bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Packaging and Temperature Compensation of Fiber Bragg Grating for Strain Sensing: A Survey
Authors: Kuang Yi , Guo Yongxing , Xiong Li , Liu Wenlong
Published: July 2018

During last decades, sensor elements based on the fiber Bragg grating (FBG) have been widely studied and developed due to the advantages of immunity to electromagnetic interference, compact size, high precision, and so on. The FBG itself is sensitive to axial strain and temperature variation directly and can indirectly measure these complex physical parameters, such as pressure, displacement, and vibration, by using some specially designed elastic structures to convert them into the axial strain of the FBG. Whether the FBG is fixed on the measured object to measure the strain directly or fixed on an elastic structure body to measure other physical quantities, these types of FBGs could be collectively called as strain sensing FBGs. The packaging of the FBG has important influence on FBG characteristics that directly affect the measurement accuracy, such as strain transfer, temperature characteristic, and spectral shape. This paper summarizes the packaging methods and corresponding temperature compensation methods of the currently reported strain sensing FBGs, focusing especially on fully pasted FBG, pre-stretched FBG with double-end fixed, and metallic packaging. Furthermore, the advantages and drawbacks of different packaging methods have been analyzed, which can provide a reference for future researches.
Material Correlates Analysis (MCA)
Authors: Gantley Michael , Whitehouse Harvey , Bogaard Amy
Published: July 2018

Theories developed and validated using ethnographic and historical resources are often difficult to examine using sparse or fragmentary archaeological material. However, a number of statistical techniques make it possible to integrate data from ethnographic, historical, and archaeological resources into a single analytical framework. This article introduces Material Correlates Analysis (MCA)—a new method of filling gaps in the archaeological data using a strategic combination of data collection, multidimensional scaling, principal component analysis, and generalized liner modeling. Generalized liner modeling is a particularly useful tool in formal inferential statistics for comparing a priori classified groups of historical and/or ethnographic (known) cases with archaeological (unknown) ones on the basis of relevant variables. MCA allows us to overcome the inherent material culture limitations regarding data on key variables by using available historical or ethnographic evidence to make statistically testable inferences regarding archaeological data. Using the Modes of Religiosity theory as an example, we demonstrate how major gaps in the evidentiary record can be overcome using the techniques we outline. Specifically, we use the MCA approach to ascertain whether the agricultural transition in southwest Asia was associated with a shift from an imagistic to an increasingly doctrinal mode of religiosity.
EVIDENCE, COHERENCE AND EPISTEMIC AKRASIA
Authors: Neta Ram
Published: July 2018

Rationality is generally thought to constrain our beliefs in at least two ways. First, rationality constrains the structure of our beliefs – it prohibits various forms of incoherence among our beliefs, at least at a time, and perhaps over time as well. Second, rationality constraints the substance of our beliefs – it requires them to be appropriate to the evidence that we possess. Several philosophers have argued that the demands of coherence sometimes come into conflict with the demands of evidence: in such cases, an agent who believes in accordance with her evidence will end up displaying epistemic akrasia. In this paper, I show that the arguments that have so far been given for this conclusion are unsuccessful. We have no good reason to think that coherence and evidence can ever be in conflict.
PARTY ACTIVISTS IN SOUTH KOREA AND MONGOLIA: PROGRAMMATIC LINKAGES AND POLICY MOTIVATIONS
Authors: Koo Sejin
Published: July 2018

Party activists are important for building party–voter links. This study focuses on the motivations of these activists and the hypothesis that economic factors are associated with more programmatic and policy-driven platforms. I examine a novel comparative survey data set of party activists collected in multiple districts in South Korea and Mongolia to determine whether national economic development, the local economy, or individual income shapes activist motivations. The results challenge the economic account and, instead, shed light on the importance of party characteristics, such as size, ideology, and whether a party has its roots in authoritarianism.
Quantification of turbulent mixing in colliding gravity currents
Authors: Zhong Qiang , Hussain Fazle , Fernando Harindra J. S.
Published: July 2018

Collision between two identical counterflowing gravity currents was studied in the laboratory with the goal of understanding the fundamental turbulent mixing physics of flow collisions in nature, for example katabatic flows and thunderstorm outflows. The ensuing turbulent mixing is a subgrid process in mesoscale forecasting models, and needs to be parameterized using eddy diffusivity. Laboratory gravity currents were generated by simultaneously removing two identical locks, located at both ends of a long rectangular tank, which separated dense and lighter water columns with free surfaces of the same depth $H$. The frontal velocity $u_{f}$ and the velocity and density fields of the gravity currents were monitored using time-resolved particle image velocimetry and planar laser-induced fluorescence imaging. Ensemble averaging of identical experimental realizations was used to compute turbulence statistics, after removing inherent jitter via phase alignment of successive data realizations by iteratively maximizing the cross-correlation of each realization with the ensemble average. Four stages of flow evolution were identified: initial (independent) propagation of gravity currents, their approach while influencing one another, collision and resulting updraughts, and postcollision slumping of collided fluid. The collision stage, in turn, involved three phases, and produced the strongest turbulent mixing as quantified by the rate of change of density. Phase I spanned $-0.2\leqslant tu_{f}/H<0.5$, where collision produced a rising density front (interface) with strong shear and intense turbulent kinetic energy production ($t$ is a suitably defined time coordinate such that gravity currents make the initial contact at $tu_{f}/H=-0.2$). In Phase II ($0.5\leqslant tu_{f}/H<1.2$), the interface was flat and calm with negligible vertical velocity. Phase III ($1.2\leqslant tu_{f}/H<2.8$) was characterized by slumping which led to hydraulic bores propagating away from the collision area. The measurements included root mean square turbulent velocities and their decay rates, interfacial velocity, rate of change of fluid-parcel density, and eddy diffusivity. These measures depended on the Reynolds number $Re$, but appeared to achieve Reynolds number similarity for $Re>3000$. The eddy diffusivity $K_{T}$, space–time averaged over the spatial extent ($H\times H$) and the lifetime ($t\approx 3H/u_{f}$) of collision, was $K_{T}/u_{f}H=0.0036$ for $Re>3000$, with the area $A$ of active mixing being $A/H^{2}=0.037$.
Plane blast wave interaction with an elongated straight and inclined heat-generated inhomogeneity
Authors: Sembian S. , Liverts M. , Apazidis N.
Published: July 2018

The unstable evolution of an elongated elliptically shaped inhomogeneity that is embedded in ambient air and aligned both normal and at an angle to an incident plane blast wave of impact Mach number 2.15 is investigated both experimentally and numerically. The elliptic inhomogeneities and the blast waves are generated using gas heating and exploding wire technique and their interaction is captured optically using shadowgraph method. While two symmetric counter-rotating vortices due to Richtmyer–Meshkov instability are observed for the straight interaction, the formation of a train of vortices similar to Kelvin–Helmholtz instability, introducing asymmetry into the flow field, are observed for an inclined interaction. During the early phase of the interaction process in the straight case, the growth of the counter-rotating vortices (based on the sequence of images obtained from the high-speed camera) and circulation (calculated with the aid of numerical data) are found to be linear in both space and time. Moreover, the normalized circulation is independent of the inhomogeneity density and the ellipse thickness, enabling the formulation of a unique linear fit equation. Conversely, the circulation for an inclined case follows a quadratic function, with each vortex in the train estimated to move with a different velocity directly related to its size at that instant. Two factors influencing the quadratic nature are identified: the reduction in strength of the transmitted shock thereby generating vortices with reduced vorticity, along with the gradual loss of vorticity of the earlier-generated vortices.
A NEW EXTENSION OF DARBO’S FIXED POINT THEOREM USING RELATIVELY MEIR–KEELER CONDENSING OPERATORS
Authors: GABELEH MOOSA , VETRO CALOGERO
Published: July 2018

We consider relatively Meir–Keeler condensing operators to study the existence of best proximity points (pairs) by using the notion of measure of noncompactness, and extend a result of Aghajani et al. [‘Fixed point theorems for Meir–Keeler condensing operators via measure of noncompactness’, Acta Math. Sci. Ser. B35 (2015), 552–566]. As an application of our main result, we investigate the existence of an optimal solution for a system of integrodifferential equations.
ON THE WEAK-HASH METRIC FOR BOUNDEDLY FINITE INTEGER-VALUED MEASURES
Authors: MORARIU-PATRICHI MAXIME
Published: July 2018

It is known that the space of boundedly finite integer-valued measures on a complete separable metric space becomes a complete separable metric space when endowed with the weak-hash metric. It is also known that convergence under this topology can be characterised in a way that is similar to the weak convergence of totally finite measures. However, the original proofs of these two fundamental results assume that a certain term is monotonic, which is not the case as we show by a counterexample. We clarify these original proofs by addressing the parts that rely on this assumption and finding alternative arguments.
Serum magnesium and cardiovascular mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients: a 5-year prospective cohort study
Authors: Ye Hongjian , Cao Peiyi , Zhang Xiaodan , Lin Jianxiong , Guo Qunying , Mao Haiping , Yu Xueqing , Yang Xiao
Published: July 2018

The aim of this study was to explore the association between serum Mg and cardiovascular mortality in the peritoneal dialysis (PD) population. This prospective cohort study included prevalent PD patients from a single centre. The primary outcome of this study was cardiovascular mortality. Serum Mg was assessed at baseline. A total of 402 patients (57 % male; mean age 49·3±14·9 years) were included. After a median of 49·9 months (interquartile range: 25·9–68·3) of follow-up, sixty-two patients (25·4 %) died of CVD. After adjustment for conventional confounders in multivariate Cox regression models, being in the lower quartile for serum Mg level was independently associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality, with hazards ratios of 2·28 (95 % CI 1·04, 5·01), 1·41 (95 % CI 0·63, 3·16) and 1·62 (95 % CI 0·75, 3·51) for the lowest, second and third quartiles, respectively. A similar trend was observed when all-cause mortality was used as the study endpoint. Further analysis showed that the relationships between lower serum Mg and higher risk of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality were present only in the female subgroup, and not among male patients. The test for interaction indicated that the associations between lower serum Mg and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality differed by sex (P=0·008 andP=0·011, respectively). In conclusion, lower serum Mg was associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in the PD population, especially among female patients.
The Festival of Every Day: Philo and Seneca on Quotidian Time
Authors: Gribetz Sarit Kattan
Published: July 2018

In Book Two ofDe Specialibus Legibus(Special Laws), Philo of Alexandria presents his readers with a “festival manual”: a list of ten holidays, their origins, and the practices associated with each one. Philo names the first festival in his list ἡμέρα πσα, “every day,” about which he muses: “If all the forces of the virtues remained unvanquished throughout, then the time from birth to death would be one continuous feast.” In what historical, intellectual, and literary context might we best understand Philo's “every day festival”? And how can we understand Philo's view of quotidian time in the context of his conception of time and temporality more generally? In this paper, I argue that Philo's presentation of this festival of the every day, and, more generally, his perspective on daily time, is an engagement not only with biblical texts but also with contemporaneous Stoic perspectives about time, especially those articulated by the philosopher Seneca the Younger. I thus read Philo'sDe Specialibus Legibusin conversation with Seneca'sDe Brevitate Vitae(On the Shortness of Life), analyzing their similar perspectives on daily time and suggesting several ways of understanding the connections between the two texts. I conclude by explaining how appreciating the similarities between Philo and Seneca's ideas about quotidian time also allows us better to understand Philo's exposition of the other festivals, especially his presentation of the Sabbath.
THE OPTIMAL POLICY MIX TO ACHIEVE PUBLIC DEBT CONSOLIDATION
Authors: Cardani Roberta , Menna Lorenzo , Tirelli Patrizio
Published: July 2018

In this paper, we adopt a Ramsey optimal approach to identify the combination of income taxes, public expenditure, and inflation designed to achieve a fiscal consolidation. In contrast with empirical contributions that emphasize the benefits of expenditure-based consolidations, the optimal policy calls for increases in taxes and inflation. Strong monetary accommodation is quite beneficial relative to a situation where the Central Bank is only concerned with inflation stability and the inflation target is defined as a ceiling, as in the Eurozone.
COMPARING THE BRAUER GROUP TO THE TATE–SHAFAREVICH GROUP
Authors: Geisser Thomas H.
Published: July 2018

We give a formula relating the order of the Brauer group of a surface fibered over a curve over a finite field to the order of the Tate–Shafarevich group of the Jacobian of the generic fiber. The formula implies that the Brauer group of a smooth and proper surface over a finite field is a square if it is finite.
Das Delirante Syndrom in der Palliative Care: Frische Evidenz und alte Weisheiten
Authors: Gärtner Jan , Büche Daniel , Camartin Cristian
Published: July 2018

Zusammenfassung. Das Delirante Syndrom ist ein häufiger Symptomenkomplex in der Palliative Care und ist für die betroffenen Patienten, ihre Familien aber auch die betreuenden Teams mit grossen Belastungen und Ängsten verbunden. Es geht einher mit einer erhöhten Morbidität und Mortalität, nicht selten ist es irreversibel oder ein Zeichen des nahenden Todes. Von grösster Bedeutung sind die Identifikation gefährdeter Patienten sowie die Vorbeugung des Deliranten Syndroms. Stets sollten Risikofaktoren minimiert werden. Die korrekte Identifikation eines Delirs ist nicht immer einfach, insbesondere die hypoaktiven – und Mischformen werden häufig nicht diagnostiziert. Nach Diagnosestellung soll die Ätiologie eruiert und die auslösenden Faktoren, wenn möglich behandelt werden. Die pharmakologische Therapie stützt sich auf die Gabe von Benzodiazepinen und Neuroleptika. Diese Substanzen sollten allerdings mit Augenmass und gemäss strikten Vorgaben eingesetzt werden. Essentiell ist die Feststellung, dass das Delirante Syndrom an sich oder gar «Verwirrtheit» und «Unruhe» keine Indikationen zur Pharmakotherapie darstellen. Vielmehr sollte die Verwendung von Benzodiazepinen und Neuroleptika auf stark ausgeprägte neuropsychiatrische Symptome im Rahmen des hyperaktiven Delirs beschränkt bleiben. Die vorliegende Arbeit vermittelt einen praxisorientierten Überblick über Prophylaxe, Diagnostik und Therapie des Deliranten Syndroms in der Palliative Care. Ausserdem werden zwei vor Kurzem aus dem Bereich Palliative Care veröffentlichte randomisierte, kontrollierte Studien zur Verwendung von Benzodiazepinen und Neuroleptika im Rahmen des Deliranten Syndrom besprochen.
Pädiatrische Palliative Care: was ist bei Kindern anders als bei Erwachsenen?
Authors: Bergsträsser Eva
Published: July 2018

Zusammenfassung. Die Anzahl von Kindern und Jugendlichen (0 – 18 Jahre) mit lebenslimitierenden Erkrankungen und einem Bedarf für palliative Betreuung nimmt zu. Das Bewusstsein für diesen Umstand und den Bedarf hinken hingegen in der Schweiz verglichen mit anderen entwickelten Ländern hinterher. In der Schweiz kann die Anzahl von Kindern mit einem Bedarf für Palliative Care auf etwa 5’000 geschätzt werden. Dem gegenüber stehen etwa 500 Kinder (0 – 18 Jahre), die jährlich sterben. Die häufigsten Todesursachen sind Krankheiten und Geburtskomplikationen des Neugeborenen, die in den ersten vier Lebenswochen zum Tod führen, Folgen von Unfällen und eine Vielzahl lebenslimitierender Krankheiten. Im Vergleich zu Erwachsen zeichnen sich Kinder mit einem Bedarf für eine palliative Betreuung und Begleitung nicht nur durch ihre deutlich geringere Anzahl aus. In dieser Kleinheit und Seltenheit verbirgt sich eine hohe Heterogenität der Bedürfnisse, die Kinder mit palliativem Betreuungsbedarf markant von Erwachsenen unterscheidet.
Demenz aus palliativmedizinischer Perspektive: warum ein krankheitsspezifisches Advance Care Planning wichtig ist
Authors: Jox Ralf J. , Bosisio Francesca , Truchard Eve Rubli
Published: July 2018

Zusammenfassung. Die Palliative Care muss sich im Zuge des demographischen Wandels vieler Gesellschaften rund um den Globus tiefgreifend wandeln. Sie muss mehr und mehr mit der Geriatrie zusammenarbeiten und geriatrische Expertise integrieren. Eine der zentralen Herausforderungen Geriatrischer Palliative Care ist die ethisch angemessene Therapieentscheidung für Menschen, die nicht mehr urteilsfähig sind. Nachdem der bisherige Ansatz herkömmlicher Patientenverfügungen erwiesenermassen enttäuscht hat, wird aktuell, gerade auch in deutschsprachigen Ländern, das systemische Konzept des Advance Care Planning (ACP) verfolgt. In diesem Artikel wird zunächst ACP mit seinen Zielen, Elementen und Effekten vorgestellt. Sodann wird gezeigt, weshalb es für Menschen mit Demenz eines adaptierten ACP-Programms bedarf und was ein solches demenzspezifisches ACP beinhalten muss.
Der Wert des Lebensendes: am Beispiel der Finanzierung der stationären spezialisierten Palliative Care in der Schweiz
Authors: Gudat Heike
Published: July 2018

Zusammenfassung. Palliative Care ist ein integraler Bestandteil der Schulmedizin und richtet sich frühzeitig an Patienten aller Altersgruppen und Diagnosen, wenn eine unheilbare Krankheit vorliegt. Palliativstationen und -kliniken als Gradmesser für eine angemessene Palliative Care machen darin jedoch nur einen Bruchteil der Kosten aus. So versterben in der Schweiz jährlich rund 66’000 Menschen, die Kosten für das letzte Lebensjahr belaufen sich auf 1.9 Mia CHF, für Palliativstationen werden geschätzt jedoch nur 51 Mio. CHF aufgeworfen. Gründe sind ein viel zu geringes Angebot, eine systematische Unterfinanzierung und eine lückenhafte Versorgungskette für schwer kranke und sterbende Patientinnen und Patienten. Dies führt zu ethischen Konfliktsituationen im klinischen Versorgungsalltag, wie Versorgungsengpässen und medizinisch nicht indizierten Verlegungen in ungeeignete Settings. Gemäss wissenschaftlicher Berechnungen fehlen in der Schweiz rund 500 Palliativbetten, und mindestens 11’000 schwerkranke Menschen benötigten pro Jahr spezialisierte Palliative Care. Unter der jetzigen Finanzierung ist die Existenz der bestehenden Palliativstationen jedoch mittelfristig gefährdet. Neben dringenden Korrekturen der Finanzierung müssen gesetzliche Anpassungen zur Sicherung der Palliative Care überlegt werden.
Natural and Human Influences on the Link Between Meteorological and Hydrological Drought Indices for a Large Set of Catchments in the Contiguous United States
Authors: Tijdeman E. , Barker L. J. , Svoboda M. D. , Stahl K.
Published: July 2018

Precipitation‐based drought indices are most commonly used in drought monitoring and early warning systems whereas impacts of drought are often related to other domains of the hydrological cycle such as streamflow. Precipitation droughts do not always coincide with streamflow droughts, as the propagation from precipitation to streamflow is affected by climate, catchment properties, and human influences. For monitoring in ungauged catchments it is the question to what extent drought indices solely based on precipitation or other (more recently developed) meteorological drought indices that include evaporation or snowmelt, have a stronger correlation with streamflow, and whether this correlation is weaker in catchments where streamflow is altered by human influences. Results of a correlation exercise between various meteorological drought indices and streamflow showed that the strongest correlation was often found for meteorological drought indices that include evaporation (especially in drier climates) or snow processes (especially in colder climates). Most catchments with an indicated presence of human influences showed a maximum correlation between meteorological drought indices and streamflow that was comparable in strength to the same correlation for catchments with near‐natural flow. However, up to 15% of catchments with an indicated presence of human influences show weaker correlations. Drought indices derived from these influenced records with a weaker correlation do not necessarily correspond to reported drought impacts. In conclusion, knowing which meteorological drought index has the strongest correlation with streamflow in different climate zones has the potential of improving large‐scale drought monitoring and early warning systems in ungauged areas or regions that lack real‐time streamflow availability.
Enhancer histone-QTLs are enriched on autoimmune risk haplotypes and influence gene expression within chromatin networks
Authors: Pelikan Richard C. , Kelly Jennifer A. , Fu Yao , Lareau Caleb A. , Tessneer Kandice L. , Wiley Graham B. , Wiley Mandi M. , Glenn Stuart B. , Harley John B. , Guthridge Joel M. , James Judith A. , Aryee Martin J. , Montgomery Courtney , Gaffney Patrick M.
Published: July 2018

Genetic variants can confer risk to complex genetic diseases by modulating gene expression through changes to the epigenome. To assess the degree to which genetic variants influence epigenome activity, we integrate epigenetic and genotypic data from lupus patient lymphoblastoid cell lines to identify variants that induce allelic imbalance in the magnitude of histone post-translational modifications, referred to herein as histone quantitative trait loci (hQTLs). We demonstrate that enhancer hQTLs are enriched on autoimmune disease risk haplotypes and disproportionately influence gene expression variability compared with non-hQTL variants in strong linkage disequilibrium. We show that the epigenome regulates HLA class II genes differently in individuals who carry HLA-DR3 or HLA-DR15 haplotypes, resulting in differential 3D chromatin conformation and gene expression. Finally, we identify significant expression QTL (eQTL) x hQTL interactions that reveal substructure within eQTL gene expression, suggesting potential implications for functional genomic studies that leverage eQTL data for subject selection and stratification.
Dissociable functional activities of cortical theta and beta oscillations in the lateral prefrontal cortex during intertemporal choice
Authors: Gui Dan-Yang , Yu Tao , Hu Zhenhong , Yan Jiaqing , Li Xiaoli
Published: July 2018

The lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) plays an important role in the neural networks involved in intertemporal choice. However, little is known about how the neural oscillation of LPFC functions during intertemporal choice, owing to the technical limitations of functional magnetic resonance imaging and event-related brain potential recordings. Electrocorticography (ECoG) is a novel neuroimaging technique that has high spatial and temporal resolution. In this study, we used ECoG and projected the ECoG data onto individual brain spaces to investigate human intracranial cortex activity and how neural oscillations of the LPFC impact intertemporal choice. We found that neural activity of theta oscillation was significantly higher during impulsive decisions, while beta oscillation activity was significantly higher during non-impulsive ones. Our findings suggest a functional dissociation between cortical theta and beta oscillations during decision-making processes involved in intertemporal choice, and that decision outcomes may be determined by LPFC modulation, which involves neural oscillations at different frequencies.
Quantified evaluation of tracheal compression in pediatric complex congenital vascular ring by computed tomography
Authors: Xu Rong , Shi Ke , Yang Zhi-gang , Diao Kai-yue , zhao Qin , Xu Hua-yan , Guo Ying-kun
Published: July 2018

Clinically, early diagnosis and treatment is important for survival of pediatric with vascular ring (VR) associated with congenital heart disease (CHD), and accurate evaluation of VR is a prerequisite for repair surgical. The study aimed to assess the quantitative characteristics of tracheal compression in pediatrics with VR and CHD using dual-source computed tomography (DSCT), and further provided effective information for surgical decisions. A total of 49 VR patients with CHD and 56 controls were enrolled. The tracheal quantitative measurements (short diameter, long diameter, tracheal area and tracheal length) were obtained, and the degree of tracheal compression was assessed. Our results indicated that VR associated with CHD may cause more serious and complex symptoms, and the greater tracheal compression were found on DSCT when more severe symptoms were present (r = 0.84). The degree of tracheal compression was significantly different within the VR group between those with and without surgery (P = 0.002). Finally, there were good agreement among (1-long diameter ratio), (1-short diameter ratio) and (1-area ratio) in patients and controls, respectively. This study indicated that DSCT enables provides accurate quantitative tracheal compression information for VR pediatrics associated with CHD, and evaluation of the degree of tracheal compression by 1-area ratio may contribute to the repair surgical of VR.
Leukocyte telomere length correlates with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy severity
Authors: Chatterjee Shambhabi , de Gonzalo-Calvo David , Derda Anselm A. , Schimmel Katharina , Sonnenschein Kristina , Bavendiek Udo , Bauersachs Johann , Bär Christian , Thum Thomas
Published: July 2018

Telomere length is a marker of biological aging. Short leukocyte telomere length has been associated with various conditions including cardiovascular disorders. Here, we evaluated if patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have altered leukocyte telomere length and whether this is associated with disease severity. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction-based method was used to measure peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length in 59 healthy control subjects and a well-characterized cohort of 88 patients diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: 32 patients with non-obstructive cardiomyopathy (HNCM) and 56 patients with obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). We observed shorter leukocyte telomeres in both HNCM and HOCM patients compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, leukocyte telomere length was inversely associated with HCM even after adjusting for age and sex. Telomere length of HOCM patients was also inversely correlated with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. Therefore, HOCM patients were categorized by tertiles of telomere length. Patients in the first tertile (shortest telomeres) had a significantly increased left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end-diastole and higher left ventricular outflow tract gradients, whereas the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter was lower compared with patients in the second and third tertile. In summary, telomere length is associated with the severity of the disease in the HOCM subtype.
Comparative mangrove metagenome reveals global prevalence of heavy metals and antibiotic resistome across different ecosystems
Authors: Imchen Madangchanok , Kumavath Ranjith , Barh Debmalya , Vaz Aline , Góes-Neto Aristóteles , Tiwari Sandeep , Ghosh Preetam , Wattam Alice R. , Azevedo Vasco
Published: July 2018

The mangrove ecosystem harbors a complex microbial community that plays crucial role in biogeochemical cycles. In this study, we analyzed mangrove sediments from India using de novo whole metagenome next generation sequencing (NGS) and compared their taxonomic and functional community structures to mangrove metagenomics samples from Brazil and Saudi Arabia. The most abundant phyla in the mangroves of all three countries was Proteobacteria, followed by Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. A total of 1,942 genes were found to be common across all the mangrove sediments from each of the three countries. The mangrove resistome consistently showed high resistance to fluoroquinolone and acriflavine. A comparative study of the mangrove resistome with other ecosystems shows a higher frequency of heavy metal resistance in mangrove and terrestrial samples. Ocean samples had a higher abundance of drug resistance genes with fluoroquinolone and methicillin resistance genes being as high as 28.178% ± 3.619 and 10.776% ± 1.823. Genes involved in cobalt-zinc-cadmium resistance were higher in the mangrove (23.495% ± 4.701) and terrestrial (27.479% ± 4.605) ecosystems. Our comparative analysis of samples collected from a variety of habitats shows that genes involved in resistance to both heavy metals and antibiotics are ubiquitous, irrespective of the ecosystem examined.
Decreased Chromosomal Damage in Lymphocytes of Obese Patients After Bariatric Surgery
Authors: Bankoglu Ezgi Eyluel , Arnold Charlotte , Hering Ilona , Hankir Mohammed , Seyfried Florian , Stopper Helga
Published: July 2018

The number of bariatric surgeries being performed worldwide has markedly risen. While the improvement in obesity-associated comorbidities after bariatric surgery is well-established, very little is known about its impact on cancer risk. The peripheral lymphocyte micronucleus test is a widely used method for the monitoring of chromosomal damage levels in vivo, and micronucleus frequency positively correlates with cancer risk. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the micronucleus frequency before and after bariatric surgery in obese subjects. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected from 45 obese subjects before and at two time-points after bariatric surgery (6 and 12 months) to assess spontaneous micronucleus frequency. Consistent with the increased cancer risk previously shown, bariatric surgery-induced weight loss led to a significant reduction in lymphocyte micronucleus frequency after 12 months. Interestingly, comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome further seemed to have an impact on the lymphocyte micronucleus frequency. Our findings may indicate a successful reduction of cancer risk in patients following weight loss caused by bariatric surgery.
Author Correction: The role of the secretin/secretin receptor axis in inflammatory cholangiocyte communication via extracellular vesicles
Authors: Sato Keisaku , Meng Fanyin , Venter Julie , Giang Thao , Glaser Shannon , Alpini Gianfranco
Published: July 2018

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.
A mitochondria-targetable fluorescent probe for detection of bisulfite in living cells
Authors: Guo Xiao , Zhu Wei-Jin , Wei Xue-Rui , Xu Yu-Jie , Sun Ru , Ge Jian-Feng
Published: July 2018

A colorimetric fluorescent probe based on benzo[g]indolium was prepared as a mitochondria-targeted probe for detecting bisulfite.
A new method to deconvolute binary mixture in LA-ICP-MS analyses to quantify the composition of phases smaller than the laser spot size
Authors: Yang Longbo , van Hinsberg Vincent J. , Samson Iain M.
Published: July 2018

New quantification strategy to deconvolute the data signal of a binary mixture in laser ablation ICP-MS analysis.
Glycyrrhizic acid from licorice down-regulates inflammatory responses via blocking MAPK and PI3K/Akt-dependent NF-κB signalling pathways in TPA-induced skin inflammation
Authors: Liu Wenfeng , Huang Shun , Li Yonglian , Li Yanwen , Li Dongli , Wu Panpan , Wang Quanshi , Zheng Xi , Zhang Kun
Published: July 2018

Glycyrrhizinic acid (GA), a principal component derived from licorice, is attracting considerable attention because of its broad range of bioactivities.
Correction: CuCl heterogenized on metformine-modified multi walled carbon nanotubes as a recyclable nanocatalyst for Ullmann-type C–O and C–N coupling reactions
Authors: Akhavan Taheri Elham , Hemmati Saba , Hekmati Malak , Veisi Hojat
Published: July 2018

Correction for ‘CuCl heterogenized on metformine-modified multi walled carbon nanotubes as a recyclable nanocatalyst for Ullmann-type C–O and C–N coupling reactions’ by Elham Akhavan Taheri et al., New J. Chem., 2018, 42, 2782–2789.
The impact of tilt grain boundaries on the thermal transport in perovskite SrTiO3layered nanostructures. A computational study
Authors: Yeandel Stephen R. , Molinari Marco , Parker Stephen C.
Published: July 2018

Stacking of interfaces at different length-scales affect the lattice thermal conductivity of strontium titanate layered nanostructures improving their thermoelectric performance.
Efficient and simplified nanomechanical analysis of intrinsically disordered proteins
Authors: Fernández-Ramírez María del Carmen , Hervás Rubén , Galera-Prat Albert , Laurents Douglas V. , Carrión-Vázquez Mariano
Published: July 2018

A higher mechanostable carrier overcomes the drawbacks found in the nanomechanical analysis of intrinsically disordered proteins.
In situstudy of nucleation and growth dynamics of Au nanoparticles on MoS2nanoflakes
Authors: Song Boao , He Kun , Yuan Yifei , Sharifi-Asl Soroosh , Cheng Meng , Lu Jun , Saidi Wissam A. , Shahbazian-Yassar Reza
Published: July 2018

A schematic of the liquid-cell (S)TEM device and the observed nucleation and growth dynamics of Au nanoparticles on MoS2.
Electrophilic carbocyclization reactions of 2-(2-alkynylphenyl)amino-1,4-naphthoquinones
Authors: Sie Chang-You , Chuang Che-Ping
Published: July 2018

Electrophilic carbocylization reactions for the synthesis of 5H-benzo[b]naphtho [2,3-f]azepine-6,11-diones are described.
Divergent biosynthesis of indole alkaloids FR900452 and spiro-maremycins
Authors: Duan Yingyi , Liu Yanyan , Huang Tao , Zou Yi , Huang Tingting , Hu Kaifeng , Deng Zixin , Lin Shuangjun
Published: July 2018

FR900452 was demonstrated to be biosynthesized by the gene cluster of maremycin G and diversified by SnoaL-like protein MarP.
Guanidine functionalized anthranilamides as effective antibacterials with biofilm disruption activity
Authors: Kuppusamy Rajesh , Yasir Muhammad , Yee Eugene , Willcox Mark , Black David StC. , Kumar Naresh
Published: July 2018

We describe a library of amphiphilic anthranilamide compounds as antimicrobial peptide (AMP) mimics.
Layered hybrid perovskite solar cells based on single-crystalline precursor solutions with superior reproducibility
Authors: Dang Yangyang , Wei Jing , Liu Xiaolong , Wang Xi , Xu Kun , Lei Ming , Hu Wenping , Tao Xutang
Published: July 2018

The reproducibility and stability of BA2MAn−1PbnI3n+1 (n = 3 and 4) solar cells based on their single-crystalline precursor solutions by a modified hot-casting method were investigated for the first time.
Complex coacervation-based loading and tunable release of a cationic protein from monodisperse glycosaminoglycan microgels
Authors: Schuurmans Carl C. L. , Abbadessa Anna , Bengtson Mikkel A. , Pletikapic Galja , Eral Huseyin Burak , Koenderink Gijsje , Masereeuw Rosalinde , Hennink Wim E. , Vermonden Tina
Published: July 2018

Glycosaminoglycan-based microgels are of interest for biomedical applications because of their ability to retain and gradually release bioactive cationic proteins.
An interlocked flexible piezoresistive sensor with 3D micropyramidal structures for electronic skin applications
Authors: Khalili N. , Shen X. , Naguib H. E.
Published: July 2018

An interlocked micropyramidal flexible sensor was fabricated using an anisotropically-etched silicon mold and modelled using a finite-element-assisted constriction resistance model.
Redox sensitive protein droplets from recombinant oleosin
Authors: Reed Ellen H. , Hammer Daniel A.
Published: July 2018

Inserting cysteine into oleosin yields redox sensitive protein droplets; the phase transition temperature depends on the location of the cysteine (scale bar = 20 μm).
N-Alkyl substituted 1H-benzimidazoles as improved n-type dopants for a naphthalene-diimide based copolymer
Authors: Saglio B. , Mura M. , Massetti M. , Scuratti F. , Beretta D. , Jiao X. , McNeill C. R. , Sommer M. , Famulari A. , Lanzani G. , Caironi M. , Bertarelli C.
Published: July 2018

Alkyls in 1H-benzimidazoles influence their intercalation within a naphthalene diimide-based copolymer, thus affecting the electrical conductivity.
A dual-functionalized, luminescent and highly crystalline covalent organic framework: molecular decoding strategies for VOCs and ultrafast TNP sensing
Authors: Das Prasenjit , Mandal Sanjay K.
Published: July 2018

A triazine-based dual-functionalized covalent organic framework was developed and its application for the molecular decoding of VOCs, separation of Bz/Cy and selective and ultrafast detection of TNP in water was investigated.
Thick and freestanding MXene/PANI pseudocapacitive electrodes with ultrahigh specific capacitance
Authors: VahidMohammadi Armin , Moncada Jorge , Chen Hengze , Kayali Emre , Orangi Jafar , Carrero Carlos A. , Beidaghi Majid
Published: July 2018

In situdeposition of PANI on the surface of MXenes leads to the fabrication of high performance supercapacitor electrodes.
Marine glycosaminoglycan-like carbohydrates as potential drug candidates for infectious disease
Authors: Mycroft-West Courtney J. , Yates Edwin A. , Skidmore Mark A.
Published: July 2018

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), present in the extracellular matrix, are exploited by numerous, distinct microbes for cellular attachment, adhesion, invasion and evasion of the host immune system. Glycosaminoglycans, including the widely used, clinical anticoagulant heparin and semi-synthetic analogues thereof, have been reported to inhibit and disrupt interactions between microbial proteins and carbohydrates present on the surface of host cells. However, the anticoagulant properties of unmodified, pharmaceutical heparin preparations preclude their capabilities as therapeutics for infectious disease states. Here, unique Glycosaminoglycan-like saccharides from various, distinct marine species are reported for their potential use as therapeutics against infectious diseases; many of which possess highly attenuated anticoagulant activities, while retaining significant antimicrobial properties.
Occurrence and regression of BK polyomavirus associated carcinoma: a clinical and next-generation sequencing study
Authors: Fu Fangxiang , Deng Wenfeng , Yu Siyuan , Liu Yanna , Yu Lixin , Liu Rumin , Lang Jiping , Geng Dianxiang , Geng Jian , Li Jiangtao , Huang Gang , Luo Minhua , Xiong Fu , Wu Chin-Lee , Miao Yun
Published: July 2018

Low-level BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) shedding is seen in at least 10% of seropositive immunocompetent adults. Moreover, BKPyV infection is highly prevalent amongst immunocompromised populations, yet little is known on its relationship with malignancy. We studied a female patient with BKPyV-associated and donor-derived de novo high-grade sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma developed 8 years after kidney transplantation from a male donor. Through whole-genome sequencing, we discovered integration of genotype IV BKPyV genome into the non-coding RNA (ncRNA) intronic region of human chromosome 18. The two breakpoints in the virus genome were located at the non-coding control region (NCCR) and large T antigen (TAg) coding region, respectively. Nevertheless, the TAg was overexpressed. We, therefore, inferred that the BKPyV was clonally integrated into the human genome in the form of concatemers, facilitating the expression of the TAg. The patient presented with multiorgan metastases, which were reduced in size and number throughout the body after removal of the graft and cessation of immunosuppressants. The few remaining lesions located in the liver were identified, through biopsy to be necrotic tumor tissue with TAg detected; additionally, genomic sequencing of the liver mass found Y chromosome. In conclusion, we propose that integration of the BKPyV genome is closely related to oncogenesis in this patient; while oncogenesis occurred when host immunity was impaired, recovery of the patient’s native immunity effectively curbed viral replication and eliminated the metastatic lesions.
Hardware‐efficient slope‐error algorithm based PAM4 baud rate CDR scheme for 40 Gb/s receiver
Authors: Shi Linqi , Gai Weixin , Tang Liangxiao , Xiang Xiao , He Ai
Published: July 2018

A hardware‐efficient slope‐error (SE) algorithm based four‐level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4) baud rate clock and data recovery (CDR) scheme is proposed. The algorithm uses three adjacent data information to obtain slope information, thus reduces the required error samplers by 75% compared to the widely used baud rate CDR, namely, Mueller Müller (MM) CDR when working at same phase detector (PD) gain. The power efficiency of the CDR loop is improved by 36% compared to MM CDR. The proposed PAM4 baud rate CDR does not bring in extra block except for PD, which makes it easy to be extended from adaptive decision feedback equalisation. A 40 Gb/s PAM4 receiver with the proposed CDR is designed in 55 nm CMOS process. The simulated jitter tolerance of the CDR at high frequency exceeds the SONET OC‐768 JTOL mask by at least 0.35 UI at the bit error rate of 10−12. The CDR loop consumes 106 mW from a 1.2 V supply and occupies an active area of 0.1 mm2.
Direct growth of carbon microfibres on SiO2 particles by chemical vapour deposition from ethanol
Authors: Wang Feng , Qin Xiaofang , Yang Lixia , Gao Shanmin , Wang Qingyao , Yang Zhenglong
Published: July 2018

Carbon microfibres (CMFs) were synthesised on SiO2 particles by catalytic chemical vapour deposition at 1200°C using ethanol as carbon precursor, iron nitrate as the catalyst precursor, and nitrogen as a carrier gas. The structure and morphology of the products were characterised by X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. CMFs obtained after a deposition time of 5 h have a diameter of 5–10 μm and a length of a few hundred micrometres. In the deposition process, Fe–Si–O–C droplets were first formed on the surface of SiO2 particles, and then carbon fibres grew as a result of the catalysis of the droplets. Carbon fibres have the higher graphitic structures when the deposition process is conducted at 1200°C.
SPR‐enhanced fluorescence and protein‐improved blood compatibility of quadruple core/shell nanostructure of Ag@SiO2@Eu3+ (tta)3 Phen@Protein
Authors: Yan Peipei , Tang Jianguo , Zhang Yu , Shen Wenfei , Wang Yao , Hou Lin , Tian Runhua , Wang Yanxin , Li Haidong , Huang Linjun , Belfiore Laurence A.
Published: July 2018

This study presents a quadruple core/shell nanostructure of Ag@SiO2@Eu3+ (tta)3 Phen@Protein with both excellent fluorescent property and blood compatibility. Surface‐plasma resonance (SPR) was utilised to enhance the fluorescence of europium (Eu3+) complexes. In this situation, the fluorescence of Eu3+ (tta)3 Phen in the triple Ag@SiO2@Eu3+ (tta)3 Phen nanostructure is greatly enhanced. To increase the biocompatibility in blood, lysozyme was used to modify the surface of the above triple nanostructure to get the quadruple nanostructure of Ag@SiO2@Eu3+ (tta)3 Phen@lysozyme. Then, through the clinical anti‐coagulation tests in human blood, the blood compatibility of Ag@SiO2@Eu3+ (tta)3 Phen@lysozyme is largely improved comparing with the triple nanostructure of Ag@SiO2@Eu3+ (tta)3 Phen, and the values of PT‐S, APTT‐S, TT‐S, and AT‐III of quadruple nanostructure blood sample with the modification of protein have the high correlation coefficients, 0.993–0.994, which means that the quadruple nanostructure of Ag@SiO2@Eu3+ (tta)3 Phen@lysozyme is close to the anti‐coagulation property of physiological saline state (0.9% NaCl aqueous solution). Thus, this work provides two key properties of the quadruple nanostructure of Ag@SiO2@Eu3+ (tta)3 Phen@lysozyme: the excellent fluorescence and the outstanding blood compatibility. This nanomaterial can be applied to bio‐imaging and bio‐sensing in blood.
Cristobalite formation from the thermal treatment of amorphous silica fume recovered from the metallurgical silicon industry
Authors: Zhang Shipeng , Tie Shengnian , Zhang Fenjuan
Published: July 2018

Silica fume was thermally treated to 700–1100°C in air to transform it into crystals and cause it to reach the metastable cristobalite state. The phase transition behaviour of the silica fume crystallisation process and the main factors influencing the crystallisation behaviour were investigated via thermogravimetry differential thermal analysis, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy. The results show that when the treatment temperature reaches 800°C, the silica fume undergoes a displacive phase transformation and begins to nucleate. At 1100°C, the silica fume fully converts to cristobalite. Alkali metal impurity compounds in the silica fume promote the phase transformation of silica fume.
Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations for the submonolayer growth of homoepitaxial SrTiO3 thin films
Authors: Huang Lirong
Published: July 2018

Perovskite ferroelectric thin films have attracted much attention for the potential applications in modern microelectronics, micro‐electro‐mechanical systems, and information storage. Computer simulation is helpful for optimising the process parameters and manufacturing high‐performance ferroelectric thin films. Herein the work presents a kinetic Monte Carlo method for simulating the submonolayer growth of homoepitaxial SrTiO3 (STO) thin films, and investigate the effects of substrate temperature, incident kinetic energy of adatoms, and deposition rate on the growth of STO thin films. The results show that with the increase of the substrate temperature, and the incident kinetic energy, or the decrease of the deposition rate, the density of islands decreases, and the bonding ratio increases. This study provides an understanding of submonolayer STO thin films growth at atomic scale.