bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The accuracy of the lumped plasticity model for estimating nonlinear behavior of reinforced concrete frames under gradually increasing vertical loads
Authors: Vafaei Mohammadreza , Alih Sophia C. , Fallah Ali
Published: July 2019

Simplicity and computational efficiency of the lumped plasticity model have made it a popular approach for analyzing structures. However, it has been shown by researchers that the accuracy of the lumped plasticity model for representing the inelastic behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) structures needs further investigations. Two full‐scale RC frames with different shear spans were constructed and subjected to the vertical load through their beam. Finite element (FE) models of the tested specimens were established in SAP2000 software, and their results were compared with the experimental tests. The effects of using different plastic hinge lengths, initial effective stiffness, and locations of plastic hinges were investigated. It was observed that regardless of the selected plastic hinge lengths, the established FE models estimated the yield and ultimate loads of the frames accurately. However, they did not estimate accurately the vertical displacements corresponding to the yield and ultimate loads. Results also indicated that the obtained yield and ultimate loads from the established FE models were significantly influenced by the selected locations for plastic hinges. Moreover, at the ultimate load of frames the estimated damage level to the mid‐span of beams by FE models was lower than the results of experimental tests.
Morphological Identification Overestimates the Number of Pallid Sturgeon in the Lower Mississippi River due to Extensive Introgressive Hybridization
Authors: Jordan George R. , Heist Edward J. , Kuhajda Bernard R. , Moyer Gregory R. , Hartfield Paul , Piteo Matthew S.
Published: July 2019

Pallid Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus and Shovelnose Sturgeon S. platorynchus are congeners occupying overlapping habitats within the Missouri and Mississippi River basins. The Pallid Sturgeon is listed as federally endangered under the Endangered Species Act in the United States, whereas the Shovelnose Sturgeon is not. Observational data across the range of both species include specimens that appear to be phenotypically and genotypically intermediate between Pallid Sturgeon and Shovelnose Sturgeon, though these occurrences are most frequent in the Mississippi River. Based on both morphological and genetic data, the variability and overlap within Scaphirhynchus spp. phenotypes has resulted in debate about the accuracy of existing identification methods of Pallid Sturgeon within the Mississippi River portion of its range (i.e., distinguishing Pallid, Shovelnose, and hybrid sturgeons). As a result, increasing questions have surfaced relative to species identification, implications of purported hybridization, the accuracy of local demographic estimations, and how those effect management actions. This project is the first comprehensive analysis to compare genotypic, phenotypic, and field identification data in order to evaluate the accuracy of existing field identification of the two congener Scaphirhynchus spp. and their purported hybrids in the lower Mississippi River. Our results indicate current field identification methods are not reliable for identifying Pallid Sturgeon in the lower Mississippi River, likely due to introgressive hybridization between Pallid and Shovelnose sturgeons and the resulting continuum of morphotypes and genotypes in hybridized individuals. We conclude that reliance on current morphological‐based field identification methods to quantify Pallid Sturgeon may lead to inaccurate assessments that could negatively impact the conservation and management of this endangered species, including the use of hybrid broodstock for conservation stocking and erroneous estimates of stock and recruitment.
Effect of magnetic activated carbon on the surface hydrophobicity for initial biogranulation via response surface methodology
Authors: Omar Ahmad Hanis , Muda Khalida , Majid Zaiton Abdul , Affam Augustine Chioma , Ezechi Ezerie Henry
Published: July 2019

Biogranulation is an effective biological technology suitable for the treatment of various wastewaters. However, the major drawback of this technique is the long start‐up period for biogranule development. Hence, the primary focus of this study was on cell surface hydrophobicity which is the main parameter that indicates cell agglomeration during the initial self‐immobilization process of aerobic granulation. The effects of sludge concentration and magnetic activated carbon on cell surface hydrophobicity were investigated in this study. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to design, analyze, and optimize the outcome of the study. Experiments were performed at sludge concentration of 1,000–3,000 mg/L and magnetic activated carbon mass of 1–5 g/L with 24 hr of aeration time. The results show that both variables yielded a positive significant effect on the initial development of aerobic granulation with 56% surface hydrophobicity. Interaction effects between variables on the responses were significant with positive estimated interaction effect at all different measured aeration time. The magnetic activated carbon acted as nuclei to induce bacterial attachment and further enhanced the initial process of biogranule development under optimal condition of 1:1.1 (sludge concentration: magnetic activated carbon).

Practitioner points

Cell surface hydrophobicity was evaluated

Magnetic activated carbon enhanced cell surface hydrophobicity

Response surface methodology was employed for analyses

Magnetic activate carbon mass and biomass concentration was significant

Magnetic activated carbon acted as nuclei to improve biogranulation
FiniteFlow: multivariate functional reconstruction using finite fields and dataflow graphs
Authors: Peraro Tiziano
Published: July 2019

Abstract

Complex algebraic calculations can be performed by reconstructing analytic results from numerical evaluations over finite fields. We describe FiniteFlow, a framework for defining and executing numerical algorithms over finite fields and reconstructing multivariate rational functions. The framework employs computational graphs, known as dataflow graphs, to combine basic building blocks into complex algorithms. This allows to easily implement a wide range of methods over finite fields in high-level languages and computer algebra systems, without being concerned with the low-level details of the numerical implementation. This approach sidesteps the appearance of large intermediate expressions and can be massively parallelized. We present applications to the calculation of multi-loop scattering amplitudes, including the reduction via integration-by-parts identities to master integrals or special functions, the computation of differential equations for Feynman integrals, multi-loop integrand reduction, the decomposition of amplitudes into form factors, and the derivation of integrable symbols from a known alphabet. We also release a proof-of-concept C++ implementation of this framework, with a high-level interface in Mathematica.
Pre-operative Two-Point Discrimination Predicts Response to Carpal Tunnel Release
Authors: Wessel Lauren E. , Ekstein Charles M. , Marshall Danielle C. , Chen Aaron Z. , Osei Daniel A. , Fufa Duretti T.
Published: July 2019

Background

Limited evidence informs whether pre-operative values of two-point discrimination (2PD) in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome predict response to surgery.

Questions/Purposes

The primary aim of this study was to determine the predictive value of pre-operative 2PD scores on outcomes following carpal tunnel release (CTR). In particular, we sought to evaluate whether a clinically relevant 2PD threshold exists that can predict symptomatic response after surgery.

Methods

Patients who underwent CTR between 2014 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Static 2PD scores in each digit, as well as Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) and Levine-Katz scores, were collected from pre- and post-operative records. Pearson correlation coefficients assessed the relationship between pre-operative 2PD, early post-operative 2PD, and patient-reported outcome scores. Poor 2PD was defined as 2PD greater than 10 mm.

Results

Eighty-nine hands in 73 patients with a mean follow-up of 1.8 years were analyzed. Mean pre- and post-operative 2PD was 7.2 mm and 6.4 mm, respectively, in the most affected digit when measurable. Twenty patients had poor 2PD scores pre-operatively and 14 post-operatively. There was a positive correlation between pre- and early post-operative 2PD scores but no correlation between pre-operative 2PD score and final post-operative functional scores. Only 30% of patients with poor pre-operative 2PD scores demonstrated improvement, compared with 69% of patients with measurable 2PD.

Conclusion

We found that greater pre-operative 2PD scores predicted greater early post-operative 2PD scores but did not lead to worse functional outcome scores post-operatively. Patients with poor pre-operative 2PD scores were likely to demonstrate improvement in functional outcomes scores, while having less reliable improvement in 2PD after CTR. Patients with poor 2PD should be counseled that improvement of tactile perception is less predictable.
Quantifying the Impact of Patient-Specific Factors and Disease Severity on Clinical Decision Making in Cuff Tear Arthropathy: A Case-Based Survey
Authors: Schumaier Adam P. , Bedeir Yehia H. , Dines Joshua S. , Kenter Keith , Gulotta Lawrence V. , Dines David M. , Grawe Brian M.
Published: July 2019

Background

Rotator cuff tears are a common cause of disability. Some patients with massive and irreparable tears can develop cuff tear arthropathy (CTA), which makes management more challenging.

Questions/Purposes

We sought to examine how orthopedists determine treatment for patients with CTA. Specifically, we investigated (1) the effect of patient age, symptoms, activity level, range of motion, and radiographic findings on the decision making of shoulder specialists and (2) the observer reliability of the Seebauer and Hamada grading systems.

Methods

Five shoulder surgeons were each sent 108 simulated patient cases. Each simulated patient had a different combination of factors, including patient age, symptoms, activity level, range of motion, and radiographs. Responders graded the radiographs and chose a treatment (non-operative, arthroscopic, hemiarthroplasty, or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty). Spearman's correlations and χ 2 tests were used to assess the relationship between factors and treatments. Sub-analysis was performed on surgical cases. An intra-class correlation (ICC) was used to assess observer agreement.

Results

The significant Spearman's correlations were symptoms (0.45), Hamada grade (0.38), patient age (0.34), and Seebauer type (0.29). In sub-analysis of operative cases, the significant correlations were Hamada grade (0.56), patient age (0.51), Seebauer type (0.46), activity level (−0.13). The χ 2 analysis was significant for all factors except activity level. The inter- and intraobserver reliabilities were, respectively, Seebauer type (0.59 and 0.63) and Hamada grade (0.58 and 0.65). Interobserver reliability for patient management was 0.44.

Conclusion

When evaluating CTA, patient symptoms, radiographic grade, and patient age are the factors most strongly associated with the decision making of shoulder specialists. Additionally, the Seebauer and Hamada classifications had similar reliability and clinical utility. However, there was only fair agreement regarding treatment, which indicates that CTA management remains controversial.
Patterns of white matter hyperintensities associated with cognition in middle-aged cognitively healthy individuals
Authors:   for the ALFA Study, Brugulat-Serrat Anna , Salvadó Gemma , Sudre Carole H. , Grau-Rivera Oriol , Suárez-Calvet Marc , Falcon Carles , Sánchez-Benavides Gonzalo , Gramunt Nina , Fauria Karine , Cardoso M. Jorge , Barkhof Frederik , Molinuevo José Luis , Gispert Juan Domingo
Published: July 2019

White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are commonly detected in the brain of elderly individuals and have been associated with a negative impact on multiple cognitive domains. We aim to investigate the impact of global and regional distribution of WMH on episodic memory and executive function in middle-aged cognitively unimpaired participants [N = 561 (45–75 years)] enriched for Alzheimer’s disease risk factors. WMH were automatically segmented from FLAIR, T1 and FSE MR images. WMH load was calculated both globally and regionally. At each cerebral lobe, regional WMH load was measured at four equidistant layers extending from the lateral ventricles to juxtacortical areas. Cognition was measured by The Memory Binding Test (MBT) and WAIS-IV subtests. Global composite z-scores were calculated for the two cognitive domains. Association between global and regional WMH measurements were sought against cognitive measures, both in global composite scores and in individual subtests. We adjusted cognition and WMH burden for the main sociodemographic (age, sex and education) and genetic factors (APOE-ε4). Memory and executive function were significantly associated with global WMH load. Regionally, lower executive performance was mainly associated with higher deep WMH load in frontal areas and, to a lower degree, in occipital, parietal and temporal regions. Lower episodic memory performance was correlated with higher WMH burden in deep frontal and occipital areas. Our novel methodological approach of regional analysis allowed us to reveal the association between cognition and WMH in strategic brain locations. Our results suggest that, even a small WMH load can impact cognition in cognitively unimpaired middle-aged subjects.
Introducing Decision Aids into Routine Prostate Cancer Care in The Netherlands: Implementation and Patient Evaluations from the Multi-regional JIPPA Initiative
Authors: Cuypers Maarten , Al-Itejawi Hoda H. M. , van Uden-Kraan Cornelia F. , Stalmeier Peep F. M. , Lamers Romy E. D. , van Oort Inge M. , Somford Diederik M. , van Moorselaar Reindert Jeroen A. , Verdonck-de Leeuw Irma M. , van de Poll-Franse Lonneke V. , van Tol-Geerdink Julia J. , de Vries Marieke
Published: July 2019

Uptake of decision aids (DAs) in daily routine is low, resulting in limited knowledge about successful DA implementation at a large scale. We assessed implementation rates after multi-regional implementation of three different prostate cancer (PCa) treatment DAs and patient-perceived barriers and facilitators to use a DA. Thirty-three hospitals implemented one out of the three DAs in routine care. Implementation rates for each DA were calculated per hospital. After deciding about PCa treatment, patients (n = 1033) completed a survey on pre-formulated barriers and facilitators to use a DA. Overall DA implementation was 40%. For each DA alike, implementation within hospitals varied from incidental (< 10% of eligible patients receiving a DA) to high rates of implementation (> 80%). All three DAs were evaluated positively by patients, although concise and paper DAs yielded higher satisfaction scores compared with an elaborate online DA. Patients were most satisfied when they received the DA within a week after diagnosis. Pre-formulated barriers to DA usage were experienced by less than 10% of the patients, and most patients confirmed the facilitators. Many patients received a DA during treatment counseling, although a wide variation in uptake across hospitals was observed for each DA. Most patients were satisfied with the DA they received. Sustained implementation of DAs in clinical routine requires further encouragement and attention.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Authors: Wickert Christopher , Risi David
Published: July 2019

This Element offers a thought-provoking and critical examination of corporate social responsibility (CSR). CSR has entered the boardroom and become a mainstream management concept for businesses to address their ethical, social and environmental responsibilities towards society. CSR does not come without contestation, and firms engage in CSR for different reasons and exhibit different patterns of CSR activities. These activities range from sincere action with substantial social or environmental improvements to symbolic impression management and the creation of a CSR-façade that is little more than empty words. This Element illuminates and scrutinizes contemporary approaches to CSR and offers a fresh perspective for scholars, managers and decision-makers interested in the societal role of business firms beyond maximizing profitability. Christopher Wickert and David Risi take a step back from how CSR is currently understood and practiced, and stimulate readers to reflect on how to move CSR forward towards a more inclusive concept.
A Method for Conceptualizing and Classifying Feasting: Interpreting Communal Consumption in the Archaeological Record
Authors: Kassabaum Megan C.
Published: July 2019

This article contributes to an ongoing critical examination of feasting by developing a classification scheme that emphasizes the variable contexts in which feasts have occurred. Many recent archaeological and ethnographic accounts have focused on the political and economic roles feasts play in creating power and status differences among participants, while others have highlighted how they build community and increase solidarity within a group. My scheme reconceptualizes the term by giving two independent variables—group size and level of sociopolitical competition—equal roles in determining whether a given eating event is a feast; in turn, my dual-dimensional model facilitates more sophisticated interpretations of archaeological remains. After outlining its utility for describing and comparing eating events, this article evaluates the evidence for feasting at a precontact Native American mound site in the Lower Mississippi Valley. Botanical, faunal, and ceramic analyses of materials from the Feltus mounds (AD 750–1100) reveal fairly typical food-related assemblages, whereas the sheer amount of material, speed with which it was deposited, and size of individual specimens are exceptional. The resulting interpretation emphasizes feasting's role in creating and maintaining group solidarity at Feltus and advances understanding of noncompetitive outcomes of feasting behavior in the precontact American Southeast.
The Duty of Care of the Parent Company: A Comparison between French Law, UK Precedents and the Swiss Proposals
Authors: PALOMBO Dalia
Published: July 2019

In 2017, France established a due diligence statutory obligation for French parent companies to monitor extraterritorial human rights and environmental abuses committed by their off-shore affiliates. Switzerland is also considering adopting a similar law for Swiss parent companies. These obligations are comparable to the duty of care that, according to recent case law, British parent companies owe towards their subsidiaries’ neighbours. This article compares and contrasts the newly introduced French due diligence statutory obligation, the UK precedents, and two alternative Swiss legislative proposals on the due diligence and duty of care of parent companies.
Stable minimizers of functionals of the gradient
Authors: Sychev Mikhail A. , Treu Giulia , Colombo Giovanni
Published: July 2019

Let Ω ⊂ ℝn be a bounded Lipschitz domain. Let $L: {\mathbb R}^n\rightarrow \bar {\mathbb R}= {\mathbb R}\cup \{+\infty \}$ be a continuous function with superlinear growth at infinity, and consider the functional $\mathcal {I}(u)=\int \nolimits _\Omega L(Du)$, u ∈ W1,1(Ω). We provide necessary and sufficient conditions on L under which, for all f ∈ W1,1(Ω) such that $\mathcal {I}(f) < +\infty $, the problem of minimizing $\mathcal {I}(u)$ with the boundary condition u|∂Ω = f has a solution which is stable, or – alternatively – is such that all of its solutions are stable. By stability of $\mathcal {I}$ at u we mean that $u_k\rightharpoonup u$ weakly in W1,1(Ω) together with $\mathcal {I}(u_k)\to \mathcal {I}(u)$ imply uk → u strongly in W1,1(Ω). This extends to general boundary data some results obtained by Cellina and Cellina and Zagatti. Furthermore, with respect to the preceding literature on existence results for scalar variational problems, we drop the assumption that the relaxed functional admits a continuous minimizer.
Boorse et les antipsychiatres : même combat?
Authors: GAGNÉ-JULIEN ANNE-MARIE
Published: July 2019

Dans le débat portant sur la définition de la santé mentale, trois grandes approches peuvent être distinguées : l’approche normativiste (Szasz, Sarbin), l’approche naturaliste (Boorse) et l’approche hybride (Wakefield). Cet article vise à nuancer cette classification en clarifiant en quel sens Boorse, le représentant de l’approche naturaliste, peut être rangé dans cette catégorie. La conception de Boorse est beaucoup plus critique à l’égard de l’entreprise psychiatrique que ce qui est habituellement admis et les similarités entre Boorse et l’approche normativiste, quant à elles, sont beaucoup plus importantes.
The simplicity of divine ideas: theistic conceptual realism and the doctrine of divine simplicity
Authors: PANCHUK MICHELLE
Published: July 2019

There has been little discussion of the compatibility of Theistic Conceptual Realism (TCR) with the doctrine of divine simplicity (DDS). On the one hand, if a plurality of universals is necessary to explain the character of particular things, there is reason to think this commits the proponent of TCR to the existence of a plurality of divine concepts. So the proponent of the DDS has aprima faciereason to reject TCR (and vice versa). On the other hand, many mediaeval philosophers accept both the existence of divine ideas and the DDS. In this article I draw on mediaeval and contemporary accounts of properties and divine simplicity to argue that the two theories are not logically incompatible.
“The Ghetto is a Gold Mine”: The Racialized Temporality of Betterment
Authors: Solomon Marisa
Published: July 2019

Gentrification makes trash a discursive and material index of degeneration, mobilizing projects to “clean” and “better” neighborhoods and people. This ethnographic article explores how trash's movements and labor reveal the spatialized and temporalized racial histories of neighborhood transformation in the historically black neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy), Brooklyn and the gentrified town of Norfolk, Virginia. Foregrounding the objects and people whose value(s) are called into question as the context around them changes, I draw on two key interlocutors whose scavenging is conditioned by the “betterment”—community revitalization and “clean up”—programs that seek to displace them. As Sal “saves” Bed-Stuy by directing the flow of the dismembered ghetto, Superfly redirects coffee shop ephemera to black barbershops. By attending to how trash moves, Sal's and Superfly's labor make visible the material conditions of gentrification and point to how race and time are spatialized under racial capitalism.
Beyond the Abject: Caste and the Organization of Work in Pakistan's Waste Economy
Authors: Butt Waqas H.
Published: July 2019

This article examines the historical processes by which low or non-caste groups have situated themselves in Pakistan's waste economy. Adopting caste as a category of governance, the colonial regime implemented policies and interventions that not only impacted these groups in the Punjab, but also cemented enduring connections between caste, waste work, and governance, which have subsequently shaped the trajectories of waste work in cities like Lahore. Moving beyond the framework of the “abject,” this article emphasizes caste as a historical category through which social stratification and exclusions have materialized across South Asia, and examines how low or non-caste groups have organized themselves in Pakistan's waste economy, which has resulted from rapid urbanization, bureaucratization and informalization, regional labor migration, consumptive economies, urban development, and sociopolitical relations. Rather than inhabiting the abjectness of capitalism, modernity, or caste hierarchy, this article argues that these groups have carved out a space for themselves and their wider social relations in cities like Lahore in Pakistan, where social inequalities and stratification are undeniable facets of urban life.
AUV Bathymetric Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping Using Graph Method
Authors: Ma Teng , Li Ye , Gong Yusen , Wang Rupeng , Sheng Mingwei , Zhang Qiang
Published: July 2019

Although topographic mapping missions and geological surveys carried out by Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are becoming increasingly prevalent, the lack of precise navigation in these scenarios still limits their application. This paper deals with the problems of long-term underwater navigation for AUVs and provides new mapping techniques by developing a Bathymetric Simultaneous Localisation And Mapping (BSLAM) method based on graph SLAM technology. To considerably reduce the calculation cost, the trajectory of the AUV is divided into various submaps based on Differences of Normals (DoN). Loop closures between submaps are obtained by terrain matching; meanwhile, maximum likelihood terrain estimation is also introduced to build weak data association within the submap. Assisted by one weight voting method for loop closures, the global and local trajectory corrections work together to provide an accurate navigation solution for AUVs with weak data association and inaccurate loop closures. The viability, accuracy and real-time performance of the proposed algorithm are verified with data collected onboard, including an 8 km planned track recorded at a speed of 4 knots in Qingdao, China.
The Enduring Effects of Parental Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drug Use on Child Well-being: A Multilevel Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kuppens Sofie , Moore Simon C. , Gross Vanessa , Lowthian Emily , Siddaway Andy P.
Published: July 2019

The effects of psychoactive substance abuse are not limited to the user, but extend to the entire family system, with children of substance abusers being particularly at risk. This meta-analysis attempted to quantify the longitudinal relationship between parental alcohol, tobacco, and drug use and child well-being, investigating variation across a range of substance and well-being indices and other potential moderators. We performed a literature search of peer-reviewed, English language, longitudinal observational studies that reported outcomes for children aged 0 to 18 years. In total, 56 studies, yielding 220 dependent effect sizes, met inclusion criteria. A multilevel random-effects model revealed a statistically significant, small detriment to child well-being for parental substance abuse over time (r= .15). Moderator analyses demonstrated that the effect was more pronounced for parental drug use (r= .25), compared with alcohol use (r= .13), tobacco use (r= .13), and alcohol use disorder (r= .14). Results highlight a need for future studies that better capture the effect of parental psychoactive substance abuse on the full breadth of childhood well-being outcomes and to integrate substance abuse into models that specify the precise conditions under which parental behavior determines child well-being.

Registration: PROSPERO CRD42017076088
The Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita in Morocco since 1900: Analysis of ecological requirements
Authors: SCHENKER ANDRE , CAHENZLI FABIAN , GUTBROD KARL G. , THEVENOT MICHEL , ERHARDT ANDREAS
Published: July 2019

The Northern Bald Ibis (NBI) Geronticus eremita, is an ‘Endangered’ bird species of which only very few wild breeding colonies have survived along the Atlantic coast of south-west Morocco. This paper analyses ecological conditions of the 72 breeding sites of the NBI that have been known since 1900 in Morocco. Characterisation of breeding sites is based on physical criteria (elevation above sea level, geomorphology, mean annual precipitation and types of landscape) as well as land use, vegetation cover, infrastructure and types of settlement within three perimeters (0–1 km, > 1–5 km and > 5–10(20) km) using Google Earth satellite images. Statistical analyses of the number of breeding pairs, fledglings and rainfall during different quarters of the year from 1994 to 2016 in the two remaining breeding sites in Souss-Massa National Park and Tamri showed expected patterns as well as unexpected differences between the two localities. Based on our findings and indications in the literature, we suggest general and specific recommendations for potential future translocation projects of the NBI. Based on the analysis of the 28 breeding colonies existing after 1977, two elements emerge as the most important prerequisites: a low level of disturbances at the breeding sites and adequate feeding areas at a reasonable distance of 5–15 km.
The prosody of rhetorical questions in English
Authors: DEHÉ NICOLE , BRAUN BETTINA
Published: July 2019

This article contributes to our knowledge about the prosodic realisation of rhetorical questions (RQs) as compared to information-seeking questions (ISQs). It reports on a production experiment testing the prosody of Englishwh-and polar RQs and ISQs in a Canadian variety. In previous literature, the contribution of prosody to the distinction between the two illocution types has often been limited to the intonational realisation of the terminus of the utterance, i.e. whether it ends in a rise or a fall. Along with edge tones, we tested other phonological and phonetic parameters. Our results are as follows: (i) The intonational terminus was distinctive only for polar questions (rise vs plateau), not forwh-questions (low throughout). (ii) Moreover, the semantic difference between RQs and ISQs is signalled by pitch accents. It is reflected in nuclear pitch accent type forwh-questions, and accent type and position for polar questions. (iii) Phonetically, RQs are produced with longer constituent durations and – forwh-questions – a softer voice quality in thewh-word. Taken together, several intonational categories and phonetic parameters contribute to the distinction between RQs and ISQs. A simple distinction between rising and falling intonation is in any case insufficient.
Sex effect on growth faltering in an indigenous ethnic minority population of infants in Israel
Authors: Bilenko Natalya , Belmaker Ilana
Published: July 2019

Objective:

We examined sex effects on growth faltering in an indigenous population of Bedouin Arab infants born in Israel, an economically developed country.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study. Height-for-ageZ-score (HAZ) at age 6, 12, 18 and 24 months was calculated for full-term, normal-birth-weight Bedouin infants born during years 2000–2009 and attending maternal and child health (MCH) clinics. Multivariate linear regression analysis (MLRA) was used to calculate the association between sex and HAZ, controlling for year of birth, birth weight (BW) and residence by type of settlement (established settlement (ES); non-established settlement (NES)).

Setting:

Bedouin are an indigenous poor community of semi-nomadic Arabs, with the highest infant mortality rate in Israel. Fifty per cent of Bedouin infants live in NES with inadequate access to running water, electricity, and rubbish and sewage disposal. All Bedouin receive free well-baby care in community-based MCH clinics.

Participants:

Full-term, normal Bedouin infants (n 5426) born during 2000–2009 and attending computerized MCH clinics who had growth measurements at age 6, 12, 18 and 24 months.

Results:

At all ages, girls had significantly higher mean HAZ than boys (P< 0·05). Increasing birth year, residence in ES and increasing BW were positively associated with HAZ (P< 0·05) at all ages. In MLRA controlling for birth year, BW and type of settlement, sex still had a significant effect, with lower HAZ among boys at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months of age (P< 0·001 at all ages).

Conclusions:

Our results indicated that sex effects on growth faltering can occur in an indigenous population with low socio-economic status within an economically developed country.
Statistical Mapping of Freshwater Origin and Fate Signatures as Land/Ocean “Regions of Influence” in the Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Fournier S. , Reager J. T. , Dzwonkowski B. , Vazquez‐Cuervo J.
Published: July 2019

Here we present an observation‐based study of the coupled land‐ocean regions of influence for the transformation of precipitation over land into coastal river plume structure in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). First, we locate the regions on land for which precipitation and runoff generation have the strongest relationship with local river discharge. Then we map, on average, the apparent unique contribution of individual river discharge forcing to specific features of river plume structure across the GoM. To this end, we employ a spatial‐temporal lagged correlation analysis that relates satellite‐based precipitation, soil moisture, and sea surface salinity observations to in situ river discharge for the three primary freshwater input sources for the GoM. On land, we find a likely source region for the northeastern GoM in the southeastern Mississippi basin at 16‐day lead time, a likely source region for the northeastern GoM in the Mobile Bay basin at 3‐day lead time and a likely source region for the Central GoM from the Texas basin region at 4‐day lead time. In the ocean, we find statistically significant regions of distinct contribution for each of the three sources of freshwater on plume structure at lag times from weeks to several months. Though a statistical approach is limited in its interpretability, this result advances progress toward a predictive framework for mapping of the impacts of hydrological flood events from land into the ocean using observations alone.
Characteristics of Atmospheric Turbulence Retrieved From High Vertical‐Resolution Radiosonde Data in the United States
Authors: Ko H.‐C. , Chun H.‐Y. , Wilson R. , Geller M. A.
Published: July 2019

In this study, we estimate atmospheric turbulence in the free atmosphere in terms of the Thorpe scale (LT) and eddy dissipation rate (ε) using U.S. high vertical‐resolution radiosonde data over 4 years (September 2012 to August 2016) at 68 operational stations. In addition, same calculations are conducted for 12 years (October 2005 to September 2017) at four stations among the 68 stations. These high vertical‐resolution radiosonde data have a vertical resolution of approximately 5 m and extend to an altitude of approximately 33 km, and thus, turbulence can be retrieved in the entire troposphere and lower stratosphere. There are thicker and stronger turbulent layers in the troposphere than in the stratosphere, with mean ε values of 1.84 × 10−4 and 1.37 × 10−4 m2/s3 in the troposphere and stratosphere, respectively. The vertical structure of ε exhibits strong seasonal variations, especially in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, with the largest ε values in summer and the smallest in winter. In the horizontal distribution of ε, large ε is seen mainly above the mountainous region in the troposphere, but this pattern is not seen in the stratosphere. Although ε is estimated by the square of LT multiplied by the cube of the Brunt‐Väisälä frequency (N), the regions of large ε are matched with large LT regions where N is relatively small. For the time series of ε near the tropopause for 12 years at four stations, an annual variation is prominent at all stations without significant interannual variations. There is, however, a slightly increasing trend of ε at two stations.
The Temporal and Geographic Extent of Seasonal Cold Trapping on the Moon
Authors: Kloos Jacob L. , Moores John E. , Sangha Jasmeer , Nguyen Tue Giang , Schorghofer Norbert
Published: July 2019

We assess the geographic distribution and temporal variability of seasonal shadow at the lunar polar regions and explore its influence on surface water migration and deposition within known permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) in the modern era. At its largest expanse near the winter solstice, seasonally shadowed area more than doubles the permanently shadowed area at both poles. The growth and decay of polar shadow throughout the year enforce distinct seasonal patterns in the poleward migration of water as well as a cyclical variation in the polar surface hydration throughout the year if a continual source of water is assumed. The polar surface water abundance peaks near the hemispheric vernal equinox—significantly offset from the solstice where the seasonal trapping area is most expansive—due to the retention of seasonally trapped water. Owing to their low areal density, lower‐latitude PSRs do not significantly hamper the poleward migration of water, enabling water to reach the high polar latitudes where cold trapping area is densest. We find that northern hemisphere PSRs accumulate more water per unit area than southern hemisphere PSRs and that this disparity is especially prominent beyond 85°. The north/south asymmetry is attributed to differences in the hemispheric PSR size‐frequency distributions; such differences enable unique north/south migration diffusivities, which favor more water reaching the high northern latitudes.
Geostatistical Modeling to Capture Seismic‐Shaking Patterns From Earthquake‐Induced Landslides
Authors: Lombardo Luigi , Bakka Haakon , Tanyas Hakan , van Westen Cees , Mai P. Martin , Huser Raphaël
Published: July 2019

We investigate earthquake‐induced landslides using a geostatistical model featuring a latent spatial effect (LSE). The LSE represents the spatially structured residuals in the data, which remain after adjusting for covariate effects. To determine whether the LSE captures the residual signal from a given trigger, we test the LSE in reproducing the pattern of seismic shaking from the distribution of seismically induced landslides, without prior knowledge of the earthquake being included in the model. We assessed the landslide intensity, that is, the expected number of landslides per mapping unit, for the area in which landslides triggered by the Wenchuan and Lushan earthquakes overlap. We examined this area to test our method on landslide inventories located in near and far fields of the earthquake. We generated three models for both earthquakes: (i) seismic parameters only (proxy for the trigger); (ii) the LSE only; and (iii) both seismic parameters and the LSE. The three configurations share the same morphometric covariates. This allowed us to study the LSE pattern and assess whether it approximated the seismic effects. Our results show that the LSE reproduced the shaking patterns for both earthquakes. In addition, the models including the LSE perform better than conventional models featuring seismic parameters only. Due to computational limitations we carried out a detailed analysis for a relatively small area (2,112 km2), using a data set with higher spatial resolution. Results were consistent with those of a subsequent analysis for a larger area (14,648 km2) using coarser‐resolution data.
Extensive intraspecific gene order and gene structural variations in upland cotton cultivars
Authors: Yang Zhaoen , Ge Xiaoyang , Yang Zuoren , Qin Wenqiang , Sun Gaofei , Wang Zhi , Li Zhi , Liu Ji , Wu Jie , Wang Ye , Lu Lili , Wang Peng , Mo Huijuan , Zhang Xueyan , Li Fuguang
Published: July 2019

Multiple cotton genomes (diploid and tetraploid) have been assembled. However, genomic variations between cultivars of allotetraploid upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), the most widely planted cotton species in the world, remain unexplored. Here, we use single-molecule long read and Hi-C sequencing technologies to assemble genomes of the two upland cotton cultivars TM-1 and zhongmiansuo24 (ZM24). Comparisons among TM-1 and ZM24 assemblies and the genomes of the diploid ancestors reveal a large amount of genetic variations. Among them, the top three longest structural variations are located on chromosome A08 of the tetraploid upland cotton, which account for ~30% total length of this chromosome. Haplotype analyses of the mapping population derived from these two cultivars and the germplasm panel show suppressed recombination rates in this region. This study provides additional genomic resources for the community, and the identified genetic variations, especially the reduced meiotic recombination on chromosome A08, will help future breeding.
Manganese acting as a high-performance heterogeneous electrocatalyst in carbon dioxide reduction
Authors: Zhang Bingxing , Zhang Jianling , Shi Jinbiao , Tan Dongxing , Liu Lifei , Zhang Fanyu , Lu Cheng , Su Zhuizhui , Tan Xiuniang , Cheng Xiuyan , Han Buxing , Zheng Lirong , Zhang Jing
Published: July 2019

Developing highly efficient electrocatalysts based on cheap and earth-abundant metals for CO2 reduction is of great importance. Here we demonstrate that the electrocatalytic activity of manganese-based heterogeneous catalyst can be significantly improved through halogen and nitrogen dual-coordination to modulate the electronic structure of manganese atom. Such an electrocatalyst for CO2 reduction exhibits a maximum CO faradaic efficiency of 97% and high current density of ~10 mA cm−2 at a low overpotential of 0.49 V. Moreover, the turnover frequency can reach 38347 h−1 at overpotential of 0.49 V, which is the highest among the reported heterogeneous electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction. In situ X-ray absorption experiment and density-functional theory calculation reveal the modified electronic structure of the active manganese site, on which the free energy barrier for intermediate formation is greatly reduced, thus resulting in a great improvement of CO2 reduction performance.
Long-range spatio-temporal correlations in multimode fibers for pulse delivery
Authors: Xiong Wen , Hsu Chia Wei , Cao Hui
Published: July 2019

Long-range correlations play an essential role in wave transport through disordered media, but have rarely been studied in other complex systems. Here we discover spatio-temporal intensity correlations for an optical pulse propagating through a multimode fiber with strong random mode coupling. Positive long-range correlation arises from multiple scattering in fiber mode space and depends on the statistical distribution of arrival times. By optimizing the incident wavefront of a pulse, we maximize the power transmitted at a selected time, and such control is significantly enhanced by the long-range spatio-temporal correlation. We provide an explicit relation between the correlation and the power enhancement, which agrees with experimental results. Our work shows that multimode fibers provide a fertile ground for studying complex wave phenomena. The strong spatio-temporal correlation can be employed for efficient power delivery at a well-defined time.
High-pressure synthesis of ultraincompressible hard rhenium nitride pernitride Re2(N2)(N)2 stable at ambient conditions
Authors: Bykov Maxim , Chariton Stella , Fei Hongzhan , Fedotenko Timofey , Aprilis Georgios , Ponomareva Alena V. , Tasnádi Ferenc , Abrikosov Igor A. , Merle Benoit , Feldner Patrick , Vogel Sebastian , Schnick Wolfgang , Prakapenka Vitali B. , Greenberg Eran , Hanfland Michael , Pakhomova Anna , Liermann Hanns-Peter , Katsura Tomoo , Dubrovinskaia Natalia , Dubrovinsky Leonid
Published: July 2019

High-pressure synthesis in diamond anvil cells can yield unique compounds with advanced properties, but often they are either unrecoverable at ambient conditions or produced in quantity insufficient for properties characterization. Here we report the synthesis of metallic, ultraincompressible (K0 = 428(10) GPa), and very hard (nanoindentation hardness 36.7(8) GPa) rhenium nitride pernitride Re2(N2)(N)2. Unlike known transition metals pernitrides Re2(N2)(N)2 contains both pernitride N24− and discrete N3− anions, which explains its exceptional properties. Re2(N2)(N)2 can be obtained via a reaction between rhenium and nitrogen in a diamond anvil cell at pressures from 40 to 90 GPa and is recoverable at ambient conditions. We develop a route to scale up its synthesis through a reaction between rhenium and ammonium azide, NH4N3, in a large-volume press at 33 GPa. Although metallic bonding is typically seen incompatible with intrinsic hardness, Re2(N2)(N)2 turned to be at a threshold for superhard materials.
Beyond 100 THz-spanning ultraviolet frequency combs in a non-centrosymmetric crystalline waveguide
Authors: Liu Xianwen , Bruch Alexander W. , Lu Juanjuan , Gong Zheng , Surya Joshua B. , Zhang Liang , Wang Junxi , Yan Jianchang , Tang Hong X.
Published: July 2019

Ultraviolet frequency combs enable applications ranging from precision spectroscopy to atomic clocks by addressing electronic transitions of atoms and molecules. Access to ultraviolet light via integrated nonlinear optics is usually hampered by the strong material dispersion and large waveguide attention in ultraviolet regions. Here we demonstrate a simple route to chip-scale ultraviolet comb generators, simultaneously showing a gap-free frequency span of 128 terahertz and high conversion efficiency. This process relies on adiabatic quadratic frequency translation of a near-visible supercontinuum sourced by an ultrafast fiber laser. The simultaneous cubic and quadratic nonlinear processes are implemented in single-crystalline aluminum nitride thin films, where chirp-modulated taper waveguides are patterned to ensure a broad phase matching. The heterodyne characterization suggests that both the near-visible and ultraviolet supercontinuum combs maintain high coherence. Our approach is also adaptable to other non-centrosymmetric photonic platforms for ultrafast nonlinear optics with scalable bandwidth.
Metagenomics and transcriptomics data from human colorectal cancer
Authors: Visnovska Tina , Biggs Patrick J. , Schmeier Sebastian , Frizelle Frank A. , Purcell Rachel V.
Published: July 2019

Colorectal cancer is a heterogenous and mostly sporadic disease, the development of which is associated with microbial dysbiosis. Recent advances in subtype classification have successfully stratified the disease using molecular profiling. To understand potential relationships between molecular mechanisms differentiating the subtypes of colorectal cancer and composition of gut microbial community, we classified a set of 34 tumour samples into molecular subtypes using RNA-sequencing gene expression profiles and determined relative abundances of bacterial taxonomic groups. To identify bacterial community composition, 16S rRNA amplicon metabarcoding was used as well as whole genome metagenomics of the non-human part of RNA-sequencing data. The generated data expands the collection of the data sources related to the disease and connects molecular aspects of the cancer with environmental impact of microbial community.