloud Interaction Site of IC 443
Authors: Zhang Shuo , Tang Xiaping , Zhang Xiao , Sun Lei , Gotthelf Eric V. , Zhang Zhi-Yu , Li Hui , Cheng Allen , Pasham Dheeraj , Baganoff Frederick K. , Perez Kerstin , Hailey Charles J. , Mori Kaya
Published: June 2018

We report on a broadband study of a complex X-ray source (1SAX J0618.0+2227) associated with the interaction site of the supernova remnant (SNR) IC 443 and ambient molecular cloud (MC) using NuSTAR, XMM-Newton, and Chandra observations. Its X-ray spectrum is composed of both thermal and nonthermal components. The thermal component can be equally well represented by either a thin plasma model with kT = 0.19 keV or a blackbody model with kT = 0.11 keV. The nonthermal component can be fit with either a power law with Γ ∼ 1.7 or a cutoff power law with Γ ∼ 1.5 and a cutoff energy at E
cut ∼ 18 keV. Using the newly obtained NuSTAR data set, we test three possible scenarios for isolated X-ray sources in the SNR–MC interaction site: (1) a pulsar wind nebula (PWN); (2) an SNR ejecta fragment; and (3) a shocked molecular clump. We conclude that this source is most likely composed of an SNR ejecta (or a PWN) and surrounding shocked molecular clumps. The nature of this hard X-ray source in the SNR–MC interaction site of IC 443 may shed light on unidentified X-ray sources with hard X-ray spectra in rich environments for star-forming regions, such as the Galactic center.
Optical–Mid-infrared Period–Luminosity Relations for W UMa-type Contact Binaries Based on Gaia DR 1: 8% Distance Accuracy
Authors: Chen Xiaodian , Deng Licai , Grijs Richard de , Wang Shu , Feng Yuting
Published: June 2018

W Ursa Majoris (W UMa)-type contact binary systems (CBs) are useful statistical distance indicators because of their large numbers. Here, we establish (orbital) period–luminosity relations (PLRs) in 12 optical to mid-infrared bands (GBVRIJHK
s
W1W2W3W4) based on 183 nearby W UMa-type CBs with accurate Tycho–Gaia parallaxes. The 1σ dispersion of the PLRs decreases from optical to near- and mid-infrared wavelengths. The minimum scatter, 0.16 mag, implies that W UMa-type CBs can be used to recover distances to 7% precision. Applying our newly determined PLRs to 19 open clusters containing W UMa-type CBs demonstrates that the PLR and open cluster CB distance scales are mutually consistent to within 1%. Adopting our PLRs as secondary distance indicators, we compiled a catalog of 55,603 CB candidates, of which 80% have distance estimates based on a combination of optical, near-infrared, and mid-infrared photometry. Using Fourier decomposition, 27,318 high-probability W UMa-type CBs were selected. The resulting 8% distance accuracy implies that our sample encompasses the largest number of objects with accurate distances within a local volume with a radius of 3 kpc available to date. The distribution of W UMa-type CBs in the Galaxy suggests that in different environments, the CB luminosity function may be different: larger numbers of brighter (longer-period) W UMa-type CBs are found in younger environments.
Calibration and Limitations of the Mg ii Line-based Black Hole Masses
Authors: Woo Jong-Hak , Le Huynh Anh N. , Karouzos Marios , Park Dawoo , Park Daeseong , Malkan Matthew A. , Treu Tommaso , Bennert Vardha N.
Published: June 2018

We present single-epoch black hole mass (

) calibrations based on the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) and optical measurements of Mg ii 2798 Å and Hβ 4861 Å lines and the active galactic nucleus (AGN) continuum, using a sample of 52 moderate-luminosity AGNs at z ∼ 0.4 and z ∼ 0.6 with high-quality Keck spectra. We combine this sample with a large number of luminous AGNs from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to increase the dynamic range for a better comparison of UV and optical velocity and luminosity measurements. With respect to the reference

based on the line dispersion of Hβ and continuum luminosity at 5100 Å, we calibrate the UV and optical mass estimators by determining the best-fit values of the coefficients in the mass equation. By investigating whether the UV estimators show a systematic trend with Eddington ratio, FWHM of Hβ, Fe ii strength, or UV/optical slope, we find no significant bias except for the slope. By fitting the systematic difference of Mg ii-based and Hβ-based masses with the L
3000/L
5100 ratio, we provide a correction term as a function of the spectral index as ΔC = 0.24 (1 + α

λ
) + 0.17, which can be added to the Mg ii-based mass estimators if the spectral slope can be well determined. The derived UV mass estimators typically show >∼0.2 dex intrinsic scatter with respect to the Hβ-based

, suggesting that the UV-based mass has an additional uncertainty of ∼0.2 dex, even if high-quality rest-frame UV spectra are available.
The Distribution and Excitation of CH3CN in a Solar Nebula Analog
Authors: Loomis Ryan A. , Cleeves L. Ilsedore , Öberg Karin I. , Aikawa Yuri , Bergner Jennifer , Furuya Kenji , Guzman V. V. , Walsh Catherine
Published: June 2018

Cometary studies suggest that the organic composition of the early Solar Nebula was rich in complex nitrile species such CH3CN. Recent ALMA detections in protoplanetary disks suggest that these species may be common during planet and comet formation, but connecting gas-phase measurements to cometary abundances first requires constraints on formation chemistry and distributions of these species. We present here the detection of seven spatially resolved transitions of CH3CN in the protoplanetary disk around the T-Tauri star TW Hya. Using a rotational diagram analysis, we find a disk-averaged column density of

cm−2 and a rotational temperature of

K. A radially resolved rotational diagram shows the rotational temperature to be constant across the disk, suggesting that the CH3CN emission originates from a layer at z/r ∼ 0.3. Through comparison of the observations with predictions from a disk chemistry model, we find that grain-surface reactions likely dominate CH3CN formation and that in situ disk chemistry is sufficient to explain the observed CH3CN column density profile without invoking inheritance from the protostellar phase. However, the same model fails to reproduce a solar system cometary abundance of CH3CN relative to H2O in the midplane, suggesting that either vigorous vertical mixing or some degree of inheritance from interstellar ices occurred in the Solar Nebula.
Modeling the Impact of Baryons on Subhalo Populations with Machine Learning
Authors: Nadler Ethan O. , Mao Yao-Yuan , Wechsler Risa H. , Garrison-Kimmel Shea , Wetzel Andrew
Published: June 2018

We identify subhalos in dark matter–only (DMO) zoom-in simulations that are likely to be disrupted due to baryonic effects by using a random forest classifier trained on two hydrodynamic simulations of Milky Way (MW)–mass host halos from the Latte suite of the Feedback in Realistic Environments (FIRE) project. We train our classifier using five properties of each disrupted and surviving subhalo: pericentric distance and scale factor at first pericentric passage after accretion and scale factor, virial mass, and maximum circular velocity at accretion. Our five-property classifier identifies disrupted subhalos in the FIRE simulations with an 85% out-of-bag classification score. We predict surviving subhalo populations in DMO simulations of the FIRE host halos, finding excellent agreement with the hydrodynamic results; in particular, our classifier outperforms DMO zoom-in simulations that include the gravitational potential of the central galactic disk in each hydrodynamic simulation, indicating that it captures both the dynamical effects of a central disk and additional baryonic physics. We also predict surviving subhalo populations for a suite of DMO zoom-in simulations of MW-mass host halos, finding that baryons impact each system consistently and that the predicted amount of subhalo disruption is larger than the host-to-host scatter among the subhalo populations. Although the small size and specific baryonic physics prescription of our training set limits the generality of our results, our work suggests that machine-learning classification algorithms trained on hydrodynamic zoom-in simulations can efficiently predict realistic subhalo populations.
The Growth of Stellar Mass Black Hole Binaries Trapped in the Accretion Disks of Active Galactic Nuclei
Authors: Yi Shu-Xu , Cheng K. S. , Taam Ronald E.
Published: June 2018

Among the four black hole (BH) binary merger events detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), six progenitor BHs have masses greater than 20 M
⊙. The existence of such massive BHs suggests that extreme metal-poor stars are the progenitors. An alternative possibility, that a pair of stellar mass BHs each with mass ∼7 M
⊙ increases to >20 M
⊙ via accretion from a disk surrounding a supermassive BH (SMBH) in an active galactic nucleus (AGN), is considered. The growth of mass of the binary and the transfer of orbital angular momentum to the disk accelerates the merger. Based on the recent numerical work of Tang et al., it is found that, in the disk of a low-mass AGN with mass ∼106
M
⊙ and Eddington ratio >0.01, the mass of an individual BH in the binary can grow to >20 M
⊙ before coalescence, provided that accretion takes place at a rate more than 10 times the Eddington value. This mechanism predicts a new class of gravitational wave (GW) sources involving the merger of two extreme Kerr black holes associated with AGNs and a possible electromagnetic wave counterpart.
Lack of Association among Peptidyl Arginine Deiminase Type 4 Autoantibodies,PADI4Polymorphisms, and Clinical Characteristics in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Guderud Kari , Mæhlen Marthe Thoresen , Nordang Gry Beate Namløs , Viken Marte Kathrine , Andreassen Bettina Kulle , Molberg Øyvind , Flåm Siri Tennebø , Lie Benedicte Alexandra
Published: June 2018

Objective.

We aimed to jointly investigate the role of antipeptidyl arginine deiminase type 4 antibodies (anti-PAD4) and polymorphisms in thePADI4gene together with clinical variables in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods.

Serum IgG autoantibodies to human recombinant PAD4 were identified by DELFIA technique in 745 patients with RA (366 available from previous studies). Genotyping ofPADI4was performed using TaqMan assays in 945 patients and 1118 controls. Clinical data, anticitrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) status, shared epitope status, and a combined genetic risk score were also available.

Results.

Anti-PAD4 antibodies were detected in 193 (26%) of 745 patients with RA; 149 (77%) of these were also ACPA-positive. No association was observed between anti-PAD4 status and clinical characteristics,PADI4polymorphisms, or genetic risk scores after stratification for ACPA status.

Conclusion.

Taken together, the results from these combined serological, genetic, and clinical analyses suggest that anti-PAD4 appears to be a bystander autoantibody with no current clinical utility in RA.
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Risk of Sexual Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Metaanalysis
Authors: Zhao Shankun , Li Ermao , Wang Jiamin , Luo Lianmin , Luo Jintai , Zhao Zhigang
Published: June 2018

Objective.

It has been reported that there is an association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and increased susceptibility to sexual dysfunction (SD). This systematic review and metaanalysis aimed to investigate whether RA was a risk factor for SD.

Methods.

MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched for all studies assessing sexual function in patients with RA. The association between RA and risk of SD was summarized using relative risk (RR) with 95% CI.

Results.

Overall, 44,745 participants (mean age 43.2 yrs) were included from 7 studies (4 cross-sectional and 3 case-control studies). Of these, 6642 were patients with RA, with the mean disease duration from 5.7 years to 12.17 years. The methodological qualities of the included studies were judged as moderate to high. Synthesis of results demonstrated that RA was significantly associated with an increased risk of SD in females (RR 1.73, 95% CI 1.36–2.22, p < 0.001; heterogeneity: I2 60.3%, p = 0.028) as well as in males (RR 1.99, 95% CI 1.64–2.43, p < 0.001). The outcomes related to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach showed that the absolute effect of RA on SD was 10 more per 1000 (6–15 more); the overall quality of evidence was rated as low.

Conclusion.

Evidence from included studies indicates that patients with RA have a significantly increased risk of SD, which suggests that both patients and clinicians should be aware of the potential role of RA in the development of SD.
Life history patterns of some selected endemic freshwater fish species inhabiting two major river basins of Sri Lanka
Authors: Shirantha R. R. A. Ramani , Wijeyaratne M. Jayantha S. , Amarsinghe Upali S.
Published: June 2018

Life history information on six endemic fish species namely Belontia signata, Pethiya cumingii, P. nigrofasciata, Puntius titteya, Rasboroides vaterifloris and Garra ceylonensis inhabiting the Kalu Ganga and Kelani Ganga river basins in Sri Lanka was evaluated. The growth constant of the fish species showed a positive relationship with the river order where they inhabited. The length at 50% maturity (Lm) significantly correlated with the asymptotic length and growth constant indicating that fishes with slow growth become sexually mature late in their life cycles. The optimal lengths for sustainable exploitation of the fish species studied were significantly (p<0.01) correlated with asymptotic lengths and lengths at 50% maturity whereas negatively correlated with natural mortality. This analysis indicated that Lm was a foremost function of size of fish apart from maximum length observed (Lmax,) and that Lm and Lmax can be used as deterministic variables for quantifying optimal size of exploitation for sustainability and conservation of fish populations.
The relationship among technological creativity, self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intentions of selected South African university of technology students
Authors: Ndofirepi Takawira M. , Rambe Patient , Dzansi Dennis Y.
Published: June 2018

Orientation: The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship among technological creativity, self-efficacy and entrepreneurship intentions of university students in an emerging economy context.Research purpose: This study explores how technological creativity is linked to self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intentions.Motivation of the study: African countries are pervaded by subdued imagination that breeds survivalist entrepreneurship, which is bereft of innovation. This reality calls for the input of technological creativity to innovative entrepreneurship. Although results from contemporary research acknowledge the explanatory effect of technological creativity on entrepreneurial intentions, they under-explore the mechanism of the relationship, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, hence this study.Research design, approach and method: Using a quantitative approach and cross-sectional survey design, a self-completion questionnaire was administered to 130 students who had undergone a compulsory entrepreneurship course at a South African university of technology. The study employed Pearson’s correlation test, regression analysis and the bootstrapping procedure to assess the mediation effects and test the different hypothesised relationships.Main findings: The findings revealed that self-efficacy fully mediated the influence of technological creativity on entrepreneurship intentions.Practical and managerial implications: The results of the study stress the importance of considering psychological aspects, such as technological creativity and self-efficacy, in the evaluation of ways that can be used to effectively foster the entrepreneurial intentions of students undergoing entrepreneurship education.Contribution or value-add: The results authenticated psychological frameworks as guiding tools to understanding the intentional component of planned entrepreneurship activity. The study added further knowledge by exploring a previously untested relation between technological creativity and self-efficacy to unravel the complexity of entrepreneurial intentions among tertiary students.