bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methemoglobinemia during the Use of Glyceryl Trinitrate Patches in Neonates: Two Case Reports
Authors: Mintoft Alison , Williams Emma , Harris Christopher , Kennea Nigel , Greenough Anne
Published: October 2018

Methemoglobinemia can result in severe hypoxia. It has been frequently reported during the use of inhaled nitric oxide, but can occur where nitrate containing medications are used. Glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) patches have been used in the treatment of digital and limb ischemia in prematurely born infants. Little is known about the pharmacokinetics of GTN when incorporated into patches. Studies of other topical forms of nitroglycerine have shown a wide range of absorption. It is likely that the increased permeability of the prematurely born infant's skin would facilitate absorption. We describe the use of GTN patches in two very prematurely born infants used to treat limb/digit ischemia. This resulted in methemoglobinemia and resultant increase in their supplementary oxygen requirements. Removal of the patches was associated with a reduction in their methemoglobin levels and the supplementary oxygen requirements back to baseline levels. In conclusion, routine monitoring of methemoglobin levels should be undertaken when GTN patches are used in very prematurely born infants.
How does copper stress influence the relationships among the anaerobic co-fermentation parameters?
Authors: Tian Yonglan , Yang Kun , Li Shusen , Zhang Huayong , Han Xiaoxi , Hao He , Chai Yang , Xu Xiang
Published: October 2018

The presence of heavy metals influences the efficiency of anaerobic fermentation and results in the variations of the relationships among the fermentation parameters. In this study, the impacts of elevated Cu2+ concentrations on relationships among biogas properties, process stability, substrate biodegradation, and enzyme activity were analysed by Pearson correlation analysis based on the experimental data of a mesophilic anaerobic co-fermentation with mixed acid pretreated Phragmites australis straw and raw cow dung as feedstocks. The results showed that in the absence of Cu2+, the cumulative biogas yields were positively related to pH values (0.780, p < 0.05) and negatively related to oxidation-reduction potential values (−0.909, p < 0.01) and cellulase activity (−0.937, p < 0.01). The coenzyme F420 activity was negatively related to volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations (−0.756, p < 0.05). In the presence of 30 mg/l Cu2+, correlation coefficients between the cumulative biogas yields and pH values, ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N), VFA, chemical oxygen demand, hemicellulose, and cellulose were higher than the control group, indicating the efficient hydrolysis, acidogenesis, and acetogenesis stages. High Cu2+ concentrations (500 mg/l) resulted in almost completely different impacts on these relationships from the low Cu2+ concentrations, especially on the hydrolysis stage.
Determining the spectrum of penning electrons by current to a wall probe in nonlocal negative glow plasma
Authors: Yuan Chengxun , Kudryavtsev A. A. , Saifutdinov A. I. , Sysoev S. S. , Stefanova M. S. , Pramatarov P. M. , Zhou Zhongxiang
Published: October 2018

It was shown that the spectrum of Penning electrons in a nonlocal equipotential plasma is associated with the second derivative of their current to a wall electrode (sensor). Analytical calculations are confirmed by experimental studies in a negative glow plasma of short DC glow discharge at moderate and high pressures (up to 150 Torr).
A time-resolved millimeter wave conductivity (TR-mmWC) apparatus for charge dynamical properties of semiconductors
Authors: Roy Biswadev , Jones Charles R. , Vlahovic B. , Ade Harald W. , Wu Marvin H.
Published: October 2018

This article demonstrates a contactless, time-resolved, millimeter wave conductivity apparatus capable of measuring photoconductivity of a diverse range of materials. This cavity-less system determines the time-dependent magnitude of a sample’s charge carrier density-mobility product by monitoring the response of a continuous, millimeter-wave probe beam following excitation of the sample by an ultrafast laser pulse. The probe beam is tunable from 110 GHz to 170 GHz and the sample response data can be obtained over the sub-nanosecond to millisecond time interval. This system has been tested on silicon wafers, S-I GaAs, perovskite thin films, SiO2-Ge(nc), and CdSxSe1−x nanowire samples. We demonstrate a minimum detectable photoconductance change of ∼1 µS, an estimated time resolution for conductance decay of ∼100 ps, and a dynamic range greater than 57 dB. The calibration constant of the system, needed for quantitative calculation of photoconductivity from experimental data, has been determined using silicon wafers. This system has several advantages over currently used microwave and terahertz techniques, such as facile tunability of probe frequency and substantially wider time range for study of decay kinetics, while maintaining an open sample environment that enables characterization of a wide range of sample sizes under controlled environmental conditions.
Stability of velocity-Verlet- and Liouville-operator-derived algorithms to integrate non-Hamiltonian systems
Authors: Watanabe Hiroshi
Published: October 2018

We investigate the difference between the velocity Verlet and the Liouville-operator-derived (LOD) algorithms by studying two non-Hamiltonian systems, one dissipative and the other conservative, for which the Jacobian of the transformation can be determined exactly. For the two systems, we demonstrate that (1) the velocity Verlet scheme fails to integrate the former system while the first- and second-order LOD schemes succeed and (2) some first-order LOD fails to integrate the latter system while the velocity Verlet and the other first- and second-order schemes succeed. We have shown that the LOD schemes are stable for the former system by determining the explicit forms of the shadow Hamiltonians which are exactly conserved by the schemes. We have shown that the Jacobian of the velocity Verlet scheme for the former system and that of the first-order LOD scheme for the latter system are always smaller than the exact values, and therefore, the schemes are unstable. The decomposition-order dependence of LOD schemes is also considered.
Design optimization and simulation of micro-electro-mechanical system based solar energy harvester for low voltage applications
Authors: Praveenkumar S. , Nath Srigitha S. , Dinesh Ram G. , Ramya S. , Priya M.
Published: October 2018

In this paper, the design of a micro-cantilever based solar energy harvester is proposed. Solar energy is converted to electrical voltage using a MEMS solar cell that uses the principle of coefficient of thermal expansion and piezoelectric effect. Initially, the bilayer cantilever made of two different materials (Al and SiO2) is displaced at the free end by absorbing the solar radiation that develops the stress at the fixed end and thus the solar radiation is converted to mechanical energy. Also, the developed mechanical energy (stress) is converted to electric potential by using the piezoelectric material that is positioned at the fixed end of the cantilever. Different shapes of bilayer cantilevers are designed and analyzed for maximum stress distribution. Experimental study on different shapes is also carried out in an INSTRON 8800 compression testing machine with the prototype made of aluminium. The results obtained prove that the triangular beam shows larger displacement and stress when compared with other shapes. Then the optimized structure with maximum stress is evaluated computationally for maximum voltage generation by placing different piezoelectric materials at the fixed end. The size of the designed solar cell is very small (4000 μm2) when compared to the conventional photovoltaic cell which ultimately reduces the cost by the batch fabrication process.
Velocity-space tomography using prior information at MAST
Authors: Madsen B. , Salewski M. , Huang J. , Jacobsen A. S. , Jones O. , McClements K. G. ,   MAST Team
Published: October 2018

Velocity-space tomography provides a way of diagnosing fast ions in a fusion plasma by combining measurements from multiple instruments. We use a toroidally viewing and a vertically viewing fast-ion D-alpha diagnostic installed on the mega-amp spherical tokamak (before the upgrade) to perform velocity-space tomography of the fast-ion distribution function. To make up for the scarce amount of data, prior information is included in the inversions. We impose a non-negativity constraint, suppress the distribution in the velocity-space region associated with null-measurements, and encode the belief that the distribution function does not extend to energies significantly higher than those expected neoclassically. This allows us to study the fast-ion velocity distributions and the derived fast-ion densities before and after a sawtooth crash.
Theory of a cylindrical Langmuir probe parallel to the magnetic field and its calibration with interferometry
Authors: Usoltceva M. , Faudot E. , Ledig J. , Devaux S. , Heuraux S. , Zadvitskiy G. V. , Ochoukov R. , Moritz J. , Crombé K. , Noterdaeme J.-M.
Published: October 2018

A theory for data interpretation is presented for a cylindrical Langmuir probe in plasma parallel to the magnetic field direction. The theory is tested in a linear low-temperature plasma device Aline, in a capacitive radio-frequency (RF) discharge. The probe is placed on a 3D manipulator, and a position scan is performed. To exclude strong RF perturbations, the probe is RF compensated. Using the theory, electron densities are obtained from the current at the plasma potential, where no sheath is present. Results are calibrated by line-integrated density measurements of a 26.5 GHz microwave interferometer. Reasonable agreement is observed for probe and interferometer measurements. Furthermore, preceding, more general probe theory is compared to the one developed in the current work and the application limits are discussed.
Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy from first-principles quantum Monte Carlo
Authors: Barborini Matteo , Sorella Sandro , Rontani Massimo , Corni Stefano
Published: October 2018

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy allows one to visualize in momentum space the probability weight maps of electrons subtracted from molecules deposited on a substrate. The interpretation of these maps usually relies on the plane wave approximation through the Fourier transform of single particle orbitals obtained from density functional theory. Here we propose a first-principle many-body approach based on quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) to directly calculate the quasi-particle wave functions (also known as Dyson orbitals) of molecules in momentum space. The comparison between these correlated QMC images and their single particle counterpart highlights features that arise from many-body effects. We test the QMC approach on the linear C2H2, CO2, and N2 molecules, for which only small amplitude remodulations are visible. Then, we consider the case of the pentacene molecule, focusing on the relationship between the momentum space features and the real space quasi-particle orbital. Eventually, we verify the correlation effects present in the metal CuCl42− planar complex.
High resolution magnetic field measurements in hydrogen and helium plasmas using active laser spectroscopy
Authors: Zafar Abdullah , Martin Elijah , Shannon Steve
Published: October 2018

Passive spectroscopic measurements of Zeeman splitting have been used reliably to measure magnetic fields in plasmas for decades. However, a requirement is that the field magnitude must be sufficiently strong to be resolved over Doppler and instrument broadening (typically >10 000 G). A diagnostic for measuring magnetic fields spectroscopically well below this limit (>20 G) with high sensitivity has been developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The diagnostic relies on measuring a high resolution spectral profile using Doppler-free saturation spectroscopy (DFSS) and then fitting the spectrum to a quantum mechanical model. DFSS is an active, laser based technique that greatly reduces the influence of Doppler broadening and eliminates instrument broadening. To date, the diagnostic has been successfully employed to measure the magnetic field in magnetized (550-900 G), low-temperature (5-10 eV), low-density (1010–1012 cm−3), hydrogen and helium plasmas in the 5-200 mTorr pressure range using a low power (25 mW) diode laser. Implementing an approximate crossover resonance model, the measurements are shown to be accurate within 5 G for helium and 83 G for hydrogen. The accuracy in hydrogen can be improved to 39 G if the crossover resonances are neglected. A more robust crossover model can decrease this error to <1 G.
Characterization of photodetector temporal response for neutron time-of-flight (nToF) diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility
Authors: Gordon J. M. , Schlossberg D. J. , Eckart M. J. , Datte P. S. , Durand C. E. , Grim G. P. , Hartouni E. P. , Hatarik R. , Moore A. S.
Published: October 2018

The temporal response of a microchannel plate photomultiplier tube used in the suite of neutron time of flight (nToF) diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility has been characterized to reduce uncertainty in, and understanding of, shot parameters obtained from nTOF data. A short pulse laser, neutral density glass filters, and electrical attenuators were used to gather statistically significant samples of photodetector impulse response functions (IRF) in rapid succession. Individual components have been absolutely calibrated to minimize systematic uncertainties. The zeroth (collected charge), first (transit time), and second central moments (transit time spread) of the IRF were calculated as either the bias voltage or the amount of light incident on the detector was varied. Timing reference was provided by a monitor photodiode viewing a pickoff of the incident laser pulse. The primary sources of uncertainty are jitter in the monitor photodiode and the statistical variation across our measurement period. The spreads in the first moment, with respect to the timing photodiode, and the square root of the second central moment were found to be less than 50 ps and 150 ps, respectively.
Carrier scattering induced linewidth broadening in in situ P-doped Ge layers on Si
Authors: Srinivasan S. A. , Porret C. , Pantouvaki M. , Shimura Y. , Geiregat P. , Loo R. , Van Campenhout J. , Van Thourhout D.
Published: October 2018

Highly P doped Ge layers are proposed as a material to realize an on-chip laser for optical interconnect applications. In this work, we demonstrate that these donor impurities have a dramatic impact on the excess carrier lifetime and introduce detrimental many-body effects such as linewidth broadening in the gain medium. Linewidth broadening Γopt = 10 meV for undoped Ge and Γopt ≥ 45 meV for Ge with a doping level up to 5.4 × 1019 cm−3 were extracted using photoluminescence spectroscopy and pump-probe spectroscopy. In addition, we observed that the excess carrier lifetime (τc) drops by more than an order of magnitude from 3 ns in undoped Ge to <0.3 ns in doped Ge.
Configurational entropy of polydisperse supercooled liquids
Authors: Ozawa Misaki , Parisi Giorgio , Berthier Ludovic
Published: October 2018

We propose a computational method to measure the configurational entropy in generic polydisperse glass-formers. In particular, our method resolves issues related to the diverging mixing entropy term due to a continuous polydispersity. The configurational entropy is measured as the difference between the well-defined fluid entropy and a more problematic glass entropy. We show that the glass entropy can be computed by a simple generalisation of the Frenkel-Ladd thermodynamic integration method, which takes into account permutations of the particle diameters. This approach automatically provides a physically meaningful mixing entropy for the glass entropy and includes contributions that are not purely vibrational. The proposed configurational entropy is thus devoid of conceptual and technical difficulties due to continuous polydispersity, while being conceptually closer, but technically simpler, than alternative free energy approaches.
Ambient-pressure atomic force microscope with variable pressure from ultra-high vacuum up to one bar
Authors: Choi Joong Il Jake , Kim Jeong Jin , Oh Wooseok , Doh Won Hui , Park Jeong Young
Published: October 2018

We present the design and performance of an ambient-pressure atomic force microscope (AP-AFM) that allows AFM measurements using the laser deflection technique in a highly controlled environment from ultra-high vacuum (UHV) up to 1 bar with various gases. While the UHV of the AP-AFM system is obtained by a combination of turbo-molecular and ion pumps, for the higher-pressure studies, the ambient-pressure chamber is isolated from the pumps and high-purity gases are dosed via a leak valve from a gas manifold. The AP-AFM system, therefore, provides versatile AFM techniques, including the measurement of topography, friction and local conductance mapping, and force spectroscopy in a highly controlled environment with pressures ranging from UHV up to atmospheric pressure. Atomically resolved stick–slip images and force spectroscopy of highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) at variable pressure conditions are presented to demonstrate the performance of the AP-AFM system. Force spectroscopy results of vacuum-cleaved HOPG, followed by exposure to lab air, oxygen, and methane show that adhesion between the AFM tip and the HOPG depends significantly on the exposed gas and pressure. Our results show that the deposition of airborne hydrocarbon impurities at ambient conditions leads to a significant change in adhesion force, implying that the wettability of the HOPG surface depends on the environment and the pressure.
Cu-substitution effects on the magnetic properties of weak itinerant electron ferromagnet CrAlGe
Authors: Masumitsu Hayato , Yoshinaga Soshi , Mitsui Yoshifuru , Umetsu Rie Y. , Hiroi Masahiko , Uwatoko Yoshiya , Koyama Keiichi
Published: October 2018

Cu-substitution effects on ferromagnetism in Cr-base ternary alloy CrAlGe with an orthorhombic TiSi2-type structure was investigated. The lattice parameters of Cr0.95Cu0.05AlGe were a = 4.748 Å, b = 8.209 Å and c = 8.696 Å at room temperature. The spontaneous and effective moment were determined to be ps = 0.533 μB/f.u at 5 K and peff = 1.89 μB/f.u, respectively. The Curie temperature TC was estimated to be 108 K. These ps and TC of Cr0.95Cu0.05AlGe were larger than those of CrAlGe and Ti-substituted compound. The peff/ps was determined to be 3.55, which was smaller than that of CrAlGe and Ti-substituted compound. Obtained results suggest that the substitution of Cu for Cr in CrAlGe leads suppression of its weak itinerant electron ferromagnetism.
Generation of a multifrequency gravitational-gradient excitation and extraction of the gravitational gradient with a rotating accelerometer gravity gradiometer
Authors: Yu Mingbiao , Cai Tijing
Published: October 2018

A moving-base rotating accelerometer gravity gradiometer (RAGG) is an instrument for measuring gravitational gradient signals produced by geological bodies with a certain signal bandwidth. Development and improvement of RAGG requires that they be subjected to testing and calibration; however, the zero-frequency gravitational gradient signals produced by static test masses are not suitable for this purpose. We propose a method in which multiple test masses simultaneously rotating about a RAGG at different angular velocities and in different circular orbits produce the multifrequency gravitational gradient excitation required for testing or calibrating the RAGG. We also present a gravitational gradient extraction method that combines a fore-end circuit design, a multirate filter technique, and a quadrature amplitude modulation demodulation technique. We describe in detail the procedures for gravitational gradient extraction. Multifrequency gravitational gradient excitations are applied to evaluate this extraction method. A RAGG physical simulation system substitutes for an actual RAGG in a multifrequency gravitational gradient extraction experiment. The extracted multifrequency gravitational gradient signal is consistent with theoretical predictions. The gravitational gradient extraction error approximates the noise of the RAGG physical simulation system. These experimental results suggest that the proposed gravitational gradient extraction method is feasible. The research presented in this paper is of great significance for engineering applications.
Nonlinear optical response of a gold surface in the visible range: A study by two-color sum-frequency generation spectroscopy. III. Simulations of the experimental SFG intensities
Authors: Busson B. , Dalstein L.
Published: October 2018

We model the amplitude line shape and absolute phase of the infrared-visible sum-frequency signals produced by a thiolated polycrystalline gold surface as a function of the visible wavelength. We follow two hypotheses: in the interband scenario, the resonant features are attributed to interband transitions, whereas in the effective surface state scenario, they stem mostly from the excitation of surface transitions. We find that both scenarios lead to a satisfactory account of the experimental data and that only free electrons may spill out of the gold bulk, as expected. For the interband scenario, the balance between free and bound electron contributions to sum-frequency generation has to be adjusted to fit the data. The surface transitions are shown to take their origin inside gold and we investigate the surface states involved in such transitions, with a comparison to the silver surfaces. We finally provide a work program dedicated to discriminate between the two scenarios.
Instability of gravity-driven flow of a heated power-law fluid with temperature dependent consistency
Authors: Pascal J. P. , D’Alessio S. J. D. , Hasan M.
Published: October 2018

In this paper we report on our investigation of the instability of a liquid layer flowing along a heated inclined plane. We develop and implement a theoretical model with a power-law constitutive relation which captures the temperature variation in the rheology of the fluid. We carry out a linear stability analysis and obtain Orr-Sommerfeld type equations for the evolution of infinitesimal perturbations imposed on the equilibrium flow. Numerical solutions were obtained, as well as asymptotic approximations based on the assumption of perturbations of long wavelength and small variation in the consistency of the fluid with respect to temperature. We investigate the critical conditions for the onset of instability and determine the effect of a non-Newtonian rheology and the dependence of the fluid properties on temperature. Nonlinear effects were considered by employing a reduced dimensionality model. Calculations of permanent waves arising from unstable uniform flows were made by carrying out numerical simulations of these equations.
Development of a momentum vector measurement instrument in steady-state plasmas
Authors: Takahashi Kazunori , Sugawara Takeharu , Akahoshi Hikaru , Takao Yoshinori , Ando Akira
Published: October 2018

Momentum vector measurement instrument yielding individual and simultaneous identification of local fluxes of momentum components in two different directions, i.e., vector-resolved force, is developed for understanding momentum transport in plasmas and the thrust generation mechanisms of a helicon plasma thruster. A detector plate is attached to a rotational arm connected to a pivot, which has a structure accessible to the inside of the thruster and is mounted on an axially movable balance structure. Simultaneous measurements of displacements of the rotational arm and the axially movable balance give the fluxes of the two different components of the momentum flowing into the detector surface, respectively, e.g., the radial and axial components. The detailed calibration results and the displacement signals induced by applying known forces in a bench test are shown. The results show that the presently developed technique gives resolutions of about 10 μN in the two different directions independently.
Study of two-dimensional boundary layer thin film fluid flow with variable thermo-physical properties in three dimensions space
Authors: Palwasha Zaman , Khan Noor Saeed , Shah Zahir , Islam Saeed , Bonyah Ebenezer
Published: October 2018

The conversion of study in two dimensional (x, y) medium into three dimensions space (x, y, z) of a magnetohydrodynamic mixed convective heat and mass transfer boundary layer flow of a thin film second-grade fluid with temperature dependent viscosity and thermal conductivity in the presence of thermal radiation and viscous dissipation past a stretching sheet is analyzed. The occurrence of Hall current in two dimensional (x, y) medium produces a force in z-direction which generates a cross flow in that direction and so the motion is made in three dimensions space (x, y, z). Similarity transformations are used and the transformed system of equations of the problem has been solved by utilizing homotopy analysis method. The salient impacts of the emerging parameters on velocities, temperature and concentration fields have been displayed graphically and illustrated.
Radio frequency power measurement traceable to redefined SI units
Authors: Fellet Melissae
Published: October 2018

A measurement method determines the photonic force from radiation at radio frequencies reflecting from a commercial microbalance. That force is directly related to the photonic power.
New micro-magnetometer device is made from high-temperature superconductor
Authors: Larter Raima
Published: October 2018

A superconducting quantum interference device, using a high-Tc superconductor material, can be fashioned into a small magnetometer with high field sensitivity and low noise.
Hunter and New England HealthPathways: a 4-year journey of integrated care
Authors: Gray Jane S. , Swan Judith R. , Lynch Margaret A. , Tay Tracey M. , Mackenzie Marika-Jane , Wiggers John H. , Harrison Karen A. , McDonald Robert C. , O'Dea Ian P. , Harrigan Louise M. , Fitzgerald Sandra M. ,   on behalf of the Hunter and New England HealthPathways Steering Committee
Published: October 2018

Objective
This paper describes the 4-year journey of Hunter and New England HealthPathways – a password-protected web-based portal designed to provide localised evidence-informed clinical and referral information to support general practice at the point of care.

Methods
A process evaluation was conducted in 2013, with a case study comparison performed in 2014 to assess impact of HealthPathways on patient referral and access to specialist care, followed by a review in 2016 of utilisation of the online portal to assess whether healthcare providers continued to access HealthPathways.

Results
Increased utilisation was correlated with an increase in the number of pathways published online. Clinical leadership and the process of developing pathways built relationships between primary care and specialist teams. Case studies indicated that a comprehensive approach to pathway implementation accompanied by service redesign resulted in higher pathway use and improved access to specialist care. Senior management support and a formal partnership between major health care providers led to strong governance of HealthPathways and the delivery of other integrated care initiatives. There was significant growth in utilisation over the 4 years, increasing to an average of 6679 sessions per month in 2016 and more general practices reported use of HealthPathways.

Conclusions
HealthPathways is a vehicle for building strong foundations to support system change and integrated care. The critical elements for acceptability, growth and sustainability are the strong relationships between primary care and specialist clinicians, as well as formal partnerships that are built from the processes used to develop HealthPathways.

What is known about the topic?
HealthPathways and similar web-based evidence-informed guidelines aimed at improving system integration are increasing in Australia. There are few published papers that describe approaches to inform the ongoing implementation of such programs.

What does this paper add?
This paper describes iterative methodology for evaluating complex programs, such as HealthPathways, that identifies the critical factors required to build sustainable models of integrated care.

What are the implications for practitioners?
The 4-year experience of Hunter and New England HealthPathways provides an approach to improve the implementation, sustainability and spread of similar programs and associated integrated care initiatives.
Corrigendum to: Advancing genomics through the Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance (GIGA)
Authors: Voolstra Christian R. , GIGA Community of Scientists (COS)  , Wörheide Gert , Lopez Jose V.
Published: October 2018

The Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance (GIGA), a collaborative network of diverse scientists, marked its second anniversary with a workshop in Munich, Germany in 2015, where international attendees focused on discussing current progress, milestones and bioinformatics resources. The community determined the recruitment and training of talented researchers as one of the most pressing future needs and identified opportunities for network funding. GIGA also promotes future research efforts to prioritise taxonomic diversity and create new synergies. Here, we announce the generation of a central and simple data repository portal with a wide coverage of available sequence data, via the compagen platform, in parallel with more focused and specialised organism databases to globally advance invertebrate genomics. This article serves the objectives of GIGA by disseminating current progress and future prospects in the science of invertebrate genomics with the aim of promotion and facilitation of interdisciplinary and international research.
Setting a morphological framework for the genus Verhoeffiella (Collembola, Entomobryidae) for describing new troglomorphic species from the Dinaric karst (Western Balkans)
Authors: Lukić Marko , Delić Teo , Zagmajster Maja , Deharveng Louis
Published: October 2018

Recent research of cave Collembola in Dinaric karst resulted in discovery of high regional diversification of the genus Verhoeffiella Absolon, 1900. The most striking feature of Verhoeffiella species is the high number of troglomorphic traits, which makes this genus a good model for studying morphological diversification and adaptation in subterranean environments. We explore the expression of various morphological modifications assumed to be linked to subterranean life, through detailed descriptions of four new species and redescription of two species including the type species of the genus. Species delimitations are confirmed by single locus (cytochrome c oxidase I) tree-based (Poisson tree processes) and distance-based (automatic barcode gap discovery) species delimitation approaches, which gave identical results. Morphological changes classically considered as adaptive for cave life and new, potentially troglomorphic characters for Collembola are discussed. For several of these characters, high morphological diversity between species and large decoupling in the development of different traits within species are recorded. Such a decoupling is also illustrated in the finding of two cases of Verhoeffiella species pairs at different levels of troglomorphy living in syntopy. We further provide several new differential characters of specific and possibly generic or supra-generic importance and describe for the first time among Collembola an original ‘distal organ’ on Ant. IV.
Fish injury and mortality at pumping stations: a comparison of conventional and fish-friendly pumps
Authors: Bierschenk B. M. , Pander J. , Mueller M. , Geist J.
Published: October 2018

Pumping of water during floods from hinterland drainage systems into the main river poses a health risk to fishes and comparative studies are crucial to identify the most fish-friendly pump designs and operations. We investigated the effects on fish health of pump passages through four conventional and one ‘fish-friendly’ pump. All pump types caused external fish injuries leading to direct and delayed mortality. Immediate mortality and injury intensity increased with revolutions per minute (rpm) and differed significantly (P<0.05) between pump types. At the ‘fish-friendly’ Pentair pump (Fairbanks Nijhuis, London, UK), higher numbers of injuries resulting from blunt force (e.g. haemorrhage, scale loss and fin tears) were detected than at the conventional pumps, potentially due to the differences in blade design. The Köster pump (Köster, Heide, Germany) at low rpm proved to be similarly fish friendly as the specially developed fish-friendly Pentair pump due to the low number of entrained fishes. As a measure to reduce potential damaging to fishes, the pumps should run on low rpm as often as possible. This lowers the risk of collision with machine parts and hence mortality rate, as well as the suction effects see at high rpm. After long periods in an anergic state, pumps should generally run on low rpm before changing to higher rates.
Changes in food web structure of fish assemblages along a river-to-ocean transect of a coastal subtropical system
Authors: Garcia Adna F. S. , Santos Mauricio L. , Garcia Alexandre M. , Vieira João P.
Published: October 2018

There is an urgent need to understand how food web structure changes along environmental gradients. In this study we investigated changes in trophic organisation and the relative importance of autotrophic sources sustaining fish assemblages along a transect from river to ocean. In order to address these topics, we analysed fish stomach contents and isotopic composition of consumers and food sources. The findings revealed a greater number of autotrophic sources sustaining fish assemblages in the continental systems (especially in the river) than in the adjacent marine system. Bipartite networks depicting trophic relationships between fish and prey also changed along the transect, showing comparatively higher complexity in the estuary. These findings could be explained by the greater number of food web components (autotrophic sources, fish trophic guilds and prey) associated with pelagic and benthic food chains within the estuary compared with the adjacent systems studied. The findings of this study highlight the need to take into account river-to-ocean changes in food web structure of fish assemblages in management plans to mitigate human impacts in coastal systems.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy R403Q mutation in rabbit β-myosin reduces contractile function at the molecular and myofibrillar levels
Authors: Lowey Susan , Bretton Vera , Joel Peteranne B. , Trybus Kathleen M. , Gulick James , Robbins Jeffrey , Kalganov Albert , Cornachione Anabelle S. , Rassier Dilson E.
Published: October 2018

Significance

Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a major cause of sudden death in young athletes. The mouse model for heart disease showed that the severe R403Q mutation in α-cardiac myosin heavy chain leads to increased ATPase activity and in vitro motility. But the β-myosin heavy chain is the preferred isoform in all larger mammals, leading us to generate a transgenic R403Q rabbit model. In contrast to the mouse model, we find a significant reduction in actin motility by R403Q rabbit myosin. Even more importantly, single myofibrils with the mutant myosin in the environment of a native thick filament showed diminished kinetics, force, and power output, leading to the conclusion that loss-of-function is the initial cause of cardiac hypertrophy.
Retrospective attribution of false beliefs in 3-year-old children
Authors: Király Ildikó , Oláh Katalin , Csibra Gergely , Kovács Ágnes Melinda
Published: October 2018

Significance

The continuous flow of social interactions requires humans to monitor others’ mental states dynamically, yet this aspect of mind reading remains largely neglected. We tested whether, beyond prospective belief tracking, young children would also attribute beliefs to others retrospectively. We found that 3-year-old children retrospectively inferred the content of someone’s beliefs by combining present information with relevant events retrieved from episodic memory. This finding shows that emerging capacities for episodic memory contribute to the development of social cognitive processes, enriching children’s ability to monitor others’ mental states.
Intergenerational transmission of paternal trauma among US Civil War ex-POWs
Authors: Costa Dora L. , Yetter Noelle , DeSomer Heather
Published: October 2018

Significance

Understanding whether paternal trauma is transmitted to children to affect their longevity, the mechanisms behind any transmission, and the reversibility of paternal trauma can inform health interventions and increase our understanding of the persistence of health within families. We show that severe paternal hardship as a prisoner of war (POW) led to high mortality among sons, but not daughters, born after the war who survived to the age of 45 but that adequate maternal nutrition countered the effect of paternal POW trauma in a manner most consistent with epigenetic explanations. We are not aware of any large sample studies in human populations that examine the reversibility of paternal trauma nor the long-term impact of paternal ex-POW status on children.
Multistability of model and real dryland ecosystems through spatial self-organization
Authors: Bastiaansen Robbin , Jaïbi Olfa , Deblauwe Vincent , Eppinga Maarten B. , Siteur Koen , Siero Eric , Mermoz Stéphane , Bouvet Alexandre , Doelman Arjen , Rietkerk Max
Published: October 2018

Significance

Today, vast areas of drylands in semiarid climates face the dangers of desertification. To understand the driving mechanisms behind this effect, many theoretical models have been created. These models provide insight into the resilience of dryland ecosystems. However, until now, comparisons with reality were merely visual. In this article, a systematic comparison is performed using data on wavenumber, biomass, and migration speed of vegetation patterns in Somalia. In agreement with reaction–diffusion models, a wide distribution of regular pattern wavenumbers was found in the data. This highlights the potential for extrapolating predictions of those models to real ecosystems, including those that elucidate how spatial self-organization of vegetation enhances ecosystem resilience.
Ubiquitin ligase COP1 coordinates transcriptional programs that control cell type specification in the developing mouse brain
Authors: Newton Kim , Dugger Debra L. , Sengupta-Ghosh Arundhati , Ferrando Ronald E. , Chu Felix , Tao Janet , Lam Wendy , Haller Susan , Chan Sara , Sa Susan , Dunlap Debra , Eastham-Anderson Jeffrey , Ngu Hai , Hung Jeffrey , French Dorothy M. , Webster Joshua D. , Bolon Brad , Liu Jinfeng , Reja Rohit , Kummerfeld Sarah , Chen Ying-Jiun , Modrusan Zora , Lewcock Joseph W. , Dixit Vishva M.
Published: October 2018

Significance

The ubiquitin ligase CRL4
COP1/DET1
modifies specific transcription factor substrates with polyubiquitin so that they are degraded. However, the Ras–MEK–ERK signaling pathway can inactivate CRL4
COP1/DET1
and thereby promote the rapid accumulation of these transcription factors. Here we show that constitutive photomorphogenesis 1 (COP1) has a critical role in mouse brain development because its deletion from neural stem cells stabilizes the transcription factors c-JUN, ETV1, ETV4, and ETV5, leading to perturbation of normal gene expression patterns; anatomic anomalies in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum; and perinatal lethality.
On the deformability of an empirical fitness landscape by microbial evolution
Authors: Bajić Djordje , Vila Jean C. C. , Blount Zachary D. , Sánchez Alvaro
Published: October 2018

Significance

Fitness landscapes map the relationship between genotype and phenotype, and are a core tool for predicting evolutionary processes from the emergence of resistant pathogens to cancer. The topography of fitness landscapes is determined by the environment. However, populations can also dynamically modify their environment, for instance by releasing metabolites to it, and thus they may potentially deform their own adaptive landscape. Using a combination of genome-scale metabolic simulations and experiments with
Escherichia coli
strains from the Lenski laboratory Long-Term Evolution Experiment, we systematically and quantitatively characterize the deformability of an empirical fitness landscape. We show that fitness landscapes retain their power to forecast evolution over short mutational distances but environment building may attenuate this capacity over longer adaptive trajectories.
In operando plasmonic monitoring of electrochemical evolution of lithium metal
Authors: Jin Yan , Zhou Lin , Yu Jianyu , Liang Jie , Cai Wenshan , Zhang Huigang , Zhu Shining , Zhu Jia
Published: October 2018

Significance

In operando and nondestructive technology is urgently needed to monitor and further control lithium metal morphology evolution for reviving lithium metal batteries. Taking advantage of lithium plasmonics, we developed an in operando plasmonic monitoring platform to investigate lithium deposition behavior in different working conditions and varied electrolytes. This technology, with a well-established correlation between the evolving morphologies of lithium metal and in operando optical spectra, can serve as an effective platform for investigating lithium morphology during electrochemical operations, which can further speed up new electrolyte design and the development of alkali metal-based energy storage systems.
TRPM7 and Ca
V
3.2 channels mediate Ca
2+
influx required for egg activation at fertilization
Authors: Bernhardt Miranda L. , Stein Paula , Carvacho Ingrid , Krapp Christopher , Ardestani Goli , Mehregan Aujan , Umbach David M. , Bartolomei Marisa S. , Fissore Rafael A. , Williams Carmen J.
Published: October 2018

Significance

At fertilization, repetitive calcium signals are induced in mammalian eggs that are essential for activating embryo development. These signals are supported by calcium influx from the surrounding medium. Two ion channels supporting calcium influx into eggs, Ca
V
3.2 and TRPV3, were identified previously. Here we find that a third channel, TRPM7, is essential for this function. In the absence of both TRPM7 and Ca
V
3.2, the calcium signals induced by the fertilizing sperm stop prematurely. Female mice carrying eggs lacking TRPM7 and Ca
V
3.2 are subfertile. Because TRPM7 channel function is modulated by ions in culture medium, these findings highlight the importance of exact culture medium composition used during laboratory procedures for human assisted reproduction therapies.
Mammalian behavior and physiology converge to confirm sharper cochlear tuning in humans
Authors: Sumner Christian J. , Wells Toby T. , Bergevin Christopher , Sollini Joseph , Kreft Heather A. , Palmer Alan R. , Oxenham Andrew J. , Shera Christopher A.
Published: October 2018

Significance

Sound consists of a dynamic stream of energy at different frequencies. Auditory processing of sound frequency is critical in determining our ability to interact and communicate in a complex acoustic world, yet fundamental gaps remain in our understanding of how this is achieved. Indeed, the resolving power of the system, how best to measure it, and the mechanisms that underlie it are all still debated. Here, we provide critical evidence demonstrating that humans can resolve the frequency components of competing sounds better than other commonly studied mammals. This finding raises important questions both for theories of auditory perception and for our understanding of the evolutionary relationships between the auditory system and acoustic communication, including speech.
Collective decision making by rational individuals
Authors: Mann Richard P.
Published: October 2018

Significance

Humans and animals use the decisions they observe others making as valuable information about the quality of potential choices. We anticipate that behavioral rules that better approximate the decisions of a rational, expected fitness-maximizing agent will be favored by natural selection. In this paper I show that many aspects of collective decision making can be predicted through considering what a rational agent would do. I also show that a theory of strictly rational agents explains much of the variability between and within species and makes sometimes counterintuitive predictions that can be experimentally tested. Most importantly, my model shows that how collective decision making is observed and measured is critically important in interpreting and understanding behavior.
ADP-ribosyl–binding and hydrolase activities of the alphavirus nsP3 macrodomain are critical for initiation of virus replication
Authors: Abraham Rachy , Hauer Debra , McPherson Robert Lyle , Utt Age , Kirby Ilsa T. , Cohen Michael S. , Merits Andres , Leung Anthony K. L. , Griffin Diane E.
Published: October 2018

Significance

Alphaviruses are mosquito-borne RNA viruses that cause encephalitis, rash, and arthritis. Alphavirus nonstructural protein 3 (nsP3) has a highly conserved macrodomain that can bind and remove ADP-ribose (ADPr) residues from ADP-ribosylated proteins, but its role in virus replication was not known. We show that alphavirus replication in neural cells depends on protein ADP ribosylation and that nsP3s with mutations that eliminate ADPr binding cannot form a functional replicase. Mutations that decrease ADPr binding result in fewer infected cells, while mutations that increase binding but decrease hydrolase activity infect cells normally but amplify replication complexes less well. Therefore, alphavirus replication requires nsP3 macrodomain interaction with one or more ADP-ribosylated proteins, as is consistent with the observed high conservation of this region.
Microbiome-assisted carrion preservation aids larval development in a burying beetle
Authors: Shukla Shantanu P. , Plata Camila , Reichelt Michael , Steiger Sandra , Heckel David G. , Kaltenpoth Martin , Vilcinskas Andreas , Vogel Heiko
Published: October 2018

Significance

Ephemeral diets such as carrion are high-quality resources that are susceptible to microbial spoilage. Carrion-feeding insects that breed on decaying carcasses must overcome challenges arising from competing microbes. Here we report that a carrion-feeding burying beetle preserves carcasses by regulating its microbial growth, resulting in changes in its biochemical properties including the reduction of toxic polyamines associated with putrefaction and nutrient loss. The beetle’s microbial symbionts form a biofilm-like matrix on carcasses, which is important for optimal larval development. The beetles and their microbiome thus coordinate a specialized adaptive strategy of carrion management, enabling them to preserve carrion quality and support larval growth in a challenging resource such as carrion.
Control of movement vigor and decision making during foraging
Authors: Yoon Tehrim , Geary Robert B. , Ahmed Alaa A. , Shadmehr Reza
Published: October 2018

Significance

How long should one stay and accumulate reward, and then, how fast should one travel to the next reward site? Marginal value theorem describes the decision-making process: the brain compares the immediate rate of harvest with its global history of capture, deciding to leave when the immediate rate falls below the average. Here, we extended the theory, showing that the same principle can be used to control speed of movements: the brain should compare the immediate rate of energy expenditure during movement with the global capture rate, planning to arrive at the destination when the two become equal. Experimental results confirmed many of the predictions, suggesting that a shared principle may underlie decision making and control of movement vigor.