bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Permeability in Modeling of Reservoir Triggered Seismicity in Koyna Region, Western India
Authors: Hazarika Pinki , Yadav Amrita , Roy Sukanta
Published: December 2017

The Koyna region located in the west coast of India is a classic example of reservoir triggered seismicity (RTS) that started soon after the impoundment of the Koyna reservoir in 1962. Previous studies have shown that RTS can be explained in terms of stress and pore pressure changes due to poroelastic response of the rock matrix. The permeability of rock matrix is a key parameter for pore pressure diffusion which is mainly responsible for generation of stress perturbation related to seismicity. Based on the poroelastic theory, we employ 2-D finite element models to simulate the evolution of pore pressure up to 5 years after the reservoir impoundment in 1962, using a range in permeability, 10−16-10−14 m2. Constraints on material properties of Deccan basalt and granitic rocks were taken from available studies. The results show the formation of pore pressure front and its propagation with depth and time since the reservoir impoundment as a function of permeability. While a permeability of 10−16 m2 does not produce any significant change in pore pressure, a ten-fold increase in permeability produces significant changes up to a depth of 2 km only beneath the reservoir after 5 years of impoundment. Permeability values between 10−15 m2 and 10−14 m2 are required to induce critical pore pressure changes in the range 0.1-1 MPa up to depth of 10 km, capable of triggering earthquakes in a critically stressed region. Studies on core samples of granitic basement rock down to a depth of 1522 m in the Koyna region provide evidences of fracture zones that may contribute to water channelization. Direct measurements of material properties through the ongoing deep drilling programme would help to develop more realistic models of RTS.
Evidence for Neoarchean Basement for the Deccan Volcanic Flows around Koyna-Warna Region, Western India: Zircon U-Pb Age and Hf-isotopic Results
Authors: Rao Y. J. Bhaskar , Sreenivas B. , Kumar T. Vijaya , Khadke Namrata , Krishna A. Kesava , Babu E. V. S. S. K.
Published: December 2017

Deep boreholes around the Koyna-Warna seismic zone in the southwestern part of the Deccan Volcanic Province (DVP) enable a rare access to the basement beneath the thick (typically 1-2 km) lava pile, the nature of which has been enigmatic for long. Utilizing the drill core from borehole KBH-1 near Rasati village, we present here in situ Laser Ablation – Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) and LA-MC (multi collector)-ICPMS zircon U-Pb age and Hf-isotopic composition for two samples along with a brief description of the petrology and geochemistry of the representative lithounits of the basement section. The KBH-1 basement section comprises predominantly grey migmatite gneisses of granodiorite, tonalite and quartz monzodiorite composition apart from minor pink monzogranite. The grey gneisses show geochemical affinity to Neoarchean Tonalite-Trondhjemite-Granodiorite (TTG) suites and modern calc-alkalic granitoids. Zircons from a granodiorite and a monzogranite samples yield consistent U-Pb ages of 2710± 63 Ma and 2700±49 Ma (2σ errors). The initial 176Hf/177Hf values lie in a narrow range (0.281162 to 0.281283) corresponding to εHf(T) values of +3.7 to +8.0 indicating that the magmatic precursors of the KBH-1 gneisses represent juvenile magmatism around 2700 Ma. In terms of the composition and age, a correlation between the gneisses in the KBH-1 borehole and the Neoarchean basement gneisses of the Eastern Dharwar Craton (EDC) is emphasized arguing for the extension of the EDC to the Koyna-Warna region.
Granite-gneiss Basement below Deccan Traps in the Koyna Region, Western India: Outcome from Scientific Drilling
Authors: Misra Surajit , Bartakke Vikrant , Athavale Gaurav , Akkiraju Vyasulu V. , Goswami Deepjyoti , Roy Sukanta
Published: December 2017

The Koyna region, located in the Deccan Flood Basalt Province of western peninsular India has been experiencing reservoir triggered seismicity since the impoundment of the Shivajisagar water reservoir in 1962. Scientific drilling carried out to 1522 m depth in the vicinity of the seismogenic zone exposed the granitic basement that lay below the Deccan Traps and provided a unique opportunity to study the rock types, petrological characteristics and microstructures. Cores obtained from drilling at four sites considered to be representative of the Koyna region, were studied. The boreholes include KBH-1 (Rasati) in the northern part, KBH-5 (Phansavle) in the western part, KBH-6 (Ukhalu) and KBH-7 (Panchgani) in the eastern part of the region. Each borehole penetrates the entire pile of Deccan basalt and pass through a few hundred metres of the granitic basement. The salient results are as follows: (i) The basement granitoids are dominantly composed of granite-gneiss, granite and migmatitic gneiss, typical of cratonic gneiss exposed in peninsular India. (ii) Petrology and microstructure study confirm the occurrence of strained quartz and unstrained plagioclase feldspars in the basement granitoids. (iii) Localized fault zones within the basement section, with prominent evidences of fault breccia, fault gouge, slicken lines with slickensides and pseudotachylite veins are observed in the individual boreholes. (iv) Anastomosing fracture network within these fault zones are good pathways for water channelization, which is supported by the higher abundances of ferruginous and siliceous secondary precipitations following the fractures.
A 1251m-thick Deccan Flood Basalt Pile Recovered by Scientific Drilling in the Koyna Region, Western India
Authors: Mishra Satrughna , Misra Surajit , Vyas Digant , Nikalje Dinesh , Warhade Ashish , Roy Sukanta
Published: December 2017

A 1251 m thick succession of Deccan lava flows has been recovered by scientific drilling in the Koyna region, western part of the Deccan Volcanic Province (DVP). Forty-six lava flows, starting with the first flow overlying the granitic basement in the region, have been identified through mesoscopic studies of cores obtained from a 1500 m deep borehole KBH7 in Panchgani village of Patan sub-division. Mesoscopic observations supported by petrographic studies bring out the characteristics of the basaltic pile. The salient findings are as follows. The thickness of Deccan trap in the Panchgani area is 1251.20 m, comprising a succession of 40 simple lava flows and 6 compound lava flows. The contact with the underlying granitic basement occurs over a short span of 90 cm. Infra-trappean sediments are absent. Overall, ∼74% of the basaltic pile is constituted of massive basalt and ∼24% vesicular/amygdaloidal basalt. Red bole horizons are observed in 7 flows. Nine giant plagioclase basalt (GPB) flows are identified in the single vertical section. The long basalt core may serve as a model Deccan trap section for correlation with the flows exposed at the surface in the Koyna and surrounding region and support detailed investigations to constrain the duration of Deccan volcanism.
Recent Seismicity Patterns and Microearthquake Activity on an Active Intraplate Fault System at Koyna-Warna, Western India
Authors: Shashidhar D. , Mallika K. , Mahato C.R. , Maity B. S. , Satyanarayana H. V. S.
Published: December 2017

Recent seismic activity of the Koyna region, western India is reported in this article. The Koyna region is considered to be one of the premier sites of reservoir triggered seismicity worldwide and it has been quite active since the initial impoundment of Shivaji Sagar Lake, north of Koyna Dam, during 1962 and nearby Warna Reservoir in 1985. Recently, a borehole seismic network consisting of 6 seismometers is deployed below the Deccan Traps to monitor the earthquakes in the study region, which recorded a large number of microearthquakes. A dense network of 23 surface broadband seismometers was also operative during the study period. A total of 2478 earthquakes of ML -0.8 to 3.7 recorded by the borehole seismic network, occurred during January 2016 to May 2017. Seismicity patterns in the recent time, which includes a few new zones of intense seismicity clusters in the vicinity of the borehole locations, are identified. Reservoir water levels are found to be strongly associated with the seismicity patterns. The seismicity is mostly concentrated in the vicinity of the Donachiwada fault and Warna during January – May, whereas it spreads during June – December. ‘b’ values have been estimated and found to be varying from 0.74 to 0.93. Seismicity continues to be present in the identified block where the pilot borehole has been drilled.
Reservoir Loading Parameters at Koyna and their Correspondence with Reservoir Triggered Seismicity
Authors: Anuradha M. Uma , Mallika K.
Published: December 2017

Several water reservoir loading parameters such as the rate of loading, highest water levels reached, duration of retention of high water levels and whether the previous water maxima has been exceeded or not, influence reservoir triggered seismicity (RTS) in the vicinity of Koyna and Warna reservoirs. Here we present an update in the change of these parameters and their relation with RTS in the Koyna-Warna region.
Data Integration in the Service of Synthetic Research
Authors: Kintigh Keith W. , Spielmann Katherine A. , Brin Adam , Candan K. Selçuk , Clark Tiffany C. , Peeples Matthew
Published: December 2017

Addressing archaeology's most compelling substantive challenges requires synthetic research that exploits the large and rapidly expanding corpus of systematically collected archaeological data. That, in turn, requires a means of combining datasets that employ different systematics in their recording while at the same time preserving the semantics of the data. To that end, we have developed a general procedure that we call query-driven, on-the-fly data integration that is deployed within the Digital Archaeological Record digital repository. The integration procedure employs ontologies that are mapped to the original datasets. Integration of the ontology-based dataset representations is done at the time the query is executed, based on the specific content of the query. In this way, the original data are preserved, and data are aggregated only to the extent necessary to obtain semantic comparability. Our presentation draws examples from the largest application to date: an effort by a research community of Southwest US faunal analysts. Using 24 ontologies developed to cover a broad range of observed faunal variables, we integrate faunal data from 33 sites across the late prehistoric northern Southwest, including about 300,000 individually recorded faunal specimens.
Multiple states in turbulent plane Couette flow with spanwise rotation
Authors: Xia Zhenhua , Shi Yipeng , Cai Qingdong , Wan Minping , Chen Shiyi
Published: December 2017

Turbulence is ubiquitous in nature and engineering applications. Although Kolmogorov’s (C. R. Acad. Sci. URSS, vol. 30, 1941a, pp. 301–305;Dokl. Akad. Nauk URSS, vol. 30, 1941b, pp. 538–540) theory suggested a unique turbulent state for high Reynolds numbers, multiple states were reported for several flow problems, such as Rayleigh–Bénard convection and Taylor–Couette flows. In this paper, we report that multiple states also exist for turbulent plane Couette flow with spanwise rotation through direct numerical simulations at rotation number$Ro=0.2$and Reynolds number$Re_{w}=1300$based on the angular velocity in the spanwise direction and half of the wall velocity difference. With two different initial flow fields, our results show that the flow statistics, including the mean streamwise velocity and Reynolds stresses, show different profiles. These different flow statistics are closely related to the flow structures in the domain, where one state corresponds to two pairs of roll cells, and the other shows three pairs. The present result enriches the studies on multiple states in turbulence.
Justice Climates and Management Team Effectiveness: The Central Role of Group Harmony
Authors: Ünal Ali F. , Chen Chao C. , Xin Katherine R.
Published: December 2017

Although social harmony is one of the most important cultural values in many of Asian societies it has rarely been studied in the mainstream management literatures. Based on the group-value theory of justice we examined how group justice climates influence group effectiveness through group harmony. Analyses of data on 106 upper-level management teams from Chinese organizations showed that justice climates were positively associated with group harmony, which in turn was positively associated with team task performance and team helping behavior. Group harmony was found to significantly mediate the positive effect of both distributive and interactional justice climates on team helping behavior but only marginally on team task performance. Finally, in support of past research both at the group and individual level, procedural justice climate had the weakest effect on group processes and outcomes. By applying the group value theory on group harmony this paper aims to integrate Eastern and Western perspectives on one hand and the justice climates and group harmony research on the other. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Radiocarbon Dating of Underwater Archaeological Objects from the Nevado de Toluca, Mexico
Authors: Martínez-Carrillo M A , Solís C , Bautista I Hernández , Sánchez R Junco , Rodríguez-Ceja M , Ortiz M E , Chávez-Lomelí E
Published: December 2017

The Nevado de Toluca is a stratovolcano located in the southwest of the Toluca Valley in central Mexico. At a height of around 4200 m there are two crater lakes: El Sol and La Luna. Since Precolumbian times, people in the surrounding valleys carried out rituals and deposited offerings into the lakes. After the Spanish conquest, these rituals were kept alive clandestinely. Currently, reminiscent of Mesoamerican rituals subsist. Due to the long duration of the ritual at the Nevado de Toluca, it is important to date the materials recovered in the underwater and terrestrial archaeological explorations. This article proposes a chronology of Prehispanic ritual activities performed in the Nevado de Toluca based on the characterization and radiocarbon (14C) dating performed to materials from the volcano’s lakes.
U/Th and 14C Crossdating of Parietal Calcite Deposits: Application to Nerja Cave (Andalusia, Spain) and Future Perspectives
Authors: Valladas Hélène , Pons-Branchu Edwige , Dumoulin Jean Pascal , Quiles Anita , Sanchidrián José L , Medina-Alcaide Maria Ángeles
Published: December 2017

14C and U/Th methods were used to date three thin carbonate layers deposited on decorated walls of Nerja Cave (Malaga, southern Spain) in order to constrain the age of the parietal non-figurative marks situated under these carbonate layers. Modern formations were also dated to estimate the detritic contribution for the U/Th method and the dead carbon proportion for 14C dating. We sampled two locations with ocher painting marks. In one case (mark 1), the good agreement between the ages obtained by the two methods suggests that the sample was not subjected to post-deposition alteration and that the results are reliable. In the other case (mark 2), the age discrepancy between the two methods reached 30,000 yr, indicating that geochemical alteration had affected the sample and that one or both results were inaccurate. The ages for mark 1 indicate that this type of non-figurative representation is older than 25,000 cal BP and that it can be associated with the oldest attested Paleolithic occupation of Nerja Cave.
14C Dating of an Old Wooden Building: Hikobe House in Gunma Prefecture, Japan
Authors: Nakao Nanae , Sakamoto Minoru , Imamura Mineo , Ozaki Hiromasa , Kobayashi Koichi
Published: December 2017

Hikobe House is an important cultural property located in Gunma prefecture. It is one of the oldest manor houses in the Kanto region of Japan. The age of the Hikobe House has up to now been uncertain. There are no architectural records or memorandum tags that indicate when the Hikobe House was built. The living room of the Hikobe House has a style of the latter half of the 17th century, while the guest rooms exhibit a style more typical of the 16th century. So, architectural historians did not agree when the house was built. The wooden materials of the Hikobe House (zelkova, cherry tree, and Japanese red pine) are species that are not well suited to dendrochronology. Thus we investigated the materials of the Hikobe House using the radiocarbon (14C) dating method. Using both the 14C wiggle-match dating method on short tree-ring sequences and observations of remodeling traces of the materials, we were able to establish a credible age of Hikobe House as dating from the late 17th century.
Mortar Dating Methodology: Assessing Recurrent Issues and Needs for Further Research
Authors: Hayen Roald , Van Strydonck Mark , Fontaine Laurent , Boudin Mathieu , Lindroos Alf , Heinemeier Jan , Ringbom Åsa , Michalska Danuta , Hajdas Irka , Hueglin Sophie , Marzaioli Fabio , Terrasi Filippo , Passariello Isabella , Capano Manuela , Maspero Francesco , Panzeri Laura , Galli Anna , Artioli Gilberto , Addis Anna , Secco Michele , Boaretto Elisabetta , Moreau Christophe , Guibert Pierre , Urbanova Petra , Czernik Justyna , Goslar Tomasz , Caroselli Marta
Published: December 2017

Absolute dating of mortars is crucial when trying to pin down construction phases of archaeological sites and historic stone buildings to a certain point in time or to confirm, but possibly also challenge, existing chronologies. To evaluate various sample preparation methods for radiocarbon (14C) dating of mortars as well as to compare different dating methods, i.e.14C and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), a mortar dating intercomparison study (MODIS) was set up, exploring existing limits and needs for further research. Four mortar samples were selected and distributed among the participating laboratories: one of which was expected not to present any problem related to the sample preparation methodologies for anthropogenic lime extraction, whereas all others addressed specific known sample preparation issues. Data obtained from the various mortar dating approaches are evaluated relative to the historical framework of the mortar samples and any deviation observed is contextualized to the composition and specific mineralogy of the sampled material.
Comparison of Two Bone-Preparation Methods for Radiocarbon Dating: Modified Longin and Ninhydrin
Authors: Dumoulin J-P , Messager C , Valladas H , Beck L , Caffy I , Delqué-Količ E , Moreau C , Lebon M
Published: December 2017

In this paper, first results comparing modified Longin and ninhydrin collagen extraction methodologies are presented. The goal of this study is to investigate the bones of several species with different ages, preservation conditions, and collagen contents to determine the most suitable preparation method. Different types of samples are used such as VIRI samples, previously dated bones, and background samples. Each bone has undergone elemental analysis, infrared analysis, and 14C measurement. The results are presented and the advantages and disadvantages of each preparation method are discussed. In general, results obtained by the two methods are in accordance with the consensus value for 2σ uncertainty. For VIRI I and a mammoth bone, the ninhydrin preparation gives, respectively, 8450±70 BP and 14,870±60 BP whereas the modified Longin process gives 8365±45 BP and 14,750±100 BP in agreement with the expected values. From the experimental point of view, the modified Longin process is easier to implement than the ninhydrin protocol. From this approach, we can conclude that the modified Longin process could be preferred in most cases and particularly when the amount of bone is small and the sample is not too contaminated.
Fine Structure and Reproducibility of Radiocarbon Ages of Middle to Early Modern Japanese Tree Rings
Authors: Sakamoto Minoru , Hakozaki Masataka , Nakao Nanae , Nakatsuka Takeshi
Published: December 2017

This study carried out accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS 14C) measurement of Japanese tree rings dating from the middle to early modern eras to investigate calibration curve fine structure. Tree-ring ages were determined by dendrochronology or δ18O chronology for Japanese trees. 14C ages from the 15th century to the middle of the 17th century followed the IntCal13 calibration curve within measurement error. Different patterns of fluctuations during the latter half of the 17th century to the early the 18th century were observed in different tree samples. In the 19th century, patterns of 14C ages of different samples appeared similar but did not exactly match each other.
Cross-Flow Nanofiltration of Contaminated Protein-Containing Material: State of the Art
Authors: Boudin Mathieu , Bonafini Marco , van den Brande Tess , Vanden Berghe Ina
Published: December 2017

Radiocarbon (14C) dating of protein-containing material (collagen, hair/wool, silk, leather) contaminated with extraneous carbon (e.g. humic substances) might result in unreliable dates when pretreated with the conventional but inadequate protocols. In this study cross-flow nanofiltration was applied to pretreated, protein-containing material. This method is able to remove low-molecular and high-molecular weight contaminants as demonstrated in previous studies. The sample quality improvement by cross-flow nanofiltration is verified by measuring the C:N ratio before and after nanofiltration. If the C:N ratio of the permeate (sample after cross-flow nanofiltration) falls within the C:N boundaries for uncontaminated wool/hair, silk and bone collagen, it is assumed to be contamination free. In our study, we focused on wool, silk, and collagen samples of known historical age. All samples treated by cross-flow nanofiltration effectively outputs C:N ratios within the expected range and yield for more accurate14C date in agreement with historical expectations whereas bulk samples with C:N ratio out of the expected ranges, give either younger or older dates. We thus highlight both that C:N ratio is a good indicator of contamination and that cross-flow nanofiltration is an efficient method to treat protein-containing materials prior to14C dating.
The Lady of Gold: Sikandar Lodī’s mother (c. 837/1433–922/1516) and the tomb attributed to her at Dholpur, Rajasthan
Authors: Shokoohy Mehrdad , Shokoohy Natalie H.
Published: December 2017

Until the Mughal period historians of Muslim India hardly mention ladies, as it was considered discourteous, and even then only a handful of noble women were deemed worthy of mention. A secluded lady was of concern only to the man of the house. There was Sultan Raḍiya, Īltutmish's daughter, who succeeded to the throne and enjoyed a degree of freedom during Turkish rule in India, but was killed, accused of an illicit relationship with a black slave. Nevertheless, many women's influence reached beyond the harem and their voices appear between the lines. One such woman was the Sharqī Sultan Muḥammad's mother, Bībī Rājī, who played a significant role in the affairs of Jaunpur, but this article concerns another: Sultan Sikandar Lodī’s mother, known as Bībī Zarrīna (the Lady of Gold) who defied the Lodī nobility to put her son on the throne. Here we explore her story and study her tomb.
Octahedrality in Lipschitz-free Banach spaces
Authors: Guerrero Julio Becerra , López-Pérez Ginés , Rueda Zoca Abraham
Published: December 2017

The aim of this note is to study octahedrality in vector-valued Lipschitz-free Banach spaces on a metric space, under topological hypotheses on it, by analysing the weak-star strong diameter 2 property in Lipschitz function spaces. Also, we show an example that proves that our results are optimal and that octahedrality in vector-valued Lipschitz-free Banach spaces actually relies on the underlying metric space as well as on the Banach one.
Russian Capitalism on Trial: The Case of the Jacks of Hearts
Authors: Antonov Sergei
Published: December 2017

For almost a month in 1877, the Russian public was engrossed in one of the largest nonpolitical trials in the history of Russian law. An alleged criminal organization dubbed the “Jacks of Hearts Club” (Klub chervonnykh valetov) involved 48 defendants in addition to several who had died or managed to escape, as well as more than 300 witnesses. The charges included dozens of episodes of fraud and forgery committed between 1866 and 1875, in addition to one murder and one count of sacrilege. Even more sensational was the fact that the group of defendants belonged to “respectable” society, among them wealthy merchants, landowning nobles, and even a member of the aristocratic Dolgorukov family. In the Russian popular lexicon, a “Jack of Hearts” became enduring shorthand for a personable young swindler of upper-class origins. Over the years, the story grew in the telling, with some of the legends travelling from author to author, such as the story of Pavel Speier, the alleged leader of the club who supposedly tricked a naïve English tourist into “buying” the official residence of the Moscow governor general on Tverskaia Street.
Depth Resolution Dependence on Sample Thickness and Incident Energy in On-Axis Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction in Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
Authors: Brodu Etienne , Bouzy Emmanuel
Published: December 2017

Transmission Kikuchi diffraction is an emerging technique aimed at producing orientation maps of the structure of materials with a nanometric lateral resolution. This study investigates experimentally the depth resolution of the on-axis configuration, via a twinned silicon bi-crystal sample specifically designed and fabricated. The measured depth resolution varies from 30 to 65 nm in the range 10–30 keV, with a close to linear dependence with incident energy and no dependence with the total sample thickness. The depth resolution is explained in terms of two mechanisms acting concomitantly: generation of Kikuchi diffraction all along the thickness of the sample, associated with continuous absorption on the way out. A model based on the electron mean free path is used to account for the dependence with incident energy of the depth resolution. In addition, based on the results in silicon, the use of the mean absorption coefficient is proposed to predict the depth resolution for any atomic number and incident energy.
Development and evaluation of a six-day training program in supportive oncology research
Authors: Pirl William F. , Greer Joseph A. , Park Elyse , Safren Steven A. , Fields Lauren , Wood Lisa , Traeger Lara , El-Jawahri Areej , Zebrack Bradley , Temel Jennifer S.
Published: December 2017

Objective

Early career investigators have few opportunities for targeted training in supportive oncology research. To address this need, we developed, implemented, and evaluated an intensive, six-day workshop on methods in supportive oncology research for trainees and junior faculty across multiple disciplines.

Method

A multidisciplinary team of supportive oncology researchers developed a workshop patterned after the clinical trials workshop offered jointly by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and American Association of Cancer Research. The curriculum included lectures and a mentored experience of writing a research protocol. Each year since 2015, the workshop has accepted and trained 36 early career investigators. Over the course of the workshop, participants present sections of their research protocols daily in small groups led by senior researchers, and have dedicated time to write and revise these sections. Primary outcomes for the workshop included the frequency of completed protocols by the end of the workshop, a pre- and posttest assessing participant knowledge, and follow-up surveys of the participants and their primary mentors.

Result

Over three years, the workshop received 195 applications; 109 early career researchers were competitively selected to participate. All participants (109/109, 100%) completed writing a protocol by the end of their workshop. Participants and their primary mentors reported significant improvements in their research knowledge and skills. Each year, participants rated the workshop highly in terms of satisfaction, value, and likelihood of recommending it to a colleague. One year after the first workshop, most respondents (29/30, 96.7%) had either submitted their protocol or written at least one other protocol.

Significance of results

We developed a workshop on research methods in supportive oncology. More early career investigators applied for the workshop than capacity, and the workshop was fully attended each year. Both the workshop participants and their primary mentors reported improvement in research skills and knowledge.
Laboratory federalism and intergovernmental grants
Authors: GARZARELLI GIAMPAOLO , KEETON LYNDAL
Published: December 2017

This article contributes to an institutional economics analysis of the public economy by answering the following question: what is the role of intergovernmental grants in laboratory federalism? In line with factual evidence, the fiscal federalism literature on policy experimentation hints that grants can be employed to stimulate policy innovation through trial and error learning. Yet it lacks a theory of policy experimentation through grants, meaning that, in effect, we lack a fiscal theory of laboratory federalism. In the proposed approach, an intergovernmental grant is likened to a fiscal institution for political compromise between levels of government that frames policy experimentation options and constraints. At the same time, since policy solutions are not always easy to find or to implement, policy experimentation requires some degree of flexibility. Thus, the article shows that the extent of experimentation induced by a grant is influenced (or, more fashionably, nudged) by the conditionality attached to the grant. It argues, moreover, that if a grantor would like to induce more (less) experimentation, then, all other things equal, a grant with fewer (more) conditions attached should fare better than a grant with more (fewer) conditions attached.
S. K. Satheesh Receives 2017 Devendra Lal Memorial Medal
Authors:   AGU
Published: December 2017

S. K. Satheesh was awarded the 2017 Devendra Lal Memorial Medal at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, held on 13 December 2017 in New Orleans, La. The medal is for “outstanding Earth and/or space sciences research by a scientist belonging to and working in a developing nation.”
Electrically reversible cracks in an intermetallic film controlled by an electric field
Authors: Liu Z. Q. , Liu J. H. , Biegalski M. D. , Hu J.-M. , Shang S. L. , Ji Y. , Wang J. M. , Hsu S. L. , Wong A. T. , Cordill M. J. , Gludovatz B. , Marker C. , Yan H. , Feng Z. X. , You L. , Lin M. W. , Ward T. Z. , Liu Z. K. , Jiang C. B. , Chen L. Q. , Ritchie R. O. , Christen H. M. , Ramesh R.
Published: December 2017

Cracks in solid-state materials are typically irreversible. Here we report electrically reversible opening and closing of nanoscale cracks in an intermetallic thin film grown on a ferroelectric substrate driven by a small electric field (~0.83 kV/cm). Accordingly, a nonvolatile colossal electroresistance on–off ratio of more than 108 is measured across the cracks in the intermetallic film at room temperature. Cracks are easily formed with low-frequency voltage cycling and remain stable when the device is operated at high frequency, which offers intriguing potential for next-generation high-frequency memory applications. Moreover, endurance testing demonstrates that the opening and closing of such cracks can reach over 107 cycles under 10-μs pulses, without catastrophic failure of the film.
Abrupt transitions in time series with uncertainties
Authors: Goswami Bedartha , Boers Niklas , Rheinwalt Aljoscha , Marwan Norbert , Heitzig Jobst , Breitenbach Sebastian F. M. , Kurths Jürgen
Published: December 2017

Identifying abrupt transitions is a key question in various disciplines. Existing transition detection methods, however, do not rigorously account for time series uncertainties, often neglecting them altogether or assuming them to be independent and qualitatively similar. Here, we introduce a novel approach suited to handle uncertainties by representing the time series as a time-ordered sequence of probability density functions. We show how to detect abrupt transitions in such a sequence using the community structure of networks representing probabilities of recurrence. Using our approach, we detect transitions in global stock indices related to well-known periods of politico-economic volatility. We further uncover transitions in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation which coincide with periods of phase locking with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Finally, we provide for the first time an ‘uncertainty-aware’ framework which validates the hypothesis that ice-rafting events in the North Atlantic during the Holocene were synchronous with a weakened Asian summer monsoon.
A machine learning approach to integrate big data for precision medicine in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Lee Su-In , Celik Safiye , Logsdon Benjamin A. , Lundberg Scott M. , Martins Timothy J. , Oehler Vivian G. , Estey Elihu H. , Miller Chris P. , Chien Sylvia , Dai Jin , Saxena Akanksha , Blau C. Anthony , Becker Pamela S.
Published: December 2017

Cancers that appear pathologically similar often respond differently to the same drug regimens. Methods to better match patients to drugs are in high demand. We demonstrate a promising approach to identify robust molecular markers for targeted treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by introducing: data from 30 AML patients including genome-wide gene expression profiles and in vitro sensitivity to 160 chemotherapy drugs, a computational method to identify reliable gene expression markers for drug sensitivity by incorporating multi-omic prior information relevant to each gene’s potential to drive cancer. We show that our method outperforms several state-of-the-art approaches in identifying molecular markers replicated in validation data and predicting drug sensitivity accurately. Finally, we identify SMARCA4 as a marker and driver of sensitivity to topoisomerase II inhibitors, mitoxantrone, and etoposide, in AML by showing that cell lines transduced to have high SMARCA4 expression reveal dramatically increased sensitivity to these agents.
Redox regulation of PEP activity during seedling establishment in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Díaz Manuel Guinea , Hernández-Verdeja Tamara , Kremnev Dmitry , Crawford Tim , Dubreuil Carole , Strand Åsa
Published: December 2017

Activation of the plastid-encoded RNA polymerase is tightly controlled and involves a network of phosphorylation and, as yet unidentified, thiol-mediated events. Here, we characterize PLASTID REDOX INSENSITIVE2, a redox-regulated protein required for full PEP-driven transcription. PRIN2 dimers can be reduced into the active monomeric form by thioredoxins through reduction of a disulfide bond. Exposure to light increases the ratio between the monomeric and dimeric forms of PRIN2. Complementation of prin2-2 with different PRIN2 protein variants demonstrates that the monomer is required for light-activated PEP-dependent transcription and that expression of the nuclear-encoded photosynthesis genes is linked to the activity of PEP. Activation of PEP during chloroplast development likely is the source of a retrograde signal that promotes nuclear LHCB expression. Thus, regulation of PRIN2 is the thiol-mediated mechanism required for full PEP activity, with PRIN2 monomerization via reduction by TRXs providing a mechanistic link between photosynthetic electron transport and activation of photosynthetic gene expression.
Defects controlled hole doping and multivalley transport in SnSe single crystals
Authors: Wang Zhen , Fan Congcong , Shen Zhixuan , Hua Chenqiang , Hu Qifeng , Sheng Feng , Lu Yunhao , Fang Hanyan , Qiu Zhizhan , Lu Jiong , Liu Zhengtai , Liu Wanling , Huang Yaobo , Xu Zhu-An , Shen D. W. , Zheng Yi
Published: December 2017

SnSe is a promising thermoelectric material with record-breaking figure of merit. However, to date a comprehensive understanding of the electronic structure and most critically, the self-hole-doping mechanism in SnSe is still absent. Here we report the highly anisotropic electronic structure of SnSe investigated by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, in which a unique pudding-mould-shaped valence band with quasi-linear energy dispersion is revealed. We prove that p-type doping in SnSe is extrinsically controlled by local phase segregation of SnSe2 microdomains via interfacial charge transferring. The multivalley nature of the pudding-mould band is manifested in quantum transport by crystallographic axis-dependent weak localisation and exotic non-saturating negative magnetoresistance. Strikingly, quantum oscillations also reveal 3D Fermi surface with unusual interlayer coupling strength in p-SnSe, in which individual monolayers are interwoven by peculiar point dislocation defects. Our results suggest that defect engineering may provide versatile routes in improving the thermoelectric performance of the SnSe family.
DNA interactions and in vitro anticancer evaluations of pyridine-benzimidazole-based Cu complexes
Authors: Hu Jiyong , Liao Chunli , Mao Ruina , Zhang Junshuai , Zhao Jin'an , Gu Zhenzhen
Published: December 2017

Complex 1 with in vitro cytotoxicity strongly binds to DNA, activates ROS generation, causes mitochondria dysfunction, and induces cellular apoptosis.
Femtosecond laser induced underwater superaerophilic and superaerophobic PDMS sheets with through microholes for selective passage of air bubbles and further collection of underwater gas
Authors: Yong Jiale , Chen Feng , Huo Jinglan , Fang Yao , Yang Qing , Zhang Jingzhou , Hou Xun
Published: December 2017

Underwater superaerophobicity and superaerophilicity are achieved on femtosecond laser-structured PDMS surfaces with anti-bubble or bubble-absorbing/capturing ability.
Synthesis of garlic skin-derived 3D hierarchical porous carbon for high-performance supercapacitors
Authors: Zhang Qing , Han Kuihua , Li Shijie , Li Ming , Li Jinxiao , Ren Ke
Published: December 2017

A three-dimensional hierarchical porous carbon is synthesizedviaa facile chemical activation route with garlic skin as the precursor and KOH as the activating agent.
WO3 photoanodes with controllable bulk and surface oxygen vacancies for photoelectrochemical water oxidation
Authors: Zhang Jijie , Chang Xiaoxia , Li Chengcheng , Li Ang , Liu Shanshan , Wang Tuo , Gong Jinlong
Published: December 2017

WO3 nanoflake photoanodes with suitable bulk oxygen vacancies and reduced surface oxygen vacancies are synthesized by hydrogen annealing and ozone treatment, which exhibit excellent photoelectrochemical performance.
Exploring the transposition effects on the electronic and optical properties of Cs2AgSbCl6via a combined computational-experimental approach
Authors: Zhou Jun , Rong Ximing , Molokeev Maxim S. , Zhang Xiuwen , Xia Zhiguo
Published: December 2017

The anti-site defect model was established to investigate transposition influence on the optical and electronic properties of the double-perovskite Cs2AgSbCl6.
The first example of an oxide semiconductor photocatalyst consisting of a heptavalent cation: visible-light-induced water oxidation on M3ReO8
Authors: Suzuki Hajime , Tomita Osamu , Higashi Masanobu , Abe Ryu
Published: December 2017

Re(vii)-based M3ReO8 (M = Y, La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Yb) semiconductors have been found to be visible-light-responsive photocatalysts for water oxidation.
Pulsar current sheet Čerenkov radiation
Authors: Zhang Fan
Published: December 2017

Plasma-filled pulsar magnetospheres contain thin current sheets wherein the charged particles are accelerated by magnetic reconnections to travel at ultra-relativistic speeds. On the other hand, the plasma frequency of the more regular force-free regions of the magnetosphere rests almost precisely on the upper limit of radio frequencies, with the cyclotron frequency being far higher due to the strong magnetic field. This combination produces a peculiar situation, whereby radio-frequency waves can travel at subluminal speeds without becoming evanescent. The conditions are thus conducive to Čerenkov radiation originating from current sheets, which could plausibly serve as a coherent radio emission mechanism. In this paper we aim to provide a portrait of the relevant processes involved, and show that this mechanism can possibly account for some of the most salient features of the observed radio signals.
Congenital Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis with a Novel CTSD Gene Mutation: A Rare Cause of Neonatal-Onset Neurodegenerative Disorder
Authors: Varvagiannis K. , Hanquinet S. , Billieux M. , De Luca R. , Rimensberger P. , Lidgren M. , Guipponi M. , Makrythanasis P. , Blouin J. , Antonarakis S. , Steinfeld R. , Kern I. , Poretti A. , Fokstuen S. , Fluss J.
Published: December 2017

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses represent a heterogeneous group of early onset neurodegenerative disorders that are characterized by progressive cognitive and motor function decline, visual loss, and epilepsy. The age of onset has been historically used for the phenotypic classification of this group of disorders, but their molecular genetic delineation has now enabled a better characterization, demonstrating significant genetic heterogeneity even among individuals with a similar phenotype. The rare Congenital Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (CLN10) caused by mutations in the CTSD gene encoding for cathepsin D is associated with a dramatic presentation with onset before or around birth. We report on a female born to consanguineous parents who presented at birth with severe neonatal encephalopathy with massive cerebral and cerebellar shrinking on magnetic resonance imaging. Whole exome sequencing with targeted bioinformatic analysis of a panel of genes associated with prenatal/perinatal onset of neurodegenerative disease was performed and revealed the presence of a novel homozygous in-frame deletion in CTSD. Additional functional studies further confirmed the pathogenic character of this variant and established the diagnosis of CLN10 in the patient.
Surgical Management of Simultaneous Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Patellar Tendon Ruptures: A Systematic Review
Authors: Meheux Carlos , Jack Robert , McCulloch Patrick , Lintner David , Harris Joshua
Published: December 2017

This study performs a systematic review to determine (1) if a significant difference exists in return to preinjury activity level between one- and two-stage treatment of combined anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and patellar tendon (PT) tears; and (2) if a significant difference exists in the number of postoperative complications between the two differing surgical treatment approaches. A systematic review was performed using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and registered on PROSPERO. MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, SCOPUS, and Sport Discus were searched for English language level I–IV evidence studies on either one- (simultaneous) or two-stage (sequential) surgical treatment of simultaneously sustained ipsilateral ACL and PT tears. The approach to initial evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes were qualitatively analyzed. Methodological quality assessment of all included studies was completed using the Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies (MINORS). The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) tool was used to assess quality of evidence and provide strength of recommendation. Statistical analyses were done using Fischer's exact test. Eleven articles (18 patients; 83% males; mean age, 31.1 ± 10.1 years; mean follow-up, 2.2 ± 1.7 years; and mean MINORS 7.8/16) were analyzed. Eight patients had a one-stage procedure (primary PT repair and ACL reconstruction), and 10 patients underwent a two-stage procedure (primary PT repair first followed by ACL reconstruction) with mean 28 ± 45.7 weeks (5 weeks–3 years) between surgeries. The rate for return to preinjury activity level after surgery was not significantly different between one- (88%) and two-stage (100%) (p = 0.444). There was a significantly higher complication rate (p = 0.023) in the one-stage (stiffness, instability, and patella baja) versus two-stage surgery (no complications). There was no significant difference in return to preinjury activity level between one- and two-stage PT repair and ACL reconstruction. However, the one-stage combined surgery had a significantly higher complication rate compared with two-stage surgery. The level of evidence is IV.
Ultrasound-Guided Corticosteroid Injection in Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Efficacy of Intra-Epineurial Injection
Authors: Hsu Yi-Chih , Yang Fu-Chi , Hsu Hsian-He , Huang Guo-Shu
Published: December 2017

Purpose To identify the ultrasound (US) findings of intra-epineurial corticosteroid injection during US-guided hydrodissection in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), and to determine their clinical relevance in relation to treatment outcomes.

Materials and Methods We performed 101 US-guided hydrodissections and corticosteroid injections in 101 patients with CTS, and evaluated their pre- and post-injection US findings. We categorized these injections into two groups based on the occurrence of intra-epineurial injection. We also recorded clinical data including sex, age, side of injection, BMI, and the duration of pre-injection CTS-related discomfort. The outcomes were measured using the Likert satisfaction scale and Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) scores. The clinical data, cross-sectional area of the median nerve (CSA-MN) at the inlet of the carpal tunnel measured on US images, and the symptom relief for the patients receiving intra-epineurial and extra-epineurial injection were compared.

Results The intra-epineurial injection rate was 38.6 % in the 101 US-guided injections. The clinical data, pre-injection CSA-MN at the inlet of the carpal tunnel, and pre-injection BCTQ scores showed no significant intergroup differences (p > 0.05). The group with intra-epineurial injections had significantly decreased CSA-MN (difference in means, 2.5 mm2; p < 0.0001), greater patient satisfaction (p = 0.002), and lower BCTQ scores (p < 0.05) than the group with extra-epineurial injections.

Conclusion We characterized the US findings of intra-epineurial corticosteroid injection during US-guided hydrodissection. Intra-epineurial injection provided a more meaningfully reduction in edema of the MN, greater patient satisfaction, and greater symptom relief than extra-epineurial injection.