bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implementation of cross-phase analysis for study of MHD instabilities arising on TUMAN-3M and Globus-M tokamaks
Authors: Balachenkov I M , Patrov M I , Petrov Yu V , Tukachinsky A S
Published: December 2019

Following paper represents a method to resolve spatial mode structure of plasma MHD instabilities employing cross-phase correlation analysis applied to signals of magnetic probes, mounted on Globus-M and Tuman-3M tokamaks. The data on observations of toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs), which were formerly identified in Globus-M tokamak discharges, has been analyzed. Possible interpretation of the phase plot, acquired from analysis of NBI-stimulated ion-cyclotron emission (ICE) on Tuman-3M is given as well. The method described below turns out to be useful instrument for resolution of spatial structure of plasma instabilities, especially in D-shaped tokamaks with low aspect ratio.
Low-Voltage Arc in Alkaline-Earth Metal Vapors
Authors: Bogdanov A A , Martsinovsky A M
Published: December 2019

The work continues the earlier study of the Knudsen short (3 mm interelectrode distance) low-voltage arc in barium and strontium vapor. Probe measurements of plasma parameters for strontium were carried out in a wide range of discharge parameters (pressure 10–2 – 10–1 Torr, currents 0.5 to 30 A/cm2, anode voltage up to 10 V) in a stationary mode. The main regularities of changes in plasma concentration and electron temperature by the current-voltage characteristic are established. The kinetics of non-stationary processes — ignition of the discharge and plasma decay after the end of a pulse, was also investigated. A number of differences in plasma behavior compared to cesium arc were found, however, in general, the behavior of strontium discharge plasma turned out to be quite close to that of cesium - unlike low-voltage arcs in inert gases. This is explained by the similar nature of the energy level scheme in atoms of alkali and alkaline-earth metals.
Method for determining plasma density in a magnetic field
Authors: Vodopyanov A , Mansfeld D , Sintsov S , Viktorov M
Published: December 2019

A new method is proposed for measuring plasma density based on the direct determination of the phase shift of an electromagnetic wave during the passage of probe radiation through plasma using a broadband oscilloscope. The paper describes a scheme for measuring plasma density up to 4*1013 cm−3. Examples of using this method to determine the parameters of the inductively coupled plasma and plasma flows in a magnetic field are given.
Theoretical and experimental study of the “hydrodynamic” effect in laboratory ballistic launchers
Authors: Bykov N V , Tovarnov M S
Published: December 2019

This paper performs a theoretical and experimental study of the effect of increasing the velocity of projectiles during the high-speed extrusion of the polyethylene piston through a tapered section (also called a “hydrodynamic” effect). Mathematical modeling is performed using two methods. The first method is a quasi-one-dimensional description of the polyethylene piston deformation on a moving computational grid. The second method is axisymmetric modeling using the ANSYS AUTODYN package. In the experimental studies, the polyethylene piston was preaccelerated using a propellant charge, after which the escape velocity of the projectile was measured. The escape velocity of the projectile after the tapered section increased up to 50% compared to the input velocity. The experimental results are consistent with the theoretical calculations.
Dynamics of a spherical explosion in aqueous foam taking into account heat-exchange and dissipative processes
Authors: Bolotnova R Kh , Gainullina E F
Published: December 2019

Numerical study of the features of spherical explosion propagation process in a cylindrical pipe surrounded by an inner layer of aqueous foam with liquid volume fraction α10 = 0.2 has been carried out. The solution method is based on a two-phase model of gas-liquid mixture under conditions of single-pressure, two-temperature, two-velocity approximations and is implemented using the twoPhaseEulerFoam solver of the OpenFOAM software. In order to test the proposed model, a comparison was made of the calculations and experimental data on a spherical explosion in aqueous foam with liquid volume fraction α10 = 0.0083. When solving the main task, the efficiency of the considered foam barrier is shown in a comparative analysis with the solution obtained in the absence of a foam layer.
Disturbing effects of a cylinder-form macro-roughness on the turbulent free-convection boundary layer: Large Eddy Simulation
Authors: Levchenya A M , Kolesnik E V , Smirnov E M
Published: December 2019

The paper presents results of eddy-resolving numerical simulation of non-isothermal turbulent flow in the vicinity of an adiabatic circular cylinder that disturbs the turbulent free-convection boundary layer developing along a vertical heated plate. The computational domain used includes (i) a relatively long section, where the upstream free-convection boundary layer goes over to its natural state from the model state prescribed at the inlet boundary with a synthetic turbulence generator, (ii) a mid-section covering the disturbing cylinder, mounted normally on the plate, (iii) an outlet section that is much longer than the cylinder diameter. The mathematical model is based on the Navier-Stokes equation written with the Boussinesq approximation. In the case simulated, the height of the cylinder (equal to its diameter) is about two times less than the approaching boundary layer half-width, if estimated from the velocity profile. Characteristic features of unsteady phenomena in the flow disturbed by the macro-roughness are analyzed with a focus on behavior of arising horseshoe-like vortex structures. Quantitative data on heat transfer augmentation near the cylinder is presented.
Applications of the gas discharge sustained by the powerful radiation of THz gyrotrons
Authors: Sidorov A V , Glyavin M Yu , Golubev S V , Razin S V , Sintsov S V , Veselov A P , Vodopyanov A V
Published: December 2019

The terahertz frequency range currently remains the least studied from the point of view of gas-discharge physics. Recent progress in its mastering is associated, first of all, with the creation of powerful sources of terahertz radiation - gyrotrons. Nevertheless, the discharge sustained by the powerful radiation of the terahertz frequency range is of interest not only from the fundamental point of view (because of its lack of knowledge), but also from the applied one. This paper presents results of investigations aimed at studying the point-like THz discharge as a source of vacuum ultraviolet radiation and at research of CW THz plasma torch existing at atmospheric pressure and therefore having promising applications in various fields: plasma medicine, plasma chemistry, material processing etc. It is shown that it is possible to create a point-like plasma in an inhomogeneous gas flow with the density above the cut-off one (4·1015 cm−3 for 0.67 THz). It has been demonstrated that such plasma is an effective source of VUV and EUV radiation. Investigations of the atmospheric plasma torch, sustained by CW sub-terahertz radiation (1 kW @ 0.26 THz), demonstrated the possibility of the creation dense non-equilibrium plasma (2·1015 cm−3) with electron temperature in the range from 1 to 2 eV.
Numerical simulations for hydrodynamic technique protecting optical components in ITER divertor
Authors: Bukreev I M , Mukhin E E , Bulovich S V , Matyushenko A A , Babinov N A , Dmitriev A M , Litvinov A E , Razdobarin A G , Samsonov D S , Varshavchick L A , Zatilkin P A
Published: December 2019

There are several protecting techniques managing with contamination on optical surfaces of in-vessel diagnostic components in ITER. Analysis of impurity transport in narrow and curved gaps gave us the idea that it can’t be explained by convection flows. The proposed protecting construction, situated between plasma and irradiating laser mirror launcher, was analysed for effectiveness. The protecting ability of this construction is based on the principles of hydrodynamic, in particular on bevelled entrance, which provides redirection of polluting gas flow away from the optical components due to angling optical and geometrical channel axes. Several different numerical simulations were studied. The design, setting objectives as well as equations and parameters are under discussion. Results of 2D and 3D numerical simulations are provided.
Hydraulic resistance due to unsteady ow in river channels: numerical simulation results
Authors: Dyakonova Tatyana , Klikunova Anna , Khoperskov Alexander
Published: December 2019

The hydraulic resistance to ow in a river-type channel is due to the action of a large number of factors. We created numerical models of unsteady water dynamics in an inhomogeneous channel by varying its geometric and hydraulic characteristics. We focused on the study of ows at small values of the Manning roughness coefficient, when the water movement is unsteady. The transitional regime from a pulsating ow to a laminar ow is characterized by a complex system of large vortices covering the entire channel. The nonstationarity factor enhances the hydrological resistance to ow, and thus provides an additional contribution to the effective Manning coefficient.
Numerical study of blood flow in the spatial model of the abdominal aorta bifurcation: effect of an inlet conditions
Authors: Sinitsina D E , Gataulin Y A , Yukhnev A D , Smirnov E M , Zaitsev D K
Published: December 2019

The structure of the flow in a model configuration including a healthy bifurcation of the abdominal aorta, common, external and internal iliac arteries is investigated by a numerical method. It has established that the structure of the flow in the common, external and internal iliac arteries is characterized by a two-vortex secondary flow structure, and only in the phase of return flow, a single-vortex secondary flow develops at the exit of the internal iliac arteries. The influence of the inlet velocity profile skewness is significant only in the region upstream of the actual abdominal aorta bifurcation. In the iliac arteries, the influence of the inlet velocity profile shape is felt only through relatively weak changes in the cross-flow velocity field. Introducing a significant non-uniformity in the inlet velocity distribution does not change significantly general estimates of the minimum values of the cycle-averaged wall shear stress, TAWSS, and maximum values of the oscillation wall-shear index, OSI. This information is important for identification of the places mostly exposed to atherosclerotic vascular lesions for atherosclerotic lesions.
Acoustic properties of overheated liquid with gas nuclei during temperature increasing
Authors: Galimzyanov M N , Agisheva U O
Published: December 2019

The characteristics of the reflection and refraction of harmonic waves at its oblique incidence on an interface between a “pure” liquid and liquid with bubbles filled with a vapor–gas mixture have been studied. For the considered problem, we have obtained the dispersion equation and carried out a numerical analysis of the effect of the perturbation frequencies in the range 102–106 s–1 on the dependence of the angle of refraction on that of incidence for three equilibrium temperatures T
0. The dependence of the critical angle of incidence on the parameters of a two-phase system and the perturbation frequencies has been studied for the same reflection.
Low-intensity pressure waves in a stratified bubbly liquid
Authors: Agisheva U O , Galimzyanov M N
Published: December 2019

In this work, the features of the dynamics of two-dimensional pressure waves of weak intensity in a layered bubbly liquid are investigated. A bubbly liquid, piecewise-inhomogeneous in volume content, was used as the calculated medium. The influence of the width of the bubble layer on the propagation dynamics of a pulse signal is analyzed. The possibility of the formation of pressure peaks near the boundary between the layers is shown.
Electromagnetic plasma rail accelerator for surface analysis and modification in solids
Authors: Tverdokhlebov K V , Zhukov B G , Bobashev S V , Kurakin R O , Shustrov Y A , Poniaev S A
Published: December 2019

In this study we investigate the possibility of using plasma rail accelerator as a dense plasma jet generator for scientific and technological purposes. It was found that plasma railgun can generate supersonic plasma jets, both pure and saturated with solid and liquid microparticles. Such jets can cause thermal and mechanical erosion of the target surface, sputtering material of the railgun channel and transferring it to the surface being treated. We studied working regimes of the plasma railgun. SEM and optical micrographs of the treated samples were obtained.
Interaction of a system of supersonic jets from a body with an incoming flow
Authors: Shevchenko A V , Yuriev A S , Poniaev S A , Pirogov S Yu , Zhitnikov T A , Rotermel A R
Published: December 2019

There is a need to improve the methods of control of supersonic aircraft in order to increase the efficiency and reliability of their control elements. In this work, theoretical calculations of the flow around a body with a system of supersonic jets are carried out. Using numerical methods, the possibility of control the flow around a body using a system of jets has been investigated. The numerical study was based on a model of an inviscid perfect gas described by the Navier-Stokes equations.
Colloid chemical aspects accelerated artificial petrification of wood
Authors: Danilov V E , Ayzenshtadt A M , Kilyusheva N V , Makhova T A , Belyaev A O
Published: December 2019

The paper describes various approaches to increasing the processing efficiency of coniferous wood with a partially soluble organo-mineral suspension for the manufacture of artificially petrified wood. The suspension was prepared by grinding the polymineral river sand from the Krasnoflotsky West deposit (Arkhangelsk region) and then mixing it with a solution of arabinogalactan. Standard samples (20x20x30 mm) of wood were immersed in the suspensions for 24 hours, after which they were taken out, dried and weighed. The processing efficiency was evaluated by increasing the density of the samples due to the filling of the wood matrix with silica (excluding arabinogalactan). The influences of the concentration of components, size characteristics and zeta-potential of the surface of silica particles on the increase in the density of samples were studied. It was confirmed that arabinogalactan promotes deeper penetration of silica particles into wood, which leads to a greater increase in density (up to 9% per treatment). It was also found that a decrease in the size of silica particles from 243 nm to 163 nm, as well as increasing the zeta potential from -30 mV to -45 mV, do not lead to a significant increase in the density of the samples.
Kinetic description of heterogeneous processes using surface tension as an information parameter
Authors: Sokolova Y V , Ayzenshtadt A M , Frolova M A , Strokova V V
Published: December 2019

We evaluate the possibility of using surface tension as the main information parameter for determining the order of the polycondensation reaction in the main reagent occurring in the “glyoxal-bark”. Surface tension was calculated according to the method of Owens, Wendt, Rabel and Kaelble (OWRK). In addition, the identified minus the first order of the polycondensation reaction may be due to the fact that the limiting stage occurs in the diffusion region. In this case, blocking the free reactive surface centers of the plant component of the mixture by products of the primary interaction leads to a slowdown of the process, despite an increase in the concentration of glyoxal. The unit modulus of the reaction order means that one molecule of glyoxal is involved in an elementary act of interaction of glyoxal with the structural units of the lignin macromolecule. This confirms both the working hypothesis on the mechanism of structure formation in “glyoxal-bark” system, and the possibility of using surface tension for the kinetic description of heterogeneous processes.
Modification of the GaSb(100) surface in ammonium sulfide solutions - morphology and stoichiometry
Authors: Dementev P A , Lebedev M V , Lvova T V
Published: December 2019

The changes in the stoichiometry and morphology of the GaSb(100) surface in the process of sulfide passivation with aqueous and alcoholic ammonium sulfide solutions were studied by AFM and XPS. It was found that after sulfide treatment the Ga/Sb ratio can vary in the range from 0.13 to 3, while the surface roughness can be changed from 1.1 to 5.5, depending on the concentration of the (NH4)2S solution, solvent and passivation time.
Calculation of self-consistent electrophysical parameters of semiconductor gas sensors based on samarium sulfide for semiconductor Fourier spectroscopy of volatile hydrocarbons contained in atmospheric air
Authors: Kazakov S A , Grevtsev M A , Khavrov G D , Solov’ev S M , Sharenkova N V , Kazanin M M , Kaminskii V V
Published: December 2019

The developed method of semiconductor gas Fourier spectroscopy is based on the relationship of the obtained calibration characteristics of the concentration sensors for volatile hydrocarbons contained in atmospheric air (in our case, it is methane and propane), with electrophysical parameters of the gas sensitive layers. The study used gas sensors based on samarium sulfide with reproducible and stable calibration characteristics. The working layers of hydrocarbon concentration sensors were obtained by two different methods: the explosive spraying method and the sol-gel coating technology. In this paper we present a system of equations that includes the main electrophysical characteristics of a gas-sensitive film which is solved by numerical methods. These equations reflect a unique relationship between the Debye screening length (Ld
), film thickness (d), Fermi level (EF
), concentration of impurity levels (Nd
), dielectric constant of the medium (ε), crystal lattice constant (a), and mobility of the main charge carriers (μ) with the observed data on the change in the conductivity of thin films of samarium sulfide in the processes of adsorption of methane and propane molecules on their surface. In the present work, we obtained the first calculated data of such parameters for the current prototype images of gas sensors of methane and propane.
Theoretical methods for definition of the emission area of multi-tip cathodes and their experimental validation
Authors: Popov E O , Kolosko A G , Filippov S V , Poniaev S A
Published: December 2019

The processing of the current-voltage characteristics (IVC) taken from multi-tip field emitters (LAFEs) requires a streamlined and objective processing method for obtaining the main emission parameters. This paper considers different approaches for determining the effective emission surface. Methods for determining the area are applied to the analysis of experimental IVCs for single-walled (SW) and multi-walled (MW) LAFEs. The dependence of the effective emission area on the applied voltage was confirmed.
Temperature regimes of drained and natural peatlands in arid and water-logged years
Authors: Kiselev M V , Voropay N N , Dyukarev E A , Preis Yu I
Published: December 2019

The results of a study of temperature regimes of oligotrophic bog ecosystems in the south taiga zone of Western Siberia in 2011-2018 are presented. Soil temperature regimes are studied using an atmospheric-soil measuring complex at several depths from the surface to 320 cm. Waterlogged (excessive moisture) and arid years are determined by calculating the aridity index of Ped (S). The years with most severe hydrothermal conditions over the past 10 years have been found to be 2012 and 2018. In 2012, a drought is observed from April to July, with extreme aridity in June (S = 4.07), and a severe drought in July (S = 3.42). It has been found that the native treed bog in a wet year warms up much more than in a dry year. On average, the temperature values are higher by 1.5°C for all depths. On average, the drained bog is colder than the natural one at depths up to 80 cm by 4.0°C, and at depths of 120 to 240 cm by 2.5°C. The maximum temperature differences of the native bog during the warm period of a waterlogged (excessive moisture) year are 8.0°C (at a depth of 60 cm) and, at depths from 80 to 240 cm they are reduced from 5.0 to 2.5°C. The maximum differences of the native bog in the waterlogged (excessive moisture) 2018 and dry 2012 in the warm period at a depth of 60 cm are 8.0-9.0°C, and from 80 to 240 cm they are reduced from 6.0 to 1.5°C.
Modeling of near-surface flows over an aeolian relief
Authors: Malinovskaya E A , Chkhetiani O G
Published: December 2019

As a result of interaction of an air flow with the elements of an aeolian relief, the character of the flow changes. It affects both the conditions of dust blowing from the surface and the surface shape itself. A model is developed for the formation of the windward slope under the influence of wind. It makes it possible to estimate the dynamic speed when moving up the windward slope on the basis of data on height and movement of the dunes. The coefficient of linear change in the dynamic velocity and its decrease with increasing structure are obtained. This property is probably due to a change in the nature of the flow and circulation at the surface. To study such problems, dome methods are applied to simulate the air flow near a complex 3D surface using the open OpenFOAM package with a 4-level spatial grid. A technology is also proposed for converting the digital terrain data into a format understandable to mathematical packages for modelling of air flow around a 3D object. Based on the simulation results, the coefficient of linear change in the dynamic velocity for aeolian structures with a height of about 100 m has been calculated, which generally corresponds to values obtained from theoretical estimates and real data on changes in height and movement of dunes.
Calculating scheme of ground freezing depth on the basis of data on seasonal snowfall deposition, snow cower accumulation and temperature variation
Authors: Frolov D
Published: December 2019

Soil thermal regime remains today an insufficiently studied field of environmental computing science. For the determination of the influence of air-temperature and snow cover thickness absolute values and dynamics on the ground freezing depth, and the development of root systems of trees and plants, a calculating scheme on the basis of data on seasonal snowfall deposition, snow cover accumulation, and temperature variation is considered. The calculating scheme is based on a three-layer media heat conduction problem (snow cover, frozen and thawed ground) with phase transition on the boundary between frozen and unfrozen grounds. The heat balance equation includes phase transition energy, inflow of heat from the unfrozen ground and outflow to the frozen ground, snow cover and the atmosphere. The heat flux is calculated on the basis of the Fourier law as the product of heat conductivity and temperature gradient. It is supposed that the temperature changes in each of the media linearly. An assumption is also made that snow cover consists of different layers deposited by different snowfalls and having different structure, density, and heat conductivity depending on its density. The density and heat conductivity of each layer and the whole thickness of snow cover are determined, a regional stratigraphic column for snow cover is compiled, and the ground freezing intensity and freezing depth are calculated. A comparison of the calculated and observed values of ground freezing depth for Narayan-Mar is performed, and a correlation of 0.76-0.77 is obtained.
An experimental study of atmospheric turbulence characteristics in an urban canyon
Authors: Pashkin A D , Repina I A , Stepanenko V M , Bogomolov V Y , Smirnov S V , Telminov A E
Published: December 2019

This article presents the first results of an experimental study of turbulent heat exchange between a surface surrounded by buildings and the atmospheric boundary layer. Heat and momentum fluxes are measured at three levels in the first part of the experiment and three points in the second part of the experiment by an eddy covariance (EC) technique. The presence of wind-shear effects is supported in our measurements by the fact that the momentum flux increases with height from the surface. The sensible heat flux increases with height in the daytime. The distributions of the dimensionless proportionality coefficients between the third and second moments thus obtained indicate the presence of coherent structures in the surface layer.
Inverse problems for the study of climatic and ecological processes under anthropogenic influences
Authors: Penenko V V , Tsvetova E A
Published: December 2019

This paper presents a description of algorithms for solving direct and inverse climatic and environmental problems based on a variational principle with weak constraints. The initial first-order system is supplemented by a system of equations in variations. It provides a calculation of all necessary components of the modeling system by combining the model and observation data and including first- and second-order functionals of sensitivity to variations in the model parameters, input data, and observation results.
Elements of software package for “cloud” analysis of the environment and climate change
Authors: Okladnikov I G , Gordov E P , Ryazanova A A , Titov A G
Published: December 2019

The architecture and new basic components of an information and computing software package are presented. It is based on a software framework dedicated to carrying out scientific research related to statistical processing and analysis of spatial geophysical data archives obtained from observations and modelling. To create the package, experience in the development of some information-computational web GISs for processing of large amounts of spatial data has been used. The basic components of this complex are represented by several procedures for searching, sampling, and processing of spatial data arrays, as well as by elements of a graphical user interface. The flexible structure of the computing unit of this software complex provides a possibility of operative expansion of its functionality by using additional procedures for mathematical and statistical analysis, processing, and graphical representation of the results in the form of graphs, diagrams, and plots on maps of the territory of interest.
Spatial distribution of extreme wind speeds over Sakhalin Island based on observations and high-resolution modelling data
Authors: Platonov Vladimir , Kislov Alexander
Published: December 2019

An analysis of extreme wind speeds over Sakhalin region shows that a set of wind speed extremes obtained from observations is a mixture of two different subsets, each of them neatly described by a Weibull distribution. The empirical tail of the pdf diverges from a linearized Weibull model, indicating that another model could fit the most extreme wind speed data better. Each of these subsets is characterized by parameters k and A, regarded as coefficient and free terms of the linear Weibull model, these samples are labelled BSs and Ds. The Ds are responsible for the strongest extremes. Mesoscale modelling is used to investigate a possibility of the models to reproduce these statistical features. A detailed hydrodynamic simulation of major meteorological parameters (1985 – 2014) has been performed for the Sea of Okhotsk and Sakhalin Island with horizontal resolutions of ~13.2, ~6.6, and ~2.2 km by using a regional climate model, COSMO-CLM. This dataset is utilized for an investigation of the statistical structure of extreme wind speeds. First, it is shown that a model with a detailed spatial resolution is able to reproduce the statistical structure in general, and a special mechanism is responsible for the generation of the largest of wind extremes. However, a model with a resolution of ~13,2 km could not reproduce some essential parts of the wind speed maximum’ statistical properties, underestimating the parameters k and A of Ds Weibull distribution significantly. This gap could be covered by using a higher resolution, as well as by areal estimation techniques and many others.
Organic matter of floodplain lakes in the middle courses of the Ob River during the winter low-water season and the spring flood
Authors: Kolesnichenko L G , Lutova E S , Borilo L P , Vorobiev S N , Prokushkin A S , Kolesnichenko Iu Ya , Raudina T V , Rozhkova-Timina I O , Yasnova A S , Pokrovsky O S
Published: December 2019

The features of the organic matter composition of the lake waters of the Ob River floodplain in the winter low-water and the spring flood periods were investigated. It is shown that the organic matter of the studied lakes is significantly different from the organic matter of the Ob water. In the winter low-water season, floodplain lakes accumulate a large amount of organic aromatic allochotic substances, and in the flood there are changes in the composition of organic matter
Evidence That Implementation Intentions Enhance Cognitive Training and Reduce Alcohol Consumption in Heavy Drinkers: A Randomized Trial
Authors: Mcgrath Elly , Armitage Chris J , Mckie Shane , Millar Tim , Ab-Ghani Asmuni , Elliott Rebecaa
Published: December 2019

Background

Current training tasks to improve the cognitive deficits thought to be involved in sustained heavy drinking need further investigation to optimize their effectiveness.

Purpose

The present study investigated whether combining implementation intention provision with a cognitive training task had a measurable effect on alcohol consumption in heavy drinkers and explored the neural mechanisms underpinning any reductions in subsequent alcohol consumption.

Methods

Thirty-two heavy-drinking participants completed approach-avoidance and visual probe training tasks preintervention and postintervention during functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Participants in the intervention group were randomized to form implementation intentions and participants in the control condition read a goal intention. Alcohol consumption was recorded preintervention and at 1 month follow-up.

Results

Compared to the control group, implementation intention provision significantly improved performance on alcohol-avoidance tasks postintervention, t(30) = −2.315, p = .028, d = .85, and reduced alcohol consumption by 6.9 units/week (1 unit = 10 mL or 8 g ethanol), F(1,30) = 4.263, p = .048 (d = .74), at follow-up. However, the analysis of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging data revealed no significant differences between groups.

Conclusions

These findings show for the first time that implementation intentions targeting cognitive processes can significantly reduce alcohol consumption among heavy drinkers. However, there was no evidence that the effects were mediated by changes in neural activity. Further work is required to explore the neural mechanisms underpinning the operation of implementation intentions.

Trial Registration

This trial was registered (ISRCTN:35503634) and is available at https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN35503634.
Adaptive Treatment Strategies With Survival Outcomes: An Application to the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Using a Large Observational Database
Authors: Simoneau Gabrielle , Moodie Erica E M , Azoulay Laurent , Platt Robert W
Published: December 2019

Sequences of treatments that adapt to a patient’s changing condition over time are often needed for the management of chronic diseases. An adaptive treatment strategy (ATS) consists of personalized treatment rules to be applied through the course of a disease that input the patient’s characteristics at the time of decision-making and output a recommended treatment. An optimal ATS is the sequence of tailored treatments that yields the best clinical outcome for patients sharing similar characteristics. Methods for estimating optimal adaptive treatment strategies, which must disentangle short- and long-term treatment effects, can be theoretically involved and hard to explain to clinicians, especially when the outcome to be optimized is a survival time subject to right-censoring. In this paper, we describe dynamic weighted survival modeling, a method for estimating an optimal ATS with survival outcomes. Using data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, a large primary-care database, we illustrate how it can answer an important clinical question about the treatment of type 2 diabetes. We identify an ATS pertaining to which drug add-ons to recommend when metformin in monotherapy does not achieve the therapeutic goals.
ΔNp63α is a super enhancer-enriched master factor controlling the basal-to-luminal differentiation transcriptional program and gene regulatory networks in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Cai Jing , Chen Shengnan , Yi Mei , Tan Yixin , Peng Qian , Ban Yuanyuan , Yang Jianbo , Li Xiaoling , Zeng Zhaoyang , Xiong Wei , McCarthy James B , Li Guiyuan , Li Xiayu , Xiang Bo
Published: December 2019

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) originates via malignant transformation of the pseudostratified nasopharyngeal epithelium, composed of basal and luminal cells. Super enhancers (SEs) are large clusters of cis-elements involved in the regulation of gene expression through epigenetic regulatory mechanisms. In this study, we demonstrated that basal cell-specific proteins are highly expressed, whereas luminal cell proteins are downregulated in NPC, implying a perturbation of basal-to-luminal differentiation during NPC development. We characterized NPC cell models according to different molecular signatures associated with their differentiation status and found that distinct SE landscapes are tightly associated with basal or luminal-like molecular signatures in NPC cells. Furthermore, the transcription of ΔNP63α, a prominent isoform of TP63, was found to be driven by SEs in NPC cells. Data from chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-sequencing showed that ΔNP63α largely occupied regions of SEs associated with basal cell-specific genes. Silencing of ΔNP63α led to a loss of H3K27ac occupancy at basal-type SEs and triggered a basal-to-luminal gene expression signature switch, suggesting that ΔNP63α is a master factor contributing to the perturbation of luminal differentiation. Integrative transcriptomics analysis also revealed that ΔNP63α acts as a core factor involved in the dysregulation of gene expression in NPC. Furthermore, ΔNP63α enhanced EGF-stimulated NF-κB activation in NPC cells by activating SE-mediated EGFR transcription. Finally, depletion of ΔNP63α in NPC cells induced robust growth inhibition of NPC cells in vitro and in vivo. Our data revealed that ΔNP63α-dependent SE reprogramming contributes to the blockade of luminal differentiation and uncontrolled proliferation in NPC.
Distributed Readiness Citizenship: A Realistic, Normative Concept for Citizens’ Public Connection
Authors: Moe Hallvard
Published: December 2019

This article argues that our view of citizens as miserably failing to maintain their role in democracy is problematic, and that the problems stem from the “informed citizen” ideal: it is too demanding, but also misses the target. The article proposes an alternative normative concept for citizens’ public connection: distributed readiness citizenship. The concept highlights how the state of being prepared to act is more important than levels of measurable political knowledge. Readiness is crucial to finding enough information and relevant cues, and it cannot be assessed based on individual citizens in isolation, but should be considered as distributed, and embodied in citizens’ social networks, with a division of labor. With such a conceptualization, we are better equipped to evaluate existing conditions, judge the impact of populism and propaganda, and figure out how to improve the chances for those less well-off to participate in democracy.
The Constitution of Organization as Informational Individuation
Authors: Bencherki Nicolas , Iliadis Andrew
Published: December 2019

Communication scholars, especially in organizational communication, call for a constitutive approach to communication that considers communicating and organizing as a single process. Yet, current theorizing seems unable to embrace that equivalence. As an alternative, we present an informationally grounded view of communication, drawing from French philosopher Gilbert Simondon. Doing so, we extend scholarship on the communicative constitution of organization by highlighting the importance of framing communication in the context of informational individuation. Following a critical summary of constitutive communication theories, we provide a brief exegesis of Simondon’s concepts of individuation and transduction, which bind information and communication, and contribute four propositions to guide informationally grounded work on the constitutive power of communication. We then emphasize how a Simondonian view contributes to discussions on the communicating-organizing equation. We end by providing a brief empirical example and analysis, using key takeaways from a Simondonian framework, and offer areas for further discussion.
Host tree organ is the primary driver of endophytic fungal community structure in a hemiboreal forest
Authors: Küngas Kati , Bahram Mohammad , Põldmaa Kadri
Published: December 2019

Despite numerous studies on plant endophytes, little is known about fungal communities associated with different aboveground tissues of living trees. We used high-throughput sequencing to compare the diversity and community structure of fungi inhabiting leaves, branches and trunks of Alnus incana and Corylus avellana growing at three hemiboreal forest sites. Our analysis revealed that tree organs are the main determinants of the structure of fungal communities, whereas the effects of host species and locality remained secondary and negligible, respectively. The structure of fungal communities in trunks was the most distinct compared to that in leaves and branches. The foliar fungal communities were more similar within than between individual trees, implying that certain fungi may grow through parts of the tree crown. The weak effect of locality compared to host organs and species identity suggests that the structural variation of fungal communities in the aboveground parts of trees depends mainly on deterministic factors rather than dispersal limitation.
Gastrointestinal adverse events associated with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy
Authors: Rajha Eva , Chaftari Patrick , Kamal Mona , Maamari Julian , Chaftari Christopher , Yeung Sai-Ching Jim
Published: December 2019

Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors has revolutionized cancer therapy and is now the standard treatment for several different types of cancer, supported by favorable outcomes and good tolerance. However, it is linked to multiple immune manifestations, referred to as immune-related adverse events (irAEs). These adverse events frequently affect the skin, colon, endocrine glands, lungs, and liver. The gastrointestinal system is one of the most commonly affected organ systems and is responsible for the most frequent emergency visits resulting from irAEs. However, because immune checkpoint inhibitors are a recent addition to our arsenal of cancer drugs, many health-care providers remain unfamiliar with the management of irAEs. Gastroenterologists involved in the treatment of oncology patients who have received checkpoint inhibitors are currently encountering cases of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and other nonspecific symptoms that may be challenging to manage. This article reviews the gastrointestinal, hepatic, and pancreatic toxicities of checkpoint inhibitors and provides an approach to their diagnosis and recommended workup. It also highlights the management of irAEs according to their toxicity grading and specifically discusses the instances in which corticosteroids should be administered and/or the immune checkpoint inhibitors should be withheld.
An Annotated Draft Genome of the Mountain Hare (Lepus timidus)
Authors: Marques João P , Seixas Fernando A , Farelo Liliana , Callahan Colin M , Good Jeffrey M , Montgomery W Ian , Reid Neil , Alves Paulo C , Boursot Pierre , Melo-Ferreira José
Published: December 2019

Hares (genus Lepus) provide clear examples of repeated and often massive introgressive hybridization and striking local adaptations. Genomic studies on this group have so far relied on comparisons to the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) reference genome. Here, we report the first de novo draft reference genome for a hare species, the mountain hare (Lepus timidus), and evaluate the efficacy of whole-genome re-sequencing analyses using the new reference versus using the rabbit reference genome. The genome was assembled using the ALLPATHS-LG protocol with a combination of overlapping pair and mate-pair Illumina sequencing (77x coverage). The assembly contained 32,294 scaffolds with a total length of 2.7 Gb and a scaffold N50 of 3.4 Mb. Re-scaffolding based on the rabbit reference reduced the total number of scaffolds to 4,205 with a scaffold N50 of 194 Mb. A correspondence was found between 22 of these hare scaffolds and the rabbit chromosomes, based on gene content and direct alignment. We annotated 24,578 protein coding genes by combining ab-initio predictions, homology search, and transcriptome data, of which 683 were solely derived from hare-specific transcriptome data. The hare reference genome is therefore a new resource to discover and investigate hare-specific variation. Similar estimates of heterozygosity and inferred demographic history profiles were obtained when mapping hare whole-genome re-sequencing data to the new hare draft genome or to alternative references based on the rabbit genome. Our results validate previous reference-based strategies and suggest that the chromosome-scale hare draft genome should enable chromosome-wide analyses and genome scans on hares.
The Urn and the Swastika: Recording Death in the Nazi Camp System*
Authors: Lambertz Jan
Published: December 2019

Why did Nazi concentration camps routinely send death notifications and even cremation urns to families of dead prisoners, including Jewish prisoners, until well into the war years? This article challenges the assumption that these practices served solely to provide reassurance that the prisoners had died under ‘normal’ circumstances. In the case of Jewish prisoners, urns sent home for burial to families in the Reich were part and parcel of a system of intimidation waged through local Gestapo offices. These urns also illuminate changing practices around prisoner deaths within camps themselves and the dissonant character of Nazi camp organization. On the one hand, camp administrators adhered to long-standing German state practices, establishing civil registries on camp premises to record prisoner deaths. On the other hand, they flouted bureaucratic norms, fabricating the causes of prisoner death on a grand scale and using bureaucratic procedures to veil the gross mistreatment of inmates. In many camps, prisoner labour was forced to help manufacture and uphold this imperfect subterfuge. These histories point to one of the few places in which the death of Jewish prisoners in the Nazi detention system was systematically recorded and conveyed back to families and Jewish communities in the Reich. Yet, paradoxically, the ‘processing’ of death in the major concentration camps was in many respects untrustworthy, and intimidation now also hovered over what had been a credible, neutral civil procedure.
Orthostatic Hypotension and Novel Blood Pressure Associated Gene Variants in Older Adults: Data From the TILDA Study
Authors: Laird Eamon , O’halloran Aisling M , Fedorowski Artur , Melander Olle , Hever Ann , Sjögren Marketa , Carey Daniel , Kenny Rose Anne
Published: December 2019

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is associated with increased risk of trauma and cardiovascular events. Recent studies have identified new genetic variants that influence orthostatic blood pressure (BP). The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of candidate gene loci with orthostatic BP responses in older adults. A total of 3,430 participants aged ≥50 years from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) with BP measures and genetic data from 12 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) linked to BP responses were analyzed. Orthostatic BP responses were recorded at each 10 s interval and were defined as OH (SBP drop ≥20 mmHg or DBP drop ≥10 mmHg) at the time-points 40, 90, and 110 s. We defined sustained OH (SOH) as a drop that exceeded consensus BP thresholds for OH at 40, 90, and 110 s after standing. Logistic regression analyses modeled associations between the candidate SNP alleles and OH. We report no significant associations between OH and measured SNPs after correction for multiple comparisons apart from the SNP rs5068 where proportion of the minor allele was significantly different between cases and controls for SOH 40 (p = .002). After adjustment for covariates in a logistic regression, those with the minor G allele (compared to the A allele) had a decreased incidence rate ratio (IRR) for SOH 40 (IRR 0.45, p = .001, 95% CI 0.29–0.72). Only one SNP linked with increased natriuretic peptide concentrations was associated with OH. These results suggest that genetic variants may have a weak impact on OH but needs verification in other population studies.
Meta-Analyzing Apples and Oranges: How to Make Applesauce Instead of Fruit Salad
Authors: Carpenter Christopher J
Published: December 2019

This essay attempts to describe the apples and oranges problem in meta-analyses. Essentially, some meta-analyses combine original studies of various variables that are not the same pairs of variables. Metaphorically, they meta-analyze the effects of fruit when they should conduct separate meta-analyses of apples and oranges. This practice is inconsistent with the assumptions behind the meta-analytic formulae concerning sampling error and makes meta-analytic estimates difficult to interpret. Meta-analysis teams are advised to justify their choices and types of evidence are described to assist researchers and reviewers in assessing and justifying when constructs can and cannot be combined together in a meta-analysis.
Sociocultural attitudes toward appearance and body shape dissatisfaction in adolescent Egyptian females: association and moderators
Authors: Eshak Ehab Salah , Ghazawy Eman Ramadan , Mohammed Eman Sameh
Published: December 2019

Body image dissatisfaction is considered a predicting and maintaining factor of a variety of prevalent health problems. This study aimed to assess the influences of sociocultural factors and body mass index (BMI) on body dissatisfaction among university female students. This is a cross-sectional study. It included 1408 adolescent Egyptian females chosen randomly from Minia University students who answered the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ-4), Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Questionnaire in the period from June to July, 2018. In addition, their BMI was measured. Around one third of the students had major concerns about their body shape. BMI was the strongest predictor for dissatisfaction with body image (Standardized β = 0.31; p-value: <0.00018). Both total and pressure subscales scores of SATAQ-4 were also significant explanatory variables. Pressures from the family were a strong predictor among urban students, peer pressures among rural students, and both family and peer pressures among students with low self-esteem. This study supported the associations of BMI and sociocultural influences with body image. Residence and self-esteem modified the level of sociocultural influences. Family literacy training and social support for students with low self-esteem are suggested preventive tools of eating and body image disturbances.