bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the effects of a balanced crystalloid‐based and a saline‐based tetrastarch solution on canine whole blood coagulation and platelet function
Authors: Reuteler Annina , Axiak‐Flammer Shannon , Howard Judith , Adamik Katja‐Nicole
Published: December 2016

Objective

To evaluate the effects of a 6% hydroxyethyl starch (130/0.42) solution in either a buffered, electrolyte‐balanced (HES‐BAL), or a saline (HES‐SAL) carrier solution on canine platelet function and whole blood coagulation.

Design

Prospective, randomized study.

Setting

University teaching hospital.

Animals

Thirty‐seven client‐owned dogs undergoing general anesthesia for arthroscopy or imaging studies.

Interventions

Dogs received a 15 mL/kg intravenous bolus of HES‐SAL (n= 13), HES‐BAL (n= 14), or a modified Ringer's solution (n= 10) over 30–40 minutes. Coagulation was analyzed using a Platelet Function Analyzer‐100 (closure time [CtPFA]), and whole blood thromboelastometry (ROTEM) with extrinsically (ex‐tem and fib‐tem) and intrinsically (in‐tem) activated assays, which assessed clotting time (CT), clot formation time (CFT), maximal clot firmness (MCF), and lysis index (LI). Coagulation samples were assayed prior to fluid administration (T0), and 5 minutes (T1), and 3 hours (T2) following fluid bolus administration, respectively.

Results

Both HES solutions resulted in impaired platelet function as indicated by a significant prolongation of CtPFAat T1 as compared to T0, but which resolved by T2. An IV bolus of Ringer's solution did not alter platelet function. In both HES groups, whole blood coagulation was significantly impaired at T1 as indicated by a significant increase in in‐tem CFT, and a significant decrease in ex‐tem, in‐tem, and fib‐tem MCF compared to T0. Furthermore, a significant increase in ex‐tem CFT at T1 compared to T0 was found in the HES‐SAL group. With the exception of in‐tem MCF after HES‐BAL, these effects were not present at T2. No significant differences were found in CtPFAor any ROTEM variable at any time point between HES‐SAL and HES‐BAL.

Conclusion

Administration of a single bolus of 15 mL/kg 6% HES 130/0.42 results in significant but short‐lived impairment of canine platelet function and whole blood coagulation, regardless of carrier solution.
Psychosocial Adaptation and Depressive Manifestations in High‐Risk Pregnant Women: Implications for Clinical Practice
Authors: Fiskin Gamze , Kaydirak Meltem Mecdi , Oskay Umran Yesiltepe
Published: December 2016

Background

High‐risk pregnancy research has focused primarily on psychological well‐being.

Aims

The aim is to determine psychosocial adaptation and depression levels of pregnant women who were admitted to hospital with diagnosis of high‐risk pregnancy.

Methods

This study was descriptive. Sampling was composed of 122 high‐risk pregnant women who were hospitalized in the perinatology service of Istanbul University Medical School, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology between January 1, 2014, and May 31, 2014, and met the study criteria. The Pregnant Introduction Form, Psychosocial Adjustment of Illness Scale‐Self Report, and CES Depression Scale were used.

Results

Of high‐risk pregnant women, 47% were found to have a poor level of psychosocial adaptation and 57% presented with depressive symptoms. There were statistically significant difference found between the levels of psychosocial adaptation and status of depressive manifestations. The difference between the average scores increased as the adaptation levels weaken and the pregnant women with a poor level of psychosocial adaptation showed more depressive manifestations.

Conclusions

The results of this study indicate that, depending on the high‐risk pregnancy status, pregnant women experience difficulty in adaptation to their current status and pregnant women with a poor level of psychosocial adaptation showed more depressive manifestations.

Linking Evidence to Action

Nurses should deliver care in high‐risk pregnancies with the awareness of physiological needs as well the psychosocial needs of pregnant women, and information meetings should be held in order to increase the psychosocial support of their families and decrease their tendency toward depression. Nursing initiatives should be developed with further studies for the psychosocial adaptation of high‐risk pregnancy and reduction of the depressive manifestations.
Information Seeking When Problem Solving: Perspectives of Public Health Professionals
Authors: Newman Kristine , Dobbins Maureen , Yost Jennifer , Ciliska Donna
Published: December 2016

Objectives

Given the many different types of professionals working in public health and their diverse roles, it is likely that their information needs, information‐seeking behaviors, and problem‐solving abilities differ. Although public health professionals often work in interdisciplinary teams, few studies have explored their information needs and behaviors within the context of teamwork. This study explored the relationship between Canadian public health professionals’ perceptions of their problem‐solving abilities and their information‐seeking behaviors with a specific focus on the use of evidence in practice settings. It also explored their perceptions of collaborative information seeking and the work contexts in which they sought information.

Methods

Key Canadian contacts at public health organizations helped recruit study participants through their list‐servs. An electronic survey was used to gather data about (a) individual information‐seeking behaviors, (b) collaborative information‐seeking behaviors, (c) use of evidence in practice environments, (d) perceived problem‐solving abilities, and (e) demographic characteristics.

Results

Fifty‐eight public health professionals were recruited, with different roles and representing most Canadian provinces and one territory. A significant relationship was found between perceived problem‐solving abilities and collaborative information‐seeking behavior (r = ‒.44, p < .00, N = 58), but not individual information seeking. The results suggested that when public health professionals take a shared, active approach to problem solving, maintain personal control, and have confidence, they are more likely collaborate with others in seeking information to complete a work task.

Linking Evidence to Action

Administrators of public health organizations should promote collaboration by implementing effective communication and information‐seeking strategies, and by providing information resources and retrieval tools. Public health professionals’ perceived problem‐solving abilities can influence how they collaborate in seeking information. Educators in public health organizations should tailor training in information searching to promote collaboration through collaborative technology systems.
Atomically Informed Continuum Models for the Elastic Contact Properties of Hollow and Coated Rigid Cylinders at the Nanoscale
Authors: Gorelik Leon , Mordehai Dan
Published: December 2016

Understanding the mechanical properties of contacts at the nanoscale is key to controlling the strength of coated surfaces. In this work, we explore to which extent existing continuum models describing elastic contacts with coated surfaces can be extended to the nanoscale. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of hollow cylinders or coated rigid cylinders under compression are performed and compared with models at the continuum level, as two representative extreme cases of coating which is substantially harder or softer than the substrate, respectively. We show here that the geometry of the atomic-scale contact is essential to capture the contact stiffness, especially for hollow cylinders with high relative thicknesses and for coated rigid cylinders. The contact pressure profiles in atomic-scale contacts are substantially different than the one proposed in the continuum models for rounded contacts. On the basis of these results, we formulate models whose solution can be computed analytically for the contact stiffness in the two extreme cases, and show how to bridge between the atomic and continuum scales with atomically informed geometry of the contact.
Surface Location Error and Surface Roughness for Period-N Milling Bifurcations
Authors: Honeycutt Andrew , Schmitz Tony L.
Published: December 2016

This paper provides time domain simulation and experimental results for surface location error (SLE) and surface roughness when machining under both stable (forced vibration) and unstable (period-2 bifurcation) conditions. It is shown that the surface location error follows similar trends observed for forced vibration, so zero or low error conditions may be selected even for period-2 bifurcation behavior. The surface roughness for the period-2 instability is larger than for stable conditions because the surface is defined by every other tooth passage and the apparent feed per tooth is increased. Good agreement is observed between simulation and experiment for stability, surface location error, and surface roughness results.
An Inverse Direct Time Domain Boundary Element Method for the Reconstruction of Transient Acoustic Field
Authors: Zhang Yang , Zhang Xiao-Zheng , Bi Chuan-Xing , Zhang Yong-Bin
Published: December 2016

An inverse direct time domain boundary element method (IDTBEM) is proposed for the reconstruction of transient acoustic field radiated by arbitrarily shaped sources. The method is based on the theory of direct time domain boundary element method (DTBEM), which is free from the calculation of hypersingular integrals, and thus, its reconstruction process is relatively simple and easy to implement. However, the formulations of DTBEM cannot be used directly for the reconstruction of transient acoustic field, and therefore, new formulations with a modified time axis are derived. With these new formulations, a linear system of equations is formed and the reconstruction is performed in a marching-on-time (MOT) way. Meanwhile, to deal with the ill-posedness involved in the inverse process, the truncated singular value decomposition (TSVD) is employed. Numerical simulations with three examples of a sphere, a cylinder, and a simplified car model are carried out to verify the validity of IDTBEM, and the results demonstrate that the IDTBEM is effective in reconstructing the transient acoustic fields radiated by arbitrarily shaped sources in both time and space domains.
Research on Ultrasonic-Assisted Fixed-Abrasive Lapping Technology for Engineering Ceramics Cylindrical Part
Authors: Jiao Feng , Zhao Bo
Published: December 2016

Lapping is a key processing step for precision parts, which directly affects machining quality, precision, and efficiency. Due to some drawbacks of free-abrasive lapping such as deep scratches on the lapped surface, lower lapping efficiency for lower lapping speed, severe waste of abrasive, high-processing cost, and so on, conventional fixed-abrasive lapping (CFL) technology was proposed and developed recently. Meanwhile, considering the unique advantages of the ultrasonic-assisted machining during the processing of those hard and brittle materials and the effect of ultrasonic vibration on the self-sharpening characteristic of abrasive pellet, a novel ultrasonic-assisted fixed-abrasive lapping (UAFL) technology is put forward and corresponding lapping device for engineering ceramics cylindrical part is developed in this paper. Meanwhile, UAFL mechanism and characteristics were studied theoretically and experimentally. Research results show that superimposed ultrasonic vibration changes the lapping movement characteristics and material removal mechanism to a certain extent, helping to heighten material removal rate, smoothen the waveform of tangential force, reduce the average tangential force, and improve surface machining quality. UAFL can be regarded as a high efficiency and precision processing technology for engineering ceramics cylindrical part.
A Fourier-based total-field/scattered-field technique for three-dimensional broadband simulations of elastic targets near a water-sand interface
Authors: Shao Yu , Wang Shumin
Published: December 2016

The numerical simulation of acoustic scattering from elastic objects near a water-sand interface is critical to underwater target identification. Frequency-domain methods are computationally expensive, especially for large-scale broadband problems. A numerical technique is proposed to enable the efficient use of finite-difference time-domain method for broadband simulations. By incorporating a total-field/scattered-field boundary, the simulation domain is restricted inside a tightly bounded region. The incident field is further synthesized by the Fourier transform for both subcritical and supercritical incidences. Finally, the scattered far field is computed using a half-space Green's function. Numerical examples are further provided to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed technique.
The long-run poverty and gender impacts of mobile money
Authors: Suri Tavneet , Jack William
Published: December 2016

Substituting minutes for money

In developing countries, bank branches and fixed-line telecommunications are scarce, whereas mobile phones are plentiful. These factors have led to the use of mobile money, whereby money can be deposited to an account linked to a phone, transferred to other users, and converted back into cash. Suri and Jack show that increased access to mobile money has increased long-term consumption in Kenya and reduced the number of households in extreme poverty.

Science
, this issue p.
1288
Local changes in network structure contribute to late communication recovery after severe brain injury
Authors: Thengone Daniel J. , Voss Henning U. , Fridman Esteban A. , Schiff Nicholas D.
Published: December 2016

Longitudinal tracking of communication recovery after severe brain injury using imaging identifies use-dependent structural changes and functional correlates of late recovery.
Pitfalls of probiotics
Authors: Bhakta Nirav R.
Published: December 2016

Specific bacterial species normally found in the human gut stimulate intestinal T
H
17 responses and drive progression of systemic autoimmune disease in mice.
Clinical and Microbiological Aspects of β-Lactam Resistance in Staphylococcus lugdunensis
Authors: McHardy Ian H. , Veltman Jennifer , Hindler Janet , Bruxvoort Katia , Carvalho Marissa M. , Humphries Romney M.
Published: December 2016

Antimicrobial susceptibility results from broth microdilution MIC testing of 993
Staphylococcus lugdunensis
isolates recovered from patients at a tertiary care medical center from 2008 to 2015 were reviewed. Ninety-two oxacillin-susceptible isolates were selected to assess the accuracy of penicillin MIC testing, the penicillin disk diffusion test, and three β-lactamase tests, including the cefoxitin-induced nitrocefin test, penicillin cloverleaf assay, and penicillin disk zone edge test. The results of all phenotypic tests were compared to the results of
blaZ
PCR. The medical records of 62 patients from whom
S. lugdunensis
was isolated, including 31 penicillin-susceptible and 31 penicillin-resistant strains, were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate the clinical significance of
S. lugdunensis
isolation, the antimicrobial agents prescribed, if any, and the clinical outcome. MIC testing revealed that 517/993 (52.1%) isolates were susceptible to penicillin and 946/993 (95.3%) were susceptible to oxacillin. The induced nitrocefin test was 100% sensitive and specific for the detection of β-lactamase compared to the
blaZ
PCR results, whereas the penicillin disk zone edge and cloverleaf tests showed sensitivities of 100% but specificities of only 9.1% and 89.1%, respectively. The penicillin MIC test had 100% categorical agreement with
blaZ
PCR, while penicillin disk diffusion yielded one major error. Only 3/31 patients with penicillin-susceptible isolates were treated with a penicillin family antimicrobial. The majority of cases were treated with other β-lactams, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, or vancomycin. These data indicate that nearly all isolates of
S. lugdunensis
are susceptible to narrow-spectrum antimicrobial agents. Clinical laboratories in areas with resistance levels similar to those described here can help promote the use of these agents versus vancomycin by effectively designing their antimicrobial susceptibility reports to convey this message.
Coelomycetous Fungi in the Clinical Setting: Morphological Convergence and Cryptic Diversity
Authors: Valenzuela-Lopez Nicomedes , Sutton Deanna A. , Cano-Lira José F. , Paredes Katihuska , Wiederhold Nathan , Guarro Josep , Stchigel Alberto M.
Published: December 2016

Human infections by coelomycetous fungi are becoming more frequent and range from superficial to systemic dissemination. Traumatic implantation of contaminated plant material is the most common cause. The typical morphological feature of these fungi is the production of asexual spores (conidia) within fruiting bodies called conidiomata. This study aimed to determine the distribution of the coelomycetes in clinical samples by a phenotypic and molecular study of a large set of isolates received from a U.S. reference mycological institution and by obtaining the
in vitro
antifungal susceptibility pattern of nine antifungals against a selected group of isolates. A total of 230 isolates were identified by sequencing the D1 and D2 domains of the large subunit (LSU) nuclear ribosomal RNA (nrRNA) gene and by morphological characterization. Eleven orders of the phylum
Ascomycota
were identified:
Pleosporales
(the largest group; 66.1%),
Botryosphaeriales
(19.57%),
Glomerellales
(4.35%),
Diaporthales
(3.48%),
Xylariales
(2.17%),
Hysteriales
and
Valsariales
(0.87%), and
Capnodiales
,
Helotiales
,
Hypocreales
and
Magnaporthales
(0.43% each). The most prevalent species were
Neoscytalidium dimidiatum
,
Paraconiothyrium
spp.,
Phoma herbarum
,
Didymella heteroderae
, and
Epicoccum sorghinum
. The most common anatomical site of isolation was superficial tissue (66.5%), followed by the respiratory tract (17.4%). Most of the isolates tested were susceptible to the majority of antifungals, and only flucytosine showed poor antifungal activity.
Cryo-electron Microscopy Study of the Genome Release of the Dicistrovirus Israeli Acute Bee Paralysis Virus
Authors: Mullapudi Edukondalu , Füzik Tibor , Přidal Antonín , Plevka Pavel
Published: December 2016

Viruses of the family
Dicistroviridae
can cause substantial economic damage by infecting agriculturally important insects. Israeli acute bee paralysis virus (IAPV) causes honeybee colony collapse disorder in the United States. High-resolution molecular details of the genome delivery mechanism of dicistroviruses are unknown. Here we present a cryo-electron microscopy analysis of IAPV virions induced to release their genomes
in vitro
. We determined structures of full IAPV virions primed to release their genomes to a resolution of 3.3 Å and of empty capsids to a resolution of 3.9 Å. We show that IAPV does not form expanded A particles before genome release as in the case of related enteroviruses of the family
Picornaviridae
. The structural changes observed in the empty IAPV particles include detachment of the VP4 minor capsid proteins from the inner face of the capsid and partial loss of the structure of the N-terminal arms of the VP2 capsid proteins. Unlike the case for many picornaviruses, the empty particles of IAPV are not expanded relative to the native virions and do not contain pores in their capsids that might serve as channels for genome release. Therefore, rearrangement of a unique region of the capsid is probably required for IAPV genome release.

IMPORTANCE
Honeybee populations in Europe and North America are declining due to pressure from pathogens, including viruses. Israeli acute bee paralysis virus (IAPV), a member of the family
Dicistroviridae
, causes honeybee colony collapse disorder in the United States. The delivery of virus genomes into host cells is necessary for the initiation of infection. Here we present a structural cryo-electron microscopy analysis of IAPV particles induced to release their genomes. We show that genome release is not preceded by an expansion of IAPV virions as in the case of related picornaviruses that infect vertebrates. Furthermore, minor capsid proteins detach from the capsid upon genome release. The genome leaves behind empty particles that have compact protein shells.
Mechanisms of Evolution in High-Consequence Drug Resistance Plasmids
Authors: He Susu , Chandler Michael , Varani Alessandro M. , Hickman Alison B. , Dekker John P. , Dyda Fred
Published: December 2016

The dissemination of resistance among bacteria has been facilitated by the fact that resistance genes are usually located on a diverse and evolving set of transmissible plasmids. However, the mechanisms generating diversity and enabling adaptation within highly successful resistance plasmids have remained obscure, despite their profound clinical significance. To understand these mechanisms, we have performed a detailed analysis of the mobilome (the entire mobile genetic element content) of a set of previously sequenced carbapenemase-producing
Enterobacteriaceae
(CPE) from the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. This analysis revealed that plasmid reorganizations occurring in the natural context of colonization of human hosts were overwhelmingly driven by genetic rearrangements carried out by replicative transposons working in concert with the process of homologous recombination. A more complete understanding of the molecular mechanisms and evolutionary forces driving rearrangements in resistance plasmids may lead to fundamentally new strategies to address the problem of antibiotic resistance.

IMPORTANCE
The spread of antibiotic resistance among Gram-negative bacteria is a serious public health threat, as it can critically limit the types of drugs that can be used to treat infected patients. In particular, carbapenem-resistant members of the
Enterobacteriaceae
family are responsible for a significant and growing burden of morbidity and mortality. Here, we report on the mechanisms underlying the evolution of several plasmids carried by previously sequenced clinical
Enterobacteriaceae
isolates from the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (NIH CC). Our ability to track genetic rearrangements that occurred within resistance plasmids was dependent on accurate annotation of the mobile genetic elements within the plasmids, which was greatly aided by access to long-read DNA sequencing data and knowledge of their mechanisms. Mobile genetic elements such as transposons and integrons have been strongly associated with the rapid spread of genes responsible for antibiotic resistance. Understanding the consequences of their actions allowed us to establish unambiguous evolutionary relationships between plasmids in the analysis set.
School shootings during 2013–2015 in the USA
Authors: Kalesan Bindu , Lagast Kinan , Villarreal Marcos , Pino Elizabeth , Fagan Jeffrey , Galea Sandro
Published: December 2016

Background

Data on the factors associated with school shootings in the USA are limited. The public conversation has often suggested several factors that may be linked to these events, however with little empirical support. Aiming to fill this gap, we describe the characteristics of school shooting incidents in the USA between 2013 and 2015 and explore whether four factors that represent domains of firearm policy, educational policy and epidemiological risk factors for intentional firearm injuries-background check (BC) policies, per capita mental health expenditures (MHE), K-12 education expenditure (KEE) and urbanicity—were associated with school shootings during this period.

Methods

We searched LexisNexis, a newspaper and broadcast media databases for school shooting incidents from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2015. Presence of BC laws was extracted from legal information in LexisNexis. State-level covariates of per capita MHE (2013), KEE (2013) and urbanicity (2010) rates were obtained from publicly available data sources. We used negative binomial regression models accounting for clustering by state to explore unadjusted associations between the BC laws, state-level covariates and school shootings to report IRR and 95% CI.

Results

We documented 154 school shootings (35, 55 and 64 each year). In unadjusted models, BC for firearm purchase (IRR=0.55, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.76), ammunition purchase (IRR=0.11, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.27), log per capita MHE (IRR=0.58, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.90), log per-capita KEE (IRR=0.09, 9% CI 0.02 to 0.29) and urbanicity (IRR=0.97, 95% CI 0.96 to 0.99) were associated with school shooting.

Conclusions

School shootings are less likely in states with BC laws, higher MHE and KEE, and with greater per cent urban population.
Encouraging tomorrow's vet students
Authors: EdVet
Published: December 2016

EdVet was set up by a group of six vet students at Liverpool vet school with the aim of promoting a career in veterinary medicine to school children of all ages
Modified sprint interval training protocols. Part I. Physiological responses
Authors: Islam Hashim , Townsend Logan K. , Hazell Tom J.
Published: December 2016

Adaptations to sprint interval training (SIT) are observed with brief (≤15-s) work bouts highlighting peak power generation as an important metabolic stimulus. This study examined the effects of manipulating SIT work bout and recovery period duration on energy expenditure (EE) during and postexercise, as well as postexercise fat oxidation rates. Nine active males completed a resting control session (CTRL) and 3 SIT sessions in randomized order: (i) 30:240 (4 × 30-s bouts, 240-s recovery); (ii) 15:120 (8 × 15-s bouts, 120-s recovery); (3) 5:40 (24 × 5-s bouts, 40-s recovery). Protocols were matched for the total duration of work (2 min) and recovery (16 min), as well as the work-to-recovery ratio (1:8 s). EE and fat oxidation rates were derived from gas exchange measured before, during, and for 3 h postexercise. All protocols increased EE versus CTRL (P < 0.001). Exercise EE was greater (P < 0.001) with 5:40 (209 kcal) versus both 15:120 (163 kcal) and 30:240 (138 kcal), while 15:120 was also greater (P < 0.001) than 30:240. Postexercise EE was greater (P = 0.014) with 15:120 (313 kcal) versus 5:40 (294 kcal), though both were similar (P > 0.077) to 30:240 (309 kcal). Postexercise fat oxidation was similar (P = 0.650) after 15:120 (0.104 g·min−1) and 30:240 (0.116 g·min−1) and both were greater (P < 0.030) than 5:40 (0.072 g·min−1) and CTRL (0.049 g·min−1). In conclusion, shorter SIT work bouts that target peak power generation increase exercise EE without compromising postexercise EE, though longer bouts promote greater postexercise fat utilization.
Modified sprint interval training protocols. Part II. Psychological responses
Authors: Townsend Logan K. , Islam Hashim , Dunn Emily , Eys Mark , Robertson-Wilson Jennifer , Hazell Tom J.
Published: December 2016

Sprint-interval training (SIT) is a viable method to improve health and fitness. However, researchers have questioned the utility of SIT because of its strenuous nature. The current study aimed to determine if manipulating the sprint and recovery duration, while maintaining the 1:8 work to rest ratio, could uncover a more favourable SIT protocol. Nine healthy active males (age, 23.3 ± 3.0 years; body mass index, 22.4 ± 2.2 kg·m−2; maximal oxygen consumption, 48.9 ± 5.3 mL·kg−1·min−1) participated in 3 experimental running SIT sessions: (i) 30:240 (4 × 30-s efforts, 240-s recovery), (ii) 15:120 (8 × 15-s efforts, 120-s recovery), (iii) 5:40 (24 × 5-s efforts, 40-s recovery), and (iv) a final behavioural choice follow-up session. Affect, intentions, task self-efficacy, enjoyment, and preference were evaluated. Midway through exercise, affect became more positive for 5:40 compared with 30:240 (p < 0.05) and postexercise affect was greater for both 5:40 (p = 0.014) and 15:120 (p = 0.015) compared with 30:240. Participants expressed greater intentions to perform 5:40 3 and 5 times/week compared with 15:120 and 30:240 (p < 0.05). Participants felt more confident in their ability to perform 5:40 (p = 0.001) and 15:120 (p = 0.008) compared with 30:240. The 5:40 session was also rated as more enjoyable than 15:120 (p = 0.025) and 30:240 (p = 0.026). All participants preferred the 5:40 protocol. These data suggest that shorter sprints with more repetitions are perceived as more enjoyable and lead to greater intentions to engage in SIT.
Photovoltaic Characteristics of Ultra-Thin Single Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells
Authors: Miyazawa R. , Wakabayashi H. , Tsutsui K. , Iwai H. , Kakushima K.
Published: December 2016

Photovoltaic characteristics of ultra-thin single crystalline Si solar cells with thicknesses ranging from 7.6 to 3.3 nm are presented. While the short-circuit current (ISC) AM1.5 illumination has shown a linear relationship with the volume of the Si layer, a gradual increase in the open-circuit voltage (VOC) with thinner Si layer has been confirmed, implying the bandgap enlargement of the Si layer due to quantum confinement. Spectral response measurement has revealed an increased optical bandgap of 1.3 eV for 3.3-nm-thick Si solar cells, which is wider than that of 7.6-nm-thick Si ones. Although some process related issues have become clear during the fabrication of solar cells, they can be utilized as top cells for tandem configurations, exceeding the limit of the bulk Si solar cells.
ON THE CONDITIONAL MATCHING OF FRACTAL NETWORKS
Authors: WANG YANCHUN , SUN WEIGANG , ZHANG JINGYUAN , QIN SEN
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we propose a new matching (called a conditional matching), where the condition refers to the matching of the new constructed network which includes all the nodes in the original network. We then enumerate the conditional matchings of the new network and prove that the number of conditional matchings is just the product of degree sequences of the original network. We choose two families of fractal networks to show our obtained results, including the pseudofractal network and Cayley tree. Finally, we calculate the entropy of the conditional matchings on the considered networks and see that the entropy of Cayley tree is smaller than that of the pseudofractal network.
Semi-classical asymptotic expansions up to any finite orders of the partition function of an abstract Bose field model
Authors: Aihara Yuta
Published: December 2016

Semi-classical asymptotic expansions up to any finite orders of the partition function of an abstract Bose field model is considered.
Impact analysis of embedded delamination growth in stiffener of hybrid laminated composite stiffened panel
Authors: Kumar N. Jeevan , Babu P. Ramesh
Published: December 2016

Modern aerostructures are predominantly of curved construction characterized by a skin and stiffeners. The latest generation of large passenger aircraft also mostly uses composite materials in their primary structure and there is trend toward the utilization of bonding of subcomponents. A stiffener is a simple beam attached to the skin to support the applied load. The stiffeners are provided to improve the bending stiffness of the panel which then improves the structural efficiency. Metals, unlike composites, offer plasticity effects to evade high stress concentrations during postbuckling. Under compressive load, composite structures show a wide range of damage mechanisms. A pre-damaged configuration is loaded to study the effect of delamination location and mode for delamination initiation and propagation. A parametric study is conducted to investigate the effect of the location of the delamination propagation when delamination is embedded inbetween plies of the stiffener, with the cases (i) delamination embedded at front and inbetween plies of the stiffener, (ii) delamination embedded at middle and inbetween plies of the stiffener, (iii) delamination embedded at the end and inbetween plies of the stiffener. Further, the influence of the location of the delamination in between plies of stiffener on load carrying capacity of the panel is investigated. The effect of delamination location on crack growth and collapse behavior is analyzed using analysis tool. The effect of delamination location on crack growth and collapse behavior is analyzed with numerical method of Virtual Crack Closure Technique.
Mineral fabrics in high-level intrusions recording crustal strain and volcano–tectonic interactions: the Shellenbarger pluton, Sierra Nevada, California
Authors: Tomek Filip , Žák Jiří , Verner Kryštof , Holub František V. , Sláma Jiří , Paterson Scott R. , Memeti Valbone
Published: December 2016

The Minarets caldera is a volcano–plutonic complex in the Sierra Nevada, California, that exemplifies complex interactions between volcanism and tectonic deformation in continental-margin arcs. Caldera evolution commenced with emplacement of pre-collapse rhyolitic ash-flow tuff, followed by collapse and deposition of volcanic breccia and rhyodacitic ash-flow tuff. Subsequently, the volcanic rocks were deformed along the regional Bench Canyon shear zone. The caldera centre was then intruded by the resurgent
c.
100 Ma steep-sided Shellenbarger granite pluton, which steepened the shear zone foliation. The pluton was overprinted by syn- to post-magmatic ∼NNE–SSW horizontal shortening; the same shortening was documented in several other Late Cretaceous syntectonic plutons in the Sierra Nevada and interpreted to record dextral transpression during convergence of the Farallon and North American plates. To explain the unusual tectonic fabric in the shallow-level Shellenbarger pluton, we develop a general model for strain partitioning in syntectonic magma bodies emplaced at various crustal levels. We propose that shallow intrusions, isolated within stiff crust, may tend to accommodate minor pure shear strain whereas simple shear dominates along weak faults and shear zones. By contrast, a rheological reversal is crossed deeper in the crust and magma bodies become the weakest, simple shear-dominated parts of the system.

Supplementary material:
Analytical methods and anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility and U–Th–Pb isotopic data are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3582749
Control of compressional transfer zones on syntectonic and post-tectonic sedimentation: implications for hydrocarbon exploration
Authors: Moustafa Adel R. , Khalil Samir M.
Published: December 2016

The northern Sinai inverted basins exhibit superb outcrop examples of compressional transfer zones and display the control of these zones on syntectonic and post-tectonic sedimentation. Two main types of transfer zones, hard- and soft-linkage transfer zones, were identified at different scales. Hard-linkage transfer zones form inward and outward fault kinks whereas the soft-linkage transfer zones are expressed by plunging anticline–syncline pairs between overlapping positively inverted fault segments. An example of a wrench-related compressional transfer zone is also displayed by a restraining-bend anticline formed within the strike-slip fault system of the Sinai hinge belt. The displayed examples of compressional transfer zones invariably exerted fundamental control on deposition of syn- and post-tectonic sediments, flow directions of drainage systems, locations of sediment entry points, and the intensity of erosion patterns of the structurally high sediment source areas. This study highlights the close relationship between the transfer zones and hydrocarbon accumulations in clastic syntectonic reservoirs in inverted and wrench basins.
Efficient Methods for Influence-Based Network-Oblivious Community Detection
Authors: Barbieri Nicola , Bonchi Francesco , Manco Giuseppe
Published: December 2016

We study the problem of detecting social communities when the social graph is not available but instead we have access to a log of user activity, that is, a dataset of tuples (
u
,
i
,
t
) recording the fact that user
u
“adopted” item
i
at time
t
. We propose a stochastic framework that assumes that the adoption of items is governed by an underlying diffusion process over the unobserved social network and that such a diffusion model is based on
community-level influence
. That is, we aim at modeling communities through the lenses of
social contagion
. By fitting the model parameters to the user activity log, we learn the community membership and the level of influence of each user in each community. The general framework is instantiated with two different diffusion models, one with discrete time and one with continuous time, and we show that the computational complexity of both approaches is linear in the number of users and in the size of the propagation log. Experiments on synthetic data with planted community structure show that our methods outperform non-trivial baselines. The effectiveness of the proposed techniques is further validated on real-word data, on which our methods are able to detect high-quality communities.
Endoplasmic reticulum stress and the development of endothelial dysfunction
Authors: Battson M. L. , Lee D. M. , Gentile C. L.
Published: December 2016

The vascular endothelium plays a critical role in cardiovascular homeostasis, and thus identifying the underlying causes of endothelial dysfunction has important clinical implications. In this regard, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) has recently emerged as an important regulator of metabolic processes. Dysfunction within the ER, broadly termed ER stress, evokes the unfolded protein response (UPR), an adaptive pathway that aims to restore ER homeostasis. Although the UPR is the first line of defense against ER stress, chronic activation of the UPR leads to cell dysfunction and death and has recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction. Numerous risk factors for endothelial dysfunction can induce ER stress, which may in turn disrupt endothelial function via direct effects on endothelium-derived vasoactive substances or by activating other pathogenic cellular networks such as inflammation and oxidative stress. This review summarizes the available data linking ER stress to endothelial dysfunction.
Role of cannabinoid receptor type 1 in tibial and pudendal neuromodulation of bladder overactivity in cats
Authors: Jiang Xuewen , Yu Michelle , Uy Jamie , Fuller Thomas W. , Jones Cameron , Shen Bing , Wang Jicheng , Roppolo James R. , de Groat William C. , Tai Changfeng
Published: December 2016

The role of cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptors in tibial and pudendal neuromodulation of bladder overactivity induced by intravesical infusion of 0.5% acetic acid (AA) was determined in α-chloralose anesthetized cats. AA irritation significantly ( P < 0.01) reduced bladder capacity to 36.6 ± 4.8% of saline control capacity. Tibial nerve stimulation (TNS) at two or four times threshold (2T or 4T) intensity for inducing toe movement inhibited bladder overactivity and significantly ( P < 0.01) increased bladder capacity to 69.2 ± 9.7 and 79.5 ± 7.2% of saline control, respectively. AM 251 (a CB1 receptor antagonist) administered intravenously at 0.03 or 0.1 mg/kg significantly ( P < 0.05) reduced the inhibition induced by 2T or 4T TNS, respectively, without changing the prestimulation bladder capacity. However, intrathecal administration of AM 251 (0.03 mg) to L7 spinal segment had no effect on TNS inhibition. Pudendal nerve stimulation (PNS) also inhibited bladder overactivity induced by AA irritation, but AM 251 at 0.01–1 mg/kg iv had no effect on PNS inhibition or the prestimulation bladder capacity. These results indicate that CB1 receptors play an important role in tibial but not pudendal neuromodulation of bladder overactivity and the site of action is not within the lumbar L7 spinal cord. Identification of neurotransmitters involved in TNS or PNS inhibition of bladder overactivity is important for understanding the mechanisms of action underlying clinical application of neuromodulation therapies for bladder disorders.
Spectral and spatial tuning of onset and offset response functions in auditory cortical fields A1 and CL of rhesus macaques
Authors: Ramamurthy Deepa L. , Recanzone Gregg H.
Published: December 2016

The mammalian auditory cortex is necessary for spectral and spatial processing of acoustic stimuli. Most physiological studies of single neurons in the auditory cortex have focused on the onset and sustained portions of evoked responses, but there have been far fewer studies on the relationship between onset and offset responses. In the current study, we compared spectral and spatial tuning of onset and offset responses of neurons in primary auditory cortex (A1) and the caudolateral (CL) belt area of awake macaque monkeys. Several different metrics were used to determine the relationship between onset and offset response profiles in both frequency and space domains. In the frequency domain, a substantial proportion of neurons in A1 and CL displayed highly dissimilar best stimuli for onset- and offset-evoked responses, although even for these neurons, there was usually a large overlap in the range of frequencies that elicited onset, and offset responses and distributions of tuning overlap metrics were mostly unimodal. In the spatial domain, the vast majority of neurons displayed very similar best locations for onset- and offset-evoked responses, along with unimodal distributions of all tuning overlap metrics considered. Finally, for both spectral and spatial tuning, a slightly larger fraction of neurons in A1 displayed nonoverlapping onset and offset response profiles, relative to CL, which supports hierarchical differences in the processing of sounds in the two areas. However, these differences are small compared with differences in proportions of simple cells (low overlap) and complex cells (high overlap) in primary and secondary visual areas.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY In the current study, we examine the relationship between the tuning of neural responses evoked by the onset and offset of acoustic stimuli in the primary auditory cortex, as well as a higher-order auditory area—the caudolateral belt field—in awake rhesus macaques. In these areas, the relationship between onset and offset response profiles in frequency and space domains formed a continuum, ranging from highly overlapping to highly nonoverlapping.
Functional characterization and spatial clustering of visual cortical neurons in the predatory grasshopper mouse Onychomys arenicola
Authors: Scholl Benjamin , Pattadkal Jagruti J. , Rowe Ashlee , Priebe Nicholas J.
Published: December 2016

Mammalian neocortical circuits are functionally organized such that the selectivity of individual neurons systematically shifts across the cortical surface, forming a continuous map. Maps of the sensory space exist in cortex, such as retinotopic maps in the visual system or tonotopic maps in the auditory system, but other functional response properties also may be similarly organized. For example, many carnivores and primates possess a map for orientation selectivity in primary visual cortex (V1), whereas mice, rabbits, and the gray squirrel lack orientation maps. In this report we show that a carnivorous rodent with predatory behaviors, the grasshopper mouse ( Onychomys arenicola), lacks a canonical columnar organization of orientation preference in V1; however, neighboring neurons within 50 μm exhibit related tuning preference. Using a combination of two-photon microscopy and extracellular electrophysiology, we demonstrate that the functional organization of visual cortical neurons in the grasshopper mouse is largely the same as in the C57/BL6 laboratory mouse. We also find similarity in the selectivity for stimulus orientation, direction, and spatial frequency. Our results suggest that the properties of V1 neurons across rodent species are largely conserved.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Carnivores and primates possess a map for orientation selectivity in primary visual cortex (V1), whereas rodents and lagomorphs lack this organization. We examine, for the first time, V1 of a wild carnivorous rodent with predatory behaviors, the grasshopper mouse ( Onychomys arenicola). We demonstrate the cellular organization of V1 in the grasshopper mouse is largely the same as the C57/BL6 laboratory mouse, suggesting that V1 neuron properties across rodent species are largely conserved.
Modeling microelectrode biosensors: free-flow calibration can substantially underestimate tissue concentrations
Authors: Newton Adam J. H. , Wall Mark J. , Richardson Magnus J. E.
Published: December 2016

Microelectrode amperometric biosensors are widely used to measure concentrations of analytes in solution and tissue including acetylcholine, adenosine, glucose, and glutamate. A great deal of experimental and modeling effort has been directed at quantifying the response of the biosensors themselves; however, the influence that the macroscopic tissue environment has on biosensor response has not been subjected to the same level of scrutiny. Here we identify an important issue in the way microelectrode biosensors are calibrated that is likely to have led to underestimations of analyte tissue concentrations. Concentration in tissue is typically determined by comparing the biosensor signal to that measured in free-flow calibration conditions. In a free-flow environment the concentration of the analyte at the outer surface of the biosensor can be considered constant. However, in tissue the analyte reaches the biosensor surface by diffusion through the extracellular space. Because the enzymes in the biosensor break down the analyte, a density gradient is set up resulting in a significantly lower concentration of analyte near the biosensor surface. This effect is compounded by the diminished volume fraction (porosity) and reduction in the diffusion coefficient due to obstructions (tortuosity) in tissue. We demonstrate this effect through modeling and experimentally verify our predictions in diffusive environments.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Microelectrode biosensors are typically calibrated in a free-flow environment where the concentrations at the biosensor surface are constant. However, when in tissue, the analyte reaches the biosensor via diffusion and so analyte breakdown by the biosensor results in a concentration gradient and consequently a lower concentration around the biosensor. This effect means that naive free-flow calibration will underestimate tissue concentration. We develop mathematical models to better quantify the discrepancy between the calibration and tissue environment and experimentally verify our key predictions.
A New Energy-Efficient Coverage Control with Multinodes Redundancy Verification in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Sun Zeyu , Li Chuanfeng , Xing Xiaofei , Wang Huihui
Published: December 2016

The target nodes are k-covered by the sensor nodes; there will be a lot of redundant data forcing the phenomenon of congestion which lowers the network communication capability and coverage and accelerates network energy consumption. Therefore, this paper proposes an energy-efficient coverage control with multinodes redundancy verification (ECMRV). The algorithm constructs the coverage network model by using the positional relationship among the sensor nodes, and the proof procedure of the sector coverage expected value of the monitoring area also has been provided. On the aspect of the energy consumption, this paper gives the proportion of energy conversion functions between the working sensor nodes and the neighboring sensor nodes. And by using the function proportional to schedule the sensor nodes with low energy, we achieve the energy balance of the whole network and the optimization of the network resources. Finally, the simulation experiments indicate that this algorithm can not only improve the quality of network coverage, but completely inhibit the rapid energy consumption of the sensor nodes as well; as a result, the network lifetime extends, which has verified availability and stability of the algorithm in the paper.