bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low‐cost solution in international robotic challenge: Lessons learned by Tuscany Robotics Team at ERL Emergency Robots 2017
Authors: Limosani Raffaele , Manzi Alessandro , Faggiani Alessandro , Bianchi Matteo , Pagliai Marco , Ridolfi Alessandro , Allotta Benedetto , Dario Paolo , Cavallo Filippo
Published: December 2018

European Robotics League (ERL) Emergency Robots is an outdoor robotics contest focusing on multidomain emergency response scenarios. In this context, the deployed robots are expected to fulfill land, underwater, and flying cooperative tasks which emulate real‐world situations inspired by the 2011 Fukushima accident.

Participation of the Tuscany Robotics Team at ERL Emergency Robots 2017 was deeply affected by damage to (and resulting unavailability of) the unmanned ground vehicle to be used in the competition. This damage occurred 3 days before the challenge. An entirely new working mobile platform was built from scratch using a low‐cost chassis. It was able to compete with the other participants in the challenge and achieved various tasks ( of the tasks completed by the best performer).

The paper provides a complete description of the work carried out and the system used during the competition. The development was based on low‐cost solutions, in particular:

Adoption of open‐hardware and
open‐software technology, providing cheap and fast‐prototyping solutions.

Use of smartphones, allowing sophisticated sensors to be exploited in an affordable way.

Employment of Cloud infrastructures, to reduce the computational burden of offloading heavy processes.

Results of this experience represent a concrete demonstration, showing that even low‐cost solutions can achieve complex tasks, such as those required for the European robotic competition. The presented lessons learned aim to provide guidelines useful for reacting to unexpected events. Finally, the team was honored with the Creativity Award “for building a land robot from scratch in less than 2 days when their ground platform broke.”
Calculation method of corona loss in EHV/UHV system based on distributed parameter characteristic
Authors: Pan Wenxia , Li Yi , Chen Xin
Published: December 2018

For the calculation of corona loss of extra‐/ultra‐high voltage (EHV/UHV) transmission lines, especially the estimation of real‐time corona loss, there exists no accurate method. In this paper, a calculation method of corona loss in the EHV/UHV system based on a distributed parameter characteristic is proposed. Based on the π‐shaped equivalent circuit of the long‐line distributed parameter characteristic, and considering the voltage distribution along the line, a formula for calculating the corona loss under a variety of weather and annual average conditions is derived and the power equation for the corona loss of EHV/UHV system is established by the method. The example results show that the method is quite accurate. The calculation method of this paper can consider different weather conditions of the line sections to calculate the corona loss. It is more in line with the actual weather conditions on the surface of the EHV/UHV transmission lines. And the method can analyze the corona loss and its proportion to the total loss of the system under the annual average and different weather conditions. It is of great significance to the design and operation of an EHV/UHV system. © 2018 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
S2S reboot: An argument for greater inclusion of machine learning in subseasonal to seasonal forecasts
Authors: Cohen Judah , Coumou Dim , Hwang Jessica , Mackey Lester , Orenstein Paulo , Totz Sonja , Tziperman Eli
Published: December 2018

The discipline of seasonal climate prediction began as an exercise in simple statistical techniques. However, today the large government forecast centers almost exclusively rely on complex fully coupled dynamical forecast systems for their subseasonal to seasonal (S2S) predictions while statistical techniques are mostly neglected and those techniques still in use have not been updated in decades. In this Opinion Article, we argue that new statistical techniques mostly developed outside the field of climate science, collectively referred to as machine learning, can be adopted by climate forecasters to increase the accuracy of S2S predictions. We present an example of where unsupervised learning demonstrates higher accuracy in a seasonal prediction than the state‐of‐the‐art dynamical systems. We also summarize some relevant machine learning methods that are most applicable to climate prediction. Finally, we show by comparing real‐time dynamical model forecasts with observations from winter 2017/2018 that dynamical model forecasts are almost entirely insensitive to polar vortex (PV) variability and the impact on sensible weather. Instead, statistical forecasts more accurately predicted the resultant sensible weather from a mid‐winter PV disruption than the dynamical forecasts. The important implication from the poor dynamical forecasts is that if Arctic change influences mid‐latitude weather through PV variability, then the ability of dynamical models to demonstrate the existence of such a pathway is compromised. We conclude by suggesting that S2S prediction will be most beneficial to the public by incorporating mixed or a hybrid of dynamical forecasts and updated statistical techniques such as machine learning.

This article is categorized under:

Climate Models and Modeling > Knowledge Generation with Models
Industrial IoT cross‐layer forensic investigation
Authors: Rondeau Christopher M. , Temple Michael A. , Lopez Juan
Published: December 2018

Cross‐layer forensic investigation is addressed for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) device attacks in Critical Infrastructure (CI) applications. The operational motivation for cross‐layer investigation is provided by the desire to directly correlate bit‐level network anomaly detection with physical layer (PHY) device connectivity and/or status (normal, defective, attacked, etc.) at the time of attack. The technical motivation for developing cross‐layer techniques is motivated by (a) having considerable capability in place for Higher‐Layer Digital Forensic Information exploitation—real‐time network cyberattack and postattack analysis, (b) having considerably less capability in place for Lowest‐Layer PHY Forensic Information exploitation—the PHY domain remains largely under exploited, and (c) considering cyber‐physical integration as a means to jointly exploit higher‐layer digital and lowest‐layer PHY forensic information to maximize investigative benefit in IIoT cyber forensics. A delineation of higher‐layer digital and lowest‐layer PHY elements is provided for the standard network Open Systems Interconnection model and the specific Perdue Enterprise Reference Architecture commonly used in IIoT Industrial Control System/Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition applications. A forensics work summary is provided for each delineated area based on selected representative publications and provides the basis for presenting the envisioned cross‐layer forensic investigation.

This article is categorized under:

Digital and Multimedia Science > Cyber Threat Intelligence

Digital and Multimedia Science > IoT Forensics
Prolonged ovarian acyclicity is associated with a higher likelihood of developing hyperprolactinemia in zoo female African elephants
Authors: Prado Natalia A. , Paris Stephen W. , Brown Janine L.
Published: December 2018

Hyperprolactinemia is a common disorder of the hypothalamic‐pituitary axis, and a cause of ovarian dysfunction in women. Currently, over half of non‐cycling African elephant females in North America also are hyperprolactinemic, suggesting a similar link between these two conditions may exist. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between acyclicity and prolactin status by comparing mean prolactin concentrations of bi‐weekly samples collected over a 1‐year period in 2012 with 20 years of historical weekly progestagen data to assess cyclicity. Females were categorized as: 1) non‐cycling with an average prolactin concentration of 15 ng/ml or greater (HIGH;n = 17); 2) non‐cycling with an average prolactin concentration below 15 ng/ml (LOW;n = 16); and 3) typical temporal patterns of progestagen and prolactin secretion (NORMAL;n = 45), and evaluated based on length of time (in years) they had experienced ovarian inactivity. Results showed that the majority of HIGH prolactin elephants had been acyclic for at least 5 years, and in a number of cases (n = 9) for over 10 years. By contrast, most of the LOW prolactin elephants had experienced acyclicity for less than 5 years. Finally, there was a positive association between duration of acyclicity and mean prolactin concentrations, with an increase in the likelihood of having higher prolactin concentrations the longer an individual was acyclic. This study highlights the importance of longitudinal hormonal datasets to examine temporal changes in biological functioning and better understand the etiology of infertility problems.
Lepton non-universality in B decays and fermion mass structure
Authors: Grinstein B. , Pokorski S. , Ross G. G.
Published: December 2018

Abstract

We consider the possibility that the neutral-current B anomalies are due to radiative corrections generated by Yukawa interactions of quarks and leptons with new vector-like quark and lepton electroweak doublets and new Standard Model singlet scalars. We show that the restricted interactions needed can result from an underlying Abelian family symmetry and that the same symmetry can give rise to an acceptable pattern of quark and charged lepton masses and mixings, providing a bridge between the non-universality observed in the B-sector and that of the fermion mass matrices. We construct two simple models, one with a single singlet scalar in which the flavour changing comes from quark and lepton mixing and one with an additional scalar in which the flavour changing can come from both fermion and scalar mixing. We show that for the case the new quarks are much heavier than the new leptons and scalars the B anomalies can be due to box diagrams with couplings in the perturbative regime consistent with the bounds coming from

$$ {B}_s-{\overline{B}}_s $$

B
s

−

B
¯

s

,

$$ K-\overline{K} $$

K
−

K
¯

and

$$ D-\overline{D} $$

D
−

D
¯

mixing as well as other lepton family number violating processes. The new states can be dark matter candidates and, in the two scalar model with a light scalar of O(60) GeV and vector-like lepton of O(100) GeV, there can be a simultaneous explanation of the B-anomalies, the muon anomalous magnetic moment and the dark matter abundance.
Benchmarking the Inert Doublet Model for e+e− colliders
Authors: Kalinowski Jan , Kotlarski Wojciech , Robens Tania , Sokołowska Dorota , Żarnecki Aleksander Filip
Published: December 2018

Abstract

We present benchmarks for the Inert Doublet Model, a Two Higgs Doublet Model with a dark matter candidate. They are consistent with current constraints on direct detection, including the most recent bounds from the XENON1T experiment and relic density of dark matter, as well as with known collider and low-energy limits. We focus on parameter choices that promise detectable signals at lepton colliders via pair-production of H
+
H
− and HA. For these we choose a large variety of benchmark points with different kinematic features, leading to distinctly different final states in order to cover the large variety of collider signatures that can result from the model.
Expanding universe and dynamical compactification using Yang-Mills instantons
Authors: Kim Kyung Kiu , Koh Seoktae , Yang Hyun Seok
Published: December 2018

Abstract

We consider an eight-dimensional Einstein-Yang-Mills theory to explore whether Yang-Mills instantons formed in extra dimensions can induce the dynamical instability of our four-dimensional spacetime. We show that the Yang-Mills instantons in extra dimensions can trigger the expansion of our universe in four-dimensional spacetime as well as the dynamical compactification of extra dimensions. We also discuss a possibility to realize a reheating mechanism via the quantum back-reaction from the contracting tiny internal space with a smeared instanton.
Forward Drell-Yan and backward jet production as a probe of the BFKL dynamics
Authors: Golec-Biernat Krzysztof , Motyka Leszek , Stebel Tomasz
Published: December 2018

Abstract

We propose a new process which probes the BFKL dynamics in the high energy proton-proton scattering, namely the forward Drell-Yan (DY) production accompanied by a backward jet, separated from the DY lepton pair by a large rapidity interval. The proposed process probes higher rapidity differences and smaller transverse momenta than in the Mueller-Navelet jet production. It also offers a possibility of measuring new observables like lepton angular distribution coefficients in the DY lepton pair plus jet production.
Semi-doubled gauged linear sigma model for five-branes of codimension two
Authors: Kimura Tetsuji , Sasaki Shin , Shiozawa Kenta
Published: December 2018

Abstract

We establish a double dualization in two-dimensional supersymmetric gauge theory. We construct a gauged linear sigma model (GLSM) which contains a complex twisted linear superfield coupled to two sets of Abelian vector superfields. In the IR regime, the GLSM provides a string sigma model whose target spaces are a defect NS5-brane, a Kaluza-Klein vortex and an exotic 5
2
2
-brane. All of them are five-branes of codimension two and are related by T-duality. This model is a natural extension of the GLSM proposed by Tong which gives a sigma model for an H-monopole, i.e., a smeared NS5-brane of codimension three. This is also regarded as an alternative system of the GLSM for exotic five-branes proposed by the present authors. In this analysis, we confirm that the T-duality transformation procedure in terms of the complex twisted linear superfield is applicable to dualize both the real and imaginary parts of the twisted chiral superfield even at the UV level, beyond the IR limit. This indicates that the T-duality transformations at finite gauge couplings can be performed in terms of reducible superfields in the same way as irreducible (twisted) chiral superfields. Furthermore, we study quantum vortex corrections to the GLSM at the UV level. In the IR limit, these corrections are mapped to string worldsheet instanton corrections to the five-branes of codimension two. The result completely agrees with those in double field theory analysis.
Charged scalars confronting neutrino mass and muon g − 2 anomaly
Authors: Chakrabarty Nabarun , Chiang Cheng-Wei , Ohata Takahiro , Tsumura Koji
Published: December 2018

Abstract

The present work introduces two possible extensions of the Standard Model Higgs sector. In the first case, the Zee-Babu type model for the generation of neutrino mass is augmented with a scalar triplet and additional singly charged scalar singlets. The second scenario, on the other hand, generalizes the Type-II seesaw model by replicating the number of the scalar triplets. A ℤ3 symmetry is imposed in case of both the scenarios, but, allowed to be violated by terms of mass dimension two and three for generating neutrino masses and mixings. We examine how the models so introduced can explain the experimental observation on the muon anomalous magnetic moment. We estimate the two-loop contribution to neutrino mass induced by the scalar triplet, in addition to what comes from the doubly charged singlet in the usual Zee-Babu framework, in the first model. On the other hand, the neutrino mass arises in the usual Type-II fashion in the second model. In addition, the role of the ℤ3 symmetry in suppressing lepton flavor violation is also elucidated.
Intestinal constipation in the elderly and associated factors – SABE Study
Authors: Gomes Sâmia , Duarte Yeda Aparecida de Oliveira , Santos Jair Licio Ferreira
Published: December 2018

Introduction Constipation is understood to be a chronic problem related to a multi-functional disorder that affects approximately 20% of the world population, and it is more prevalent in women and in the elderly.

Objective To measure the prevalence of intestinal constipation in elderly people living in São Paulo, as well as the factors associated with this condition.

Methods This was a cross-sectional study using the SABE study database (Health, Well-being and Ageing) from 2010 with a probabilistic sample of 1345 elderly people (≥ 60 years) living in São Paulo city, both male and female. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with intestinal constipation.

Results and conclusion The prevalence of intestinal constipation in older people is 14.23%. The associated factors were joint pain, osteoporosis, and use of laxatives; in women, associated factors were antidepressants and diuretics.
Timing of neoadjuvant therapy and surgical treatment in rectal cancer
Authors: Gouveia Manuel Campos de , Barbosa Laura Elisabete Ribeiro
Published: December 2018

Study objectives To evaluate the ideal timing between neoadjuvant therapy and surgical treatment of rectal cancer, as well as the influence on treatment outcomes.

Methods Using PubMed, a systematic literature search was made on the influence of surgery timing after chemoradiotherapy in treating rectal cancer.

Results and discussion A total of 34 articles published until April 2017 were analyzed. Nine of them were randomized clinical trials, one was a non-randomized trial, 23 were retrospective studies, and one was a meta-analysis. These studies compared treatment intervals varying between two and 19 weeks. Intervals of nine to 14 weeks showed increased tumor downstaging and higher rates of complete pathological response. These intervals shown safety for patients. Nonetheless, few studies showed differences in overall survival. The most used intervals between neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy are six to eight weeks. Despite that, intervals longer than these show potential benefits for patients without putting them at risk of disease progression. Studies evaluating the effect of overall survival and long-term recurrence are scarce.

Conclusion Programming surgery more than eight weeks after chemoradiotherapy seems preferable to the six to eight weeks most recently practiced, increasing tumor downstaging and having higher complete pathological response rates.
Potential clinical applications of circulating cell-free DNA in ovarian cancer patients
Authors: Barbosa Ana , Peixoto Ana , Pinto Pedro , Pinheiro Manuela , Teixeira Manuel R.
Published: December 2018

Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) consists of small fragments of DNA that circulate freely in the bloodstream. In cancer patients, a fraction of cfDNA is derived from tumour cells, therefore containing the same genetic and epigenetic alterations, and is termed circulating cell-free tumour DNA. The potential use of cfDNA, the so-called ‘liquid biopsy’, as a non-invasive cancer biomarker has recently received a lot of attention. The present review will focus on studies concerning the potential clinical applications of cfDNA in ovarian cancer patients.
Higher rank rigidity for Berwald spaces
Authors: WU WEISHENG
Published: December 2018

We generalize the higher rank rigidity theorem to a class of Finsler spaces, i.e. Berwald spaces. More precisely, we prove that a complete connected Berwald space of finite volume and bounded non-positive flag curvature with rank at least two whose universal cover is irreducible is a locally symmetric space or a locally Minkowski space.
Single-shot cross-correlator for pulse-contrast characterization of high peak-power lasers
Authors: Ma Jingui , Yuan Peng , Wang Jing , Xie Guoqiang , Zhu Heyuan , Qian Liejia
Published: December 2018

Pulse contrast is a crucial parameter of high peak-power lasers since the prepulse noise may disturb laser–plasma interactions. Contrast measurement is thus a prerequisite to tackle the contrast challenge in high peak-power lasers. This paper presents the progress review of single-shot cross-correlator (SSCC) for real-time contrast characterization. We begin with the key technologies that enable an SSCC to simultaneously possess high dynamic range ($10^{10}$), large temporal window (50–70 ps) and high fidelity. We also summarize the instrumentation of SSCC prototypes and their applications on five sets of petawatt laser facilities in China. Finally, we discuss how to extend contrast measurements from time domain to spatiotemporal domain. Real-time and high-dynamic-range contrast measurements, provided by SSCC, can not only characterize various complex noises in high peak-power lasers but also guide the system optimization.
Phase-space dynamics of opposition control in wall-bounded turbulent flows
Authors: Ibrahim Joseph I. , Yang Qiang , Doohan Patrick , Hwang Yongyun
Published: December 2018

We investigate the nonlinear phase-space dynamics of plane Couette flow and plane Poiseuille flow under the action of opposition control at low Reynolds numbers in domains close to the minimal unit. In Couette flow, the effect of the control is analysed by focussing on a pair of non-trivial equilibrium solutions. It is found that the control only slightly modifies the statistics, turbulent skin friction and phase-space projection of the lower-branch equilibrium solution, which, in this case, is in fact identical to the edge state. On the other hand, the upper-branch equilibrium solution and mean turbulent state are modified considerably when the control is applied. In phase space, they gradually approach the lower-branch equilibrium solution on increasing the control amplitude, and this results in an elevation of the critical Reynolds number at which the equilibrium solutions first occur via a saddle-node bifurcation. It is also found that the upper-branch equilibrium solution is stabilised by the control. In Poiseuille flow, we study an unstable periodic orbit on the edge state and find that it, too, is modified very little by opposition control. We again observe that the turbulent state gradually approaches the edge state in phase space as the control amplitude is increased. In both flows, we find that the control significantly reduces the fluctuating strength of the turbulent state in phase space. However, the reduced distance between the turbulent trajectory and the edge state yields a significant reduction in turbulence lifetimes for both Couette and Poiseuille flow. This demonstrates that opposition control greatly increases the probability of the trajectory escaping from the turbulent state, which takes the form of a chaotic saddle.
Culturable bacteria isolated from seven high-altitude ice cores on the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: LIU YONGQIN , PRISCU JOHN C. , YAO TANDONG , VICK-MAJORS TRISTA J. , MICHAUD ALEXANDER B. , SHENG LIANG
Published: December 2018

Microorganisms are the most abundant organisms on Earth, and microbial abundance records preserved in ice cores have been connected to records of environmental change. As an alternative to high resolution abundance records, which can be difficult to recover, we used culture-dependent and culture-independent methods to examine bacteria in glacier ice from the Tibetan Plateau (TP). We recovered a total of 887 bacterial isolates from ice cores of up to 164 m in depth retrieved from seven glaciers, located across the TP. These isolates were related to 53 genera in theActinobacteria,Firmicutes,Bacteroidetes, andProteobacteria, with 13 major genera accounting for 78% of isolates. Most of the genera were common across the geographic region covered by our sampling, but there were differences in the genera recovered from different depths in the ice, with the deepest portions of the ice cores dominated by a single genus (Sporosarcina). Because microorganisms deposited on glaciers must survive atmospheric transport under a range of temperatures, temperature tolerance should be an important survival mechanism. We tested isolate growth across a range of temperatures (0–35 °C), and found psychrotolerance to be common. Together, our results show that ice depth, and by extension age, are characterized by different types of microorganisms, providing new information about microbial records in ice.
School Engagement and Achievement in Sibling Pairs: Gender and Birth Order Matter
Authors: Troesch Larissa M. , Ledermann Thomas , Jones Joseph W. , Grob Alexander
Published: December 2018

School engagement has been shown to be a strong predictor for school achievement. Previous studies have focused on the role of individual and contextual factors to explain school achievement, with few examining the role of siblings. This study used data of 451 adolescent sibling pairs from the Iowa Youth and Families Project to investigate the associations between school engagement and achievement in siblings by considering gender composition and birth order. Data were collected in families’ home and obtained for a target child in the 7th grade and for a sibling within 4 years of age. Average age of younger siblings (55% female) was 11.56 (SD = 1.27), while older siblings (49% female) had an average age of 13.92 (SD = 1.47). Using the two-member, four-group actor-partner interdependence model (APIM), results showed that older siblings’ engagement was positively related with younger siblings’ achievement in same-gender sibling pairs, but not in sibling pairs of opposite gender. Younger siblings’ engagement was independent of older siblings’ achievement regardless of siblings’ gender. Implications for parents and professionals suggest that support for older siblings could also benefit younger siblings in same gender pairs.
In situ measurement of MWA primary beam variation using ORBCOMM
Authors: Line J. L. B. , McKinley B. , Rasti J. , Bhardwaj M. , Wayth R. B. , Webster R. L. , Ung D. , Emrich D. , Horsley L. , Beardsley A. , Crosse B. , Franzen T. M. O. , Gaensler B. M. , Johnston-Hollitt M. , Kaplan D. L. , Kenney D. , Morales M. F. , Pallot D. , Steele K. , Tingay S. J. , Trott C. M. , Walker M. , Williams A. , Wu C.
Published: December 2018

We provide the first in situ measurements of antenna element beam shapes of the Murchison Widefield Array. Most current processing pipelines use an assumed beam shape, which can cause absolute and relative flux density errors and polarisation ‘leakage’. Understanding the primary beam is then of paramount importance, especially for sensitive experiments such as a measurement of the 21-cm line from the epoch of reionisation, where the calibration requirements are so extreme that tile to tile beam variations may affect our ability to make a detection. Measuring the primary beam shape from visibilities is challenging, as multiple instrumental, atmospheric, and astrophysical factors contribute to uncertainties in the data. Building on the methods of Neben et al. [Radio Sci., 50, 614], we tap directly into the receiving elements of the telescope before any digitisation or correlation of the signal. Using ORBCOMM satellite passes we are able to produce all-sky maps for four separate tiles in the XX polarisation. We find good agreement with the beam model of Sokolowski et al. [2017, PASA, 34, e062], and clearly observe the effects of a missing dipole from a tile in one of our beam maps. We end by motivating and outlining additional on-site experiments.
Does Party Trump Ideology? Disentangling Party and Ideology in America
Authors: BARBER MICHAEL , POPE JEREMY C.
Published: December 2018

Are people conservative (liberal) because they are Republicans (Democrats)? Or is it the reverse: people are Republicans (Democrats) because they are conservatives (liberals)? Though much has been said about this long-standing question, it is difficult to test because the concepts are nearly impossible to disentangle in modern America. Ideology and partisanship are highly correlated, only growing more so over time. However, the election of President Trump presents a unique opportunity to disentangle party attachment from ideological commitment. Using a research design that employs actual “conservative” and “liberal” policy statements from President Trump, we find that low-knowledge respondents, strong Republicans, Trump-approving respondents, and self-described conservatives are the most likely to behave like party loyalists by accepting the Trump cue—in either a liberal or conservative direction. These results suggest that there are a large number of party loyalists in the United States, that their claims to being a self-defined conservative are suspect, and that group loyalty is the stronger motivator of opinion than are any ideological principles.
Flexural subsidence analysis of the Laxmi Basin, Arabian Sea and its tectonic implications
Authors: Pandey D. K. , Pandey Anju , Clift Peter D. , Nair Nisha , Ramesh Prerna , Kulhanek Denise K. , Yadav Rajeev
Published: December 2018

Two-dimensional flexural backstripping and thermal modelling (assuming laterally variable stretching) is applied along regional depth-converted interpreted seismic profiles from the Laxmi Basin in the Arabian Sea. Results from reverse post-rift flexural modelling reveal considerable basin-wide subsidence in response to the crustal geodynamics during and after the last extensional phase. Unloading of the stratigraphy allows us to estimate the degree of laterally varying extension, assuming thermal subsidence and pure shear. High degrees of extension in the basin centre predict considerable water depths at the time of rift cessation, consistent with deep drilling data. We suggest that regional extension prior to Paleocene time could have fuelled variable subsidence in the Laxmi Basin but that extension is less than seen in typical oceanic lithosphere. Volcanic loading by the seamounts shortly after extension has flexed the basin and implies an effective elastic thickness (Te) at that time of ∼6 km. Reconstruction of the seamount top near sea level at the end of emplacement indicates no major transient uplift potentially linked to the Deccan mantle plume activity. Backstripping of post-rift sediments from interpreted seismic profiles supports the presence of a hyper-thinned crust underneath the Laxmi Basin, with β factors reaching >7 in the basin centre and ∼3 across much of the basin width. Computations of decompacted sediment accumulation rates in light of new results from IODP Expedition 355 show that basin sedimentation peaked during early–middle Miocene time, possibly coeval with uplift and erosion of the Himalayan–Tibetan Plateau driven by strong summer monsoon rains.
Constructing Justice: The Selective Use of Scripture in Formulating Early Jewish Accounts of the Courts
Authors: Flatto David C.
Published: December 2018

Elaborate depictions of the court system in Second Temple and rabbinic literature signify its centrality for the Jewish legal tradition. Rather than offering positivistic descriptions, these representations are better thought of as templates of how to organize justice. While historically less informative, they are vivid expressions of the early Jewish legal imagination and its fascinating fixation on the architecture of justice.

A measure of the ahistoric quality of early accounts of judicial administration is their considerable exegetical strata. This article surveys how four seminal Second Temple and rabbinic works constructed accounts of the judiciary on the foundation of Scripture. The variances among them unfold from decisive hermeneutical choices, beginning with the threshold question of which among several, internally inconsistent, biblical sources to select as a base text. What animates these various choices, in turn, are competing conceptions of the origin and nature of legal authority within a religious tradition that enshrines the role of law.
Surgical histoanatomy for adduction arytenopexy using injection laryngoplasty
Authors: Sato K , Chitose S , Sato F , Umeno H
Published: December 2018

Background

In order to improve a large posterior glottal gap and/or aspiration, injections of augmentation substances should not only be administered at the mid-membranous vocal fold in the thyroarytenoid muscle, but also at the cartilaginous portion of the vocal fold to make adduction arytenopexy possible.

Method

Ten adult human larynges were investigated using the whole-organ serial section technique.

Results

Vertical thickness of the posterior aspect of the thyroarytenoid muscle was relatively thin (3.4 ± 0.4 mm), especially in females (3.2 ± 0.3 mm). Consequently, care should be taken to ensure the correct depth of needle placement. If the needle is placed too deep, augmentation substances are injected into the lateral cricoarytenoid muscle, located beneath the thyroarytenoid muscle, or into the paraglottic space, located inferolateral to the thyroarytenoid muscle.

Conclusion

The injection location and the amount of injected material should be modified based on the pathological conditions of the voice disorder and aspiration.
Clearing the road for high-fidelity fast ion simulations in full three dimensions
Authors: Kurki-Suonio T. , Särkimäki K. , Varje J. , Äkäslompolo S. , Kontula J. , Ollus P. , Bécoulet M. , Chôné L. , Liu Y. , Vincenzi P.
Published: December 2018

High-energy ions, such as fusion alphas and ions from external heating, can be very sensitive to any non-axisymmetric features in the confining magnetic field due to their collisionless nature. Since understanding the confinement properties of these ions is crucial for ITER (the first fusion reactor currently under construction in Cadarache, France) and beyond, it is of ultimate importance that the predictive simulations are accurate and free of numerical distortions. Adding the third dimension comes at substantial computational cost, calling for new kinds of approaches and computational platforms. In this contribution we discuss what new features, even new physics, the non-axisymmetry brings with it and how one could cope with the ever-increasing demands on both memory and CPU resources. In the end, a few simulation examples with a varying level of non-axisymmetry are given.
Sampling estuarine copepods at different scales and resolutions: a study in Rio de la Plata
Authors: Paul Sourav , Calliari Danilo
Published: December 2018

In the Rio de la Plata salinity, temperature, chlorophyll a (chl a), and densities (ind. m−3) of the copepods Acartia tonsa and Paracalanus parvus were measured from January to November in 2003 by following a nested weekly and monthly design. Such sampling yielded two separate datasets: (i) Yearly Dataset (YD) which consists of data of one sampling effort per month for 11 consecutive months, and (ii) Seasonal Weekly Datasets (SWD) which consists of data of one sampling effort per week of any four consecutive weeks within each season. YD was assumed as a medium-term low-resolution (MTLR) dataset, and SWD as a short-term high-resolution (STHR) dataset. The hypothesis was, the SWD would always capture (shorter scales generally captures more noise in data) more detail variability of copepod populations (quantified through the regression relationships between temporal changes of salinity, temperature, chl a and copepod densities) than the YD. Analysis of both YD and SWD found that A. tonsa density was neither affected by seasonal cycles, nor temporal variability of salinity, temperature and chl a. Thus, compared to STHR sampling, MTLR sampling did not yield any further information of the variability of population densities of the perennial copepod A. tonsa. Analysis of SWD found that during summer and autumn the population densities of P. parvus had a significant positive relationship to salinity but their density was limited by higher chl a concentration; analysis of YD could not yield such detailed ecological information. That hints the effectiveness of STHR sampling over MTLR sampling in capturing details of the variability of population densities of a seasonal copepod species. Considering the institutional resource limitations (e.g. lack of long-term funding, manpower and infrastructure) and the present hypothesis under consideration, the authors suggest that a STHR sampling may provide useful complementary information to interpret results of longer-term natural changes occurring in estuaries.
Strategies for online personalised nutrition advice employed in the development of the eNutri web app
Authors: Franco Rodrigo Zenun , Fallaize Rosalind , Hwang Faustina , Lovegrove Julie A.
Published: December 2018

The internet has considerable potential to improve health-related food choice at low-cost. Online solutions in this field can be deployed quickly and at very low cost, especially if they are not dependent on bespoke devices or offline processes such as the provision and analysis of biological samples. One key challenge is the automated delivery of personalised dietary advice in a replicable, scalable and inexpensive way, using valid nutrition assessment methods and effective recommendations. We have developed a web-based personalised nutrition system (eNutri) which assesses dietary intake using a validated graphical FFQ and provides personalised food-based dietary advice automatically. Its effectiveness was evaluated during an online randomised controlled trial dietary intervention (EatWellUK study) in which personalised dietary advice was compared with general population recommendations (control) delivered online. The present paper presents a review of literature relevant to this work, and describes the strategies used during the development of the eNutri app. Its design and source code have been made publicly available under a permissive open source license, so that other researchers and organisations can benefit from this work. In a context where personalised diet advice has great potential for health promotion and disease prevention at-scale and yet is not currently being offered in the most popular mobile apps, the strategies and approaches described in the present paper can help to inform and advance the design and development of technologies for personalised nutrition.
Neospora caninum cytoplasmic dynein LC8 light chain 2 (NcDYNLL2) is differentially produced by pathogenically distinct isolates and regulates the host immune response
Authors: Cao Lili , Fetterer Raymond , Qu Guanggang , Zhang Xichen , Tuo Wenbin
Published: December 2018

Neospora caninum is the causative agent of bovine neosporosis. A N. caninum cytoplasmic dynein LC8 light chain (NcDYNLL) protein was characterized in this study. Cytoplasmic dyneins, including DYNLLs, belong to the microtubule minus-end-directed motor proteins and are involved in many cellular processes. Previous microarray studies revealed that NcDYNLL was downregulated in the non-pathogenic clone, Ncts-8, when compared with the wild-type NC1 isolate. The present study showed that DYNLLs from different species are highly conserved (>85% identity), and the NcDYNLL belongs to the DYNLL2 family. NcDYNLL2 and Toxoplasma gondii DYNLL2 have identical amino acid sequences, although they are slightly divergent at the genetic level (89% identity). NcDYNLL2 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. NcDYNLL2 was identified in soluble and insoluble fractions of tachyzoite lysate. As expected, soluble NcDYNLL2 was lower in the Ncts-8 lysate when compared with that of NC1 isolate. NcDYNLL2 release by the tachyzoites was low; however, it was increased when tachyzoites were treated with either calcium ionophore or ethanol. The data indicate that NcDYNLL2 may be actively secreted at low levels, but the secretion was upregulated by agents that also augment microneme protein secretions. Immunostaining of NcDYNLL2 in isolated and intracellular Neospora tachyzoites showed a diffuse distribution pattern. Furthermore, rNcDYNLL2 was internalized by the host immune cells and stimulated tumour necrosis factor-α) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) production by murine dendritic cells. Taken together, these results suggest that NcDYNLL2 is a secretory protein that cross-regulates host immunity.
On The Soul
Authors: Morris Herbert
Published: December 2018

Discussion of the soul in this essay departs from the concept of the soul that for thousands of years has occupied the attention of philosophers and theologians and pervaded religious discourse. The author is concerned with what William James referred to as ‘the popular soul,’ the soul as it is invoked by expressions such as ‘an expansive soul,’ ‘a soulless person,’ ‘soul-mate,’ and ‘that melody touched my soul.’ Skepticism with regard to the existence of this soul is without warrant. How this soul comes into being and develops; what its essential features are; how the world, when the soul is engaged, is transformed; what its relationship is to one's conscience; its importance in a human life; its connections to purity and perfection, to silence; its survival upon death; and the perils posed today to its development and existence are the principal topics considered.
Education and outreach by the Antarctic Treaty Parties, Observers and Experts under the framework of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings
Authors: Xavier José C. , Mateev Dragomir , Capper Linda , Wilmotte Annick , Walton David W. H.
Published: December 2018

The development of formal discourse about education and outreach within the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCM), and the influence of major international activities in this field, are described. This study reflects on the ATCM Parties’ approach to implementing the ambition of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty Article 6.1.a, to promote the educational value of Antarctica and its environment, and examines the role of workshops and expert groups within the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes. These early initiatives, which emerged in the 1990s, were a prelude to the development and implementation of a large number of International Polar Year (IPY) education and outreach programmes. The establishment of an Antarctic Treaty System Intersessional Contact Group, and an online forum on education and outreach during the 2015 ATCM in Bulgaria, is a legacy of IPY and is the next step in fostering collaboration to engage people around the world in the importance and relevance of Antarctica to our daily lives.
COST-UTILITY ANALYSIS OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS TREATMENT IN THAILAND
Authors: Chanatittarat Chalakorn , Chaikledkaew Usa , Prayoonwiwat Naraporn , Siritho Sasitorn , Pasogpakdee Pakamas , Apiwattanakul Metha , Riewpaiboon Arthorn , Thavorncharoensap Montarat
Published: December 2018

Objectives:

Although interferon beta-1a (IFNß−1a), 1b (IFNß−1b), and fingolimod have been approved as multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments, they have not yet been included on the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) formulary in Thailand. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-utility of MS treatments compared with best supportive care (BSC) based on a societal perspective in Thailand.

Methods:

A Markov model with cost and health outcomes over a lifetime horizon with a 1-month cycle length was conducted for relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS) patients. Cost and outcome data were obtained from published studies, collected from major MS clinics in Thailand and a discount rate of 3 percent was applied. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated and univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed.

Results:

When compared with BSC, the ICERs for patients with RRMS aged 35 years receiving fingolimod, IFNβ−1b, and IFNβ−1a were 33,000, 12,000, and 42,000 US dollars (USD) per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained, respectively. At the Thai societal willingness to pay (WTP) threshold of USD 4,500 per QALY gained, BSC had the highest probability of being cost-effective (49 percent), whereas IFNβ−1b and fingolimod treatments showed lower chance being cost-effective at 25 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

Conclusions:

Compared with fingolimod and interferon treatments, BSC remains to be the most cost-effective treatment for RRMS in Thailand based on a WTP threshold of USD 4,500 per QALY gained. The results do not support the inclusion of fingolimod or interferon in the NLEM for the treatment of RRMS unless their prices are decreased or special schema arranged.
Bilingual phonological acquisition: the influence of language-internal, language-external, and lexical factors
Authors: KEHOE Margaret , HAVY Mélanie
Published: December 2018

This study examines the influence of language-internal (frequency and complexity of linguistic properties), language-external (percent French input, socioeconomic status (SES), and gender), and lexical factors (size of total and French vocabulary) on the phonological production abilities of monolingual and bilingual French-speaking children, aged 2;6. Children participated in an object and picture naming task in which they produced words selected to test different phonological properties. The bilinguals’ first languages were coded in terms of the frequency and complexity of these phonological properties. Results indicated that bilinguals who spoke languages characterized by high frequency/complexity of codas and clusters had superior results in their coda and cluster accuracy in comparison to monolinguals. Bilinguals also had better coda and cluster accuracy scores than monolinguals. These findings provide evidence for cross-linguistic interaction in combination with a ‘general bilingual effect’. In addition, percent French exposure, SES, total vocabulary, and gender influenced phonological production.
Accelerated Conversion of Native Prairie to Cropland in Minnesota
Authors: Lark Tyler J , Larson Ben , Schelly Ian , Batish Sapna , Gibbs Holly K
Published: December 2018

Unplowed native grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world, due in large part to their agricultural suitability and widespread conversion to cropland. Despite this, remaining locations of these species- and carbon-rich landscapes are neither well monitored nor effectively protected. A recent spike in US prices for corn (Zea mays) and soybeans (Glycine max) intensified incentives to bring new land into production, potentially hastening the conversion of grasslands to crops. We combined satellite-based land cover data with aerial photographs and a field-based inventory of remaining native grassland (hereafter prairie) in Minnesota to assess the areas, rates, and locations of prairie conversion since 2008. Our results reveal that during 2008–2012, prairie was converted at average annual rates more than four times greater than the previous decade and a half. Corn and soybeans were the initial crops planted on 73% of converted prairie, and more than 80% of conversion occurred in recently established conservation priority zones, thereby magnifying the urgency to protect these sites. Broader land-use trends in Minnesota suggest that expansion of both croplands and developed lands continues to threaten all grasslands, including the subset that is prairie, and that the growth of developed or built-up land may be amplifying the conversion pressure exerted by agriculture, though further research is needed. Despite the small total area of prairie lost, the multi-fold increase in conversion rates and the confirmation of native habitat clearing may have substantial conservation implications, especially given the very limited prairie that remains in the region. The overall results reveal challenges for federal policies, including a loophole in the crop insurance Sodsaver provision surrounding alfalfa hay and limitations in the current enforcement of the Renewable Fuel Standard.