bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Charge carrier transport and electroluminescence in atomic layer deposited poly-GaN/c-Si heterojunction diodes
Authors: Gupta Gaurav , Banerjee Sourish , Dutta Satadal , Aarnink Antonius A. I. , Schmitz Jurriaan , Kovalgin Alexey Y. , Hueting Raymond J. E.
Published: August 2018

In this work, we study the charge carrier transport and electroluminescence (EL) in thin-film polycrystalline (poly-) GaN/c-Si heterojunction diodes realized using a plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition process. The fabricated poly-GaN/p-Si diode with a native oxide at the interface showed a rectifying behavior (Ion/Ioff ratio ∼ 103 at ±3 V) with current-voltage characteristics reaching an ideality factor n of ∼5.17. The areal (Ja) and peripheral (Jp) components of the current density were extracted, and their temperature dependencies were studied. The space charge limited current (SCLC) in the presence of traps is identified as the dominant carrier transport mechanism for Ja in forward bias. An effective trap density of 4.6 × 1017/cm3 at a trap energy level of 0.13 eV below the GaN conduction band minimum was estimated by analyzing Ja. Other basic electrical properties of the material such as the free carrier concentration, effective density of states in the conduction band, electron mobility, and dielectric relaxation time were also determined from the current-voltage analysis in the SCLC regime. Further, infrared EL corresponding to the Si bandgap was observed from the fabricated diodes. The observed EL intensity from the GaN/p-Si heterojunction diode is ∼3 orders of magnitude higher as compared to the conventional Si only counterpart. The enhanced infrared light emission is attributed to the improved injector efficiency of the GaN/Si diode because of the wide bandgap of the poly-GaN layer and the resulting band discontinuity at the GaN/Si interface.
77 new thermodynamic identities among crystalline elastic material properties leading to a shear modulus constitutive law in isotropic solids
Authors: Burns S. J.
Published: August 2018

Thermodynamics of crystalline materials is analyzed using strain volumes, an incremental tensorial state variable which is the volume per unit mass multiplied by the incremental strain. It is shown that the derivatives of the strain volume variables with respect to the stresses are reduced to conventional well known isothermal, elastic, and crystallographic compliances and crystallographic thermal expansion coefficients. The formulism is extended to all third order derivatives which establish 77 new thermodynamic identities: 27 are thermal and 50 are among selected stress components of elastic compliances. The stress dependence of heat capacity is typically coupled into the crystallographic thermal expansion coefficient's temperature dependence; the temperature dependence of the elastic compliances is related to the stress dependence of the thermal expansion coefficients; stress dependent relationships among elastic compliances are also found. This paper emphasizes internal self-consistency. General triclinic identity relations which are of academic interest are applied to specific higher symmetries including orthorhombic, tetragonal, and cubic; identities in higher symmetry crystals are very useful. A new generalized, constitutive law is found and applied to isotropic polycrystalline materials; the concept is based on shear thermal expansion coefficients. The constitutive modulus relation describes thermal and pressure properties only through an isochoric modulus.
Electron energy analysis by phase-space shaping with THz field cycles
Authors: Ehberger Dominik , Kealhofer Catherine , Baum Peter
Published: August 2018

Time-resolved electron energy analysis and loss spectroscopy can reveal a wealth of information about material properties and dynamical light-matter interactions. Here, we report an all-optical concept for measuring energy spectra of femtosecond electron pulses with sub-eV resolution. Laser-generated terahertz radiation is used to measure arrival time differences within electron pulses with few-femtosecond precision. Controlled dispersion and subsequent compression of the electron pulses provide almost any desired compromise of energy resolution, signal strength, and time resolution. A proof-of-concept experiment on aluminum reveals an energy resolution of <3.5 eV (rms) at 70-keV after a drift distance of only 0.5 m. Simulations of a two-stage scheme reveal that pre-stretched pulses can be used to achieve <10 meV resolution, independent of the source's initial energy spread and limited only by the achievable THz field strength and measuring time.
Planar equilibria of sessile and pendant liquid drops on geometrically non-linear elastic membranes
Authors: Nair Vineet , Sharma Ishan , Shankar V.
Published: August 2018

Equilibrium shapes are obtained for sessile and pendant liquid drops placed on elastic membranes in two-dimensions. The membrane is allowed to undergo large deformations under the action of capillary forces and fluid pressure. We focus on the global characteristics of the system, like the equilibrium shape of the drop, the membrane’s deformed shape, the apparent contact angle and contact size, and their variation with the volume of the drop for different membrane tensions and drop apex curvatures. It is found that the apparent contact angle is not simply a function of material property but of the system’s geometry as well. The contact size for sessile drops shows a non-monotonic behavior with the volume for all drop apex curvatures. However, for pendant drops, the behavior is strictly monotonic below a critical value of the drop apex curvature.
Resonant metasurface with tunable asymmetric reflection
Authors: Filonov Dmitry , Kozlov Vitali , Shmidt Andrey , Steinberg Ben Z. , Ginzburg Pavel
Published: August 2018

Suppression of backscattered electromagnetic waves by carefully designed structures is highly demanded in a range of applications, some of which are radar invisibility, antenna isolation, and many others. Salisbury screens, composed of a mirror with an additional layer on top, are traditionally used for these purposes. Here, we report on the design and experimental demonstration of a reciprocal screen, which demonstrates asymmetric reflection properties when illuminated from opposite directions. The structure utilizes near-field magneto-electric coupling between subwavelength split ring resonators and wires, forming a metasurface. While the reciprocal structure demonstrates perfect symmetry in transmission, strong backscattered asymmetry is shown to be controllable by carefully choosing the Ohmic losses, which are implemented with lumped resistors soldered into the resonators. Depending on the load, the meta-screen demonstrates switching properties that vary between fully symmetric and completely asymmetric reflection between the forward and backward directions of incident illumination. The frequency selective surface acts as a Huygens element when illuminated from one side and as a perfect mirror when illuminated from the other. The ability to tailor the asymmetric reflectance of electromagnetic metasurfaces by controlling Ohmic losses allows employing additional degrees of freedom in designing of radomes and other antenna devices. Furthermore, the concept could be extended to optical frequencies, where resistive losses can be controlled via direct carrier injection into semiconductor devices.
Influence of quantum well design on light polarization switching in AlGaN ultraviolet emitters
Authors: Liu Cheng , Zhang Jing
Published: August 2018

Polarization properties from AlGaN quantum well (QW) strongly determine the efficiency of deep ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs), hence knowing the critical Al-content at which the light polarization switches is essential for high-efficiency deep UV LED designs. This work theoretically investigates the influence of QW design on the light polarization switching in AlGaN-based UV LEDs. The physics analysis by using the self-consistent 6-band k·p model shows that the Al-content for valence subbands crossover presents an increasing trend as AlGaN QW thickness increases with consideration of polarization electric field, carrier screening effect and strain state. On the other hand, the critical Al-content where the transverse-electric-polarized spontaneous emission recombination rate (Rsp) is equal to the transverse-magnetic-polarized Rsp has the maximum value at the QW thickness of ∼1.5 nm. The difference between the two types of critical Al-contents can be explained by the quantum confined stark effect and the band mixing effect. The light polarization properties from reported AlGaN-based UV emitters show a similar trend to our theoretical results on critical Al-contents, indicating the importance on the understanding of QW design for high-efficiency deep-UV emitters.
Experimental evaluation of the initial effects of large-scale thinning on structure and biodiversity of river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) forests
Authors: Gonsalves Leroy , Law Bradley , Blakey Rachel
Published: August 2018

Context
Multi-use management of global forests has seen even-aged, high-stem density regrowth represent >50% of the world’s forest cover. Large areas of river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) forests have declined in ecological condition. Thinning has been promoted as a tool to reduce competition in dense, young stands of E. camaldulensis regrowth, yet responses of forest structure and fauna to large-scale thinning are largely unclear.

Aims
To establish a before-after-control-impact experiment to assess responses of forest structure and fauna to large-scale (compartment-level; ~440 ha) silvicultural thinning.

Methods
We measured immediate (<2 yrs) responses of forest structural components (living, dead and hollow-bearing stem densities, coarse woody debris (CWD) density and volumes and ground cover) and components of biodiversity (bats, birds, volant insects and non-volant mammals) before and after thinning within five control and three impact compartments.

Key results
Thinning reduced stem density by approximately two-thirds and was associated with a substantial increase in activity and richness of bats and a change in bat species composition. There was no change in richness for birds and non-volant mammals, nor insect biomass in relation to thinning. However, thinning affected composition of non-volant mammals, with the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) less active post-thinning at impact plots relative to control plots. Thinning reduced the density of dead stems, though these were predominantly small (~13 cm diameter at breast height over bark, or dbhob) and mostly lacked hollows. Hollow-bearing tree density was not affected by thinning. Although thinning increased CWD densities, volume of CWD did not change, indicating that thinning contributed small-sized CWD. Thinning did not affect densities of hollow- and fissure-bearing CWD or ground cover, which was low (<7%) in control and impact plots. There were no other negative effects on biodiversity detected.

Conclusions
Short-term fauna responses to thinning were generally neutral or positive.

Implications
Ongoing monitoring is required to detect long-term changes that may result from colonisation or altered breeding success after thinning. We recommend that some unthinned stands should be retained throughout the landscape to provide a mosaic forest structure suitable for a diverse fauna.
Evaluating wildlife management by using principles of applied ecology: case studies and implications
Authors: Hone Jim , Drake V. Alistair , Krebs Charles J.
Published: August 2018

Context The broad concepts and generalisations that guide conduct of applied ecology, including wildlife management, have been reviewed and synthesised recently into 22 prescriptive and three empirical principles. Aims The aim of this study was to use these principles to evaluate three on-ground wildlife management programs and assess the utility of the principles themselves. Key results Case studies of long-term management of national park biodiversity impacted by feral pigs (Sus scrofa), and of conservation and harvest of red kangaroos (Macropus rufus) and mallards (Anas platyrhnchos), were selected to provide a representative range of management objectives, spatial scales and land tenures, and to include both native and introduced species. Management documents and a considerable scientific literature were available for all three programs. The results highlight similarities and differences among management activities and demonstrate the 25 principles to differing degrees. Most of the prescriptive principles were demonstrated in both the management and the scientific literature in all three programs, but almost no use was made of the three empirical principles. We propose that use of the prescriptive principles constitutes evidence that these programs meet both societal and scientific expectations. However, the limited use of the empirical principles shows gaps in the three programs. Conclusions The results suggest that evaluating other wildlife management programs against the principles of applied ecology is worthwhile and could highlight aspects of those programs that might otherwise be overlooked. Little use was made of the empirical principles, but the the Effort–outcomes principle in particular provides a framework for evaluating management programs. Implications The effort–outcomes relationship should be a focus of future applied research, and both prescriptive and empirical principles should be integrated into wildlife management programs.
Some genuine small representations of a nonlinear double cover
Authors: Tsai Wan-Yu
Published: August 2018

Let

G
G

be the real points of a simply connected, semisimple, simply laced complex Lie group, and let

G
~

\widetilde {G}

be the nonlinear double cover of

G
G

. We discuss a set of small genuine irreducible representations of

G
~

\widetilde {G}

which can be characterized by the following properties: (a) the infinitesimal character is

ρ

/

2

\rho /2

; (b) they have maximal

τ
\tau

-invariant; (c) they have a particular associated variety

O

\mathcal {O}

. When

G
G

is split, we construct them explicitly. Furthermore, in many cases, there is a one-to-one correspondence between these small representations and the pairs (genuine central characters of

G
~

\widetilde {G}

, real forms of

O

\mathcal {O}

) via the map

π
~

↦
(

χ

π
~

,
A
V
(

π
~

)
)

\widetilde {\pi } \mapsto (\chi _{\widetilde {\pi }}, AV(\widetilde {\pi }) )

.
Admissible sequences of positive operators
Authors: Kaftal Victor , Larson David
Published: August 2018

A scalar sequence

ξ
\xi

is said to be admissible for a positive operator

A
A

if

A
=
∑

ξ
j

P
j

A= \sum \xi _jP_j

for some rank-one projections

P
j

P_j

, or, equivalently, if diag 

ξ
\xi

is the diagonal of

V
A

V
∗

VAV^*

for some partial isometry

V
V

having as domain the closure of the range of

A
A

. The main result of this paper is that if

A
A

is the sum of infinitely many projections (converging in the strong operator topology) and

ξ
\xi

is a nonsummable sequence in

[
0
,
1
]

[0,1]

that satisfies the Kadison condition that requires that either
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="sigma-summation left-brace xi Subscript i Baseline bar xi Subscript i Baseline less-than-or-equal-to one half right-brace plus sigma-summation left-brace left-parenthesis 1 minus xi Subscript i Baseline right-parenthesis bar xi Subscript i Baseline greater-than one half right-brace equals normal infinity">

∑
{

ξ
i

∣

ξ
i

≤

1
2

}
+
∑
{
(
1
−

ξ
i

)
∣

ξ
i

>

1
2

}
=
∞

\sum \{\xi _i \mid \xi _i\le \frac {1}{2}\}+ \sum \{(1-\xi _i) \mid \xi _i> \frac {1}{2}\} = \infty

or the difference
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="sigma-summation left-brace xi Subscript i Baseline bar xi Subscript i Baseline less-than-or-equal-to one half right-brace minus sigma-summation left-brace left-parenthesis 1 minus xi Subscript i Baseline right-parenthesis bar xi Subscript i Baseline greater-than one half right-brace">

∑
{

ξ
i

∣

ξ
i

≤

1
2

}
−
∑
{
(
1
−

ξ
i

)
∣

ξ
i

>

1
2

}

\sum \{\xi _i \mid \xi _i\le \frac {1}{2}\}- \sum \{(1-\xi _i) \mid \xi _i> \frac {1}{2}\}

is an integer, then

ξ
\xi

is admissible for

A
A

. This result extends Kadison’s carpenter’s theorem and provides an independent proof of it.
Rap1 GTPase promotes coordinated collective cell migration in vivo
Authors: Sawant Ketki , Chen Yujun , Kotian Nirupama , Preuss Kevin M. , McDonald Jocelyn A.
Published: August 2018

During development and in cancer, cells often move together in small to large collectives. To move as a unit, cells within collectives need to stay coupled together and coordinate their motility. How cell collectives remain interconnected and migratory, especially when moving through in vivo environments, is not well understood. The genetically tractable border cell group undergoes a highly polarized and cohesive cluster-type migration in the Drosophila ovary. Here we report that the small GTPase Rap1, through activation by PDZ-GEF, regulates border cell collective migration. We find that Rap1 maintains cell contacts within the cluster, at least in part by promoting the organized distribution of E-cadherin at specific cell–cell junctions. Rap1 also restricts migratory protrusions to the front of the border cell cluster and promotes the extension of protrusions with normal dynamics. Further, Rap1 is required in the outer migratory border cells but not in the central nonmigratory polar cells. Such cell specificity correlates well with the spatial distribution of the inhibitory Rapgap1 protein, which is higher in polar cells than in border cells. We propose that precisely regulated Rap1 activity reinforces connections between cells and polarizes the cluster, thus facilitating the coordinated collective migration of border cells.
Feedback regulation of TORC1 by its downstream effectors Npr1 and Par32
Authors: Varlakhanova Natalia V. , Tornabene Bryan A. , Ford Marijn G. J.
Published: August 2018

TORC1 (target of rapamycin complex) integrates complex nutrient signals to generate and fine-tune a growth and metabolic response. Npr1 (nitrogen permease reactivator) is a downstream effector kinase of TORC1 that regulates the stability, activity, and trafficking of various nutrient permeases including the ammonium permeases Mep1, Mep2, and Mep3 and the general amino acid permease Gap1. Npr1 exerts its regulatory effects on Mep1 and Mep3 via Par32 (phosphorylated after rapamycin). Activation of Npr1 leads to phosphorylation of Par32, resulting in changes in its subcellular localization and function. Here we demonstrate that Par32 is a positive regulator of TORC1 activity. Loss of Par32 renders cells unable to recover from exposure to rapamycin and reverses the resistance to rapamycin of Δ npr1 cells. The sensitivity to rapamycin of cells lacking Par32 is dependent on Mep1 and Mep3 and the presence of ammonium, linking ammonium metabolism to TORC1 activity. Par32 function requires its conserved repeated glycine-rich motifs to be intact but, surprisingly, does not require its localization to the plasma membrane. In all, this work elucidates a novel mechanism by which Npr1 and Par32 exert regulatory feedback on TORC1.
FastSpar: rapid and scalable correlation estimation for compositional data
Authors: Watts Stephen C , Ritchie Scott C , Inouye Michael , Holt Kathryn E
Published: August 2018

A common goal of microbiome studies is the elucidation of community composition and member interactions using counts of taxonomic units extracted from sequence data. Inference of interaction networks from sparse and compositional data requires specialized statistical approaches. A popular solution is SparCC, however its performance limits the calculation of interaction networks for very high-dimensional datasets. Here we introduce FastSpar, an efficient and parallelizable implementation of the SparCC algorithm which rapidly infers correlation networks and calculates P-values using an unbiased estimator. We further demonstrate that FastSpar reduces network inference wall time by 2–3 orders of magnitude compared to SparCC.

Availability and implementation

FastSpar source code, precompiled binaries and platform packages are freely available on GitHub: github.com/scwatts/FastSpar

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
PlayMolecule BindScope: large scale CNN-based virtual screening on the web
Authors: Skalic Miha , Martínez-Rosell Gerard , Jiménez José , De Fabritiis Gianni
Published: August 2018

Virtual screening pipelines are one of the most popular used tools in structure-based drug discovery, since they can can reduce both time and cost associated with experimental assays. Recent advances in deep learning methodologies have shown that these outperform classical scoring functions at discriminating binder protein-ligand complexes. Here, we present BindScope, a web application for large-scale active-inactive classification of compounds based on deep convolutional neural networks. Performance is on a pair with current state-of-the-art pipelines. Users can screen on the order of hundreds of compounds at once and interactively visualize the results.

Availability and implementation

BindScope is available as part of the PlayMolecule.org web application suite.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Comparative analysis of methods for evaluation of protein models against native structures
Authors: Olechnovič Kliment , Monastyrskyy Bohdan , Kryshtafovych Andriy , Venclovas Česlovas
Published: August 2018

Motivation

Measuring discrepancies between protein models and native structures is at the heart of development of protein structure prediction methods and comparison of their performance. A number of different evaluation methods have been developed; however, their comprehensive and unbiased comparison has not been performed.

Results

We carried out a comparative analysis of several popular model assessment methods (RMSD, TM-score, GDT, QCS, CAD-score, LDDT, SphereGrinder and RPF) to reveal their relative strengths and weaknesses. The analysis, performed on a large and diverse model set derived in the course of three latest community-wide CASP experiments (CASP10–12), had two major directions. First, we looked at general differences between the scores by analyzing distribution, correspondence and correlation of their values as well as differences in selecting best models. Second, we examined the score differences taking into account various structural properties of models (stereochemistry, hydrogen bonds, packing of domains and chain fragments, missing residues, protein length and secondary structure). Our results provide a solid basis for an informed selection of the most appropriate score or combination of scores depending on the task at hand.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Enhancing social values, identity and wellbeing: the impact of participatory working with housing association tenants
Authors: Lambourne Thomas , Jenkins Suzanne
Published: August 2018

Community engagement is now embedded in the work of housing associations and local authorities in the UK, as a way of enhancing community development and involvement. This research takes as its focus a housing association based in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales; a town that has experienced deindustrialization, peripheralization, and as a result, some of the UK’s highest levels of socio-economic deprivation. The importance of participatory working outside of a regulatory agenda and boundary is explored, to evaluate the role of tenant participation in building more effective community development practices. The data is gathered through an ethnographic methodology, working with tenants on facilitated projects to explore the impact of TP on tenants. It draws on two distinctive tenant initiatives: a cooking group and a tenant ‘youth forum’. The research finds that through these methods of engagement, a number of positive outcomes can be identified across the tenant body, namely (i) the forging and embedding of social values, (ii) empowering tenant groups and sustaining community identity and (iii) enhancing tenant wellbeing.
Altered White Matter Organization in the TUBB3 E410K Syndrome
Authors: Grant P Ellen , Im Kiho , Ahtam Banu , Laurentys Cynthia T , Chan Wai-Man , Brainard Maya , Chew Sheena , Drottar Marie , Robson Caroline D , Drmic Irene , Engle Elizabeth C
Published: August 2018

Seven unrelated individuals (four pediatric, three adults) with the TUBB3 E410K syndrome, harboring identical de novo heterozygous TUBB3 c.1228 G>A mutations, underwent neuropsychological testing and neuroimaging. Despite the absence of cortical malformations, they have intellectual and social disabilities. To search for potential etiologies for these deficits, we compared their brain's structural and white matter organization to 22 controls using structural and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging. Diffusion images were processed to calculate fractional anisotropy (FA) and perform tract reconstructions. Cortical parcellation-based network analysis and gyral topology-based FA analyses were performed. Major interhemispheric, projection and intrahemispheric tracts were manually segmented. Subjects had decreased corpus callosum volume and decreased network efficiency. While only pediatric subjects had diffuse decreases in FA predominantly affecting mid- and long-range tracts, only adult subjects had white matter volume loss associated with decreased cortical surface area. All subjects showed aberrant corticospinal tract trajectory and bilateral absence of the dorsal language network long segment. Furthermore, pediatric subjects had more tracts with decreased FA compared with controls than did adult subjects. These findings define a TUBB3 E410K neuroimaging endophenotype and lead to the hypothesis that the age-related changes are due to microscopic intrahemispheric misguided axons that are pruned during maturation.
Genetic Variability of Melipona subnitida (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Introduced and Native Populations
Authors: de Souza Flaviane Santos , Costa Maria Angélica Pereira de Carvalho , de Oliveira Eddy José Francisco , Ribeiro Márcia de Fátima , Souza Bruno de Almeida , Araújo Edilson Divino , Imperatriz-Fonseca Vera L , de Carvalho Carlos Alfredo Lopes
Published: August 2018

Melipona subnitida (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is a stingless bee native to Caatinga biome in Brazil, well adapted to hot and dry climate of that region and has been traditionally explored for honey production. Here, we evaluate the genetic structure of 173 colonies of M. subnitida in northeast Brazil by partially sequenced mitochondrial genes cytochrome oxidase I (COI) to compare an introduced population isolated for 30 yr into the Island of Fernando de Noronha (IFN) with the continental populations. We identified high haplotype diversity (0.8220) with 14 haplotypes on the continental populations, being three new ones, compared with the database GenBank. The haplotype H4 was present at the center of network, occurring in four localities on mainland and fixed as a single haplotype on IFN. We propose that the island populations originally introduced carried one haplotype (H4), even though IFN population is suffering pressure by island effect through changes on morphology. Studies on island populations could be a model to understand the dynamics of isolated populations and sustainable management of this biome to preserve M. subnitida.
The Discursive Governance of Forced-Migration Management: The Turkish Shift from Reticence to Activism in Asia
Authors: Korkut Umut
Published: August 2018

This article shows how similar humanitarian narratives of states can travel across different geographies in response to refugee crises. Empirically, it follows Turkey's position vis-à-vis the Syrian and Rohingya refugee crises. Considering Turkey's migration management practices, humanitarian activism narrative, and its political ambition to foster domestic and international audiences for this narrative, this article elaborates on how Turkey has become a humanitarian actor responding both to Syrian and the Rohingya crises. In both cases, the Turkish political discourses have been very resonant of each other, despite Syria and Myanmar being in different geographies and proximities to Turkey. The article also shows how Turkish politicians and the civil servants aspired to enhance visibility and credibility of Turkey as a humanitarian actor. Delineating Turkey's humanitarian narrative shows the role of political agency in forging sympathetic domestic and international audiences. Overall, the Turkish case presents how states operate migration regimes at the cusp of discourses and institutions affecting their forced migration management and humanitarian engagements.
A Comprehensive Map of Genetic Variation in the World’s Largest Ethnic Group—Han Chinese
Authors: Chiang Charleston W K , Mangul Serghei , Robles Christopher , Sankararaman Sriram
Published: August 2018

As are most non-European populations, the Han Chinese are relatively understudied in population and medical genetics studies. From low-coverage whole-genome sequencing of 11,670 Han Chinese women we present a catalog of 25,057,223 variants, including 548,401 novel variants that are seen at least 10 times in our data set. Individuals from this data set came from 24 out of 33 administrative divisions across China (including 19 provinces, 4 municipalities, and 1 autonomous region), thus allowing us to study population structure, genetic ancestry, and local adaptation in Han Chinese. We identified previously unrecognized population structure along the East–West axis of China, demonstrated a general pattern of isolation-by-distance among Han Chinese, and reported unique regional signals of admixture, such as European influences among the Northwestern provinces of China. Furthermore, we identified a number of highly differentiated, putatively adaptive, loci (e.g., MTHFR, ADH7, and FADS, among others) that may be driven by immune response, climate, and diet in the Han Chinese. Finally, we have made available allele frequency estimates stratified by administrative divisions across China in the Geography of Genetic Variant browser for the broader community. By leveraging the largest currently available genetic data set for Han Chinese, we have gained insights into the history and population structure of the world’s largest ethnic group.
The Promise of Proton Therapy for Central Nervous System Malignancies
Authors: Vogel Jennifer , Carmona Ruben , Ainsley Christopher G , Lustig Robert A
Published: August 2018

Radiation therapy plays a significant role in management of benign and malignant diseases of the central nervous system. Patients may be at risk of acute and late toxicity from radiation therapy due to dose deposition in critical normal structures. In contrast to conventional photon delivery techniques, proton therapy is characterized by Bragg peak dose deposition which results in decreased exit dose beyond the target and greater sparing of normal structure which may reduce the rate of late toxicities from treatment. Dosimetric studies have demonstrated reduced dose to normal structures using proton therapy as compared to photon therapy. In addition, clinical studies are being reported demonstrating safety, feasibility, and low rates of acute toxicity. Technical challenges in proton therapy remain, including full understanding of depth of proton penetration and the biological activity in the distal Bragg peak. In addition, longer clinical follow-up is required to demonstrate reduction in late toxicities as compared to conventional photon-based radiation techniques. In this review, we summarize the current clinical literature and areas of active investigation in proton therapy for adult central nervous system malignancies.
No Association of Polymorphisms in Nav1.7 or Nerve Growth Factor Receptor Genes with Trigeminal Neuralgia
Authors: Costa Grazielle Mara Ferreira , Rocha Luiz Paulo C , Siqueira Silvia Regina Dowgan Tesseroli de , Moreira Paula Rocha , Almeida-Leite Camila Megale
Published: August 2018

Objective

Trigeminal neuralgia is defined as a sudden severe shock-like pain within the distribution of the trigeminal nerve. Pain is a subjective experience that is influenced by gender, culture, environment, psychological traits, and genes. Sodium channels and nerve growth factor play important roles in the transmission of nociceptive signals and pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of Nav1.7 sodium channel and nerve growth factor receptor TrkA gene polymorphisms (SCN9A/rs6746030 and NTRK1/rs633, respectively) in trigeminal neuralgia patients.

Methods

Ninety-six subjects from pain specialty centers in the southeastern region of Brazil were divided into 2 groups: 48 with classical trigeminal neuralgia diagnosis and 48 controls. Pain was evaluated using the visual analog scale and multidimensional McGill Pain Questionnaire. Genomic DNA was obtained from oral swabs in all individuals and was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results

No association was observed between evaluated polymorphisms and trigeminal neuralgia. For allele analyses, patients and controls had similar frequencies for both genes. Genotype distribution or allele frequencies of polymorphisms analyzed here did not correlate to pain scores.

Conclusions

Although no association of evaluated polymorphisms and trigeminal neuralgia diagnosis or pain severity was observed, our data do not exclude the possibility that other genotypes affecting the expression of Nav1.7 or TrkA are associated with the disease. Further studies should investigate distinct genetic polymorphisms and epigenetic factors that may be important in expression of these molecules.
Underground Azelaic Acid–Conferred Resistance to Pseudomonas syringae in Arabidopsis
Authors: Cecchini Nicolás M. , Roychoudhry Suruchi , Speed DeQuantarius J. , Steffes Kevin , Tambe Arjun , Zodrow Kristin , Konstantinoff Katerina , Jung Ho Won , Engle Nancy L. , Tschaplinski Timothy J. , Greenberg Jean T.
Published: August 2018

Local interactions between individual plant organs and diverse microorganisms can lead to whole plant immunity via the mobilization of defense signals. One such signal is the plastid lipid-derived oxylipin azelaic acid (AZA). Arabidopsis lacking AZI1 or EARLI1, related lipid transfer family proteins, exhibit reduced AZA transport among leaves and cannot mount systemic immunity. AZA has been detected in roots as well as leaves. Therefore, the present study addresses the effects on plants of AZA application to roots. AZA but not the structurally related suberic acid inhibits root growth when directly in contact with roots. Treatment of roots with AZA also induces resistance to Pseudomonas syringae in aerial tissues. These effects of AZA on root growth and disease resistance depend, at least partially, on AZI1 and EARLI1. AZI1 in roots localizes to plastids, similar to its known location in leaves. Interestingly, kinases previously shown to modify AZI1 in vitro, MPK3 and MPK6, are also needed for AZA-induced root-growth inhibition and aboveground immunity. Finally, deuterium-labeled AZA applied to the roots does not move to aerial tissues. Thus, AZA application to roots triggers systemic immunity through an AZI1/EARLI1/MPK3/MPK6-dependent pathway and AZA effects may involve one or more additional mobile signals.
Genome resources for the stem and bark canker pathogens Corinectria fuckeliana, Neonectria hederae and N. punicea
Authors: Salgado-Salazar Catalina , Crouch Jo Anne
Published: August 2018

Corinectria fuckeliana, Neonectria hederae, and N. punicea are fungi in the family Nectriaceae that cause canker diseases of numerous hardwood trees, conifers, and woody perennials, often leading to plant mortality. Here, we report draft genome sequences for these three phytopathogenic fungal species. The genome sizes are consistent with those reported for other members of the Nectriaceae (28 to 43 Mb). These are the first genome resources available for C. fuckeliana, N. hederae, and N. punicea. These genome sequences may provide insights into the mechanisms of virulence and pathogenicity employed by these three destructive plant pathogens, and are resources suitable for the development of molecular markers that could be used for species identification, diagnostic tools and barcodes, and population studies.
Developing a One-Step Multiplex PCR Assay for Rapid Detection of Four Stubby-Root Nematode Species, Paratrichodorus allius, P. minor, P. porosus, and Trichodorus obtusus
Authors: Huang Danqiong , Yan Guiping , Gudmestad Neil , Ye Weimin , Whitworth Jonathan , Frost Kenneth , Crow William , Hajihassani Abolfazl
Published: August 2018

Four trichodorid species, Paratrichodorus allius, P. minor, P. porosus, and Trichodorus obtusus, were found in multiple states in the United States. Traditional diagnosis based on morphology and morphometrics is laborious and requires an experienced taxonomist. Additionally, end-point diagnosis using PCR was only available for P. allius. To increase diagnostic efficiency and reduce costs, a one-step multiplex PCR assay was developed to simultaneously identify these four species using one PCR reaction. Available sequences of 18S ribosomal DNA and internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region of these species were aligned and five primers were designed. The conserved forward primer located in the 18S region, in combination with the species-specific antisense primer in the ITS1 region, amplified a single distinctive PCR fragment for each species (421/425 bp for P. allius, 190 bp for P. minor, 513 bp for P. porosus, and 353 bp for T. obtusus). In silico analysis with 10 other trichodorid species and experimental analysis using samples with these four species, 20 other plant-parasitic and three non-plant-parasitic nematodes demonstrated high specificity with the primers designed. The multiplex PCR amplified desirable fragments using a set of artificially mixed templates containing one, two, three, or four targeted species. The reliability of multiplex PCR results was demonstrated by using nematode populations isolated from infested fields from diverse geographic regions in eight states. The multiplex PCR-based tool developed in this study for the first time provides a simple, rapid, and cost-friendly assay for accurate diagnosis of the four major trichodorid nematodes in the United States.
Genetic and Pathogenic Characterization of Phacidiopycnis washingtonensis from Apple and Pacific Madrone from the Western United States
Authors: Sikdar P. , Mazzola M. , Xiao C. L.
Published: August 2018

Phacidiopycnis washingtonensis is the cause of speck rot of apple and leaf blight of Pacific madrone in Washington State. In total, 314 isolates were collected from apple production areas in eastern Washington and Pacific madrone in western Washington. Using eight microsatellite markers designed in this study, 58 unique multilocus haplotypes were identified. Only one of the haplotypes was shared between the apple and Pacific madrone populations. Analysis of molecular variance showed no genetic differentiation between the apple and Pacific madrone populations. Genetic variation was present within each subpopulation of apple from different geographic locations. The apple population possessed higher genotypic diversity than the Pacific madrone population, suggesting that isolates from apple may represent an older population and could have been introduced into the native habitat of Pacific madrone. P. washingtonensis likely reproduces asexually because populations examined in this study were not in linkage equilibrium. In pathogenicity tests, representative isolates from apple and Pacific madrone all incited leaf blight on Pacific madrone and speck rot on apple fruit regardless of their host of origin. Overall, our findings indicate that the P. washingtonensis population in Washington State is largely asexual, with high genotypic flow and that apple, crabapple, and Pacific madrone could serve as sources of P. washingtonensis inoculum for these hosts.
Newest lipoglycopeptides for the management of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections
Authors: Bell Allison M. , King S. Travis , Barber Katie E. , Adcock Kim G. , Wagner Jamie L. , Stover Kayla R.
Published: August 2018

Acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) are some of the most commonly encountered infections worldwide. Hospitalizations as a result of ABSSSIs are associated with high mortality. This article discusses the role of oritavancin and dalbavancin, the two newest lipoglycopeptides, in the context of the other available I.V. infusion standard therapy options.
Learning to Live Again
Authors: Mohney Kari
Published: August 2018

The heart transplant nurse coordinator plays a key role in educating and supporting the postoperative heart transplant patient to achieve the best outcomes for a long and healthy life. The time leading up to transplantation, wait-list candidates will hear vital information regarding life after they have received their life-sustaining heart transplant. Unfortunately, at times, the information is minimally retained. The first few days to weeks following surgery are a crucial period of time for education of patients to be discharged from the hospital setting to home where they will need to care for themselves independently. Education must be clear and concise and encompass patients' health involving their allograft heart and their body as a whole. The coordinator looks to the critical care nurse at the bedside to help teach and reiterate information to the patient in this critical period of time.
ECMO
Authors: Calhoun Alex
Published: August 2018

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used for both cardiac and pulmonary failure when conventional measures are no longer substantial in supporting life. ECMO is not a permanent device. It is used as a temporary measure to allow the lungs and heart, as well as other organs to recover. If recovery is not possible, it may also be used as a bridge to a more permanent device such as the left ventricular assist device or heart or lung transplantation. This is a detailed description of the differences between venovenous ECMO and venoarterial ECMO and the nursing care that is associated with the two. A case study of a 37-year-old man on ECMO due to cardiogenic shock is included.
Operational Excellence in the CTSICU
Authors: Bartolowits Kim
Published: August 2018

Operational Excellence is about allowing the system to put the correct processes in place to empower all staff members to make change. These processes will evolve into continuous quality improvement, allowing the best outcomes to be achieved. At Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, the right structures are in place to incorporate continuous process improvement by using an Operational Excellence board. This article discusses how the Operational Excellence concept and board was used in a busy cardiothoracic intensive care unit to affect employee safety and empowerment as well as improvements in patient safety and care quality.
Transport of Critically Ill Cardiovascular Patients
Authors: Ignatyeva Yelena , Nguyen Albert Phan , Schmidt Ulrich , Barak Ron , Agarwal Ravi , Davidson Judy E.
Published: August 2018

Intra-hospital transport (IHT) of intensive care unit (ICU) patients is associated with a 30% to 60% incidence of adverse events (AEs). This prospective observational study collected data from 200 patient transports from a 24-bed cardiovascular intensive care unit (ICU) between July 2017 and December 2017. Phase 1 of the study focused on identifying and correcting deficiencies in nurses' knowledge regarding IHT. Phase 2 observed the occurrence and type of AEs during the IHT of ICU patients with and without physician accompaniment. The preeducation mean nursing knowledge score was 30.8 ± 10.2 (scale 0-100), and postcurriculum test mean score was 80 ± 20.2 (p < .001). In a series of 200 ICU transports, the incidence of AEs was 21.5% (n = 43). In patients who were unstable prior to transport, there was no difference in complications with or without a physician present (p = 0.40, χ2 = 0.696, odds ratio = 0.643, 95% confidence interval: 0.245-1.96). Patient needs during transport were met with preexisting orders or treatment orders received telephonically. Nurses' knowledge of transport standards improved significantly with education. Physician presence did not affect outcomes. The interventions needed to respond to complications did not require physician presence. In this cohort, there was no statistically significant benefit from physician attendance in transport.
Emergency Airway Response Team (EART) Documentation
Authors: Crimlisk Janet T. , Krisciunas Gintas P. , Sipe Margie H. , Winter Michael R. , Gonzalez R. Mauricio , Grillone Gregory A.
Published: August 2018

Patients in an acute care hospital who experience a difficult airway event outside the operating room need a specialized emergency airway response team (EART) immediately. This designated team manages catastrophic airway events using advanced airway techniques as well as surgical intervention. Nurses respond as part of this team. There are no identified difficult airway team documentation instruments in the literature, and the lack of metrics limits the quality review of the team response. This study identified EART documentation criteria and incorporated them into a nursing documentation instrument to be completed by a nurse scribe during the event. The EART instrument was tested by nurses for usability, feasibility, and completeness. Twenty-one critical care nurses participated in this study. The results confirmed good usability, positive feasibility, and 79% documentation completeness using this tool. These criteria and this instrument can be important in documenting the EART and in evaluating the quality of the team performance.
Characteristics and Outcomes of Young Children Hospitalized With Laboratory-confirmed Influenza or Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Ontario, Canada, 2009–2014
Authors: Buchan Sarah A. , Chung Hannah , Karnauchow Timothy , McNally J. Dayre , Campitelli Michael A. , Gubbay Jonathan B. , Katz Kevin , McGeer Allison J. , Richardson David C. , Richardson Susan E. , Simor Andrew , Smieja Marek , Zahariadis George , Tran Dat , Crowcroft Natasha S. , Rosella Laura C. , Kwong Jeffrey C.
Published: August 2018

Background:

Respiratory illnesses are a major contributor to pediatric hospitalizations, with influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causing substantial morbidity and cost each season. We compared the characteristics and outcomes of children 0–59 months of age who were hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza or RSV between 2009 and 2014 in Ontario, Canada.

Methods:

We included hospitalized children who were tested for influenza A, influenza B and RSV and were positive for a single virus. We characterized individuals by their demographics and healthcare utilization patterns and compared their hospital outcomes, in-hospital cost and postdischarge healthcare use by virus type and by presence of underlying comorbidities.

Results:

We identified and analyzed 7659 hospitalizations during which a specimen tested positive for influenza or RSV. Children with RSV were the youngest whereas children with influenza B were the oldest [median ages 6 months (interquartile range: 2–17 months) and 25 months (interquartile range: 10–45 months), respectively]. Complex chronic conditions were more prevalent among children with all influenza (sub)types than RSV (31%–34% versus 20%). In-hospital outcomes were similar by virus type, but in children with comorbidities, postdischarge outcomes varied. We observed no differences in in-hospital cost between viruses or by presence of comorbidities [overall median cost: $4150 Canadian dollars (interquartile range: $3710–$4948)].

Conclusions:

Influenza and RSV account for large numbers of pediatric hospitalizations. RSV and influenza were similar in terms of severity and cost in hospitalized children. Influenza vaccination should be promoted in pregnant women and young children, and a vaccine against RSV would mitigate the high burden of RSV.