bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exotic lepton-flavor violating Higgs decays
Authors: Evans Jared A. , Tanedo Philip , Zakeri Mohammadreza
Published: January 2020

Abstract

Exotic Higgs decays are promising channels to discover new physics in the near future. We present a simple model with a new light scalar that couples to the Standard Model through a charged lepton-flavor violating interaction. This can yield exciting new signatures, such as h → e+e+μ−μ−, that currently have no dedicated searches at the Large Hadron Collider. We discuss this model in detail, assess sensitivity from flavor constraints, explore current constraints from existing multi-lepton searches, and construct a new search strategy to optimally target these exotic, lepton-flavor violating Higgs decays.
Polarised amplitudes and soft-virtual cross sections for b$$ \overline{b} $$→ Z H at NNLO in QCD
Authors: Ahmed Taushif , Ajjath A.H. , Chen Long , Dhani Prasanna K. , Mukherjee Pooja , Ravindran V.
Published: January 2020

Abstract

Production of the Higgs boson, H in association with a massive vector boson, V, i.e., the V H process, plays an important role in the explorations of Higgs physics at the Large Hadron Collider, both for a precise study of Higgs’ Standard Model couplings and for probing New Physics. In this publication we present the two-loop corrections in mass- less quantum chromodynamics (QCD) to the amplitude of the Higgs production associated with a Z boson via the bottom quark-antiquark annihilation channel with a non-vanishing bottom-quark Yukawa coupling, which is a necessary ingredient of the full next-to-next- to-leading-order QCD corrections to the V H process in the five-flavour scheme. The computation is performed by projecting the D-dimensional scattering amplitude directly onto an appropriate set of Lorentz structures related to the linear polarisation states of the Z boson. We provide analytic expressions of the complete set of renormalised polarised amplitudes in terms of polylogarithms of maximum weight four. To give an estimation of the size of contributions from amplitudes considered in this work, we compute numerically the resulting cross sections under the soft-virtual approximation. We also take the opportunity to make a dedicated discussion regarding an interesting subtlety appearing in the conventional form factor decomposition of amplitudes involving axial currents regularised in D dimensions.
Leak-in dark matter
Authors: Evans Jared A. , Gaidau Cristian , Shelton Jessie
Published: January 2020

Abstract

We introduce leak-in dark matter, a novel out-of-equilibrium origin for the dark matter (DM) in the universe. We provide a comprehensive and unified discussion of a minimal, internally-thermalized, hidden sector populated from an out-of-equilibrium, feeble connection to the hotter standard model (SM) sector. We emphasize that when this out-of-equilibrium interaction is renormalizable, the colder sector undergoes an extended phase of non-adiabatic evolution largely independent of initial conditions, which we dub “leak-in.” We discuss the leak-in phase in generality, and establish the general properties of dark matter that freezes out from a radiation bath undergoing such a leak-in phase. As a concrete example, we consider a model where the SM has an out-of-equilibrium B − L vector portal interaction with a minimal hidden sector. We discuss the interplay between leak-in and freezein processes in this theory in detail and demonstrate regions where leak-in yields the full relic abundance. We study observational prospects for B − L vector portal leak-in DM, and find that despite the requisite small coupling to the SM, a variety of experiments can serve as sensitive probes of leak-in dark matter. Additionally, regions allowed by all current constraints yield DM with self-interactions large enough to address small-scale structure anomalies.
New and old fermionic dualities from 3d bosonization
Authors: Aitken Kyle , Choi Changha , Karch Andreas
Published: January 2020

Abstract

We construct novel fermion-fermion dualities in 2 + 1-dimensions using 3d bosonization dualities. This is achieved by relating two-node quiver theories using both the flavor-bounded and flavor-violated 3d bosonization dualities. Such quivers can be viewed as a generalization of the fermionic particle-vortex duality. A special case of these quivers exhibits a ℤ2 symmetry under interchange of the two nodes. Using orbifold techniques, we show that such dualities provide a novel way of deriving known 3d bosonization dualities with adjoint matter, thus unifying the non-Abelian bosonization dualities in an even larger duality web. We then use this construction to derive new dualities involving adjoint matter.
Generalizations of the Sommerfield and Schwinger models
Authors: Georgi Howard , Warner Brian
Published: January 2020

Abstract

The Sommerfield model with a massive vector field coupled to a massless fermion in 1+1 dimensions is an exactly solvable analog of a Bank-Zaks model. The “physics” of the model comprises a massive boson and an unparticle sector that survives at low energy as a conformal field theory (Thirring model). We analyze generalizations of the Sommerfield model, and the corresponding generalizations of the Schwinger model, with more massless fermions and more vector fields.
Stabilizing homogeneous black strings in AdS
Authors: Cisterna Adolfo , Henríquez-Báez Carla , Oliva Julio
Published: January 2020

Abstract

It is known that homogenous black strings in flat spacetime are unstable under long wavelength perturbations. Recently, by including scalar fields that depend on the extended coordinates only, homogenous black strings have been constructed in the presence of a negative cosmological constant, therefore implying that generic perturbations will contain both metric and scalar fluctuations. Here we show that for such generic perturbations homogeneous black strings with a negative cosmological constant are perturbatively stable at linear level, regardless the size of the Schwarzschild-AdS black hole located on the brane.
Digital Public Health – ein Überblick
Authors:   Leibniz-WissenschaftsCampus Digital Public Health Bremen, Zeeb Hajo , Pigeot Iris , Schüz Benjamin
Published: January 2020

Die rasante Entwicklung neuer digitaler Technologien hat nicht nur die medizinische Praxis verändert, sondern bietet auch große Chancen und Herausforderungen für Public Health, insbesondere in Gesundheitsförderung und Prävention.

Gleichzeitig ist dieses neue Feld auch gekennzeichnet durch begriffliche und konzeptuelle Unschärfen, einen bemerkenswerten Mangel an qualitativ hochwertiger Evidenz sowie eine fehlende Diskussion von unerwünschten Effekten und Begleiterscheinungen. Eine weitere Herausforderung liegt darin, dass die Entwicklung von Technologien aktuell durch den technologischen Fortschritt und weniger durch evidenzbasierte und evidenzorientierte Forschung vorangetrieben wird.

In diesem Überblicksartikel wird das Feld „Digital Public Health“ konzeptuell beschrieben und anhand von grundlegenden Public-Health-Funktionen als Anforderungsprofil definiert. Wir diskutieren einige Beispiele, wie digitale Technologien aktuell zur Erfüllung von Public-Health-Aufgaben genutzt werden, und schlagen eine bedarfsorientierte Entwicklung von digitalen Gesundheitstechnologien vor.

Wir gehen außerdem auf spezifische Herausforderungen, insbesondere sozioökonomische Unterschiede in der Nutzung und in den Effekten von digitalen Gesundheitstechnologien, sowie Datenschutz- und ethische Aspekte ein.
Genomic Breeding of Green Super Rice Varieties and Their Deployment in Asia and Africa
Authors: Yu Sibin , Ali Jauhar , Zhang Chaopu , Li Zhikang , Zhang Qifa
Published: January 2020

Key message

The “Green Super Rice” (GSR) project aims to fundamentally transform crop production techniques and promote the development of green agriculture based on functional genomics and breeding of GSR varieties by whole-genome breeding platforms.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the leading food crops of the world, and the safe production of rice plays a central role in ensuring food security. However, the conflicts between rice production and environmental resources are becoming increasingly acute. For this reason, scientists in China have proposed the concept of Green Super Rice for promoting resource-saving and environment-friendly rice production, while still achieving a yield increase and quality improvement. GSR is becoming one of the major goals for agricultural research and crop improvement worldwide, which aims to mine and use vital genes associated with superior agronomic traits such as high yield, good quality, nutrient efficiency, and resistance against insects and stresses; establish genomic breeding platforms to breed and apply GSR; and set up resource-saving and environment-friendly cultivation management systems. GSR has been introduced into eight African and eight Asian countries and has contributed significantly to rice cultivation and food security in these countries. This article mainly describes the GSR concept and recent research progress, as well as the significant achievements in GSR breeding and its application.
Temporal design for additive manufacturing
Authors: Saliba S. , Kirkman-Brown J. C. , Thomas-Seale L. E. J.
Published: January 2020

Additive manufacturing (AM) is expected to generate huge economic revenue by 2025; however, this will only be realised by overcoming the barriers that are preventing its increased adoption to end-use parts. Design for AM (DfAM) is recognised as a multi-faceted problem, exasperated by constraints to creativity, knowledge propagation, insufficiencies in education and a fragmented software pipeline. This study proposes a novel approach to increase the creativity in DfAM. Through comparison between DfAM and in utero human development, the unutilised potential of design through the time domain was identified. Therefore, the aim of the research is to develop a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) programme to demonstrate design through the time domain, known as Temporal DfAM (TDfAM). This was achieved through a bespoke MATLAB code which applies a linear function to a process parameter, discretised across the additive build. TDfAM was demonstrated through the variation of extrusion speed combined with the infill angle, through the axial and in-plane directions. It is widely accepted in the literature that AM processing parameters change the properties of AM materials. Thus, the application of the TDfAM approach offers the engineer increased creative scope and control, whilst inherently upskilling knowledge, in the design of AM materials.
LC-MS screening of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in contaminated soil by Kendrick mass analysis
Authors: Bugsel Boris , Zwiener Christian
Published: January 2020

The application of contaminated paper sludge on arable land in southwest Germany caused the occurrence of a broad range of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) on soil. Recently, the dead-end transformation products (TPs) perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid were detected in groundwater and drinking water. The precursors and other transformation products mostly remained unknown. Therefore, HRMS screening by Kendrick mass analysis and assignment of homologous series in combination with suspect screening were applied to identify original PFASs and their TPs in four different soil samples from sites where contaminated paper sludge was applied. In total, twelve compound classes comprising more than 61 PFASs could be fully or tentatively identified. The data reveal that contamination mainly originates from polyfluorinated dialkylated phosphate esters (from 4:2/6:2 to 12:2/14:2), N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide ethanol–based phosphate diesters (only C8/C8) and transformation products of these precursors. Contamination patterns can be attributed to PFASs used for paper impregnation and can vary slightly from site to site.
Application of vacuum solid-phase microextraction for the analysis of semi-hard cheese volatiles
Authors: Sýkora M. , Vítová E. , Jeleń H. H.
Published: January 2020

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is a well-established technique in the analysis of food volatile compounds, usually performed for qualitative analysis. This paper presents an elaboration of conditions for SPME analysis of main volatile compounds in hard cheese and an evaluation of suitability of vacuum to improve the transfer of volatile compounds towards SPME fiber. Compounds representing the main groups of hard cheese volatiles were investigated: 1-pentanol, butanoic acid, 2,3-butanedione and 2-heptanone. Parameters for SPME extraction (temperature, water, sodium carbonate addition, time, vacuum) were evaluated. Application of vacuum had a positive effect on all analytes when extraction was performed from water, but in the cheese matrix the effect was significant only for butanoic acid. Extraction time was the most significant factor for extraction efficiency in examined cheeses, while temperature had a minor effect on the amount of extracted volatiles. The method was applied on Edam, Emmentaler, Gouda and Maasdam cheeses obtained from the market.
The importance of oceanic atoll lagoons for coral reef predators
Authors: Skinner Christina , Mill Aileen C. , Newman Steven P. , Alsagoff S. Nadia , Polunin Nicholas V. C.
Published: January 2020

Predators on coral reefs play an important ecological role structuring reef fish communities and are important fishery targets. It is thought that reef predator assemblages increase in density and diversity from inner lagoonal to outer edge reefs. Oceanic atolls may differ though, as nutrients are available throughout. Reef predator populations are declining, but there is little known about how their distributions may vary across oceanic atolls. Using a combination of underwater visual census and baited remote underwater video, this study aimed to compare reef predator populations between inner and outer reefs of North Malé Atoll (Maldives) and determine which reef metrics may drive any differences in assemblage structure. We found that predator assemblages were significantly different between inner and outer atoll. Body sizes of several predator families were consistently larger in the outer atoll, however, abundance, biomass and species richness were similar between outer edge reefs and inner lagoonal reefs suggesting atoll lagoons may be undervalued habitats. Depth and complexity were consistently important predictors of the predator assemblage. Inner atoll lagoonal habitat is equally as important for reef predator assemblages as outer reef slopes, although the dominant species differ. This study provides important information on reef predator populations in the Maldives, where detailed assessments of the reef predator assemblage are lacking but the reef fishery is thriving and annual catch will continue to increase.
Minimal Soft Lattice Theta Functions
Authors: Bétermin Laurent
Published: January 2020

We study the minimality properties of a new type of “soft” theta functions. For a lattice $$L\subset {\mathbb {R}}^d$$

L
⊂

R

d

, an L-periodic distribution of mass $$\mu _L$$

μ
L

, and another mass $$\nu _z$$

ν
z

centered at $$z\in {\mathbb {R}}^d$$

z
∈

R

d

, we define, for all scaling parameters $$\alpha >0$$

α
>
0

, the translated lattice theta function $$\theta _{\mu _L+\nu _z}(\alpha )$$

θ

μ
L

+

ν
z

(
α
)

as the Gaussian interaction energy between $$\nu _z$$

ν
z

and $$\mu _L$$

μ
L

. We show that any strict local or global minimality result that is true in the point case $$\mu =\nu =\delta _0$$

μ
=
ν
=

δ
0

also holds for $$L\mapsto \theta _{\mu _L+\nu _0}(\alpha )$$

L
↦

θ

μ
L

+

ν
0

(
α
)

and $$z\mapsto \theta _{\mu _L+\nu _z}(\alpha )$$

z
↦

θ

μ
L

+

ν
z

(
α
)

when the measures are radially symmetric with respect to the points of $$L\cup \{z\}$$

L
∪
{
z
}

and sufficiently rescaled around them (i.e., at a low scale). The minimality at all scales is also proved when the radially symmetric measures are generated by a completely monotone kernel. The method is based on a generalized Jacobi transformation formula, some standard integral representations for lattice energies, and an approximation argument. Furthermore, for the honeycomb lattice $${\mathsf {H}}$$
H
, the center of any primitive honeycomb is shown to minimize $$z\mapsto \theta _{\mu _{{\mathsf {H}}}+\nu _z}(\alpha )$$

z
↦

θ

μ
H

+

ν
z

(
α
)

, and many applications are stated for other particular physically relevant lattices including the triangular, square, cubic, orthorhombic, body-centered-cubic, and face-centered-cubic lattices.
Pharmacokinetics and safety of bilastine in children aged 6 to 11 years with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis or chronic urticaria
Authors: Rodríguez Mónica , Vozmediano Valvanera , García-Bea Aintzane , Novák Zoltán , Yáñez Anahí , Campo Cristina , Labeaga Luis
Published: January 2020

Bilastine, a second-generation antihistamine, is approved in Europe for the treatment of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and urticaria in adults and children aged ≥ 6 years. Pharmacokinetic data for children aged 6–11 years were extracted post hoc from a study in which children (2–11 years) with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis or urticaria received oral bilastine (10 mg/day). Maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma concentration curve (AUC) data were compared with adult pharmacokinetic data from seven clinical studies (bilastine 20 mg/day). Safety data for children aged 6–11 years were extracted post hoc from a phase III randomized controlled trial of children (2–11 years) with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis or chronic urticaria receiving once-daily bilastine 10 mg or placebo for 12 weeks. Exposure and Cmax values were similar for children (6–11 years) and adults: median pediatric/adult ratios for AUC0–24 and Cmax were 0.93 and 0.91, respectively. There was no significant difference in the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse in children (6–11 years) receiving bilastine 10 mg or placebo.

Conclusion: Pharmacokinetic and safety analyses in children aged 6–11 years support the suitability of the pediatric dose of bilastine 10 mg and confirm that the safety profiles of bilastine and placebo are similar.What is Known:• Bilastine, a second-generation antihistamine, is approved in Europe for the treatment of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and urticaria in adults (20 mg/day) and children aged ≥ 6 years (10 mg/day).• An ontogenic model based on adult data and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic simulations supported the selection of a bilastine dose of 10 mg/day in children aged 2–11 years. Bilastine 10 mg/day was shown to have a safety profile similar to that of placebo in a large phase III randomized clinical trial in children aged 2–11 years.What is New:• As bilastine is approved in Europe for children aged ≥6 years, the current study reports the results of two post hoc analyses of pharmacokinetic and safety data in children aged 6–11 years.• Analysis of pharmacokinetic and safety data in children aged 6–11 years supports the suitability of the pediatric dose of bilastine 10 mg and confirms that its safety profile is similar to that of placebo.
Effect of cannabinoid-serotonin interactions in the regulation of neuropeptide Y1 receptors expression in rats: the role of CB1 and 5-HT2C receptor
Authors: Khansari Mohammad Reza , Panahi Negar , Hosseinzadeh Saeid , Zendehdel Morteza
Published: January 2020

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is involved in a diversity of critical functions such as circadian rhythms, energy homeostasis, and appetite regulation in the hypothalamus. It has identified as a crucial participant in adjusting energy intake and energy storage as fat via central neuropeptide Y1 receptor (NPY1R), leading to obesity and metabolic disorders. The present study was expected to investigate the interaction between 2-AG (CB1R agonist), m-CPP (5HT2CR agonist), SB-242084 (5HT2CR antagonist), and SR-141716A (CB1R antagonist) by mediating through the NPY1R for treating or preventing obesity, metabolic disorders, and other abnormalities. The expression level of NPY1R mRNA has studied on the rat brain by real-time quantitative PCR assay. Based on our findings, intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of combined 2-AG (1 μg) + m-CPP (2.5 μg) has antagonistic interaction in the expression of the NPY1R gene (P < 0.001). Moreover, the ICV co-injection of SB-242084 (3 μg) + SR-141716A (1 μg) has antagonistic interaction in the NPY1R gene expression (P < 0.001). Co-administration of 2-AG (1 μg) + SB-242084 (3 μg) amplified NPY1R gene expression (P < 0.001), while the ICV co-injection of m-CPP (2.5 μg) + SR-141716A (1 μg) decreased NPY1R gene expression in the hypothalamus (P < 0.001). These results revealed the interference in cannabinoid and serotonergic systems via CB1 and 5HT2C receptors in the expression of NPY1R mRNA in the hypothalamic area of rats.
Recent Growth and Expansion of Birch Shrubs Across a Low Arctic Landscape in Continental Canada: Are These Responses More a Consequence of the Severely Declining Caribou Herd than of Climate Warming?
Authors: Andruko Rhett , Danby Ryan , Grogan Paul
Published: January 2020

The recent widespread expansion of deciduous shrubs across much of the Arctic has been largely attributed to climate warming. This study investigated decadal growth rates of dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa) across a low Arctic landscape in the continental interior of Canada. Detailed birch cover (100 m2replicate plots) and individual shrub stature measurement datasets for five representative habitat-types were compared between 2006 and 2016, and evaluated in relation to environmental characteristics. Furthermore, dendrochronologically-based annual growth rates were assessed in relation to the 20-year climate record. Birch height, lateral dimensions, and patch groundcover all increased 20–25% relative to 2006 values, but these increases were similar among the habitat-types. Together, the limited evidence of recent warming at this site, the absence of significant habitat-type growth rate differences, and the lack of correlation between annual climate and stem secondary growth strongly suggest that climate change was not the principal cause. Instead, we propose that release from caribou impacts following the recent severe herd decline may explain the net shrub growth. Individual shrub growth rates were correlated with soil nutrient availability, but the latter was highly variable, suggesting that growth rates are primarily determined by fine-scale rather than habitat-scale spatial heterogeneity in nutrient supply. Together, our results demonstrate that birch growth has been enhanced across a variety of habitat-types in the Daring Lake landscape over the decade since 2006, and suggest that the recent severe caribou herd declines may be at least as significant as climate warming in driving birch shrub expansion in the Canadian central low Arctic.
Advanced therapy medicinal products: value judgement and ethical evaluation in health technology assessment
Authors: Gonçalves Elisabete
Published: January 2020

Advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) are a heterogeneous class of medicinal products that by offering the potential of cure represent a paradigm shift in the approach of many life-threatening diseases. Although a common regulatory framework for ATMPs has been established in the EU, the health technology assessment (HTA) and financing decisions remain local. The aim of this article is to present an integrated analysis of the current status of the value judgment of ATMPs and the integration of ethical evaluation in the HTA process. It has been identified that approaching the specificities of ATMPs in terms of market access will require a broadening of the definition of value to be able to systematically capture elements of value not traditionally considered. Outcomes modelling will play an important role in the pricing and reimbursement of ATMPs, providing a way to bridge the gap caused by the absence of data from clinical studies or real-world data. Given the nature and disruptive consequences of ATMPs the assessment and adoption of these medicinal products raises important ethical questions, both at a policy and at society level that should be properly addressed. HTA can be made more transparent and reliable, and simultaneously promote robust and accountable decision making, by turning explicit the value judgments implicit in HTA. Ultimately, there should be no core conflict between ethical requirements and HTA in a scenario where the goal is to promote equity and access of patients to truly innovative therapies such as ATMPs, while assuring the sustainability of healthcare systems.
Clinical characteristics of patients hospitalized for ocular chemical injuries in Shanghai from 2012 to 2017
Authors: Li Tao , Jiang Bo , Zhou Xiaodong
Published: January 2020

Purpose

To summarize the clinical characteristics of patients with ocular chemical injuries and evaluate their potential relationship with the visual outcome by analyzing the medical records of these patients from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2017.

Methods

This is a retrospective case series study. Patient data included age, gender, occupational classification, location of ocular chemical injury, initial and final best-corrected distance visual acuity (BCDVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), nature and chemical phase, distribution and severity of chemical injury, management methods, and complications. All variables were evaluated for their potential relationship with visual outcome.

Results

A total of 160 patients were hospitalized with ocular chemical injuries. Majority of the patients were factory workers and arrived at the consultation room less than 24 h after injury. The most common ocular injury setting, classification of severity, causative chemical, chemical phase, and complications were workplace, grade II, unknown and mixed substance, liquid, and elevated IOP, respectively. The risk factors for poor final BCDVA were identified as older age, poor initial BCDVA, and irrigation 24 h after injury (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.011, respectively).

Conclusions

We elaborate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with ocular chemical injuries in Jinshan District, Shanghai. A comprehensive education program should be established and the use of protective eyewear should be promoted to prevent occupation-related ocular chemical injuries.
Logics of Synonymy
Authors: Hornischer Levin
Published: January 2020

We investigate synonymy in the strong sense of content identity (and not just meaning similarity). This notion is central in the philosophy of language and in applications of logic. We motivate, uniformly axiomatize, and characterize several “benchmark” notions of synonymy in the messy class of all possible notions of synonymy. This class is divided by two intuitive principles that are governed by a no-go result. We use the notion of a scenario to get a logic of synonymy (SF) which is the canonical representative of one division. In the other division, the so-called conceptivist logics, we find, e.g., the well-known system of analytic containment (AC). We axiomatize four logics of synonymy extending AC, relate them semantically and proof-theoretically to SF, and characterize them in terms of weak/strong subject matter preservation and weak/strong logical equivalence. This yields ways out of the no-go result and novel arguments—independent of a particular semantic framework—for each notion of synonymy discussed (using, e.g., Hurford disjunctions or homotopy theory). This points to pluralism about meaning and a certain non-compositionality of truth in logic programs and neural networks. And it unveils an impossibility for synonymy: if it is to preserve subject matter, then either conjunction and disjunction lose an essential property or a very weak absorption law is violated.
Patient acceptance and outcome of mental health screening in Swedish adults with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Järvholm Stina , Ericson Petrea , Gilljam Marita
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Anxiety and depression are common among adults with cystic fibrosis (CF), and the International Committee on Mental Health in CF (ICMH) recommends annual screening for mental health problems. We implemented screening according to the recently published guidelines and assessed the results from the first year, as well as the patients’ attitude to annual screening

Methods

Adult patients attending Gothenburg CF-center from Feb 2015 to Dec 2016 completed the GAD-7 (anxiety) and PHQ-9 (depression) forms at the time of their annual review. In addition, questions regarding the screening process and instruments used were asked.

Results

All invited patients (n = 100, 52% males, 2% lung transplanted), with a median age of 28 years (range 18–65), agreed to participate. In general (83%), the patients were positive to screening on an annual basis. No significant differences in total GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores were found when comparing men and women. Patients younger than 30 years of age reported more symptoms of anxiety compared to older patients (p = 0.02). There were 21 (21%) patients with scores > 10 for GAD-7 and/or PHQ-9 indicating at least moderate anxiety or depression. Scores > 10 were reported by 15 patients on GAD-7, 15 patients on PHQ-9, and 9 patients reported scores above 10 on both measures.

Conclusion

The patients considered annual check-ups for mental health issues important. Although the screening results are reassuring, the group is heterogenic and younger individuals should be given extra attention. Follow-up over longer time will provide more robust data.
A Multi-Perspective Reflection on How Indigenous Knowledge and Related Ideas Can Improve Science Education for Sustainability
Authors: Zidny Robby , Sjöström Jesper , Eilks Ingo
Published: January 2020

Indigenous knowledge provides specific views of the world held by various indigenous peoples. It offers different views on nature and science that generally differ from traditional Western science. Futhermore, it introduces different perspectives on nature and the human in nature. Coming basically from a Western perspective on nature and science, the paper analyzes the literature in science education focusing on research and practices of integrating indigenous knowledge with science education. The paper suggestsDidaktikmodels and frameworks for how to elaborate on and design science education for sustainability that takes indigenous knowledge and related non-Western and alternative Western ideas into consideration. To do so, indigenous knowledge is contextualized with regards to related terms (e.g., ethnoscience), and with Eastern perspectives (e.g., Buddhism), and alternative Western thinking (e.g., post-humanBildung). This critical review provides justification for a stronger reflection about how to include views, aspects, and practices from indigenous communities into science teaching and learning. It also suggests that indigenous knowledge offers rich and authentic contexts for science learning. At the same time, it provides chances to reflect views on nature and science in contemporary (Western) science education for contributing to the development of more balanced and holistic worldviews, intercultural understanding, and sustainability.
Governing a Collective Bad: Social Learning in the Management of Crop Diseases
Authors: Damtew Elias , van Mierlo Barbara , Lie Rico , Struik Paul , Leeuwis Cees , Lemaga Berga , Smart Christine
Published: January 2020

There has been strong research interest in designing and testing learning approaches for enhancing and sustaining the capacity of communities to manage collective action problems. Broadening the perspective from well-known social learning approaches in natural resource management, this study explores how social learning as a communicative process influences collective action in contagious crop disease management. A series of facilitated discussion and reflection sessions about late blight management created the social learning space for potato farmers in Ethiopia. Communicative utterances of participants in the sessions served as the units of analysis. The study demonstrates how and to what extent social learning, in the form of aligned new knowledge, relations and actions occurred and formed the basis for collective action in the management of late blight.
Surfing the Hyperbola Equations of the Steady-State Farquhar–von Caemmerer–Berry C3 Leaf Photosynthesis Model: What Can a Theoretical Analysis of Their Oblique Asymptotes and Transition Points Tell Us?
Authors: Miranda-Apodaca Jon , Marcos-Barbero Emilio L. , Morcuende Rosa , Arellano Juan B.
Published: January 2020

The asymptotes and transition points of the net CO2 assimilation (A/Ci) rate curves of the steady-state Farquhar–von Caemmerer–Berry (FvCB) model for leaf photosynthesis of C3 plants are examined in a theoretical study, which begins from the exploration of the standard equations of hyperbolae after rotating the coordinate system. The analysis of the A/Ci quadratic equations of the three limitation states of the FvCB model—abbreviated as Ac, Aj and Ap—allows us to conclude that their oblique asymptotes have a common slope that depends only on the mesophyll conductance to CO2 diffusion (gm). The limiting values for the transition points between any two states of the three limitation states c, j and p do not depend on gm, and the results are therefore valid for rectangular and non-rectangular hyperbola equations of the FvCB model. The analysis of the variation of the slopes of the asymptotes with gm casts doubts about the fulfilment of the steady-state conditions, particularly, when the net CO2 assimilation rate is inhibited at high CO2 concentrations. The application of the theoretical analysis to extended steady-state FvCB models, where the hyperbola equations of Ac, Aj and Ap are modified to accommodate nitrogen assimilation and amino acids export via the photorespiratory pathway, is also discussed.
Interactions of ferro-nanoparticles (hematite and magnetite) with reservoir sandstone: implications for surface adsorption and interfacial tension reduction
Authors: Ali Abdullah Musa , Yahya Noorhana , Qureshi Saima
Published: January 2020

There are a few studies on the use of ferro-nanofluids for enhanced oil recovery, despite their magnetic properties; hence, it is needed to study the adsorption of iron oxide (Fe2O3 and Fe3O4) nanoparticles (NPs) on rock surfaces. This is important as the colloidal transport of NPs through the reservoir is subject to particle adsorption on the rock surface. Molecular dynamics simulation was used to determine the interfacial energy (strength) and adsorption of Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 nanofluids infused in reservoir sandstones. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS) were used to monitor interaction of silicate species with Fe2O3 and Fe3O4. The spectral changes show the variation of dominating silicate anions in the solution. Also, the XPS peaks for Si, C and Fe at 190, 285 and 700 eV, respectively, are less distinct in the spectra of sandstone aged in the Fe3O4 nanofluid, suggesting the intense adsorption of the Fe3O4 with the crude oil. The measured IFT for brine/oil, Fe2O3/oil and Fe3O4/oil are 40, 36.17 and 31 mN/m, respectively. Fe3O4 infused with reservoir sandstone exhibits a higher silicate sorption capacity than Fe2O3, due to their larger number of active surface sites and saturation magnetization, which accounts for the effectiveness of Fe3O4 in reducing IFT.
Methods for simultaneously evaluating reserve and permeability of undersaturated coalbed methane reservoirs using production data during the dewatering stage
Authors: Shi Jun-Tai , Wu Jia-Yi , Sun Zheng , Xiao Zhi-Hua , Liu Cheng , Sepehrnoori Kamy
Published: January 2020

In this work, a flowing material balance equation (FMBE) is established for undersaturated coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs, which considers immobile free gas expansion effect at the dewatering stage. Based on the established FMBE, five straight-line methods are proposed to determine the control area, initial water reserve, initial free gas reserve, initial adsorbed gas reserve, original gas in place, as well as permeability at the same time. Subsequently, the proposed FMBE methods for undersaturated CBM reservoirs are validated against a reservoir simulation software with and without considering free gas expansion. Finally, the proposed methods are applied in a field case when considering free gas expansion effect. Validation cases show that the straight-line relationships for the proposed five FMBE methods are excellent, and good agreements are obtained among the actual reserves and permeabilities and those evaluated by the proposed five FMBE methods, indicating the proposed five FMBE methods are effective and rational for CBM reservoirs. Results show that a small amount of free gas will result in a great deviation in reserve evaluation; hence, the immobile free gas expansion effect should be considered when establishing the material balance equation of undersaturated CBM reservoirs at the dewatering stage.
Understanding the creation of trust in cryptocurrencies: the case of Bitcoin
Authors: Marella Venkata , Upreti Bikesh , Merikivi Jani , Tuunainen Virpi Kristiina
Published: January 2020

Contemporary cryptocurrencies lack legal, monetary, and institutional backing that traditional financial services employ. Instead, cryptocurrencies provide trust through technology. Despite the plethora of research in both trust and cryptocurrencies, the underlying attributes of the technologies that drive trust in cryptocurrencies are not well understood. To uncover these attributes, we analyze the corpus of 1.97 million discussion posts related to Bitcoin, the oldest and most widely used cryptocurrency. Based on earlier research, we identified functionality, reliability, and helpfulness as the focal constructs with which to evaluate users’ trust in technology. In our analysis, we discovered 11 different attributes related to three technology constructs that are significant in creating and maintaining users’ trust in Bitcoin. The findings are discussed in detail in the article.
Development of a TaqMan qPCR protocol for detecting Acipenser ruthenus in the Volga headwaters from eDNA samples
Authors: Schenekar Tamara , Schletterer Martin , Weiss Steven J.
Published: January 2020

A recent eDNA-metabarcoding study assessing fish diversity in the Upper Volga catchment did not detect sterlet at any of the sampled stretches, despite recent sightings that suggest its presence. We designed a TaqMan qPCR protocol to test for sterlet in selected eDNA samples from that study. In-silico and in-vitro tests confirm the protocol’s high sensitivity and specificity to sturgeon taxa and potentially paddlefishes. Using this assay, sterlet were not detected in 26 eDNA samples from the Volga headwaters, agreeing with the metabarcoding results.
How to objectively determine the color of beer?
Authors: Koren Dániel , Hegyesné Vecseri Beáta , Kun-Farkas Gabriella , Urbin Ágnes , Nyitrai Ákos , Sipos László
Published: January 2020

Beer color is an important sensory attribute, the first one that the consumer observes. There are two standard methods accepted for determining the color of these products, one related to the European Brewery Convention (EBC) and the other is the Standard Reference Method (SRM). Both methods are based on absorbance, but in case of the more and more popular fruit beers these methods give false result since these products appear in varied colors and have different spectra than regular beers. In this study 39 different types of beers were investigated, including fruit beers and beer based mixed drinks to compare their color in CIE 1976 L*a*b* color space, absorption-based colors and transmission spectra. ΔE*ab values of products with less than 5% EBC difference ranged from 4.5 to 17.4. There were magnitude differences in the transmission spectra of these products, fruit beers showed different tendencies due to the added fruit or fruit juice. The highest ΔE*ab value belonged to two traditional Weissbiers. Absorption-based methods are not able in many cases to differentiate between products which have nearly the same EBC or SRM color but visually are different. A multi-wavelength method would be reasonable to be developed for more objective and accurate beer color determination.
Washed microbiota transplantation vs. manual fecal microbiota transplantation: clinical findings, animal studies and in vitro screening
Authors: Zhang Ting , Lu Gaochen , Zhao Zhe , Liu Yafei , Shen Quan , Li Pan , Chen Yaoyao , Yin Haoran , Wang Huiquan , Marcella Cicilia , Cui Bota , Cheng Lei , Ji Guozhong , Zhang Faming
Published: January 2020

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) by manual preparation has been applied to treat diseases for thousands of years. However, this method still endures safety risks and challenges the psychological endurance and acceptance of doctors, patients and donors. Population evidence showed the washed microbiota preparation with microfiltration based on an automatic purification system followed by repeated centrifugation plus suspension for three times significantly reduced FMT-related adverse events. This washing preparation makes delivering a precise dose of the enriched microbiota feasible, instead of using the weight of stool. Intraperitoneal injection in mice with the fecal microbiota supernatant obtained after repeated centrifugation plus suspension for three times induced less toxic reaction than that by the first centrifugation following the microfiltration. The toxic reactions that include death, the change in the level of peripheral white blood cells, and the proliferation of germinal center in secondary lymphoid follicles in spleen were noted. The metagenomic next-generation sequencing (NGS) indicated the increasing types and amount of viruses could be washed out during the washing process. Metabolomics analysis indicated metabolites with pro-inflammatory effects in the fecal microbiota supernatant such as leukotriene B4, corticosterone, and prostaglandin G2 could be removed by repeated washing. Near-infrared absorption spectroscopy could be served as a rapid detection method to control the quality of the washing-process. In conclusion, this study for the first time provides evidence linking clinical findings and animal experiments to support that washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) is safer, more precise and more quality-controllable than the crude FMT by manual.
Marriage Decline in Korea: Changing Composition of the Domestic Marriage Market and Growth in International Marriage
Authors: Raymo James M. , Park Hyunjoon
Published: January 2020

Explanations for the substantial decline in rates of marriage in East Asian countries often emphasize the role of rapid educational expansion for women in reducing the desirability of marriages characterized by a strong gender-based division of labor. Focusing on South Korea, we consider a very different scenario in which changing educational composition of the marriage market reduces the demographic feasibility of such marriages. Analyses of 1% microsamples of the 1990 and 2010 Korean censuses show that changes in the availability of potential spouses accounted for part of the decline in marriage rates over a period of 20 years (1985–1989 to 2005–2009) for highly educated women and less-educated men. We also show that growth in international marriages played a role in preventing an even more dramatic decline in marriage among low-educated men. These findings support the general relevance of marriage market mismatches in gender-inegalitarian societies and highlight the declining feasibility of marriage for low-educated men in such contexts. Findings also hint at important implications for inequality in a society such as Korea, where marriage remains a symbol of social success and is closely related to women’s economic well-being and men’s health and subjective well-being.
A fourth-order B-spline collocation method for nonlinear Burgers–Fisher equation
Authors: Singh Aditi , Dahiya Sumita , Singh S. P.
Published: January 2020

A fourth-order B-spline collocation method has been applied for numerical study of Burgers–Fisher equation, which illustrates many situations occurring in various fields of science and engineering including nonlinear optics, gas dynamics, chemical physics, heat conduction, and so on. The present method is successfully applied to solve the Burgers–Fisher equation taking into consideration various parametric values. The scheme is found to be convergent. Crank–Nicolson scheme has been employed for the discretization. Quasi-linearization technique has been employed to deal with the nonlinearity of equations. The stability of the method has been discussed using Fourier series analysis (von Neumann method), and it has been observed that the method is unconditionally stable. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the scheme, numerical experiments have been performed on various examples. The solutions obtained are compared with results available in the literature, which shows that the proposed scheme is satisfactorily accurate and suitable for solving such problems with minimal computational efforts.
Application of hourglass control to Eulerian smoothed particle hydrodynamics
Authors: Mohseni-Mofidi Shoya , Bierwisch Claas
Published: January 2020

Being a truly meshless method, smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) raises expectations to naturally handle solid mechanics problems of large deformations. However, in a simple formulation it severely suffers from two instabilities, namely tensile instability and zero-energy modes, which hinders SPH from being an popular numerical tool in that area. Although Lagrangian SPH completely removes tensile instability, it is not yet able to prevent zero-energy modes. Furthermore, kernel updates are required to properly handle very large deformations which again triggers tensile instability. Additionally, Lagrangian SPH cannot naturally deal with contact problems. Pursuing an alternative route, this paper aims at stabilizing Eulerian SPH in order to accurately deal with large deformations while preserving the fundamental properties of SPH to easily handle contact problems as well as fluid–structure interaction in a straightforward monolithic manner. For this purpose, an hourglass control scheme already employed to prevent zero-energy modes in Lagrangian SPH framework is used. The advantage of the present scheme is that the stabilization method can be easily implemented in any Eulerian SPH code by making only few changes to the code. The proposed scheme is employed to simulate several cases of elasticity, plasticity, fracture and fluid–structure interaction in order to assess its accuracy and effectiveness. The obtained results are compared with analytical solutions and finite element results where very good agreement is found.