bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
pmemkv: A Persistent In-Memory Key-Value Store
Authors: Scargall Steve
Published: January 2020

Programming persistent memory is not easy. In several chapters we have described that application which takes advantage of persistent memory must take responsibility for atomicity of operations and consistency of data structures. PMDK libraries like are designed with flexibility and simplicity in mind. Usually, these are conflicting requirements, and one has to be sacrificed for the sake of the other. The truth is that in most cases, API’s flexibility increases its complexity.
The 0ν2β-decay CROSS experiment: preliminary results and prospects
Authors:   The CROSS collaboration, Bandac I. C. , Barabash A. S. , Bergé L. , Brière M. , Bourgeois C. , Carniti P. , Chapellier M. , de Combarieu M. , Dafinei I. , Danevich F. A. , Dosme N. , Doullet D. , Dumoulin L. , Ferri F. , Giuliani A. , Gotti C. , Gras P. , Guerard E. , Ianni A. , Khalife H. , Konovalov S. I. , Legay E. , Loaiza P. , de Marcillac P. , Marnieros S. , Marrache-Kikuchi C. A. , Nones C. , Novati V. , Olivieri E. , Oriol C. , Pessina G. , Poda D. V. , Redon T. , Tretyak V. I. , Umatov V. I. , Zarytsky M. M. , Zolotarova A. S.
Published: January 2020

Abstract

Neutrinoless double-beta decay is a key process in particle physics. Its experimental investigation is the only viable method that can establish the Majorana nature of neutrinos, providing at the same time a sensitive inclusive test of lepton number violation. CROSS (Cryogenic Rare-event Observatory with Surface Sensitivity) aims at developing and testing a new bolometric technology to be applied to future large-scale experiments searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay of the promising nuclei 100Mo and 130Te. The limiting factor in large-scale bolometric searches for this rare process is the background induced by surface radioactive contamination, as shown by the results of the CUORE experiment. The basic concept of CROSS consists of rejecting this challenging background component by pulse-shape discrimination, assisted by a proper coating of the faces of the crystal containing the isotope of interest and serving as energy absorber of the bolometric detector. In this paper, we demonstrate that ultra-pure superconductive Al films deposited on the crystal surfaces act successfully as pulse-shape modifiers, both with fast and slow phonon sensors. Rejection factors higher than 99.9% of α surface radioactivity have been demonstrated in a series of prototypes based on crystals of Li2MoO4 and TeO2. We have also shown that point-like energy depositions can be identified up to a distance of ∼ 1 mm from the coated surface. The present program envisions an intermediate experiment to be installed underground in the Canfranc laboratory (Spain) in a CROSS-dedicated facility. This experiment, comprising ∼ 3×1025 nuclei of 100Mo, will be a general test of the CROSS technology as well as a worldwide competitive search for neutrinoless double-beta decay, with sensitivity to the effective Majorana mass down to 70 meV in the most favorable conditions.
Leptogenesis via varying Weinberg operator: the Closed-Time-Path approach
Authors: Turner Jessica , Zhou Ye-Ling
Published: January 2020

Abstract

In this work we provide a detailed study of the CP violating phase transition (CPPT) which is a new mechanism proposed to produce a baryon asymmetry. This mechanism exploits the Weinberg operator whose coefficient is dynamically realised from the vacuum expectation values (VEVs) of new scalars. In the specific case of the first order phase transition, the scalar VEVs vary in the bubble wall which separates the two phases. This results in a spacetime varying coefficient for the Weinberg operator. The interference of two Weinberg operators at different spacetime points generates a CP asymmetry between lepton and anti-lepton production/annihilation processes, which eventually results in an asymmetry between baryon and anti-baryon number densities in the early Universe. We present the calculation of the lepton asymmetry, based on non-equilibrium quantum field theory methods, in full. We consider the influence of the bubble wall characteristics and the impact of thermal effects on the lepton asymmetry and draw a comparison between the CPPT mechanism and electroweak baryogenesis.
Quantum vs. classical information: operator negativity as a probe of scrambling
Authors: Kudler-Flam Jonah , Nozaki Masahiro , Ryu Shinsei , Tan Mao Tian
Published: January 2020

Abstract

We consider the logarithmic negativity and related quantities of time evolution operators. We study free fermion, compact boson, and holographic conformal field theories (CFTs) as well as numerical simulations of random unitary circuits and integrable and chaotic spin chains. The holographic behavior strongly deviates from known non- holographic CFT results and displays clear signatures of maximal scrambling. Intriguingly, the random unitary circuits display nearly identical behavior to the holographic channels. Generically, we find the “line-tension picture” to effectively capture the entanglement dynamics for chaotic systems and the “quasi-particle picture” for integrable systems. With this motivation, we propose an effective “line-tension” that captures the dynamics of the logarithmic negativity in chaotic systems in the spacetime scaling limit. We compare the negativity and mutual information leading us to find distinct dynamics of quantum and classical information. The “spurious entanglement” we observe may have implications on the “simulatability” of quantum systems on classical computers. Finally, we elucidate the connection between the operation of partially transposing a density matrix in conformal field theory and the entanglement wedge cross section in Anti-de Sitter space using geodesic Witten diagrams.
Yukawa hierarchies in global F-theory models
Authors: Cvetič Mirjam , Lin Ling , Liu Muyang , Zhang Hao Y. , Zoccarato Gianluca
Published: January 2020

Abstract

We argue that global F-theory compactifications to four dimensions gener- ally exhibit higher rank Yukawa matrices from multiple geometric contributions known as Yukawa points. The holomorphic couplings furthermore have large hierarchies for generic complex structure moduli. Unlike local considerations, the compact setup realizes these features all through geometry, and requires no instanton corrections. As an example, we consider a concrete toy model with SU(5) × U(1) gauge symmetry. From the geometry, we find two Yukawa points for the $$ \mathbf{1}{\mathbf{0}}_{-2}{\overline{\mathbf{5}}}_6{\overline{\mathbf{5}}}_{-4} $$
1

0

−
2

5
¯

6

5
¯

−
4

coupling, producing a rank two Yukawa matrix. Our methods allow us to track all complex structure dependencies of the holomorphic couplings and study the ratio numerically. This reveals hierarchies of $$ \mathcal{O} $$
O
(105) and larger on a full-dimensional subspace of the moduli space.
Conformal constraints on defects
Authors: Gadde Abhijit
Published: January 2020

Abstract

In this paper we study the constraints imposed by conformal invariance on extended objects a.k.a. defects in a conformal field theory. We identify a particularly nice class of defects that is closed under conformal transformations. Correlation function of the defect with a bulk local operator is fixed by conformal invariance up to an overall constant. This gives rise to the notion of defect expansion, where the defect itself is expanded in terms of local operators. This expansion generalizes the idea of the boundary state. We will show how one can fix the correlation function of two defects from the knowledge of the defect expansion. The defect correlator admits a number of conformal cross-ratios depending on their dimensionality. We find the differential equation obeyed by the conformal block and solve them in certain special cases.
Relaxation of Higgs mass and cosmological constant with four-form fluxes and reheating
Authors: Lee Hyun Min
Published: January 2020

Abstract

We consider the most general effective action for the four-form fluxes in the Standard Model coupled to gravity. The Higgs mass parameter can be relaxed to a correct value due to the four-form coupling to the Higgs field and it stops changing due to an extremely suppressed transition probability from the observed cosmological constant to AdS space. We first introduce a non-minimal four-form coupling to gravity and discuss the role of a new scalar field as the inflaton and the conditions for a successful reheating at the end of relaxation.
Kerr black holes as elementary particles
Authors: Arkani-Hamed Nima , Huang Yu-tin , O’Connell Donal
Published: January 2020

Abstract

Long ago, Newman and Janis showed that a complex deformation z → z + ia of the Schwarzschild solution produces the Kerr solution. The underlying explanation for this relationship has remained obscure. The complex deformation has an electromagnetic counterpart: by shifting the Coloumb potential, we obtain the EM field of a certain rotating charge distribution which we term $$ \sqrt{\mathrm{Kerr}} $$

Kerr

. In this note, we identify the origin of this shift as arising from the exponentiation of spin operators for the recently defined “minimally coupled” three-particle amplitudes of spinning particles coupled to gravity, in the large- spin limit. We demonstrate this by studying the impulse imparted to a test particle in the background of the heavy spinning particle. We first consider the electromagnetic case, where the impulse due to $$ \sqrt{\mathrm{Kerr}} $$

Kerr

is reproduced by a charged spinning particle; the shift of the Coloumb potential is matched to the exponentiated spin-factor appearing in the amplitude. The known impulse due to the Kerr black hole is then trivially derived from the gravitationally coupled spinning particle via the double copy.
Traversable wormholes in AdS and bounds on information transfer
Authors: Freivogel Ben , Galante Damián A. , Nikolakopoulou Dora , Rotundo Antonio
Published: January 2020

Abstract

We analyze the amount of information that can be sent through the traversable wormholes of Gao, Jafferis, and Wall. Although we find that the wormhole is open for a proper time shorter than the Planck time, the transmission of a signal through the wormhole can sometimes remain within the semiclassical regime. For black holes with horizons of order the AdS radius, information cannot be reliably sent through the wormhole. However, black holes with horizon radius much larger than the AdS radius do allow for the transmission of a number of quanta of order the horizon area in AdS units. More information can be sent through the wormhole by increasing the number of light fields contributing to the negative energy. Our bulk computations agree with a boundary analysis based on quantum teleportation.
Identifying Scoliosis in Population-Based Cohorts: Automation of a Validated Method Based on Total Body Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry Scans
Authors: Jamaludin Amir , Fairbank Jeremy , Harding Ian , Kadir Timor , Peters Tim J. , Zisserman Andrew , Clark Emma M.
Published: January 2020

Scoliosis is a 3D-torsional rotation of the spine, but risk factors for initiation and progression are little understood. Research is hampered by lack of population-based research since radiographs cannot be performed on entire populations due to the relatively high levels of ionising radiation. Hence we have developed and validated a manual method for identifying scoliosis from total body dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans for research purposes. However, to allow full utilisation of population-based research cohorts, this needs to be automated. The purpose of this study was therefore to automate the identification of spinal curvature from total body DXA scans using machine learning techniques. To validate the automation, we assessed: (1) sensitivity, specificity and area under the receiver operator curve value (AUC) by comparison with 12,000 manually annotated images; (2) reliability by rerunning the automation on a subset of DXA scans repeated 2–6 weeks apart and calculating the kappa statistic; (3) validity by applying the automation to 5000 non-annotated images to assess associations with epidemiological variables. The final automated model had a sensitivity of 86.5%, specificity of 96.9% and an AUC of 0.80 (95%CI 0.74–0.87). There was almost perfect agreement of identification of those with scoliosis (kappa 0.90). Those with scoliosis identified by the automated model showed similar associations with gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, BMI and lean mass to previous literature. In conclusion, we have developed an accurate and valid automated method for identifying and quantifying spinal curvature from total body DXA scans.
Simultaneous FET-PET and contrast-enhanced MRI based on hybrid PET/MR improves delineation of tumor spatial biodistribution in gliomas: a biopsy validation study
Authors: Song Shuangshuang , Cheng Ye , Ma Jie , Wang Leiming , Dong Chengyan , Wei Yukui , Xu Geng , An Yang , Qi Zhigang , Lin Qingtang , Lu Jie
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Glioma treatment planning requires precise tumor delineation, which is typically performed with contrast-enhanced (CE) MRI. However, CE MRI fails to reflect the entire extent of glioma. O-(2-18F-fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine (18F-FET) PET may detect tumor volumes missed by CE MRI. We investigated the clinical value of simultaneous FET-PET and CE MRI in delineating tumor extent before treatment planning. Guided stereotactic biopsy was used to validate the findings.

Methods

Conventional MRI and 18F-FET PET were performed simultaneously on a hybrid PET/MR in 33 patients with histopathologically confirmed glioma. Tumor volumes were quantified using a tumor-to-brain ratio ≥ 1.6 (VPET) and a visual threshold (VCE). We visually assessed abnormal areas on FLAIR images and calculated Dice’s coefficient (DSC), overlap volume (OV), discrepancy-PET, and discrepancy-CE. Additionally, several stereotactic biopsy samples were taken from “matched” or “mismatched” FET-PET and CE MRI regions.

Results

Among 31 patients (93.94%), FET-PET delineated significantly larger tumor volumes than CE MRI (77.84 ± 51.74 cm3 vs. 34.59 ± 27.07 cm3, P < 0.05). Of the 21 biopsy samples obtained from regions with increased FET uptake, all were histopathologically confirmed as glioma tissue or tumor infiltration, whereas only 13 showed enhancement on CE MRI. Among all patients, the spatial similarity between VPET and VCE was low (average DSC 0.56 ± 0.22), while the overlap was high (average OV 0.95 ± 0.08). The discrepancy-CE and discrepancy-PET were lower than 10% in 28 and 0 patients, respectively. Eleven patients showed VPET partially beyond abnormal signal areas on FLAIR images.

Conclusion

The metabolically active biodistribution of gliomas delineated with FET-PET significantly exceeds tumor volume on CE MRI, and histopathology confirms these findings. Our preliminary results indicate that combining the anatomic and molecular information obtained from conventional MRI and FET-PET would reveal a more accurate glioma extent, which is critical for individualized treatment planning.
Exon skipping induced by nonsense/frameshift mutations in DMD gene results in Becker muscular dystrophy
Authors: Okubo Mariko , Noguchi Satoru , Hayashi Shinichiro , Nakamura Harumasa , Komaki Hirofumi , Matsuo Masafumi , Nishino Ichizo
Published: January 2020

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by a nonsense or frameshift mutation in the DMD gene, while its milder form, Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is caused by an in-frame deletion/duplication or a missense mutation. Interestingly, however, some patients with a nonsense mutation exhibit BMD phenotype, which is mostly attributed to the skipping of the exon containing the nonsense mutation, resulting in in-frame deletion. This study aims to find BMD cases with nonsense/frameshift mutations in DMD and to investigate the exon skipping rate of those nonsense/frameshift mutations. We searched for BMD cases with nonsense/frameshift mutations in DMD in the Japanese Registry of Muscular Dystrophy. For each DMD mutation identified, we constructed minigene plasmids containing one exon with/without a mutation and its flanking intronic sequence. We then introduced them into HeLa cells and measured the skipping rate of transcripts of the minigene by RT-qPCR. We found 363 cases with a nonsense/frameshift mutation in DMD gene from a total of 1497 dystrophinopathy cases in the registry. Among them, 14 had BMD phenotype. Exon skipping rates were well correlated with presence or absence of dystrophin, suggesting that 5% exon skipping rate is critical for the presence of dystrophin in the sarcolemma, leading to milder phenotypes. Accurate quantification of the skipping rate is important in understanding the exact functions of the nonsense/frameshift mutations in DMD and for interpreting the phenotypes of the BMD patients.
Late Palaeozoic strike-slip tectonics versus oroclinal bending at the SW outskirts of Baltica: case of the Variscan belt’s eastern end in Poland
Authors: Mazur Stanislaw , Aleksandrowski Paweł , Gągała Łukasz , Krzywiec Piotr , Żaba Jerzy , Gaidzik Krzysztof , Sikora Rafał
Published: January 2020

Geophysical and geological data from the eastern sector of the Central European Variscan belt are presented and reviewed in the regional tectonic context. Matched filtering of isostatic gravity, guided by results of spectral analysis, along with other derivatives of gravity and magnetic fields reveal a dominant WNW–ESE-trending pre-Permian structural grain in the external zones of the Variscan belt in Poland. This trend is confirmed by regional distribution of dips in Carboniferous and Devonian strata that were penetrated by boreholes beneath Permian-Mesozoic sediments. Based on these data, two alternative concepts explaining the connection of the Variscan belt and its NE foreland, those of strike-slip tectonics versus oroclinal bending, are discussed. The WNW–ESE structural trend in the Variscan foreland is parallel to a set of major strike-slip fault zones in the area, including those of Upper Elbe, Intra-Sudetic, Odra, Dolsk and Kraków-Lubliniec. These faults are considered to convey a significant dextral displacement between Laurussia and Gondwana. The revised position of the Variscan deformation front shows a similar, uninterrupted, generally WNW–ESE trend, up to the SE border of Poland, which indicates an initial continuation of the Variscan belt into the area of the present-day Western Carpathians. The geometry of the Variscan deformation front along with the pattern of the Variscan structural grain are inconsistent with the idea of an oroclinal loop affecting the external, non-metamorphic Variscan belt. However, the data presented do not entirely rule out an oroclinal loop within the Variscan internides. The still possible options are (1) a semi-oroclinal model postulating ~ 90° bending of the Variscan tectonostratigraphic zones into parallelism with the WNW–ESE strike-slip faults or (2) an orocline limited only to the belt linking the Wolsztyn High and Moravo-Silesian non- to weakly-metamorphic fold-and-thrust belt. Regardless of the kinematic model preferred, our data indicate that structural evolution of the Polish Variscides was concluded with the end-Carboniferous NNE–SSW shortening that resulted in the present-day extent of the Variscan deformation front.
Resource-efficient fast prediction in healthcare data analytics: A pruned Random Forest regression approach
Authors: Fawagreh Khaled , Gaber Mohamed Medhat
Published: January 2020

In predictive healthcare data analytics, high accuracy is both vital and paramount as low accuracy can lead to misdiagnosis, which is known to cause serious health consequences or death. Fast prediction is also considered an important desideratum particularly for machines and mobile devices with limited memory and processing power. For real-time health care analytics applications, particularly the ones that run on mobile devices, such traits (high accuracy and fast prediction) are highly desirable. In this paper, we propose to use an ensemble regression technique based on CLUB-DRF, which is a pruned Random Forest that possesses these features. The speed and accuracy of the method have been demonstrated by an experimental study on three medical data sets of three different diseases.
Spatial distribution of malignant transformation in patients with low-grade glioma
Authors: Jakola Asgeir S. , Bouget David , Reinertsen Ingerid , Skjulsvik Anne J. , Sagberg Lisa Millgård , Bø Hans Kristian , Gulati Sasha , Sjåvik Kristin , Solheim Ole
Published: January 2020

Background

Malignant transformation represents the natural evolution of diffuse low-grade gliomas (LGG). This is a catastrophic event, causing neurocognitive symptoms, intensified treatment and premature death. However, little is known concerning the spatial distribution of malignant transformation in patients with LGG.

Materials and methods

Patients histopathological diagnosed with LGG and subsequent radiological malignant transformation were identified from two different institutions. We evaluated the spatial distribution of malignant transformation with (1) visual inspection and (2) segmentations of longitudinal tumor volumes. In (1) a radiological transformation site < 2 cm from the tumor on preceding MRI was defined local transformation. In (2) overlap with pretreatment volume after importation into a common space was defined as local transformation. With a centroid model we explored if there were particular patterns of transformations within relevant subgroups.

Results

We included 43 patients in the clinical evaluation, and 36 patients had MRIs scans available for longitudinal segmentations. Prior to malignant transformation, residual radiological tumor volumes were > 10 ml in 93% of patients. The transformation site was considered local in 91% of patients by clinical assessment. Patients treated with radiotherapy prior to transformation had somewhat lower rate of local transformations (83%). Based upon the segmentations, the transformation was local in 92%. We did not observe any particular pattern of transformations in examined molecular subgroups.

Conclusion

Malignant transformation occurs locally and within the T2w hyperintensities in most patients. Although LGG is an infiltrating disease, this data conceptually strengthens the role of loco-regional treatments in patients with LGG.
While I breathe, I hope. Principles of palliative care in chronic breathlessness and advanced lung diseases
Authors: Masel Eva Katharina
Published: January 2020

The ancient Latin quote Dum spiro, spero from Cicero means While I breathe, I hope. This article outlines five clinically relevant principles for pulmonary palliative care to treat chronic breathlessness in advanced lung diseases: (1) be aware of the finality of life, (2) palliative care does not mean “doing nothing”, (3) consider interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary therapeutic concepts, (4) conduct future talks and (5) use opioids for refractory breathlessness and think of treatable causes of respiratory distress.
Two Decades of Same-Sex Marriage in Sweden: A Demographic Account of Developments in Marriage, Childbearing, and Divorce
Authors: Kolk Martin , Andersson Gunnar
Published: January 2020

In this study, we provide demographic insight into the still relatively new family form of same-sex marriage. We focus on period trends in same-sex marriage formation and divorce during 1995–2012 in Sweden and the role of childbearing in same-sex unions. The period begins with the introduction of registered partnership for same-sex couples and also covers the introduction of formal same-sex marriage in 2009. We use register data for the complete population of Sweden to contrast patterns in male and female same-sex marriage formation and divorce. We show that female same-sex union formation increased rapidly over the period, while trends for male same-sex unions increased less. The introduction of same-sex marriage legislation in 2009 appears to have had little effect on the pace of formation of same-sex unions. In contrast, legal changes supporting parental rights in same-sex unions may have fueled the formation of female same-sex marriages as well as parenthood in such unions. Further, we show that divorce risks in the marital unions of two women are much higher than in other types of marriages. We find some convergence of divorce risks across union types at the end of our study period: male same-sex unions have the same divorce risk levels as opposite-sex marriages, and the elevated risks of divorce in female same-sex unions appear to have stabilized at somewhat lower levels than those observed in the late 1990s.
Correction to: Mobile phone data reveals the importance of pre-disaster inter-city social ties for recovery after Hurricane Maria
Authors: Yabe Takahiro , Ukkusuri Satish V. , Rao P. Suresh C.
Published: January 2020

Following publication of the original article [1], the author reported to remove the name from the acknowledgements in the original article.
Pain and delirium: mechanisms, assessment, and management
Authors: Sampson Elizabeth L. , West Emily , Fischer Thomas
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Pain and delirium are common problems for older people. Both conditions are prevalent in acute hospital settings. In people living in the community, delirium often precipitates presentation to the emergency department. Pain and delirium are known to interact in a complex and multidirectional way. This can make it challenging for staff to recognize and treat pain in people with delirium.

Methods

This paper aims to explore the complex relationship between pain and delirium and on pain assessment in delirium, drawing together evidence from a range of settings including acute medical, cardiac and orthopaedic post-operative cohorts, as well as from aged care.

Results

A limited number of studies suggest there is an association between pain and delirium; however, this is a complex, particularly where analgesics which may-themselves cause delirium are prescribed. Factors acting on the pathway between pain and delirium may include depression, sleep deprivation and disturbance of the cholinergic system. Delirium affects the ability to self-report pain. The fluctuating nature of delirium as well as reduced awareness and attention may challenge practitioners in recognizing, assessing and treating pain. Evidence concerning the reliability and validity of current observational and self-assessment tools in people with delirium is unclear but some show promise in this population.

Conclusion

The current evidence base regarding assessing pain in people with delirium is lacking. Tentative recommendations, drawing on current guidelines require robust testing. Guidelines for people with pain and dementia require adaptations regarding the unique characteristics of delirium. The complex interplay between dementia, pain and delirium warrants further investigation across a range of settings.
Self‐compassion and family cohesion moderate the association between suicide ideation and suicide attempts in Chinese adolescents
Authors: Sun Ruohan , Ren Yaxuan , Li Xiaoan , Jiang Yongqiang , Liu Sihan , You Jianing
Published: January 2020

Background

In recent years, many studies have examined risks factors that facilitated the transition from suicide ideation to suicide attempts. Few studies, however, have examined protective factors against this transition. The current study thus assessed two protective factors, self‐compassion and family cohesion, in buffering the transition from suicide ideation to suicide attempts.

Method

A number of 520 Chinese adolescents (43.46% females, mean age = 12.96 years) completed questionnaires assessing self‐compassion, family cohesion, suicide ideation, and suicide attempts two times with a 12‐month interval.

Results

Self‐compassion significantly moderated the association between Wave 1 SI and later SA. The positive dimension of self‐compassion thwarted the transition from SI and SA, and the negative dimension of self‐compassion strengthened the associations. In addition, family cohesion also significantly moderated the transition from SI to SA.

Conclusion

Increasing the levels of self‐compassion and family cohesion may be the targets for treating adolescents with suicide ideation to prevent them from attempting suicide.
Nonlinear instability in Vlasov type equations around rough velocity profiles
Authors: Baradat Aymeric
Published: January 2020

In the Vlasov-Poisson equation, every configuration which is homogeneous in space provides a stationary solution. Penrose gave in 1960 a criterion for such a configuration to be linearly unstable. While this criterion makes sense in a measure-valued setting, the existing results concerning nonlinear instability always suppose some regularity with respect to the velocity variable. Here, thanks to a multiphasic reformulation of the problem, we can prove an “almost Lyapounov instability” result for the Vlasov-Poisson equation, and an ill-posedness result for the kinetic Euler equation and the Vlasov-Benney equation (two quasineutral limits of the Vlasov-Poisson equation), both around any unstable measure.
Debris-bed friction during glacier sliding with ice–bed separation
Authors: Iverson Neal R. , Helanow Christian , Zoet Lucas K.
Published: January 2020

Theory and experiments indicate that ice–bed separation during glacier slip over 2-D hard beds causes basal shear stress to reach a maximum at a particular slip velocity and decrease at higher velocities. We use the sliding theory of Lliboutry (1968) to explore how friction between debris particles in sliding ice and a rock bed affects this relationship between shear stress and slip velocity. Particle–bed contact forces and associated debris friction increase with increasing slip velocity, owing to increased rates of ice convergence with up-glacier facing surfaces. However, debris friction on diminished areas of the bed counteracts this effect as cavities grow. Thus, friction from debris alone increases only slightly with slip velocity, and for sediment particles larger than ~60 mm in diameter, debris friction peaks and decreases with increasing slip velocity. The effect on the sliding relationship is to steepen its rising limb and shift its shear stress peak to a slightly higher velocity. These results, which exclude the effect of debris friction on cavity size and debris concentrations above ~15%, indicate that the effect of debris in ice is to increase basal shear stress but not significantly change the form of the sliding relationship.
Pathogens causing central-line–associated bloodstream infections in acute-care hospitals—United States, 2011–2017
Authors: Novosad Shannon A. , Fike Lucy , Dudeck Margaret A. , Allen-Bridson Katherine , Edwards Jonathan R. , Edens Chris , Sinkowitz-Cochran Ronda , Powell Krista , Kuhar David
Published: January 2020

Objective:

To describe pathogen distribution and rates for central-line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) from different acute-care locations during 2011–2017 to inform prevention efforts.

Methods:

CLABSI data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) were analyzed. Percentages and pooled mean incidence density rates were calculated for a variety of pathogens and stratified by acute-care location groups (adult intensive care units [ICUs], pediatric ICUs [PICUs], adult wards, pediatric wards, and oncology wards).

Results:

From 2011 to 2017, 136,264 CLABSIs were reported to the NHSN by adult and pediatric acute-care locations; adult ICUs and wards reported the most CLABSIs: 59,461 (44%) and 40,763 (30%), respectively. In 2017, the most common pathogens were Candida spp/yeast in adult ICUs (27%) and Enterobacteriaceae in adult wards, pediatric wards, oncology wards, and PICUs (23%–31%). Most pathogen-specific CLABSI rates decreased over time, excepting Candida spp/yeast in adult ICUs and Enterobacteriaceae in oncology wards, which increased, and Staphylococcus aureus rates in pediatric locations, which did not change.

Conclusions:

The pathogens associated with CLABSIs differ across acute-care location groups. Learning how pathogen-targeted prevention efforts could augment current prevention strategies, such as strategies aimed at preventing Candida spp/yeast and Enterobacteriaceae CLABSIs, might further reduce national rates.
Perceptions of a culturally responsive school-based oral language and early literacy programme
Authors: Norman Taneal , Pearce Wendy M. , Eastley Fiona
Published: January 2020

Abstract ‘Sounds, Words, Aboriginal Language and Yarning’ (SWAY) is a school-based oral language and early literacy programme based on Australian Aboriginal stories, knowledge and culture. It was developed by a multidisciplinary team in collaboration with Australian Aboriginal community members. SWAY aims to strengthen and support the communication skills of educators to facilitate language and literacy development of children in the early school years, particularly Australian Aboriginal children, within rural communities in New South Wales. Key features of SWAY include capacity building of educators and small group speech-language pathology intervention sessions, delivered remotely via telehealth. This study explored educator perceptions of SWAY training, mentoring and implementation, using a mixed methods approach. Findings revealed: use of culturally responsive strategies; positive educator perceptions of the SWAY programme, training and mentoring and positive changes to the confidence and behaviours of educators both supporting language and early literacy development, and embedding Australian Aboriginal perspectives in the classroom. Positive findings support and encourage the ongoing provision of SWAY. Findings also have implications for the future collaborative development and implementation of culturally responsive language and literacy programmes.
The Normalization of U.S. Policy Toward Cuba? Rapprochement and Regional Hegemony
Authors: Biegon Rubrick
Published: January 2020

This article examines change and continuity in the United States' recent foreign policy toward Cuba. In the context of the posthegemonic regionalism of the Pink Tide and regional disputes over Cuba's position in the interamerican system, the Obama administration's rapprochement was driven to protect the institutional power and consensual features of U.S. hegemony in the Americas. The Trump administration reversed aspects of Obama's normalization policy, adopting a more coercive approach to Cuba and to Latin America more broadly. Against the emerging scholarly proposition that the international relations of the Americas have crossed a posthegemonic threshold, this analysis utilizes a neo-Gramscian approach to argue that the oscillations in U.S. Cuba policy represent strategic shifts in a broader process of hegemonic reconstitution. The article thus situates U.S. policy toward Cuba in regional structures, institutions, and dynamics.
Inferring the extinction of species known only from a single specimen
Authors: Roberts David L. , Jarić Ivan
Published: January 2020

Many species are poorly known, with the sum of our knowledge represented by specimens in museums. For assessment of conservation status the most enigmatic and challenging species are probably those known only from a single specimen. We examine the potential persistence of such species using the orchid flora of Madagascar as a case study. We apply a statistical method that tests the likelihood of species presence in relation to the time when a species was collected and a measure of annual collection effort, calculated in three ways based on specimen collection over time. The results suggest that as of 2000 up to nine of the 236 orchid species known from a single specimen may be inferred to be extinct under at least one of the three methods of estimating collection effort and extinction. In addition, up to two additional species are likely to be extinct by 2018 assuming no new collections were made by that time. Substantial collection effort and/or additional evidence will be needed to reach a decision on the persistence of more recently observed species known only from a single collection. This represents a challenge for conservation practitioners.
In cellulo FRET-FLIM and single molecule tracking reveal the supra-molecular organization of the pyoverdine bio-synthetic enzymes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Gasser Véronique , Malrieu Morgane , Forster Anne , Mély Yves , Schalk Isabelle J. , Godet Julien
Published: January 2020

The bio-synthesis of pyoverdine (PVD) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa involves multiple enzymatic steps including the action of non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs). One hallmark of NRPS is their ability to make usage of non-proteinogenic amino-acids synthesized by co-expressed accessory enzymes. It is generally proposed that different enzymes of a secondary metabolic pathway assemble into large supra-molecular complexes. However, evidence for the assembly of sequential enzymes in the cellular context is sparse. Here, we used in cellulo single-molecule tracking and Förster resonance energy transfer measured by fluorescence lifetime microscopy (FRET-FLIM) to explore the spatial partitioning of the ornithine hydroxylase PvdA and its interactions with NRPS. We found PvdA was mostly diffusing bound to large complexes in the cytoplasm with a small exchangeable trapped fraction. FRET-FLIM clearly showed that PvdA is physically interacting with PvdJ, PvdI, PvdL, and PvdD, the four NRPS involved in the PVD pathway in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. The binding modes of PvdA were strikingly different according to the NRPS it is interacting with, suggesting that PvdA binding sites have co-evolved with the enzymatic active sites of NRPS. Our data provide evidence for strongly organized multi-enzymatic complexes responsible for the bio-synthesis of PVD and illustrate how binding sites have evolved to finely control the co-localization of sequential enzymes and promote metabolic pathway efficiency.
THE ALLIED NEUTRAL? PORTUGUESE BALANCE OF PAYMENTS WITH THE UK AND GERMANY IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR, 1939-1945
Authors: Golson Eric
Published: January 2020

In September 1939, Portugal made a realist strategic choice to preserve the Portuguese Empire maintaining by its neutrality and also remaining an ally of Great Britain. While the Portuguese could rely largely on their colonies for raw materials to sustain the mainland, the country had long depended on British transportation for these goods and the Portuguese military. With the British priority now given to war transportation, Portugal's economy and Empire were particularly vulnerable. The Portuguese dictator Antonio Salazar sought to mitigate this damage by maintaining particularly friendly financial relations with the British government, including increased exports of Portuguese merchandise and services and permission to accumulate credits in Sterling to cover deficits in the balance of payments. This paper gives an improved set of comprehensive statistics for the Anglo-Portuguese and German–Portuguese relationships, reported in Pounds and according to international standards. The reported statistics include the trade in merchandise, services, capital flows, loans and third-party transfers of funds in favour of the British account. When compared with the German statistics, the Anglo-Portuguese figures show the Portuguese government favoured the British in financial relations, an active choice by Salazar to maintain the Portuguese Empire.
THE INFLUENCE OF EMOTIONAL AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE CONTEXT IN CONTENT LEARNING
Authors: Frances Candice , De Bruin Angela , Duñabeitia Jon Andoni
Published: January 2020

Prior research has found reduced emotionality with foreign language use, especially with single words, but what happens if emotionality is conveyed throughout a longer text? Does emotionality affect how well we remember and associate information, that is, content learning? We played participants descriptions of two invented countries and tested how well they remembered facts about these countries. Each participant listened to one positive and one neutral description, which was read either in their native language (Spanish) or in their foreign language (English). Participants remembered facts they heard in positive semantic contexts better than those learned in neutral semantic contexts and did better in their native than their foreign language. Importantly, there was no interaction between language and emotionality, suggesting that the previously reported decrease in emotionality in a foreign language might not extend to all areas of foreign language use.
MEASUREMENT IN CACAXTLA: A MULTICULTURAL AND SYMBOLIC CONVERGENCE
Authors: Lucet Geneviève
Published: January 2020

From the analysis of the mural paintings at Cacaxtla, it was determined that the painters shared a system of measurement with the builders of this site and those of the Puuc area. In the Maya area, the basic unit was divided into subunits that measured its ninth and sixteenth parts but the division system found in Cacaxtla corroborates this information and shows that it derived from working in situ with a string that is folded in half or in thirds in a repetitive manner. Study of the composition of the paintings shows the use of a grid, a resource widely used in Mesoamerica. Furthermore, the use of units of measurement found in Teotihuacan and Nahua culture in combination with the zapal system open the discussion about measurement as a resource for creating meaning. This expression must be contextualized in the multicultural expressions found in the paintings and this period of political reconfiguration, the Epiclassic (a.d. 650–950).

The systems used to measure distances, time, liquids, and weights come from concepts and knowledge developed over centuries. Progressively, these systems were incorporated into shared customary systems among specific populations, thus integrating a series of factors specific to the culture of the social group that generated them (Morley and Renfrew 2010; Renfrew and Morley 2010). Different features stand out in this collective social construction, mainly regarding what is measured (sometimes in reference to something physical and sometimes a concept), the type of reference measurements used (for example, with or without relation to the human body), the way of relating what is large with that which is small, and the way in which the measurement is applied to the object.
Left ventricular non-compaction in patients with single ventricle heart disease
Authors: Choudhary Preeti , Strugnell Wendy , Puranik Rajesh , Hamilton-Craig Christian , Kutty Shelby , Celermajer David S
Published: January 2020

Objective:

Left ventricular non-compaction is an architectural abnormality of the myocardium, associated with heart failure, systemic thromboembolism, and arrhythmia. We sought to assess the prevalence of left ventricular non-compaction in patients with single ventricle heart disease and its effects on ventricular function.

Methods:

Cardiac MRI of 93 patients with single ventricle heart disease (mean age 24 ± 8 years; 55% male) from three tertiary congenital centres was retrospectively reviewed; 65 of these had left ventricular morphology and are the subject of this report. The presence of left ventricular non-compaction was defined as having a non-compacted:compacted (NC:C) myocardial thickness ratio >2.3:1. The distribution of left ventricular non-compaction, ventricular volumes, and function was correlated with clinical data.

Results:

The prevalence of left ventricular non-compaction was 37% (24 of 65 patients) with a mean of 4 ± 2 affected segments. The distribution was apical in 100%, mid-ventricular in 29%, and basal in 17% of patients. Patients with left ventricular non-compaction had significantly higher end-diastolic (128 ± 44 versus 104 ± 46 mL/m2, p = 0.047) and end-systolic left ventricular volumes (74 ± 35 versus 56 ± 35 mL/m2, p = 0.039) with lower left ventricular ejection fraction (44 ± 11 versus 50 ± 9%, p = 0.039) compared to those with normal compaction. The number of segments involved did not correlate with ventricular function (p = 0.71).

Conclusions:

Left ventricular non-compaction is frequently observed in patients with left ventricle-type univentricular hearts, with predominantly apical and mid-ventricular involvement. The presence of non-compaction is associated with increased indexed end-diastolic volumes and impaired systolic function.
Contained rupture of right ventricular outflow tract after Rastelli-type operation
Authors: Watanabe Takuji , Nishigaki Kyoichi , Kawahira Yoichi
Published: January 2020

This report describes a 3-year-old infant with post-operative mediastinitis complicated by a contained rupture of the right ventricle. A contained rupture is recognised as the huge pulsating prominence of the anterior chest wall. CT confirmed blood communication between the right ventricular outflow tract and the cavity surrounded by the pectoral major musculocutaneous flap. This is a significant case in which severe adhesion between the right ventricle and the musculocutaneous flap could maintain her stable haemodynamics with a pulsating prominence.
Efficacy of bubble contrast echocardiography in detecting pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas in children with univentricular heart after total cavopulmonary connection
Authors: Asada Dai , Morishita Yuma , Kawai Yoko , Kajiyama Yo , Ikeda Kazuyuki
Published: January 2020

Background:

Development of pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas in patients with cavopulmonary anastomosis may result in a significant morbidity. Although the use of bubble contrast echocardiography with selective injection into both the branch pulmonary arteries in identifying pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas has been increasing, the actual efficacy of this diagnostic modality has not been properly evaluated. Thus, this study aimed to assess the efficacy of bubble contrast echocardiography in detecting pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas in children with total cavopulmonary connection.

Methods:

A total of 140 patients were included. All patients underwent cardiac catheterisation. Bubble contrast echocardiographic studies were performed by injecting agitated saline solution into the branch pulmonary arteries. Transthoracic echocardiograms that use an apical view were conducted to assess the appearance of bubble contrast in the systemic ventricles. Then, the contrast echocardiogram results and other cardiac parameters were compared.

Results:

No correlation was found between contrast echocardiogram grade and other cardiac parameters, such as pulmonary capillary wedge saturation and pulmonary artery resistance. Moreover, only 13 patients had negative results on both the right and left contrast echocardiograms, and 127 of the 140 patients had positive results on contrast echocardiograms even though they had normal pulmonary capillary wedge saturation. Results showed that bubble contrast echocardiography was a highly sensitive method and was likely to obtain false-positive results.

Conclusions:

Bubble contrast echocardiography might be highly false positive in detecting pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas in patients with cavopulmonary anastomosis. We have to consider how we make use of this method. Further standardisation of techniques is required.