bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gender-dependent variations in optical illusions: evidence from N400 waveforms
Authors: Papageorgiou Charalabos , Stachtea Xanthi , Papageorgiou Panos , Alexandridis Antonio T , Makris Gerasimos , Chrousos George , Kosteletos George
Published: August 2020

Objective: The cognitive mechanisms (especially the gender-related ones) underlying optical illusion processing remain elusive. Since the N400 component of event-related potentials (ERPs) is an index of the semantic integration of information processing tasks, the present study focuses on gender-related differences in N400 waveforms elicited during the reasoning process applied to reach a valid conclusion of optical illusions engaging working memory (WM). Approach: Fifty-one healthy participants (28 males, age = 34.25 years ± 10.25, years of education = 16.00 years ± 1.78; and 23 females, age = 33.43 ± 7.93, years of education = 15.56 ± 1.82) were measured. The N400 ERP component was evoked by 39 optical illusions adjusted to induce WM. We compared brain activation patterns while participants maintained conclusions of the optical illusions in WM. The N400 of ERPs was recorded during the WM phase, during which participants were required to draw a logical conclusion regarding the correctness of the optical illusions. Main results: Analysis revealed that females compared to males exhibited significantly increased N400 amplitudes located at parietal and occipital sites, whereas males exhibited significantly higher N400 amplitudes located at frontal areas. Furthermore, females compared to males demonstrated significantly prolonged latencies of the N400 component located at right frontotemporal abductions. Significance: These results suggest that coupling of optical illusions with WM engages distinct gender-related variations of brain semantic processing as reflected by the N400 ERP component. Based on the dual process account, our study gives support to the notion that women tend to employ a more deliberate and slower semantic reasoning than the men who tend to employ an automatic and fast one. Topographically, within the network sub-serving the semantic operation, the posterior brain areas responsible for sensorimotor integration-related processes elicit a greater brain activation among females while the anterior brain areas responsible for control and storage/retrieval operation elicit a greater brain activation among males.
Anisotropy and shaping effects on the stability boundaries of infernal ideal MHD modes in tokamak hybrid plasmas
Authors: Brunetti D , Ham C J , Graves J P , Wahlberg C , Cooper W A
Published: August 2020

Anisotropy and some limiting toroidal flow effects on the stability of nearly resonant ideal magnetohydrodynamic modes in hybrid shaped tokamak plasmas are investigated within the ideal MHD infernal mode framework. Such effects are found to alter the plasma magnetic well/hill, which can be interpreted as imparing the average curvature, and the strength of mode coupling. In line with previous results, it is found that better stability properties are achieved through deepening the magnetic well by special cases of uniform toroidal flow and parallel plasma anisotropy. Plasma shaping provides additional modifications to the magnetic well depth, whose global stabilising or destabilising effect depends on the mutual interplay of elongation, triangularity and toroidicity. Further stabilisation is achieved by weakening the mode drive in vertically elongated plasmas.
Electromagnetic pulse generation in laser-proton acceleration from conductive and dielectric targets
Authors: Seimetz M , Bellido P , Mur P , Lera R , Ruiz-de la Cruz A , Sánchez I , Zaffino R , Benlliure J , Ruiz C , Roso L , Benlloch JM
Published: August 2020

Laser-plasma interactions at high intensities are often accompanied by emission of a strong electromagnetic pulse (EMP) interfering with particle detectors or other electronic equipment. We present experimental evidence for significant differences in noise amplitudes in laser-proton acceleration from aluminium as compared to mylar target foils. Such dissimilarities have been consistently observed throughout two series of measurements indicating that, under otherwise identical conditions, the target conductivity is the principal parameter related to EMP generation. In addition, the lateral size of the target foils correlates with the absolute noise levels. A frequency analysis combined with numerical simulations allows for an identification of several sources of radiofrequency emission in the MHz-GHz regime. Further, the temporal evolution of single frequencies on the nanosecond scale provides information on distinct excitation mechanisms.
Electron power absorption dynamics in magnetized capacitively coupled radio frequency oxygen discharges
Authors: Wang Li , Wen De-Qi , Hartmann Peter , Donkó Zoltán , Derzsi Aranka , Wang Xi-Feng , Song Yuan-Hong , Wang You-Nian , Schulze Julian
Published: August 2020

The influence of a uniform magnetic field parallel to the electrodes on radio frequency capacitively coupled oxygen discharges driven at 13.56 MHz at a pressure of 100 mTorr is investigated by one-dimensional particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision (1D PIC/MCC) simulations. Increasing the magnetic field from 0 to 200 G is found to result in a drastic enhancement of the electron and the

O

2

+

ion density due to the enhanced confinement of electrons by the magnetic field. The time and space averaged O− ion density, however, is found to remain almost constant, since both the dissociative electron attachment (production channel of O−) and the associative electron detachment rate due to the collisions of negative ions with oxygen metastables (main loss channel of O−) are enhanced simultaneously. This is understood based on a detailed analysis of the spatio-temporal electron dynamics. The nearly constant O− density in conjunction with the increased electron density causes a significant reduction of the electronegativity and a pronounced change of the electron power absorption dynamics as a function of the externally applied magnetic field. While at low magnetic fields the discharge is operated in the electronegative drift-ambipolar mode, a transition to the electropositive α-mode is induced by increasing the magnetic field. Meanwhile, a strong electric field reversal is generated near each electrode during the local sheath collapse at high magnetic fields, which locally enhances the electron power absorption. A model of the electric field generation reveals that the reversed electric field is caused by the reduction of the electron flux to the electrodes due to their trapping by the magnetic field. The consequent changes of the plasma properties are expected to affect the applications of such discharges in etching, deposition and other semiconductor processing technologies.
Ion energies delivered by negative and positive ionization waves to flat dielectric surfaces
Authors: Babaeva Natalia Yu , Naidis George V
Published: August 2020

The information on typical values of ion energy and angular distributions (IEADs) on surfaces delivered by plasma jets is equally important for the plasma processing and plasma medicine. In this paper, we report on results from a 2D computational investigation of the IEADs when plasma jet interacts with a weakly conductive dielectric surface. The IEADs are computed using Monte Carlo techniques. The ion fluxes to surfaces are recorded simultaneously with IEADs. The results of this investigation suggest that ion energies on surfaces delivered by plasma jets can be rather high. In particular, we demonstrate that an ionization wave (IW) in plasma jets of positive cycle or pulse can produce ions with energies of a few eV. In case of negative IW the ions are almost thermalized.
Investigation of silicon surface passivation by sputtered amorphous silicon and thermally evaporated molybdenum oxide films using temperature- and injection-dependent lifetime spectroscopy
Authors: Singh Krishna , Nayak Mrutyunjay , Singh Sonpal , Komarala Vamsi K
Published: August 2020

Crystalline silicon (c-Si) surface passivation has been investigated by sputtered hydrogenated intrinsic amorphous silicon (S-i-a-Si:H) and thermally evaporated molybdenum oxide (MoOx) thin films. The temperature- and injection-dependent lifetime spectroscopy technique has been adopted for analyzing the passivation quality of the c-Si surface, using parameters such as the minority carrier effective lifetime (τeff), the activation energy of surface/interface defect states (ΔE), and the electron to hole carrier capture cross-section ratio (k) at the interface. With S-i-a-Si:H films, a τeff of ∼70 µs and ΔE of ∼51 meV have been observed in comparison to a τeff of ∼110 µs and ΔE of ∼109 meV from the MoOx films. These entirely different parameters are an indication of the relatively strong carrier recombination with dense interface/surface states from the S-i-a-Si:H passivation layers. The S-i-a-Si:H layers are unable to minimize the c-Si surface trap states with the chemical passivation for reducing carrier recombination due to the generation of additional surface defect states by the sputtering damage. However, the MoOx layers show better c-Si surface passivation due to the reduction of majority carriers by the carrier inversion (field-effect passivation) and chemical passivation. This effect is clearly reflected with the opposite trend in the carrier capture analysis from S-i-a-Si:H and MoOx layers.
Strong connection between single-particle and density excitations in Bose–Einstein condensates
Authors: Watabe Shohei
Published: August 2020

Strong connection between the single-particle excitation and the collective excitation stands out as one of the features of Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs). We discuss theoretically these single-particle and density excitations of BECs focusing on the exact properties of the one-body and two-body Green’s functions developed by Gavoret and Nozières. We also investigate these excitations by using the many-body approximation theory at nonzero temperatures. First, we revisited the earlier study presented by Gavoret and Nozières, involving the subsequent results given by Nepomnyashchii and Nepomnyashchii, in terms of the matrix formalism representation. This matrix formalism is an extension of the Nambu representation for the single-particle Green’s function of BECs to discuss the density and current response functions efficiently. We describe the exact low-energy properties of the correlation functions and the vertex functions, and discuss the correspondence of the spectra between the single-particle excitation and the density excitation in the low-energy and low-momentum limits at T = 0. After deriving the exact low-energy structures of the one-body and two-body Green’s functions, we develop a many-body approximation theory of BECs with making the use of the matrix formalism for describing the single-particle Green’s function and the density response function at nonzero temperatures. We show how the peaks of the single-particle spectral function and the density response function behave with an increasing temperature. Many-body effect on the single-particle spectral function and the density response function is included within a random phase approximation, where satellite structures emerge because of beyond-mean-field effects. Criticisms are also made on recent theories casting doubt upon the conventional wisdom of the BEC: the equivalence of the dispersion relations between the single-particle excitation and the collective excitation in the low-energy and low-momentum regime.
Modulation-induced long-range magnon bound states in one-dimensional optical lattices
Authors: Liu Wenjie , Ke Yongguan , Zhu Bo , Lee Chaohong
Published: August 2020

Magnon excitations play an important role in understanding quantum magnetism and magnon bound states observed with ultracold atoms in optical lattices. Here, we investigate how gradient magnetic field and periodically modulated spin-exchange strength affect the two-magnon excitations. In the Stark resonance where the driving frequency matches and smooths the potential bias, the system gains translational invariance in both space and time in the rotating frame, and thus we can develop a Floquet–Bloch band theory for two magnons. We find a new kind of bound states with relative distance no less than two sites, apart from the conventional bound states with relative distance at one site, which indicates the modulation-induced long-range interaction. We analytically derive an effective Hamiltonian via the many-body perturbation theory for a deeper understanding of such novel bound states and explore the interplay between these two types of bound states. Moreover, we propose to probe modulation-induced bound states via quantum walks. Our study not only provides a scheme to form long-range magnon bound states, but also lays a cornerstone for engineering exotic quantum states in multi-particle Floquet systems.
Control of surface plasmon-polaritons at interfaces between triple quantum dots and nanocomposites
Authors: Rahman Habibur , Ahmad Iftikhar , Ud Din Rafi , Ge Guo-Qin , Ali Hazrat
Published: August 2020

Surface plasmon-polariton (SPPs) at the interface between a nanocomposite material and a medium, in which triple quantum dots (QDs) are uniformely embedded, are theoretically investigated. The absorption and dispersion spectra of SPPs are shown to have interesting behavior in the proposed system. The plasmonic spectra can be efficiently controlled via gate voltages applied in the triple QD as well as the filling ratio of nanoparticles in the composite. Moreover, the effect of incident frequencies on different features of the propagating plasmons is also manipulated. The propagation length and plasmonic depth are measured with different spectroscopic parameters. This study provides more degrees of freedom for generation and control of SPPs in plasmonic geometries containing QDs or nanocomposites or both. The results may find significant applications in atomic spectroscopy, nano-photonics, photovoltaic devices, biosensors and plasmonster technology.
Partial flag manifolds over a semifield
Authors: Lusztig G.
Published: August 2020

For any semifield

K
K

we define a

K
K

-form of a partial flag manifold of a semisimple group of simply laced type over the complex numbers.
Hypertranscendence and linear difference equations
Authors: Adamczewski Boris , Dreyfus Thomas , Hardouin Charlotte
Published: August 2020

After Hölder proved his classical theorem about the Gamma function, there has been a whole bunch of results showing that solutions to linear difference equations tend to be hypertranscendental (i.e., they cannot be solution to an algebraic differential equation). In this paper, we obtain the first complete results for solutions to general linear difference equations associated with the shift operator

x
↦
x
+
h

x\mapsto x+h

(

h
∈

C

∗

h\in \mathbb {C}^*

), the

q
q

-difference operator

x
↦
q
x

x\mapsto qx

(

q
∈

C

∗

q\in \mathbb {C}^*

not a root of unity), and the Mahler operator

x
↦

x
p

x\mapsto x^p

(

p
≥
2

p\geq 2

integer). The only restriction is that we constrain our solutions to be expressed as (possibly ramified) Laurent series in the variable

x
x

with complex coefficients (or in the variable

1

/

x

1/x

in some special case associated with the shift operator). Our proof is based on the parametrized difference Galois theory initiated by Hardouin and Singer. We also deduce from our main result a general statement about algebraic independence of values of Mahler functions and their derivatives at algebraic points.
Some transformation formulas of 𝑞-hypergeometric series via contour integration
Authors: Au Kam
Published: August 2020

We give new methods to obtain certain transformation formulas of

q
q

-hypergeometric series. Our approach uses residue calculus. We apply this method to two categories: hyperbolic and elliptic. We also apply a similar technique to evaluate explicitly a large class of

q
q

-integrals, some of which are related to the work of Gasper (2004) and Ismail and Masson (1994).
NuMA interaction with chromatin is vital for proper chromosome decondensation at the mitotic exit
Authors: Rajeevan Ashwathi , Keshri Riya , Kapoor Sukriti , Kotak Sachin
Published: August 2020

In this work, we have identified a novel function of an important mitotic regulator NuMA in chromatin decondensation and nuclear shape by directly interacting with the DNA.
The Relationship Between Urine Uromodulin and Blood Pressure Changes: The DASH-Sodium Trial
Authors: Bakhoum Christine Y , Anderson Cheryl A M , Juraschek Stephen P , Rebholz Casey M , Appel Lawrence J , Miller Edgar R , Parikh Chirag R , Obeid Wassim , Rifkin Dena E , Ix Joachim H , Garimella Pranav S
Published: August 2020

BACKGROUND

Uromodulin modulates the sodium-potassium-two-chloride transporter in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle, and its overexpression in murine models leads to salt-induced hypertension. We hypothesized that individuals with higher baseline levels of urine uromodulin would have a greater increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP) for the same increase in sodium compared with those with lower uromodulin levels.

METHODS

We used data from 157 subjects randomized to the control diet of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-Sodium trial who were assigned to 30 days of low (1,500 mg/d), medium (2,400 mg/d), and high salt (3,300 mg/d) diets in random order. Blood pressure was measured prerandomization and then weekly during each feeding period. We evaluated the association of prerandomization urine uromodulin with change in SBP between diets, as measured at the end of each feeding period, using multivariable linear regression.

RESULTS

Baseline urine uromodulin stratified by tertiles was ≤17.64, 17.65–31.97, and ≥31.98 µg/ml. Across the tertiles, there were no significant differences in SBP at baseline, nor was there a differential effect of sodium diet on SBP across tertiles (low to high, P = 0.81). After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and race, uromodulin levels were not significantly associated with SBP change from low to high sodium diet (P = 0.42).

CONCLUSIONS

In a randomized trial of different levels of salt intake, higher urine uromodulin levels were not associated with a greater increase in blood pressure in response to high salt intake.
Estimating time-varying causal excursion effects in mobile health with binary outcomes
Authors: Qian Tianchen , Yoo Hyesun , Klasnja Predrag , Almirall Daniel , Murphy Susan A
Published: August 2020

Advances in digital technology and wearables have made it possible to deliver behavioural mobile health interventions to individuals in their everyday lives. Micro-randomized trials are increasingly used to provide data to inform the construction of these interventions. In a micro-randomized trial, each individual is repeatedly randomized among multiple intervention options, often hundreds or even thousands of times over the course of the trial. The work reported in this article is motivated by multiple micro-randomized trials that have been conducted or are currently in the field, in which the primary outcome is a longitudinal binary outcome. The primary aim of such micro-randomized trials is to examine whether a particular time-varying intervention has an effect on the longitudinal binary outcome, often marginally over all, but a small subset of the individual’s data. We propose the concept of causal excursion effect, which can be used in such a primary-aim analysis for micro-randomized trials with binary outcomes. Under rather restrictive assumptions one can derive, based on existing literature, a semiparametric, locally efficient estimator of the causal effect. Starting from this estimator, we develop an estimator that can be used as the basis of a primary-aim analysis under more plausible assumptions. Simulation studies are conducted to compare the estimators. We illustrate the proposed methods using data from the micro-randomized trial BariFit, the goal of which is to support weight maintenance for individuals who have undergone bariatric surgery.
Real-time Screening of Specimen Pools for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Infection at Sanya Airport, Hainan Island, China
Authors: Li Huiling , Sun Kai , Persing David H , Tang Yi-Wei , Shen Dingxia
Published: August 2020

A 10:1 pooled test strategy on-site at an airport of China was pursued, resulting in increased test throughput, limited use of reagents, and increased testing efficiency without loss of sensitivity. This testing approach has the potential to reduce the need for contact tracing when the results are delivered first time.
Hybrid Simulation for Modeling Healthcare-associated Infections: Promising But Challenging
Authors: Nguyen Le Khanh Ngan , Megiddo Itamar , Howick Susan
Published: August 2020

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a major public health problem as they pose a serious risk for patients and providers, increasing morbidity, mortality, and length of stay, as well as costs to patients and the health system. Prevention and control of HAIs has, therefore, become a priority for most healthcare systems. Systems simulation models have provided insights into the dynamics of HAIs and help to evaluate the effect of infection control interventions. However, as each systems simulation modeling method has strengths and limitations, combining these methods in hybrid models can offer a better tool to gain complementary views on, and deeper insights into HAIs. Hybrid models can, therefore, assist decision-making at different levels of management, and provide a balance between simulation performance and result accuracy. This report discusses these benefits in more depth but also highlights some challenges associated with the use of hybrid simulation models for modeling HAIs.
Human Adenovirus 7-Associated Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis-like Illness: Clinical and Virological Characteristics in a Cluster of Five Pediatric Cases
Authors: Otto William R , Behrens Edward M , Teachey David T , Lamson Daryl M , Barrett David M , Bassiri Hamid , Lambert Michelle P , Mount Suzanne , Petrosa Whitney L , Romberg Neil , Sullivan Kathleen E , Topjian Alexis A , Fisher Brian T , Kajon Adriana E
Published: August 2020

Background

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening condition of immune dysregulation. Children often suffer from primary genetic forms of HLH, which can be triggered by infection. Others suffer from secondary HLH as a complication of infection, malignancy, or rheumatologic disease. Identifying the exact cause of HLH is crucial, as definitive treatment for primary disease is hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Adenoviruses have been associated with HLH but molecular epidemiology data are lacking.

Methods

We describe the clinical and virologic characteristics of 5 children admitted with adenovirus infection during 2018–2019 who developed HLH or HLH-like illness. Detailed virologic studies, including virus isolation and comprehensive molecular typing were performed.

Results

All patients recovered; clinical management varied but included immunomodulating and antiviral therapies. A genetic predisposition for HLH was not identified in any patient. Adenovirus isolates were recovered from 4/5 cases; all were identified as genomic variant 7d. Adenovirus type 7 DNA was detected in the fifth case. Phylogenetic analysis of genome sequences identified 2 clusters—1 related to strains implicated in 2016–2017 outbreaks in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the other related to a 2009 Chinese strain.

Conclusions

It can be challenging to determine whether HLH is the result of an infectious pathogen alone or genetic predisposition triggered by an infection. We describe 5 children from the same center presenting with an HLH-like illness after onset of adenovirus type 7 infection. None of the patients were found to have a genetic predisposition to HLH. These findings suggest that adenovirus 7 infection alone can result in HLH.
Evaluating Differences in Opioid and Stimulant Use-associated Infectious Disease Hospitalizations in Florida, 2016–2017
Authors: Serota David P , Bartholomew Tyler S , Tookes Hansel E
Published: August 2020

Background

The opioid epidemic has led to increases in injection drug use (IDU)-associated infectious diseases; however, little is known about how more recent increases in stimulant use have affected the incidence and outcomes of hospitalizations for infections among people who inject drugs (PWID).

Methods

All hospitalizations of PWID for IDU-associated infections in Florida were identified using administrative diagnostic codes and were grouped by substance used (opioids, stimulants, or both) and site of infection. We evaluated the association between substance used and the outcomes: patient-directed discharge (PDD, or “against medical advice”) and in-hospital mortality.

Results

There were 22 856 hospitalizations for infections among PWID. Opioid use was present in 73%, any stimulants in 43%, and stimulants-only in 27%. Skin and soft tissue infection was present in 50%, sepsis/bacteremia in 52%, osteomyelitis in 10%, and endocarditis in 10%. PWID using opioids/stimulants were youngest, most uninsured, and had the highest rates of endocarditis (16%) and hepatitis C (44%). Additionally, 25% of patients with opioid/stimulant use had PDD versus 12% for those using opioids-only. In adjusted models, opioid/stimulant use was associated with PDD compared to opioid-only use (aRR 1.28, 95% CI 1.17–1.40). Younger age and endocarditis were also associated with PDD. Compared to opioid-only use, stimulant-only use had higher risk of in-hospital mortality (aRR 1.26, 95% CI 1.03–1.46).

Conclusions

While opioid use contributed to most IDU-associated infections, many hospitalizations also involved stimulants. Increasing access to harm reduction interventions could help prevent these infections, while further research on the acute management of stimulant use disorder-associated infections is needed.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 RNA in Serum as Predictor of Severe Outcome in Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Hagman Karl , Hedenstierna Magnus , Gille-Johnson Patrik , Hammas Berit , Grabbe Malin , Dillner Joakim , Ursing Johan
Published: August 2020

Background

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to determine if SARS-CoV-2 RNA in serum at admission correlated with clinical outcome in COVID-19.

Methods

COVID-19 patients admitted to the infectious diseases department of a tertiary level Swedish hospital and sampled for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in serum at admission during 10 April to 30 June 2020 were included. Primary outcomes were day 28 all-cause mortality and progress to critical disease.

Results

The cohort (N = 167) consisted of 106 SARS-CoV-2 RNA serum-negative and 61 serum-positive patients. Median sampling time for initial SARS-CoV-2 in serum was 1 day (interquartile range [IQR], 1–2 days) after admission, corresponding to day 10 (IQR, 8–12) after symptom onset. Median age was 53 years (IQR, 44–67 years) and 63 years (IQR, 52–74 years) for the serum–negative and -positive patients, respectively. In the serum-negative and -positive groups, 3 of 106 and 15 of 61 patients died, respectively.

The hazard ratios for critical disease and all-cause mortality were 7.2 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.0–17) and 8.6 (95% CI, 2.4–30), respectively, for patients with serum–positive compared to serum–negative results.

Conclusions

SARS-CoV-2 RNA in serum at hospital admission indicates a high risk of progression to critical disease and death.
Profiling Cases With Nonrespiratory Symptoms and Asymptomatic Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infections in Mexico City
Authors: Bello-Chavolla Omar Yaxmehen , Antonio-Villa Neftali Eduardo , Vargas-Vázquez Arsenio , Fermín-Martínez Carlos A , Márquez-Salinas Alejandro , Bahena-López Jessica Paola
Published: August 2020

We profiled cases with nonrespiratory symptoms (NRS) and asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections assessed within Mexico City’s Epidemiological Surveillance System. Initially asymptomatic or NRS cases have decreased risk of adverse outcomes compared with cases with respiratory symptoms. Comorbidity and age influence symptom development in initially asymptomatic cases.
Collateral Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic on Tuberculosis Control in Jiangsu Province, China
Authors: Liu Qiao , Lu Peng , Shen Ye , Li Changwei , Wang Jianming , Zhu Limei , Lu Wei , Martinez Leonardo
Published: August 2020

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may impede global tuberculosis elimination goals. In Jiangsu Province, China, tuberculosis notifications dropped 52% in 2020 compared to 2015–2019. Treatment completion and screening for drug resistance decreased continuously in 2020. Urgent attention must be paid to tuberculosis control efforts during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reconstruction of the esophagus of patients with middle thoracic esophageal carcinoma using the remnant stomach following Billroth II gastrectomy
Authors: Mao Zhangfan , Wang Bo , Dong Ping , Liu Gaoli , Hu Haifeng , Zhang Shaowen , Pan Shize , Huang Jie
Published: August 2020

It seems impossible to reconstruct the esophagus of patients with middle thoracic esophageal carcinoma with a history of distal gastrectomy using the remnant stomach. Although surgeons have made multiple efforts to reconstruct the esophagus using the remnant stomach, it can only be successfully used in cases of lower thoracic esophageal cancer. Additionally, the surgery is more complex than traditional esophagogastrostomy due to challenges including mobilization of the remnant stomach with the spleen and transposition of the pancreatic tail into the left hemithorax. Our operation proved that the remnant stomach, which we named as the completely mobilized remnant stomach after dissection of the feeding vessels, remained viable. We successfully integrated the completely mobilized remnant stomach in the reconstruction of the lower thoracic esophageal tract and then integrated it in Ivor Lewis esophagogastrostomy. We describe this new alternative surgical technique for the treatment of middle thoracic esophageal carcinoma in patients with a history of distal gastrectomy in this study. Clinical data of 23 patients from 2008 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent the Ivor Lewis procedure. All remaining vessels of the remnant stomach were dissected at their origins, and Roux-en-Y reconstruction or Braun anastomosis was performed. After esophagectomy during right thoracotomy, anastomosis of the remnant stomach and esophagus was performed. Two-field lymph node dissections were performed. There was no case of necrosis of the remnant stomach or of perioperative death. Serious complications included anastomotic leak in three cases, afferent-efferent loop syndrome in one, and anastomotic stricture in two. Application of the completely mobilized remnant stomach in Ivor Lewis esophagogastrostomy is feasible, and the surgical procedure is similar to that of normal esophagogastrostomy.
The past, present and future of RNA respiratory viruses: influenza and coronaviruses
Authors: Makarov Vadim , Riabova Olga , Ekins Sean , Pluzhnikov Nikolay , Chepur Sergei
Published: August 2020

Influenza virus and coronaviruses continue to cause pandemics across the globe. We now have a greater understanding of their functions. Unfortunately, the number of drugs in our armory to defend us against them is inadequate. This may require us to think about what mechanisms to address. Here, we review the biological properties of these viruses, their genetic evolution and antiviral therapies that can be used or have been attempted. We will describe several classes of drugs such as serine protease inhibitors, heparin, heparan sulfate receptor inhibitors, chelating agents, immunomodulators and many others. We also briefly describe some of the drug repurposing efforts that have taken place in an effort to rapidly identify molecules to treat patients with COVID-19. While we put a heavy emphasis on the past and present efforts, we also provide some thoughts about what we need to do to prepare for respiratory viral threats in the future.
Activity of airway antimicrobial peptides against cystic fibrosis pathogens
Authors: Cabak Andrea , Hovold Gisela , Petersson Ann-Cathrine , Ramstedt Madeleine , Påhlman Lisa I
Published: August 2020

Antimicrobial peptides are important players of the innate host defence against invading microorganisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of airway antimicrobial peptides against the common cystic fibrosis (CF) pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and to compare it to the emerging multi-drug resistant CF pathogens Achromobacter xylosoxidans and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Clinical bacterial isolates from CF patients were used, and the antimicrobial activity of human beta-defensin 2 and 3, LL37 and lysozyme was evaluated using radial diffusion assay and viable counts. The cell surface zeta potential was analysed to estimate the net charge at the bacterial surface. Of the bacterial species included in the study, A. xylosoxidans was the most resistant to antimicrobial peptides, whereas P. aeruginosa was the most susceptible. The net charge of the bacterial surface was significantly more negative for P. aeruginosa compared to A. xylosoxidans, which may in part explain the differences in susceptibility.
Bacteriocins as a new generation of antimicrobials: toxicity aspects and regulations
Authors: Soltani Samira , Hammami Riadh , Cotter Paul D , Rebuffat Sylvie , Said Laila Ben , Gaudreau Hélène , Bédard François , Biron Eric , Drider Djamel , Fliss Ismail
Published: August 2020

In recent decades, bacteriocins have received substantial attention as antimicrobial compounds. Although bacteriocins have been predominantly exploited as food preservatives, they are now receiving increased attention as potential clinical antimicrobials and as possible immune-modulating agents. Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria have been declared as a global threat to public health. Bacteriocins represent a potential solution to this worldwide threat due to their broad- or narrow-spectrum activity against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Notably, despite their role in food safety as natural alternatives to chemical preservatives, nisin remains the only bacteriocin legally approved by regulatory agencies as a food preservative. Moreover, insufficient data on the safety and toxicity of bacteriocins represent a barrier against the more widespread use of bacteriocins by the food and medical industry. Here, we focus on the most recent trends relating to the application of bacteriocins, their toxicity and impacts.
Characterization with dense array data of seismic sources in the shallow part of the San Jacinto fault zone
Authors: Gradon Chloé , Roux Philippe , Moreau Ludovic , Lecointre Albanne , Ben Zion Yehuda
Published: August 2020

We analyse dominant sources identified in a catalogue of more than 156 000 localizations performed using a 26-d data set recorded by a dense array set on the San Jacinto fault near Anza, in California. Events were localized using an array processing technique called Match Field Processing. As for all array processing techniques, the quality of the event position decrease when the events are outside of the array. We thus separate localizations in and outside the array using simple geometrical conditions. We compare the time distribution of the localization to additional data such as meteorological data, day of human activity as well as existing catalogues to determine the nature of the dominant events located using our method. We find that most of the events located outside of the array could be attributed to a surface structure excited by wind. On the other hand, part of the localizations under the array occur during regional earthquakes and could correspond to diffraction on the fault's heterogeneities. The rest of the localizations inside the array could be generated by the fault itself.
Increased levels of plasma nucleotides in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Kishikawa Toshihiro , Maeda Yuichi , Nii Takuro , Arase Noriko , Hirata Jun , Suzuki Ken , Yamamoto Kenichi , Masuda Tatsuo , Ogawa Kotaro , Tsuji Shigeyoshi , Matsushita Masato , Matsuoka Hidetoshi , Yoshimura Maiko , Tsunoda Shinichiro , Ohshima Shiro , Narazaki Masashi , Ogata Atsushi , Saeki Yukihiko , Inohara Hidenori , Kumanogoh Atsushi , Takeda Kiyoshi , Okada Yukinori
Published: August 2020

Novel biomarkers of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), in addition to antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptides, are required. Metabolome analysis is a promising approach to identify metabolite biomarkers for clinical diagnosis. We adopted a comprehensive non-targeted metabolomics approach combining capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) and liquid chromatography TOFMS. We constructed metabolomics profiling of 286 plasma samples of a Japanese population [92 RA patients, 13 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and 181 healthy controls). RA case–control association tests showed that seven metabolites exhibited significantly increased levels in RA samples compared with controls (P < 1.0 × 10−4; UTP, ethanolamine phosphate, ATP, GDP, ADP, 6-aminohexanoic acid and taurine), whereas one exhibited a decreased level (xanthine). The plasma levels of these eight metabolites were not significantly different between seropositive and seronegative RA patients (P > 0.05; n = 68 and 24, respectively). The four nucleotide levels (UTP, ATP, GDP and ADP) were significantly higher in the non-treatment patients in comparison between patients with and without treatment (P < 0.014; n = 57 and 35, respectively). Furthermore, we found that none of the four nucleotide levels showed significant differences in SLE case–control association tests (P > 0.2; 13 patients with SLE and the 181 shared controls) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) case–control association tests (P > 0.11; 42 patients with PsA and 38 healthy controls), indicating disease specificity in RA. In conclusion, our large-scale metabolome analysis demonstrated the increased plasma nucleotide levels in RA patients, which could be used as potential clinical biomarkers of RA, especially for seronegative RA.
Carving Out an Empire? How China Strategically Uses Aid to Facilitate Chinese Business Expansion in Africa **
Authors: Harchaoui Tarek M , Maseland Robbert K J , Watkinson Julian A
Published: August 2020

China’s rising investment and aid flows into Africa have raised concerns over its increasing influence, triggering worries about a new scramble for Africa. This paper sorts out the motivations behind the various forms of Chinese aid, arguing that China uses different types of aid strategically to divert the recipient countries’ economic and institutional orientation towards its own interests. Exploiting the AidData set, we show that China’s official development aid (ODA) is positively related to an export bias in favour of China, suggesting that it serves to secure privileged access for Chinese firms to African resources. ODA tends to flow to less democratic regimes, because less accountable governments have more power to offer long-run privileges to their financial supporters. In contrast, we show that other official flows (OOF) are used to increase China’s import share and is positively related to institutional quality, since this has a positive influence on market growth. This suggests that OOF is mainly used to facilitate Chinese access to promising African consumer markets. We conclude that while China employs different aid flows for different economic purposes, it uses all aid flows strategically to advance its interests and create an economic sphere of influence in Africa.
‘Sometime a paradox’, now proof: Yablo is not first order
Authors: Salehi Saeed
Published: August 2020

Interesting as they are by themselves in philosophy and mathematics, paradoxes can be made even more fascinating when turned into proofs and theorems. For example, Russell’s paradox, which overthrew Frege’s logical edifice, is now a classical theorem in set theory, to the effect that no set contains all sets. Paradoxes can be used in proofs of some other theorems—thus Liar’s paradox has been used in the classical proof of Tarski’s theorem on the undefinability of truth in sufficiently rich languages. This paradox (as well as Richard’s paradox) appears implicitly in Gödel’s proof of his celebrated first incompleteness theorem. In this paper, we study Yablo’s paradox from the viewpoint of first- and second-order logics. We prove that a formalization of Yablo’s paradox (which is second order in nature) is non-first-orderizable in the sense of George Boolos (1984).
The Metaphysical Irreversibility of Death
Authors: Nolan Catherine
Published: August 2020

The popularization of the term “clinical death” for the absence of vital signs suggests the possibility of a radical change in our understanding of death. While death used to be considered something that we do not have the power to reverse, contemporary optimism suggests that we may be able to restore life to a dead organism. In this article, I examine how the term “death” is used today to clarify what kind of irreversibility we ought to assign to it. I conclude that the kind of irreversibility closest to our concept of death is one that depends on implicit metaphysical commitments: we generally treat death as though it were metaphysically irreversible, and therefore not reversible by us.
A putative nuclear copper chaperone promotes plant immunity in Arabidopsis
Authors: Chai Long-Xiang , Dong Kai , Liu Song-Yu , Zhang Zhen , Zhang Xiao-Peng , Tong Xin , Zhu Fei-Fan , Zou Jing-Ze , Wang Xian-Bing
Published: August 2020

Copper is essential for many metabolic processes but must be sequestrated by copper chaperones. It is well known that plant copper chaperones regulate various physiological processes. However, the functions of copper chaperones in the plant nucleus remain largely unknown. Here, we identified a putative copper chaperone induced by pathogens (CCP) in Arabidopsis thaliana. CCP harbors a classical MXCXXC copper-binding site (CBS) at its N-terminus and a nuclear localization signal (NLS) at its C-terminus. CCP mainly formed nuclear speckles in the plant nucleus, which requires the NLS and CBS domains. Overexpression of CCP induced PR1 expression and enhanced resistance against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 compared with Col-0 plants. Conversely, two CRISPR/Cas9-mediated ccp mutants were impaired in plant immunity. Further biochemical analyses revealed that CCP interacted with the transcription factor TGA2 in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, CCP recruits TGA2 to the PR1 promoter sequences in vivo, which induces defense gene expression and plant immunity. Collectively, our results have identified a putative nuclear copper chaperone required for plant immunity and provided evidence for a potential function of copper in the salicylic pathway.
Orbital spin dynamics of a millisecond pulsar around a massive BH with a general mass quadrupole
Authors: Kimpson Tom , Wu Kinwah , Zane Silvia
Published: August 2020

We investigate the spin dynamics of a millisecond pulsar (MSP) in compact orbit around a Kerr-like massive BH with an general mass quadrupole. We use the Mathisson–Papetrou–Dixon formulation to compute the orbital and spin evolution of the MSP, accounting for the non-linear interaction of the pulsar’s energy–momentum tensor on the background space–time metric. We investigate how the MSP spin and BH quadrupole moment manifest in the pulsar spin-orbital dynamics. We discuss the astrophysical observational implications of these spin and orbital dynamics on the timing of a radio pulsar in an extreme mass ratio binary, e.g. a Galactic Centre pulsar. In particular, notable timing variations in the Einstein delay and Roemer delay are observed, along with modifications to the pulsar pulse profile.
Rotational modulation and single g-mode pulsation in the B9pSi star HD 174356?
Authors: Mikulášek Z , Paunzen E , Hümmerich S , Niemczura E , Walczak P , Fraga L , Bernhard K , Janík J , Hubrig S , Järvinen S , Jagelka M , Pintado O I , Krtička J , Prišegen M , Skarka M , Zejda M , Ilyin I , Pribulla T , Kamiński K , Kamińska M K , Tokarek J , Zieliński P
Published: August 2020

Chemically peculiar (CP) stars of the upper main sequence are characterized by specific anomalies in the photospheric abundances of some chemical elements. The group of CP2 stars, which encompasses classical Ap and Bp stars, exhibits strictly periodic light, spectral, and spectropolarimetric variations that can be adequately explained by the model of a rigidly rotating star with persistent surface structures and a stable global magnetic field. Using observations from the Kepler K2 mission, we find that the B9pSi star HD 174356 displays a light curve variable in both amplitude and shape, which is not expected in a CP2 star. Employing archival and new photometric and spectroscopic observations, we carry out a detailed abundance analysis of HD 174356 and discuss its photometric and astrophysical properties in detail. We employ phenomenological modelling to decompose the light curve and the observed radial velocity variability. Our abundance analysis confirms that HD 174356 is a silicon-type CP2 star. No magnetic field stronger than 110 G was found. The star’s light curve can be interpreted as the sum of two independent strictly periodic signals with $P_1=4{_{.}^{\rm d}}043\, 55(5)$ and $P_2=2{_{.}^{\rm d}}111\, 69(3)$. The periods have remained stable over 17 yr of observations. In all spectra, HD 174356 appears to be single-lined. From the simulation of the variability characteristics and investigation of stars in the close angular vicinity, we put forth the hypothesis that the peculiar light variability of HD 174356 arises in a single star and is caused by rotational modulation due to surface abundance patches (P1) and g-mode pulsation (P2).
PS1-STRM: neural network source classification and photometric redshift catalogue for PS1 3π DR1
Authors: Beck Róbert , Szapudi István , Flewelling Heather , Holmberg Conrad , Magnier Eugene , Chambers Kenneth C
Published: August 2020

The Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) 3π survey is a comprehensive optical imaging survey of three quarters of the sky in the grizy broad-band photometric filters. We present the methodology used in assembling the source classification and photometric redshift (photo-z) catalogue for PS1 3π Data Release 1, titled Pan-STARRS1 Source Types and Redshifts with Machine learning (PS1-STRM). For both main data products, we use neural network architectures, trained on a compilation of public spectroscopic measurements that has been cross-matched with PS1 sources. We quantify the parameter space coverage of our training data set, and flag extrapolation using self-organizing maps. We perform a Monte Carlo sampling of the photometry to estimate photo-z uncertainty. The final catalogue contains 2902 054 648 objects. On our validation data set, for non-extrapolated sources, we achieve an overall classification accuracy of $98.1{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ for galaxies, $97.8{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ for stars, and $96.6{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ for quasars. Regarding the galaxy photo-z estimation, we attain an overall bias of 〈Δznorm〉 = 0.0005, a standard deviation of σ(Δznorm) = 0.0322, a median absolute deviation of MAD(Δznorm) = 0.0161, and an outlier fraction of $P\left(|\Delta z_{\mathrm{norm}}|\gt 0.15\right)=1.89{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. The catalogue will be made available as a high-level science product via the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes.