bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Klientensicht als wertvolle Evidenz nutzen – Ergotherapeutisches Modell CCEBOT
Authors: Trickes Claudia , Fleitz Brigitte
Published: March 2020

Ergotherapeuten legen Wert darauf, evidenzbasiert und klientenzentriert zu arbeiten. Beides unterstützt das Modell der Client-Centered Evidence-Based Occupational Therapy (CCEBOT), nach dem Therapeutin und Klient die Intervention auf Augenhöhe gestalten.
Less Blood Loss by Earlier Oxytocin Infusion in Cesarean Sections? A
Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Takmaz Taha , Ozcan Pinar , Sevket Osman , Karasu Ayse Filiz Gokmen , Islek Sevde Havva , Halici Belfin Nur Arici
Published: March 2020

Purpose The aim of our study was to evaluate the positive effect of
starting an IV oxytocin infusion early before uterine incision on intraoperative
blood loss.

Methods A total of 101 women between 18–40 years who underwent a
primary elective cesarean section (CS) were included in this randomized
controlled trial. The patients were divided into two groups. In Group I
(n=51), oxytocin infusion was administered immediately after incision of
the visceral peritoneum during CS. In Group II (n=50), infusion was
administered immediately after clamping the umbilical cord. The primary outcome
was the mean volume of blood loss during CS. The secondary outcomes included the
mean reduction in hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, need for additional
uterotonics and hemostatic uterine sutures, blood transfusion, post-operative
pain score, and additional surgical procedures.

Results There were statistical significant differences either in the
change of the hemoglobin concentration (1.27±0.75 vs.1.74±0.81;
p<0.01) or in the change of hematocrit concentration (3.89±2.24
vs. 5.41±2.93; p<0.01). Intraoperative blood loss was
significantly lower in Group I when compared to Group II (475.86±150.11
vs. 605.1±203.2; p<0.01).

Conclusions Our findings suggest that the starting IV oxytocin infusion
early before uterine incision reduces intraoperative blood loss. This could be
effective to replace starting IV oxytocin infusion late after umbilical cord
clamping or delivery of the placenta.
Characterizing the Effects of Diabetes and Obesity on Insulin and Leptin Levels amongst Pregnant Women
Authors: Johnson Andrea W. , Snegovskikh Denis , Parikh Lisa , DeAguiar Renata B. , Han Christina S. , Hwang Janice J.
Published: March 2020

Objective In this study, we assess the impact of obesity and diabetes on maternal brain and periphery, as well as fetal exposure to insulin and leptin, and two hormones that play an important role in regulating energy homeostasis.

Study Design Fasting maternal plasma, fetal cord vein and artery plasma, and maternal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were collected in 37 women (12 lean, nondiabetic [prepregnancy body mass index (BMI): 22.9 ± 1.7 kg/m2]; 12 overweight/obese nondiabetic [BMI: 37.8 ± 7.3 kg/m2]; 13 gestational/type 2 diabetes mellitus [BMI: 29.8 ± 7.3 kg/m2]) with uncomplicated singleton pregnancies undergoing elective Cesarean delivery. HbA1C, insulin, glucose, and leptin levels were measured.

Results Compared with lean mothers, mothers with obesity and diabetes mellitus (DM) had significantly lower CSF-to-plasma ratios of insulin. Moreover, mothers with obesity and DM had significantly lower cord arterial and cord venous to maternal plasma ratios of insulin, but not leptin, compared with lean mothers. There were no differences in CSF and cord blood insulin and leptin levels between obese and DM mothers.

Conclusion Compared with lean individuals, mothers with obesity and DM have relative deficiencies in insulin exposure. The patterns observed in mothers with obesity and diabetes were similar highlighting the importance of the maternal metabolic environment in obesity and suggesting obese patients warrant further clinical focus.
Identifying Ways to Fix Outcome Disparities among Outborns Needing Therapeutic Hypothermia
Authors: Harbert Mary Jo A. , Sey Rachelle , Arnell Kathy , Rasmussen Maynard
Published: March 2020

Objective This study examined patterns of care after birth in newborns treated with therapeutic hypothermia to identify remediable causes for the poorer outcomes observed in outborn infants.

Study Design This was a secondary analysis of 150 newborns (68 outborn) prospectively enrolled at our center in the Vermont Oxford Neonatal Encephalopathy Registry from January 2008 to October 2016.

Results The 5-minute Apgar's score and cord pH value did not differ, but cord blood gases were obtained far less frequently in outborns (p = 0.002). Outborns needed more chest compressions (p = 0.01) and epinephrine (p = 0.04), and had more brain injury on neuroimaging (p = 0.05). Outborns took longer to reach target hypothermia temperature (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion The lack of cord gas values and longer time to reach target temperature observed in the outborns are two observed differences in care that can be potentially remedied by providing education and resources at delivering hospitals in rapid identification of hypothermia candidates, though further research is needed to define the effects of such measures. Possible solutions are also discussed here.
A generating integral for the matrix elements of the Coulomb Green’s function with the Coulomb wave functions
Authors: Dzikowski K. , Skoromnik O. D.
Published: March 2020

We analytically evaluate the generating integral Knl(β,β′)=∫0∞∫0∞e−βr−β′r′Gnl(r,r′)rqr′q′drdr′ and integral moments Jnl(β,r)=∫0∞dr′Gnl(r,r′)r′qe−βr′ for the reduced Coulomb Green’s function Gnl(r, r′) for all values of the parameters q and q′, when the integrals are convergent. These results can be used in second-order perturbation theory to analytically obtain the complete energy spectra and local physical characteristics such as electronic densities of multi-electron atoms or ions.
Evidence for trap-assisted Auger recombination in MBE grown InGaN quantum wells by electron emission spectroscopy
Authors: Myers Daniel J. , Espenlaub Andrew C. , Gelzinyte Kristina , Young Erin C. , Martinelli Lucio , Peretti Jacques , Weisbuch Claude , Speck James S.
Published: March 2020

We report on the direct measurement of hot electrons generated in the active region of blue light-emitting diodes grown by ammonia molecular beam epitaxy by electron emission spectroscopy. The external quantum efficiency of these devices is <1% and does not droop; thus, the efficiency losses from the intrinsic, interband, electron–electron–hole, or electron–hole–hole Auger should not be a significant source of hot carriers. The detection of hot electrons in this case suggests that an alternate hot electron generating process is occurring within these devices, likely a trap-assisted Auger recombination process.
Development of a system for low-temperature ultrafast optical study of three-dimensional magnon and spin orbital torque dynamics
Authors: Ou Yu-Sheng , Zhou Xinran , Barri Rasoul , Wang Yong , Law Stephanie , Xiao John Q. , Doty Matthew F.
Published: March 2020

An ultrafast vector magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) microscope with integrated time-synchronized electrical pulses, two-dimensional magnetic fields, and low-temperature capabilities is reported. The broad range of capabilities of this instrument allows the comprehensive study of spin–orbital interaction-driven magnetization dynamics in a variety of novel magnetic materials or heterostructures: (1) electrical-pump and optical-probe spectroscopy allows the study of current-driven magnetization dynamics in the time domain, (2) two-dimensional magnetic fields along with the vector MOKE microscope allow the thorough study of the spin–orbital-interaction induced magnetization re-orientation in arbitrary directions, and (3) the low-temperature capability allows us to explore novel materials/devices where emergent phenomena appear at low temperature. We discuss the details and challenges of this instrument development and integration and present two datasets that demonstrate and benchmark the capabilities of this instrument: (a) a room-temperature time-domain study of current-induced magnetization dynamics in a ferromagnet/heavy metal bilayer and (b) a low-temperature quasi-static polar MOKE study of the magnetization of a novel compensated ferrimagnet.
Generation of quasi-monoenergetic ions using optimized hollow nanospheres
Authors: Zosa M. A. H. , Murakami M.
Published: March 2020

For ultra-high-intensity lasers irradiating nanometer-sized targets, Coulomb explosion (CE) is one of the main ion acceleration schemes. Previous studies have shown that the CE of solid nanospheres can produce quasi-monoenergetic ions. However, the development of optimized hollow nanospheres has yet to be achieved. Currently, the technology for the production of various types of hollow nanospheres has already been established. Still, the applications of hollow nanospheres are more inclined toward energy storage. This study shows that CE-based ion acceleration is another plausible application for these hollow nanospheres. Different nanosphere designs were analyzed using simple analytical models, which showed the possibility of using them to produce quasi-monoenergetic ions. This was then confirmed using one-dimensional particle–particle simulations in spherical coordinates. Overall, the results showed that hollow nanospheres are viable targets that can be used for the production of quasi-monoenergetic ions via spherical CE. Furthermore, the new proposed target design substantially improved the energy coupling efficiency.
GaN power switches on the rise: Demonstrated benefits and unrealized potentials
Authors: Chu Rongming
Published: March 2020

As a wide bandgap semiconductor with high breakdown field, GaN is expected to outperform the incumbent Si technology for power switching applications. Advances in GaN epitaxial growth, device technology, and circuit implementations have resulted in high-performing power switches based on the GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structure. Demonstrated system benefits have validated the real value of GaN power switching technology. However, the full potential of GaN power switching technology is still far from being exploited. Various factors, including the size of electrodes and wiring, non-optimal E-field shaping, and substrate capacitive coupling, are limiting the performance of GaN HEMT power switches. Emerging device structures, such as, vertical transistors and multichannel superjunction transistors, have the potential to overcome some of those limitations, thereby bringing the performance benefits of the GaN power switching technology to a new level. Understanding the underlying physics is important to the success of the emerging device structures.
Experimental study on impulse waves generated by gravitational collapse of rectangular granular piles
Authors: Huang Bolin , Zhang Quan , Wang Jian , Luo Chaolin , Chen Xiaoting , Chen Lichuan
Published: March 2020

Towering in many gorges of reservoirs and coastal zones, pillar rock masses may collapse and fall due to foundation crushing, and the impact on water by debris leads to impulse waves. In this study, the process of impulse wave induction by the gravitational collapse of granular piles was investigated using particle image velocimetry. The experimental results showed that the collapse process of partially submerged particles was significantly different from that of dry particles. Near the water surface, particles moved outward in a reversed “S” shape. In the presence of water at the slope foot, the time and the distance traveled by the particles were reduced. The hydraulic effects such as water entrainment, vortex, rolling, and viscous drag exacerbated the energy dissipation of the granular piles, thus reducing particle mobility. Thirty five experiments suggested that the impulse waves induced by granular piles could be categorized as bores, solitary waves and nonlinear transition waves according to the functional inequality, which consisted of the aspect ratio and the relative thickness. The fitted formula for the run-out of partially submerged granular piles and the corresponding maximum wave amplitudes was derived by nonlinear regression of the experimental data. In comparison with previous formulas, these formulas are power functions consisting of aspect ratio and relative thickness and are highly suitable for predicting the collapse of granular piles and the impulse waves induced as the correlation coefficients of calculated results by these formulas and the measured values exceeded 0.93.
Enthalpy and entropy of oxygen electroadsorption on RuO2(110) in alkaline media
Authors: Hu Bintao , Kuo Ding-Yuan , Paik Hanjong , Schlom Darrell G. , Suntivich Jin
Published: March 2020

We report the temperature influence of the OHad and Oad electroadsorption on RuO2(110) films grown on TiO2(110) crystals in alkaline media. From the temperature effect, we evaluate the enthalpy and entropy of the OHad and Oad electroadsorption, including the adsorbate–adsorbate interactions that we analyze using the interaction parameters of the Frumkin-isotherm model. We found that the adsorbates repel each other enthalpically but attract each other entropically. Our result suggests that an entropy analysis is necessary to capture the electroadsorption behavior on RuO2 since the enthalpy–entropy competition strongly influences the electroadsorption behavior. Our observation of an entropic force is consistent with the view that water may be a mediator for adsorbate–adsorbate interactions.
Void-interface wetting to crossing transition owing to bubble to void transformation
Authors: Zheng Shijian , Pang Jingyu , Yang Lixin , Yang Wenfan , Zhou Yangtao , Wang Yongqiang , Yin Fuxing , Ma Xiuliang
Published: March 2020

Understanding cavity-interface interaction is crucial in designing high-strength, radiation-tolerant nanocomposites. Here, bubbles near the Cu–Nb interface in Nb could be absorbed by Cu voids wetting the interface due to the high system energy difference produced by the huge pressure difference between the bubbles and voids and high mobility of bubbles, and no bubble-denuded zone forms owing to fast Brownian motion of bubbles, which keeps bubbles distributed homogeneously. However, owing to the low system energy difference generated by the low internal pressure difference and low mobility, voids near the Cu–Nb interface in Nb would simply coalesce with Cu voids wetting the interface, leading to the void-interface wetting to crossing transition and the formation of void-denuded zones due to the negligible migration of internal Nb voids.
Study of laser-driven magnetic fields with a continuous wave Faraday rotation diagnostic
Authors: Ivanov V. V. , Maximov A. V. , Astanovitskiy A. L. , Begishev I. A. , Betti R. , Davies J. R. , Mileham C. , Moody J. D. , Stoeckl C. , Swanson K. J. , Wong N. L. , Bromage J.
Published: March 2020

Magnetic fields driven by a laser in coil targets were studied for laser energies of ∼25 J and two pulse durations of 2.8 ns and 70 ps. Axial magnetic fields in the coils were measured by continuous wave Faraday rotation diagnostics. The diagnostics indicated magnetic fields of 6–14 T in the coil and currents of 10–20 kA. Magnetic fields were compared for similar laser targets, focusing conditions, and laser energies. A 30-times increase in the intensity of the laser beam by reducing the pulse duration resulted in an increase in the magnetic field and current by a factor of 2. The relaxation time of the magnetic pulse was on the sub-microsecond scale.
Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) magnetometry with a plasma reservoir
Authors: Hunter E. D. , Christensen A. , Fajans J. , Friesen T. , Kur E. , Wurtele J. S.
Published: March 2020

The local magnetic field in a Penning–Malmberg trap is found by measuring the temperatures that result when electron plasmas are illuminated by microwave pulses. Multiple heating resonances are observed as the pulse frequencies are swept. The many resonances are due to electron bounce and plasma rotation sidebands. The heating peak corresponding to the cyclotron frequency resonance is identified to determine the magnetic field. A new method for quickly preparing low density electron plasmas for destructive temperature measurements enables a rapid and automated scan of microwave frequencies. This technique can determine the magnetic field to high precision, obtaining an absolute accuracy better than 1 ppm and a relative precision of 26 ppb. One important application is in situ magnetometry for antihydrogen-based tests of charge-parity-time symmetry and of the weak equivalence principle.
Determining the non-separability of vector modes with digital micromirror devices
Authors: Zhao Bo , Hu Xiao-Bo , Rodríguez-Fajardo Valeria , Forbes Andrew , Gao Wei , Zhu Zhi-Han , Rosales-Guzmán Carmelo
Published: March 2020

The non-separability between the spatial and polarization Degrees of Freedom (DoF) of complex vector light fields has drawn significant attention in recent times. Key to this is its remarkable similarities with quantum entanglement, with quantum-like effects observed at the classical level. Crucially, this parallelism enables the use of quantum tools to quantify the coupling between the spatial and polarization DoFs, usually implemented with polarization-dependent spatial light modulators, which requires the splitting of the vector mode into two orthogonal polarization components. Here, we put forward an alternative approach that relies on the use of Digital Micromirror Devices (DMDs) for a fast, cheap, and robust measurement, while the polarization-independent nature of DMDs enables a reduction in the number of required measurements by 25%. We tested our approach experimentally on cylindrical vector modes with arbitrary degrees of non-separability, of great relevance in a wide variety of applications. Our technique provides a reliable way to measure in real time the purity of vector modes, paving the way for a wide variety of applications where the degree of non-separability can be used as an optical sensor.
Dynamic experiments to study the α−ε phase transition in cerium
Authors: Jensen B. J. , Cherne F. J. , Velisavljevic N.
Published: March 2020

The ability to understand and predict the response of matter at extreme conditions requires knowledge of a material’s equation-of-state including the location of phase boundaries, transition kinetics, and the evolution of material strength. Cerium is a material with a complex phase diagram that continues to attract significant scientific interest. Recent dynamic experiments have provided information on the low-pressure γ–α phase transition, sound speed, and Hugoniot data for the higher-pressure α phase, as well as the incipient shock melt transition. Despite these efforts, there are still regions of the phase diagram that are largely unexplored dynamically, including the high-pressure region below the melt boundary. Along a room temperature isotherm, diamond anvil cell data report a transition to the ϵ phase between 13 and 17 GPa. At higher temperatures, similar diamond anvil cell data show significant disagreement regarding the existence, location, and slope of the ϵ-phase boundary. In this work, double-shock loading was used to access the α–ϵ region of the phase diagram to obtain equation-of-state information and to determine the location of the ϵ-phase boundary for shock loading.
Modulating electrical transport properties of SnSe crystal to improve the thermoelectric power factor by adjusting growth method
Authors: Zhang Hang-Fei , Lv Yang-Yang , Xu Lu , Luo Ye-Cheng , Lu Hao-Min , Wang C. W. , Liu Z. K. , Zhou Jian , Chen Y. B. , Yao Shu-Hua
Published: March 2020

The SnSe crystal is a promising candidate in the field of thermoelectric materials. In order to elucidate basic physics in the SnSe system, here we report the heavily hole doping SnSe single crystals by the flux method (using alkali halide as solvent). Compared to bad-metal behavior of SnSe grown by the Bridgeman method, the flux-grown SnSe crystals show the metallic conductive behavior consistent with the Landau Fermi liquid (resistivity ρ ∼ T2) with temperatures ranging from 2 to 300 K. Combined angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and empirical Landau Fermi liquid theory, screening lengths λ of Coulomb electron–electron interaction U of SnSe grown by the flux method are 6.6 Å and 6.1 eV, which are much higher than those of normal metals. Remarkably, the excellent electrical conductivity (870 S/cm) of the SnSe crystal grown by the flux method at room temperature is attributed to the higher hole concentration (∼3.8 × 1019 cm−3) and large mobility (152.2 cm2 V−1 s−1). Meanwhile, these SnSe crystals still have large Seebeck coefficients (∼190 μV/K). Thus, the SnSe crystals grown by the flux method have an ultrahigh power factor [∼31.5 μW/(cm K2)] at room temperature, which is ten times larger than that of SnSe crystals grown by the Bridgeman method and as best as currently reported results. Our work shows a method for growing heavily hole-doped SnSe crystals, which provides a platform for understanding the electrical properties and improving its thermoelectric performance.
Sub-bandgap optical spectroscopy of epitaxial
β
-Ga2O3 thin films
Authors: Hao Sijie , Hetzl Martin , Kunzelmann Viktoria F. , Matich Sonja , Sai Qinglin , Xia Changtai , Sharp Ian D. , Stutzmann Martin
Published: March 2020

Room temperature sub-gap optical absorption spectra measured by photothermal deflection spectroscopy were investigated for hetero- and homo-epitaxial β-Ga2O3 layers grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy as well as for a bulk crystal. The absorption spectra show a pronounced exponential Urbach tail with slope parameters of 120–150 meV in the spectral region between 4.5 and 5 eV, indicating an unusually large self-trapping energy of excitons. In addition, an absorption band related to deep defects is observed in the spectral region from 2.5 to 4.5 eV. The steepness of the Urbach tail as well as the strength of the defect-related absorption can be influenced and optimized by annealing at 900–1000 °C in an oxygen atmosphere. Similar features were also observed for bulk β-Ga2O3 crystals and for homoepitaxial β-Ga2O3 layers. The present results for β-Ga2O3 are compared and discussed in the context of similar measurements for other wide-bandgap semiconductors of current interest in electronics and photocatalysis: GaN, ZnO, TiO2, and BiVO4.
Targeted turbulent structure control in wall-bounded flows via localized heating
Authors: Hickey Jean-Pierre , Younes Khaled , Yao Matthew X. , Fan Duosi , Mouallem Joseph
Published: March 2020

A targeted turbulent flow control strategy, based on selective heating of streamwise-aligned heat strips, is assessed for drag reduction using direct numerical simulations of variable viscosity and compressible turbulent channel flows. As increasing the temperature of a gas increases its viscosity, heating is generally an unfavorable drag mitigation approach. However, through a selective spatial arrangement of the heating array, the slight increase in viscosity and decrease in density can serve to modify the organization of the streamwise-aligned structures and the likelihood of the ejection and sweep events near the wall. This can, under specific conditions, lead to a very modest drag reduction. The optimal spatial arrangement is identified using a bidimensional empirical mode decomposition and targets the near-wall, large-scale turbulent motion. The drag coefficient, at constant mass flow rate, remains unchanged with heating despite up to an 11% increase in the local viscosity above the heating strips. When accounting for the viscosity variation in the drag reduction calculation, an effective drag reduction of 6% is observed.
Hydrostatic pressure and interfacial tension induce mode instability in wave propagation along a liquid-filled microtubule
Authors: Wu Yufei , Li Moxiao , Yin Jun , Liu Shaobao , Lu Tian Jian
Published: March 2020

Wave propagation in microtubules plays an important role in cell function and engineering applications. Interfacial tension and hydrostatic pressure significantly affect such wave propagation in liquid-filled microtubules, but it remains elusive how they influence the dispersion relation. To address this, we develop a theoretical model based on Flügge’s theory, with interfacial tension and hydrostatic pressure duly accounted for. We then employ the model to analyze the dispersion relation of axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric waves. The difference between interfacial tension and hydrostatic pressure is found to affect the dispersion relation. With the increase in interfacial tension, wave velocity increases for all modes of axisymmetric waves under different hydrostatic pressures. With the increase in interfacial tension or decrease in hydrostatic pressure, wave velocity increases for the first mode of the non-axisymmetric wave but non-monotonously changes for the second and third modes of the non-axisymmetric wave. Notably, increasing the difference between dimensionless hydrostatic pressure (μ) and dimensionless interfacial tension (λ) can lead to mode instability. For the axisymmetric wave, the second mode becomes unstable when |μ-λ| is sufficiently large. For the non-axisymmetric wave, the first mode becomes unstable when |μ-λ| is large enough and the second mode becomes unstable only when μ-λ is positive and large enough. The developed theory enables a better understanding of the effect of the environment on signal transmission in cells and provides guidelines in nondestructive testing with microtubules.
An improved algorithm for evaluation of the minimum circumscribed circle and maximum inscribed circle based on the local minimax radius
Authors: Li Xiuming , Wen Zhikan , Zhu Hanbing , Guo Zhen , Liu Yuwei
Published: March 2020

An improved algorithm for evaluation of the minimum circumscribed circle and maximum inscribed circle is proposed in this paper. The candidate points for the minimum circumscribed circle and maximum inscribed circle satisfying the acute triangle are determined based on the local minimax radius in different regions. The more suitable region division method for the maximum inscribed circle is proposed. These simple algorithms are verified to be useful for determining the minimum circumscribed circle and maximum inscribed circle.
Frameshifting preserves key physicochemical properties of proteins
Authors: Bartonek Lukas , Braun Daniel , Zagrovic Bojan
Published: March 2020

Significance

Genetic information stored in DNA is transcribed to messenger RNAs, which are then translated to produce proteins. A frameshift in the reading frame at any stage of this process typically results in a significantly different protein sequence being produced. Here, we show that, nevertheless, several essential properties of many protein sequences, such as their hydrophobicity profiles, remain largely unchanged upon frameshifting. This finding suggests that frameshifting could be an effective evolutionary strategy for generating novel protein sequences, which retain the functionally relevant physicochemical properties of the sequences from which they derive.
Sonoselective transfection of cerebral vasculature without blood–brain barrier disruption
Authors: Gorick Catherine M. , Mathew Alexander S. , Garrison William J. , Thim E. Andrew , Fisher Delaney G. , Copeland Caitleen A. , Song Ji , Klibanov Alexander L. , Miller G. Wilson , Price Richard J.
Published: March 2020

Treatment of many pathologies of the brain could be improved markedly by the development of noninvasive therapeutic approaches that elicit robust, endothelial cell-selective gene expression in specific brain regions that are targeted under MR image guidance. While focused ultrasound (FUS) in conjunction with gas-filled microbubbles (MBs) has emerged as a noninvasive modality for MR image-guided gene delivery to the brain, it has been used exclusively to transiently disrupt the blood–brain barrier (BBB), which may induce a sterile inflammation response. Here, we introduce an MR image-guided FUS method that elicits endothelial-selective transfection of the cerebral vasculature (i.e., “sonoselective” transfection), without opening the BBB. We first determined that activating circulating, cationic plasmid-bearing MBs with pulsed low-pressure (0.1 MPa) 1.1-MHz FUS facilitates sonoselective gene delivery to the endothelium without MRI-detectable disruption of the BBB. The degree of endothelial selectivity varied inversely with the FUS pressure, with higher pressures (i.e., 0.3-MPa and 0.4-MPa FUS) consistently inducing BBB opening and extravascular transfection. Bulk RNA sequencing analyses revealed that the sonoselective low-pressure regimen does not up-regulate inflammatory or immune responses. Single-cell RNA sequencing indicated that the transcriptome of sonoselectively transfected brain endothelium was unaffected by the treatment. The approach developed here permits targeted gene delivery to blood vessels and could be used to promote angiogenesis, release endothelial cell-secreted factors to stimulate nerve regrowth, or recruit neural stem cells.
Coherent phonon dynamics in spatially separated graphene mechanical resonators
Authors: Zhang Zhuo-Zhi , Song Xiang-Xiang , Luo Gang , Su Zi-Jia , Wang Kai-Long , Cao Gang , Li Hai-Ou , Xiao Ming , Guo Guang-Can , Tian Lin , Deng Guang-Wei , Guo Guo-Ping
Published: March 2020

Vibrational modes in mechanical resonators provide a promising candidate to interface and manipulate classical and quantum information. The observation of coherent dynamics between distant mechanical resonators can be a key step toward scalable phonon-based applications. Here we report tunable coherent phonon dynamics with an architecture comprising three graphene mechanical resonators coupled in series, where all resonators can be manipulated by electrical signals on control gates. We demonstrate coherent Rabi oscillations between spatially separated resonators indirectly coupled via an intermediate resonator serving as a phonon cavity. The Rabi frequency fits well with the microwave burst power on the control gate. We also observe Ramsey interference, where the oscillation frequency corresponds to the indirect coupling strength between these resonators. Such coherent processes indicate that information encoded in vibrational modes can be transferred and stored between spatially separated resonators, which can open the venue of on-demand phonon-based information processing.
DNA polymerase δ proofreads errors made by DNA polymerase ε
Authors: Bulock Chelsea R. , Xing Xuanxuan , Shcherbakova Polina V.
Published: March 2020

Significance

Polδ and Polε are the two major replicative polymerases in eukaryotes, but their precise roles at the replication fork remain a subject of debate. A bulk of data supports a model where Polε and Polδ synthesize leading and lagging DNA strands, respectively. However, this model has been difficult to reconcile with the fact that mutations in Polδ have much stronger consequences for genome stability than equivalent mutations in Polε. We provide direct evidence for a long-entertained idea that Polδ can proofread errors made by Polε in addition to its own errors, thus, making a more prominent contribution to mutation avoidance. This paper provides an essential advance in the understanding of the mechanism of eukaryotic DNA replication.
Sensory cilia as the Achilles heel of nematodes when attacked by carnivorous mushrooms
Authors: Lee Ching-Han , Chang Han-Wen , Yang Ching-Ting , Wali Niaz , Shie Jiun-Jie , Hsueh Yen-Ping
Published: March 2020

Significance

Multiple fungal lineages have independently evolved carnivorous behaviors, preying on a diversity of nematodes as an adaptation for survival in low-nutrient environments. The edible oyster mushroom
Pleurotus ostreatus
is known to paralyze nematode prey, but the mechanism was unclear. We show that
P. ostreatus
triggers a massive calcium influx and rapid cell necrosis in the neuromuscular system of
C. elegans
via that nematode’s sensory cilia—a mode of action that is conserved across nematodes. Our study reveals a rapid killing mechanism that has not been described previously and is distinct from that employed by common anthelmintic drugs, representing a potential route for targeting parasitic nematodes. It also establishes a paradigm for studying cell death in
C. elegans
.
Caenorhabditis elegans
ADAR editing and the ERI-6/7/MOV10 RNAi pathway silence endogenous viral elements and LTR retrotransposons
Authors: Fischer Sylvia E. J. , Ruvkun Gary
Published: March 2020

Endogenous retroviruses and long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons are mobile genetic elements that are closely related to retroviruses. Desilenced endogenous retroviruses are associated with human autoimmune disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.
Caenorhabditis elegans
and related
Caenorhabditis
spp. contain LTR retrotransposons and, as described here, numerous integrated viral genes including viral envelope genes that are part of LTR retrotransposons. We found that both LTR retrotransposons and endogenous viral elements are silenced by ADARs [adenosine deaminases acting on double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)] together with the endogenous RNA interference (RNAi) factor ERI-6/7, a homolog of MOV10 helicase, a retrotransposon and retrovirus restriction factor in human. siRNAs corresponding to integrated viral genes and LTR retrotransposons, but not to DNA transposons, are dependent on the ADARs and ERI-6/7. siRNAs corresponding to palindromic repeats are independent of the ADARs and ERI-6/7, and are in fact increased in
adar-
and
eri-6/7–
defective mutants because of an antiviral RNAi response to dsRNA. Silencing of LTR retrotransposons is dependent on downstream RNAi factors and P granule components but is independent of the viral sensor DRH-1/RIG-I and the nuclear Argonaute NRDE-3. The activation of retrotransposons in the ADAR- and ERI-6/7/MOV10–defective mutant is associated with the induction of the unfolded protein response (UPR), a common response to viral infection. The overlap between genes induced upon viral infection and infection with intracellular pathogens and genes coexpressed with retrotransposons suggests that there is a common response to different types of foreign elements that includes a response to proteotoxicity presumably caused by the burden of replicating pathogens and expressed retrotransposons.
Abrogation of esophageal carcinoma development in miR-31 knockout rats
Authors: Fong Louise Y. , Taccioli Cristian , Palamarchuk Alexey , Tagliazucchi Guidantonio Malagoli , Jing Ruiyan , Smalley Karl J. , Fan Sili , Altemus Joseph , Fiehn Oliver , Huebner Kay , Farber John L. , Croce Carlo M.
Published: March 2020

MicroRNA-31 (miR-31) is overexpressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), a deadly disease associated with dietary Zn deficiency and inflammation. In a Zn deficiency-promoted rat ESCC model with miR-31 up-regulation, cancer-associated inflammation, and a high ESCC burden following
N
-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA) exposure, systemic antimiR-31 delivery reduced ESCC incidence from 85 to 45% (
P
= 0.038) and miR-31 gene knockout abrogated development of ESCC (
P
= 1 × 10
−6
). Transcriptomics, genome sequencing, and metabolomics analyses in these Zn-deficient rats revealed the molecular basis of ESCC abrogation by miR-31 knockout. Our identification of EGLN3, a known negative regulator of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), as a direct target of miR-31 establishes a functional link between oncomiR-31, tumor suppressor target EGLN3, and up-regulated NF-κB–controlled inflammation signaling. Interaction among oncogenic miR-31, EGLN3 down-regulation, and inflammation was also documented in human ESCCs. miR-31 deletion resulted in suppression of miR-31–associated EGLN3/NF-κB–controlled inflammatory pathways. ESCC-free, Zn-deficient miR-31
−/−
rat esophagus displayed no genome instability and limited metabolic activity changes vs. the pronounced mutational burden and ESCC-associated metabolic changes of Zn-deficient wild-type rats. These results provide conclusive evidence that miR-31 expression is necessary for ESCC development.
Systematic identification of engineered methionines and oxaziridines for efficient, stable, and site-specific antibody bioconjugation
Authors: Elledge Susanna K. , Tran Hai L. , Christian Alec H. , Steri Veronica , Hann Byron , Toste F. Dean , Chang Christopher J. , Wells James A.
Published: March 2020

Significance

Site-specific chemical modification of proteins remains a critical need for bioconjugation. Here we explore the key parameters needed for efficient, selective, and stable modification of methionine using recently developed oxaziridine reagents, called ReACT. We systematically tested various oxaziridine compounds, and scanned accessible and buried sites in a therapeutic antibody for breast cancer to determine the chemical and structural parameters for most stable and efficient modification. We show these adducts are highly stable over days and can support the delivery of toxic payloads to regress tumors in animals. These studies on this important chemical modification expand our capability to site-specifically modify proteins and antibodies for many applications.
Unique reproductive strategy in the swamp wallaby
Authors: Menzies Brandon R. , Hildebrandt Thomas B. , Renfree Marilyn B.
Published: March 2020

Significance

We have shown that female swamp wallabies ovulate, mate, and form a new embryo prepartum thereby continuously supporting conceptuses and young at different development stages before and after birth. This system is unique compared to the normal staged system of reproduction in mammals so that swamp wallabies are normally pregnant and lactating throughout their reproductive life.
Sampling linguistic diversity to understand language development
Authors: Stoll Sabine
Published: March 2020

Humans have an innate capacity to learn language. This is an undisputed fact. However, what this capacity actually consists of has yet to be worked out in full detail. The main reason for this is that language is an abstract capacity which manifests in thousands of languages that vary widely in every possible domain, and which change continuously over time. Furthermore, empirical research shows that linguistic features of individual languages can influence the learning process and so bias any generalizations about the human capacity for language learning. Thus, any understanding of language or its development must be considered in a cross-linguistic perspective. However, current research in the field has focused on only a small subset of the world’s languages; we have only scratched the surface of what children must learn and how they do it. In this chapter, I offer a solution to this sampling bias. The solution is a maximal diversity approach, which samples from languages that are as structurally diverse as possible. This allows us to simulate the linguistic variability that children must be able deal with in being able to learn any language. Maximum diversity sampling promises insights into the general mechanisms which underlie language development and how distributions of linguistic features in the input work hand in hand with these mechanisms.
Microglia in Alzheimer’s disease: Local heroes!
Authors: Villacampa Nàdia , Heneka Michael T.
Published: March 2020

In this issue of JEM, Reed-Geaghan et al. (https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20191374) address the long-standing question about the primary source of myeloid cells located at β-amyloid deposits. Using genetic labeling experiments, the authors identify resident microglia as the only myeloid cells present at β-amyloid deposits.
Change of exposure time mid-test in high temperature DIC measurement
Authors: Thai Thinh Q , Smith Adam J , Rowley Robert J , Gradl Paul R , Berke Ryan B
Published: March 2020

Performing digital image correlation (DIC) at extreme temperatures has been greatly challenging due to the radiation which saturates the camera sensor. At such high temperatures, the light intensity emitted from an object is occasionally so powerful that the acquired images are overwhelmingly saturated. This induces data loss, potentially ruining the test, thus requiring the user to restart the test. For this reason, selection of an appropriate camera sensitivity plays a crucial role prior to beginning the test. Exposure time is a factor contributing to camera sensitivity and it is the easiest setting to manipulate during the test since it introduces minimal errors when comparing to other factors, especially in quasi-static tests. This paper examines the influence of changing exposure time mid-test on DIC measurement uncertainty. The investigation was conducted by rigid body motion experiments at room temperature and 1600 °C, respectively. Thereby, some recommendations are given to help DIC users assess their images at room temperature to extrapolate the exposure at extreme temperatures along with accompanying solutions to salvage data at high temperature.
Tracer diffusion on a crowded random Manhattan lattice
Authors: Mejía-Monasterio Carlos , Nechaev Sergei , Oshanin Gleb , Vasilyev Oleg
Published: March 2020

We study, by extensive numerical simulations, the dynamics of a hard-core tracer particle (TP) in presence of two competing types of disorder—frozen convection flows on a square random Manhattan lattice and a crowded dynamical environment formed by a lattice gas of mobile hard-core particles. The latter perform lattice random walks, constrained by a single-occupancy condition of each lattice site, and are either insensitive to random flows (model A) or choose the jump directions as dictated by the local directionality of bonds of the random Manhattan lattice (model B). We focus on the TP disorder-averaged mean-squared displacement, (which shows a super-diffusive behaviour ∼t
4/3, t being time, in all the cases studied here), on higher moments of the TP displacement, and on the probability distribution of the TP position X along the x-axis, for which we unveil a previously unknown behaviour. Indeed, our analysis evidences that in absence of the lattice gas particles the latter probability distribution has a Gaussian central part

∼
exp
(
−

u

2

)

, where u = X/t
2/3, and exhibits slower-than-Gaussian tails

∼
exp
(
−
∣
u

∣

4

/

3

)

for sufficiently large t and u. Numerical data convincingly demonstrate that in presence of a crowded environment the central Gaussian part and non-Gaussian tails of the distribution persist for both models.
From yards to cities: a simple and generalizable probabilistic framework for upscaling outdoor water conservation behavior
Authors: Grant Stanley B , Duong Kimberly , Rippy Megan A , Pierce Gregory , Feldman David , Zanetti Enrique , McNulty Amy
Published: March 2020

Outdoor watering of lawns accounts for about half of single-family residential potable water demand in the arid southwest United States. Consequently, many water utilities in the region offer customers cash rebates to replace lawns with drought tolerant landscaping. Here we present a parcel-scale analysis of water savings achieved by a ‘cash-for-grass’ program offered to 60 000 homes in Southern California. The probability a resident will participate in the program, and the lawn area they replace with drought tolerant landscaping, both increase with a home’s outdoor area. The participation probability is also higher if a home is occupied by its owner. From these results we derive and test a simple and generalizable probabilistic framework for upscaling water conservation behavior at the parcel-scale to overall water savings at the city- or water provider-scale, accounting for the probability distribution of parcel outdoor areas across a utility’s service area, climate, cultural drivers of landscape choices, conservation behavior, equity concerns, and financial incentives.
Pathological Continuum From the Rise in Pulse Pressure to Impaired Neurovascular Coupling and Cognitive Decline
Authors: de Montgolfier Olivia , Thorin-Trescases Nathalie , Thorin Eric
Published: March 2020

The “biomechanical hypothesis” stipulates that with aging, the cumulative mechanical damages to the cerebral microvasculature, magnified by risk factors for vascular diseases, contribute to a breach in cerebral homeostasis producing neuronal losses. In other words, vascular dysfunction affects brain structure and function, and leads to cognitive failure. This is gathered under the term Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (VCID). One of the main culprits in the occurrence of cognitive decline could be the inevitable rise in arterial pulse pressure due to the age-dependent stiffening of large conductance arteries like the carotids, which in turn, could accentuate the penetration of the pulse pressure wave deeper into the fragile microvasculature of the brain and damage it. In this review, we will discuss how and why the vascular and brain cells communicate and are interdependent, describe the deleterious impact of a vascular dysfunction on brain function in various neurodegenerative diseases and even of psychiatric disorders, and the potential chronic deleterious effects of the pulsatile blood pressure on the cerebral microcirculation. We will also briefly review data from antihypertensive clinical trial aiming at improving or delaying dementia. Finally, we will debate how the aging process, starting early in life, could determine our sensitivity to risk factors for vascular diseases, including cerebral diseases, and the trajectory to VCID.
Diagnosis and Management of First Case of COVID-19 in Canada: Lessons Applied From SARS-CoV-1
Authors: Marchand-Senécal Xavier , Kozak Rob , Mubareka Samira , Salt Natasha , Gubbay Jonathan B , Eshaghi Alireza , Allen Vanessa , Li Yan , Bastien Natalie , Gilmour Matthew , Ozaldin Omar , Leis Jerome A
Published: March 2020

We report diagnosis and management of the first laboratory-confirmed case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hospitalized in Toronto, Canada. No healthcare-associated transmission occurred. In the face of a potential pandemic of COVID-19, we suggest sustainable and scalable control measures developed based on lessons learned from severe acute respiratory syndrome.
ctcRbase: the gene expression database of circulating tumor cells and microemboli
Authors: Zhao Lei , Wu Xiaohong , Li Tong , Luo Jian , Dong Dong
Published: March 2020

Circulating tumor cells/microemboli (CTCs/CTMs) are malignant cells that depart from cancerous lesions and shed into the bloodstream. Analysis of CTCs can allow the investigation of tumor cell biomarker expression from a non-invasive liquid biopsy. To date, high-throughput technologies have become a powerful tool to provide a genome-wide view of transcriptomic changes associated with CTCs/CTMs. These data provided us much information to understand the tumor heterogeneity, and the underlying molecular mechanism of tumor metastases. Unfortunately, these data have been deposited into various repositories, and a uniform resource for the cancer metastasis is still unavailable. To this end, we integrated previously published transcriptome datasets of CTCs/CTMs and constructed a web-accessible database. The first release of ctcRbase contains 526 CTCs/CTM samples across seven cancer types. The expression of 14 631 mRNAs and 3642 long non-coding RNAs of CTCs/CTMs were included. Experimental validations from the published literature are also included. Since CTCs/CTMs are considered to be precursors of metastases, ctcRbase also collected the expression data of primary tumors and metastases, which allows user to discover a unique ‘circulating tumor cell gene signature’ that is distinct from primary tumor and metastases. An easy-to-use database was constructed to query and browse CTCs/CTMs genes. ctcRbase can be freely accessible at http://www.origin-gene.cn/database/ctcRbase/.