bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of higher equivalence ratio on the biomass oxygen gasification in a pilot scale fixed bed gasifier
Authors: Meng Fanbin , Meng Jun , Zhang Dalei
Published: September 2018

The characteristics of biomass oxygen gasification with a higher equivalence ratio (0.31–0.40) in a pilot scale (50 kg/h) downdraft fixed bed gasification system were studied using pine wood block and corn stalk briquette as feedstocks. Experiments were carried out to investigate the influence of the higher equivalence ratio on the gasification performance. The gas composition was analyzed by gas chromatography. Upon increasing the equivalence ratio from 0.31 to 0.40, the reaction temperature, gas yield, and carbon conversion efficiency increased, while the lower heating value and tar and dust contents of syngas decreased. The gas yield and carbon conversion efficiency of corn stalk briquette gasification were lower than those of pine wood block gasification by about 3.0% and 5.0% at each equivalence ratio. The higher equivalence ratio strengthened the gasification and improved the gas yield as well as carbon conversion but lowered the lower heating value of the syngas. Too high equivalence ratio (>0.40) would result in excess gasification and more combustible components being burnt out. Too low equivalence ratio (<0.31) would lead to incomplete gasification and more tar residue. The optimal equivalence ratios were 0.37 and 0.33 for corn stalk briquette and pine wood block, respectively. The results of this study will help to improve our understanding of syngas production with low tar and medium heating values by biomass oxygen gasification.
In situ high-pressure spectroscopic studies using moissanite (4H-SiC) anvils
Authors: Zhang Jinbo , Zhao Xinli , Yan Zhipeng , Yuan Ye , Li Xin , Pei Cuiying , Zheng Haiyan , Wang Lin
Published: September 2018

We examined the Raman scattering and IR absorption spectroscopy of 4H-SiC and its performance as an anvil material for high-pressure UV-visible absorption spectroscopic measurements. The first- and second-order Raman peaks of 4H-SiC and diamond do not coincide. 4H-SiC does not have obvious signals from 2330-5000 cm-1, suggesting that 4H-SiC anvils are beneficial for high-pressure studies of samples whose Raman signals locate in the region of diamond. Above 1800 cm-1, the transmitted signal of 4H-SiC in the IR absorption spectra, measured through 4.6 mm thickness is much higher than that of type IIa diamond. An in situ high-pressure UV-visible absorption spectroscopy study on CdI2 was carried out up to 28.0 GPa using 4H-SiC anvil cells (4H-SAC) with a 400 μm culet and the acquired band gap narrowed with increasing pressure. These results show that 4H-SiC has an excellent performance in high-pressure spectroscopic studies.
Significant enhancement of magneto-optical effect in one-dimensional photonic crystals with a magnetized epsilon-near-zero defect
Authors: Guo Zhiwei , Wu Feng , Xue Chunhua , Jiang Haitao , Sun Yong , Li Yunhui , Chen Hong
Published: September 2018

Optical nonreciprocal transmission possesses a broad range of applications such as optical isolation, all-optical signal processing, and integrated photonic circuits. The main underlying mechanism is that a static magnetic field can break the time-reversal symmetry in the presence of magneto-optical materials. However, the typical devices usually need a large size because the magneto-optical activity of materials is weak. In this paper, we realize strong nonreciprocal transmission in a one-dimensional photonic crystal with a magnetized epsilon-near-zero defect. The inherent weak magneto-optical activity is significantly enhanced in the magnetized epsilon-near-zero defect because of the field intensity enhancement mechanism. Our results show that the wavelength shift of transmission peaks along two opposite incident directions can be up to 100 times higher than that in the case of a bismuth-iron-garnet defect. These results provide a new perspective to design novel magneto-optical devices with a small size and open novel routes to exploit advanced materials for steering the electromagnetic waves in nano-scale structures.
Vibrational exciton coupling in homo and hetero dimers of carboxylic acids studied by linear infrared and Raman jet spectroscopy
Authors: Meyer Katharina A. E. , Suhm Martin A.
Published: September 2018

The jet-cooled band positions of the C=O stretching vibrations in the three hetero dimers composed of formic, acetic, and pivalic acid have been determined. Resonance patterns in the symmetric stretching modes have been corrected for by assuming a single bright state. An analysis of their Davydov or vibrational exciton splitting shows that the hetero dimer values can be averaged from the respective homo dimer splittings (ranging from 56 cm−1 for the acetic to 75 cm−1 for the formic acid dimer) with an error of ≤7%. The set of 6 exciton splittings and 6 independent downshifts caused by double hydrogen bonding serves as a reference data base for the benchmarking of computational methods. B3LYP is shown to be unable to describe the difference between the formic and acetic acid monomer but is otherwise satisfactory, if one assumes that exciton splittings are only weakly affected by anharmonic effects beyond the deconvoluted local resonances. However, a vibrational perturbation theory test points at significant diagonal anharmonicity effects for the exciton splitting. Spin-component-scaled and canonical MP2 fail in reproducing experimental dimer shifts and splittings in the harmonic approximation, but anharmonic corrections are expected to improve the performance. Harmonic PBEh-3c reproduces the experimental data set well after scaling. The experimental data set the stage for more rigorous anharmonic treatments of the multidimensional coupling of C=O oscillators in carboxylic acid dimers and trimers. In addition, we report the first vibrational jet spectrum of cis-formic acid in the C=O stretching region by heating the nozzle and the nozzle feed line of the Raman setup.
Disk-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays using the liquid-aliquoting and siphoning-evacuation technique
Authors: Wu Ho-Chin , Chen Yen-Hao , Shih Chih-Hsin
Published: September 2018

A cost-effective way to carry out multiple enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) on a centrifugal platform using the liquid-aliquoting and siphoning-evacuation (LASE) technique was developed in this paper. Instead of preloading all the reagents in the reservoirs before testing, each reagent was loaded only one time during testing. The reagent was distributed into equal aliquots and delivered into reaction chambers by the aliquoting fluidic function. In addition, a siphoning-evacuation technique was developed to improve the washing efficiency and simplify the assay protocol. Furthermore, the entire assay protocol can be conducted using a two-step spinning protocol, which greatly reduces the cost of the motor control system. With the LASE technique, a low-cost and user-friendly ELISA system can be achieved.
A fractal-based approach for modeling stock price variations
Authors: Frezza Massimiliano
Published: September 2018

The recent global financial crisis has threatened the financial system with total collapse of many economic sectors with a particular penetration to world’s stock markets. The large swings in the prices of international stocks or indexes have reinvigorated the debate on their mathematical modeling. The traditional approaches do not seem to be very exhaustive and satisfactory, especially when extreme events occur. We propose a fractal-based approach to model the actual prices by assuming that they follow a Multifractional Process with Random Exponent. An empirical evidence is offered that this stochastic process is able to provide an appropriate modeling of actual series in terms of goodness of fit by comparing three main stock indexes.
NIRS Calibration of Aflatoxin in Maize
Authors: Darnell Ross E. , Harvey Jagger J. , Fox Glen P. , Fletcher Mary T. , Wainaina James , Wanjuki Immaculate , Turner Warwick J.
Published: September 2018

The aim of this study is to determine the value of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a diagnostic tool for aflatoxin contamination, specifically to rapidly predict levels of aflatoxin, either quantitatively or qualitatively, in ground maize. Maize was collected from inoculated field trials conducted across four sites in Kenya. Inoculated and uninoculated maize ears were harvested, milled, and prepared for NIRS scanning and wet chemistry-based aflatoxin quantification. Several statistical and machine learning techniques were compared. Absorbance at a single bandwidth explained 34 % of the variation in levels of aflatoxin using a regression model while a partial least-squares (PLS) method showed that NIR measurements could explain 42 % of the variation in aflatoxin levels. To compare various methods for their ability to classify samples with high (>100 ppb) levels of aflatoxin, various additional procedures were applied. The k-nearest neighbour classification method yielded sensitivity and specificity values of 0.75 and 0.52 respectively, compared with the support vector machine method with estimates of 0.81 and 0.68, whereas PLS could achieve values of 0.82 and 0.72 respectively. The corresponding false positive and false negative values are still unacceptable for NIRS to be used with confidence, as ~18 % of contaminated ground maize samples would be accepted and 28 % of good maize would be discarded or declared contaminated or downgraded. However, such calibrations could be useful in breeding programs without access to wet chemistry analysis, seeking to rank entries semiquantitatively.
Abnormal density of Culcita schmideliana delays recovery of a reef system in the Maldives following a catastrophic bleaching event
Authors: Bruckner Andrew W. , Coward Georgia
Published: September 2018

Culcita spp. are facultative corallivores that can have a selective effect on coral composition due to their feeding preference for Acropora spp. and Pocillopora spp. Although Culcita are normally rare (<0.5 per 100m2), mean densities of up to 9.2 sea stars per 100m2 were observed on a Maldivian reef system, with the highest numbers on the reef flat and reef crest. Culcita fed on 12 genera of corals, but showed a distinct preference for Pocillopora (51%) and Acropora (21%). Formerly the dominant corals on Maldivian reefs, these genera sustained 80–95% mortality from coral bleaching in 2016. Low numbers of juvenile acroporids and pocilloporids were slowly recolonising the reef, but 24% had recently been eaten by Culcita schmideliana. The abnormal abundance of C. schmideliana and high number of recently dead juvenile corals suggest that chronic predation by C. schmideliana could delay the recovery of reefs damaged by the 2016 mass bleaching event.
Melatonin reduces cAMP-stimulated capacitation of ram spermatozoa
Authors: Gimeno-Martos Silvia , Casao Adriana , Yeste Marc , Cebrián-Pérez José A. , Muiño-Blanco Teresa , Pérez-Pé Rosaura
Published: September 2018

The presence of melatonin receptors on the surface of ram spermatozoa has led to speculation about melatonin having a role in sperm functionality. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanism through which melatonin regulates ram sperm capacitation induced by a cocktail containing cAMP-elevating agents. Cocktail samples capacitated in the presence of 1µM melatonin showed lower percentages of capacitated spermatozoa (chlortetracycline staining; P<0.001) together with a decrease in protein tyrosine phosphorylation (P<0.01) and lower levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cAMP (P<0.05) compared with cocktail samples without the hormone. Determination of kinematic parameters, together with principal component and cluster analyses, allowed us to define four sperm subpopulations (SP). After 3h of incubation with cAMP-elevating agents, the percentages of spermatozoa belonging to SP1 (high straightness) and SP4 (less-vigorous spermatozoa with non-linear motility) increased while SP2 and SP3 (rapid spermatozoa starting hyperactivation or already hyperactivated) decreased compared with the control sample. The presence of melatonin at 100 pM and 10nM restored these subpopulations to values closer to those found in the control sample. These results indicate that melatonin at micromolar concentrations modulates ram sperm capacitation induced by cAMP-elevating agents, reducing ROS and cAMP levels, whereas at lower concentrations melatonin modifies motile sperm subpopulations. These findings warrant further studies on the potential use of melatonin for controlling capacitation in artificial insemination procedures.
Austrian postwar democratic consensus and anti-Semitism
Authors: Bischof Karin
Published: September 2018

This paper explores the relation between the use of anti-Semitic rhetoric in post-war Austrian parliamentary debate and the development of the consensus-oriented, corporatist model of Austrian democracy, the “consociational model,” between 1945 and 1955. Specifically, this paper examines the anti-Semitic stereotypes found in parliament, an arena where “the sayable” of official politics is defined, and whether such anti-Semitic stereotyping serves political-strategic purposes. The predominant pattern of exclusion proves to be the attribution of ambivalence, drawing on the repertoire of nationalist anti-Semitic stereotypes, depicting “emigrants” as “cowards,” incapable of love for and defense of their countries. The analysis shows this pattern of exclusion is rooted in an ethnicized, homogeneous, and masculinist understanding of the people – recurrent in contemporary right-wing movements and parties. It follows the lines of Carl Schmitt’s concept of the political, in which the distinction of “friend” and “enemy,” and hence, the eradication of pluralism and ambivalence, is pivotal.
Health, Environmental Effects, the Control of Emission from Power Plants and the Need for a New Emission Capture Technology.
Authors: De D K , Ikono U I , Akinmeji S O
Published: September 2018

It is well known that global warming is a major environmental concern and it is primarily caused by the release of pollutants (greenhouse gases) into the atmosphere. Electric power plants have been found to be major contributors of environmental pollution which results in health and environmental hazards. There have been several ongoing research on ways to curtail and capture emissions which have led to development of state-of-the-art technologies. However, these technologies have not been proven cost effective and as a result, they cannot be implemented on a global scale. Also, chemical based flue gas emission capture technology may lead to secondary pollutions. Prevailing cryogenic capture technologies show inadequacies due to cost ineffectiveness and its high energy demand. This paper focuses briefly on the effects of emissions from power plants on health and environment and talks about the need of a new single technology that captures each component of flue gas emissions without the use of chemical reagents and offers an affordable cost for global implementation for clean energy and environment.
Partially bounded transformations have trivial centralizers
Authors: Gaebler Johann , Kastner Alexander , Silva Cesar , Xu Xiaoyu , Zhou Zirui
Published: September 2018

We prove that for infinite rank-one transformations satisfying a property called “partial boundedness,” the only commuting transformations are powers of the original transformation. This shows that a large class of infinite measure-preserving rank-one transformations with bounded cuts have trivial centralizers. We also characterize when partially bounded transformations are isomorphic to their inverse.
Metric dimensions and tameness in expansions of the real field
Authors: Hieronymi Philipp , Miller Chris
Published: September 2018

For first-order expansions of the field of real numbers, nondefinability of the set of natural numbers is equivalent to equality of topological and Assouad dimension on images of closed definable sets under definable continuous maps.
Generalized Toda flows
Authors: Ong Darren , Remling Christian
Published: September 2018

The classical hierarchy of Toda flows can be thought of as an action of the (abelian) group of polynomials on Jacobi matrices. We present a generalization of this to the larger groups of

C
2

C^2

and entire functions, and in this second case, we also introduce associated cocycles and in fact give center stage to this object.
The Pace of Neurogenesis Is Regulated by the Transient Retention of the Apical Endfeet of Differentiating Cells
Authors: Hatakeyama Jun , Shimamura Kenji
Published: September 2018

The development of the mammalian cerebral cortex involves a variety of temporally organized events such as successive waves of neuronal production and the transition of progenitor competence for each neuronal subtype generated. The number of neurons generated in a certain time period, that is, the rate of neuron production, varies across the regions of the brain and the specific developmental stage; however, the underlying mechanism of this process is poorly understood. We have recently found that nascent neurons communicate with undifferentiated progenitors and thereby regulate neurogenesis, through a transiently retained apical endfoot that signals via the Notch pathway. Here, we report that the retention time length of the neuronal apical endfoot correlates with the rate of neuronal production in the developing mouse cerebral cortex. We further demonstrate that a forced reduction or extension of the retention period through the disruption or stabilization of adherens junction, respectively, resulted in the acceleration or deceleration of neurogenesis, respectively. Our results suggest that the apical endfeet of differentiating cells serve as a pace controller for neurogenesis, thereby assuring the well-proportioned laminar organization of the neocortex.
Pulmonary Metagenomic Sequencing Suggests Missed Infections in Immunocompromised Children
Authors: Zinter Matt S , Dvorak Christopher C , Mayday Madeline Y , Iwanaga Kensho , Ly Ngoc P , McGarry Meghan E , Church Gwynne D , Faricy Lauren E , Rowan Courtney M , Hume Janet R , Steiner Marie E , Crawford Emily D , Langelier Charles , Kalantar Katrina , Chow Eric D , Miller Steve , Shimano Kristen , Melton Alexis , Yanik Gregory A , Sapru Anil , DeRisi Joseph L
Published: September 2018

Background

Despite improved diagnostics, pulmonary pathogens in immunocompromised children frequently evade detection, leading to significant mortality. Therefore, we aimed to develop a highly sensitive metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) assay capable of evaluating the pulmonary microbiome and identifying diverse pathogens in the lungs of immunocompromised children.

Methods

We collected 41 lower respiratory specimens from 34 immunocompromised children undergoing evaluation for pulmonary disease at 3 children’s hospitals from 2014–2016. Samples underwent mechanical homogenization, parallel RNA/DNA extraction, and metagenomic sequencing. Sequencing reads were aligned to the National Center for Biotechnology Information nucleotide reference database to determine taxonomic identities. Statistical outliers were determined based on abundance within each sample and relative to other samples in the cohort.

Results

We identified a rich cross-domain pulmonary microbiome that contained bacteria, fungi, RNA viruses, and DNA viruses in each patient. Potentially pathogenic bacteria were ubiquitous among samples but could be distinguished as possible causes of disease by parsing for outlier organisms. Samples with bacterial outliers had significantly depressed alpha-diversity (median, 0.61; interquartile range [IQR], 0.33–0.72 vs median, 0.96; IQR, 0.94–0.96; P < .001). Potential pathogens were detected in half of samples previously negative by clinical diagnostics, demonstrating increased sensitivity for missed pulmonary pathogens (P < .001).

Conclusions

An optimized mNGS assay for pulmonary microbes demonstrates significant inoculation of the lower airways of immunocompromised children with diverse bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Potential pathogens can be identified based on absolute and relative abundance. Ongoing investigation is needed to determine the pathogenic significance of outlier microbes in the lungs of immunocompromised children with pulmonary disease.
The 4q25 variant rs13143308T links risk of atrial fibrillation to defective calcium homoeostasis
Authors: Herraiz-Martínez Adela , Llach Anna , Tarifa Carmen , Gandía Jorge , Jiménez-Sabado Verónica , Lozano-Velasco Estefanía , Serra Selma A , Vallmitjana Alexander , Vázquez Ruiz de Castroviejo Eduardo , Benítez Raúl , Aranega Amelia , Muñoz-Guijosa Christian , Franco Diego , Cinca Juan , Hove-Madsen Leif
Published: September 2018

Aims

Single nucleotide polymorphisms on chromosome 4q25 have been associated with risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) but the exiguous knowledge of the mechanistic links between these risk variants and underlying electrophysiological alterations hampers their clinical utility. Here, we tested the hypothesis that 4q25 risk variants cause alterations in the intracellular calcium homoeostasis that predispose to spontaneous electrical activity.

Methods and results

Western blotting, confocal calcium imaging, and patch-clamp techniques were used to identify mechanisms linking the 4q25 risk variants rs2200733T and rs13143308T to defects in the calcium homoeostasis in human atrial myocytes. Our findings revealed that the rs13143308T variant was more frequent in patients with AF and that myocytes from carriers of this variant had a significantly higher density of calcium sparks (14.1 ± 4.5 vs. 3.1 ± 1.3 events/min, P = 0.02), frequency of transient inward currents (ITI) (1.33 ± 0.24 vs. 0.26 ± 0.09 events/min, P < 0.001) and incidence of spontaneous membrane depolarizations (1.22 ± 0.26 vs. 0.56 ± 0.17 events/min, P = 0.001) than myocytes from patients with the normal rs13143308G variant. These alterations were linked to higher sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium loading (10.2 ± 1.4 vs. 7.3 ± 0.5 amol/pF, P = 0.01), SERCA2 expression (1.37 ± 0.13 fold, P = 0.03), and RyR2 phosphorylation at ser2808 (0.67 ± 0.08 vs. 0.47 ± 0.03, P = 0.01) but not at ser2814 (0.28 ± 0.14 vs. 0.31 ± 0.14, P = 0.61) in patients carrying the rs13143308T risk variant. Furthermore, the presence of a risk variant or AF independently increased the ITI frequency and the increase in the ITI frequency observed in carriers of the risk variants was exacerbated in those with AF. By contrast, the presence of a risk variant did not affect the amplitude or properties of the L-type calcium current in patients with or without AF.

Conclusions

Here, we identify the 4q25 variant rs13143308T as a genetic risk marker for AF, specifically associated with excessive calcium release and spontaneous electrical activity linked to increased SERCA2 expression and RyR2 phosphorylation.
CBCT in orthodontics: a systematic review on justification of CBCT in a paediatric population prior to orthodontic treatment
Authors: De Grauwe Annelore , Ayaz Irem , Shujaat Sohaib , Dimitrov Simon , Gbadegbegnon Logan , Vande Vannet Bart , Jacobs Reinhilde
Published: September 2018

Background

Taking into account radiation doses, safety, and protection, we highlighted the features in which cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) can offer an advantage compared to the conventional two-dimensional imaging in paediatric dentistry before orthodontic treatment.

Objective

The aim of this article was to conduct a systematic review to assess the diagnostic efficacy of CBCT in the paediatric population at a pre-orthodontic phase.

Search methods

MEDLINE via PubMed was searched to identify all peer-reviewed articles potentially relevant to the review until 1 July 2018. Relevant publications were selected by two reviewers independently.

Selection criteria

The literature selection for this systematic review was carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and was based on predetermined inclusion criteria.

Data collection and analysis

Data were collected on overall study characteristics and examination characteristics of the selected studies. Methodological quality of the selected studies was evaluated. Original studies were assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS) tool. Thereafter, levels of evidence were obtained according to Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation criteria.

Results

As a result of the QUADAS assessment, a total of 37 articles were included in the protocol. Following a proper protocol, CBCT was regarded as a reliable tool for assessment and management of impacted canine and root fracture. It provided a better evaluation of normal and pathological condylar shape and volume. CBCT was a superior choice for pre-surgical diagnostic applications in cleft lip and/or palate over a medical computed tomography based on its lower radiation exposure, shorter investigation time, and low purchase costs.

Conclusions

CBCT is justified only in those cases where conventional radiography fails to provide a correct diagnosis of pathology. Therefore, it cannot be regarded as a standard method of diagnosis. CBCT imaging may also be justified when it positively affects treatment options or provides treatment optimization.

Registration

None.

Conflict of interest

None to declare.
Dynamic target capital structure and speed of adjustment in farm business
Authors: Aderajew Tamirat S , Trujillo-Barrera Andres , Pennings Joost M E
Published: September 2018

This paper quantifies the determinants and speed of adjustment to the target capital structure for a panel of 1,500 Dutch farms over the years 2001–2015. Using the System General Method of Moments (System-GMM) estimator, the results show that farm profitability, earnings volatility, asset tangibility and growth opportunity are important determinants of leverage. Leverage is highly persistent, i.e. the average adjustment speed is relatively low, with variations among farm types. This variation is mainly attributed to the difference in adjustment costs. Further, we show that the pecking order and signalling theories explain these leverage dynamics.
The Protective Effects of Informal Care Receipt Against the Progression of Functional Limitations Among Chinese Older People
Authors: Hu Bo , Li Lei
Published: September 2018

Objective

This study investigates the impacts of receiving informal care on the progression of functional limitations among older people aged 60 and older in China.

Methods

The data come from three waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey, which collected health- and aging-related information on a nationally representative sample of Chinese older people from 2011 to 2015. Multilevel regression models were used to analyze the data.

Results

The protective effect of receiving informal care is stronger for the first 2 years after the baseline survey and tends to fade away or be reversed 4 years later. The protective effect is stronger among older people receiving low-intensity informal care and is gradually weakened with an increase in care intensity.

Discussion

Trajectories of function capabilities are deeply embedded in social relationships. In the context of rapid population aging and increasing demand for informal care, government support for caregivers is needed to sustain the protective effects of informal care.
Linear Equations in Singular Moduli
Authors: Bilu Yuri , Kühne Lars
Published: September 2018

We establish an effective version of the André–Oort conjecture for linear subspaces of $Y(1)^n_{\mathbb{C}} \approx \mathbb{A}_{\mathbb{C}}^n$. This gives the first effective nontrivial results of André–Oort type for higher-dimensional varieties in products of modular curves.
The Intergenerational Causal Effect of Tax Evasion: Evidence from the Commuter Tax Allowance in Austria
Authors: Frimmel Wolfgang , Halla Martin , Paetzold Jörg
Published: September 2018

Does tax evasion run in the family? To answer this question, we study the case of the commuter tax allowance in Austria. This allowance is designed as a step function of the distance between the residence and the workplace, creating sharp discontinuities at each bracket threshold. It turns out that the distance to the next higher bracket is a strong determinant of compliance. The match of different administrative data sources allows us to observe actual compliance behavior with little error at the individual level across two generations. To identify the intergenerational causal effect in tax evasion behavior, we use the paternal distance to next higher bracket as an instrumental variable for paternal compliance. We find that paternal noncompliance increases children’s noncompliance by about 23%.
Regionalization of Spine Trauma Care in an Urban Trauma System in the United States: Decreased Time to Surgery and Hospital Length of Stay
Authors: Kelly Michael L , He Jack , Roach Mary Jo , Moore Timothy A , Steinmetz Michael P , Claridge Jeffrey A
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND

The effect of regionalized trauma care (RT) on hospital-based outcomes for traumatic spine injury (TSI) in the United States is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To test the hypothesis that RT would be associated with earlier time to surgery and decreased length of stay (LOS).

METHODS

TSI patients >14 yr were identified using International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision Clinical Modification diagnostic codes. Data from 2008 through 2012 were analyzed before and after RT in 2010.

RESULTS

A total of 4072 patients were identified; 1904 (47%) pre-RT and 2168 (53%) post-RT. Injury severity scores, Spine Abbreviated Injury Scale scores, and the percentage of TSIs with spinal cord injury (tSCI) were similar between time periods. Post-RT TSIs demonstrated a lower median intensive care unit (ICU) LOS (0 vs 1 d; P < 0.0001), underwent spine surgery more frequently (13% vs 11%; P = 0.01), and had a higher rate of spine surgery performed within 24 h of admission (65% vs 55%; P = 0.02). In patients with tSCI post-RT, ICU LOS was decreased (1 vs 2 d; P < 0.0001) and ventilator days were reduced (average days: 2 vs 3; P = 0.006). The post-RT time period was an independent predictor for spine surgery performed in less than 24 h for all TSIs (odds ratio [OR] 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-2.22, C-stat = 0.65). Multivariate linear regression analysis demonstrated an independent effect on reduced ICU LOS post-RT for TSIs (OR –1.68; 95% CI: –2.98 to 0.39; R2 = 0.74) and tSCIs (OR –2.42, 95% CI: –3.99−0.85; R2 = 0.72).

CONCLUSION

RT is associated with increased surgical rates, earlier time to surgery, and decreased ICU LOS for patients with TSI.
Formation of flavorant–propylene Glycol Adducts With Novel Toxicological Properties in Chemically Unstable E-Cigarette Liquids
Authors: Erythropel Hanno C , Jabba Sairam V , DeWinter Tamara M , Mendizabal Melissa , Anastas Paul T , Jordt Sven E , Zimmerman Julie B
Published: September 2018

Introduction

“Vaping” electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is increasingly popular with youth, driven by the wide range of available flavors, often created using flavor aldehydes. The objective of this study was to examine whether flavor aldehydes remain stable in e-cigarette liquids or whether they undergo chemical reactions, forming novel chemical species that may cause harm to the user.

Methods

Gas chromatography was used to determine concentrations of flavor aldehydes and reaction products in e-liquids and vapor generated from a commercial e-cigarette. Stability of the detected reaction products in aqueous media was monitored by ultraviolet spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and their effects on irritant receptors determined by fluorescent calcium imaging in HEK-293T cells.

Results

Flavor aldehydes including benzaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde, citral, ethylvanillin, and vanillin rapidly reacted with the e-liquid solvent propylene glycol (PG) after mixing, and upward of 40% of flavor aldehyde content was converted to flavor aldehyde PG acetals, which were also detected in commercial e-liquids. Vaping experiments showed carryover rates of 50%–80% of acetals to e-cigarette vapor. Acetals remained stable in physiological aqueous solution, with half-lives above 36 hours, suggesting they persist when inhaled by the user. Acetals activated aldehyde-sensitive TRPA1 irritant receptors and aldehyde-insensitive TRPV1 irritant receptors.

Conclusions

E-liquids are potentially reactive chemical systems in which new compounds can form after mixing of constituents and during storage, as demonstrated here for flavor aldehyde PG acetals, with unexpected toxicological effects. For regulatory purposes, a rigorous process is advised to monitor the potentially changing composition of e-liquids and e-vapors over time, to identify possible health hazards.

Implications

This study demonstrates that e-cigarette liquids can be chemically unstable, with reactions occurring between flavorant and solvent components immediately after mixing at room temperature. The resulting compounds have toxicological properties that differ from either the flavorants or solvent components. These findings suggest that the reporting of manufacturing ingredients of e-liquids is insufficient for a safety assessment. The establishment of an analytical workflow to detect newly formed compounds in e-liquids and their potential toxicological effects is imperative for regulatory risk analysis.
Series-connected array of superconductor–insulator–superconductor junctions in the 100 GHz-band heterodyne mixer for FOREST on the Nobeyama 45 m telescope
Authors: Nakajima Taku , Inoue Hirofumi , Fujii Yumi , Miyazawa Chieko , Iwashita Hiroyuki , Sakai Takeshi , Noguchi Takashi , Mizuno Akira
Published: September 2018

We have designed and experimentally evaluated a series-connected array of superconductor–insulator–superconductor (SIS) junctions in the 100 GHz-band mixer for the multi-beam receiver FOREST on the Nobeyama 45 m millimeter-wave telescope. The construction of the junction chip comprised a waveguide probe antenna, impedance-matching circuit, SIS array junction, and choke filter, which were made from a superconducting niobium planar circuit on a quartz substrate. The multi-stage impedance-matching circuit between the feed point and the SIS junction was designed as a capacitively loaded transmission line, and it comprised two sections with high (∼90 Ω) and low (∼10 Ω) characteristic impedance transmission lines. The structure of this tuning line was simple and easy to fabricate, and the feed impedance matched with the SIS junction in a wide frequency range. The signal coupling efficiency was more than 92% and the expected receiver noise temperature was approximately twice the quantum limit for 75–125 GHz based on quantum theory. The array junction devices with three to six connected junctions were fabricated and we measured their performance in terms of the receiver noise temperature and gain compression in the laboratory. We successfully developed an array junction device with a receiver noise temperature of ∼15–30 K and confirmed that the improvement in the saturation power corresponded to the number of junctions. The newly developed array junction mixer was installed in the FOREST receiver and it successfully detected the 12CO(J = 1–0) molecular line toward IRC +10216 with the Nobeyama 45 m telescope.
On the different levels of dust attenuation to nebular and stellar light in star-forming galaxies
Authors: Koyama Yusei , Shimakawa Rhythm , Yamamura Issei , Kodama Tadayuki , Hayashi Masao
Published: September 2018

As a science verification study of the newly released AKARI/FIS Faint Source Catalog ver. 1, this paper discusses the different levels of dust attenuation toward stellar light and nebular emission lines within local star-forming galaxies at 0.02 < $z$ < 0.10. By constructing an updated version of the AKARI–SDSS–GALEX matched galaxy catalog (with >2000 sources), we compare the dust attenuation levels toward stellar light (from the LIR/LUV ratio) and nebular emission lines (from the Hα/Hβ ratio). We find that there is a clear trend that more massive galaxies tend to have higher “extra” attenuation toward nebular regions, while galaxies with higher specific star formation rates tend to have lower extra attenuation. We also confirm these trends by using the WISE mid-infrared photometry with a significantly large sample size of the WISE–SDSS–GALEX galaxies (>50000 sources). Finally, we study how the levels of extra attenuation toward nebular regions change across the SFR–M⋆ plane. We find that, even at a fixed stellar mass, galaxies located below the main sequence tend to have higher levels of extra attenuation toward nebular regions, suggesting a change in dust geometry within the galaxies across the star-forming main sequence during the course of the star formation quenching process.
Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Assay for Field Detection of Tomato Bacterial Spot Pathogens
Authors: Strayer-Scherer A. , Jones J. B. , Paret M. L.
Published: September 2018

Bacterial spot of tomato is caused by Xanthomonas gardneri, X. euvesicatoria, X. perforans, and X. vesicatoria. Current diagnostic methods for the pathogens are not in-field assays. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is ideal for in-field detection assays, because it is an isothermal technique that is rapid and more tolerant to inhibitors compared with polymerase chain reaction. Hence, novel RPA probes and primers were designed to amplify regions of the hrcN gene of X. gardneri, X. euvesicatoria, and X. perforans. The X. gardneri RPA is specific to X. gardneri with a detection limit of 106CFU/ml and detected X. gardneri in lesions from naturally (n = 6) or artificially (n = 18) infected plants. The X. euvesicatoria RPA detects both X. euvesicatoria and X. perforans with a detection limit of 106CFU/ml and detected both pathogens in plants artificially infected (n = 36) or naturally infected (n = 85) with either X. euvesicatoria or X. perforans. The X. perforans RPA is specific to X. perforans with a detection limit of 107CFU/ml. Although the X. perforans RPA assay was unable to detect X. perforans from lesions, the X. euvesicatoria RPA was successfully used in field to detect X. perforans from symptomatic field samples (n = 31). The X. perforans RPA was then used to confirm the pathogen in the laboratory. The X. euvesicatoria and X. gardneri RPA is promising for rapid, real-time in-field detection of bacterial spot and one of the first developed among plant pathogenic bacteria.
Quantitative Trait Loci Conferring Leaf Rust Resistance in Hexaploid Wheat
Authors: Pinto da Silva Gerarda Beatriz , Zanella Camila Martini , Martinelli José Antônio , Chaves Márcia Soares , Hiebert Colin W. , McCallum Brent D. , Boyd Lesley Ann
Published: September 2018

Leaf rust, caused by the fungal pathogen Puccinia triticina, is a major threat to wheat production in many wheat-growing regions of the world. The introduction of leaf rust resistance genes into elite wheat germplasm is the preferred method of disease control, being environmentally friendly and crucial to sustained wheat production. Consequently, there is considerable value in identifying and characterizing new sources of leaf rust resistance. While many major, qualitative leaf rust resistance genes have been identified in wheat, a growing number of valuable sources of quantitative resistance have been reported. Here we review the progress made in the genetic identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for leaf rust resistance detected primarily in field analyses, i.e., adult plant resistance. Over the past 50 years, leaf rust resistance loci have been assigned to genomic locations through chromosome analyses and genetic mapping in biparental mapping populations, studies that represent 79 different wheat leaf rust resistance donor lines. In addition, seven association mapping studies have identified adult plant and seedling leaf rust resistance marker trait associations in over 4,000 wheat genotypes. Adult plant leaf rust resistance QTL have been found on all 21 chromosomes of hexaploid wheat, with the B genome carrying the greatest number of QTL. The group 2 chromosomes are also particularly rich in leaf rust resistance QTL. The A genome has the lowest number of QTL for leaf rust resistance.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Assessment of genetic structure of the endangered forest species Boswellia serrata Roxb. population in central india
Authors: Vaishnav Vivek , Mahesh Shashank , Kumar Pramod
Published: September 2018

Boswellia serrata Roxb., a commercially important species for its pulp and pharmaceutical properties was sampled from three locations representing its natural distribution in central India for genetic characterization through 56 RAPD + 42 ISSR loci. The wood fiber dimensions measured for morphometric characterization confirmed 11.36% of the variation in the length and 8.75% of the variation in the width indicating its fitness for local adaptation. Bayesian and non-Bayesian approach based diversity measures resulted moderate within population gene diversity (0.26±0.17), Shannon’s information index (0.40±0.22) and panmictic heterozygosity (0.28±0.01). A high estimate for genetic differentiation measures i.e. GST (0.31), GST-B (0.33±0.02) and θ-II (0.45) led to the distinct clusters of the sampled genotypes representing their regional variability due to limited gene flow and total absence of natural regeneration. We report the first investigation of the species for its molecular characterization emphasizing the urgent need for the genetic improvement program for the In-situ/Ex-situ conservation and sustainable commercialization.
Fatigue and cognitive performance change in MS: multifactorial with disparate influences Short title: Predictors of fatigue and performance change in MS
Authors: Hu M , Muhlert N , Robertson N , Winter M
Published: September 2018

Background

Fatigue is a common and disabling symptom in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) with a variety of direct and indirect influences, but remains poorly understood. Performance-based and self-report measures of fatigue are only weakly correlated and may have independent predictors. We adopted a multifactorial approach, utilising a measure of concurrent cognitive performance change in order to examine the clinical, psychological, and cognitive factors influencing subjective and objective fatigue in MS.

Methods

Sixty-one people with MS were assessed. Subjective fatigue was measured using the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale, Fatigue Assessment Instrument, and a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The Conners Continuous Performance Test 3 (CCPT3) and VAS were administered before and after two hours of cognitive testing, representing a period of cognitive effort. The differences in scores formed measures of objective performance fatigue and subjective fatigue change, respectively. We examined differences across baseline fatigue, fatigue change and performance change classifications, using regression analysis to uncover predictors of subjective fatigue and performance change.

Table 1.

Demographic and clinical features of the sample

Results

Depression, sleep, and emotion-focused coping each predicted baseline fatigue and together explained 53.5% of variance. Increased subjective fatigue was linked with anxiety, lower self-efficacy and gender. Cognitive performance change on the CCPT3 was however predicted by estimated general cognitive ability, self-efficacy and post-intervention fatigue.

Conclusion

Subjective fatigue in MS is a multifactorial construct, with subjective and objective cognitive performance fatigue largely influenced by indirect psychological and cognitive factors. The varying factors driving subjective and objective fatigue suggest that future studies need to take into account these disparate aspects when developing fatigue assessment tools. Targeting influential fatigue drivers such as psychological variables, and even using gender specific interventions may have the potential to improve the burden of fatigue and quality of life of people with MS.
Bio-On-Magnetic-Beads (BOMB): Open platform for high-throughput nucleic acid extraction and manipulation
Authors: Oberacker Phil , Stepper Peter , Bond Donna M , Höhn Sven , Focken Jule , Meyer Vivien , Schelle Luca , Sugrue Victoria J , Jeunen Gert-Jan , Moser Tim , Hore Steven R , Meyenn Ferdinand von , Hipp Katharina , Hore Timothy A , Jurkowski Tomasz P
Published: September 2018

Current molecular biology laboratories rely heavily on the purification and manipulation of nucleic acids. Yet, commonly used centrifuge-and column-based protocols require specialised equipment, often use toxic reagents and are not economically scalable or practical to use in a high-throughput manner. Although it has been known for some time that magnetic beads can provide an elegant answer to these issues, the development of open-source protocols based on beads has been limited. In this article, we provide step-by-step instructions for an easy synthesis of functionalised magnetic beads, and detailed protocols for their use in the high-throughput purification of plasmids, genomic DNA and total RNA from different sources, as well as environmental TNA and PCR amplicons. We also provide a bead-based protocol for bisulfite conversion, and size selection of DNA and RNA fragments. Comparison to other methods highlights the capability, versatility and extreme cost-effectiveness of using magnetic beads. These open source protocols and the associated webpage (https://bomb.bio) can serve as a platform for further protocol customisation and community engagement.
Cluster Burst Synchronization in A Scale-Free Network of Inhibitory Bursting Neurons
Authors: Kim Sang-Yoon , Lim Woochang
Published: September 2018

We consider a scale-free network of inhibitory Hindmarsh-Rose (HR) bursting neurons, and investigate coupling-induced cluster burst synchronization by varying the average coupling strength J0. For sufficiently small J0, non-cluster desynchronized states exist. However, when passing a critical point , the whole population is segregated into 3 clusters via a constructive role of synaptic inhibition to stimulate dynamical clustering between individual burstings, and thus 3-cluster desynchronized states appear. As J0 is further increased and passes a lower threshold , a transition to 3-cluster burst synchronization occurs due to another constructive role of synaptic inhibition to favor population synchronization. In this case, HR neurons in each cluster exhibit burst synchronization. However, as J0 passes an intermediate threshold , HR neurons begin to make intermittent hoppings between the 3 clusters. Due to the intermittent intercluster hoppings, the 3 clusters are integrated into a single one. In spite of break-up of the 3 clusters, (non-cluster) burst synchronization persists in the whole population, which is well visualized in the raster plot of burst onset times where bursting stripes (composed of burst onset times and indicating burst synchronization) appear successively. With further increase in J0, intercluster hoppings are intensified, and bursting stripes also become smeared more and more due to a destructive role of synaptic inhibition to spoil the burst synchronization. Eventually, when passing a higher threshold a transition to desynchronization occurs via complete overlap between the bursting stripes. Finally, we also investigate the effects of stochastic noise on both 3-cluster burst synchronization and intercluster hoppings.