bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High beta diversity among small islands is due to environmental heterogeneity rather than ecological drift
Authors: Liu Jinliang , Vellend Mark , Wang Zuhua , Yu Mingjian
Published: July 2018

Aims

Both ecological drift and environmental heterogeneity can produce high beta diversity among communities, but only the effect of drift is expected to be enhanced in communities of small size. Few studies have explicitly tested the influence of community size on patterns of beta diversity. Here we applied a series of analyses aimed at testing the influence of drift versus environmental heterogeneity on beta diversity among tree communities on islands of variable size.

Location

Thousand Island Lake, Zhejiang Province, China.

Methods

We used data on mapped tree communities and environmental conditions for 20 small islands (<1 ha) and nine large islands (>1 ha) created via the construction of a hydroelectric dam in 1959. Beta diversity was calculated using abundance‐based multiple‐site dissimilarity based on the Bray–Curtis index. On the basis of the hypothesis of ecological drift among small islands, we tested for higher beta diversity among small than large islands using: (a) raw data (b) controlling for the number of individual sampled on a given island, and (c) controlling for the contiguous sampling area and thus for intra‐island environmental heterogeneity. We also tested the prediction that the relationship between species composition and environmental variables should be weaker on small islands using canonical correspondence analyses.

Results

Using raw data and controlling for the number of individuals, community dissimilarity was significantly greater among small islands than among large islands. However, when controlling for contiguous sampling area this difference disappeared. Contrary to the prediction based on ecological drift, the strength of overall composition–environment relationships was not significantly weaker for small islands in any of the analyses, and environmental heterogeneity increased faster with area among small islands than among large islands.

Main Conclusions

Despite a result using raw data that was consistent with the hypothesis of ecological drift, our full set of results clearly indicated the high beta diversity among small islands was more likely due to environmental heterogeneity rather than ecological drift. This result points to a clear need to control for sampling area among habitats of different size when testing for statistical signatures of drift.
Temporomandibular disorder symptoms and their association with quality of life, emotional states and sleep quality in South‐East Asian youths
Authors: Natu Vaishali P. , Yap Adrian U‐J. , Su Marilyn Huiting , Irfan Ali Noohu Mohamed , Ansari Anshad
Published: July 2018

Population studies on the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and their associations with quality of life (QoL), emotional states and sleep quality in South‐East Asian youths are not available. This cross‐sectional study assessed the presence of TMD and their relationships to QoL, depression, anxiety, stress and sleep quality in a cohort of South‐East Asian adolescents/young adults. Three hundred and sixty‐two students from a polytechnic were enrolled in the study and completed an online questionnaire consisting of the Fonesca's Anamnestic Index (FAI), Oral Health Impact Profile for TMD (OHIP‐TMD), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales‐21 (DASS‐21) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The FAI appraises TMD severity while OHIP‐TMD determines the effect of TMD on oral health‐related QoL. Statistical analysis was performed using chi‐square test for categorical data whilst one‐way ANOVA/post hoc Bonferroni's tests were employed for numerical scores (P < 0.05). Of the 244 participants who completed the questionnaires in their entirety (37 males; 207 females, mean age 20.1 ± 3.2 years), 32.4% had mild TMD, 9.4% had moderate TMD and 58.2% were TMD free. The total prevalence of TMD was 41.8% (n = 102) and most OHIP‐TMD domains including functional limitation (P = 0.000), physical pain (P = 0.000), handicapped (P = 0.000) and psychological discomfort (P = 0.001) showed significant differences in mean scores depending on TMD severity. A similar trend was observed for DASS‐21. The majority of participants with TMD (69.6%; n = 71) had poor sleep quality (P = 0.004). TMD appear to be prevalent in South‐East Asian youths with varying severity. Severity of TMD had some bearing on QoL, emotional states as well as sleep quality.
I am the chosen one: Narcissism in the backdrop of self‐determination theory
Authors: Sedikides Constantine , Ntoumanis Nikos , Sheldon Kennon M.
Published: July 2018

Objective

This theoretical article discusses the relevance of self‐determination theory (SDT) for narcissism, a classic topic in self‐theory.

Method and Results

The trait of narcissism reflects a self‐aggrandizing, dominant, and manipulative interpersonal orientation that feeds on exaggerated perceptions of agency, but not communion. The article embeds narcissism in the five mini‐theories of SDT (organismic integration, causality orientations, basic needs, cognitive evaluation, and goal contents) and considers research directions that can explore synergies between key constructs from SDT and narcissism.

Conclusions

SDT can serve as a foundation for a deeper understanding of narcissism. From the other end, narcissism can enrich SDT by explaining variations in motivational processes.
The imbroglio of the physiological Cra effector clarified at last
Authors: Chavarría Max , de Lorenzo Víctor
Published: July 2018

Owing to its role in controlling carbon and energy metabolism, the catabolite repressor/activator protein Cra has been one of the most studied prokaryotic regulators of the last 30 years. Yet, a key mechanistic detail of its biological function – i.e. the nature of the metabolic effector that rules its DNA‐binding ability – has remained controversial. Despite the high affinity of Cra for fructose‐1‐phosphate (F1P), the prevailing view claimed that fructose‐1,6‐biphosphate (FBP) was the key physiological effector. Building on such responsiveness to FBP, Cra was proposed to act as a glycolytic flux sensor and central regulator of critical metabolic transactions. At the same time, data raised on the Cra protein of Pseudomonas putida ruled out that FBP could be an effector – but instead suggested that it was the unintentional carrier of a small contamination by F1P, the actual signal molecule. While these data on the P. putida Cra were received with skepticism – if not dismissal – by the community of the time, the paper by (Bley‐Folly et al, 2018) now demonstrates beyond any reasonable doubt that the one and only effector of E. coli Cra is F1P and that every action of FBP on this regulator can be traced to its systematic mix with the authentic binder.
Malaria in pregnancy shapes the development of foetal and infant immunity
Authors: Harrington Whitney E. , Kakuru Abel , Jagannathan Prasanna
Published: July 2018

Malaria, particularly Plasmodium falciparum, continues to disproportionately affect pregnant women. In addition to the profoundly deleterious impact of maternal malaria on the health of the mother and foetus, malaria infection in pregnancy has been shown to affect the development of the foetal and infant immune system and may alter the risk of malaria and nonmalarial outcomes during infancy. This review summarizes our current understanding of how malaria infection in pregnancy shapes the protective components of the maternal immune system transferred to the foetus and how foetal exposure to parasite antigens impacts the development of foetal and infant immunity. It also reviews existing evidence linking malaria infection in pregnancy to malaria and nonmalarial outcomes in infancy and how preventing malaria in pregnancy may alter these outcomes. A better understanding of the consequences of malaria infection in pregnancy on the development of foetal and infant immunity will inform control strategies, including intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy and vaccine development.
Male morphotypes and alternative mating tactics in freshwater prawns of the genus Macrobrachium: a review
Authors: Karplus Ilan , Barki Assaf
Published: July 2018

The discontinuous variation in male mating behaviour is termed alternative mating tactics. A distinction is commonly made between alternative mating tactics that are fixed for life or flexible with simultaneous or sequential switches between tactics over the sexually mature life. Freshwater species of the genus Macrobrachium demonstrate flexible tactics with sequential (i.e. developmental) switch between tactics. Sexually mature populations of the commercially important giant freshwater prawn M. rosenbergii consist of three morphologically and behaviourally distinct male morphotypes: small males, orange claw and blue claw males, representing (respectively) successive stages in the developmental pathway of sexually mature males. The dominant blue claw males secure mating by guarding receptive soft‐shelled females with their long chelipeds while the subordinate SM use an alternative tactic of sneak mating to fertilize females. Current knowledge of the mating behaviour and reproductive success of these male morphotypes, including male competition over females, female mate choice and the involvement of pheromones, is reviewed. So far, the occurrence of distinct sexually mature male morphotypes has been described in 24 species within the genus Macrobrachium. The prevalence of distinct male morphotypes and alternative mating tactics among Macrobrachium species is discussed in view of the phylogeny of the genus, based on molecular markers. The environmental and genetic determination of the male morphotypes is discussed, as well as the evolution of the developmental alternative mating tactics in the genus Macrobrachium. Possible implications for prawns’ aquaculture and future research are suggested.
Parental socialization of positive affect, adolescent positive affect regulation, and adolescent girls’ depression in India
Authors: Raval Vaishali V. , Luebbe Aaron M. , Sathiyaseelan Anuradha
Published: July 2018

An emerging body of research shows that parental socialization of positive affect (PA) is implicated in youth functioning, although most evidence comes from Western countries. In this study, focusing on adolescent girls in India, we examined associations among reports of parents’ responses to adolescent PA, adolescent PA regulation, and adolescent depression. A total of 238 adolescent girls (13–18 years) and one of their parents (54% mothers) were recruited. Participants completed questionnaires at the beginning of the school year (time 1) and five months later (time 2). At the bivariate level, parents’ dampening and adolescent girls’ dampening responses were each associated concurrently with adolescent depression at time 1. However, there were no significant direct associations between time 1 parents’ dampening or enhancing responses and time 2 adolescent girls’ depression (after controlling for time 1 depression). Using half‐longitudinal models, a significant indirect effect was found from parental dampening of PA to increased adolescent depression via adolescent girls’ own increased dampening. No indirect effect was found from parental enhancing to adolescent depression via adolescent girls’ increased positive rumination. These findings are the first to demonstrate the relevance of PA socialization for girls in a non‐Western culture.
High field magnetic resonance imaging anatomy of feline carpal ligaments is comparable to plastinated specimen anatomy
Authors: Basa Rachel M. , Podadera Juan M. , Burland Gavin , Johnson Kenneth A.
Published: July 2018

Feline carpal ligament injuries are often diagnosed indirectly using palpation and stress radiography to detect whether there is instability and widening of joint spaces. There are currently no reports describing normal feline carpal ligament anatomy and the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearance of the carpal ligaments. The objective of this prospective, anatomic study was to describe normal feline carpal ligament anatomy using gross plastinated specimens and MRI. We hypothesized that MRI could be used to identify the carpal ligaments as previously described in the dog, and to identify species specific variations in the cat. The study was conducted using feline cadaver antebrachii that were radiographed prior to study inclusion. Three limbs were selected for MRI to confirm repeatability of anatomy between cats. The proton density weighted pulse sequence was used and images were acquired in transverse, dorsal, and sagittal planes. Following MRI, the limbs were plastinated and a collagen stain was used to aid in identification of carpal ligament anatomy. These limbs were sliced in sagittal section, and a further six paired limbs were included in the study and sliced in transverse and dorsal planes. Anatomic structures were initially described using MRI and then subjectively compared with gross plastinated specimens. Readers considered the transverse MRI plane to be most useful for visualizing the majority of the carpal ligaments. Findings indicated that MRI anatomy of the carpal ligaments was comparable to plastinated anatomy; therefore MRI appears to be a beneficial imaging modality for exploration of feline carpal pathology.
You Could Have Just Asked: The Perception of Motivations to Play Violent Video Games
Authors: Kneer Julia , Jacobs Ruud , Ferguson Christopher J
Published: July 2018

Recent research has found that age and playing experience moderates people’s opinions regarding video games’ negative effects while the perception of the cause of game play – game play motivation – was not considered so far. This study investigated how age and playing expertise influence perceived game play motivations. A survey was performed on a sample of mixed age (N = 374). Categories found for perceived playing motivations for violent video games were: virtual aggression, fun/challenge, catharsis, boredom, and social. Fun/challenge was found to be the main motivations for both, non-players and players. However, age positively and playing experience negatively predicted the importance of the perceived motivation virtual aggression while the opposite pattern was found for fun/challenge. The discussion focuses on: 1.) How we should deal with such in- and out-group perceptions in game studies, 2.) how beliefs about player motivations influence further perceptions, and 3.) the necessity of understanding how society’s perception of games can influence game science itself.
The vanishing cycles of curves in toric surfaces I
Authors: Crétois Rémi , Lang Lionel
Published: July 2018

This article is the first in a series of two in which we study the vanishing cycles of curves in toric surfaces. We give a list of possible obstructions to contract vanishing cycles within a given complete linear system. Using tropical means, we show that any non-separating simple closed curve is a vanishing cycle whenever none of the listed obstructions appears.
Stress-Blended Eddy Simulation of Coherent Unsteadiness in Pressure Side Film Cooling Applied to a First Stage Turbine Vane
Authors: Ravelli Silvia , Barigozzi Giovanna
Published: July 2018

Within the framework of scale resolving simulation techniques, this paper considers the application of the stress-blended eddy simulation (SBES) model to pressure side (PS) film cooling in a high-pressure turbine nozzle guide vane. The cooling geometry exhibits two rows of film cooling holes and a trailing edge cutback, fed by the same plenum chamber. The blowing conditions investigated were in the range of coolant-to-mainstream mass flow ratio (MFR) from 1% to 2%. The flow regime resembles that in a real engine (exit isentropic Mach number of Ma2is = 0.6), but also low speed conditions (Ma2is = 0.2) were considered for comparison purposes. The predicted results were validated with measurements of surface adiabatic effectiveness and instantaneous off-wall visualizations of the flow field downstream of cooling holes and cutback slot. The focus is on SBES ability of developing shear layer structures, because of their strong influence on velocity field, entrainment mechanisms and, thus, vane surface temperature. Special attention has been paid to the development and dynamics of coherent unsteadiness, since measured values of shedding frequency were also available for validation. SBES provided significant improvement in capturing the unsteady physics of cooling jet-mainstream interaction. The effects of changes in flow regime and blowing conditions on vortex structures were well predicted along the cutback surface. As regards the cooling holes, the high speed condition made it difficult to match the experimental Kelvin–Helmholtz breakdown in the shear layer, in the case of high velocity jets.
Effects of Hall Current and Chemical Reaction on Magnetohydrodynamics Unsteady Heat and Mass Transfer of Casson Nanofluid Flow Through a Vertical Plate
Authors: Biswas Rajib , Ahmmed Sarder Firoz
Published: July 2018

In this paper, we have reported the effects of Hall current on magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) unsteady heat and mass transfer of Casson nanofluid flow through a vertical plate in the presence of radiation and chemical reaction. The model equations have been used for the Casson nanofluid and they include the effects of thermophoresis and Brownian motion. Then, the obtained model equations have been transformed into nondimensional form by the usual mathematical procedure of transformation and the resultant nondimensional couple of partial differential equations are solved by explicit finite difference technique. Then, the obtained results are plotted after stability test by using the graphical software tecplot-9 and these results indicate the fluid flow, temperature, and concentration distributions which are significantly invaded by the variation of different dimensionless parameters such as magnetic parameter, Schmidt number, thermal Grashof number, Lewis number, Prandtl number, mass Grashof number, Dufour number, thermophoresis parameter, Brownian motion parameter, chemical reaction, and radiation parameter on velocity, temperature, and concentration along with the skin friction coefficient, Nusselt number, and Sherwood number. Further, the results have been discussed also with the help of graphs. Furthermore, it is observed that with the increase of the Casson parameter, velocity puts down, whereas by increasing the heat generation parameter, the temperature profiles are decreased.
Many-Particle Thermal Invisibility and Diode From Effective Media
Authors: Shang Jin , Jiang Chaoran , Xu Liujun , Huang Jiping
Published: July 2018

Invisibility has recently been achieved in optics, electromagnetics, acoustics, thermotics, fluid mechanics, and quantum mechanics; it was realized through a properly designed cloak structure with unconventional (anisotropic, inhomogeneous, and singular) material parameters, which limit practical applications. Here, we show, directly from the solution of Laplace's equation, that two or more conventional (isotropic, homogeneous, and nonsingular) materials can be made thermally invisible by tailoring the many-particle local-field effects. Our many-particle thermal invisibility essentially serves as a new class of invisibility with a mechanism fundamentally differing from that of the prevailing cloaking-type invisibility. We confirm it in simulation and experiment. As an application, the concept of many-particle thermal invisibility helps us propose a class of many-particle thermal diodes: the diodes allow heat conduction from one direction with invisibility, but prohibit the heat conduction from the inverse direction with visibility. This work reveals a different mechanism for thermal camouflage and thermal rectification by using composites, and it also suggests that besides thermotics, many-particle local-field effects can be a convenient and effective mechanism for achieving similar controls in other fields, e.g., optics, electromagnetics, acoustics, and fluid mechanics.
Inverse Estimation of Thermal Properties in a Semitransparent Graded Index Medium With Radiation-Conduction Heat Transfer
Authors: Khayyam Sina , Hosseini Sarvari S. M.
Published: July 2018

An inverse radiation-conduction analysis is performed for simultaneous estimation of the thermal properties in an absorbing, emitting, and linear-anisotropically scattering medium with spatially variable refractive index. The discrete ordinates method in conjugation with finite volume method is adopted to solve the direct problem. The conjugate gradient method (CGM) is employed to simultaneously estimate the conduction-radiation parameter, optical thickness, single scattering albedo, scattering phase function, and the wall emissivities from the knowledge of the exit radiation intensities over the boundaries. The effects of these parameters and the measurement errors on the precision of the inverse analysis are investigated. Results show that the proposed inverse approach can successfully retrieve the unknown parameters for different refractive index profiles.
Experimental Study on Construction of a Newly Supersonic Oven With Liquid Lithium
Authors: Huang Chuanfu
Published: July 2018

The seeded supersonic oven originally used to produce sodium clusters was incapable for lithium clusters that should be produced at higher temperatures. Ultimately, we designed a new compact stainless steel (SS) oven with thicker walls and constructed two molybdenum alloy (TZM) heaters for this new oven. The newly designed SS oven and heaters have been tested with liquid lithium, and the tested results demonstrated they can successfully work at ∼1000 °C, and a deposition layer of lithium was observed.
A Symplectic Analytical Singular Element for Steady-State Thermal Conduction With Singularities in Anisotropic Material
Authors: Hu X. F. , Yao W. A. , Yang S. T.
Published: July 2018

Modeling of steady-state thermal conduction for crack and v-notch in anisotropic material remains challenging. Conventional numerical methods could bring significant error and the analytical solution should be used to improve the accuracy. In this study, crack and v-notch in anisotropic material are studied. The analytical symplectic eigen solutions are obtained for the first time and used to construct a new symplectic analytical singular element (SASE). The shape functions of the SASE are defined by the obtained eigen solutions (including higher order terms), hence the temperature as well as heat flux fields around the crack/notch tip can be described accurately. The formulation of the stiffness matrix of the SASE is then derived based on a variational principle with two kinds of variables. The nodal variable is transformed into temperature such that the proposed SASE can be connected with conventional finite elements (FE) directly without transition element. Structures of complex geometries and complicated boundary conditions can be analyzed numerically. The generalized flux intensity factors (GFIFs) can be calculated directly without any postprocessing. A few numerical examples are worked out and it is proven that the proposed method is effective for the discussed problem, and the structure can be analyzed accurately and efficiently.
Validation of Puncture Simulations of Railroad Tank Cars Using Full-Scale Impact Test Data
Authors: Carolan Michael , Perlman Benjamin , González Francisco
Published: July 2018

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has sponsored a series of full-scale dynamic shell impact tests to railroad tank cars. Currently, there are no required finite element (FE) model validation criteria or procedures in the field of railroad tank car puncture testing and simulation. Within the shell impact testing program sponsored by FRA, comparisons made between test measurements and simulation results have included the overall force-time or force-indentation histories, the puncture/non-puncture outcomes, the rigid body motions of the tank car, the internal pressures within the lading, and the energy absorbed by the tank during the impact. While qualitative comparisons (e.g. the shapes of the indentation) and quantitative comparisons (e.g. peak impact forces) have been made between tests and simulations, there are currently no requirements or guidelines on which specific behaviors should be compared, or what measurable level of agreement would be acceptable demonstration of model validation.

It is desirable that a framework for model validation, including well-defined criteria for comparison, be developed or adopted if simulation is to be used without companion shell impact testing for future tank car development. One of the challenges to developing model validation criteria and procedures for tank car shell puncture is the number of complex behaviors encountered in this problem, and the variety of approaches that could be used in simulating these behaviors. The FE models used to simulate tank car shell impacts include several complex behaviors, each of which can introduce uncertainty into the overall response of the model. These behaviors include dynamic impacts, non-linear steel material behavior, including ductile tearing, two-phase (water and air) fluid-structure interaction, and contact between rigid and deformable bodies.

Several candidate qualitative and quantitative comparisons of test measurements and simulations results are discussed in this paper. They are applied to two recently-completed shell impact tests of railroad tank cars sponsored by FRA. For each test, companion FE simulation was performed by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center. The process of FE model development, including material characterization, is discussed in detail for each FE model. For each test, the test objectives, procedures, and key instrumentation are summarized. For each set of test and simulations, several corresponding results are compared between the test measurements and the simulation results. Additionally, this paper includes discussion of approaches to model validation employed in other industries or areas of transportation where similar modeling aspects have been encountered.
More than 40 years of excellence: the outstanding contribution of the South African Edward A. Ueckermann to acarology
Authors: Theron P.D. , Moraes Gilberto
Published: July 2018

Great contribution to acarology has been provided by the South African taxonomist Edward A. Ueckermann, for the knowledge of mites of his country and of several other countries. His major contribution for more than 40 years concerns predaceous and phytophagous mites of many different families. He has conducted collaborative works with researchers from different countries, including Cape Verde, Marion and Reunion Islands, Israel, Kenya, Egypt, Zambia, Zimbabwe, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Brazil, Iran and USA. In addition, he has trained researchers and students of different countries in his specialty. More than 240 new species and 23 new genera were described by him, in more than 212 high quality scientific papers. His contribution has been recently recognized by the South Africa National Research Foundation, entitling him to receive incentive funding. Despite retiring in January 2016, he continues to participate in research activities in full professional capacity, collaborating with researchers from South Africa and elsewhere.
Recognizing high impact in acarological research
Authors: Zhang Zhi-Qiang
Published: July 2018

The impact factor for Systematic and Applied Acarology (SAA) in 2017 was announced in the latest release (June 2018) of Journal Citation Reports (JCR) from Clarivate Analytics. I take this opportunity to comment on the growth of SAA’s impact factor and recognize the top 10 most highly cited papers that contributed greatly it. I also introduce the James Allen McMurtry Award, recently instituted by the Systematic and Applied Acarology Society to recognize acarologists who have made outstanding contributions to systematic and/or applied acarology.
Parallelized microfluidic diatom accumulation assay to test fouling-release coatings
Authors: Nolte Kim Alexander , Schwarze Jana , Beyer Cindy Denise , Özcan Onur , Rosenhahn Axel
Published: July 2018

Assessing the efficiency of the next generation of protective marine coatings is highly relevant for their optimization. In this paper, a parallelized microfluidic testing device is presented to quantify the accumulation of a model organism (Navicula perminuta) under constant laminar flow. Using automated microscopy in conjunction with image analysis, the adhesion densities on the tested surfaces could be determined after exposure to a flow of suspended algae for 90 min. The optimized protocol for the assay is presented, and the reproducibility of the densities of attached diatoms was verified on four identical surfaces (self-assembled dodecanethiol monolayers). A set of well-characterized self-assembled monolayers with different chemical terminations was used to validate the performance of the assay and its capability to discriminate diatom accumulation on different surface chemistries under dynamic conditions. The observed trends are in good agreement with previously published results obtained in single channel accumulation and detachment assays. To demonstrate the practical relevance of the dynamic experiment, diatom attachment on four technically relevant silicone coatings with different fouling-release properties could clearly be distinguished.
Effect of varying plasma properties on III-nitride film growth by plasma enhanced atomic layer epitaxy
Authors: Boris David R. , Anderson Virginia R. , Nepal Neeraj , Johnson Scooter D. , Robinson Zachary R. , Kozen Alexander C. , Eddy Charles R. , Walton Scott G.
Published: July 2018

Plasma enhanced atomic layer epitaxy (PEALE) is a layer-by-layer crystalline growth technique that is based on a pair of self-terminating and self-limiting gas-surface half-reactions, in which at least one half-reaction involves species from a plasma. The inclusion of plasma generally offers the benefit of substantially reduced growth temperatures and greater flexibility in tailoring the gas-phase chemistry to produce varying film characteristics. The benefits plasmas provide come at the cost of a complex array of process variables that often challenge the ability to predict, a priori, the influence of any one input parameter. This work focuses on the use of plasma diagnostics to inform the choice of process conditions for PEALE. Optical emission spectroscopy in the plasma source and charged particle collectors at the substrate are employed to characterize a Fiji 200 (Veeco) deposition tool. In particular, the authors assess the total ion flux reaching the substrate surface and the relative fractions of atomic and molecular species generated in the plasma source under a variety of gas input flow fractions (Ar/N2 and Ar/N2/H2) used in the PEALE growth of AlN and InN films. Changes in plasma parameters are then linked with changes in film characteristics.
Dark and photo-induced charge transport across molecular spacers
Authors: Kantor-Uriel Nirit , Roy Partha , Lerman Keti , Sukenik Chaim N. , Cohen Hagai
Published: July 2018

Dithiol self-assembled molecular layers (SAMs) are exploited as controllable spacers between CdSe light absorbers and a gold collector. Using two sets of molecules, alkanes with different chain lengths and biphenyl derivatives with varied conjugation, the charge transport across corresponding SAMs is investigated by chemically resolved electrical measurements and photoluminescence (PL). Complementarity is found between the photovoltage and the PL intensity as a function of spacer thickness. However, it is not obeyed for varied conjugation, a feature shown to arise from reduced charge selectivity in the transport efficiencies. Interplay between dark and photo-induced mechanisms are revealed, where the emergence of charge traps by itself becomes spacer dependent via a remote effect of the substrate on surface chemical activity.
Delay-induced low-frequency modulation of the voice during sustained phonation
Authors: Brajot François-Xavier , Lawrence Douglas
Published: July 2018

An important property of negative feedback systems is the tendency to oscillate when feedback is delayed. This paper evaluated this phenomenon in a sustained phonation task, where subjects prolonged a vowel with 0–600 ms delays in auditory feedback. This resulted in a delay-dependent vocal wow: from 0.4 to 1 Hz fluctuations in fundamental frequency and intensity that increased in period and amplitude as the delay increased. A similar modulation in low-frequency oscillations was not observed in the first two formant frequencies, although some subjects did display increased variability. Results suggest that delayed auditory feedback enhances an existing periodic fluctuation in the voice, with a more complex, possibly indirect, influence on supraglottal articulation. These findings have important implications for understanding how speech may be affected by artificially applied or disease-based delays in sensory feedback.
A network approach to topic models
Authors: Gerlach Martin , Peixoto Tiago P. , Altmann Eduardo G.
Published: July 2018

A new approach to topic models finds topics through community detection in word-document networks.
Religious change preceded economic change in the 20th century
Authors: Ruck Damian J. , Bentley R. Alexander , Lawson Daniel J.
Published: July 2018

Religious change predicted economic change in the 20th century, across the world.
Autonomous task sequencing in a robot swarm
Authors: Garattoni Lorenzo , Birattari Mauro
Published: July 2018

In a robot swarm, the ability to collectively sequence tasks can emerge from the interaction of reactive individual robots.
Antibody blockade of IL-15 signaling has the potential to durably reverse vitiligo
Authors: Richmond Jillian M. , Strassner James P. , Zapata Lucio , Garg Madhuri , Riding Rebecca L. , Refat Maggi A. , Fan Xueli , Azzolino Vincent , Tovar-Garza Andrea , Tsurushita Naoya , Pandya Amit G. , Tso J. Yun , Harris John E.
Published: July 2018

Human and mouse resident memory T cells are present in vitiligo lesions, and blocking IL-15 signaling provides long-lasting reversal of disease in a mouse model of vitiligo.
MHC proteins confer differential sensitivity to CTLA-4 and PD-1 blockade in untreated metastatic melanoma
Authors: Rodig Scott J. , Gusenleitner Daniel , Jackson Donald G. , Gjini Evisa , Giobbie-Hurder Anita , Jin Chelsea , Chang Han , Lovitch Scott B. , Horak Christine , Weber Jeffrey S. , Weirather Jason L. , Wolchok Jedd D. , Postow Michael A. , Pavlick Anna C. , Chesney Jason , Hodi F. Stephen
Published: July 2018

Loss of membrane MHC class I protein expression in most of tumor cells in advanced melanomas predicts primary resistance to anti–CTLA-4, but not anti-PD1, treatment.
Selective neuronal silencing using synthetic botulinum molecules alleviates chronic pain in mice
Authors: Maiarù Maria , Leese Charlotte , Certo Michelangelo , Echeverria-Altuna Irene , Mangione Antonina S. , Arsenault Jason , Davletov Bazbek , Hunt Stephen P.
Published: July 2018

Silencing key neurons with botulinum toxin conjugates exerts long-lasting pain relief in mouse models of chronic pain.
Play it again, Mom: How babies recognize melodies
Authors: Jones Rebecca M.
Published: July 2018

Playing familiar songs during sleep increased hippocampal activation in toddlers.
Re-engineering the heart with the correct components
Authors: Lavine Kory
Published: July 2018

Modulation of retinoic acid signaling generates atrial versus ventricular cardiomyocytes from human induced pluripotent stem cells.
A bullet against gallbladder cancer
Authors: Yang Ming
Published: July 2018

ERBB2/3
mutations in gallbladder cancer are associated with immunosuppression and aggressive tumor development and can be targeted by
ERBB2/3
inhibitors.
Relative Contribution of the ABC Transporters Cdr1, Pdh1, and Snq2 to Azole Resistance in Candida glabrata
Authors: Whaley Sarah G. , Zhang Qing , Caudle Kelly E. , Rogers P. David
Published: July 2018

The utility of the azole antifungals for the treatment of invasive candidiasis is severely hampered by azole resistance in
Candida glabrata
. This resistance is mediated almost exclusively by activating mutations in the zinc cluster transcription factor Pdr1, which controls the genes encoding the multidrug resistance transporters Cdr1, Pdh1, and Snq2.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis Lipoprotein and Lipoglycan Binding to Toll-Like Receptor 2 Correlates with Agonist Activity and Functional Outcomes
Authors: Shukla Supriya , Richardson Edward T. , Drage Michael G. , Boom W. Henry , Harding Clifford V.
Published: July 2018

Mycobacterium tuberculosiscauses persistent infection due to its ability to evade host immune responses.M. tuberculosisinduces Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) signaling, which influences immune responses toM. tuberculosis.
Analysis of Complement-Mediated Lysis of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) and SIV-Infected Cells Reveals Sex Differences in Vaccine-Induced Immune Responses in Rhesus Macaques
Authors: Miller-Novak Leia K. , Das Jishnu , Musich Thomas A. , Demberg Thorsten , Weiner Joshua A. , Venzon David J. , Mohanram Venkatramanan , Vargas-Inchaustegui Diego A. , Tuero Iskra , Ackerman Margaret E. , Alter Galit , Robert-Guroff Marjorie
Published: July 2018

An HIV vaccine would thwart the spread of HIV infection and save millions of lives. Unfortunately, the immune responses conferring universal protection from HIV infection are poorly defined. The innate immune system, including the complement system, is an evolutionarily conserved, basic means of protection from infection. Complement can prevent infection by directly lysing incoming pathogens. We found that vaccination against SIV in rhesus macaques induces antibodies that are capable of directing complement lysis of SIV and SIV-infected cells in both sexes. We also found sex differences in vaccine-induced antibody species and their functions. Overall, our data suggest that sex affects vaccine-induced antibody characteristics and function and that males and females might require different immune responses to protect against HIV infection. This information could be used to generate highly effective HIV vaccines for both sexes in the future.
Draft Genome Sequence of a Tetracycline-Resistant Plesiomonas shigelloides Strain Isolated from Aquaculture-Reared Tilapia
Authors: Martins Ana F. M. , Fontana Herrison , Moreira Beatriz M. , Bonelli Raquel R.
Published: July 2018

We hereby present the 3.7-Mb draft genome sequence of
Plesiomonas shigelloides
strain FM82, isolated from a tilapia (
Oreochromis niloticus
) reared in a fish farm in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
P. shigelloides
strain FM82 carries antimicrobial resistance, biofilm, and CRISPR-related genes.
Distinct clinical characteristics of paraneoplastic optic neuropathy
Authors: Xu Quangang , Du Wenjuan , Zhou Huanfen , Zhang Xin , Liu Hongjuan , Song Honglu , Wang Xueqiong , Wei Shihui
Published: July 2018

Objective

Paraneoplastic optic neuropathy (PON) is relatively uncommon, and the visual outcomes and prognosis of this disease have not been well documented. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features and prognosis of antibody-mediated PON.

Methods

Clinical data were retrospectively collected from hospitalised patients diagnosed with PON at the Neuro-Ophthalmology Department at the Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital from January 2015 to June 2017.

Results

A total of seven patients (four females and three males, 13 involved eyes) were included with a mean age of 56.28±11.32 years (36–70 years). Simultaneous or early sequential bilateral eye involvement (5/7, 71.4%) was common in the patients with PON. Severe vision loss (≤0.1) was seen in 76.9% (10/13) of the eyes. There were 13 eyes in the acute phase of the disease, and six eyes presented with optic disc oedema. All patients had definite evidence of paraneoplastic-associated antibodies (three with serum positive for antiamphilphysin, one for anti-PNMA2 (Ma2/Ta), one for anti-Yo, one for anti-Ma2 and one for anti-CV2). All of the serum samples were negative for myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody and two patients companied with seropositive for the aquaporin-4 antibody. Five patients had history of primary malignancy, including thyroid cancer, type B thymoma, testicular seminoma, cervical cancer and lung carcinoma. Two patients had positive paraneoplastic syndrome antibodies (anti-Yo and antiamphiphysin), but the solid tumour had not been found through a PET scan. Visual acuity in 9/13 (69.2%) eyes was below 0.1, and all of the patients survived to the follow-up with no metastatic lesions.

Conclusions

PON is relative rare, with a predominance of bilateral involvement and more with a poor visual prognosis. Paraneoplastic antibody testing can contribute to the diagnosis of PON, distinct from other types of optic neuropathies, which can help doctors to find the primary cancer earlier to guide further treatment.
Ocular preservation with neoadjuvant vismodegib in patients with locally advanced periocular basal cell carcinoma
Authors: Sagiv Oded , Nagarajan Priyadharsini , Ferrarotto Renata , Kandl Thomas J , Thakar Sudip D , Glisson Bonnie S , Altan Mehmet , Esmaeli Bita
Published: July 2018

Background/Aims

Locally advanced (T4 per American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition) periocular basal cell carcinoma (BCC) can lead to loss of the eye. We report the neoadjuvant use of vismodegib followed by surgery in patients with such lesions with eye preservation as primary goal.

Methods

This retrospective interventional study includes all patients with a T4 periocular BCC (per 8th edition AJCC for eyelid carcinoma) treated by the senior author between 2013 and 2017 with neoadjuvant vismodegib prior to definitive surgery.

Results

Eight patients had a T4 tumour. Six patients presented with recurrent disease. Indications for neoadjuvant treatment were an unresectable tumour in one patient, an attempt to avoid an orbital exenteration in six patients and an attempt to avoid disfiguring facial surgery in one patient. Patients were treated for a median of 14 months (range: 4–36 months). All patients underwent an eye-sparing surgery following neoadjuvant vismodegib and all final surgical margins were negative for tumour. Five patients had a complete response to vismodegib with no microscopic residual BCC found during surgery; three patients had a significant partial response with residual tumour found on pathology. At last follow-up, a mean of 18 (range: 6–43) months after surgery, all patients were off-vismodegib and alive without evidence of disease.

Conclusions

Neoadjuvant vismodegib for locally advanced (T4) periocular BCC enabled an eye-sparing surgery in all patients in our cohort. Prolonged treatment was well tolerated by most patients. Over half of patients achieved a complete response with no residual microscopic disease. Careful long-term follow-up is needed to confirm long-term disease-free survival.
Keratoprostheses in silicone oil-filled eyes: long-term outcomes
Authors: Iyer Geetha , Srinivasan Bhaskar , Agarwal Shweta , Pattanaik Ruchika , Rishi Ekta , Rishi Pukhraj , Shanmugasundaram Shanmugasundaram , Natarajan Viswanathan
Published: July 2018

Purpose

To analyse the functional and anatomical outcomes of different types of keratoprostheses in eyes with retained silicone oil following vitreoretinal surgery.

Methods

Retrospective chart review of patients operated with any type of permanent keratoprosthesis (Kpro) in silicone oil-filled eyes between March 2003 and June 2017 were analysed.

Results

40 silicone oil-filled eyes underwent keratoprostheses, of which 22 were type 1 and 18 were type 2 Kpros (Lucia variant—nine, modified osteo odonto kerato prosthesis (MOOKP)—four, Boston type 2—three and osteoKpro—two) with a mean follow-up of 61.54 , 42.77, 45.25 , 25 and 37 months, respectively. Anatomic retention of the primary Kpro was noted in 33 eyes (82.5%). A best-corrected visual acuity of better than 20/200 and 20/400 was achieved in 26 (65%)+32 (80%) eyes. Retroprosthetic membrane (RPM) was the most common complication noted in 17 eyes (42.5%). Perioptic graft melt was noted in 4 of 22 eyes of the type 1 Kpro (2 (10.5%) without associated ocular surface disorder (OSD)) and in 1 eye each of Boston and Lucia type 2 Kpro. Laminar resorption occurred in one eye each of the MOOKP and OKP groups. Endophthalmitis and glaucoma did not occur in any eye.

Conclusion

Appropriately chosen keratoprosthesis is a viable option for visual rehabilitation in eyes post vitreoretinal surgery with retained silicone oil-induced keratopathy not amenable to conventional penetrating keratoplasty. Kpro melt among type 1 Kpro did not occur in 89.5% eyes without associated OSD (19 of 22 eyes), despite the lack of aqueous humour and presence of RPM (4 eyes), two factors considered to play a significant role in the causation of sterile melts. Of interest to note was the absence of infection in any of these eyes. The possible protective role of oil from endophthalmitis is interesting, though yet to be ascertained.
Gender, stressful life events and interactions with sleep: a systematic review of determinants of adiposity in young people
Authors: Conklin Annalijn I , Guo Sherry XR , Tam Alexander CT , Richardson Christopher G
Published: July 2018

Objectives

Overweight and obesity among young people are high and rising. Social stressors and sleep are independently associated with obesity, but are rarely studied together or examined for gender-specific effects. The literature regarding adolescent populations is especially lacking. This review assesses whether experiencing stressful life events results in greater adiposity in young women and young men compared with those who do not experience stressful life events, and whether the relationship is modified by sleep problems.

Design

We systematically searched six bibliometric databases (Web of Science, Embase Ovid, PsycINFO, CINHAL, PubMed, ProQuest Dissertations) supplemented by hand searches. Longitudinal prospective studies or reviews were eligible for inclusion when they examined gender-specific changes in adiposity in young adults (age 13–18 years) as a function of stressful life event alone or in combination with sleep problems.

Results

We found one study eligible for inclusion reporting mixed impact of stressful life events on body mass index (BMI) between genders. The study assessed specific life events and showed significantly lower BMI at follow-up among young men who experienced a residence change, but significantly higher BMI among young women who experienced setting up a family and who reported internal locus of control.

Conclusions

Despite ample research on social stressors or sleep problems and weight, we still know little about the role of stressful life events, or combined effects with sleep, on obesity risk in adolescents from a gender perspective. Existing evidence suggests specific life events affect weight differently between the genders. Robust, high-quality longitudinal studies to decipher this dual burden on obesity during adolescence should be prioritised, as firm conclusions remain elusive.