bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Referrals of Plastic Surgery Patients to Integrative Medicine Centers
Authors: Ruan Qing Zhao , Chen Austin D. , Tobias Adam M. , Fukudome Eugene Y. , Lin Samuel J. , Lee Bernard T. , Singhal Dhruv
Published: January 2019

Background

Integrative medicine (IM) centers are becoming more established nationwide and provide an expansive range of therapeutic services. Given the high prevalence of IM usage among plastic surgery patients, we sought to define referrals rates to IM centers by plastic surgeons to investigate (1) the role of IM in the continuous care process of plastic surgery patients and (2) whether IM centers are being effectively utilized.

Methods

Institutions with plastic surgery residency programs were identified using the American Medical Association's Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database Access System in January 2017. Data on the presence of a named IM center, director/administrator contact information, and types of therapeutic services offered were extracted. The total number of IM services at these centers was summed and tabulated for preliminary analyses. A survey questionnaire was sent to the center to ascertain referral patterns in February 2017.

Results

Of 96 institutions with plastic and reconstructive surgery residency programs in North America, 49 (51%) provide IM services, and 24 (25%) have affiliated named IM centers of which we attained a survey response from 13 (54.5%). Of these centers, 10 (76.9%) evaluate more than 50 patients per week. Patient referrals to these centers were primarily from the department of medicine (73.8%) as opposed to surgery (13.1%) (P < 0.0001). An average of 0.77% of surgical referrals, or 0.077% of all referrals, arose from plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Conclusions

Plastic surgeons appear to infrequently refer patients to IM centers. Given the high prevalence of IM usage among our patient population, IM centers are an underutilized adjunct in the care of our patients. Further study into specific IM services that may benefit our patients would be helpful in increasing IM utilization in our field.
Peripapillary Vessel Density Measured by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension
Authors: Tüntaş Bilen Feyza , Atilla Huban
Published: January 2019

Background:

Although alterations in the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) have been characterized using optical coherence tomography (OCT), there are little data regarding the peripapillary vasculature in this patient population. Our aim was to evaluate findings of OCT angiography (OCT-A) in the peripapillary region in addition to the RNFL measurements on OCT in patients with IIH.

Methods:

Thirty-eight eyes of 19 patients with IIH and 42 eyes of 21 healthy controls were enrolled in our study. Papilledema was graded according to the Frisen scale. Peripapillary RNFL and vessel density were evaluated with OCT and OCT-A, respectively.

Results:

RNFL thickness was found to be increased with OCT, but this was statistically significant only in the inferior location in IIH patients when compared with the control group. There was a significant decrease in mean peripapillary vessel density measured with OCT-A in IIH patients with papilledema when compared with the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

In patients with IIH, there was a decrease in peripapillary vessel density measured by OCT-A, and this decrease may be a consequence of the swelling of axons in the peripapillary retina due to papilledema. However, autoregulatory vascular mechanisms may also play a role in decreased peripapillary vessel density.
Heart rate during hyperphagia differs between two bear species
Authors: Fuchs Boris , Yamazaki Koji , Evans Alina L. , Tsubota Toshio , Koike Shinsuke , Naganuma Tomoko , Arnemo Jon M.
Published: January 2019

Hyperphagia is a critical part of the yearly cycle of bears when they gain fat reserves before entering hibernation. We used heart rate as a proxy to compare the metabolic rate between the Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus) in Japan and the Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Sweden from summer into hibernation. In the hyperphagic period, black bears feed on fat- and carbohydrate-rich hard masts whereas brown bears feed on sugar-rich berries. Availability of hard masts has quantitative and spatial annual fluctuations, which might require increased activity and result in intraspecific stress. Using generalized additive mixed models we analysed the differences in heart rate between the two species. Black bears had decreased heart rates during summer but had doubled heart rate values throughout the hyperphagic period compared to brown bears. This letter illustrates the different physiological consequences of seasonal differences in food availability in two species of the same genus dealing with the same phenological challenge.
Electrochemical triggering of lipid bilayer lift-off oscillation at the electrode interface
Authors: Ryzhkov Nikolay V. , Mamchik Natalya A. , Skorb Ekaterina V.
Published: January 2019

In situ
studies of transmembrane channels often require a model bioinspired artificial lipid bilayer (LB) decoupled from its underlaying support. Obtaining free-standing lipid membranes is still a challenge. In this study, we suggest an electrochemical approach for LB separation from its solid support via hydroquinone oxidation. Layer-by-layer deposition of polyethylenimine (PEI) and polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) on the gold electrode was performed to obtain a polymeric nanocushion of [PEI/PSS]
3
/PEI. The LB was deposited on top of an underlaying polymer support from the dispersion of small unilamellar vesicles due to their electrostatic attraction to the polymer support. Since lipid zwitterions demonstrate pH-dependent charge shifting, the separation distance between the polyelectrolyte support and LB can be adjusted by changing the environmental pH, leading to lipid molecules recharge. The proton generation associated with hydroquinone oxidation was studied using scanning vibrating electrode and scanning ion-selective electrode techniques. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is suggested to be a powerful instrument for the
in situ
observation of processes associated with the LB–solid support interface. Electrochemical spectroscopy highlighted the reversible disappearance of the LB impact on impedance in acidic conditions set by dilute acid addition as well as by electrochemical proton release on the gold electrode due to hydroquinone oxidation.
The broiler chicken as a signal of a human reconfigured biosphere
Authors: Bennett Carys E. , Thomas Richard , Williams Mark , Zalasiewicz Jan , Edgeworth Matt , Miller Holly , Coles Ben , Foster Alison , Burton Emily J. , Marume Upenyu
Published: January 2019

Changing patterns of human resource use and food consumption have profoundly impacted the Earth's biosphere. Until now, no individual taxa have been suggested as distinct and characteristic new morphospecies representing this change. Here we show that the domestic broiler chicken is one such potential marker. Human-directed changes in breeding, diet and farming practices demonstrate at least a doubling in body size from the late medieval period to the present in domesticated chickens, and an up to fivefold increase in body mass since the mid-twentieth century. Moreover, the skeletal morphology, pathology, bone geochemistry and genetics of modern broilers are demonstrably different to those of their ancestors. Physical and numerical changes to chickens in the second half of the twentieth century, i.e. during the putative Anthropocene Epoch, have been the most dramatic, with large increases in individual bird growth rate and population sizes. Broiler chickens, now unable to survive without human intervention, have a combined mass exceeding that of all other birds on Earth; this novel morphotype symbolizes the unprecedented human reconfiguration of the Earth's biosphere.
Ecosystem engineering by digging mammals: effects on soil fertility and condition in Tasmanian temperate woodland
Authors: Davies G. T. O. , Kirkpatrick J. B. , Cameron E. Z. , Carver S. , Johnson C. N.
Published: January 2019

Many small- and medium-sized mammals dig for their food. This activity potentially affects soil condition and fertility. Digging is well developed especially in Australian mammals, many of which have recently become rare or extinct. We measured the effects of digging by mammals on soil in a Tasmanian temperate dry sclerophyll forest with an intact mammal community. The density of diggings was 5812 ha
−1
, affecting 11% of the forest floor. Diggings were created at a rate of around 3113 diggings ha
−1
yr
−1
, disturbing 6.5% of the forest floor and displacing 7.1 m
3
ha
−1
of soil annually. Most diggings were made by eastern bettongs (
Bettongia gaimardi)
and short-beaked echidnas (
Tachyglossus aculeatus
). Many (approx. 30%) fresh diggings consisted of re-excavations of old diggings. Novel diggings displaced 5 m
3
ha yr
−1
of soil. Diggings acted as traps for organic matter and sites for the formation of new soil, which had higher fertility and moisture content and lower hardness than undisturbed topsoil. These effects on soil fertility and structure were strongest in habitats with dry and poor soil. Creation of fine-scaled heterogeneity by mammals, and amelioration of dry and infertile soil, is a valuable ecosystem service that could be restored by reintroduction of digging mammals to habitats from which they have declined or gone extinct.
On the limitations of some popular numerical models of flagellated microswimmers: importance of long-range forces and flagellum waveform
Authors: Rorai C. , Zaitsev M. , Karabasov S.
Published: January 2019

For a sperm-cell-like flagellated swimmer in an unbounded domain, several numerical models of different fidelity are considered based on the Stokes flow approximation. The models include a regularized Stokeslet method and a three-dimensional finite-element method, which serve as the benchmark solutions for several approximate models considered. The latter include the resistive force theory versions of Lighthill, and Gray and Hancock, as well as a simplified approximation based on computing the hydrodynamic forces exerted on the head and the flagellum separately. It is shown how none of the simplified models is robust enough with regards to predicting the effect of the swimmer head shape change on the swimmer dynamics. For a range of swimmer motions considered, the resulting solutions for the swimmer force and velocities are analysed and the applicability of the Stokes model for the swimmers in question is probed.
Another coin bites the dust: an analysis of dust in UTXO-based cryptocurrencies
Authors: Pérez-Solà C. , Delgado-Segura S. , Navarro-Arribas G. , Herrera-Joancomartí J.
Published: January 2019

Unspent Transaction Outputs (UTXOs) are the internal mechanism used in many cryptocurrencies to represent coins. Such representation has some clear benefits, but also entails some complexities that, if not properly handled, may leave the system in an inefficient state. Specifically, inefficiencies arise when wallets (the software responsible for transferring coins between parties) do not manage UTXOs properly when performing payments. In this paper, we study three cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin, by analysing the state of their UTXO sets, that is, the status of their sets of spendable coins. These three cryptocurrencies are the top-3 UTXO-based cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Our analysis shows that the usage of each cryptocurrency presents some differences, and led to different results. Furthermore, it also points out that the management of the transactions has not always been performed efficiently and therefore, the current state of the UTXO sets is far from ideal.
Morphology and stable isotope analysis demonstrate different structuring of bat communities in rainforest and savannah habitats
Authors: Monadjem Ara , Kane Adam , Taylor Peter , Richards Leigh R. , Hall Grant , Woodborne Stephan
Published: January 2019

Bats play important ecological roles in tropical systems, yet how these communities are structured is still poorly understood. Our study explores the structure of African bat communities using morphological characters to define the morphospace occupied by these bats and stable isotope analysis to define their dietary niche breadth. We compared two communities, one in rainforest (Liberia) and one in savannah (South Africa), and asked whether the greater richness in the rainforest was due to more species ‘packing’ into the same morphospace and trophic space than bats from the savannah, or some other arrangement. In the rainforest, bats occupied a larger area in morphospace and species packing was higher than in the savannah; although this difference disappeared when comparing insectivorous bats only. There were also differences in morphospace occupied by different foraging groups (aerial, edge, clutter and fruitbat). Stable isotope analysis revealed that the range of
δ
13
C values was almost double in rainforest than in savannah indicating a greater range of utilization of basal C
3
and C
4
resources in the former site, covering primary productivity from both these sources. The ranges in
δ
15
N, however, were similar between the two habitats suggesting a similar number of trophic levels. Niche breadth, as defined by either standard ellipse area or convex hull, was greater for the bat community in rainforest than in savannah, with all four foraging groups having larger niche breadths in the former than the latter. The higher inter-species morphospace and niche breadth in forest bats suggest that species packing is not necessarily competitive. By employing morphometrics and stable isotope analysis, we have shown that the rainforest bat community packs more species in morphospace and uses a larger niche breadth than the one in savannah.
Perceptual integration of head and eye cues to gaze direction in schizophrenia
Authors: Palmer Colin J. , Caruana Nathan , Clifford Colin W. G. , Seymour Kiley J.
Published: January 2019

The perceptual mechanisms that underlie social experience in schizophrenia are increasingly becoming a target of empirical research. In the context of low-level vision, there is evidence for a reduction in the
integration
of sensory features in schizophrenia (e.g. increased thresholds for contour detection and motion coherence). In the context of higher-level vision, comparable differences in the integration of
sensory features of the face
could in theory impair the recognition of important social cues. Here we examine how the sense of
where other people are looking
relies upon the integration of eye-region cues and head-region cues. Adults with schizophrenia viewed face images designed to elicit the ‘Wollaston illusion’, a perceptual phenomenon in which the perceived gaze direction associated with a given pair of eyes is modulated by the surrounding sensory context. We performed computational modelling of these psychophysical data to quantify individual differences in the use of facial cues to gaze direction. We find that adults with schizophrenia exhibit a robust perceptual effect whereby their sense of other people's direction of gaze is strongly biased by sensory cues relating to head orientation in addition to eye region information. These results indicate that the visual integration of facial cues to gaze direction in schizophrenia is intact, helping to constrain theories of reduced integrative processing in higher-level and lower-level vision. In addition, robust gaze processing was evident in the tested participants despite reduced performance on a theory of mind task designed to assess higher-level social cognition.
Lower limb joint angle variability and dimensionality are different in stairmill climbing and treadmill walking
Authors: Raffalt P. C. , Vallabhajosula S. , Renz J. J. , Mukherjee M. , Stergiou N.
Published: January 2019

The present study tested if the quadratic relationship which exists between stepping frequency and gait dynamics in walking can be generalized to stairmill climbing. To accomplish this, we investigated the joint angle dynamics and variability during continuous stairmill climbing at stepping frequencies both above and below the preferred stepping frequency (PSF). Nine subjects performed stairmill climbing at 80, 90, 100, 110 and 120% PSF and treadmill walking at preferred walking speed during which sagittal hip, knee and ankle angles were extracted. Joint angle dynamics were quantified by the largest Lyapunov exponent (LyE) and correlation dimension (CoD). Joint angle variability was estimated by the mean ensemble standard deviation (meanSD). MeanSD and CoD for all joints were significantly higher during stairmill climbing but there were no task differences in LyE. Changes in stepping frequency had only limited effect on joint angle variability and did not affect joint angle dynamics. Thus, we concluded that the quadratic relationship between stepping frequency and gait dynamics observed in walking is not present in stairmill climbing based on the investigated parameters.
Oestrous females avoid mating in front of adult male bystanders in wild chacma baboons
Authors: Baniel Alice , Delaunay Axelle , Cowlishaw Guy , Huchard Elise
Published: January 2019

In social species, female mating strategies can be constrained by both male and female groupmates through sexual conflict and reproductive competition, respectively. This study tests if females adjust their sexual behaviour according to the presence of male and female bystanders in wild chacma baboons (
Papio ursinus
) and assesses their relative importance. Our results show that oestrous females initiate fewer copulations in the presence of adult male bystanders, irrespective of whether they are mate-guarded or not. This inhibitory effect probably reflects a response to indirect sexual coercion by males, whose close proximity may dissuade females to initiate copulations with rival males to avoid punishment and/or aggressive mating interference. By contrast, females initiate more matings with their mate-guard in the presence of higher-ranking female bystanders, which may reflect an attempt to secure bodyguard services from their mate when they feel threatened. These results emphasize the importance of intra- and intersexual conflicts in shaping female sexual behaviour in this promiscuous society.
A basal aïstopod from the earliest Pennsylvanian of Canada, and the antiquity of the first limbless tetrapod lineage
Authors: Pardo Jason D. , Mann Arjan
Published: January 2019

Earliest Pennsylvanian (Bashkirian) vertebrate fossil assemblages of the Joggins Formation (Cumberland Group) of Nova Scotia, Canada, have long been noted for the unique representation of the earliest known crown amniotes, but the overall vertebrate fauna remains poorly understood. The vast majority of Joggins vertebrates have historically been assigned to the Microsauria, a group originally established by Dawson specifically to accommodate the abundant, diminutive fossils of the Joggins Formation. As the Microsauria concept has evolved, some Joggins taxa (e.g. the eureptileHylonomus lyelli) have been removed from the group, but many of the Joggins ‘microsaurs’ remain unrevised, obscuring the true diversity of the earliest Pennsylvanian tetrapod fauna. Here we amend part of this problem by revisiting the morphology of Dawson's ‘microsaur’Hylerpeton longidentatum. This taxon, represented by the anterior half of a left hemimandible, is here reinterpreted as a plesiomorphic aïstopod and assigned to a new genus,Andersonerpeton.A. longidentatumshows a surprisingly primitive anatomy of the lower jaw, retaining a parasymphyseal fang pair on the dentary, an adsymphyseal bone bearing a denticle field, fangs on all coronoids and parasymphyseal foramina, as well as a prearticular which extends far anterior along the coronoid series. However, several aïstopod characters can also be seen, including a lack of sculpturing on the dentary and a reduced number of recurved, weakly socketed teeth. The anatomy ofA. longidentatumcorroborates recent phylogenetic work which has placed the origin of aïstopods within the Devonian fin-to-limb transition but preserves a mosaic of characteristics suggesting an even earlier divergence. The presence of an aïstopod in the Joggins fauna expands the taxonomic diversity of the Joggins fauna and suggests that Joggins may preserve a more typical Carboniferous fauna than previously thought.
Pressure generated at the instant of impact between a liquid droplet and solid surface
Authors: Tatekura Y. , Watanabe M. , Kobayashi K. , Sanada T.
Published: January 2019

The prime objective of this study is to answer the question:How large is the pressure developed at the instant of a spherical liquid droplet impact on a solid surface?Engel first proposed that the maximum pressure rise generated by a spherical liquid droplet impact on a solid surface is different from the one-dimensional water-hammer pressure by a spherical shape factor (Engel 1955J. Res. Natl Bur. Stand.55(5), 281–298). Many researchers have since proposed various factors to accurately predict the maximum pressure rise. We numerically found that the maximum pressure rise can be predicted by the combination of water-hammer theory and the shock relation; then, we analytically extended Engel’s elastic impact model, by realizing that the progression speed of the contact between the gas–liquid interface and the solid surface is much faster than the compression wavefront propagation speed at the instant of the impact. We successfully correct Engel’s theory so that it can accurately provide the maximum pressure rise at the instant of impact between a spherical liquid droplet and solid surface, that is, no shape factor appears in the theory.
Resource acquisition and allocation traits in symbiotic rhizobia with implications for life-history outside of legume hosts
Authors: Muller Katherine E. , Denison R. Ford
Published: January 2019

Resources that microbial symbionts obtain from hosts may enhance fitness during free-living stages when resources are comparatively scarce. For rhizobia in legume root nodules, diverting resources from nitrogen fixation to polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) has been discussed as a source of host–symbiont conflict. Yet, little is known about natural variation in PHB storage and its implications for rhizobial evolution. We therefore measured phenotypic variation in natural rhizobia populations and investigated how PHB might contribute to fitness in the free-living stage. We found that natural populations of rhizobia from
Glycine max
and
Chamaecrista fasciculata
had substantial, heritable variation in PHB acquisition during symbiosis. A model simulating temperature-dependent metabolic activity showed that the observed range of stored PHB per cell could support survival for a few days, for active cells, or over a century for sufficiently dormant cells. Experiments with field-isolated
Bradyrhizobium
in starvation culture suggest PHB is partitioned asymmetrically in dividing cells, consistent with individual-level bet-hedging previously demonstrated in
E. meliloti
. High-PHB isolates used more PHB over the first month, yet still retained more PHB for potential long-term survival in a dormant state. These results suggest that stored resources like PHB may support both short-term and long-term functions that contribute to fitness in the free-living stage.
Anodic behaviour of Cu, Zr and Cu–Zr alloy in molten LiCl–KCl eutectic
Authors: Cai Yanqing , Chen Xinggang , Xu Qian , Xu Ying
Published: January 2019

The anodic dissolution behaviours of Cu, Zr and Cu–Zr alloy were analysed in LiCl–KCl at 500°C by anode polarization curve and potentiostatic polarization curve. The results show that the initial and fast-dissolving potentials of Cu are −0.50 and −0.29 V, and Zr are −1.0 and −0.88 V, respectively. But, in the Cu–Zr alloy, the initial and fast-dissolving potentials of Cu are −0.52 and −0.41 V, and Zr are −0.96 and −0.92 V, respectively. The potentials satisfy the selection dissolution principle that Zr in the alloy dissolves first, while Cu is left in the anode and is not oxidized. The passivation phenomenon of Zr is observed in the quick dissolution of Zr, while it is not observed in the Cu–Zr alloy. Moreover, from the above anodic dissolution results, potentiostatic electrolysis of Cu–Zr alloy was carried out at −0.8 V for 40 min, and the anodic dissolution mechanism and kinetics of Zr in Cu–Zr alloy were also discussed. In the initial stage, Zr dissolves as Zr
4+
ions from the alloy surface and enters into the molten salt, leaving a Cu layer called ‘dissolving layer’ on the surface of the alloy. After that, another layer between the matrix and ‘dissolving layer’ called ‘diffusion–dissolution layer’ appears. Zr diffuses in the alloy matrix and dissolves as Zr
4+
ions on the surface of the ‘diffusion–dissolution layer’ continuously, and Zr
4+
ions diffuse through the ‘dissolving layer’ and enter into the molten salt finally. In addition, the factors affecting the dissolution of Cu–Zr alloy, such as time and potential, were also investigated. The dissolution loss increases with the increasing dissolution potential and time, while the dissolution rate increases with the increasing dissolution potential and declines with the prolonging dissolution time.
Nonlinear scaling effects in the stiffness of soft cellular structures
Authors: Wyatt Hayley , Safar Alexander , Clarke Alastair , Evans Sam L. , Mihai L. Angela
Published: January 2019

For cellular structures with uniform geometry, cell size and distribution, made from a neo-Hookean material, we demonstrate experimentally that large stretching causes nonlinear scaling effects governed by the microstructural architecture and the large strains at the cell level, which are not predicted by the linear elastic theory. For this purpose, three honeycomb-like structures with uniform square cells in stacked distribution were designed, where the number of cells varied, while the material volume and the ratio between the thickness and the length of the cell walls were fixed. These structures were manufactured from silicone rubber and tested under large uniaxial tension in a bespoke test fixture. Optical strain measurements were used to assess the deformation by capturing both the global displacements of the structure and the local deformations in the form of a strain map. The experimental results showed that, under sufficiently large strains, there was an increase in the stiffness of the structure when the same volume of material was arranged as many small cells compared to when it was organized as fewer larger cells. Finite element simulations confirmed our experimental findings. This study sheds light upon the nonlinear elastic responses of cellular structures in large-strain deformations, which cannot be captured within the linear elasticity framework.
Magnetofection and isolation of DNA using polyethyleneimine functionalized magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles
Authors: Danthanarayana Adheesha N. , Manatunga Danushika C. , De Silva Rohini M. , Chandrasekharan N. Vishvanath , Nalin De Silva K. M.
Published: January 2019

This study was carried out to develop a simple and efficient method to isolate DNA directly from biological samples using iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) functionalized with polyethyleneimine (PEI). IONPs were synthesized via co-precipitation method followed with direct attachment of branched PEI. Nanoparticles were characterized using STEM, FT-IR spectroscopy and XRD analysis. The binding capacity of synthesized PEI-IONPs for plasmid and genomic DNA was assessed using purified DNA samples. In order to elute bound DNA, elution conditions were optimized, changing pH, salt concentration and temperature. Synthesized PEI-IONPs were subjected to isolation of DNA from bacterial cell culture and from human blood. PCR and magnetofection of the enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) were carried out to verify the downstream applications of isolated DNA. The results indicated that the synthesized nanoparticles were of 5–10 nm. The binding capacity of PEI-IONPs for plasmid DNA and genomic DNA were 5.4 and 8.4 µg mg
−1
, respectively, which were even higher than the commercially available kits such as Mag-bind, MagJET and Magmax. The optimized condition for plasmid DNA elution was 0.1 M Tris HCl (pH 10.0), 1.5 M NaCl and 5% formamide, maintained at the temperature of 60°C. The optimized condition for genomic DNA elution was 0.1 M Tris HCl (pH 10.0), 1.5 M NaCl and 10% formamide, maintained at 60°C. PCR and magnetofection processes were successful. This study revealed that the magnetic separation of DNA using PEI-IONPs is a simple and efficient method for direct isolation of DNA from biological samples which can be then used in various downstream applications.
Impact of the functionalization onto structure transformation and gas adsorption of MIL-68(In)
Authors: Wu Lei , Wang Weifeng , Liu Rong , Wu Gang , Chen Huaxin
Published: January 2019

A series of functionalization –NH
2
, –Br and –NO
2
has been performed on MIL-68(In) material in order to improve the porosity features of the pristine material. The functional groups grafted onto the ligand and the molar ratios of the ingredient indicate a profound influence on product formation. With the incremental amount of metal source, product structures undergo the transformation from MIL-68 to MIL-53 or QMOF-2. The situation is different depending on the variation of the ligands. Gas (N
2
, Ar, H
2
and CO
2
) adsorption–desorption isotherms were systematically investigated to explore the impact of the functionalization on the porous prototypical framework. Comparison of adsorption behaviour of N
2
and Ar indicates that the polar molecule exhibits striking interaction to N
2
molecule, which has a considerable quadrupole moment. Therefore, as a probe molecule, Ar with no quadrupole moment is more suitable to characterize the surface area with the polar groups. Meanwhile, Ar adsorption result confirms that the negative influence on the surface area stems from the size of the substituting groups. The uptake of H
2
and CO
2
indicates that the introduction of appropriate polar organic groups can effectively enhance the adsorption enthalpy of relative gases and improve the gas adsorption capacity apparently at low pressure. The introduction of –NO
2
is in favour of improving the H
2
adsorption capacity, while the grafted –NH
2
groups can most effectively enhance the CO
2
adsorption capacity.
Structural changes in calcium silicate hydrate gel and resulting improvement in phosphate species removal properties after mechanochemical treatment
Authors: Maeda Hirotaka , Yokota Satoshi , Kasuga Toshihiro
Published: January 2019

The discharge of phosphate species into aqueous environments is a key issue for eutrophication prevention. In this study, we investigate a mechanochemical treatment of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel with different organic solvents with the aim of changing its structure and improving its phosphate species removal properties. The treatment leads to a collapse of the gel structure, resulting in the formation of defective structures in the silicate anion chains. The C-S-H gel sample milled with acetone exhibits better phosphate species recovery characteristics than does the unmilled C-S-H gel sample or the C-S-H gel sample milled with 1-propanol. Ultraviolet irradiation during phosphate recovery using the C-S-H gel sample milled with acetone further enhances the recovery properties.
Disease persistence on temporal contact networks accounting for heterogeneous infectious periods
Authors: Darbon Alexandre , Colombi Davide , Valdano Eugenio , Savini Lara , Giovannini Armando , Colizza Vittoria
Published: January 2019

The infectious period of a transmissible disease is a key factor for disease spread and persistence. Epidemic models on networks typically assume an identical average infectious period for all individuals, thus allowing an analytical treatment. This simplifying assumption is, however, often unrealistic, as hosts may have different infectious periods, due, for instance, to individual host–pathogen interactions or inhomogeneous access to treatment. While previous work accounted for this heterogeneity in static networks, a full theoretical understanding of the interplay of varying infectious periods and time-evolving contacts is still missing. Here, we consider a susceptible-infectious-susceptible epidemic on a temporal network with host-specific average infectious periods, and develop an analytical framework to estimate the epidemic threshold, i.e. the critical transmissibility for disease spread in the host population. Integrating contact data for transmission with outbreak data and epidemiological estimates, we apply our framework to three real-world case studies exploring different epidemic contexts—the persistence of bovine tuberculosis in southern Italy, the spread of nosocomial infections in a hospital, and the diffusion of pandemic influenza in a school. We find that the homogeneous parametrization may cause important biases in the assessment of the epidemic risk of the host population. Our approach is also able to identify groups of hosts mostly responsible for disease diffusion who may be targeted for prevention and control, aiding public health interventions.
Petrophysical characterization of high-rank coal by nuclear magnetic resonance: a case study of the Baijiao coal reservoir, SW China
Authors: Zhang Dongming , Chu Yapei , Li Shujian , Yang Yushun , Bai Xin , Ye Chen , Wen Decai
Published: January 2019

To better apply nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to evaluate the petrophysical characterization of high-rank coal, six anthracite samples from the Baijiao coal reservoir were measured by NMR. The porosity,
T
2
cutoff value, permeability and pore type were analysed using the transverse relaxation time (
T
2
) spectrum before and after centrifugation. The results show that the
T
2
spectrum of water-saturated anthracite can be divided into a discontinuous and continuous trimodal distribution. According to the connectivity among pores, three
T
2
spectrum peaks were identified at the relaxation times of 0.01–1.7 ms, 1.7–65 ms and greater than 65 ms, which correspond to the micropores (less than 100 nm), mesopores (100–1000 nm) and macropores (greater than 1000 nm), respectively. Based on the
T
2
cutoff value, we divided the
T
2
spectrum into two parts: bound fluid and free fluid. By comparing two classic permeability models, we proposed a permeability model to calculate the permeability of anthracite. This result demonstrates that NMR has great significance to the exploration of coal reservoirs and to the understanding of the development of coalbed methane.
Highly sensitive two-dimensional MoS
2
gas sensor decorated with Pt nanoparticles
Authors: Park Jaeseo , Mun Jihun , Shin Jae-Soo , Kang Sang-Woo
Published: January 2019

A two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (MoS
2
)-based gas sensor was decorated with Pt nanoparticles (NPs) for high sensitivity and low limit of detection (LOD) for specific gases (NH
3
and H
2
S). The two-dimensional MoS
2
film was grown at 400°C using metal organic gas vapour deposition. To fabricate the MoS
2
gas sensor, an interdigitated Au/Ti electrode was deposited using the electron beam (e-beam) evaporation method with a stencil mask. The MoS
2
gas sensor without metal decoration sensitively detects NH
3
and H
2
S gas down to 2.5 and 30 ppm, respectively, at room temperature (RT). However, for improved detection of NH
3
and H
2
S gas, we investigated the functionalization strategy using metal decoration. Pt NP decoration modulated the electronic properties of MoS
2
, significantly improving the sensitivity of NH
3
and H
2
S gas by 5.58× and 4.25×, respectively, compared with the undecorated MoS
2
gas sensor under concentrations of 70 ppm. Furthermore, the Pt NP-decorated MoS
2
sensor had lower LODs for NH
3
and H
2
S gas of 130 ppb and 5 ppm, respectively, at RT.
Template synthesis of the Cu
2
O nanoparticle-doped hollow carbon nanofibres and their application as non-enzymatic glucose biosensors
Authors: Li Yingjie , Cai Renhao , Lü Renjiang , Gao Lidi , Qin Shili
Published: January 2019

The cuprous oxide nanoparticle (Cu
2
O NP)-doped hollow carbon nanofibres (Cu
2
O/HCFs) were directly synthesized by the anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) template. The doped Cu
2
O NPs were formed by
in situ
deposition by direct reduction reaction of precursor carbonization in thermal decomposition and could act as functionalized nanoparticles. The synthesized Cu
2
O/HCFs were characterized in detail by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results reveal that Cu
2
O/HCFs have a tubular structure with an average diameter of approximately 60 nm. The shape of the Cu
2
O/HCFs is straight and Cu
2
O NPs are uniformly distributed and highly dispersed in HCFs. Cu
2
O/HCFs have good dispersibility. The electrochemical activity of Cu
2
O/HCFs was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), the glucose sensors display high electrochemical activity towards the oxidation of glucose. Cu
2
O/HCFs can effectively accelerate the transmission of electrons on the electrode surface. Cu
2
O/HCFs are applied in the detection of glucose with a detection limit of 0.48 µM, a linear detection range from 7.99 to 33.33 µM and with a high sensitivity of 1218.3 µA cm
−2
mM
−1
. Moreover, the experimental results demonstrate that Cu
2
O/HCFs have good stability, reproducibility and selectivity. Our results suggest that Cu
2
O/HCFs could be a promising candidate for the construction of non-enzymatic sensor.
Fingering instabilities in tissue invasion: an active fluid model
Authors: Bogdan Michał J. , Savin Thierry
Published: January 2019

Metastatic tumours often invade healthy neighbouring tissues by forming multicellular finger-like protrusions emerging from the cancer mass. To understand the mechanical context behind this phenomenon, we here develop a minimalist fluid model of a self-propelled, growing biological tissue. The theory involves only four mechanical parameters and remains analytically trackable in various settings. As an application of the model, we study the evolution of a two-dimensional circular droplet made of our active and expanding fluid, and embedded in a passive non-growing tissue. This system could be used to model the evolution of a carcinoma in an epithelial layer. We find that our description can explain the propensity of tumour tissues to fingering instabilities, as conditioned by the magnitude of active traction and the growth kinetics. We are also able to derive predictions for the tumour size at the onset of metastasis, and for the number of subsequent invasive fingers. Our active fluid model may help describe a wider range of biological processes, including wound healing and developmental patterning.
Competing Lagrangians for incompressible and compressible viscous flow
Authors: Marner F. , Scholle M. , Herrmann D. , Gaskell P. H.
Published: January 2019

A recently proposed variational principle with a discontinuous Lagrangian for viscous flow is reinterpreted against the background of stochastic variational descriptions of dissipative systems, underpinning its physical basis from a different viewpoint. It is shown that additional non-classical contributions to the friction force occurring in the momentum balance vanish by time averaging. Accordingly, the discontinuous Lagrangian can alternatively be understood from the standpoint of an analogous deterministic model for irreversible processes of stochastic character. A comparison is made with established stochastic variational descriptions and an alternative deterministic approach based on a first integral of Navier–Stokes equations is undertaken. The applicability of the discontinuous Lagrangian approach for different Reynolds number regimes is discussed considering the Kolmogorov time scale. A generalization for compressible flow is elaborated and its use demonstrated for damped sound waves.
Crystallization and visible–near-infrared luminescence of Bi-doped gehlenite glass
Authors: Majerová M. , Klement R. , Prnová A. , Kraxner J. , Bruneel E. , Galusek D.
Published: January 2019

Gehlenite glass microspheres, doped with a different concentration of Bi3+ions (0.5, 1, 3 mol%), were prepared by a combination of solid-state reaction followed by flame synthesis. The prepared glass microspheres were characterized from the point of view of surface morphology, phase composition, thermal and photoluminescence (PL) properties by optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and PL spectroscopy. The closer inspection of glass microsphere surface by SEM confirmed a smooth surface. This was further verified by XRD. The basic thermal characteristics of prepared glasses, i.e.Tg(glass transition temperature),Tx(onset of crystallization peak temperature),Tf(temperature of the inflection point of the crystallization peak) andTp(maximum of crystallization peak temperature), were estimated from the DSC records. High-temperature XRD experiments in the temperature interval range 600–1100°C were also performed. The PL emission properties of prepared glasses and their polycrystalline analogues (glass crystallized at 1000°C for 10 h) were studied in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) spectral range. When excited at 300 nm, the glasses, as well as their polycrystalline analogues, exhibit broad emission in the visible spectral range from 350 to 650 nm centred at about 410–450 nm, corresponding to Bi3+luminescence centres. The emission intensity of polycrystalline samples was found to be at least 30 times higher than the emission of their glass analogues. In addition, a weak emission band was observed around 775 nm under 300 nm excitation. This band was attributed to the presence of a minor amount of Bi2+species in prepared samples. In the NIR spectral range, the broad band emission was observed in the spectral range of 1200–1600 nm with the maxima at 1350 nm. The chemistry of Bi and its oxidation state equilibrium in glasses and polycrystalline matrices is discussed in detail.
Effects of mis-alignment between dispersal traits and landscape structure on dispersal success in fragmented landscapes
Authors: Atkins Justine L. , Perry George L. W. , Dennis Todd E.
Published: January 2019

Dispersal is fundamental to population dynamics and hence extinction risk. The dispersal success of animals depends on the biophysical structure of their environments and their biological traits; however, comparatively little is known about how evolutionary trade-offs among suites of biological traits affect dispersal potential. We developed a spatially explicit agent-based simulation model to evaluate the influence of trade-offs among a suite of biological traits on the dispersal success of vagile animals in fragmented landscapes. We specifically chose traits known to influence dispersal success: speed of movement, perceptual range, risk of predation, need to forage during dispersal, and amount of suitable habitat required for successful settlement in a patch. Using the metric of relative dispersal success rate, we assessed how the costs and benefits of evolutionary investment in these biological traits varied with landscape structure. In heterogeneous environments with low habitat availability and scattered habitat patches, individuals with more equal allocation across the trait spectrum dispersed most successfully. Our analyses suggest that the dispersal success of animals in heterogeneous environments is highly dependent on hierarchical interactions between trait trade-offs and the geometric configurations of the habitat patches in the landscapes through which they disperse. In an applied sense, our results indicate potential for ecological mis-alignment between species' evolved suites of dispersal-related traits and altered environmental conditions as a result of rapid global change. In many cases identifying the processes that shape patterns of animal dispersal, and the consequences of abiotic changes for these processes, will require consideration of complex relationships among a range of organism-specific and environmental factors.
Private parts for private property: evolution of penis size with more valuable, easily stolen shells
Authors: Laidre Mark E.
Published: January 2019

Evolution has generated enormous diversity in animal genitalia. However, the importance of private property in driving penis size evolution has rarely been explored. Here, I introduce a novel hypothesis, the ‘private parts for private property' hypothesis, which posits that enlarged penises evolved to prevent the theft of property during sex. I tested this hypothesis in hermit crabs, which carry valuable portable property (a shell) and which must emerge from this shell during sex, risking social theft of their property by eavesdroppers. I measured relative penis size (penis-to-body ratio) forN= 328 specimens spanning nine closely related species. Species carrying more valuable, more easily stolen property had significantly larger penis size than species carrying less valuable, less easily stolen property, which, in turn, had larger penis size than species carrying no property at all. These patterns in penis size remained even when phylogeny was controlled for, and the patterns were not explained by alternative hypotheses. Instead, the results suggest larger penises evolved as morphological adaptations to facilitate safe sex, in which individuals retain their valuable property by extending a long penis outside the shell to copulate. This hypothesis may likewise apply to other taxa, including those with valuable but non-portable property.
Dispersive and effective properties of two-dimensional periodic media
Authors: Godin Yuri A. , Vainberg Boris
Published: January 2019

We consider transverse propagation of electromagnetic waves through a two-dimensional composite material containing a periodic rectangular array of circular cylinders. Propagation of waves is described by the Helmholtz equation with the continuity conditions for the tangential components of the electric and magnetic fields on the boundaries of the cylinders. We assume that the cell size is small compared with the wavelength, but large compared with the radius
a
of the inclusions. Explicit formulae are obtained for asymptotic expansion of the solution of the problem in terms of the dimensionless magnitude
q
of the wavevector and radius
a
. This leads to explicit formulae for the effective dielectric tensor and the dispersion relation with the rigorously justified error of order
O
((
q
2
 + 
a
2
)
5/2
).
Regional diversity in subsistence among early farmers in Southeast Europe revealed by archaeological organic residues
Authors: Cramp Lucy J. E. , Ethier Jonathan , Urem-Kotsou Dushka , Bonsall Clive , Borić Dušan , Boroneanţ Adina , Evershed Richard P. , Perić Slaviša , Roffet-Salque Mélanie , Whelton Helen L. , Ivanova Maria
Published: January 2019

The spread of early farming across Europe from its origins in Southwest Asia was a culturally transformative process which took place over millennia. Within regions, the pace of the transition was probably related to the particular climatic and environmental conditions encountered, as well as the nature of localized hunter–gatherer and farmer interactions. The establishment of farming in the interior of the Balkans represents the first movement of Southwest Asian livestock beyond their natural climatic range, and widespread evidence now exists for early pottery being used extensively for dairying. However, pottery lipid residues from sites in the Iron Gates region of the Danube in the northern Balkans show that here, Neolithic pottery was being used predominantly for processing aquatic resources. This stands out not only within the surrounding region but also contrasts markedly with Neolithic pottery use across wider Europe. These findings provide evidence for the strategic diversity within the wider cultural and economic practices during the Neolithic, with this exceptional environmental and cultural setting offering alternative opportunities despite the dominance of farming in the wider region.