bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tidal regime influences the spatial variation in trait‐based responses of Suaeda salsa and edaphic conditions
Authors: Wang Fangfang , Yan Jiaguo , Ma Xu , Qiu Dongdong , Xie Tian , Cui Baoshan
Published: March 2019

Tidal regime is recognized as a vital hydrological process in the restructuring of saltmarsh vegetation communities, resulting in differing edaphic conditions and ecosystem functions. Ample studies have focused on the context‐dependent effects of tidal disturbance on saltmarsh vegetation worldwide, particularly trait‐based responses to physical factors; however, to our knowledge, there are few insights into the edaphic conditions and responses of saltmarsh plants as well as plant–soil systems to tidal disturbance gradients in the Yellow River Delta (YRD), a temperate estuary in northern China. Here, we conducted field surveys and experimental fieldwork at four distinct sites that varied with tidal regime. Site‐specific effects of tidal disturbance on the annual saltmarsh foundation plant Suaeda salsa, as well as their edaphic surroundings, were analyzed. Our results showed that trait‐based responses largely explained the tidal disturbance impacts on S. salsa; moreover, the edaphic environment differed significantly among sites. We found that flooding frequency had a significantly negative relation to S. salsa total biomass, which consisted of above‐ and belowground biomass, and a significantly positive relation to height. In general, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus differed among sites, and these differences changed with the soil layers. In addition, there were some correlations between the soil environment and plant traits. Total organic carbon was linearly positively linked to the biomass of S. salsa at each soil depth. The carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus stoichiometry of the soil had a low correlation with that of the belowground biomass of S. salsa but had a significant correlation with that of the aboveground biomass of S. salsa. Our study suggests that spatial patterns of S. salsa and edaphic conditions in the YRD vary with tidal regime, therefore providing a basis for the context‐dependent conservation and restoration of coastal saltmarsh ecosystems, especially in areas with irregular, semidiurnal tides. Moreover, our findings highlight the importance of potential interactive effects between plant traits and tidal disturbances in regulating biogeochemical cycles, especially carbon sequestration, in coastal saltmarsh systems.
Uneven global distribution of food web studies under climate change
Authors: Cameron Erin K. , Sundqvist Maja K. , Keith Sally A. , CaraDonna Paul J. , Mousing Erik A. , Nilsson Karin A. , Metcalfe Daniel B. , Classen Aimée T.
Published: March 2019

Trophic interactions within food webs affect species distributions, coexistence, and provision of ecosystem services but can be strongly impacted by climatic changes. Understanding these impacts is therefore essential for managing ecosystems and sustaining human well‐being. Here, we conducted a global synthesis of terrestrial, marine, and freshwater studies to identify key gaps in our knowledge of climate change impacts on food webs and determine whether the areas currently studied are those most likely to be impacted by climate change. We found research suffers from a strong geographic bias, with only 3.5% of studies occurring in the tropics. Importantly, the distribution of sites sampled under projected climate changes was biased—areas with decreases or large increases in precipitation and areas with low magnitudes of temperature change were under‐represented. Our results suggest that understanding of climate change impacts on food webs could be broadened by considering more than two trophic levels, responses in addition to species abundance and biomass, impacts of a wider suite of climatic variables, and tropical ecosystems. Most importantly, to enable better forecasts of biodiversity responses to climate change, we identify critically under‐represented geographic regions and climatic conditions which should be prioritized in future research.
Wind erosion and dust from US drylands: a review of causes, consequences, and solutions in a changing world
Authors: Duniway Michael C. , Pfennigwerth Alix A. , Fick Stephen E. , Nauman Travis W. , Belnap Jayne , Barger Nichole N.
Published: March 2019

Erosion by wind is one of the principal processes associated with land degradation in drylands and is a significant concern to land managers and policymakers globally. In the drylands of North America, millions of tons of soil are lost to wind erosion annually. Of the 60 million ha in the United States identified as most vulnerable to wind erosion (arid and dominated by fine sandy soils), 64% are managed by federal agencies (37 million ha). Here we review the drivers and consequences of wind erosion and dust emissions on drylands in the United States, with an emphasis on actionable responses available to policymakers and practitioners. We find that while dryland soils are often relatively stable when intact, disturbances including fire, domestic livestock grazing, and off‐highway vehicles can increase horizontal eolian flux by an order of magnitude, in some cases as much as 40‐fold. A growing body of literature documents the large‐scale impacts of deposited dust changing the albedo of mountain snow cover and in some cases reducing regional water supplies by ~5%. Predicted future increases in aridity and extreme weather events, including drought, will likely increase wind erosion and consequent dust generation. Under a drier and more variable future climate, new and existing soil‐ and vegetation‐disturbing practices may interact in synergistic ways, with dire consequences for environments and society that are unforeseen to many but fairly predictable given current scientific understanding. Conventional restoration and reclamation approaches, which often entail surface disturbance and rely on adequate moisture to prevent erosion, also carry considerable erosion risk especially under drought conditions. Innovative approaches to dryland restoration that minimize surface disturbance may accomplish restoration or reclamation goals while limiting wind erosion risk. Finally, multidisciplinary and multijurisdictional approaches and perspectives are necessary to understand the complex processes driving dust emissions and provide timely, context‐specific information for mitigating the drivers and impacts of wind erosion and dust.
Coarse particulate organic matter dynamics in ephemeral tributaries of a Central Appalachian stream network
Authors: Fritz Ken M. , Pond Gregory J. , Johnson Brent R. , Barton Chris D.
Published: March 2019

Headwater ephemeral tributaries are interfaces between uplands and downstream waters. Terrestrial coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) is important in fueling aquatic ecosystems; however, the extent to which ephemeral tributaries are functionally connected to downstream waters through fluvial transport of CPOM has been little studied. Hydrology and deposition of leaf and wood, and surrogate transport (Ginkgo biloba leaves and wood dowels) were measured over month‐long intervals through the winter and spring seasons (6 months) in 10 ephemeral tributaries (1.3–5.4 ha) in eastern Kentucky. Leaf deposition and surrogate transport varied over time, reflecting the seasonality of litterfall and runoff. Leaf deposition was higher in December than February and May but did not differ from January, March, and April. Mean percent of surrogate leaf transport from the ephemeral tributaries was highest in April (3.6% per day) and lowest in February (2.5%) and May (2%). Wood deposition and transport had similar patterns. No CPOM measures were related to flow frequency. Ephemeral tributaries were estimated to annually contribute 110.6 kg AFDM·km−1·yr−1 of leaves to the downstream mainstem. Ephemeral tributaries are functionally connected to downstream waters through CPOM storage and subsequent release that is timed when CPOM is often limited in downstream waters.
Comparison of the non‐native herbAlliaria petiolatawith dominant native herbs in microhabitats of a Midwestern forest
Authors: Anderson Michael D. , Davis Mark A. , Burke Craig , Dalrymple Cody , Ensley‐Field Mira , Lewanski Alex , Manning Paul , Moore Zach , Morisawa Rina , Nguyen Phuong , Pillar Allison , Dosch Jerald J.
Published: March 2019

A mechanistic understanding of the causes of naturalization in terrestrial plant communities, and the consequences for associated ecosystems, relies on understanding whether and how native and non‐native plant traits differ. Traits of non‐native plants may either help them compete or avoid competition with natives, and depending on their interaction with the native community, the non‐native may act as more or less of an active driver vs. a passive passenger of change in the native ecosystem. Trait comparisons between native and non‐native plants are often laboratory‐based, providing insights that can be difficult to apply to natural communities. Studies of the impacts of non‐native plants, by contrast, are generally performed in natural communities, but usually do not compare observed impacts of the non‐natives with those exerted by dominant natives on each other and the community. Thus, the likely relative disruption of the non‐native to the community is unclear. In a four‐year observational study conducted at the microhabitat scale in the herbaceous layer of a Midwestern oak forest, we compared the non‐native herbAlliaria petiolata(garlic mustard) with dominant native herbaceous species in terms of correlational patterns related to three broad categories of traits: (1) environmental correlates (light, topography, soil nutrients) with presence and cover, (2) inter‐annual regeneration and phenology, and (3) associations with other species (competition and herbivory). We found thatAlliariadiffered strongly from dominant native herbs in all three categories. Compared with native herbs,Alliariawas more strongly associated with south‐facing slopes and high nutrient levels, displayed earlier phenology and enhanced dispersal ability, and was strongly avoided by the generalist native herbivore,Odocoileus virginianus(white‐tailed deer). Despite well‐described allelopathic effects ofAlliariaon mycorrhizae and mycorrhizal plants, we found little evidence to suggest thatAlliariahad negative interactions with native plants that were stronger than those of native community members. Overall, our data suggest that naturalization ofAlliariain this site is primarily due to differences from native plants in phenology, dispersal capability, and avoidance of herbivory, and thatAlliariais therefore more likely to be acting as a passenger than as a driver of change in our site.
A critical assessment of available ecosystem services data according to the Final Ecosystem Goods and Services framework
Authors: Tashie Arik , Ringold Paul
Published: March 2019

The last decade has seen a proliferation of studies describing the benefits people accrue from natural processes by translation of spatially explicit land use and landcover data to ecosystem service provision. Yet, critical assessment of systemic bias resulting from reliance on land use and landcover data is limited. Here, we evaluate an extensive collection of ecosystem service‐related data based on land use and landcover according to a broadly applicable ecosystem service framework—Final Ecosystem Goods and Services (FEGS). In this framework, ecosystems are viewed from the perspective of a comprehensive set of beneficiaries and the biophysical features directly relevant to each. In this examination, we create a database identifying over 14,000 linkages between 255 data layers from EnviroAtlas and FEGS beneficiaries. Through these linkages, we identify major gaps in beneficiary identification and systemic biases resulting from the utilization of translations from land use and landcover data. Importantly, we find that for many beneficiaries there is an absence of data on FEGS at extensive scales in the United States. We provide a roadmap for the integration of extant ecosystem service research efforts using the FEGS classification scheme and critically appraise this scheme, highlighting inconsistent specification among beneficiary categories and environmental classes. We also explore the benefits of crosswalking different ecosystem service data and frameworks for researchers, by reducing the otherwise high buy‐in cost of data exploration, and for data developers, by increasing the exposure of their work.
Seismic fragilities of single‐column highway bridges with rocking column‐footing
Authors: Xie Yazhou , Zhang Jian , DesRoches Reginald , Padgett Jamie E.
Published: March 2019

Rocking isolation has been increasingly studied as a promising design concept to limit the earthquake damage of civil structures. Despite the difficulties and uncertainties of predicting the rocking response under individual earthquake excitations (due to negative rotational stiffness and complex impact energy loss), in a statistical sense, the seismic performance of rocking structures has been shown to be generally consistent with the experimental outcomes. To this end, this study assesses, in a probabilistic manner, the effectiveness of using rocking isolation as a retrofit strategy for single‐column concrete box‐girder highway bridges in California. Under earthquake excitation, the rocking bridge could experience multi‐class responses (eg, full contacted or uplifting foundation) and multi‐mode damage (eg, overturning, uplift impact, and column nonlinearity). A multi‐step machine learning framework is developed to estimate the damage probability associated with each damage scenario. The framework consists of the dimensionally consistent generalized linear model for regression of seismic demand, the logistic regression for classification of distinct response classes, and the stepwise regression for feature selection of significant ground motion and structural parameters. Fragility curves are derived to predict the response class probabilities of rocking uplift and overturning, and the conditional damage probabilities such as column vibrational damage and rocking uplift impact damage. The fragility estimates of rocking bridges are compared with those for as‐built bridges, indicating that rocking isolation is capable of reducing column damage potential. Additionally, there exists an optimal slenderness angle range that enables the studied bridges to experience much lower overturning tendencies and significantly reduced column damage probabilities at the same time.
Process simulation of CO2 capture from CO2‐EOR associated petroleum gas with aqueous MEA and MDEA solvents
Authors: Liu Bingcheng , Zhang Mengmeng , Wang Ting , Jia Wenguang
Published: March 2019

Associated petroleum gas produced by CO2‐enhanced oil recovery (CO2‐EOR) has a complex composition, high CO2 content, and is unstable. To date, no integrated process simulation for CO2 capture of the EOR associated petroleum gas has been developed. Based on the analysis of the associated petroleum gas obtained from the Shengli oilfield, a new full‐simulation model of CO2 capture from 100 000 Nm3/d of the associated petroleum gas was developed for the process design of chemical absorption of blended amine solvents and an analysis of the relationship between different process parameters and the targeted result—low circulation flow and energy consumption—was performed using Aspen Plus (Version 8.6). A 90% CO2 removal rate was achieved using 0.2 mol CO2/mol of a blended amine as solvent, with an energy consumption of 3.16 GJ/tCO2. By analyzing the influence of absorption pressure, temperature, and packing height on the circulation flow, the influence of absorption and desorption pressure on the energy consumption of the system was determined. It can be concluded that the optimal parameters are as follows: packing height of absorption column, 10 m; absorption temperature, 308.15 K; desorption pressure, 0.12 MPa; and CO2 loading, 0.2 mol/mol of lean solvent, with an absorption pressure of 0.3‐0.6 MPa.
Design and numerical analysis of a large‐diameter air reverse circulation drill bit for reverse circulation down‐the‐hole air hammer drilling
Authors: Zhang Xinxin , Luo Yongjiang , Gan Xin , Yin Kun
Published: March 2019

Reverse circulation down‐the‐hole (RC‐DTH) air hammer drilling is a fast and cost‐effective method for hard rock drilling. As the air RC drill bit is the heart for RC‐DTH air hammer drilling system to form the reverse circulation, a large‐diameter RC drill bit was innovatively designed and numerically optimized with respect to the suction ability. Results show that increasing the suction‐nozzle elevation angle and deflection angle can improve the drill bit suction ability. The drill bit performance reaches its optimal state when the air flow rate was about 1.205 kg/s, thereafter it exhibits a reverse variation trend with the increase in air mass flow rate. The optimum diameter of the suction nozzles is 20 mm for the drill bit studied in this work. The RC drill bit with outer diameter of 665 mm and RC‐DTH air hammer with outer diameter of 400 mm were manufactured and a field trial was conducted. Field test results show that the penetration rate using the RC‐DTH air hammer drilling method is more than twice the conventional rotary drilling method. This drilling approach poses a great potential for the large‐diameter hard rock drilling applied in the upper portions of a well bore above the potential producing reservoir formation for land oil and gas drilling, geothermal drilling and relevant field drilling operations.
The Unexpected Absence of Nickel Effects on a Daphnia Population at 3 Temperatures is Correctly Predicted by a Dynamic Energy Budget Individual-Based Model
Authors: Pereira Cecília M.S. , Vlaeminck Karel , Viaene Karel , De Schamphelaere Karel A.C.
Published: March 2019

Recent studies have shown that temperature affects chronic nickel (Ni) toxicity to Daphnia magna at the individual (apical) level. However, the effect of temperature on Ni toxicity to D. magna at the population level is unknown. The present study investigated whether the effect of temperature on chronic Ni toxicity to D. magna assessed on apical endpoints can be extrapolated to the population level. The results of the population experiment showed no consistent Ni effects on total D. magna population abundance at 15, 20, and 25 °C, although the Ni concentrations tested were previously reported to significantly reduce reproduction in D. magna individuals. This result supports the idea that ecological risk assessment should not extrapolate as such from apical endpoints to the population level. A dynamic energy budget individual-based model (DEB-IBM) was calibrated using apical Ni toxicity data at 15, 20, and 25 °C. The goal was to investigate whether the calibrated DEB-IBM would be able to predict the unexpected absence of effects at the population level and to further investigate the effect of temperature on Ni toxicity to a D. magna population. At the population level, the calibrated DEB-IBM correctly predicted the unexpected absence of an effect of Ni on a D. magna population. Detailed analysis of simulation output suggests that the predicted lower Ni sensitivity at the population level occurs because Ni-induced mortality is compensated by reduced starvation (less intraspecific competition). Extrapolated median effective concentration (EC50) values for population density predicted that the effect of temperature on Ni toxicity to D. magna populations was smaller (1.9-fold higher at 25 °C than at 15 °C) than on Ni toxicity to D. magna apical reproduction (the EC50 is 6.5-fold higher at 25 °C than at 15 °C). These results show that the DEB-IBM can help to replace population experiments by in silico simulations and to optimize the experimental design of population studies. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:1423–1433. © 2019 SETAC
Do stock markets have predictive content for exchange rate movements?
Authors: Chen Shiu‐Sheng , Hsu Cheng‐Che
Published: March 2019

This paper examines short‐horizon exchange rate predictability and investigates whether stock returns contain information for forecasting daily exchange rate movements. Inspired by the uncovered equity parity condition, we show that stock return differentials have in‐sample and out‐of‐sample predictive power for nominal exchange rates with short horizons (1‐day‐ahead predictions). That is, stock markets inform us about exchange rate movements, at least in the case of high‐frequency data.
Spatiotemporal analysis of prehistoric settlement clustering based on terrain constraints in the Linfen area of China
Authors: Liu Fang , Yu Lijun , Nie Yueping , Zhu Jianfeng
Published: March 2019

Ancient people's choices of where to live were strongly influenced by geography, especially by terrain. However, most settlement clustering algorithms, which use the Euclidean distance, do not consider terrain. Here, we present an improved clustering algorithm for the cluster analysis of ancient ruins that takes terrain‐related factors, such as slope and elevation, into account and uses the resistance distance (also known as the cost‐weighted distance) instead of the Euclidean distance. Furthermore, we select the prehistoric settlements (during 7‐3 ka BP within four cultural stages) in the Linfen area in the Fen River Basin as research objects to analyze the settlement distribution and spatiotemporal evolution of the four cultural staging sites with reference to the climate. We conclude that the proposed site clustering method based on terrain constraints can simulate ancient people's travel routes and improve the clustering results. The spatiotemporal analysis of prehistoric settlements in the Linfen area reveals that most of the settlements are distributed in the alluvial region of the river. Over time, the dependence on the rivers gradually decreased. The clustering and spatiotemporal analysis results show that the proposed method is feasible and applicable to ancient settlements.
Geochemistry, petrogenesis, and geodynamic implications of NE–SW to ENE–WSW trending Palaeoproterozoic mafic dyke swarms from southern region of the western Dharwar Craton
Authors: Rai Apratim K. , Srivastava Rajesh K. , Samal Amiya K. , Sesha Sai Valiveti Venkata
Published: March 2019

A number of NE–SW to ENE–WSW trending Palaeoproterozoic mafic dykes, intruded within the Archean basement rocks and more conspicuous in the southern parts of the western Dharwar Craton (WDC), was studied for their whole‐rock geochemistry to understand their petrogenetic and geodynamic aspects. Observed mineralogical and textural characteristics classify them either as meta‐dolerites or dolerites/olivine‐dolerites. They show basaltic to basaltic–andesitic compositions and bear sub‐alkaline tholeiitic nature. Three geochemically distinct groups of mafic dykes have been identified. Group 1 samples show flat REE patterns (LaN/LuN = ~1), whereas the other two groups have LaN/LuN = ~2–3 (Group 2; enriched LREE and flat HREE patterns) and LaN/LuN = ~4 (Group 3; inclined REE patterns). Chemistry is not straightforward to support any significant role of crustal contamination and probably reflect their source characteristics. However, their derivation from melts originated from a previously modified metasomatized lithospheric mantle due to some ancient subduction event cannot be ignored. Most likely different mantle melts were responsible for derivation of these distinct sets of mafic dykes. The Group 2 dykes are derived from a melt generated within spinel stability field by ~10% batch melting of a lithospheric mantle source, whereas the Group 3 dykes have their derivation from a melt originated within the spinel–garnet transition zone and were fed from slightly higher (~12–15%) batch melting of a similar source. The Group 1 samples were also crystallized from a melt generated at the transition zone of spinel–garnet stability field by higher degrees (~20%) of melting of a primitive mantle source. Geochemistry of the studied samples is typical of Palaeoproterozoic mafic dykes emplaced within the intracratonic setting, reported elsewhere globally as well as neighbouring cratons. Geochemistry of the studied mafic dyke samples is also compared with the mafic dykes of the eastern Dharwar Craton (EDC). Except the Group 3 samples, which have good correlation with the 1.88–1.89 Ga Hampi swarm, no other group shows similarity with the EDC mafic dykes. There is an ample possibility to have some different mafic magmatic events in the WDC, which could be different from the EDC. However, it can only be confirmed after precise age determinations.
The role of procedural justice for global strategy and subsidiary initiatives
Authors: Asmussen Christian Geisler , Foss Nicolai J. , Nell Phillip C.
Published: March 2019

Research Summary

The global strategy literature highlights the role of headquarters (HQ) in realizing global integration benefits while enabling independent subsidiary strategic initiatives. We construct a game‐theoretic model of the interaction between HQ and subsidiaries, and, building on procedural justice theory, we analyze the motivational costs that can result from the anticipation or realization of HQ intervention in subsidiary initiatives. We also analyze the implications for MNC‐level value creation when HQ managers, fearing subsidiary managers’ emotion‐based reactions, refrain from intervening. We derive a number of counter‐intuitive results, for example, that good HQ behavior may involve forgoing opportunities for value creation, and that procedural justice systems may sometimes be counterproductive.

Managerial Summary

Headquarters (HQ) in multinational corporations are required to balance global integration and local autonomy within the organization. This balancing act sometimes requires HQ to intervene in subsidiary matters and to overrule the subunits’ decisions. While an intervention might create integration advantages, it may also have a negative impact on the motivation of subsidiary managers, who might feel that their effort and their decisions are overruled. We focus on such motivational issues and investigate how fair decision‐making processes applied by the HQ influence subsidiaries’ entrepreneurial behavior and their reactions to the overruling. Our findings show that, under specific conditions, HQ need to forgo value‐creating interventions, and that a strong focus on a procedural justice culture within the firm can be detrimental.
The spatial chronnectome reveals a dynamic interplay between functional segregation and integration
Authors: Iraji Armin , Deramus Thomas P. , Lewis Noah , Yaesoubi Maziar , Stephen Julia M. , Erhardt Erik , Belger Aysneil , Ford Judith M. , McEwen Sarah , Mathalon Daniel H. , Mueller Bryon A. , Pearlson Godfrey D. , Potkin Steven G. , Preda Adrian , Turner Jessica A. , Vaidya Jatin G. , van Erp Theo G. M. , Calhoun Vince D.
Published: March 2019

The brain is highly dynamic, reorganizing its activity at different interacting spatial and temporal scales, including variation within and between brain networks. The chronnectome is a model of the brain in which nodal activity and connectivity patterns change in fundamental and recurring ways over time. Most literature assumes fixed spatial nodes/networks, ignoring the possibility that spatial nodes/networks may vary in time. Here, we introduce an approach to calculate a spatially fluid chronnectome (called the spatial chronnectome for clarity), which focuses on the variations of networks coupling at the voxel level, and identify a novel set of spatially dynamic features. Results reveal transient spatially fluid interactions between intra‐ and internetwork relationships in which brain networks transiently merge and separate, emphasizing dynamic segregation and integration. Brain networks also exhibit distinct spatial patterns with unique temporal characteristics, potentially explaining a broad spectrum of inconsistencies in previous studies that assumed static networks. Moreover, we show anticorrelative connections to brain networks are transient as opposed to constant across the entire scan. Preliminary assessments using a multi‐site dataset reveal the ability of the approach to obtain new information and nuanced alterations that remain undetected during static analysis. Patients with schizophrenia (SZ) display transient decreases in voxel‐wise network coupling within visual and auditory networks, and higher intradomain coupling variability. In summary, the spatial chronnectome represents a new direction of research enabling the study of functional networks which are transient at the voxel level, and the identification of mechanisms for within‐ and between‐subject spatial variability.
What is the marginal benefit of payment‐induced family care? Impact on Medicaid spending and health of care recipients
Authors: Coe Norma B. , Guo Jing , Konetzka R. Tamara , Van Houtven Courtney Harold
Published: March 2019

Research on home‐based long‐term care has centered almost solely on the costs; there has been very little, if any, attention paid to the relative benefits. This study exploits the randomization built into the Cash and Counseling Demonstration and Evaluation program that directly impacted the likelihood of having family involved in home care delivery. Randomization in the trial is used as an instrumental variable for family involvement in care, resulting in a causal estimate of the effect of changing the combination of home health‐care providers on health‐care utilization and health outcomes of the beneficiary. We find that some family involvement in home‐based care significantly decreases health‐care utilization: lower likelihood of emergency room use, Medicaid‐financed inpatient days, any Medicaid hospital expenditures, and fewer months with Medicaid‐paid inpatient use. We find that individuals who have some family involved in home‐based care are less likely to have several adverse health outcomes within the first 9 months of the trial, including lower prevalence of infections, bedsores, or shortness of breath, suggesting that the lower utilization may be due to better health outcomes.
Unsteady squeezing flow of water‐based nanofluid between two parallel disks with slip effects: Analytical approach
Authors: Bhatta Debi Prasad , Mishra Satya Ranjan , Dash Jayanta Kumar
Published: March 2019

The squeezing flow of an unsteady water‐based nanofluid between two parallel disks has been analyzed in the current study. Thermal and solutal buoyancy along with heat source enhance the flow phenomena of free convective flow through a porous medium. In addition to that velocity slip and temperature slip are also accounted for in the boundary conditions. The similarity transformation is adopted to formulate the governing equations that convert the complex partial differential equations (PDEs) to nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs). These transformed equations are handled analytically by using the variation parameter method (VPM). For computational purposes, the fixed numeric values of physical parameters are used and their behaviors are shown by means of graphs. The calculated results for the physical quantities of interest are shown in tables. The conformity of the solution is obtained in comparison to an earlier study in a particular case. The major findings are (i) the velocity profile has distinct variations, which are separated by the middle layer of the channel and (ii) enhancement in the heat transfer coefficient is noted due to the interaction of buoyancy parameter.
Thermal pyrolysis production of liquid fuel from a mixture of polyethylene terephthalate and polystyrene
Authors: Ayodeji Simon O. , Oni Taiwo O.
Published: March 2019

This study covers production of liquid fuel from waste plastics by cracking the waste plastics by means of thermal pyrolysis. The waste plastics used were a mixture of polyethylene terephthalate and polystyrene. Physiochemical properties of the liquid fuel were determined experimentally and then compared with those of petrol. The pour point of liquid fuel and petrol was 1.02°C and −26°C, respectively; the higher heating value of liquid fuel and petrol was 39.5 and 44.18 MJ/kg, respectively; the lower heating value of liquid fuel and petrol was 38.2 and 41.50 MJ/kg, respectively; the fire point of liquid fuel and petrol was 90.20°C and 24°C, respectively; the octane number of liquid fuel and petrol was 46.0 and 93.1, respectively; the kinematic viscosity of liquid fuel and petrol was 2.76 and 0.487 mm
2/s, respectively; the boiling point of liquid fuel and petrol was 182.40°C and 210.4°C, respectively; the autoignition temperature of liquid fuel and petrol was 230°C and 235°C, respectively. The physiochemical properties of liquid fuel and petrol are not significantly different and, therefore, the liquid fuel could be used as an alternative fuel to petrol.
Time‐varying, nonlinear suspended sediment rating curves to characterize trends in water quality: An application to the Upper Hudson and Mohawk Rivers, New York
Authors: Ahn Kuk‐Hyun , Steinschneider Scott
Published: March 2019

This work proposes two modelling frameworks for diagnosing temporal variations in nonlinear rating curves that describe suspended sediment–discharge relationships. A variant of the weighted regression on time, discharge, and season model is proposed and is compared against dynamic nonlinear modelling, a newly developed nonlinear time series filter based on sequential Monte Carlo sampling. Both approaches estimate a time series of rating curve parameters, with uncertainty, that can be used to diagnose variability in the sediment–discharge relationship over time. We evaluate the models with a variety of synthetic scenarios to highlight their ability to estimate signals of known rating curve change. Results reveal important bias‐variance trade‐offs unique to each approach, and in general, suggest that dynamic nonlinear modelling is better suited for rapid rating curve changes, whereas the weighted regression on time, discharge, and season variant more precisely estimates slow change. The techniques are then applied in two case studies in the Upper Hudson and Mohawk Rivers in New York. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of dynamic rating curves for the management of water quality in riverine and estuary systems.
Targeted therapy of the AKT kinase inhibits esophageal squamous cell carcinoma growth in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Liu Xuejiao , Song Mengqiu , Wang Penglei , Zhao Ran , Chen Hanyong , Zhang Man , Shi Yuanyuan , Liu Kangdong , Liu Fangfang , Yang Ran , Li Enmin , Bode Ann M. , Dong Zigang , Lee Mee‐Hyun
Published: March 2019

Esophageal cancer, a leading cause of cancer death worldwide, is associated with abnormal activation of the AKT signaling pathway. Xanthohumol, a prenylated flavonoid tested in clinical trials, is reported to exert anti‐diabetes, anti‐inflammation and anticancer activities. However, the mechanisms underlying its chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic effects remain elusive. In the present study, we found that xanthohumol directly targeted AKT1/2 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Xanthohumol significantly inhibited the AKT kinase activity in an ATP competitive manner, which was confirmed in binding and computational docking models. KYSE70, 450 and 510 ESCC cell lines highly express AKT and knockdown of AKT1/2 suppressed proliferation of these cells. Treatment with xanthohumol inhibited ESCC cell growth and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase. Xanthohumol also decreased expression of cyclin D1 and increased the levels of cleaved caspase‐3, ‐7 and ‐PARP as well as Bax, Bims and cytochrome c in ESCC cells by downregulating AKT signaling targets, including glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β), mammalian target of rapamycin, and ribosomal protein S6 (S6K). Furthermore, xanthohumol decreased tumor volume and weight in patient‐derived xenografts (PDXs) that highly expressed AKT, but had no effect on PDXs that exhibited low expression of AKT in vivo. Kinase array results showed that xanthohumol treatment decreased phosphorylated p27 expression in both ESCC cell lines and PDX models. Taken together, our data suggest that the inhibition of ESCC tumor growth with xanthohumol is caused by targeting AKT. These results provide good evidence for translation toward clinical trials with xanthohumol.
Sarcasm as Pedagogy of Love: Exploring Ironic Speech Acts in an Urban High School English Classroom
Authors: Larson Joanne , Morris Timothy , Shaw Kristen
Published: March 2019

The authors explore how the use of sarcasm in an urban high school English classroom fostered critical language awareness and positive relationships among diverse classroom participants. The guiding research question was, What were the social‐pedagogical functions of sarcasm in this classroom? Drawing on interactional sociolinguistics and pragmatics, the authors found that sarcasm was used to construct a sense of belonging, which supported building trusting relationships and complex language learning.
A comparison of stimulus set size on tact training for children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Kodak Tiffany , Halbur Mary , Bergmann Samantha , Costello Dayna R. , Benitez Brittany , Olsen Miranda , Gorgan Ella , Cliett Terra
Published: March 2019

Previous studies on skill acquisition have taught targets in stimulus sets composed of different numbers of stimuli. Although the rationale for selection of a stimulus set size is not clear, the number of target stimuli trained within a set is a treatment decision for which there is limited empirical support. The current investigation compared the efficiency of tact training in 4 stimulus set sizes, each of which included 12 stimuli grouped into (a) 4 sets of 3 stimuli, (b) 3 sets of 4 stimuli, (c) 2 sets of 6 stimuli, and (d) 1 set of 12 stimuli. Results of all 4 participants with autism spectrum disorder show tact training with larger (i.e., 6 and 12) stimulus set sizes was more efficient than training with smaller (i.e., 3 and 4) stimulus set sizes.
A pharmacy resident‐driven pneumococcal vaccination protocol increases vaccination rates in hospitalized patients over 65 years
Authors: Wells Corey , Monte Scott V. , Prescott William A. , Danek Melissa , Gargala Emma , Woodruff Ashley E.
Published: March 2019

Introduction

Pneumococcal disease remains a leading cause of serious illness in adults aged 65 years and older. Despite this, pneumococcal vaccination rates remain suboptimal in this population.

Objectives

To implement a pharmacy resident‐driven pneumococcal vaccination protocol and to assess vaccination rates and the return on investment (ROI) for patients age 65 years and older admitted to an internal medicine service at an academic medical center.

Methods

A retrospective, single center review of a newly implemented pharmacy resident‐driven pneumococcal vaccination protocol targeting patients age 65 years and older admitted to an internal medicine service was conducted. The primary outcome was the percentage of eligible patients, as defined by the Center for Disease Control vaccination guidelines, who received a pneumococcal vaccine prior to discharge over a 60‐day period. The secondary outcome was ROI from the hospital perspective, which was calculated as follows: net profit (defined as total revenue—total cost) divided by total cost and then multiplied by 100. Pneumococcal vaccination rates and ROI data were presented descriptively.

Results

A total of 84 patients were included in the pharmacy resident‐driven protocol, 37 (42%) of whom were up‐to‐date on their pneumococcal vaccinations. Among the remaining 51 vaccine‐eligible patients, 33 (64.7%) were vaccinated prior to hospital discharge: 19/33 (57.6%) received the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) vaccine and 14/33 (42.4%) received the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) vaccine. The total revenue and cost generated by the protocol over the 60‐day period was $8276.10 and $6406.88, respectively. The ROI for the protocol was calculated to be 29.2%.

Conclusion

The implementation of a pharmacy resident‐driven pneumococcal vaccination protocol increased pneumococcal vaccination rates while also serving as a revenue source. Health care systems may consider implementing a similar protocol to increase vaccination rates and provide novel revenue generating models for their institution.
Estimating the U.S. output gap with state‐level data
Authors: González‐Astudillo Manuel
Published: March 2019

This paper develops a method to estimate the U.S. output gap by exploiting the cross‐sectional variation of state‐level output and unemployment rate data. The model assumes that there are common output and unemployment rate trend and cycle components, and that each state's output and unemployment rate are subject to idiosyncratic trend and cycle perturbations. I estimate the model with Bayesian methods using quarterly data from 2005:Q1 to 2018:Q2 for the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Results show that the U.S. output gap reached about negative 4.6% around the years of the Great Recession and was about 0.9% in 2018:Q2.
Cr(VI)‐induced genotoxicity and cell cycle arrest in human osteoblast cell line MG‐63
Authors: Monteiro Cristina , Santos Conceição , Bastos Verónica , Oliveira Helena
Published: March 2019

Occupational environments are major exposure routes to Cr(VI). However, Cr(VI) may also establish in bone tissues by ingestion or through Cr containing orthopaedic prostheses that, due to wear and corrosion, may release metal particles and ions potentially affecting bone tissue. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of clinically relevant concentrations of Cr(VI) in human osteoblasts, by integrating genotoxic effects, evaluated by the comet assay and cytokinesis‐blocked micronucleus assay (scoring the presence of micronucleus, nucleoplasmic bridges and nuclear division index), with the effects on cell cycle and cell viability. Human osteoblasts MG‐63 were in vitro exposed to Cr(VI) at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 5 μm, for 24 and 48 hours. Results pointed out to a decrease of cell viability for both time exposures in a time‐ and dose‐dependent manner, which was related to cell cycle arrest and DNA damage. Chromosome abnormalities were also observed. Hence, these data suggest that cells arrested in the cell division with DNA damage may have followed cell death pathways, while some surviving ones still revealed DNA damage at chromosome level indicating abnormal cell division progression. In conclusion, Cr(VI) induced cytotoxic and genotoxic effects in human bone cells at concentrations that could be found in patients with metal‐on‐metal prostheses. In addition, the early onset of genotoxic damage induced by Cr(VI) at low concentrations after 24 hours of cell exposure alert to the relevance of periodic monitoring of patients for genotoxicity diagnosis after implantation of prostheses before clinical symptoms appear.
Estrogen receptor genes polymorphisms determine serum lipid profile in healthy postmenopausal women treated with calcium, vitamin D, and genistein
Authors: Usategui‐Martín Ricardo , Pérez‐Alonso María , Socorro‐Briongos Laisa , Ruiz‐Mambrilla Marta , De Luis Daniel , Linares Lidia , Calero‐Paniagua Ismael , Dueñas‐Laita Antonio , Pérez‐Castrillón José L.
Published: March 2019

Cardiovascular risk increases in women after menopause. Unfavorable lipid‐lipoprotein changes due to a lack of estrogens may have an important role in this context. Estrogen actions are mainly mediated by their binding to two estrogen receptors (ERs) whose signaling may be conditioned by different factors. Calcium, vitamin D, and genistein, among others, cause a beneficial effect on serum lipid profile by its modulation. Some genetic factors can also determine this signal. We determined the possible additive effect of genistein on calcium and vitamin D supplementation regarding serum lipid profile changes and whether ER polymorphisms may mediate in this effect.

We performed a prospective, double blind study in which women were randomized in two groups: one group received calcium and vitamin D and the other group received calcium, vitamin D and genistein. Subsequently, we studied rs9340799, rs928554, and rs4986938 ER polymorphisms in both groups.

Our results showed that being a carrier of the variant allele G of rs928554 polymorphism was associated with a greater decrease in triglyceride levels and that the homozygous AA genotype of rs9340799 polymorphism was associated with a greater decrease in total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride levels after calcium, vitamin D, and genistein supplementation.

This is the first report showing an association between polymorphisms in ER genes and an improvement of the serum lipid profile after taking calcium, vitamin D, and genistein supplementation in postmenopausal women. It reinforces the hypothesis that genetic factors are crucial in ER signalling.
miRNA‐145‐5p induces apoptosis after ischemia‐reperfusion by targeting dual specificity phosphatase 6
Authors: Wu Gang , Tan Jiaying , Li Junping , Sun Xiaoli , Du Lei , Tao Sun
Published: March 2019

Disorders mainly caused by ischemia‐reperfusion (I/R), including stroke and myocardial infarction, is linked to debilitating health conditions and death. Recent research indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) mediate the process of ischemic pathology. This study investigated the effects of miR‐145‐5p in regulating myocardial ischemic injury. The I/R models were established in rat cardiomyocytes H9C2 and rats. Western blot analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to analyze protein expression. Annexin V‐FITC/PI staining was conducted to evaluate cell apoptosis. The application of miR‐145‐5p mimics and inhibitor revealed that miR‐145‐5p promoted apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, we found that miR‐145‐5p directly inhibited dual specificity phosphatase 6 (DUSP6) by luciferase reporter assay. The results indicated that DUSP6 was beneficial against I/R injury through inhibiting c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase pathways. In conclusion, the essential roles of miR‐145‐5p and DUSP6 in I/R provide a novel therapeutic target to develop future intervention strategies.
MicroRNA signature of air pollution exposure‐induced congenital defects
Authors: Li Zheng , Ma Jianqing , Bi Jiaqi , Guo Haiwei , Chan Matthew T. V. , Wu William K. K. , Wu Zhanyong , Shen Jianxiong
Published: March 2019

Air pollution exposure has been increasing extensively and there are evidence suggesting that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy can lead to congenital defects in the offspring. Recent findings suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) might play important roles in the pathogenesis of developmental defects. However, the miRNAs profile pattern in the air pollution‐exposed embryos remains unknown. RNA sequencing was performed to determine the differentially expressed miRNAs in the rat embryos (gestation day 9) with or without air pollution exposure. The potential functions and the associated mechanisms of these differentially expressed miRNAs were determined using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway and Gene Ontology (GO) analyses. The regulatory networks of mRNA–miRNA interactions were also reconstructed. As compared with the control group, a total of 291 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the rat embryos from the air pollution‐exposed group, in which 204 and 87 miRNAs were significantly downregulated and upregulated, respectively. These miRNAs were predicted to deregulate mitotic spindle organization, cellular respiration, glycolate metabolism, and proteasome. Extensive regulation of target genes by miR‐346, miR‐504, miR‐214‐3p and miR‐1224 was also predicted. Our results suggested that miRNAs may play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of air pollution‐induced congenital spinal defects through deregulating multiple biological processes.