bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Mediterranean Diet in Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Tourk Fatima
Published: March 2020

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that negatively affects memory and other cognitive abilities, including language and maintaining one’s orientation. Eventually, one’s ability to function cognitively or physically ceases altogether. The Mediterranean diet is characterized by large amounts of fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and a lack of red meat. Such a diet is most often consumed near areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea and has been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease. This correlation is crucial to study as there is no current effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Understanding what can prevent this disease is important for public health, as well as helping us identify the causes of the disease, which aid in creating effective treatments in the future. In this paper, research on the link between the Mediterranean diet and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease as one ages will be examined. Evidence shows that people who follow the Mediterranean diet have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s as they grow older. Research indicates that this is due to the polyphenols in olive oil—a staple in the Mediterranean diet—and the general heart and body health that the diet promotes. This healthy diet also reduces obesity, which is linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. In the future, more effort should be put into impeding the development of Alzheimer’s disease, which could potentially be done using knowledge of which populations are at risk, critical biomarkers of the disease, and preventative measures like the Mediterranean diet.
Using high density EEG to assess TMS treatment in patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Marcu Sara , Pegolo Elena , Ívarsson Eysteinn , Jónasson Aron D. , Jónasson Viktor D. , Aubonnet Romain , Gargiulo Paolo , Banea Ovidiu Constantin
Published: March 2020

We present preliminary results from the ongoing study entitled “Icelandic AVH-TMS” which aim is to study the effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment for patients with schizophrenia and with persistent auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) using symptoms and psychometric scales and high-density EEG system (256 channels). The aim of the present work was to describe cortical topography of the auditory evoked responses like P50 and N100-P300 complex in healthy participants and patients with schizophrenia and to define a robust methodology of signal quantification using dense-array EEG. Preliminary data is shown for three healthy participants and three patients in baseline conditions and for two patients we show the results recorded before and after 10 days rTMS treatment. Our results show differences in sensory gating (P50 suppresion) and a stronger N100-P300 response to rare audio stimulus after the treatment. Moreover we show the value of assessing brain electrical activity from high-density EEG (256 channels) analyzing the results in different regions of interest. However, it is premature and hazardous to assume that rTMS treatment effectiveness in patients with AVH can be assessed using P50 suppression ratio.
Respiratory physiotherapy in patients with COVID-19 infection in acute setting: a Position Paper of the Italian Association of Respiratory Physiotherapists (ARIR)
Authors: Lazzeri Marta , Lanza Andrea , Bellini Raffaella , Bellofiore Angela , Cecchetto Simone , Colombo Alessia , D'Abrosca Francesco , Del Monaco Cesare , Gaudellio Giuseppe , Paneroni Mara , Privitera Emilia , Retucci Mariangela , Rossi Veronica , Santambrogio Martina , Sommariva Maurizio , Frigerio Pamela
Published: March 2020

Respiratory physiotherapy in patients with COVID-19 infection in acute setting: a Position Paper of the Italian Association of Respiratory Physiotherapists (ARIR)

On February 2020, Italy, especially the northern regions, was hit by an epidemic of the new SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus that spread from China between December 2019 and January 2020. The entire healthcare system had to respond promptly in a very short time to an exponential growth of the number of subjects affected by COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) with the need of semi-intensive and intensive care units.
Sampling bias in reptile occurrence data for the Kruger National Park
Authors: Barends Jody M. , Pietersen Darren W. , Zambatis Guinevere , Tye Donovan R.C. , Maritz Bryan
Published: March 2020

o effectively conserve and manage species, it is important to (1) understand how they are spatially distributed across the globe at both broad and fine spatial resolutions and (2) elucidate the determinants of these distributions. However, information pertaining to the distributions of many species remains poor as occurrence data are often scarce or collected with varying motivations, making the resulting patterns susceptible to sampling bias. Exacerbating an already limited quantity of occurrence data with an assortment of biases hinders their effectiveness for research, thus making it important to identify and understand the biases present within species occurrence data sets. We quantitatively assessed occurrence records of 126 reptile species occurring in the Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa, to quantify the severity of sampling bias within this data set. We collated a data set of 7118 occurrence records from museum, literature and citizen science sources and analysed these at a biologically relevant spatial resolution of 1 km × 1 km. As a result of logistical challenges associated with sampling in KNP, approximately 92% of KNP is data deficient for reptile occurrences at the 1 km × 1 km resolution. Additionally, the spatial coverage of available occurrences varied at species and family levels, and the majority of occurrence records were strongly associated with publicly accessible human infrastructure. Furthermore, we found that sampled areas within KNP were not necessarily ecologically representative of KNP as a whole, suggesting that areas of unique environmental space remain to be sampled. Our findings highlight the need for substantially greater sampling effort for reptiles across KNP and emphasise the need to carefully consider the sampling biases within existing data should these be used for conservation management decision-making. Modelling species distributions could potentially serve as a short-term solution, but a concomitant increase in surveys across the park is needed.Conservation implications: The sampling biases present within KNP reptile occurrence data inhibit the inference of fine-scale species distributions within and across the park, which limits the usage of these data towards meaningfully informing conservation management decisions as applicable to reptile species in KNP.
Healthcare workers’ perceptions and experiences of implementing voluntary medical male circumcision in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Nxumalo Celenkosini T. , Mchunu Gugu G.
Published: March 2020

Background: Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) is an effective HIV prevention strategy prioritized by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for regions of high HIV prevalence, South Africa (SA) and in particular KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is one of such regions. Since the roll out of VMMC in 2010 there has been little research conducted on the implementation of this service. Existing studies on the uptake of VMMC have mainly focused on service users resulting in a paucity of data on health care workers perspectives on the intervention.Aim: To analyse health care workers’ perceptions and experiences of implementing voluntary medical male circumcision in KZN, SA.Setting: The study took place at six different health districts and their six respective rural clinics in the KZN province of SA.Methods: A qualitative approach using a phenomenographic design was employed. Data were collected from a sample of 18 participants comprising of health care providers (n = 12) and health policy makers (n = 6). Individual, face-to-face interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. An audiotape was used to record the data, which were transcribed verbatim and then analysed using a step-wise phenomenographic data analysis procedure.Results: Participants reported that VMMC was implemented by the department of health with support from non-governmental organisations and private general practitioners. Negative perceptions and negative experiences regarding VMMC and implementation were reported.Conclusion: The implementation of VMMC is compromised due to poor preparation and training of healthcare workers for implementing the service. Addressing health care workers’ needs for training and preparation is crucial for successful implementation of VMMC.
Adenovirus-associated intussusception in a child
Authors: Reinhard Heidi , Rose Gary , Ladd Vanessa , Kahwash Samir
Published: March 2020

Intestinal intussusception is one of the most common causes of acute abdominal emergencies in children under 2 years of age. We herein describe a case of adenovirus associated small intestinal intussusception in a 5-month-old boy. A brief review on triggers of intussusception in children is provided. Thorough gross and microscopic inspections of resected intussusception specimens are recommended to diagnose subtle predisposing triggers such as viral infections.
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, the sirtuins, and the secret of a long health span
Authors: Anaizi Nasr
Published: March 2020

The sirtuins constitute a family of proteins with broad enzymatic activities that have an absolute requirement for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) as a cosubstrate. Evidence has been mounting over the past 15 years or so that implicates the sirtuins in a vast array of critical cellular functions. In addition to transcription silencing and DNA repair, these functions include the regulation of ion channels, neuronal functions, cell growth, circadian rhythm, inflammatory response, mitochondrial biogenesis, insulin secretion, fat oxidation, and glucose metabolism. The sirtuins are critical for maintaining mitochondrial health, energy homeostasis, and redox balance. The sirtuins are widely believed to be behind the extension of lifespan brought about by calorie restriction and fasting. Changes in sirtuins activities have been linked to most age-related pathologies including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). NAD+ is familiar to students of biological chemistry as an enzyme cofactor whose presence is essential for the progress of hundreds of vital biochemical reactions. This compound is present in virtually all living organisms. Simply put, without NAD+, life as we know it would not exist. The progress of these reactions requires the cleavage of NAD+, whose intracellular levels are known to decline steadily with age. This decline and its negative impact on the activities of these enzymes and on metabolism in general are implicated in the development of metabolic and age-linked diseases. Therefore, maintaining high intracellular NAD+ levels throughout life may not only extend the lifespan but is likely to extend the health span as well. In this paper I review how the intracellular pool of NAD+ is maintained and summarize the functions and regulation of sirtuins activities.
Physical and chemical attributes of soil on gully erosion in the Atlantic forest biome
Authors: Gomes João Henrique Gaia , Pereira Marcos Gervasio , Francelino Márcio Rocha , Larangeira João Pedro Bessa
Published: March 2020

Soil is a fundamental natural resource for subsistence and development of humanity, exploited mainly for agriculture. Agricultural practices, though, are improperly performed, compromising edaphic conditions and favoring erosive processes, which mainly culminate in the loss of soil and nutrients. Water erosion represents the main form of soil degradation, given that the impact of raindrops on the soil results in the detachment of particles, a process favored by factors such as climate, relief, soil vegetation and use and occupation. The objective of the study was to classify four gullies based on their evolutionary turns and to judge the physical-chemical classifications of the soil at the internal and external faces of the gullies. The morphology of the gullies was classified by aerial images generated by drones. The gullies were mapped using Google Earth images from 2016. The qualitative assessment was performed using the digital field-elevation curvature (MDESC) model with field validation. Deformed samples were collected at depths of 0-10 and 10-20 cm, while non-deformed samples were collected at depths of 0.0-0.10 cm to evaluate their chemical and physical attributes. A nonparametric 5% Kruskal-Wallis statistical analysis was performed on the resulting data. The chemical and physical attributes of the soil differed according to the evolutionary stage of the surfaces (internal and external) at depths of 0 to 10 cm, while the faces showed differences in depth of 10 to 20 cm.
Microstructural and Corrosion Resistance of Lean Duplex Stainless Steel UNS S32304 Welded by SAW with Cold Wire Addition
Authors: Ferreira dos Santos Neice , Esteves Luiza , Nery Garcia João Henrique , Júnior Ronaldo Cardoso , Modenesi Paulo José , Pereira da Silva Brunela , Aoki Idalina Vieira , Reis da Costa Campos Wagner
Published: March 2020

The results of the corrosion tests, in chloride environment, of lean duplex stainless steel UNS S32304 welded by submerged arc welding (SAW) process variant with cold wire, indicated that the sample with higher heat input heat input (HI) (2.7 kJ/mm) had higher corrosion resistance, which can be explained by higher amount of austenite and lower amount of precipitates. Therefore, the results indicate that the use of HI above the limit recommended by literature (2.5 kJ/mm) may produce welds with adequate corrosion resistance with SAW with cold wire addition, because this technique has the potential to deliver higher productivity still controlling the process HI.
The hyperdominant tropical tree Eschweilera coriacea (Lecythidaceae) shows higher genetic heterogeneity than sympatric Eschweilera species in French Guiana
Authors: Heuertz Myriam , Caron Henri , Scotti-Saintagne Caroline , Pétronelli Pascal , Engel Julien , Tysklind Niklas , Miloudi Sana , Gaiotto Fernanda A. , Chave Jérôme , Molino Jean-François , Sabatier Daniel , Loureiro João , Budde Katharina B.
Published: March 2020

Background and aims – The evolutionary history of Amazonia’s hyperabundant tropical tree species, also known as “hyperdominant” species, remains poorly investigated. We assessed whether the hyperdominant Eschweilera coriacea (DC.) S.A.Mori (Lecythidaceae) represents a single genetically cohesive species, and how its genetic constitution relates to other species from the same clade with which it occurs sympatrically in French Guiana.Methods – We sampled 152 individuals in nine forest sites in French Guiana, representing 11 species of the genus Eschweilera all belonging to the Parvifolia clade, with emphasis on E. coriacea. Samples were genotyped at four simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. We delimited gene pools, i.e., genetically coherent putative taxa, using STRUCTURE software and principal component analysis. We compared the genetic assignment of individuals with their morphological species determination and estimated genetic diversity and differentiation for gene pools and species. We also estimated genome size using flow cytometry.Key results – SSR profiles commonly displayed up to four alleles per genotype, suggesting that the investigated Eschweilera species bear a paleopolyploid signature. Flow cytometry suggested that the studied species are diploid with haploid genome sizes of 871–1046 Mbp. We detected five gene pools and observed a good correspondence between morphological and genetic delimitation for Eschweilera sagotiana Miers and the undescribed morphospecies E. sp. 3 (which resembles E. grandiflora (Aubl.) Sandwith), and to a lesser extent for E. decolorans Sandwith and E. micrantha (O.Berg) Miers. Eschweilera coriacea was the most genetically diverse species and included individuals assigned to each gene pool. Conclusions – We found no conclusive evidence for cryptic species within E. coriacea in French Guiana. SSRs detected fewer gene pools than expected based on morphology in the Parvifolia clade but discriminated evolutionary relationships better than available plastid markers. A positive trend between demographic abundance of species and allelic richness illustrates that hyperdominants may have a high evolutionary potential. This hypothesis can be tested using more powerful genomic data in combination with tree phenotypic trait variation and characterization of niche breadth, to enhance our understanding of the causes of hyperdominance in Amazonian trees.
Deconvolution of boundary layer depth and aerosol constraints on cloud water path in subtropical stratocumulus decks
Authors: Possner Anna , Eastman Ryan , Bender Frida , Glassmeier Franziska
Published: March 2020

Abstract. The liquid water path (LWP) adjustment due to aerosol–cloud interactions in marine stratocumulus remains a considerable source of uncertainty for climate sensitivity estimates. An unequivocal attribution of LWP adjustments to changes in aerosol concentration from climatology remains difficult due to the considerable covariance between meteorological conditions alongside changes in aerosol concentrations. We utilise the susceptibility framework to quantify the potential change in LWP adjustment with boundary layer (BL) depth in subtropical marine stratocumulus. We show that the LWP susceptibility, i.e. the relative change in LWP scaled by the relative change in cloud droplet number concentration, in marine BLs triples in magnitude from −0.1 to −0.31 as the BL deepens from 300 to 1200 m and deeper. We further find deep BLs to be underrepresented in pollution tracks, process modelling, and in situ studies of aerosol–cloud interactions in marine stratocumulus. Susceptibility estimates based on these approaches are skewed towards shallow BLs of moderate LWP susceptibility. Therefore, extrapolating LWP susceptibility estimates from shallow BLs to the entire cloud climatology may underestimate the true LWP adjustment within subtropical stratocumulus and thus overestimate the effective aerosol radiative forcing in this region. Meanwhile, LWP susceptibility estimates in deep BLs remain poorly constrained. While susceptibility estimates in shallow BLs are found to be consistent with process modelling studies, they overestimate pollution track estimates.
Characterising mass-resolved mixing state of black carbon in Beijing using a morphology-independent measurement method
Authors: Yu Chenjie , Liu Dantong , Broda Kurtis , Joshi Rutambhara , Olfert Jason , Sun Yele , Fu Pingqing , Coe Hugh , Allan James D.
Published: March 2020

Abstract. Refractory black carbon (rBC) in the atmosphere is known
for its significant impacts on climate. The relationship between the
microphysical and optical properties of rBC remains poorly understood and is
influenced by its size and mixing state. Mixing state also influences its
cloud scavenging potential and thus atmospheric lifetime. This study
presents a coupling of a centrifugal particle mass analyser (CPMA) and a
single-particle soot photometer (SP2) for the morphology-independent
quantification of the mixing state of rBC-containing particles, used in the
urban site of Beijing as part of the Air Pollution and Human Health–Beijing
(APHH-Beijing) project during winter (10 November–10 December 2016)
and summer (18 May–25 June 2017). This represents a highly
dynamic polluted environment with a wide variety of conditions that could be
considered representative of megacity area sources in Asia. An inversion
method (used for the first time on atmospheric aerosols) is applied to the
measurements to present two-variable distributions of both rBC mass and
total mass of rBC-containing particles and calculate the mass-resolved
mixing state of rBC-containing particles, using previously published
metrics. The mass ratio between non-rBC material and rBC material (MR) is
calculated to determine the thickness of a hypothetical coating if the rBC
and other material followed a concentric sphere model (the equivalent
coating thickness). The bulk MR (MRbulk) was found to vary
between 2 and 12 in winter and between 2 and 3 in summer. This mass-resolved mixing
state is used to derive the mass-weighted mixing state index for the
rBC-containing particles (χrBC). χrBC
quantifies how uniformly the non-rBC material is distributed across the
rBC-containing-particle population, with 100 % representing uniform
mixing. The χrBC in Beijing varied between 55 % and
70 % in winter depending on the dominant air masses, and χrBC was highly correlated with increased MRbulk and
PM1 mass concentration in winter, whereas χrBC in
summer varied significantly (ranging 60 %–75 %) within the
narrowly distributed MRbulk and was found to be independent
of air mass sources. In some model treatments, it is assumed that more
atmospheric ageing causes the BC to tend towards a more homogeneous mixture,
but this leads to the conclusion that the MRbulk may only
act as a predictor of χrBC in winter. The particle
morphology-independent and mass-based information on BC mixing used in this
and future studies can be applied to mixing-state-aware models investigating
atmospheric rBC ageing.
Evaluation of UV Aerosol Retrievals from an Ozone Lidar
Authors: Kuang Shi , Wang Bo , Newchurch Michael J. , Tucker Paula , Eloranta Edwin W. , Garcia Joseph P. , Razenkov Ilya , Sullivan John T. , Berkoff Timothy A. , Gronoff Guillaume , Lei Liqiao , Senff Christoph J. , Langford Andrew O. , Leblanc Thierry , Natraj Vijay
Published: March 2020

Abstract. Aerosol retrieval using ozone lidars in the ultraviolet (UV) band is challenging but necessary for correcting aerosol interference in ozone retrieval and for studying the ozone-aerosol correlations. This study describes the aerosol retrieval algorithm for a tropospheric ozone lidar, quantifies the retrieval error budget, and intercompares the aerosol retrieval products at 299 nm with those at 532 nm from a high spectral resolution lidar (HSRL). After the cloud-contaminated data is filtered out, the aerosol backscatter or extinction coefficients at a 30-m and 10-min resolution retrieved by the ozone lidar are highly correlated with the HSRL products, with a coefficient of 0.95 suggesting that the ozone lidar can reliably measure aerosol structures with high spatio-temporal resolution when the signal-to-noise ratio is sufficient. The actual uncertainties of the aerosol retrieval from the ozone lidar generally agree with our theoretical analysis. The backscatter color ratio (backscatter-related exponent of wavelength dependence) linking the coincident data measured by the two instruments at 299 and 532 nm is 1.34 ± 0.11 while the Ångström (extinction-related) exponent is 1.49 ± 0.16 for a mixture of urban and fire smoke aerosols within the troposphere above Huntsville, AL, USA.
Winter hydrometeorological extreme events modulated by large-scale atmospheric circulation in southern Ontario
Authors: Champagne Olivier , Leduc Martin , Coulibaly Paulin , Arain M. Altaf
Published: March 2020

Abstract. Extreme events are widely studied across the world because of their major implications for many aspects of society and especially floods. These events are generally studied in terms of precipitation or temperature extreme indices that are often not adapted for regions affected by floods caused by snowmelt. The rain on snow index has been widely used, but it neglects rain-only events which are expected to be more frequent in the future. In this study, we identified a new winter compound index and assessed how large-scale atmospheric circulation controls the past and future evolution of these events in the Great Lakes region. The future evolution of this index was projected using temperature and precipitation
from the Canadian Regional Climate Model large ensemble (CRCM5-LE). These
climate data were used as input in Precipitation Runoff Modelling System (PRMS) hydrological model to simulate the
future evolution of high flows in three watersheds in southern Ontario. We
also used five recurrent large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns in
north-eastern North America and identified how they control the past and
future variability of the newly created index and high flows. The results
show that daily precipitation higher than 10 mm and temperature higher than 5 ∘C were necessary historical conditions to produce high flows in these three watersheds. In the historical period, the occurrences of these heavy rain and warm events as well as high flows were associated with two main patterns characterized by high Z500 anomalies centred on eastern Great Lakes (HP regime) and the Atlantic Ocean (South regime). These hydrometeorological extreme events will still be associated with the same atmospheric patterns in the near future. The future evolution of the index will be modulated by the internal variability of the climate system, as higher Z500 on the east coast will amplify the increase in the number of
events, especially the warm events. The relationship between the extreme
weather index and high flows will be modified in the future as the snowpack
reduces and rain becomes the main component of high-flow generation. This
study shows the value of the CRCM5-LE dataset in simulating hydrometeorological extreme events in eastern Canada and better
understanding the uncertainties associated with internal variability of climate.
Research and Application of an Inner Thrust Measurement System for Rock and Soil Masses based On OFDR
Authors: Liu Yimin , Wang Chenghu , Wang Pu , Zhou Hao
Published: March 2020

Abstract. For measuring internal stresses in rock and soil masses, specifically on unstable slopes, the fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) methods based on fiber sensing technology have disadvantages such as low spatial resolution, low measurement accuracy, and non-distributed measurements. This paper presents a quasi-distributed thrust measurement system based on an optical frequency domain reflectometer (OFDR). First, the optical fiber stress sensing head was designed based on the micro-bending effect of the optical fiber, the cubic spline interpolation method was then used to compensate for the nonlinear effects of the OFDR stress sensing system, the compensation effects of different software methods were compared and analyzed simultaneously, which significantly improved the resolution and spatial-positioning capabilities of the OFDR sensing system, and error calibration was then performed through laboratory experiments of lateral stress. The test results showed that the OFDR sensing system achieved a spatial resolution of 20 cm using a 500 m test fiber (the resolution of an OTDR sensing system is generally approximately 1 m), the maximum measurement pressure can reach 1.059 MPa and the maximum relative error is 8.9 %. Finally, the field engineering application was carried out in the Chenjiagou landslide in Fengjie County, Chongqing City, Three Gorges Dam, China. The application results showed that the system can accurately locate six fiber optic micro-bending stress sensors installed within the landslide body over a range of 0 ~ 420 m and can obtain the pressure values of their lateral thrusts. This system is a quasi-distributed stress monitoring instrument that provides long measurement distances, high spatial resolutions, high sensitivities, and fast responses that can be used for unstable slopes, slope engineering, water conservation and hydropower dams, and tunnel chambers, and thus, has good engineering application prospects in the safety monitoring field.
Diverging hydrological drought traits over Europe with global warming
Authors: Cammalleri Carmelo , Naumann Gustavo , Mentaschi Lorenzo , Bisselink Bernard , Gelati Emiliano , De Roo Ad , Feyen Luc
Published: March 2020

Abstract. Climate change is anticipated to alter the demand and supply of water at the earth's surface. Since many societal impacts from a lack of water happen under drought conditions, it is important to understand how droughts may develop with climate change. This study shows how hydrological droughts will change across Europe with increasing global warming levels (GWL of 1.5, 2 and 3 K above preindustrial temperature). We employ a low-flow index derived from river discharge simulations of a spatially-distributed physically-based hydrological and water use model, which was forced with a large ensemble of regional climate model projections under a high emissions (RCP8.5) and moderate mitigation (RCP4.5) pathway. Different traits of drought, including severity, duration and frequency, were investigated. The projected changes in these treats identify four main sub-regions in Europe that are characterized by somehow homogeneous and distinct behaviours with a clear southwest/northeast contrast. The Mediterranean and Boreal sub-regions of Europe show strong, but opposite, changes at all three GWLs, with the former area mostly interested by stronger droughts (with larger differences at 3 K) while the latter sees a reduction in droughts. In the Atlantic and Continental sub-regions the changes are less marked and characterized by a larger uncertainty, especially at the 1.5 and 2 K GWLs. Combining the projections in drought hazard with population and agricultural information shows that with 3 K global warming an additional 11 million people and 4.5 million ha of agricultural land will be exposed to droughts every year, on average. These are mostly located in the Mediterranean and Atlantic regions of Europe.
GRACE constraints on Earth rheology of the Barents Sea and Fennoscandia
Authors: Rovira-Navarro Marc , van der Wal Wouter , Barletta Valentina R. , Root Bart C. , Sandberg Sørensen Louise
Published: March 2020

Abstract. The Barents Sea is situated on a continental margin and was home to a large ice sheet at the Last Glacial Maximum. Studying the solid Earth response to the removal of this ice sheet (glacial isostatic adjustment; GIA) can give insight into the subsurface rheology of this region. However, because the region is currently covered by ocean, uplift measurements from the center of the former ice sheet are not available. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) gravity data have been shown to be able to constrain GIA. Here we analyze GRACE data for the period 2003–2015 in the Barents Sea and use the data to constrain GIA models for the region. We study the effect of uncertainty in non-tidal ocean mass models that are used to correct GRACE data and find that it should be taken into account when studying solid Earth signals in oceanic areas from GRACE. We compare GRACE-derived gravity disturbance rates with GIA model predictions for different ice deglaciation chronologies of the last glacial cycle and find that best-fitting models have an upper mantle viscosity equal or higher than 3×1020 Pa s. Following a similar procedure for Fennoscandia we find that the preferred upper mantle viscosity there is a factor 2 larger than in the Barents Sea for a range of lithospheric thickness values. This factor is shown to be consistent with the ratio of viscosities derived for both regions from global seismic models. The viscosity difference can serve as constraint for geodynamic models of the area.
Automatic controller tuning using a zeroth-order optimization algorithm
Authors: Zalkind Daniel S. , Dall'Anese Emilano , Pao Lucy Y.
Published: March 2020

Abstract. We develop an automated controller tuning procedure for wind turbines that uses the results of nonlinear, aeroelastic simulations to arrive at an optimal solution. Using a zeroth-order optimization algorithm, simulations using controllers with randomly generated parameters are used to estimate the gradient and converge to an optimal set of those parameters. We use kriging to visualize the design space and estimate the uncertainty, providing a level of confidence in the result. The procedure is applied to three problems in wind turbine control. First, the below-rated torque control is optimized for power capture. Next, the parameters of a proportional-integral blade pitch controller are optimized to minimize structural loads with a constraint on the maximum generator speed; the procedure is tested on rotors from 40 to 400 m in diameter and compared with the results of a grid search optimization. Finally, we present an algorithm that uses a series of parameter optimizations to tune the lookup table for the minimum pitch setting of the above-rated pitch controller, considering peak loads and power capture. Using experience gained from the applications, we present a generalized design procedure and guidelines for implementing similar automated controller tuning tasks.
Intergenerational influences of hunger and community violence on the Aboriginal people of Western Australia: A review
Authors: Robertson Francesca , Coall David , McAullay Dan , Nannup Alison
Published: March 2020

There is a consensus in the literature that hunger and community violence inaugurates adverse health impacts for survivors and for their descendants. The studied cohorts do not include Western Australian Aboriginal people, although many experienced violence and famine conditions as late as the 1970s. This article describes the pathways and intergenerational impacts of studied cohorts and applies these to the contemporary Western Australian context. The authors found that the intergenerational impacts, compounded by linguistic trauma, may be a contributor to current health issues experienced by Aboriginal people, but these are also contributing to the resurgence in population numbers.
Indigenous Reconciliation: Why, What, and How
Authors: Datta Ranjan
Published: March 2020

Although a great number of academic researchers have introduced reconciliation in their work, they have not explained what it means from Indigenous perspectives. How do we need to understand and practise it in oureveryday practice? Why should we all, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, practise land-based and antiracist learning—as a system of reciprocal social relations and ethical practices—as a framework for reconciliation? This article initiates these transdisciplinary questions that challenge not only our static science and social science mindsets, but also the responsibilities for reconciliation, including building respectful relationships with Indigenous people, respecting Indigenous treaties, taking actions to decolonise our ways of knowing and acting, learning the role of colonised education processes, and protecting Indigenous land and environment rights.
Deposit Insurance and Bank Risks in Vietnam
Authors: Chi Pham Thi , Binh Dao Thanh
Published: March 2020

The relationship between deposit insurance and banking risks has been widely studied, but has been the subject of relatively few empirical studies, especially for Vietnamese banking system. This research aims to explore the effect of deposit insurance on banks’ risk taking in Vietnam. The paper employs 7 bank specific variables and 2 macroeconomic variables, as well the premium paid by banks as variables for the regression models used. The results suggest that deposit insurance does impact banks’ risk taking incentive but it has different effects on each type of risk. It is concluded that credit, default and leverage risk are found to have a negative relationship with deposit insurance, while leverage and deposit insurance have a positive relationship, which may help banks and supervisors in their decision for the deposit risk premium. This paper contributes to the existing literature by help to understand the impact of deposit insurance on banks risk taking behavior in Vietnamese banks.
The relationship between dividend policy and firm value within Qatari banks
Authors: Alenazi Huda , Barbour Bernard
Published: March 2020

Dividend policy refers to the policy pertaining to the amount paid to shareholders of a company from the total financial budget as a return on their investment. This amount varies depending on the interest of shareholders, cash flow requirements of the company, and many other factors. Dividend policy can affect firm value due to its impact on the cash flow of the company. In this study, the first of its kind in Qatar, we investigated the effect of dividend policy on the firm value of Qatari banks in Qatar Stock Exchange. For this purpose, five banks (Qatar National Bank (QNB), Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), Masraf Al-Rayan Bank (MARB), International Bank of Qatar (IBQ), and Commercial Bank of Qatar (CBQ)) were selected to find the significance of the correlation between dividend policy and firm value. The study was conducted in three distinct phases. The first phase included the quantitative analysis of the financial parameters of the five selected Qatari banks in which information about their recent five-year (2013–2017) dividend payments and firm values was obtained from their annual financial reports. Then, regression analysis was conducted in SPSS Statistics software. The second phase included the qualitative assessment of the results obtained from the first phase. To support this phase with expertise feedback, a director and a senior official were invited from two banks that showed a significant correlation in their financial parameters of dividend payments and firm values. They were asked about their policies to strengthen the firm value while keeping the interest of shareholders. The third phase included a detailed investigation of the results obtained from both the quantitative and qualitative studies, and the findings were compared with those reported previously in the literature. The research findings suggest that dividend policy has a very strong positive correlation for MARB, a strong positive correlation for QIB, a negative correlation for CBQ, and an irrelevant correlation for QNB and IBQ.
Interacción entre el hongo endofítico Fusarium oxysporum cepa 162 y la bacteria endofítica Rhizobium etli cepa G12
Authors: Martinuz Alfonso
Published: March 2020

Las cepas de Fusarium no patogénicas son importantes para la producción de cultivos, ya que algunos de ellos han mostrado un efecto de inducción de resistencia en las plantas colonizadas, predisponiendo el sistema inmune de las plantas a defenderse contra el ataque de plagas y enfermedades. Las bacterias endofíticas son aisladas de los tejidos internos de las plantas, siendo un grupo importante las rhizobacterias. Estudios han demostrado que la inoculación de estas bacterias en diferentes cultivos disminuyó la intensidad de enfermedades causadas por patógenos del suelo, resultando en la promoción de crecimiento y salud de las plantas. Sin embargo, la variabilidad en el nivel de control biológico de las plagas y enfermedades, asociadas a la aplicación simultanea de microorganismos endofíticos, es considerado como un factor limitante al usar agentes antagonistas para la protección de cultivos. En este contexto, la presente investigación evaluó la interacción entre los endofíticos Fusarium oxysporum Fo162 y Rizobium etli G12 al aplicarlos simultáneamente en experimentos in vitro e in vivo. Los resultados indicaron que la bacteria causó una reducción significativa en el crecimiento radial del hongo, así como en su capacidad de colonización radicular. Lo anterior, sugiere que es necesario evaluar la compatibilidad entre microorganismos benéficos, antes de utilizarlos en inoculaciones simultaneas como parte de una estrategia de control biológico.
Optimization of Distribution of the Fund of Evaluative Means When Forming the Universal Educational Actions
Authors: T.Yu. Novgorodtseva , N.A. Pegasova , E.N. Ivanova , I.A. Nikiforova , A.A. Azarenko
Published: March 2020

The actuality of this research is determined by the acceptance of standards where a new sense of a concept “educational results” is given. Thus, a necessity to evaluate subject, cross-curriculum and personal results of students appears. The ways to evaluate the level of organization of the universal educational actions are reflected in the educational programs on each subject and in the programs of extracurricular activities. The FEM are worked out to monitor and check students’ educational achievements with the requirements of the basic educational program in accordance with the requirements of standards.
QUANTIFYING THE EFFECTS OF EPOXY REPAIR OF REINFORCED CONCRETE PLASTIC HINGES
Authors: Marder Kai J. , Elwood Kenneth J , Motter Christopher J. , Clifton G. Charles
Published: March 2020

Modern reinforced concrete structures are typically designed to form plastic hinges during strong earthquakes. In post-earthquake situations, repair of moderate plastic hinging damage can be undertaken by filling the crack system with epoxy resin and reconstituting spalled cover concrete. This study uses available experimental test data, including three large-scale ductile beams tested by the authors, to investigate the effects of epoxy repair on the structural behaviour of plastic hinges, with a focus on beam elements. Factors that have been neglected in past studies, including the effects of residual deformations at the time of repair, are given special attention. It is found that epoxy-repaired plastic hinges can exhibit different behaviour from identical undamaged components in terms of stiffness, strength, deformation capacity, and axial elongation. Potential explanations for the observed differences in behaviour are given, and recommendations are made for how these differences can be quantified in order to relate the expected response of an epoxy-repaired plastic hinge to the response that would be calculated for an identical undamaged component.
Enhancement of College English Teachers’ Information Literacy in Information Environment
Authors: Gu Yinghua
Published: March 2020

The 21st century is an era of knowledge and information. Modern science and technology based on information technology has inspired profound changes in the world, including college education. Information literacy is an intrinsic element that often plays an important role in teaching and school management. In the information age, how to improve college teachers’ information literacy has become a major issue in the development of college education. This paper focuses on the study of college English teachers’ information literacy. It first studies the basic connotation of information literacy of college teachers which covers information awareness, information knowledge, and information ability. Then this paper takes college English teachers in North China Electric Power University as the research object, and adopts questionnaire survey and literature research to analyze the current situation of the information literacy of college English teachers. Based on the analysis of the basic connotation of teachers’ information literacy, and the current situation of college English teachers’ information literacy, this paper puts forward three strategies for improving college English teachers’ information literacy: enhancing college English teachers’ self-development consciousness, making use of group dynamics, and perfecting modern information technology training system.
The Predictive Validity of Admission Criteria for College Assignment in Saudi Universities: King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences Experience
Authors: Alkushi Abdulmohsen , Althewini Abdulaziz
Published: March 2020

Admission criteria can be used to predict Saudi student performance in college, but significant differences across several studies exists. This study explores the predictive power of admission criteria for college assignment using King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences as a model. Scores from high school and standardized tests were collected for 1,595 students. Data were analyzed with multinomial logistic and multivariate linear regression. A formula was generated to determine student college assignment based on their admission criteria profile. The results showed that all admission criteria were significant predictors of college assignment but accounted for only 21.1% of the variance. Based on the results of this study, admission criteria may not be reliable predictors of college assignment on their own, and additional criteria for measuring student success are needed.
Um modelo para monitoramento de sinais vitais do coração baseado em ciência da situação e computação ubíqua
Authors: Da Rocha Cristofe , Da Costa Cristiano , Righi Rodrigo
Published: March 2020

Pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca e sem acompanhamento médico diário podem ter os sinais fisiológicos do coração comprometidos, causando graves problemas de saúde. Este cenário recorrente diminui a qualidade de vida do paciente resultando em readmissões hospitalares, onerando assim o sistema de saúde. Considera-se que o emprego de cuidados ubíquos, usando sensores e wearables, pode melhorar este processo reduzindo o número de readmissões hospitalares. Nesse âmbito, esse trabalho propõe o modelo UbHeart que emprega ciência da situação para identificar possíveis problemas cardíacos. Como contribuição científica o modelo prove o monitoramento da evolução da degradação dos sinais vitais do coração do paciente, através da detecção de possíveis situações de complicação cardíaca. Foram utilizados parâmetros de saúde estabelecidos pela sociedade brasileira de cardiologia. A avaliação do UbHeart foi realizada utilizando dois cenários de uso e apresentou resultados satisfatórios durante a análise.
Projetando uma Solução de Segurança Baseada em Computação Vestível para Ambientes Ferroviários
Authors: Ferreira Bruno , Serejo Gerson , Ferreira Mylena , Ferreira Danilo , Cardoso Leonardo , Yoshidome Ewelton , Arruda Helder , Lira Wallace , Pessin Gustavo , Souza Cleidson
Published: March 2020

Ferrovias provêm um meio de transporte considerado eficiente, mas que não são isentas de riscos na sua manutenção. O ambiente ferroviário também está sujeito a extremos climáticos, como altas temperaturas, sol constante, chuvas e vento. Além disso, por percorrer diversas áreas sem cobertura de redes telefônicas, a comunicação entre trens e pessoas, por meio de uma central, é inviável. Desta forma, o desenvolvimento de soluções tecnológicas para aumentar a segurança dos empregados que atuam na manutenção ferroviária é um interessante problema de pesquisa a ser considerado. é justamente neste contexto que este trabalho se enquadra ao descrever uma solução baseada em componentes vestíveis para a segurança dos empregados que atuam na manutenção ferroviária. Este artigo descreve os desafios que precisaram ser considerados para o design da solução proposta considerando aspectos de usabilidade relacionados com a percepção das pessoas aos alertas tácteis, visuais e sonoros. Além disto, a proposta de solução e a avaliação de dispositivos de comunicação a fim de permitir independência de provedores de redes de dados mantendo o sistema funcional por toda a ferrovia também é descrita.
An Investigation on the Perception of Users of Social Entertainment Networks
Authors: Alexandre Tielle , Viterbo José
Published: March 2020

In social entertainment networks, comments and user tips are used to support other users in choosing a location from among the available options. Thus, these systems rely on user engagement to aggregate a broad and diverse set of views. A low level of engagement means that tips and comments become outdated over time and are not representative of the current features of the services offered. The objective of this work is to investigate the perception of users of social entertainment networks on the opinions and opinions published and to identify the level of user engagement through the analysis of their interactions. To do this, we used an online questionnaire to capture the perceptions of users about the use of this type of applications.