bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Frontal asymmetry: A novel biomarker for physical activity and sedentary behavior
Authors: Threadgill A. Hunter , Wilhelm Ricardo A. , Zagdsuren Battogtokh , MacDonald Hayley V. , Richardson Mark T. , Gable Philip A. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractPast research has demonstrated that regular physical activity provides a myriad of physical, mental, and emotional benefits. The decision of whether to partake in physical activity (PA) or remain sedentary appears to be partially influenced by motivational and emotional systems. Research suggests left frontal alpha asymmetry is a neural marker of approach motivation. However, studies have not explored whether habitual levels of PA and sedentary behavior relate to this neurophysiological signal. Across two studies, individuals completed measures of habitual PA and sedentary behavior using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire‐Short Form. Then, resting electroencephalography activity was recorded. Results of Study 1 (N = 32, 72% women) indicated that more time spent sitting on both weekdays and weekend days were associated with less left frontal asymmetry (r = −.45, p = .027, and r = −.55, p = .005, respectively). Study 2 recruited a larger sample (N = 96, 31% women) and investigated moderators. Greater levels of moderate (r = .27) and total (r = .29) PA were associated with greater left frontal asymmetry (ps < .05), and the relationship between sedentary behavior and less left frontal asymmetry was moderated by sex (weekday: β = .62, p = .011; weekend day: β = .41, p = .034). Our results suggest that left frontal asymmetry may be a novel neurophysiological marker for PA and sedentary behavior.
The environmental effect of trade liberalization: Evidence from China's manufacturing firms
Authors: Cui Jingbo , Tam On Kit , Wang Bei , Zhang Yan 
Published: July 2020

AbstractWhile prior literature on trade liberalisation and the environment has mostly focused on the macroeconomic ramifications, this study explores at the firm level whether and how changes of trade barriers brought about by China's accession to the WTO may impact on its manufacturing firms’ environmental performance. Adopting a difference‐in‐differences (DID) methodology, we document the effects of tariff reductions on improving firm‐level SO2 emission intensity, and the key corporate strategic decisions responsible for delivering the observed results, with robustness tests covering other major pollutants. In response to trade liberalisation, firms are found to increase labour resources for environmental protection and to improve their production processes to reduce emission intensity. This study contributes to the literature by investigating at the level of the operating firm how output and input tariff reductions may impact on environmental performance and uncovering for the first time the specific actions responsible for the results.
Step time asymmetry but not step length asymmetry is adapted to optimize energy cost of split‐belt treadmill walking
Authors: Stenum Jan , Choi Julia T. 
Published: July 2020

Key points
The relationship between spatiotemporal gait asymmetry and walking energetics is currently under debate.
The split‐belt treadmill paradigm has been used to study adaptation of spatiotemporal gait parameters in relation to energetics, but it remains unclear why people reduce asymmetry in step lengths, but prefer asymmetry in step times.
In this study we characterized the effects of step time asymmetry and step length asymmetry on energy cost during steady‐state walking on a split‐belt treadmill at increasing speed‐differences.
Both the optimal and preferred step time asymmetry increased with greater speed differences, while preferred step lengths remained constant and nearly symmetric. Preferred asymmetric step times were energetically optimal across all speed‐difference conditions, while preferred step length asymmetry was not optimal.
The findings show that humans will adopt an asymmetric gait that is associated with an energy reduction and suggest that step time asymmetry plays a dominant role in shaping the energetic cost of gait asymmetry.
AbstractHealthy human walking is symmetric and economical; hemiparetic and amputee gait is often asymmetric and requires more energy. Consequently, asymmetry has been attributed to account for the added energy cost of pathological gait. But it is also possible that asymmetric gait may be adopted if it is energetically optimal under certain biomechanical and neurological constraints of the locomotor system. Here, we assessed how preferred asymmetry in step times and step lengths of healthy human gait is adapted during split‐belt treadmill walking and tested the hypothesis that asymmetry is adapted to optimize metabolic energy cost. Ten healthy, young participants walked on a split‐belt treadmill in three conditions in which the average belt speed was always 1.25 m s–1 and the speed difference between the belts was 0.5 m s–1, 1.0 m s–1 and 1.5 m s–1 while a range of values of step time asymmetry and step length asymmetry were enforced. We found that preferred step time asymmetry increased with greater speed differences while preferred step length asymmetry remained constant and nearly symmetric. With increasing speed differences participants increased their preferred value of step time asymmetry to coincide with the lowest energy cost. However, our results show that preferred step length asymmetry was not optimal even with extensive experience of split‐belt treadmill walking. Overall, our results indicate that humans will adopt an asymmetric gait that is associated with an energy reduction and suggest that step time asymmetry plays a dominant role in shaping the energetic cost of gait asymmetry.
Attempt Predicting Slab-on-Ground Temperature for Bioclimatic Buildings
Authors: Mahach Hassan , Bennouna Amin , Benhamou Brahim 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
The prescriptive approach of the Moroccan Building Thermal Regulation (RTCM 2015) requires thermal insulation of buildings’ slab-on-ground in almost all climatic zones of Morocco. This work aims at demonstrating that this requirement is an unnecessarily expensive constraint for most Moroccan climatic zones where the buildings’ slab-on-ground temperatures below 19 °C or above 26 °C account for only 8.6% and 22% of the cold and hot semester days, respectively. This work shows also that the slab-on-ground of a building is subject to (i) a slow mono-dimensional vertical heat transfer as the outdoor air temperature long-term extrema are delayed for around 22 days and (ii) a faster bi-dimensional horizontal heat transfer as the outdoor air temperature singularities are delayed for about 2 days by 5 m from the edge of the building. To limit this undesired lateral heat transfer, the authors recommend lateral insulation of the building’s foundations over 50 cm depth. In addition, building thermal simulation software needs improvements regarding the site-specific models of the seasonal variation for buildings’ slab-on-ground temperature. A solution is proposed to obtain these variations directly from those of the outdoor air temperature. It is shown that the slab-on-ground surface temperature varies almost like the undisturbed underground temperature at 1.6 m depth for the studied case.
Experimental Investigation of a 10 MW Prototype Axial Turbine Runner: Vortex Rope Formation and Mitigation
Authors: Soltani Dehkharqani Arash , Engström Fredrik , Aidanpää Jan-Olov , Cervantes Michel J. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe transient load fluctuations on the runner blades of prototype hydraulic turbines during load variations are one of the main causes of fatigue and eventual structural failure. A clear understanding of the dynamic loads on the runner blades is required to detect the source of the fluctuations. In this paper, an experimental investigation of vortex rope formation and mitigation in a prototype Kaplan turbine, namely, Porjus U9, is carried out. Synchronized unsteady pressure and strain measurements were performed on a runner blade during steady-state and load variation under off-cam condition. The normalized pressure fluctuation during load variations remained approximately within ±0.2Pref for all the pressure transducers installed on the blade pressure side and is even slightly lower during the transient cycle. Higher pressure fluctuations were found on the blade suction side, approximately four times higher than that of on the pressure side. The synchronous and asynchronous components of the vortex rope were clearly observed at the low discharge operating point and transient cycles. The spectral analysis of the pressure signals showed that the synchronous component appears before the asynchronous component during the load reduction, and it lasts longer during the load increase. These frequencies slightly change during the load variation. In addition, the results proved that the strain fluctuation component on the runner blade arises from the synchronous component of the vortex rope at low discharge while the asynchronous component influence is negligible.
Dynamic Characterization of Vortex Structures and Their Evolution Mechanisms in a Side Channel Pump
Authors: Zhang Fan , Appiah Desmond , Chen Ke , Yuan Shouqi , Adu-Poku Kofi Asamoah , Wang Yefang 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
To obtain a better insight into the unsteady flow behavior in side channel pumps by a robust vortex identification method, this study presents the efficacy of the new Ω-criterion in characterizing the evolution of vortex structures in the turbulent flows under different time steps. The flow behavior and the underlying vorticity dynamics were revealed as well. Compared to Q-criterion, the new Ω-criterion identified all vortex structures irrespective of the intensity at a universal threshold of 0.52. Three different types of vortex structures (longitudinal, axial, and radial) were identified to be responsible for the turbulent flows in the side channel pumps. The beneficial longitudinal vortex promotes the momentum exchange flow between the impeller and side channel which leads to the high hydraulic head of side channel pumps. On the other hand, the unfavorable axial and radial vortex structures restricted in the impeller passage mitigate the exchange process accounting for the low efficiency of the pumps. From this study, it can be established that the evolution of the axial vortex structures is responsible for the largest vortex distribution in the impeller compared to the total vortex evolved. The impeller outer radius contributes about 60% of the unfavorable axial structures evolved. Using the new Ω-criterion, many reported anomalous findings have been explained.
Late Cenozoic geomorphic and tectonic evolution of the Patagonian Andes between latitudes 42°S and 46°S: An appraisal based on fission-track results from the transpressional intra-arc Liquiñe-Ofqui fault zone
Authors: Thomson Stuart N. 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Fission-track (FT) thermochronology has been applied to investigate the low-temperature cooling and denudation history of the Patagonian Andes along the southern part of the intra-arc transpressional Liquiñe-Ofqui fault zone between 42° and 46°S. The Liquiñe-Ofqui fault is shown to have been the focus of enhanced cooling and denudation initiated between ca. 16 and 10 Ma. Several fault blocks with different cooling histories are identified; these are separated by major oblique- or reverse-slip faults proposed to form the eastern part of a major (crustal-scale) dextral transpression zone. Local very fast rates of cooling and denudation between ca. 7 and 2 Ma were coeval with collision of the Chile Rise (an active mid-oceanic ridge) with the Peru-Chile Trench between ∼47° and 48°S. This location is close to the southern termination of the Liquiñe-Ofqui fault, implying that the collision of the ridge was a major force driving late Cenozoic transpression. The lack of significant cooling and denudation before ca. 16 Ma is indicative of pure strike-slip or transtensional movement along the Liquiñe-Ofqui fault before the collision of the ridge. Digital landscape analysis supports glacial and periglacial erosion as the main contributor to denudation since ca. 7 Ma, leading to restriction of topographic development. The combination of transpression-induced rock uplift and glacial erosion is shown to be very effective at causing localized denudation. Anomalously young FT ages along the Liquiñe-Ofqui fault are attributed to the existence of a late Cenozoic localized heat-flow anomaly along the fault.
Lithium isotope composition of modern and fossilized Cenozoic brachiopods
Authors: Washington Kirstin E. , West A. Joshua , Kalderon-Asael Boriana , Katchinoff Joachim A.R. , Stevenson Emily I. , Planavsky Noah J. 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Seawater lithium stable isotope ratios, represented by δ 7 Li sw (‰), hold key information about the evolution of global climate and the carbon cycle over geologic time. Reconstructions based on foraminifera suggest an ∼9‰ increase in δ 7 Li sw over the past 60 m.y., interpreted as reflecting changes in the silicate weathering regime that may have contributed to global cooling over this time. However, culture experiments suggest that vital effects in foraminifers might cause varied δ 7 Li fractionation that could have affected past records. Thus, other archives are needed to determine whether the observed rise in foraminifer δ 7 Li values over the Cenozoic indeed reflects secular changes in δ 7 Li sw . Such archives would also open possibilities for robust determination of δ 7 Li sw deeper in geologic time. We analyzed δ 7 Li compositions in modern brachiopods ( n = 34) and found a relatively narrow range of +24.2 ‰ to +28.8‰ (mean = +26.8‰; 1σ = 0.5‰), similar to the range reported for inorganic calcite precipitated from seawater. These results confirm that brachiopods are good candidates for providing a representative record of δ 7 Li sw . We present data from fossil specimens dating from 65 Ma to ca. 700 ka, finding that fossilized brachiopods record a similar magnitude of change in δ 7 Li sw as foraminifers. These results are the first to corroborate the ∼9‰ increase in Cenozoic δ 7 Li sw and open possibilities for generating robust records of δ 7 Li sw in deep time, prior to foraminifer evolution.
Rapid macrobenthic diversification and stabilization after the end-Cretaceous mass extinction event
Authors: Rodríguez-Tovar Francisco J. , Lowery Christopher M. , Bralower Timothy J. , Gulick Sean P.S. , Jones Heather L. 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Previous ichnological analysis at the Chicxulub impact crater, Yucatán Peninsula, México (International Ocean Discovery Program [IODP]/International Continental Scientific Drilling Program [ICDP] Site M0077), showed a surprisingly rapid initial tracemaker community recovery after the end-Cretaceous (Cretaceous-Paleogene [K-Pg]) mass extinction event. Here, we found that full recovery was also rapid, with the establishment of a well-developed tiered community within ∼700 k.y. Several stages of recovery were observed, with distinct phases of stabilization and diversification, ending in the development of a trace fossil assemblage mainly consisting of abundant Zoophycos, Chondrites, and Planolites, assigned to the Zoophycos ichnofacies. The increase in diversity is associated with higher abundance, larger forms, and a deeper and more complex tiering structure. Such rapid recovery suggests that favorable paleoenvironmental conditions were quickly reestablished within the impact basin, enabling colonization of the substrate. Comparison with the end-Permian extinction reveals similarities during recovery, yet postextinction recovery was significantly faster after the K-Pg event. The rapid recovery has significant implications for the evolution of macrobenthic biota after the K-Pg event. Our results have relevance in understanding how communities recovered after the K-Pg impact and how this event differed from other mass extinction events.
Geochronological constraints on Neoproterozoic rifting and onset of the Marinoan glaciation from the Kingston Peak Formation in Death Valley, California (USA)
Authors: Nelson Lyle L. , Smith Emily F. , Hodgin Eben B. , Crowley James L. , Schmitz Mark D. , Macdonald Francis A. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractDeath Valley (California, USA) hosts iconic Cryogenian snowball Earth deposits, but the lack of direct geochronological constraints has permitted a variety of correlations and age models. Here, we report two precise zircon U-Pb isotope dilution–thermal ionization mass spectrometry dates for the Kingston Peak Formation: a volcanic eruptive age of 705.44 ± 0.28 Ma from the synglacial Limekiln Spring Member, and a maximum depositional age of 651.69 ± 0.64 Ma from the nonglacial Thorndike submember, which is below the Wildrose diamictite. These dates confirm that the Limekiln Spring and Surprise Members were deposited during the Sturtian glaciation, while the Wildrose submember is a Marinoan glacial deposit, and the overlying Sentinel Peak Member of the Noonday Formation is a Marinoan cap carbonate. Additionally, the age from the Thorndike submember supersedes existing radioisotopic ages from the Datangpo Formation in South China as the youngest constraint on the onset of the Marinoan glaciation, demonstrating that the Cryogenian nonglacial interlude lasted for at least 9 m.y. and the Marinoan glaciation was &lt;17 m.y. long. Cryogenian glaciation in western Laurentia occurred against the backdrop of ∼85 m.y. of episodic rift-related subsidence and magmatism within laterally discontinuous, fault-bound basins.
Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Person-Centred Care Assessment Tool
Authors: Le Cai , Ma Ke , Tang Pingfen , Edvardsson David , Behm Lina , Zhang Jie , Yang Jiqun , Fu Haiyan , Ahlström Gerd 
Published: July 2020

ObjectiveThis study aims to test a Chinese cross-cultural adaptation of the English version of the Person-Centred Care Assessment Tool (P-CAT) and evaluate its psychometric properties.DesignP-CAT was translated/back-translated using established procedures before the psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version was made.SettingTwo hospitals covering urban and suburban areas of Kunming in the Yunnan province of China.Participants152 female hospital staff completed the survey.Main outcome measure(s)Construct validity and reliability, including internal consistency and test–retest reliability, were assessed among a sample of hospital staff.ResultsThe factor analysis resulted in a two-component solution that consisted of two subscales. The corrected item-total correlations for all of the items ranged from 0.14 to 0.44, with six items not meeting the cut-off level for item-total correlation (>0.3). The Chinese P-CAT demonstrated strong reliability, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.91–0.94 for the scales and a test–retest reliability coefficient of 0.88 for the overall scale scores. The intraclass correlation was 0.92 (95% CI 0.90 to 0.95).ConclusionP-CAT appears to be a promising measure for evaluating staff perceptions of person-centredness in Chinese hospital environments. The results show that P-CAT can be a useful tool for improving the quality of healthcare in terms of person-centred care in the Chinese context.
Kongcun Town Asymptomatic Intracranial Artery Stenosis study in Shandong, China: cohort profile
Authors: Wang Xiang , Zhao Yuanyuan , Ji Xiaokang , Sang Shaowei , Shao Sai , Yan Peng , Li Shan , Li Jifeng , Wang Guangbin , Lu Ming , Du Yifeng , Xue Fuzhong , Qiu Chengxuan , Sun Qinjian 
Published: July 2020

PurposeThe population-based Kongcun Town Asymptomatic Intracranial Artery Stenosis (KT-aICAS) study aims to investigate the prevalence of aICAS and major cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs) or biomarkers related to the development and prognosis of aICAS.ParticipantsThe KT-aICAS study included 2311 rural residents who were aged ≥40 years and living in Kongcun Town, Shandong Province, China. Baseline examination was conducted from October 2017 to October 2018, during which information on demographics, socioeconomics, personal and family medical history, and lifestyle factors was collected through face-to-face interviews, physical examination and blood tests. aICAS was initially screened using transcranial Doppler examination and then diagnosed using magnetic resonance angiography. Atherosclerosis in carotid arteries was diagnosed via carotid ultrasonography. High-resolution MRI was further used to evaluate the vessel wall of aICAS. Neuropsychological assessments were performed in the participants diagnosed with aICAS and the age-matched and sex-matched controls.Findings to dateOf the 2311 participants, 2027 (87.7%) completed the diagnostic procedure and aICAS was detected in 154 persons, resulting in an overall prevalence of 7.6%. The prevalence of aICAS increased with advancing age from 5.1% in participants aged 40–49 years to 12.7% in those aged ≥70 years (p<0.001). aICAS was detected in 305 intracranial arteries, including 221 (72.5%) in the anterior circulation and 84 (27.5%) in the posterior circulation (p<0.001). In addition, major CRFs were highly prevalent among middle-aged and elderly rural dwellers who were free of clinical stroke.Future plansFollow-up examinations will be performed every 3 years following the baseline examination. This study will increase our knowledge about the natural history of aICAS and facilitate studies of aICAS-associated disorders among rural-dwelling Chinese adults, such as ischaemic stroke and vascular cognitive impairment.Trial registration numberChiCTR1800017197.