bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Paleocirculation and Ventilation History of Southern Ocean Sourced Deep Water Masses During the Last 800,000 Years
Authors: Williams Thomas J. , Hillenbrand Claus‐Dieter , Piotrowski Alexander M. , Allen Claire S. , Frederichs Thomas , Smith James A. , Ehrmann Werner , Hodell David A.
Published: April 2019

Most conceptual models of ocean circulation during past glacial periods invoke a shallowed North Atlantic‐sourced water mass overlying an expanded, poorly ventilated Southern Ocean (SO)‐sourced deep water mass (Southern Component Water or SCW), rich in remineralized carbon, within the Atlantic basin. However, the ventilation state, carbon inventory, and circulation pathway of SCW sourced in the Pacific sector of the SO (Pacific SO) during glacial periods are less well understood. Here we present multiproxy data—including δ18O and δ13C measured on the benthic and planktic foraminifera Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi, and Neogloboquadrina pachyderma, and productivity proxies including percent CaCO3, total organic carbon, and Ba/Ti—from a sediment core located in the high‐latitude (71°S) Pacific SO spanning the last 800 kyr. Typical glacial δ13C values of SCW at this core site are ~0‰. We find no evidence for SCW with extremely low δ13C values during glacials in the high‐latitude Pacific SO. This leads to a spatial gradient in the stable carbon isotope composition of SCW from the high‐latitude SO, suggesting that there are different processes of deep‐ and bottom‐water formation around Antarctica. A reduced imprint of air‐sea gas exchange is evident in the SCW formed in the Atlantic SO compared with the Pacific SO. A spatial δ13C gradient in SCW is apparent throughout much of the last 800,000 years, including interglacials. A SO‐wide depletion in benthic δ13C is observed in early MIS 16, coinciding with the lowest atmospheric pCO2 recorded in Antarctic ice cores.
AP endonuclease 1 (Apex1) influences brain development linking oxidative stress and DNA repair
Authors: Pei De-Sheng , Jia Pan-Pan , Luo Juan-Juan , Liu Wei , Strauss Phyllis R.
Published: April 2019

Brain and neurons are particularly sensitive to reactive oxygen species (ROS). Oxidative damage from ROS results in increased 8-oxoguanine in DNA followed by repair through the base excision repair (BER) pathway. We reported earlier that AP endonuclease 1 (Apex1) not only participates directly in BER but also regulates transcription factor Creb1. Here, we investigated how Apex1 affects brain to respond effectively to oxidative damage during zebrafish development. Loss of Apex1 resulted in increased ROS, 8-oxoguanine, and abasic sites as well as loss of Ogg1, which recognizes 8-oxoguanine and is required for its repair. Moreover, knock-down of Apex1 not only resulted in reduction of expression of several major proteins in the BER pathway (Polb and Ogg1), and it also resulted in maldistribution and loss of four key brain transcription factors (fezf2, otx2, egr2a, and pax2a), leading to abnormal brain development. These results were independent of p53 protein level. In contrast, exposure to exogenous H2O2 resulted in increased transcription and protein of Apex1 along with other BER components, as well as Creb1. Taken together, these results indicate that oxidative stress increased when the level of Apex1 was reduced, revealing a novel pathway of how Apex1 manages oxidative stress in developing brain.
Thinning ferroelectric films for high-efficiency photovoltaics based on the Schottky barrier effect
Authors: Tan Zhengwei , Hong Lanqing , Fan Zhen , Tian Junjiang , Zhang Luyong , Jiang Yue , Hou Zhipeng , Chen Deyang , Qin Minghui , Zeng Min , Gao Jinwei , Lu Xubing , Zhou Guofu , Gao Xingsen , Liu Jun-Ming
Published: April 2019

Achieving high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) in ferroelectric photovoltaics (PVs) is a longstanding challenge. Although recently ferroelectric thick films, composite films, and bulk crystals have all been demonstrated to exhibit PCEs >1%, these systems still suffer from severe recombination because of the fundamentally low conductivities of ferroelectrics. Further improvement of PCEs may therefore rely on thickness reduction if the reduced recombination could overcompensate for the loss in light absorption. Here, a PCE of up to 2.49% (under 365-nm ultraviolet illumination) was demonstrated in a 12-nm Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 (PZT) ultrathin film. The strategy to realize such a high PCE consists of reducing the film thickness to be comparable with the depletion width, which can simultaneously suppress recombination and lower the series resistance. The basis of our strategy lies in the fact that the PV effect originates from the interfacial Schottky barriers, which is revealed by measuring and modeling the thickness-dependent PV characteristics. In addition, the Schottky barrier parameters (particularly the depletion width) are evaluated by investigating the thickness-dependent ferroelectric, dielectric and conduction properties. Our study therefore provides an effective strategy to obtain high-efficiency ferroelectric PVs and demonstrates the great potential of ferroelectrics for use in ultrathin-film PV devices.
Delivering cellular and gene therapies to patients: solutions for realizing the potential of the next generation of medicine
Authors: Elverum Kris , Whitman Maria
Published: April 2019

The evolution of medicines from small molecules to proteins drove increased therapeutic benefits, and the next generation of cell and gene therapies holds tremendous promise for patients. The Food and Drug Administration approved the U.S.’s first gene therapy, Novartis’ tisagenlecleucel, and technologies like CRISPR-Cas9 are poised to create a wave of new medicines. Unfortunately, the vast majority of patients may not benefit from cell and gene therapies. At least 95% of people receive medicines only through commercial delivery, but stakeholders have struggled to develop and sustain successful business models for cell and gene therapies. This paper reviews the existing system to deliver cell and gene therapies and outlines the requirements to make them accessible to patients. Informed by interviews with experts, opportunities for improvement are identified along the patient and cell journeys, and a call to action is made for stakeholders to detail and implement change.
Publisher Correction: Dispersal homogenizes communities via immigration even at low rates in a simplified synthetic bacterial metacommunity
Authors: Fodelianakis Stilianos , Lorz Alexander , Valenzuela-Cuevas Adriana , Barozzi Alan , Booth Jenny Marie , Daffonchio Daniele
Published: April 2019

In the original version of this article, the green and blue outlines in Figure 2b, top centre and right panels were inadvertently shifted left from the correct position. This has now been corrected in the PDF and HTML versions of the article.
Correlated Eigenvalues of Multi-Soliton Optical Communications
Authors: Zhang Wen Qi , Gui Tao , Zhang Qun , Lu Chao , Monro Tanya M. , Chan Terence H. , Lau Alan Pak Tao , Shahraam Afshar V.
Published: April 2019

There is a fundamental limit on the capacity of fibre optical communication system (Shannon Limit). This limit can be potentially overcome via using Nonlinear Frequency Division Multiplexing. Dealing with noises in these systems is one of the most critical parts in implementing a practical system. In this paper, we discover and characterize the correlations among the NFT channels. It is demonstrated that the correlation is universal (i.e., independent of types of system noises) and can be exploited to maximize transmission throughput. We propose and experimentally confirm a noise model showing that end-to-end noise can be modelled as the accumulation of noise associated with each segment of optical communication which can be dealt with independently. Also, each point noise can be further decomposed into different components, some of which are more significant (and even dominating) than others. Hence, one can further approximate and simplify the noise model by focusing on the significant component.
The influence of habitual consumption of chewing gums in the outcome of masticatory performance tests using two-coloured chewing gums
Authors: Vaccaro Gustavo , Peláez José Ignacio , Gil-Montoya José Antonio
Published: April 2019

The aim of this study is to assess the influence of regular consumption of chewing-gums on the Masticatory Performance (MP); and to determine if increasing the consumption improves the MP of non-regular consumers. We recorded the chewing-gums consumption rate (CGC) and measured the MP of 265 participants (µ = 47.09, σ = 22.49 years) using the Variance of the Histogram of the Hue (VhH) image processing method. Then, participants were instructed to increase the consumption, and the MP was measured again (SESSION) two and four days after. Normality of MP was verified with Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests. The association between the age and the consumption rate was measured with GEE and the eta-squared statistic. Finally, a 3 × 3 mixed ANOVA with SESSION as the within-subject factor and CGC as the between-subjects factor was run. Session-wise and group-wise comparison were performed with post hoc Bonferroni. No systematic error was detected for VhH (p = 1.00). Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests confirmed the normality of the distribution of MP (p > 0.05). There was a significant effect of SESSION on MP, F(1.746, 457.328) = 59.075, p < 0.001; furthermore, there were significant differences in MP between SESSIONs. Additionally, there was a significant effect of CGC on MP, with F (2, 356.53) = 564.73, p < 0.001. In conclusion, the chewing-gum consumption habits influence the two-coloured chewing gum mixing test. The apparent MP of non-regular consumers can be improved by prescribing a controlled increase in the consumption of chewing-gums for a few days.
Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion: Treatment Outcomes According to the Retinal Nonperfusion Area, Clinical Subtype, and Crossing Pattern
Authors: Iida-Miwa Yuko , Muraoka Yuki , Iida Yuto , Ooto Sotaro , Murakami Tomoaki , Suzuma Kiyoshi , Tsujikawa Akitaka
Published: April 2019

This prospective study examined 58 eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) to investigate the effects of the nonperfusion area (NPA), clinical subtype, and crossing pattern on the 2-year outcomes of ranibizumab therapy for the macular edema (ME). All eyes received three initial monthly injections, followed by additional pro re nata (PRN) injections. The final best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and ranibizumab injection number were not associated with the macular NPA or total NPA at baseline or month 12, and they showed no significant differences between the clinical subtypes. However, the incidence of neovascular changes was higher in the major BRVO group than in the macular BRVO group (P = 0.030). Twelve and 19 of the 34 eyes with major BRVO exhibited arterial overcrossing and venous overcrossing, respectively. At baseline, the total NPA did not differ according to the crossing pattern, however, the total NPA was significantly larger in the venous overcrossing group at month 12 (P = 0.047). At month 24, the incidence of neovascular changes was higher in the venous overcrossing group (P = 0.030). Following ranibizumab therapy for BRVO-associated ME, the clinical subtype and the arteriovenous crossing pattern may be associated with neovascular changes.
Distinguishing between sea turtle foraging areas using stable isotopes from commensal barnacle shells
Authors: Pearson Ryan M. , van de Merwe Jason P. , Gagan Michael K. , Limpus Colin J. , Connolly Rod M.
Published: April 2019

Understanding the movement behaviour of marine megafauna within and between habitats is valuable for informing conservation management, particularly for threatened species. Stable isotope analyses of soft-tissues have been used to understand these parameters in sea turtles, usually relying on concurrent satellite telemetry at high cost. Barnacles that grow on sea turtles have been shown to offer a source of isotopic history that reflects the temperature and salinity of the water in which the host animal has been. We used a novel method that combines barnacle growth rates and stable isotope analysis of barnacle shells (δ18O and δ13C) as predictors of home area for foraging sea turtles. We showed high success rates in assigning turtles to foraging areas in Queensland, Australia, based on isotope ratios from the shells of the barnacles that were attached to them (86–94% when areas were separated by >400 km). This method could be used to understand foraging distribution, migration distances and the habitat use of nesting turtles throughout the world, benefiting conservation and management of these threatened species and may be applied to other taxa that carry hitchhiking barnacles through oceans or estuaries.
Microscale direct measurement of localized photothermal heating in tissue-mimetic hydrogels
Authors: Davaji Benyamin , Richie James E. , Lee Chung Hoon
Published: April 2019

Photothermal hyperthermia is proven to be an effective diagnostic tool for cancer therapy. The efficacy of this method directly relies on understanding the localization of the photothermal effect in the targeted region. Realizing the safe and effective concentration of nano-particles and the irradiation intensity and time requires spatiotemporal temperature monitoring during and after laser irradiation. Due to uniformities of the nanoparticle distribution and the complexities of the microenvironment, a direct temperature measurement in micro-scale is crucial for achieving precise thermal dose control. In this study, a 50 nm thin film nickel resistive temperature sensor was fabricated on a 300 nm SiN membrane to directly measure the local temperature variations of a hydrogel-GNR mixture under laser exposure with 2 mK temperature resolution. The chip-scale approach developed here is an effective tool to investigate localization of photothermal heating for hyperthermia applications for in-vitro and ex-vivo models. Considering the connection between thermal properties, porosity and the matrix stiffness in hydrogels, we present our results using the interplay between matrix stiffness of the hydrogel and its thermal properties: the stiffer the hydrogel, the higher the thermal conductivity resulting in lower photothermal heating. We measured 8.1, 7.4, and 5.6 °C temperature changes (from the room temperature, 20 °C) in hydrogel models with stiffness levels corresponding to adipose (4 kPa), muscle (13 kPa) and osteoid (30 kPa) tissues respectively by exposing them to 2 W/cm2 laser (808 nm) intensity for 150 seconds.
Modeling of systematic errors in stereo-digital image correlation due to camera self-heating
Authors: Yu Liping , Lubineau Gilles
Published: April 2019

Errors in strain measurements in stereo-digital image correlation (stereo-DIC) caused by camera self-heating have been experimentally observed in previous research, and have been shown to widely vary from one system configuration to another. Such “thermal errors” are sometimes so large that they strongly compromise the accuracy of the measurements. Despite correcting such errors is crucial when aiming at high-accuracy measurements, the mechanism of the thermal error generation and how it relates to the camera parameters in stereo-DIC are still not clear. In this paper, we first explain in detail how self-heating can introduce large artifacts in the strains measured by stereo-DIC. Using a simplified stereovision model, we provide the main equations that describe the theoretical errors in 3D coordinate reconstruction and 3D deformation measurement. Through several sets of simulations, the effect of camera self-heating on the 3D coordinate, displacement and strain measurements, and the effect of camera parameters on the thermal errors in stereo-DIC were explicitly presented based on the derived theoretical formulas. Finally, several real self-heating tests using a smartphone-based single-camera stereo-DIC system confirm the correctness of theoretical analyses and simulation results.
Antimicrobial removal on piglets promotes health and higher bacterial diversity in the nasal microbiota
Authors: Correa-Fiz Florencia , Gonçalves dos Santos José Maurício , Illas Francesc , Aragon Virginia
Published: April 2019

The view on antimicrobials has dramatically changed due to the increased knowledge on the importance of microbiota composition in different body parts. Antimicrobials can no longer be considered only beneficial, but also potentially deleterious for favourable bacterial populations. Still, the use of metaphylactic antimicrobial treatment at early stages of life is a practice in use in porcine production. Many reports have shown that antibiotics can critically affect the gut microbiota, however the effect of perinatal antimicrobial treatment on the nasal microbiota has not been explored yet. To gain insights on the potential changes in nasal microbial composition due to antimicrobial treatments, piglets from two different farms were sampled at weaning. The nasal microbiota was analysed when antimicrobial treatment was used early in life, and later, when no antimicrobial treatment was used during the lactation period. Removal of perinatal antimicrobials resulted in an increased bacterial diversity in nasal microbiota at weaning. Concurrently, elimination of antimicrobials produced an increase in the relative abundance of Prevotella and Lactobacillus, and a decrease in Moraxella and Bergeyella. These changes in microbiota composition were accompanied by an improvement of the piglets’ health and a higher productivity in the nursery phase.
Fungal Elevational Rapoport pattern from a High Mountain in Japan
Authors: Ogwu Matthew Chidozie , Takahashi Koichi , Dong Ke , Song Ho-Kyung , Moroenyane Itumeleng , Waldman Bruce , Adams Jonathan M.
Published: April 2019

Little is known of how fungal distribution ranges vary with elevation. We studied fungal diversity and community composition from 740 to 2940 m above sea level on Mt. Norikura, Japan, sequencing the ITS2 region. There was a clear trend, repeated across each of the fungal phyla (Basidiomycota, Ascomycota, Zygomycota, Chytridomycota and Glomeromycota), and across the whole fungal community combined, towards an increased elevational range of higher elevation OTUs, conforming to the elevational Rapoport pattern. It appears that fungi from higher elevation environments are more generalized ecologically, at least in terms of climate-related gradients. These findings add to the picture from latitudinal studies of fungal ranges, which also suggest that the classic Rapoport Rule (broader ranges at higher latitudes) applies on a geographical scale. However, there was no mid-elevation maximum in diversity in any of the phyla studied, and different diversity trends for the different phyla, when different diversity indices were used. In terms of functional guilds, on Norikura there were trends towards increased saprotrophism (Zygomycota), symbiotrophism (Basidiomycota), symbiotrophism and saprotrophism (Ascomycota) and pathotrophism (Chytridiomycota) with elevation. The causes of each of these trends require further investigation from an ecological and evolutionary viewpoint.
Subtle variations in mobbing calls are predator-specific in great tits (Parus major)
Authors: Kalb Nadine , Anger Fabian , Randler Christoph
Published: April 2019

Many species are known to use vocalizations to recruit con- and heterospecifics to mobbing events. In birds, the vocalizations of the Family Paridae (titmice, tits and chickadees) are well-studied and have been shown to recruit conspecifics and encode information about predation risk. Species use the number of elements within a call, call frequency or call type to encode information. We conducted a study with great tits (Parus major) in the field where we presented taxidermy mounts of two predators of different threat levels (tawny owl, Strix aluco, and sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus) and compared the mobbing calls of these two contexts. We hypothesized, based on results of studies in other paridae species, that tits vary the number or type of elements of a call according to predatory context. We found great tits to vary the number of D elements and the interval between those elements. Great tits produced significantly longer D calls with more elements and longer intervals between elements when confronted with a sparrowhawk (high-threat) compared to a tawny owl (low-threat) mount. Furthermore, birds produced more D calls towards the high-threat predator. This suggests that the basic D calls are varied depending on threat intensity.
Buoyant hydrous mantle plume from the mantle transition zone
Authors: Kuritani Takeshi , Xia Qun-Ke , Kimura Jun-Ichi , Liu Jia , Shimizu Kenji , Ushikubo Takayuki , Zhao Dapeng , Nakagawa Mitsuhiro , Yoshimura Shumpei
Published: April 2019

Magmatism at some intraplate volcanoes and large igneous provinces (LIPs) in continental areas may originate from hydrous mantle upwelling (i.e. a plume) from the mantle transition zone (MTZ) at 410–660 km depths in the Earth’s deep interior. However, the ultimate origin of the magmatism, i.e. why mantle plumes could have been generated at the MTZ, remains unclear. Here, we study the buoyancy of a plume by investigating basalts from the Changbaishan volcano, beneath which a mantle plume from the hydrous MTZ is observed via seismology. Based on carefully determined water contents of the basalts, the potential temperature of the source mantle is estimated to be 1310–1400 °C, which is within the range of the normal upper mantle temperature. This observation suggests that the mantle plume did not have a significant excess heat, and that the plume upwelled because of buoyancy resulting from water supplied from the Pacific slab in the MTZ. Such a hydrous mantle plume can account for the formation of extremely hydrous LIP magmatism. The water was originally sourced from a stagnant slab and stored in the MTZ, and then upwelled irrespective of the presence or absence of a deep thermal plume.
Highly selective fluorescence ‘turn off’ sensing of picric acid and efficient cell labelling by water-soluble luminescent anthracene-bridged poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone)
Authors: Singh Rajshree , Mitra Kheyanath , Singh Shikha , Senapati Sudipta , Patel Vijay Kumar , Vishwakarma Sambhav , Kumari Archana , Singh Jaydeep , Sen Gupta Susanta K. , Misra Nira , Maiti Pralay , Ray Biswajit
Published: April 2019

ATC-PNVP showed highly efficient and selective fluorescence ‘turn off’ sensing towards picric acid and was also an effective fluorescent probe for cell imaging/tracking.
Dual stimuli-responsive supramolecular boron nitride with tunable physical properties for controlled drug delivery
Authors: Cheng Chih-Chia , Muhabie Adem Ali , Huang Shan-You , Wu Cheng-You , Gebeyehu Belete Tewabe , Lee Ai-Wei , Lai Juin-Yih , Lee Duu-Jong
Published: April 2019

Water-dispersible boron nitride nanosheets containing a supramolecular polymer exhibit dual-responsive behavior and excellent controlled drug release capacity.
Plasma functional polymerization of dopamine using atmospheric pressure plasma and a dopamine solution mist
Authors: Mun Mu Kyeom , Jang Yun Jong , Kim Ju Eun , Yeom Geun Young , Kim Dong Woo
Published: April 2019

By using atmospheric pressure plasmas and a dopamine solution mist formed by a piezoelectric module, the possibility of depositing functional films showing characteristics of polydopamine without breaking the functional group has been investigated.
Room temperature diazotization and coupling reaction using a DES–ethanol system: a green approach towards the synthesis of monoazo pigments
Authors: Kamble Sujit Suresh , Shankarling Ganapati Subray
Published: April 2019

Synthesis of a stable diazonium salt at room temperature followed by the synthesis of monoazo pigments using DES–ethanol system.
A DNA encoding loop program: the snowball effect enhanced microRNA visualization in living cells
Authors: Lv Jian , Zhou Ze-Rui , Qian Ruo-Can
Published: April 2019

A DNA encoding loop program (DELP); an Illustration of the DELP clustering process. In the presence of miRNA, multiple seed probes and fuel probes form enlarged GNP clusters, and the fluorescence of the FAM molecules recovers due to the opening of the hairpin DNA.
Nickel-catalysed dehydrogenative coupling of aromatic diamines with alcohols: selective synthesis of substituted benzimidazoles and quinoxalines
Authors: Bera Atanu , Sk Motahar , Singh Khushboo , Banerjee Debasis
Published: April 2019

The nickel-catalysed dehydrogenative coupling of 1,2-di-amino-benzene with primary alcohols and diols for the synthesis of N-heterocycles is reported. The catalytic protocol enables the transformation in up to 91% yield and generates water and hydrogen gas as byproducts.
Correction: Fast and reliable generation of [18F]triflyl fluoride, a gaseous [18F]fluoride source
Authors: Pees A. , Sewing C. , Vosjan M. J. W. D. , Tadino V. , Herscheid J. D. M. , Windhorst A. D. , Vugts D. J.
Published: April 2019

Correction for ‘Fast and reliable generation of [18F]triflyl fluoride, a gaseous [18F]fluoride source’ by A. Pees et al., Chem. Commun., 2018, 54, 10179–10182.
Reversible on/off switching of photochromic properties in N-salicylideneaniline co-crystals by heating and humidification
Authors: Sugiyama Haruki , Johmoto Kohei , Sekine Akiko , Uekusa Hidehiro
Published: April 2019

The photochromic properties of N-salicylideneaniline (SA) derivative co-crystals were switched on/off through the hydration–dehydration phase transition induced by humidification and heating.
A reduction series of neodymium supported by pyridine(diimine) ligands
Authors: Galley Shane S. , Pattenaude Scott A. , Higgins Robert F. , Tatebe Caleb J. , Stanley Dalton A. , Fanwick Phillip E. , Zeller Matthias , Schelter Eric J. , Bart Suzanne C.
Published: April 2019

A series of reduced PDI neodymium complexes by the PDI ligand acting as an electron sink.
Anti-apoptosis effect of amino acid modified gadofullereneviaa mitochondria mediated pathway
Authors: Yu Tong , Zhen Mingming , Li Jie , Zhou Yue , Ma Haijun , Jia Wang , Wang Chunru
Published: April 2019

A proposed molecular mechanism of the anti-apoptosis effect of GF-Ala through a mitochondria mediated pathway.
High-yield lactic acid-mediated route for a g-C3N4 nanosheet photocatalyst with enhanced H2-evolution performance
Authors: Wu Xinhe , Gao Duoduo , Yu Huogen , Yu Jiaguo
Published: April 2019

A new lactic acid-mediated route was developed to prepare an efficient g-C3N4 nanosheet photocatalyst with a high yield of ca. 35.16 wt%.
One-pot tandem cyclisation to pyrrolo[1,2-a][1,4]benzodiazepines: a modified approach to the Pictet–Spengler reaction
Authors: Ali Sk Asraf , Mondal Suresh Kumar , Das Tapas , Manna Susanta Kumar , Bera Anirban , Dafadar Debabrata , Naskar Sourenjit , Molla Mijanur Rahaman , Samanta Shubhankar
Published: April 2019

We have reported a one-pot two step methodology for the synthesis of highly condensed pyrrolo[1,2-a][1,4]benzodiazepines by modified Pictet–Spengler reaction.
Temperature dependent structure and dynamics in smectite interlayers: 23Na MAS NMR spectroscopy of Na-hectorite
Authors: Nanda Raju , Bowers Geoffrey M. , Loganathan Narasimhan , Burton Sarah D. , Kirkpatrick R. James
Published: April 2019

23Na MAS NMR spectroscopy of the smectite mineral hectorite acquired at temperature from −120 °C to 40 °C shows the presence of complex dynamical processes in the interlayer galleries that depend significantly on their hydration state.
Corrosion resistance for superwetting immiscible oil/water separation porous materials
Authors: Rong Wanting , Zhang Haifeng , Tuo Yanjing , Chen Weiping , Liu Xiaowei
Published: April 2019

Superwetting porous FZCF as immiscible oil/organic solvents separation material that possesses excellent corrosion resistance can be widely applied in many industrial fields such as oily wastewater treatment and marine oil spill accidents.
Rhombohedral trap for studying molecular oligomerization in membranes: application to daptomycin
Authors: Lee Ming-Tao , Hung Wei-Chin , Huang Huey W.
Published: April 2019

Diffraction of daptomycin/Ca/Br-DOPG complex trapped in the hexagonal unit cell of rhombohedral phase.
Co2+ induced phase transformation from δ- to α-MnO2 and their hierarchical α-MnO2@δ-MnO2 nanostructures for efficient asymmetric supercapacitors
Authors: Guo Yu , Li Lei , Song Li , Wu Mingzai , Gao Yuanhao , Chen Jingshuai , Mao Changjie , Song Jiming , Niu Helin
Published: April 2019

Phase transformation from δ- to α-MnO2 is successfully completed by Co2+ inducement.
Clinical Protocol to Promote Standardization of Basic Tinnitus Services by Audiologists
Authors: Henry James A. , Manning Candice
Published: April 2019

Purpose

Clinical services for tinnitus are needed by millions of people annually. These services have not been standardized, and patients are vulnerable to receiving services that may appear legitimate but are not based on research evidence. The purpose of this clinical focus article is to promote standardization of tinnitus services by proposing an efficient clinical protocol for audiologists.

Method

The suggested clinical protocol is based primarily on research conducted at the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research for the past 2 decades, with the focus on 2 randomized controlled trials completed recently that showed efficacy of an audiologic protocol involving hearing aids and brief tinnitus counseling. The protocol is mostly consistent with clinical practice guidelines that have been published.

Results

The two National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research randomized controlled trials revealed significant reduction of tinnitus functional effects for both hearing aids and “combination instruments” (hearing aids with a built-in sound generator), although there were no significant differences between devices. Existing clinical practice guidelines for tinnitus are summarized with respect to their common recommendations for assessment and intervention.

Conclusions

A defined clinical protocol is suggested for audiologists, which includes a case history, appropriate referral, audiologic assessment, use of the Tinnitus and Hearing Survey (
Henry, Griest, et al., 2015
), brief tinnitus counseling, hearing aids or combination instruments as warranted, follow-up assessment, and criteria for determining if further tinnitus-specific services are needed. Use of this protocol can help to promote standardization of tinnitus practice by audiologists.
Experimental study of recovery time of a bulk gallium arsenide avalanche semiconductor switch in low‐energy‐triggered mode
Authors: Hu Long , Wang Yaogong , Xu Ming
Published: April 2019

The authors present an experimental study of recovery time of a bulk gallium arsenide (GaAs) avalanche semiconductor switch that operates in low‐energy‐triggered mode. The voltage‐biased bulk GaAs avalanche semiconductor switch is first triggered to be in a conducting state by a laser pulse, and then the other biased voltage is applied without laser triggering after a delay time. The self‐breakdown will be observed experimentally in the bulk GaAs avalanche semiconductor switch by reduction of the delay time, and the recovery time can be achieved accordingly. When the biased voltage of the 0.625 mm thickn switch decreases from 5.0 to 2.0 kV the recovery time reduces from ∼4.4 to ∼1.3 µs.
Sensitive/stable complementary fault identification scheme for overhead transmission lines
Authors: Zaki Mohamed I. , El Sehiemy Ragab A. , Amer Ghada M. , Abo El Enin Fathy M.
Published: April 2019

This study proposes a complementary fault identification scheme for triple fed high‐voltage transmission lines (TFHVTLs). The current signals are captured from a single end measuring system of the TFHVTL. Then, the captured current signals are decomposed using wavelet multi‐resolution analysis technique. The proposed scheme is based on two criteria. The first criterion is dependent on the level of detail coefficients while the second one is dependent on the deviation of detail coefficients. The decision is obtained using an OR‐logic of the two criteria. Also, this study introduces the stability and sensitivity concepts for the fault identification process. In addition, a suggested fault identification sensitivity index is proposed to measure the efficacy of the proposed scheme. Also, different types of mother wavelets are assessed to show that the best mother wavelet, Haar, has high fault detection and classification performance. An ATP/EMTP package is used to simulate the tested part of the 500 kV Egyptian grid. The proposed scheme performance is corroborated under different operating conditions for load changes, fault locations, sampling frequencies of the monitored current, fault resistances, fault types, and inception angles. The proposed scheme is tested for series compensated TFHVTL at different compensation levels.
Beryllium-10 production in gaseous protoplanetary disks and implications for the astrophysical setting of refractory inclusions
Authors: Jacquet Emmanuel
Published: April 2019

Calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs), the oldest known solids of the solar system, show evidence for the past presence of short-lived radionuclide beryllium-10, which was likely produced by spallation during protosolar flares. While such 10Be production has hitherto been modeled at the inner edge of the protoplanetary disk, I calculate here that spallation at the disk surface may reproduce the measured 10Be/9Be ratios at larger heliocentric distances. Beryllium-10 production in the gas prior to CAI formation would dominate that in the solid. Interestingly, provided the Sun’s proton to X-ray output ratio does not decrease strongly, 10Be/9Be at the CAI condensation front would increase with time, explaining the reduced values in a (presumably early) generation of CAIs with nucleosynthetic anomalies. CAIs thus need not have formed very close to the Sun and may have condensed at 0.1–1 AU where sufficiently high temperatures originally prevailed.
Can a negative-mass cosmology explain dark matter and dark energy?
Authors: Socas-Navarro H.
Published: April 2019

A recent study by Farnes (2018, A&A, 620, A92) proposed an alternative cosmological model in which both dark matter and dark energy are replaced with a single fluid of negative mass. This paper presents a critical review of that model. A number of problems and discrepancies with observations are identified. For instance, the predicted shape and density of galactic dark matter halos are incorrect. Also, halos would need to be less massive than the baryonic component, otherwise they would become gravitationally unstable. Perhaps the most challenging problem in this theory is the presence of a large-scale version of the “runaway effect”, which would result in all galaxies moving in random directions at nearly the speed of light. Other more general issues regarding negative mass in general relativity are discussed, such as the possibility of time-travel paradoxes.
Low redshift constraints on energy-momentum-powered gravity models
Authors: Faria M. C. F. , Martins C. J. A. P. , Chiti F. , Silva B. S. A.
Published: April 2019

There has been recent interest in the cosmological consequences of energy-momentum-powered gravity models, in which the matter side of Einstein’s equations is modified by the addition of a term proportional to some power, n, of the energy-momentum tensor, in addition to the canonical linear term. In this work we treat these models as phenomenological extensions of the standard ΛCDM, containing both matter and a cosmological constant. We also quantitatively constrain the additional model parameters using low redshift background cosmology data that are specifically from Type Ia supernovas and Hubble parameter measurements. We start by studying specific cases of these models with fixed values of n, which lead to an analytic expression for the Friedmann equation; we discuss both their current constraints and how the models may be further constrained by future observations of Type Ia supernovas for WFIRST complemented by measurements of the redshift drift by the ELT. We then consider and constrain a more extended parameter space, allowing n to be a free parameter and considering scenarios with and without a cosmological constant. These models do not solve the cosmological constant problem per se. Nonetheless these models can phenomenologically lead to a recent accelerating universe without a cosmological constant at the cost of having a preferred matter density of around ΩM ∼ 0.4 instead of the usual ΩM ∼ 0.3. Finally we also briefly constrain scenarios without a cosmological constant, where the single component has a constant equation of state which needs not be that of matter; we provide an illustrative comparison of this model with a more standard dynamical dark energy model with a constant equation of state.
11. Jahrestagung der dggö - Gesundheitsverhalten und
Prävention
Authors: Nuscheler Robert
Published: April 2019

Die 11. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (dggö)
fand vom 18. bis 19. März 2019 auf dem Campus der Universität Augsburg
statt. Mit deutlich über 400 Teilnehmenden war die Tagung sehr gut besucht.
Ausgerichtet wurde sie von der dggö und der Universität Augsburg, wobei
Prof. Dr. Robert Nuscheler als Tagungspräsident durch die Tagung
führte.
Nickel-Catalyzed Homocoupling of (Z)-β-Iodoenol Esters: Stereoselective Access to (Z,Z)-Buta-1,3-diene-1,4-diyl Diesters
Authors: Francos Javier , Cadierno Victorio
Published: April 2019

A straightforward and broad-scope procedure to obtain symmetrically substituted buta-1,3-diene-1,4-diyl diesters, based on the homocoupling of the corresponding (Z)-β-iodoenol esters, is presented. It involves the use of a catalytic system composed of [NiCl2(PPh3)2] (10 mol%), NaI (10 mol%), and excess of Zn dust. The reactions proceed in THF at room temperature with exquisite preservation of the stereochemistry of the C=C bond of the starting iodoolefins, thus leading to the final dienes as the corresponding Z,Z-stereoisomers exclusively.
Artificial Intelligence in Medicine: Weighing the Accomplishments, Hype, and Promise
Authors: Shortliffe Edward H.
Published: April 2019

Introduction: Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIM) research is now 50 years old, having made great progress that has tracked the corresponding evolution of computer science, hardware technology, communications, and biomedicine. Characterized as being in its “adolescence” at an international meeting in 1991, and as “coming of age” at another meeting in 2007, the AIM field is now more visible and influential than ever before, paralleling the enthusiasm and accomplishments of artificial intelligence (AI) more generally.

Objectives: This article summarizes some of that AIM history, providing an update on the status of the field as it enters its second half-century. It acknowledges the failure of AI, including AIM, to live up to early predictions of its likely capabilities and impact.

Methods: The paper reviews and assesses the early history of the AIM field, referring to the conclusions of papers based on the meetings in 1991 and 2007, and analyzing the subsequent evolution of AIM.

Conclusion: We must be cautious in assessing the speed at which further progress will be made, despite today’s wild predictions in the press and large investments by industry, including in health care. The inherent complexity of medicine and of clinical care necessitates that we address issues of usability, workflow, transparency, safety, and formal clinical trials. These requirements contribute to an ongoing research agenda that means academic AIM research will continue to be vibrant while having new opportunities for more interactions with industry.
Low Plasma Sodium Concentration Predicts Perforated Acute Appendicitis in Children: A Prospective Diagnostic Accuracy Study
Authors: Almström Markus , Jacks Johannes , Malmquist Pia , Lönnqvist Per-Arne , Jensen Boye Lagerbon , Carlström Mattias , Krmar Rafael Tomas , Svensson Jan Fredrik , Norberg Åke , Fläring Urban , Lindestam Ulf
Published: April 2019

Introduction Early differentiation between perforated and nonperforated acute appendicitis (AA) in children is of major benefit for the selection of proper treatment. Based on pilot study data, we hypothesized that plasma sodium concentration at hospital admission is a diagnostic marker for perforation in children with AA.

Materials and Methods This was a prospective diagnostic accuracy study, including previously healthy children, 1 to 14 years of age, with AA. Blood sampling included plasma sodium concentration, plasma glucose, base excess, white blood cell count, plasma arginine vasopressin (AVP), and C-reactive protein.

Results Eighty children with histopathologically confirmed AA were included in the study. Median plasma sodium concentration on admission in patients with perforated AA (134 mmol/L, [interquartile range 132–136]) was significantly lower than in children with nonperforated AA (139 mmol/L, [137–140]). The receiver operating characteristic curve of plasma sodium concentration identifying patients with perforated AA showed an area under the curve of 0.93 (95% confidence interval, 0.87–0.99), with a sensitivity and specificity of 0.82 (0.70–0.90) and 0.87 (0.60–0.98), respectively. Plasma sodium concentrations ≤136 mmol/L resulted in an odds ratio of 31.9 (6.3–161.9) for perforation. The association between low plasma sodium concentration and perforated AA was confirmed in a multivariate logistic regression analysis. Median plasma AVP on admission was higher in patients with perforated (8.6 pg/mL [5.0–14.6]) as compared with nonperforated AA (3.4 pg/mL [2.5–6.6]).

Conclusion In children with AA, there is a strong association between low plasma sodium concentration and perforation, a novel and not previously described finding.
Parametric amplification of reversible transverse susceptibility in single domain magnetic nanoparticles
Authors: ElBidweihy Hatem , Smith Richard D. , Barbic Mladen
Published: April 2019

We propose, model, and experimentally demonstrate the enhancement of reversible transverse susceptibility in single domain magnetic nanoparticles through the principle of parametric amplification. It has previously been demonstrated that properly oriented anisotropic single domain magnetic nanoparticles have an appreciable peak in transverse susceptibility at the particle anisotropy field. Here we show theoretically and experimentally that an additional parametric AC magnetic field applied at a proper phase and at twice the frequency (2f) of the transverse field further enhances transverse susceptibility peaks through the process of parametric amplification. We model this effect numerically and describe it through the energy formalism of the single magnetic domain Stoner-Wohlfarth model. The proper phase relationships of the transverse and parametric fields to obtain either parametric amplification or attenuation of the transverse susceptibility signals are also described. We experimentally demonstrate such parametric tuning of transverse susceptibility in single domain magnetic nanoparticles of a commercial audio tape in a prototypical inductive transverse susceptibility set-up.
The development of a multi-parameter heterogeneous fiber sensor network based on fiber Bragg grating and Fabry-Perot
Authors: Zhu Wanshan , Wang Jin , An Jianchang , Jiang Junfeng , Liu Tiegen
Published: April 2019

This paper proposes a heterogeneous structure of multiparameter optical fiber sensor network, which is composed of the quasidistributed temperature and strain sensor networks and the discrete pressure and vibration sensor networks. This network can multiplex different types of optical fiber sensors and can automatically identify the subnet type of the access network. We designed two structures of light source distribution and compared their advantages and disadvantages. The sensor network proposed in this paper provides a deliberate exploration for the construction of a large-capacity, large-scale, multiparameter, high-precision optical fiber sensor network.
High-precision extraction and concentration detection of airborne disease microorganisms based on microfluidic chip
Authors: Xu Peifeng , Zhang Rongbiao , Yang Ning , Kwabena Oppong Paul , Sun Jian , Wang Pan
Published: April 2019

Accurate monitoring of the content of specific disease micro-organisms in the air is one of the key technologies for early warning of airborne diseases. Based on the principle of aerosol particle motion in the microenvironment, this paper proposes a microfluidic chip method for accurately extracting diseased micro-organisms directly from the gas stream. The chip consists of a two-stage coupling of parallel double-sheath flow focusing and radial sheath flow acceleration. Considering the case of extracting mold spores (near spherical shape, average particle size 6 μm) and strawberry gray mold spores (near spherical shape, average particle size 10 μm) from the mixture (concentration of the mixture is about 3.4×108/ml), the performance of the chip was evaluated using two indicators: extraction rate and purity. The results showed that the extraction rates of mold spores and gray mildew spores were 89% and 76% and the purges were 98% and 87%, respectively, achieving high-purity and accurate extraction of fungal spores and greatly improving the detection accuracy. It could be used as the development basis of microbial sensor for the early rapid detection of crop fungal diseases.
A laser walk-off sensor for high-precision low-frequency rotation measurements
Authors: McCann J. J. , Winterflood J. , Ju L. , Zhao C.
Published: April 2019

We present an optical walk-off sensor with an angular sensitivity of a few nrad/Hz above 1 mHz and 0.4 nrad/Hz above 100 mHz. This experiment furthers previous research into the walk-off sensor capabilities through an improved input laser, reduction in air optical travel length, and position control on photo-diodes. The angle change measured in this walk-off scheme features a knife edge to split the beam into two separate fiber coupled photo-diodes to minimize power dissipation in the thermally sensitive region. Using this photo-diode power differential as an error signal, a simple control scheme is used to maintain the balance position, increasing common mode rejection and improving dynamic range by mitigating thermal drift. The in-vacuum component of the optical readout takes up a volume less than 100 mm × 100 mm × 50 mm. This experiment shows that the walk-off sensor provides a simple and compact readout scheme with nanoradian sensitivity for angle sensing at low frequencies.
Thermal cloaking of complex objects with the neutral inclusion and the coordinate transformation methods
Authors: Ji Qingxiang , Chen Xueyan , Fang Guodong , Liang Jun , Yan Xiangqiao , Laude Vincent , Kadic Muamer
Published: April 2019

We explore the cloaking of a complex shape by either the neutral inclusion or the transformation thermodynamics (TT) methods. Thin cloaks are built and the heat cloaking efficiency is investigated for both the steady-state and the transient regimes. We show that the neutral inclusion cloak is more efficient in both regimes, though it has the drawback that the thermal conductivity of the cloaked shape must be known. In practice, the neutral inclusion method is more flexible and easier to implement than the coordinate transformation method, especially for complex shapes.