bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of bacteriological pollution and the detection of antibiotic resistance genes of prevailing bacteria emanating from pig farm seepage
Authors: Matjuda Dikonketso Shirley‐may , Aiyegoro Olayinka Ayobami
Published: November 2018

Management and disposal of pig farm seepage constitute a serious environmental challenge, and seepage discharge from agricultural waste‐water is considered to be one of the greatest contributors of organic substances, bacterial pathogens, and antibiotic resistance genes into the environment. The objectives of this study were to assess the level of bacteriological pollution and to identify the resident antibiotic‐resistant genes of culturable bacteria from a studied pig farm seepage. Enumeration of the viable bacterial cell of plated bacteria suspensions (10−1 to 10−8 cfu/mL) was performed; also, identification of pure bacterial colonies was done using an API 20E bacterial identification kit. CLSI guidelines for antimicrobial susceptibility testing were adopted to determine the antibiotic susceptibility/resistance of the cultured bacterial isolates. Identification of resident‐resistant genes was done using molecular biology procedures. The results on viable cells in seepage samples ranged from 4.30 × 102 to 1.29 × 109 cfu/mL. Pseudomonas luteola, Enterococcus vulneris, Salmonella choleraesuis spp arizonae, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Proteus mirabillis etc. were isolated from the pig farm soil samples. Almost all of the cultured isolates were resistant to Penicillin G, Vancomycin, Oxytetracycline, Spectinomycin, and Lincomycin. The most frequent resistant genes detected in the isolates were Van A, Van B, InuA, aph (3”)‐llla, blaTEM, Otr A, and Otr B. It was inferred from the study that Pig farm seepage has the ability to cause bacterial pollution that may negatively impact the natural environment, by introducing bacteria pathogens that harbor antibiotic‐resistant genes.
Polhemus EM tracked Micro Sensor for CT‐guided interventions
Authors: Franz Alfred M. , Seitel Alexander , Cheray Dominique , Maier‐Hein Lena
Published: November 2018

Purpose

Electromagnetic (EM) tracking is a key technology in image‐guided therapy. A new EM Micro Sensor was presented by Polhemus Inc.; it is the first to enable localization of medical instruments through their trackers. Different field generators (FGs) are available by Polhemus, one being almost as small as a sugar cube. As accuracy and robustness of tracking are known challenges to using EM trackers in clinical environments, the goal of this study was a standardized assessment of the Micro Sensor in both a laboratory (lab) and a computed tomography (CT) environment.

Methods

The Micro Sensor was assessed by means of Hummel et al.’s standardized protocol; it was assessed in conjunction with a Polhemus Liberty tracker and three FGs — with edge lengths of 1 (TX1), 2 (TX2), and 4 (TX4) inches. Precision as well as positional and rotational accuracy were determined in a lab and a CT suite. Distortions by four different metallic cylinders and tracking of two typical medical instruments — a hypodermic needle and a flexible endoscope — were also tested.

Results

A jitter of 0.02 mm or less was found for all FGs in the different environments, except for the TX2 FG for which no valid data could be obtained in the CT. Errors of 5 cm distance measurements were 0.6 mm or less for all FGs in the lab. While the distance errors of the TX1 FG were only slightly increased up to 1.6 mm in the CT, those of the TX4 FG were found to be up to around 10% of the measured distance (5.4 mm on average). The mean orientation error was found to be 0.9°/0.5°/0.1° for the TX4/TX2/TX1 FG in the lab. In the CT environment, rotation errors were in the same range: less than 1.2°/0.1° for the TX4/TX1 FG. Deviation under the presence of metallic cylinders stayed below 1 mm in most cases. Precision and orientational accuracy do not seem to be affected by instrument tracking and stayed in the same range as for the other measurements whereas distance errors were slightly increased up to 1.7 mm.

Conclusion

This study shows that accurate tracking of medical instruments is possible with the new Micro Sensor; it demonstrated a jitter of 0.01 mm or less, position errors below 2 mm, and rotation errors of less than 0.3°. As with other EM trackers, errors increase when large tracking volumes with ranges of up to 50 cm are required in clinical environments. For smaller tracking volumes with ranges of up to 15 cm, a high accuracy and robustness was found. This is interesting especially for the TX1 FG which can easily be placed in close vicinity to the region of interest.
Chemical shift assignment of mono‐ and di‐bromo triimidazo[1,2‐a:1′,2′‐c:1″,2″‐e][1,3,5]triazine derivatives by DFT/NMR integrated approach
Authors: Di Micco Simone , Giannini Clelia , Previtali Andrea , Lucenti Elena , Bifulco Giuseppe
Published: November 2018

Solid state organic compounds, endowed with enhanced emission, have been gaining great attention in the scientific community for their potential application in different areas, such as lighting technologies or bioimaging. In this field, mono‐ and di‐bromo derivatives of triimidazo[1,2‐a:1′,2′‐c:1″,2″‐e][1,3,5]triazine have been proposed as new organic molecules presenting a very rich and complex photophysical behavior. Their structures were investigated by standard 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments, but the correct structural assignment of all proton and carbon resonances was made difficult because of the lack of crucial and diagnostic long‐range correlations between quaternary carbon and proton signals. Thus, we afforded the correct chemical shift assignment by integrating the experimental data with density functional theory calculation of NMR parameters. Our findings lay foundation for a structural reference in the organic synthesis and characterization of new congeners of this intriguing class of molecules.
Intersubject specific absorption rate variability analysis through construction of 23 realistic body models for prostate imaging at 7T
Authors: Meliadò Ettore F. , van den Berg Cornelis A.T. , Luijten Peter R. , Raaijmakers Alexander J.E.
Published: November 2018

Purpose

For ultrahigh field (UHF) MRI, the expected local specific absorption rate (SAR) distribution is usually calculated by numerical simulations using a limited number of generic body models and adding a safety margin to take into account intersubject variability. Assessment of this variability with a large model database would be desirable. In this study, a procedure to create such a database with accurate subject‐specific models is presented. Using 23 models, intersubject variability is investigated for prostate imaging at 7T with an 8‐channel fractionated dipole antenna array with 16 receive loops.

Method

From Dixon images of a volunteer acquired at 1.5T with a mockup array in place, an accurate dielectric model is built. Following this procedure, 23 subject‐specific models for local SAR assessment at 7T were created enabling an extensive analysis of the intersubject B1+ and peak local SAR variability.

Results

For the investigated setup, the maximum possible peak local SAR ranges from 2.6 to 4.6 W/kg for 8 × 1 W input power. The expected peak local SAR values represent a Gaussian distribution W/kg) with realistic prostate‐shimmed phase settings and a gamma distribution Γ(24,0.09) with multidimensional radiofrequency pulses. Prostate‐shimmed phase settings are similar for all models. Using 1 generic phase setting, average B1+ reduction is 7%. Using only 1 model, the required safety margin for intersubject variability is 1.6 to 1.8.

Conclusion

The presented procedure allows for the creation of a customized model database. The results provide valuable insights into B1+ and local SAR variability. Recommended power thresholds per channel are 3.1 W with phase shimming on prostate or 2.6 W for multidimensional pulses.
Clinical and Electrodiagnostic Features Of Nontraumatic Sciatic Neuropathy
Authors: Cherian Rejo P. , Li Yuebing
Published: November 2018

Introduction: In this study we sought to characterize etiologies and features of sciatic neuropathy unrelated to penetrating nerve trauma. Methods: This investigation was a retrospective review of 109 patients with electrodiagnostically confirmed sciatic neuropathies. Results: Hip replacement surgery represented the most common (34.9%) etiology, whereas inflammatory sciatic neuropathy was seen in 7.3%. Electrodiagnostic testing revealed an axonal neuropathy in 95.4% and a demyelinating neuropathy in 4.6%. Predominant involvement of the peroneal division was seen in 39.4% and was tibial in 5.5%. Nine of 31 (29.0%) patients who had MRI or neuromuscular ultrasound study showed abnormalities within the sciatic nerve. At the final visit, 46.4% of patients required assistance for ambulation. Young age, lack of severe initial weakness, and presence of tibial compound muscle action potential or sural sensory nerve action potential were predictors of favorable outcome. Discussion: Sciatic neuropathies are usually axonal on electrodiagnostic testing, affect preferentially the peroneal division, and are commonly associated with incomplete recovery. Muscle Nerve 59:309–314, 2019
Health maintenance for adults with neuromuscular diseases on immunosuppression
Authors: Cartwright Sarah L. , Cartwright Michael S.
Published: November 2018

Immunosuppressants are commonly used in the treatment of neuromuscular diseases. The use of these medications requires health maintenance screening and monitoring for multiple potential sides effects, which may be best conducted when the prescribing physician and primary care physician work in tandem. Clinical practice guidelines, recommendations from professional organizations, prescription drug labeling, and expert opinion were reviewed and combined to provide recommendations for health maintenance for eight different immunosuppressants. Recommendations are provided for vaccinations, infection prophylaxis, laboratory monitoring, bone density screening, cancer screening, and other considerations. While studies in individuals with neuromuscular diseases are sparse, knowledge gained from the use of immunosuppressants in other conditions is applied in this review to provide recommendations to be used during the treatment of neuromuscular diseases in adults. Muscle Nerve 59:397–403, 2019
NH3⋅H2O: The Simplest Nitrogen‐Containing Ligand for Selective Aerobic Alcohol Oxidation to Aldehydes or Nitriles in Neat Water
Authors: Zhang Guofu , Ma Danting , Zhao Yiyong , Zhang Guihua , Mei Guangyao , Lyu Jinghui , Ding Chengrong , Shan Shang
Published: November 2018

Aqueous ammonia (NH3⋅H2O) has been shown to serve as the simplest nitrogen‐containing ligand to effectively promote copper‐catalyzed selective alcohol oxidation under air in water. A series of alcohols with varying electronic and steric properties were selectively oxidized to aldehydes with up to 95 % yield. Notably, by increasing the amount of aqueous ammonia in neat water, the exclusive formation of aryl nitriles was also accomplished with good‐to‐excellent yields. Additionally, the catalytic system exhibits a high level of functional group tolerance with −OH, −NO2, esters, and heteroaryl groups all being amenable to the reaction conditions. This one‐pot and green oxidation protocol provides an important synthetic route for the selective preparation of either aldehydes or nitriles from commercially available alcohols.
Acoustic Characteristics Parameters of Polyurethane/Rice Husk Composites
Authors: Wang Yonghua , Wu Haiquan , Zhang Chengchun , Ren Luquan , Yu Huadong , Galland Marie‐Annick , Ichchou Mohamed
Published: November 2018

The interest of this article lies in the proposition of develop the relationship of the adding of Rice Husk (RH) and acoustic characteristic parameters of Polyurethane (PU) foam. In this article, different amount of RH (2%, 5%, and 8%) was employed into the formation of PU foam system. A rapid method based on professional acoustic measurement was used to determine the acoustic characteristic parameters of the PU foam and PU‐RH composites, such as porosity, flow resistance, tortuosity, and characteristic constants, and analyze the effect of RH on the acoustic characteristic parameters. The measured results indicated that the sound absorption coefficients of PU‐RH composites increased at low frequency along with a small decrease at high frequency on the addition of RH. And adding more RH will be helpful to improve the low‐frequency sound absorption performance of PU foam without increasing the thickness. With the increase of RH additive amount, the flow resistance decreased first and then increased, while the porosity declined slowly generally. Overall, the PU‐RH composite containing 5% RH showed the most satisfactory absorption performance. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:2653–2661, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Abacavir Hypersensitivity Reaction Reporting Rates During a Decade of HLA‐B*5701 Screening as a Risk‐Mitigation Measure
Authors: Stainsby Chris M. , Perger Teodora M. , Vannappagari Vani , Mounzer Karam C. , Hsu Ricky K. , Henegar Cassidy E. , Oyee James , Urbaityte Rimgaile , Lane Charlotte E. , Carter Lindsay M. , Pakes Gary E. , Shaefer Mark S.
Published: November 2018

Introduction

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐B*5701 screening identifies patients at increased risk for abacavir (ABC) hypersensitivity reaction (HSR). Screening was adopted in GlaxoSmithKline and ViiV Healthcare clinical trials in 2007 and human immunodeficiency virus treatment guidelines in 2008. Company meta‐analyses of trials pre–HLA‐B*5701 screening reported HSR rates of 4–8%. We analyzed the effectiveness of HLA‐B*5701 screening on reducing HSR rates using clinical trial, Observational Pharmaco‐Epidemiology Research & Analysis (OPERA) cohort, and spontaneous reporting data.

Methods

A meta‐analysis examined 12 trials in 3063 HLA‐B*5701–negative patients receiving an ABC‐containing regimen from April 9, 2007, to September 22, 2015. Potential cases were identified using prespecified Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) preferred terms (drug hypersensitivity, hypersensitivity, anaphylactic reaction, anaphylaxis) and adjudicated against a Company ABC HSR case definition. Investigator‐diagnosed cases were identified and rates were calculated. In the OPERA cohort, 9619 patients initiating their first ABC‐containing regimen from January 1, 1999, to January 1, 2016, were identified. Patients were observed from regimen start until the earliest‐following censoring event: ABC discontinuation, loss to follow‐up, death, or study end (July 31, 2016). OPERA physicians evaluated events against OPERA definitions for definite/probable cases of ABC HSR; rates were calculated pre‐ and post‐2008. The Company case definition was used to identify spontaneously reported cases for four marketed ABC‐containing products; reporting rates were calculated using estimated exposure from sales data, through December 31, 2016.

Results

Suspected ABC HSR rates were 1.3% or less in the meta‐analysis. In the OPERA cohort, the rate was 0.4% among patients initiating ABC post‐2008 versus 1.3% pre‐2008 (p<0.0001). Spontaneous reporting rates were low post‐2008 (54 to 22 cases per 100,000 patient‐years exposure [PYE]) versus pre‐2008 (618 to 55 cases per 100,000 PYE).

Conclusions

Clinically suspected ABC HSR rates were 1.3% or less in HLA‐B*5701–negative patients. Recognizing their limitations, data from the OPERA cohort and spontaneous reporting indicate that HLA‐B*5701 screening has reduced reporting rates of suspected HSR in clinical practice. Where screening for HLA‐B*5701 is standard care, patients should be confirmed negative for this allele before starting ABC treatment.
Feasibility, acceptability, and safety of the Recapture Life videoconferencing intervention for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors
Authors: Sansom‐Daly Ursula M. , Wakefield Claire E. , Bryant Richard A. , Patterson Pandora , Anazodo Antoinette , Butow Phyllis , Sawyer Susan M. , McGill Brittany C. , Evans Holly E. , Cohn Richard J. ,   The Recapture Life Working Party
Published: November 2018

Objective

Online psychological therapies provide a way to connect adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors to evidence‐based support. We aimed to establish the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of Recapture life, a six‐session group‐based online cognitive‐behavioural intervention, led by a facilitator, for AYAs in the early post‐treatment period.

Methods

A randomised‐controlled trial compared Recapture Life to an online peer‐support group control and a waitlist control. Participants could nominate a support person. Acceptability was assessed using study opt‐in and retention rates, participant‐reported benefits/burdens of participation, and group facilitator burden. We also assessed the feasibility (eg, frequency/impact of technological difficulties) and psychological safety (ie, occurrence of clinically concerning distress) of the program.

Results

Sixty‐one participants took part (45 AYAs, 51.1% female; 19 support people). The opt‐in rate was 30%, the enrolment rate was 87%, and 75% of participants took part in ≥5/6 sessions. AYAs reported high benefit and low burden of participation. Overall, 95 online group sessions were conducted; few required rescheduling by group facilitators (3%), but many took place outside of office hours (~90 hours). It took 40 days on average to create online groups, but established weekly sessions commenced quickly (M = 4.0 minutes). Technological difficulties were common but had a low impact on intervention delivery. Although 54% of AYAs returned a clinically concerning distress screen at some point, none reflected acute mental health risks.

Conclusions

The data largely indicate that Recapture Life is an acceptable, feasible, and safe model of evidence‐based psychological support for AYAs during early survivorship, which nevertheless experienced common challenges in online/AYA intervention delivery.
Effects of pre‐treatments on bulk stable isotope ratios in fish samples: A cautionary note for studies comparisons
Authors: Connan Maëlle , Hall Grant , Smale Malcolm
Published: November 2018

Rationale

Stable isotope analysis (SIA) has revolutionised ecological studies over the past thirty years. One of the major fields where SIA is applied in the marine environment is related to the definition of ecosystem structure and function. With marine top predators such as sharks, SIA is a method of choice because tissue samples can be collected without the sacrifice of the animal. In elasmobranch research, the influence of compounds such as urea, trimethylamine oxide and lipids must be considered when using stable isotopes as ecological markers. Currently, a range of pre‐treatments are used to chemically remove these molecules prior to SIA.

Methods

This study investigated the impact of eleven commonly used pre‐treatments on carbon and nitrogen contents and C:N atomic ratio, as well as carbon and nitrogen SI ratios in elasmobranch tissues and its prey, measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Three tissues were tested: blood and muscle of the ragged‐tooth shark Carcharias taurus, and muscle of one teleost species, the Cape knifejaw Oplegnathus conwayi.

Results

Compared with untreated samples, no trend or generalisation could be highlighted with the influence of pre‐treatments being species‐, tissue‐ and chemical‐element‐dependent. For the δ13C and δ15N values, differences among pre‐treatments were as high as 3‰, therefore potentially leading to erroneous ecological interpretation.

Conclusions

The chemical properties of compounds (e.g. urea, lipids) combined with the polarity of solutions (e.g. water, solvents) explained a large part of these observations. This study highlights that pre‐treatments need to be considered especially when comparing carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios between studies. The results of this study provide a call to all stable isotope researchers to make a concerted effort to standardise pre‐treatment methods. This is crucial as global reviews are becoming increasingly more informative.
Semi‐global containment control for linear systems in the presence of actuator position and rate saturation
Authors: Zhao Zhiyun , Shi Hongbo
Published: November 2018

This paper studies the semi‐global containment control problem for a group of general linear systems in the presence of actuator position and rate saturation. Both a state feedback containment control algorithm and an output feedback containment algorithm are constructed for each follower agent in the system by using low gain approach. We show that the states of all follower agents will converge to the convex hull formed by the leader agents asymptotically under these control algorithms when the communication topology among follower agents is a connected undirected graph and each leader agent is a neighbor of at least one follower agent. Simulation results illustrate the theoretical results.
Second‐order effects of CEO characteristics: How rivals' perceptions of CEOs as submissive and provocative precipitate competitive attacks
Authors: Hill Aaron D. , Recendes Tessa , Ridge Jason W.
Published: November 2018

Research Summary

Integrating victimization into competitive dynamics and upper echelons theorizing, we develop and test theory articulating how rivals' perceptions of a CEO precipitate attacks on the CEO's firm. Rather than treating CEOs' characteristics solely as perpetrating action (a first‐order effect, like research integrating upper echelons into competitive dynamics), we argue firms with CEOs possessing characteristics perceived as more submissive or more provocative are subject to more competitive actions directed toward their firms (a second‐order effect, like victimization research). Empirical analyses of a sample of Fortune 500 CEOs supports our theorizing while interviews of executives corroborate our premise as well. Our framework offers a more complete and socialized understanding of CEOs' roles in competitive dynamics, providing both theoretical and practical insights as well as future research avenues.

Managerial Summary

We articulate how CEOs possessing certain psychological, behavioral, and social characteristics may unknowingly precipitate competitive attacks on their firms. Our explanation integrates insights from victimology which explain how individuals are subject to more attacks if they possess characteristics others perceive as more submissive or more provocative. While prior research articulates that CEOs' characteristics affect decisions such as attacking rivals, integrating theories of victimization into this line of inquiry paints a more socialized view of why firms may be subject to competitive attacks as well. The logic and evidence we provide advances theoretical explanations of firms' competitive behaviors and executives' roles therein. At the same time, providing knowledge about how CEO characteristics precipitate competitive actions toward their firms can aid in prevention and intervention strategies.
Influence of Extrusion Mixing on Preparing Lipid Complexed Pea Starch for Functional Foods
Authors: Ciardullo Kristi , Donner Elizabeth , Thompson Michael R. , Liu Qiang
Published: November 2018

The present work examines the ability to reactively modify pea starch by lipid complexing in a twin‐screw extruder in order to produce a functional food product. The study considers the influence of moisture content, lipid type (myristic acid, palmitic acid) and content, in tests with differing screw designs to reduce enzymatic digestion. The modified starch was characterized for its physicochemical properties (bound lipid content, pasting properties, and Englyst digestion profiles). With near complete conversion at all tested lipid concentrations, differences found in enzyme resistance and pasting properties for the extruded samples were attributed to differences in the mixing environment. The lipid complexed pea starches under optimized conditions achieved a significant but moderate increase in either resistant starch (from 7.8% to 20%) or slowly digestible starch (from 12% to 23%) content compared to their native counterparts; however, the sought nutritional fractions (slowly digestible and resistant) could only be improved simultaneously with palmitic acid. The highest resistant fraction produced in the study corresponded to the higher shear environment tested and for complexes prepared at the highest lipid content.
Signatures of the genuine and matter-induced components of the CP violation asymmetry in neutrino oscillations
Authors: Bernabéu José , Segarra Alejandro
Published: November 2018

Abstract

CP asymmetries for neutrino oscillations in matter can be disentangled into the matter-induced CPT-odd (T-invariant) component and the genuine T-odd (CPT-invariant) component. For their understanding in terms of the relevant ingredients, we develop a new perturbative expansion in both Δm
21
2
, |a| ≪ |Δm
31
2
| without any assumptions between Δm
21
2
and a, and study the subtleties of the vacuum limit in the two terms of the CP asymmetry, moving from the CPT-invariant vacuum limit a → 0 to the T-invariant limit Δm
21
2
 → 0. In the experimental region of terrestrial accelerator neutrinos, we calculate their approximate expressions from which we prove that, at medium baselines, the CPT-odd component is small and nearly δ-independent, so it can be subtracted from the experimental CP asymmetry as a theoretical background, provided the hierarchy is known. At long baselines, on the other hand, we find that (i) a Hierarchy-odd term in the CPT-odd component dominates the CP asymmetry for energies above the first oscillation node, and (ii) the CPT-odd term vanishes, independent of the CP phase δ, at E = 0.92 GeV (L/1300 km) near the second oscillation maximum, where the T-odd term is almost maximal and proportional to sin δ. A measurement of the CP asymmetry in these energy regions would thus provide separate information on (i) the neutrino mass ordering, and (ii) direct evidence of genuine CP violation in the lepton sector.
Radiation of scalar modes and the classical double copy
Authors: Carrillo González Mariana , Penco Riccardo , Trodden Mark
Published: November 2018

Abstract

The double copy procedure relates gauge and gravity theories through color-kinematics replacements, and holds for both scattering amplitudes and in classical contexts. Moreover, it has been shown that there is a web of theories whose scattering amplitudes are related through operations that exchange color and kinematic factors. In this paper, we generalize and extend this procedure by showing that the classical perturbative double copy of pions corresponds to special Galileons. We consider point-particles coupled to the relevant scalar fields, and find the leading and next to leading order radiation amplitudes. By considering couplings motivated by those that would arise from extracting the longitudinal modes of the gauge and gravity theories, we are able to map the non-linear sigma model radiation to that of the special Galileon. We also construct the single copy by mapping the bi-adjoint scalar radiation to the non-linear sigma model radiation through generalized color-kinematics replacements.
Numerical study of multiparticle scattering in λϕ4 theory
Authors: Demidov S. V. , Farkhtdinov B. R.
Published: November 2018

Abstract

We study numerically classical collisions of waves in λϕ
4 theory. These processes correspond to multiparticle scattering in the semiclassical regime. Parameterizing initial and final wavepackets by energy E and particle numbers N

i
, N

f
we find classically allowed region in the parameter space. We describe properties of the scattering solutions at the boundary of the classically allowed region. We comment on the implications of our results for multiparticle production in the quantum regime.
All five-loop planar four-point functions of half-BPS operators in $$ \mathcal{N}=4 $$ SYM
Authors: Chicherin Dmitry , Georgoudis Alessandro , Gonçalves Vasco , Pereira Raul
Published: November 2018

Abstract

We obtain all planar four-point correlators of half-BPS operators in

$$ \mathcal{N}=4 $$

N
=
4

SYM up to five loops. The ansatz for the integrand is fixed partially by imposing lightcone OPE relations between different correlators. We then fix the integrated correlators by comparing their asymptotic expansions with simple data obtained from integrability. We extract OPE coefficients and find a prediction for the triple wrapping correction of the hexagon form factors, which contributes already at the five-loop order.
Does the SYK model have a spin glass phase?
Authors: Gur-Ari Guy , Mahajan Raghu , Vaezi Abolhassan
Published: November 2018

Abstract

We argue that the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model has no spin glass phase, based on calculations involving both the nearly-conformal limit and the strongly-coupled Schwarzian limit of the model. This conclusion is supported by numerical computations of eigenvalue statistics with up to 46 Majorana fermions. In addition, we find numerically that the distribution of the ground state energy is Gaussian.
Traversable wormholes as quantum channels: exploring CFT entanglement structure and channel capacity in holography
Authors: Bao Ning , Chatwin-Davies Aidan , Pollack Jason , Remmen Grant N.
Published: November 2018

Abstract

We interpret the traversable wormhole in AdS/CFT in the context of quantum information theory. In particular, we investigate its properties as both a quantum channel and entanglement witness. We define protocols that allow either the bounding of the channel’s entanglement capacity or the determination of aspects of the entanglement structure between the two boundary CFTs. Such protocols and connections allow for the use of quantum channel techniques in the study of gravitational physics and vice versa. More generally, our results suggest a purely quantum information-theoretic criterion for recognizing when the product of two boundary theories has a classical bulk interpretation.
Guidelines for Perioperative Care in Elective Colorectal Surgery: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Society Recommendations: 2018
Authors: Gustafsson U. O. , Scott M. J. , Hubner M. , Nygren J. , Demartines N. , Francis N. , Rockall T. A. , Young‐Fadok T. M. , Hill A. G. , Soop M. , de Boer H. D. , Urman R. D. , Chang G. J. , Fichera A. , Kessler H. , Grass F. , Whang E. E. , Fawcett W. J. , Carli F. , Lobo D. N. , Rollins K. E. , Balfour A. , Baldini G. , Riedel B. , Ljungqvist O.
Published: November 2018

Background

This is the fourth updated Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Society guideline presenting a consensus for optimal perioperative care in colorectal surgery and providing graded recommendations for each ERAS item within the ERAS® protocol.

Methods

A wide database search on English literature publications was performed. Studies on each item within the protocol were selected with particular attention paid to meta‐analyses, randomised controlled trials and large prospective cohorts and examined, reviewed and graded according to Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system.

Results

All recommendations on ERAS® protocol items are based on best available evidence; good‐quality trials; meta‐analyses of good‐quality trials; or large cohort studies. The level of evidence for the use of each item is presented accordingly.

Conclusions

The evidence base and recommendation for items within the multimodal perioperative care pathway are presented by the ERAS® Society in this comprehensive consensus review.
Proteomic Identification of Biomarkers Associated with Eating Control and Bariatric Surgery Outcomes in Patients with Morbid Obesity
Authors: Rodríguez‐Rivera Carmen , Pérez‐García Carmen , Muñoz‐Rodríguez José Ramón , Vicente‐Rodríguez Marta , Polo Filomena , Ford Rhian‐Marie , Segura Esperanza , León Alberto , Salas Elisabet , Sáenz‐Mateos Luis , González‐Martín Carmen , Herradón Gonzalo , Beato‐Fernández Luis , Martín‐Fernández Jesús , Alguacil Luis F.
Published: November 2018

Background

The current therapeutics of morbid obesity could be significantly improved after the identification of novel biomarkers associated with the food addiction endophenotype of obesity and with bariatric surgery outcomes.

Methods

We applied differential expression proteomics and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent confirmatory assays to identify (a) proteins that varied according to loss of control over eating in morbidly obese patients and (b) proteins that varied between normoweight controls and patients before and 1 year after bariatric surgery.

Results

Clusterin was the only protein that consistently varied according to eating control in patients. Patients showed increased levels of serum amyloid P protein, apolipoprotein A4, serotransferrin, complement factors B and C3 and haptoglobin with respect to controls; the levels of all these proteins tended to return to control values 1 year after surgery. In contrast, apolipoprotein A1 and transthyretin were initially downregulated in patients and were scarcely changed by surgery. Leucine‐rich alpha‐2‐glycoprotein was markedly increased in patients only after surgery.

Conclusions

Clusterin could be of interest as a putative biomarker for food addiction diagnosis in people with morbid obesity. In addition, postsurgical normalization of the proteins initially dysregulated in obese subjects might help monitor clinical improvements after surgery, while lasting or newly detected alterations (i.e., those affecting transthyretin and leucine‐rich alpha‐2‐glycoprotein) could reflect partial refractoriness and/or contribute to the early prediction of clinical problems.
Recent advances in the discovery and combinatorial biosynthesis of microbial 14-membered macrolides and macrolactones
Authors: Park Je Won , Yoon Yeo Joon
Published: November 2018

Macrolides, especially 14-membered macrolides, are a valuable group of antibiotics that originate from various microorganisms. In addition to their antibacterial activity, newly discovered 14-membered macrolides exhibit other therapeutic potentials, such as anti-proliferative and anti-protistal activities. Combinatorial biosynthetic approaches will allow us to create structurally diversified macrolide analogs, which are especially important during the emerging post-antibiotic era. This review focuses on recent advances in the discovery of new 14-membered macrolides (also including macrolactones) from microorganisms and the current status of combinatorial biosynthetic approaches, including polyketide synthase (PKS) and post-PKS tailoring pathways, and metabolic engineering for improved production together with heterologous production of 14-membered macrolides.
What is a Flourishing Congregation? Leader Perceptions, Definitions, and Experiences
Authors: Thiessen Joel , Wong Arch Chee Keen , McAlpine Bill , Walker Keith
Published: November 2018

How do Canadian congregational and denominational leaders in Catholic, mainline, and conservative Protestant settings perceive and define what constitutes a flourishing congregation? Drawing on interview and focus group data with over one hundred leaders across Canada, we bring to description the perceptions, narratives, and experiences that church and denominational leaders hold about flourishing congregations. We highlight three central findings: (a) there is a divide between those who believe that flourishing entails numeric growth and those who do not; (b) depending on the Christian tradition in question, there are several partially overlapping and conflicting pictures of what constitutes a flourishing congregation, evident in three overarching domains and several subsequent dimensions—organizational ethos (clear self-identity, leadership, innovation, and structure and process), internal factors (discipleship, hospitable community, engaged laity, and diversity), and outward variables (evangelism, neighborhood involvement, and partnership); and (c) supernatural discourse figures into how leaders discuss flourishing congregations over and against secular or human-controlled narratives. We draw on cultural sociology, notably discussions on group boundaries (between Christian traditions, within Christian traditions, and between Christian and non-religious organizations), to describe and explain the similar and dissimilar cultural narratives that Catholic, mainline, and conservative Protestant leaders hold about flourishing congregations. We then encourage social scientists to pay greater attention to how leaders themselves perceive and define a flourishing congregation, including the narratives and boundaries that contribute to leader constructions of reality.
Correction to: Unit Energy Consumption as Benchmark to Select Energy Positive Retrofitting Strategies for Finnish Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs): a Case Study of Mikkeli WWTP
Authors: Gurung Khum , Tang Walter Z. , Sillanpää Mika
Published: November 2018

The article Unit Energy Consumption as Benchmark to Select Energy Positive Retrofitting Strategies for Finnish Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs): a Case Study of Mikkeli WWTP, written by Khum Gurung, Walter Z. Tang and Mika Sillanpää, was originally published electronically.
Uncertainty Analysis of Simulations of the Turn‐of‐the‐Century Drought in the Western United States
Authors: Anderson Gemma J. , Lucas Donald D. , Bonfils Céline
Published: November 2018

We perform the first uncertainty quantification analysis of the turn‐of‐the‐century drought in the western United States using a large perturbed‐parameter ensemble of the Community Atmosphere Model version 4.0 (CAM4). We develop several metrics to characterize the aridity bias, spatial extent, and tropical forcing of the drought and use statistical models to ascertain that the modeled drought was mainly sensitive to CAM4 parameters related to deep convection and clouds. Deep convection parameters account for over half the variance across the drought metrics. We employ observed estimates of these drought metrics to infer probability distributions of the model parameters that lead to a better agreement with observations, thereby providing guidance on how to improve the simulation of drought in CAM4. We find that in some cases, the suggested parameter values that improve the simulation of one drought characteristic would degrade the simulation of another, suggesting that there is a complex relationship between the model parameters and drought in the western United States. We also demonstrate reductions in the uncertainty of the drought metrics of up to 30% by constraining with observations of all metrics. Furthermore, we demonstrate for the first time that improvements to the simulation of the spatial extent of the turn‐of‐the‐century drought also lead to improvements in the spatial extent of the Australian Millennium drought, suggesting that physics of drought as encoded by the model parameters may be generalizable.
The Many Unknown Facets of Plastics in Ecosystems
Authors: Katz Cheryl
Published: November 2018

Few studies have examined lakes or wide swaths of ocean areas, leaving critical data gaps in how plastic pollution affects wildlife and moves across food webs.
Greenhouse Gas Production and Transport in Desert Soils of the Southwestern United States
Authors: Oerter Erik , Mills Jennifer V. , Maurer Gregory E. , Lammers Laura Nielsen , Amundson Ronald
Published: November 2018

Deserts comprise a large portion of the Earth's land area, yet their role in the fluxes and cycles of greenhouse gases is poorly known and their likely response to climate change largely unexplored. We report a reconnaissance investigation of the concentrations and fluxes of CO2, CH4, and N2O along two elevation (climate) gradients in the southwestern United States. In‐soil concentrations of CO2 increased with elevation (up to 5,000 ppm). Concentrations of CH4 declined with depth in all soils (to less than 1 ppm), but the rates of decrease with depth increased with elevation. In contrast, concentrations and depth trends of N2O varied erratically. Soils were net CO2 sources (0 to >1,500 kg CO2·ha−1·year−1), and net CH4 sinks (0.2 to >3 kg CH4·ha−1·year−1). The small and variable N2O fluxes were inconsistent with the trends in soil N δ15N values, which decreased by 5‰ to 6‰ over about 1,000 m of elevation. The high soil N δ15N values (up to nearly 17‰ at the lowest elevation) indicate that there is a soil N loss mechanism that is highly depleted in 15N, and gaseous losses—either NH3 or N2O/N2—are suspected of driving these values. In summary, there appears to be a strong climate control on both soil CO2 and CH4 concentrations and to a lesser degree on calculated fluxes. The soil N trace gas concentrations indicate that deserts can be either small sources or sinks of N2O and that there may be significant consumption of arid soil N2O.
Ions Accelerated by Sounder‐Plasma Interaction as Observed by Mars Express
Authors: Voshchepynets A. , Barabash S. , Ramstad R. , Holmstrom M. , Andrews D. , Nicolaou G. , Frahm R. A. , Kopf A. , Gurnett D.
Published: November 2018

The ion sensor of the Analyzer of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms (ASPERA‐3) experiment detects accelerated ions during pulses of radio emissions from the powerful topside sounder: the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) onboard Mars Express. Accelerated ions (O
, O+, and lighter ions) are observed in an energy range up to 800 eV when MARSIS transmits at a frequency close to the plasma frequency. Individual observations consist of almost monoenergetic ion beams aligned with the MARSIS antenna or lying in the plane perpendicular to the antenna. The observed ion beams are often accompanied by a small decrease in the electron flux observed by the electron sensor of Analyzer of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms 3. Observations indicate that the voltage applied to the antenna causes charging of the spacecraft to several hundreds of volts by the electrons of the ambient plasma. Positively charged ions are accelerated when the spacecraft discharges.
Space‐Based Constraints on Terrestrial Glyoxal Production
Authors: Silva Sam J. , Heald Colette L. , Li Meng
Published: November 2018

Glyoxal is a volatile organic compound (VOC) in the atmosphere that is a precursor to ozone and secondary organic aerosol, can be a measure of photochemical activity, and is one of a small number of VOCs observable from space. However, the global budget of glyoxal is not well understood, and there has been limited exploration of whether current chemical transport models reproduce satellite observations of this VOC. In this work we take advantage of recent advances in the retrieval of glyoxal from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument along with retrieved formaldehyde and the GEOS‐Chem model to constrain global glyoxal sources. Model glyoxal is produced by direct emissions from fires (6.5 Tg/year) and secondary chemical production (32.9 Tg/year) from biogenic and anthropogenic precursors. The model reproduces the annual average terrestrial spatial variability in formaldehyde and glyoxal reasonably well, with an R2 of 0.8 and 0.5, respectively. We find that the model representation of biomass burning, C2H2, glyocolaldehyde, and isoprene‐dominated glyoxal production is consistent with the observations of glyoxal and formaldehyde, and the ratio of glyoxal to formaldehyde to within ~20%. However, the observations suggest that glyoxal production from the high monoterpene‐emitting boreal regions is underestimated in the model, with concentrations low by more than a factor of 3. This suggests that the oxidative chemistry of monoterpenes is not well represented in the GEOS‐Chem model and that more laboratory work is needed to constrain the impact of monoterpene emissions on atmospheric composition.
The Liquidus Temperature for Methanol‐Water Mixtures at High Pressure and Low Temperature, With Application to Titan
Authors: Dougherty A. J. , Bartholet Z. T. , Chumsky R. J. , Delano K. C. , Huang X. , Morris D. K.
Published: November 2018

Methanol is a potentially important impurity in subsurface oceans on Titan and Enceladus. We report measurements of the freezing of methanol‐water samples at pressures up to 350 MPa using a volumetric cell with sapphire windows. For low concentrations of methanol, the liquidus temperature is typically a few degrees below the corresponding ice freezing point, while at high concentrations it follows the pure methanol trend. In the Ice‐III regime, we observe several long‐lived metastable states. The results suggest that methanol is a more effective antifreeze than previously estimated and might have played an important role in the development of Titan's subsurface ocean.
A New Sediment Accumulation Model of Cenozoic Depositional Ages From the Qaidam Basin, Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Cheng Feng , Garzione Carmala , Jolivet Marc , Guo Zhaojie , Zhang Daowei , Zhang Changhao
Published: November 2018

Two debated age models, with a basal age of ~50 Ma versus ~30 Ma, are proposed for the depositional age of Cenozoic strata within the Qaidam basin result in a diverse understanding of the initial pattern of deformation in the northern Tibetan Plateau. To evaluate these age models, we integrated isopach maps within the basin with published thermochronology data from surrounding ranges to balance the sediments preserved in the basin with materials eroded in the drainage area. When following the traditional ~50 Ma age model, the total volume of material eroded from the surrounding source area is 4.4 ± 0.3 × 105 km3. Using instead the ~30 Ma age model for the basal Lulehe Formation and related revisions to the basin chronology, the volume of eroded material is calculated at 3.5 ± 0.2 × 105 km3, which provides a better match to the calculated total volume of solid grains that are preserved in the basin (2.8 ± 0.1 × 105 km3). However, growth strata revealed in seismic profiles along the Southern Qaidam Thrust suggest reverse‐faulting began during the deposition of Oligocene‐Miocene strata. Following the ~50 Ma age model, the onset time of faulting along the Southern Qaidam Thrust is ~35.5 Ma, consistent with previous thermochronology results. If both age models are correct, then this requires a significant time‐transgressive nature to basin fill that allows for older ages of deposition in the southern part of the basin. This study highlights the need for further effort to determine the depositional age of the strata in the southern and western parts of the Qaidam basin.