bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reproductive Potential of Captive Rio Grande Silvery Minnow
Authors: Caldwell Colleen A , Falco Hunter , Knight William , Ulibarri Manuel , Gould William R
Published: October 2018

Captive propagation and augmentation of the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Hybognathus amarus is necessary for continued persistence of the species until habitat can be restored. Augmentation occurs using captive fish within the first year (age 0) through age 2; however, older year-classes (ages 3–4) have been released into the wild. We quantified fecundity and compared egg quality across four reproductive age-classes (1–4) of hatchery-reared Rio Grande Silvery Minnow. Batch fecundity (total number of spawned eggs) ranged from 2,029 eggs in age-1 fish to 10,588 eggs in age-4 fish. Standing stock of vitellogenic (i.e., yolked) oocytes remaining in ovaries after spawning increased from 988 oocytes at age 1 to 4,924 oocytes at age 4. Total fecundity (i.e., batch fecundity plus standing stock of yolked oocytes) increased from 3,017 eggs and yolked oocytes in age-1 fish to 15,522 eggs and yolked oocytes in age-4 fish. Of note, batch fecundity ranged from 57% to 68% across the four age-classes indicating that over half of the total fecundity occurs in the first spawn. Average percent fertilization of eggs (63–82%) was not detectably different across the four age-classes, while average egg diameter (4.1–5.5 mm) increased as age increased. Fecundity increased across all four reproductive age-classes of Rio Grande Silvery Minnow, with the larger portion of total fecundity occurring in the first spawn across all age-classes. The timing of spawning with optimal conditions in the Rio Grande is critical for survival and ultimately recruitment into the wild fish population.
DEM investigations of internal erosion: Grain transport in the light of micromechanics
Authors: Wautier Antoine , Bonelli Stéphane , Nicot François
Published: October 2018

Internal erosion by suffusion can change dramatically the constitutive behavior of granular materials by modifying the fabric of granular materials. In this study, the effect of an internal fluid flow on granular materials is investigated at the material point scale using the numerical coupling between a discrete element method (DEM) and a pore‐scale finite volume (PFV) coupling scheme. The influence of the stress state and the hydraulic loading (direction and intensity) on the occurrence of grain transport in dense widely graded granular samples is thus investigated and interpreted in terms of micromechanics. In particular, it is shown that grain transport is increased when the macroscopic flow direction is aligned with the privileged force chain orientation. The stress‐induced microstructure modifications are shown to influence the transport distances by controlling the number of rattlers.
Probabilistic learning for modeling and quantifying model‐form uncertainties in nonlinear computational mechanics
Authors: Soize C. , Farhat C.
Published: October 2018

Recently, a novel nonparametric probabilistic method for modeling and quantifying model‐form uncertainties in nonlinear computational mechanics was proposed. Its potential was demonstrated through several uncertainty quantification (UQ) applications in vibration analysis and nonlinear computational structural dynamics. This method, which relies on projection‐based model order reduction to achieve computational feasibility, exhibits a vector‐valued hyperparameter in the probability model of the random reduced‐order basis and associated stochastic projection‐based reduced‐order model. It identifies this hyperparameter by formulating a statistical inverse problem, grounded in target quantities of interest, and solving the corresponding nonconvex optimization problem. For many practical applications, however, this identification approach is computationally intensive. For this reason, this paper presents a faster predictor‐corrector approach for determining the appropriate value of the vector‐valued hyperparameter that is based on a probabilistic learning on manifolds. It also demonstrates the computational advantages of this alternative identification approach through the UQ of two three‐dimensional nonlinear structural dynamics problems associated with two different configurations of a microelectromechanical systems device.
Hydrogeophysical characterization of shallow light non‐aqueous phase liquid contamination at a karst aquifer
Authors: Rajab Jafar Abu , El‐Naqa Ali , Al‐Qinna Mohammed
Published: October 2018

Two wells at an industrial facility were recently removed from service due to signs of long‐term hydrocarbon contamination. Groundwater monitoring at the polluted wells documented the presence of a massive body of light non‐aqueous phase liquid materials that were accumulated at a depth of ∼50 m in the water table. We have used transient electromagnetic and electrical resistivity tomography to characterize the ground at the light non‐aqueous phase liquid contaminated wells. Additionally, analyses of hydrochemical samples and calculations of hydrogeological parameters have been implemented to interpret and describe the geophysical signatures of several anomalous hydrocarbon contaminations.

Resistivity models, which are based on the three‐dimensional inversion of transient electromagnetic data and the two‐dimensional inversion of electrical resistivity tomography lines conducted at the source of leaks and contaminated wells, confirmed the presence of a hyper‐conductive zone (i.e. 0.5 Ω⋅m), 15 m deep and 20 m thick, that contained a mixture of light non‐aqueous phase liquid, hot water, and chemical acids. In addition, resistivity levels up to hundreds of ohm metre can be attributed to near‐surface cavernous structures. Furthermore, the resistivity models can resolve a 30‐m‐thick conductive layer underlying cavernous structures, yielding resistivity values ranging from 0.78 to 5 Ω⋅m. The ease of light non‐aqueous phase liquid migration is promoted due to zones of cavernous structures acting as preferential flow pathways down to the water table, where light non‐aqueous phase liquid materials follow the hydraulic gradient of the limestone aquifer, which has a calculated porosity of 20%. Chemical analysis of groundwater samples at contaminated well sites shows the depletion of sulphate and nitrate concentrations and an increase in bicarbonate at locations where the highest hydraulic conductivities are observed. These findings facilitates the construction of a conceptual model for contamination which is used to better understand the evolution of light non‐aqueous phase liquid pollution at the study area.
Impact of lithium chloride and in‐situ grafting on the performance of microcrystalline cellulose‐filled composites based on polyamide 6/high‐density polyethylene
Authors: Xu Shihua , Fang Yiqun , Yi Shunmin , He Jun , Zhai Xianglin , Wang Haigang , Wang Qingwen
Published: October 2018

Polyamide 6 (PA6) and high‐density polyethylene were blended with lithium chloride (LiCl) and maleic anhydride (MAH), and then mixed with 15 wt% microcrystalline cellulose to prepare the composites via hot‐pressing technology. Crystallization analysis exhibited a decreased melting point of PA6 via the modification of LiCl. The crystallographic forms of PA6 were transformed from semi‐crystalline to an amorphous state, thus decreased the processing temperature (from 240 to 200°C). Both LiCl and in‐situ grafting of MAH had positive effects on the mechanical properties, the impact strength of the composites were increased by 60 and 125%, respectively. Morphological analysis revealed both LiCl and the in‐situ grafting of MAH improved the interfacial compatibility. Dynamic mechanical properties showed LiCl increased the glass transition temperature of the composites (from 61 to 77°C), and improved the viscous response at the high temperature. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:E865–E876, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Performance over a wide range of strain rate of polypropylene reinforced by short alfa fibers
Authors: Nciri Mariem , Notta‐Cuvier Delphine , Lauro Franck , Chaari Fahmi , Delille Rémi , Haugou Gregory , Maalej Yamen. , Zouari Bassem
Published: October 2018

Thermoplastics reinforced with short vegetal fibers are appealing materials for technical applications, for instance in automotive, thanks to high specific modulus and at least partially biosourced origin, in particular. However, a more widespread use of those materials is still hampered by a lack of knowledge about their mechanical behavior under severe loading conditions (e.g., high‐strain‐rate loadings). In addition, mechanical behavior is generally anisotropic due to complex reinforcement properties (distributions of fiber length and orientation, strong variability of fiber geometrical and mechanical properties…). In this paper, plates of maleic‐anhydride‐grafted polypropylene (PP) reinforced with short alfa fibers are processed by injection molding, for fiber content varying from 5 to 15 wt%. The tensile behavior of the composites is studied over a wide range of strain rate and for different angles of loading with respect to injection flow direction. Results demonstrate the potential of alfa fibers for the reinforcement of PP from quasi‐static to dynamic loading conditions (strain rate up to about 5 s−1), and in different loading directions. As expected, composite behavior is sensitive to strain rate and the degree of anisotropy logically increases when increasing fiber content. In all cases, material behavior shows a remarkable reproducibility. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:2850–2862, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
The elixir phase of chain molecules
Authors: Škrbić Tatjana , Hoang Trinh X. , Maritan Amos , Banavar Jayanth R. , Giacometti Achille
Published: October 2018

A phase of matter is a familiar notion for inanimate physical matter. The nature of a phase of matter transcends the microscopic material properties. For example, materials in the liquid phase have certain common properties independent of the chemistry of the constituents: liquids take the shape of the container; they flow; and they can be poured—alcohol, oil, and water as well as a Lennard‐Jones computer model exhibit similar behavior when poised in the liquid phase. Here, we identify a hitherto unstudied “phase” of matter, the elixir phase, in a simple model of a polymeric chain whose backbone has the correct local cylindrical symmetry induced by the tangent to the chain. The elixir phase appears on breaking the cylindrical symmetry by adding side spheres along the negative normal direction, as in proteins. This phase, nestled between other phases, has multiple ground states made up of building blocks of helices and almost planar sheets akin to protein native folds. We discuss the similarities of this “phase” of a finite size system to the liquid crystal and spin glass phases. Our findings are relevant for understanding proteins; the creation of novel bioinspired nanomachines; and also may have implications for life elsewhere in the cosmos.
Preparation of cyflumetofen nanocapsules and study on the controlled release performance and its field efficacy
Authors: Peng Xinya , Hu Yue , Wang Yalan , Xue Fei , Shen Guangmao , Dong Yike , He Lin , Qian Kun
Published: October 2018

BACKGROUND

In this study, 5% cyflumetofen nanocapsules were prepared by interfacial polymerization with isophorone diisocyanate and polyethylene glycol as the reaction monomer, and tristyrylphenol polyoxyethylene ether (601‐P) as the emulsifier. The physical, chemical and sustained release properties of cyflumetofen nanocapsules were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, laser particle size analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, contact angles testing and high‐performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

The results indicated that cyflumetofen nanocapsules were spherical, with an average particle size of 100 nm, and an encapsulation efficiency and loading rate of 86% and 32%, respectively. The thermal and cold storage stabilities of cyflumetofen nanocapsules were good. Under high temperature, lower pH or a high core–wall ratio, nanoparticle release is faster. The field efficacy experiment indicated that the efficacy of cyflumetofen nanocapsules against Panonychus citri reached 97%, 30 days after spraying, significantly greater than that of a 20% cyflumetofen suspension.

CONCLUSION

It is important to increase the stability, lengthen the release period and improve the efficacy of cyflumetofen in cyflumetofen nanocapsules. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
A Magneto‐Reflectivity Study of CuGaSe2 Single Crystals
Authors: Yakushev Michael V. , Mudryi Alexander V. , Faugeras Clement , Martin Robert W.
Published: October 2018

CuGaSe2 single crystals are studied using magneto‐reflectivity at 4.2 K in magnetic fields B up to 20 T. The A and B free excitons, observed in the optical reflectivity spectra, blue shift with increasing B. A low‐field perturbation approach within the anisotropic hydrogenic model is used to fit the dependence of the spectral position of these excitons on B. The A and B exciton reduced masses of 0.115 m0 and 0.108 m0 (m0 is the free electron mass), Rydbergs of 12.9 and 12.2 meV, Bohr radii 5.08 and 5.4 nm, and effective hole masses of 0.64m0 and 0.48 m0, respectively, are determined.
A Random Laser Based on Hybrid Fluorescent Dye and Diamond Nanoneedles
Authors: Duong Ngoc My Hanh , Regan Blake , Toth Milos , Aharonovich Igor , Dawes Judith
Published: October 2018

Random lasers use radiative gain and multiple scatterers in disordered media to generate light amplification. In this study, a random laser based on diamond nanoneedles that act as scatterers in combination with fluorescent dye molecules that serve as a gain medium has been demonstrated. Random lasers realized using diamond possess high spectral radiance with angle‐free emission and thresholds of 0.16 mJ. The emission dependence on the pillar diameter and density is investigated, and optimum lasing conditions are measured for pillars with spacing and density of ≈336 ± 40 nm and ≈2.9 × 1010 cm−2. Our results expand the application space of diamond as a material platform for practical, compact photonic devices, and sensing applications.
Controlling type 1 error rate for sequential, bioequivalence studies with crossover designs
Authors: Rasmussen Hans E. , Ma Rick , Wang Jessie J.
Published: October 2018

Sample size reestimation in a crossover, bioequivalence study can be a useful adaptive design tool, particularly when the intrasubject variability of the drug formulation under investigation is not well understood. When sample size reestimation is done based on an interim estimate of the intrasubject variability and bioequivalence is tested using the pooled estimate of intrasubject variability, type 1 error inflation will occur. Type 1 error inflation is caused by the pooled estimate being a biased estimator of the intrasubject variability. The type 1 error inflation and bias of the pooled estimator of variability are well characterized in the setting of a two‐arm, parallel study. The purpose of this work is to extend this characterization to the setting of a crossover, bioequivalence study with sample size reestimation and to propose an estimator of the intrasubject variability that will prevent type 1 error inflation.
Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus in health‐care workers with cystic fibrosis in Sydney
Authors: Song Yang , Keatley Lucy Rebecca , Middleton Peter Gordon
Published: October 2018

Cystic Fibrosis (CF), the most common lethal inherited disorder in Australia, is associated with increased respiratory tract colonization/infection. Given that many adults with CF work as health‐care workers (HCW), which has been associated with an increased risk of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization/infection, we examined these risks in 252 adults with CF at our centre between 2001–2015. Demographic and clinical characteristics, including pathogens, were compared for HCW and non‐HCW groups. MRSA colonization/infection was found in 20 subjects, comprising 2/19 HCW, and 18/233 non‐HCW (p = 0.66). Sixteen of these 20 subjects undertook eradication therapy, with success in 2/2 HCW and 5/14 non‐HCW. This study showed that the rate of MRSA colonization/infection did not differ between adults with CF who work in the health‐care setting versus other areas. This suggests that choosing a health‐care profession does not necessarily result in an increased risk of MRSA colonization/infection for an adult with CF.
Contagious sets in a degree‐proportional bootstrap percolation process
Authors: Garbe Frederik , Mycroft Richard , McDowell Andrew
Published: October 2018

We study the following bootstrap percolation process: given a connected graph G, a constant ρ ∈ [0,1] and an initial set A⊆V(G) of infected vertices, at each step a vertex v becomes infected if at least a ρ‐proportion of its neighbors are already infected (once infected, a vertex remains infected forever). Our focus is on the size hρ(G) of a smallest initial set which is contagious, meaning that this process results in the infection of every vertex of G. Our main result states that every connected graph G on n vertices has hρ(G) < 2ρn or hρ(G) = 1 (note that allowing the latter possibility is necessary because of the case , as every contagious set has size at least one). This is the best‐possible bound of this form, and improves on previous results of Chang and Lyuu and of Gentner and Rautenbach. We also provide a stronger bound for graphs of girth at least five and sufficiently small ρ, which is asymptotically best‐possible.
A note on dispersing particles on a line
Authors: Frieze Alan , Pegden Wesley
Published: October 2018

We consider a synchronous dispersion process introduced in pervious study of Cooper and coworkers and we show that on the infinite line the final set of occupied sites takes up O(n) space, where n is the number of particles involved.
The first order convergence law fails for random perfect graphs
Authors: Müller Tobias , Noy Marc
Published: October 2018

We consider first order expressible properties of random perfect graphs. That is, we pick a graph Gn uniformly at random from all (labeled) perfect graphs on n vertices and consider the probability that it satisfies some graph property that can be expressed in the first order language of graphs. We show that there exists such a first order expressible property for which the probability that Gn satisfies it does not converge as n → ∞.
Polling in 2018
Authors: Heeg Robert
Published: October 2018

Serving democracy
Socially Charged Advertising
Authors: Marci Carl
Published: October 2018

Taking risks without being risky
Some principles are more equal than others: Promotion‐ versus prevention‐focused effectuation principles and their disparate relationships with entrepreneurial orientation
Authors: Palmié Maximilian , Huerzeler Peter , Grichnik Dietmar , Keupp Marcus M. , Gassmann Oliver
Published: October 2018

Research Summary

Recent research suggests that effectuation principles such as flexibility, precommitments, and affordable loss may differ substantially from one another. Responding to the call to clarify the effectuation concept, our study introduces the distinction between promotion‐ and prevention‐focused effectuation principles. It argues that promotion‐focused (prevention‐focused) principles are positively (negatively) associated with a firm's entrepreneurial orientation (EO). It further argues that causation is also promotion‐focused and positively associated with EO. An analysis of 151 Swiss energy small and medium‐sized enterprises supports this account. Thus, our study suggests that some effectuation principles are more similar to causation in their underlying regulatory focus and their relationship with EO than they are to other effectuation principles. We offer several paths for future research on effectuation, causation, and EO that emerge from these findings.

Managerial Summary

Practitioner‐oriented presentations and texts on entrepreneurial decision making frequently portray the means‐driven effectuation approach as opposite to the goals‐driven causation approach. Our study challenges this portrayal by highlighting substantial differences between the individual effectuation principles. Specifically, our research suggests that these principles differ in the underlying psychological processes and consequently in their relationships with key organizational attributes such as the firm's entrepreneurial orientation. In these important regards, some effectuation principles are actually more similar to causation than they are to other effectuation principles. Our study has substantial implications for the adoption of effectuation and for the “mixing and matching” of effectuation and causation. It not only makes a difference whether decision makers pursue an effectuation or causation approach, but also which effectuation principles they choose.
Two‐Dimensional Layered Hydroxide Nanoporous Nanohybrids Pillared with Zero‐Dimensional Polyoxovanadate Nanoclusters for Enhanced Water Oxidation Catalysis
Authors: Gunjakar Jayavant L. , Hou Bo , Inamdar Akbar I. , Pawar Sambhaji M. , Ahmed Abu Talha Aqueel , Chavan Harish S. , Kim Jongmin , Cho Sangeun , Lee Seongwoo , Jo Yongcheol , Hwang Seong‐Ju , Kim Tae Geun , Cha SeungNam , Kim Hyungsang , Im Hyunsik
Published: October 2018

The oxygen‐evolution reaction (OER) is critical in electrochemical water splitting and requires an efficient, sustainable, and cheap catalyst for successful practical applications. A common development strategy for OER catalysts is to search for facile routes for the synthesis of new catalytic materials with optimized chemical compositions and structures. Here, nickel hydroxide Ni(OH)2 2D nanosheets pillared with 0D polyoxovanadate (POV) nanoclusters as an OER catalyst that can operate in alkaline media are reported. The intercalation of POV nanoclusters into Ni(OH)2 induces the formation of a nanoporous layer‐by‐layer stacking architecture of 2D Ni(OH)2 nanosheets and 0D POV with a tunable chemical composition. The nanohybrid catalysts remarkably enhance the OER activity of pristine Ni(OH)2. The present findings demonstrate that the intercalation of 0D POV nanoclusters into Ni(OH)2 is effective for improving water oxidation catalysis and represents a potential method to synthesize novel, porous hydroxide‐based nanohybrid materials with superior electrochemical activities.
RNA‐Based Immunostimulatory Liposomal Spherical Nucleic Acids as Potent TLR7/8 Modulators
Authors: Guan Chenxia , Chernyak Natalia , Dominguez Donye , Cole Lisa , Zhang Bin , Mirkin Chad A.
Published: October 2018

Immunostimulatory spherical nucleic acids (IS‐LSNAs) comprised of RNA selective for toll‐like receptors (TLRs) 7/8 are synthesized and characterized. These structures consist of liposomal cores functionalized with a dense shell of RNA inserted into the wall of the lipid core via hydrophobic cholesterol moieties. IS‐LSNAs potently activate TLR7/8 via NF‐κΒ signaling in reporter cell lines and in primary immune cells as evidenced by cytokine production and the upregulation of costimulatory receptors. Importantly, they are preferentially taken up by plasmacytoid dendritic cells, an observation that makes them potentially useful for immunotherapy. In addition, these structures contain a core that can be loaded with antigens and used to prime T cells. In this regard, it is shown that dendritic cells treated with IS‐SNAs loaded with ovalbumin peptide can prime ova specific CD8+ T cells. In addition to introducing the first IS‐LSNAs consisting of RNA, these experiments show that one can facilitate an antigen‐specific T cell response greater than that of free or cationic lipid‐transfected RNA of the same sequence selective for TLR7/8. This work points toward the promise of using IS‐LSNAs comprised of RNA as potent and highly tunable TLR‐specific agents for the development of vaccines and other pharmaceuticals that require selective immunomodulation.
Tumor Starvation Induced Spatiotemporal Control over Chemotherapy for Synergistic Therapy
Authors: Zhang Ming‐Kang , Li Chu‐Xin , Wang Shi‐Bo , Liu Tao , Song Xian‐Lin , Yang Xiao‐Quan , Feng Jun , Zhang Xian‐Zheng
Published: October 2018

By integrating the characteristics of each therapy modality and material chemistry, a multitherapy modality is put forward: tumor starvation triggered synergism with sensitized chemotherapy. Following starvation‐induced amplification of pathological abnormalities in tumors, chemotherapy is arranged to be locally activated and accurately reinforced to perfect multitherapy synergism from spatial and temporal perspectives. To this end, glucose oxidase (GOD) and a hypoxic prodrug of tirapazamine (TPZ) are loaded in acidity‐decomposable calcium carbonate (CaCO3) nanoparticles concurrently tethered by hyaluronic acid. This hybrid nanotherapeutic shows a strong tendency to accumulate in tumors postinjection due to the cooperation between passive and active targeting mechanisms. The GOD‐driven oxidation reaction deprives tumors of glucose for starvation therapy and concomitantly induces tumorous abnormality amplifications including elevated acidity and exacerbated hypoxia. Programmatically, the acidity amplification causes CaCO3 decomposition, offering not only spatial control over the liberation of embedded TPZ just within tumors but also the temporal control over timely chemotherapy initiation to match the occurrence of hypoxia amplification and thus benefiting perfect synergism between starvation therapy and chemotherapy.
Energy‐Band‐Controlling Strategy to Construct Novel CdxIn1‐xS Solid Solution for Durable Visible Light Photocatalytic Hydrogen Sulfide Splitting
Authors: Dan Meng , Prakash Arvind , Cai Qing , Xiang Jianglai , Ye Yinghao , Li Yi , Yu Shan , Lin Yuanhua , Zhou Ying
Published: October 2018

Photocatalytic waste hydrogen sulfide (H2S) conversion into clean energy (H2) has an alluring prospect. Herein, a series of novel CdxIn1‐xS solid solutions are constructed by a mild hydrothermal method for visible light photocatalytic H2S splitting. The CdxIn1‐xS solid solutions with an orderly tuned visible‐light response range from 550 to 600 nm present a more positive valence band (VB) position and remarkable separation ability of charge carriers. As a result, the optimized cubic CdxIn1‐xS solid solution casts the extraordinary photocatalytic H2 evolution rate (16.35 mmol g−1 h−1) from H2S, which is 5‐ and 23‐fold higher than that over bare CdS (3.40 mmol g−1 h−1) and β‐In2S3 (0.72 mmol g−1 h−1), respectively, exceeding previous CdS‐based photocatalysts in the absence of co‐catalysts. The corresponding quantum efficiency (QE) at 420 nm is 26.7%. The combination of experiment and density functional theory (DFT) calculation confirms that the formation of CdxIn1‐xS solid solution has three functions for H2S splitting: i) improving anti‐photocorrosion properties of CdS‐based catalytsts; ii) promoting the further oxidation of sulfur (S) adsorbed on the catalyst surface; and iii) enhancing the charge‐separation efficiency. This work reports a novel CdxIn1‐xS solid solution for highly efficient photocatalytic H2 generation from H2S under visible light irradiation.
Complete receptor editing operation based on quantum clonal selection algorithm for optimization problems
Authors: Yang Yu , Dai Hongwei , Gao Shangce , Wang Yirui , Jia Dongbao , Tang Zheng
Published: October 2018

Clonal selection mechanism, which is the theoretical foundation of clonal selection algorithm (CSA) and its variants, was proposed for explaining the essential features of adaptive immune responses: adequate diversity, discrimination of self and nonself, and sustaining immunologic memory. On the basis of the clonal selection theory, only the high‐affinity immune cells are chosen to proliferate. Those cells with low affinity must be efficiently eliminated. However, the ability of receptor editing to salvage low‐affinity immune cells from deletion by changing their receptor specificity realized the clonal selection process anew. By combining clonal selection theory and receptor editing, a quantum clonal selection algorithm based on complete receptor editing operation is proposed for the traveling salesman problem (TSP) and the holes‐machining‐path‐planning (HMPP) problem. Two receptor editing operators (inversion and deletion) work together to improve the performance of CSA. Furthermore, in order to overcome the drawback of asexual proliferation during the immune maturation process, a quantum interference crossover based on complete receptor editing operation is used. The effectiveness of the improved algorithm is evaluated on optimization problems including TSP and HMPP problems. The experimental results are also compared with those of other methods based on clonal selection theory. © 2018 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Literacy Leadership: The Importance of Soft Skills
Authors: Bates Celeste C. , Morgan Denise N.
Published: October 2018

Teaching is a profession that requires ongoing professional development and learning. This ongoing learning can take place in professional learning communities, structured professional development settings, and literacy coaching contexts. This department highlights the ongoing professional development of literacy teachers.
Gaining insight into transcriptome‐wide RNA population dynamics through the chemistry of 4‐thiouridine
Authors: Duffy Erin E. , Schofield Jeremy A. , Simon Matthew D.
Published: October 2018

Cellular RNA levels are the result of a juggling act between RNA transcription, processing, and degradation. By tuning one or more of these parameters, cells can rapidly alter the available pool of transcripts in response to stimuli. While RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq) is a vital method to quantify RNA levels genome‐wide, it is unable to capture the dynamics of different RNA populations at steady‐state or distinguish between different mechanisms that induce changes to the steady‐state (i.e., altered rate of transcription vs. degradation). The dynamics of different RNA populations can be studied by targeted incorporation of noncanonical nucleosides. 4‐Thiouridine (s4U) is a commonly used and versatile RNA metabolic label that allows the study of many properties of RNA metabolism from synthesis to degradation. Numerous experimental strategies have been developed that leverage the power of s4U to label newly transcribed RNA in whole cells, followed by enrichment with activated disulfides or chemistry to induce C mutations at sites of s4U during sequencing. This review presents existing methods to study RNA population dynamics genome‐wide using s4U metabolic labeling, as well as a discussion of considerations and challenges when designing s4U metabolic labeling experiments.

This article is categorized under:

RNA Methods > RNA Analyses in Cells

RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Regulation of RNA Stability
Mixed‐Valent Europium in the Cubic Thiosilicate Li3Eu6[SiS4]4
Authors: Hartenbach Ingo , Gerlach Isabelle , Schleid Thomas
Published: October 2018

In an attempt to synthesize LiEu3S3[SiS4] utilizing elemental europium and sulfur as well as SiS2 and an excess of LiCl as flux and lithium source, dark red, platelet‐shaped single crystals of Li3Eu6[SiS4]4 were obtained. This new compound crystallizes in the cubic space group I43d (a = 1369.22(5) pm) with four formula units per unit cell. Both the Li+ and the Si4+ cations are surrounded by four sulfide anions. The [SiS4]4– tetrahedra show merely a slight trigonal distortion, while the [LiS4]7– units are best described as flattened bisphenoids. The europium cations exhibit an eightfold, rather irregular coordination environment by eight S2– anions and have to be regarded mixed‐valent with a +2:+3 charge‐ratio of 5:1 in order to gain electroneutrality. The lack of an inversion center is caused by the [SiS4]4– tetrahedra being stacked exclusively top up along [111] in this acentric crystal structure.
The Play of Breath: Chaucer’s Narratives of Feeling
Authors: Saunders Corinne
Published: October 2018

This essay explores the treatment of breath and breathlessness in the imaginative fiction of Geoffrey Chaucer. Chaucer draws on medieval medical theories, rooted in classical thought, to portray the ways that motions of the vital spirit—closely connected with breath—create powerful physical responses, which at their most extreme cause sighs and swoons. According to this pre-Cartesian world view, mind, body and affect are intimately connected. The movement of breath plays a key role in Chaucer’s depiction of the experiences of emotion, particularly love and grief, and in his treatment of gender. This physiological emphasis creates narratives of feeling that are deeply embodied. The essay focuses on Chaucer’s romance writing, in particular,The Book of the Duchess,Troilus and CriseydeandThe Legend of Good Women.
Experimental design and model reduction in systems biology
Authors: Jeong Jenny E. , Zhuang Qinwei , Transtrum Mark K. , Zhou Enlu , Qiu Peng
Published: October 2018

Background

In systems biology, the dynamics of biological networks are often modeled with ordinary differential equations (ODEs) that encode interacting components in the systems, resulting in highly complex models. In contrast, the amount of experimentally available data is almost always limited, and insufficient to constrain the parameters. In this situation, parameter estimation is a very challenging problem. To address this challenge, two intuitive approaches are to perform experimental design to generate more data, and to perform model reduction to simplify the model. Experimental design and model reduction have been traditionally viewed as two distinct areas, and an extensive literature and excellent reviews exist on each of the two areas. Intriguingly, however, the intrinsic connections between the two areas have not been recognized.

Results

Experimental design and model reduction are deeply related, and can be considered as one unified framework. There are two recent methods that can tackle both areas, one based on model manifold and the other based on profile likelihood. We use a simple sum‐of‐two‐exponentials example to discuss the concepts and algorithmic details of both methods, and provide Matlab‐based code and implementation which are useful resources for the dissemination and adoption of experimental design and model reduction in the biology community.

Conclusions

From a geometric perspective, we consider the experimental data as a point in a high‐dimensional data space and the mathematical model as a manifold living in this space. Parameter estimation can be viewed as a projection of the data point onto the manifold. By examining the singularity around the projected point on the manifold, we can perform both experimental design and model reduction. Experimental design identifies new experiments that expand the manifold and remove the singularity, whereas model reduction identifies the nearest boundary, which is the nearest singularity that suggests an appropriate form of a reduced model. This geometric interpretation represents one step toward the convergence of experimental design and model reduction as a unified framework.
Neuronal variability of Resting State activity in Eating Disorders: increase and decoupling in Ventral Attention Network and relation with clinical symptoms
Authors: Spalatro Angela V. , Amianto Federico , Huang Zirui , D’Agata Federico , Bergui Mauro , Abbate Daga Giovanni , Fassino Secondo , Northoff Georg
Published: October 2018

Background:

Despite the great number of resting state functional connectivity studies on Eating Disorders (ED), no biomarkers could be detected yet. Therefore, we here focus on a different measure of resting state activity that is neuronal variability. The objective of this study was to investigate neuronal variability in the resting state of women with ED and to correlate possible differences with clinical and psychopathological indices.

Methods:

58 women respectively 25 with Anorexia Nervosa (AN), 16 with Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and 17 matched healthy controls (CN) were enrolled for the study. All participants were tested with a battery of psychometric tests and underwent a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) resting state scanning. We investigated topographical patterns of variability measured by the Standard Deviation (SD) of the Blood-Oxygen-Level-Dependent (BOLD) signal (as a measure of neuronal variability) in the resting-state and their relationship to clinical and psychopathological indices.

Results:

Neuronal variability was increased in both anorectic and bulimic subjects specifically in the Ventral Attention Network (VAN) compared to healthy controls. No significant differences were found in the other networks. Significant correlations were found between neuronal variability of VAN and various clinical and psychopathological indices.

Conclusions:

We here show increased neuronal variability of VAN in ED patients. As the VAN is relevant for switching between endogenous and exogenous stimuli, our results showing increased neuronal variability suggest unstable balance between body attention and attention to external world. These results offer new perspective on the neurobiological basis of ED. Clinical and therapeutic implication will be discussed.
The preferences of potential stakeholders in psychiatric genomic research regarding consent procedures and information delivery
Authors: Sundby Anna , Boolsen Merete Watt , Burgdorf Kristoffer Sølvsten , Ullum Henrik , Hansen Thomas Folkmann , Middleton Anna , Mors Ole
Published: October 2018

Background:

Genomic sequencing plays an increasing role in genetic research, also in psychiatry. This raises challenges concerning the validity and type of the informed consent and the return of incidental findings. However, no solution currently exists on the best way to obtain the informed consent and deliver findings to research subjects.

Aims:

This study aims to explore the attitudes among potential stakeholders in psychiatric genomic research toward the consenting procedure and the delivery of incidental findings.

Methods:

We developed a cross-sectional web-based survey among five groups of stakeholders. A total of 2637 stakeholders responded: 241 persons with a mental disorder, 671 relatives, 1623 blood donors, 74 psychiatrists, and 28 clinical geneticists.

Results:

The stakeholders wanted active involvement as 92.7% preferred a specific consent and 85.1% wanted to receive information through a dynamic consent procedure. The majority of stakeholders preferred to receive genomic information related to serious or life-threatening health conditions through direct contact (69.5%) with a health professional, i.e. face-to-face consultation or telephone consultation (82.4%). Persons with mental disorders and relatives did not differ in their attitudes from the other stakeholder groups.

Conclusion:

The findings illustrate that the stakeholders want to be more actively involved and consider consent as a reciprocal transaction between the involved subjects and the researchers in the project. The results highlight the importance of collaboration between researchers and clinical geneticists as the latter are trained, through their education and clinical experience, to return and explain genomic data to patients, relatives, and research subjects.
First episode psychosis and comorbid ADHD, autism and intellectual disability
Authors: Strålin Pontus , Hetta Jerker
Published: October 2018

Background:

Comorbidity between neurodevelopmental disorders and psychotic disorders is common, but little is known about how neurodevelopmental disorders influence the presentation and outcome of first episode psychosis.

Methods:

A nation-wide cohort (n = 2091) with a first hospitalization for psychosis between 2007–2011 and at ages between 16–25 at intake was identified from Swedish population registries. Comorbid diagnoses of neurodevelopmental disorders were identified at first psychosis hospitalization and for ADHD also by dispensations of psychostimulants before the first psychosis hospitalization.

Data from the registers on hospitalizations and dispensations of antipsychotic and psychostimulant medications during the year before and 2 years after the first psychosis hospitalization were analysed. Self-harm and substance use disorders were identified by ICD10 codes at hospitalizations.

Results:

2.5% of the cohort was identified with a diagnosis of intellectual disability, 5.0% with autism and 8.1% with ADHD. A larger proportion of cases with Autism (OR = 1.8, p < 0.05) and intellectual disability (OR = 3.1, p < 0.01) were using antipsychotic medication year 2 compared to the rest of the cohort. Delusional disorder was more common in the autism group (OR = 2.3, p < 0.05) at first psychosis hospitalization. ADHD was associated with higher risks for substance use disorders and self-harm both before and after the first psychosis hospitalization. Year 2 substance use disorder had a OR = 2.6 (p < 0.001) and self-harm OR = 4.1 (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

Psychosis with comorbid ADHD is associated with high risks for substance use disorders and for self-harm, while psychosis with comorbid autism and intellectual disability is associated with longer treatment and higher doses of antipsychotic medication.
Early life adversity blunts responses to pioglitazone in depressed, overweight adults
Authors: Robakis Thalia K. , Watson-Lin Kathleen , Wroolie Tronita E. , Myoraku Alison , Nasca Carla , Bigio Benedetta , McEwen Bruce , Rasgon Natalie L.
Published: October 2018

Purpose:

Early life adversity is associated with both metabolic impairment and depression in adulthood, as well as with poorer responses to antidepressant medications. It is not yet known whether individual differences in sensitivity to antidiabetic medications could also be related to early life adversity. We examined whether a history of early life adversity affected the observed changes in metabolic function and depressive symptoms in a randomized trial of pioglitazone for augmentation of standard treatments for depression.

Purpose:

Early life adversity is associated with both metabolic impairment and depression in adulthood, as well as with poorer responses to antidepressant medications. It is not yet known whether individual differences in sensitivity to antidiabetic medications could also be related to early life adversity. We examined whether a history of early life adversity affected the observed changes in metabolic function and depressive symptoms in a randomized trial of pioglitazone for augmentation of standard treatments for depression.

Findings:

We found that early life adversity significantly impaired the metabolic response to pioglitazone. Effects on depressive symptoms did not reach significance, but nonetheless suggested that pioglitazone could mitigate the depressant effects of childhood adversity, only among those insulin resistant at baseline.

Conclusions:

We conclude that a history of early life adversity may impair the body’s ability to respond to insulin sensitizing pharmacotherapy, and furthermore that its contribution to resistant depression may function in part via the generation of an insulin resistant phenotype.
Shank3B mutant mice display pitch discrimination enhancements and learning deficits
Authors: Rendall Amanda R. , Perrino Peter A. , Buscarello Alexzandrea N. , Fitch R. Holly
Published: October 2018

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a core set of atypical behaviors in social‐communicative and repetitive‐motor domains. Individual profiles are widely heterogeneous and include language skills ranging from nonverbal to hyperlexic. The causal mechanisms underlying ASD remain poorly understood but appear to include a complex combination of polygenic and environmental risk factors. SHANK3 (SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeat domains 3) is one of a subset of well‐replicated ASD‐risk genes (i.e., genes demonstrating ASD associations in multiple studies), with haploinsufficiency of SHANK3 following deletion or de novo mutation seen in about 1% of non‐syndromic ASD. SHANK3 is a synaptic scaffolding protein enriched in the postsynaptic density of excitatory synapses. In order to more closely evaluate the contribution of SHANK3 to neurodevelopmental expression of ASD, a knockout mouse model with a mutation in the PDZ domain was developed. Initial research showed compulsive/repetitive behaviors and impaired social interactions in these mice, replicating two core ASD features. The current study was designed to further examine Shank3B heterozygous and homozygous knockout mice for behaviors that might map onto atypical language in ASD (e.g., auditory processing, and learning/memory). We report findings of repetitive and atypical aggressive social behaviors (replicating prior reports), novel evidence that Shank3B KO mice have atypical auditory processing (low‐level enhancements that might have a direct relationship with heightened pitch discrimination seen in ASD), as well as robust learning impairments.
Participation in Social Policy
Authors: Falleti Tulia G. , Cunial Santiago L.
Published: October 2018

Health is a defining feature of life and its politics vital. Governments and international organizations have promoted community participation in public health since the late 1970s. However, we lack comparative studies of these participatory institutions in public health. This Element proposes a conceptualization of programmatic participation and distinguishes between two types, monitoring and policy-making. Falleti and Cunial review the origins of state-sanctioned institutions that mandate community participation in health in the two world regions with most advanced social welfare systems, Western Europe and Latin America, implying a comparative analysis of eleven health care systems. They argue that the origins of participatory institutions help account for the resulting types of programmatic participation. They delve deeper into the study of the experience of participation for policy making and analyze two hundred local participatory projects in public health. Falleti and Cunial focus their attention on the characteristics of participants, the role of health care professionals, and the role of local politics in the execution of community projects.
What Affects Invalid Voting? A Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kouba Karel , Lysek Jakub
Published: October 2018

Research on invalid voting has expanded rapidly over the past few years. This review article for the first time examines its principal findings and provides a new theoretical perspective on the origins of invalid votes based on a two-dimensional framework. The main results of 54 studies using both individual-level and aggregate-level data as well as the results of experimental and qualitative studies are analysed. The meta-analysis of all existing aggregate-level studies finds that compulsory voting, quality of democracy, fragmentation and closeness of the electoral race play important roles in explaining invalid voting. On the other hand, the research is accompanied by many theoretical and empirical contradictions that hamper the accumulation of knowledge in this field. We therefore conclude by suggesting the challenges for future research.
Time-dependent motion of a confined bubble in a tube: transition between two steady states
Authors: Yu Yingxian Estella , Zhu Lailai , Shim Suin , Eggers Jens , Stone Howard A.
Published: October 2018

When a confined bubble translates steadily in a cylindrical capillary tube, without the consideration of gravity effects, a uniform thin film of liquid separates the bubble surface and the tube wall. In this work, we investigate how this steady state is established by considering the transitional motion of the bubble as it adjusts its film thickness profile between two steady states, characterized by two different bubble speeds. During the transition, two uniform film regions coexist, separated by a step-like transitional region. The transitional motion also requires modification of the film solution near the rear of the bubble, which depends on the ratio of the two capillary numbers. These theoretical results are verified by experiments and numerical simulations.