bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gamma ray radiation effect on Bi2WO6 photocatalyst
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Jiang Zhi-wen , Wang Mo-zhen , Ge Xue-wu
Published: November 2018

The development of Bi2WO6-based materials has become one of research hotspots due to the increasing demands on high-efficient photocatalyst responding to visible light. In this work, the effect of high energy radiation (γ-ray) on the structure and the photocatalytic activity of Bi2WO6 nanocrystals was first studied. No morphological change of Bi2WO6 nanocrystals was observed by SEM under γ-ray radiation. However, the XRD spectra of the irradiated Bi2WO6 nanocrystals showed the characteristic 2θ of (113) plane shifts slightly from 28.37° to 28.45° with the increase of the absorbed dose, confirming the change in the crystal structure of Bi2WO6. The XPS results proved the crystal structure change was originated from the generation of oxygen vacancy defects under high-dose radiation. The photocatalytic activity of Bi2WO6 on the decomposition of methylene blue (MB) in water under visible light increases gradually with the increase of absorbed dose. Moreover, the improved photocatalytic performance of the irradiated Bi2WO6 nanocrystals remained after three cycles of photocatalysis, indicating a good stability of the created oxygen vacancy defects. This work gives a new simple way to improve photocatalytic performance of Bi2WO6 through creating oxygen vacancy defects in the crystal structure by γ-ray radiation.
Simulation study of electron beam induced surface plasmon excitation at nanoparticles
Authors: Zheng Zhe , Da Bo , Zhang Ke-jun , Ding Ze-jun
Published: November 2018

Phenomenon of localized surface plasmon excitation at nanostructured materials has attracted much attention in recent decades for their wide applications in single molecule detection, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and nano-plasmonics. In addition to the excitation by external light field, an electron beam can also induce the local surface plasmon excitation. Nowadays, electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) technique has been increasingly employed in experiment to investigate the surface excitation characteristics of metallic nanoparticles. However, a present theoretical analysis tool for electromagnetic analysis based on the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) method can only treat the case of excitation by light field. In this work we extend the DDA method for the calculation of EELS spectrum for arbitary nanostructured materials. We have simulated EELS spectra for different incident locations of an electron beam on a single silver nanoparticle, the simulated results agree with an experimental measurement very well. The present method then provides a computation tool for study of the local surface plasmon excitation of metallic nanoparticles induced by an electron beam.
3D macro-micro-mesoporous FeC2O4/graphene hydrogel electrode for high-performance 2.5 V aqueous asymmetric supercapacitors
Authors: Liu Wei-shuai , Song Yu-qing , Wang Heng , Wang Hong-fei , Yan Li-feng
Published: November 2018

Distinguished from commonly used Fe2O3 and Fe3O4, a three-dimensional multilevel macro-micro-mesoporous structure of FeC2O4/graphene composite has been prepared as binder-free electrode for supercapacitors. The as-prepared materials are composed of macroporous graphene and microporous/mesoporous ferrous oxalate. Generally, the decomposition voltage of water is 1.23 V and the practical voltage window limit is about 2 V for asymmetric supercapacitors in aqueous electrolytes. When FeC2O4/rGO hydrogel was used as the negative electrode and a pure rGO hydrogel was used as the positive electrode, the asymmetrical supercapacitor voltage window raised to 1.7 V in KOH (1.0 mol/L) electrolyte and reached up to 2.5 V in a neutral aqueous Na2SO4 (1.0 mol/L) electrolyte. Correspondingly it also exhibits a high performance with an energy density of 59.7 Wh/kg. By means of combining a metal oxide that owns micro-mesoporous structure with graphene, this work provides a new opportunity for preparing high-voltage aqueous asymmetric supercapacitors without addition of conductive agent and binder.
Effective incorporation of xylanase and phytase in lick blocks for grazing livestock
Authors: Ainscough R. J. , McGree J. M. , Callaghan M. J. , Speight R. E.
Published: November 2018

The addition of feed enzymes to livestock diets has contributed to significant increases in productivity over recent decades. The use of enzymes has been the most common in systems where enzyme delivery and diets can be easily managed, such as for poultry and pigs. Lick blocks supplement the forage diets of ruminants with nitrogen and minerals but not enzymes, due in part to concerns that block manufacturing temperatures would lead to unacceptable levels of enzyme degradation. The nutritional value of low quality pasture could be improved using enzyme supplemented lick blocks if enzymes remain active at the high lick block manufacturing temperatures. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of xylanase and phytase activity survival when exposed to the production of hot poured lick blocks. Lick block formulations and methods of manufacturing vary, so two enzyme containing molasses-based lick blocks were produced, one at 60°C and another at 100°C. The results showed that both the xylanase and phytase enzymes have high levels of survival at 60°C. In the 100°C lick block, the phytase displayed a half-life of ~10 min, whereas the xylanase retained 90% of the original activity after 30 min of exposure. The inherent thermostability of the enzymes were critical factors for enzyme survival and the enzymes were more stable in the lick blocks than in solution. The results indicate that it should be possible to add enzymes to lick blocks manufactured at elevated temperatures to enhance low quality pasture and thereby aid ruminant digestion and production.
Analysis of Angular Distributions of Heavy-ion Inelastic Collisions
Authors: Mohr CBO
Published: November 2018

The relative contributions of nuclear and Coulomb excitation to inelastic collisions of heavy ions are examined, and it is shown how to distinguish their effects on the angular distribution. From the experimental distributions for Coulomb excitation it is possible to make an estimate of the effective range of the Coulomb interaction in the collision. The distributions for nuclear excitation are analysed in the same way as in our previous work on transfer reactions, and give very similar results for the greater nuclear penetration in such collisions as compared with elastic collisions.
Scattering Cross Sections in Argon from Electron Transport Parameters
Authors: Haddad GN , O'Malley TF
Published: November 2018

Previously determined experimental drift velocities Vdr and ratios of lateral diffusion coefficient to mobility DT/µ have been refitted directly with a three parameter modified effective range theory (MER T) representation of the S wave phase shift, a one parameter fit to the P wave phase shift and fixed higher partial wave phase shifts. The MERT representation now extends to 1·0 eV, a threefold extension of the energy range of the MERT fit reported by Milloy et al. (1977). The total cross section derived from the phase shifts is also reported, together with the differential cross section at 1·0 eV which is compared with a previous experimental determination.
Metre Wavelength Solar Radio Bursts with Periodic Modulation
Authors: Ellis GRA
Published: November 2018

Observations of solar radio bursts in the frequency range 125-150 MHz are described. It is found that their properties are consistent with those observed for similar bursts in the 30-55 MHz range, except that all, rather than just a small proportion, showed periodic intensity maxima or fringes in the frequency-time plane. Fringe separation ?f was found to change with frequency between 30 and 150 MHz according to ?f 8 f 1.48, a result inconsistent with Faraday rotation as the cause of the fringes.
Galactic Radio Emission Below 16·5 MHz and the Galactic Emission Measure
Authors: Ellis GRA
Published: November 2018

New maps of the distribution of the galactic background radio emission are given for wave frequencies of 2�1,3�7,4�7,5�5,8�3,13 and 16�5 MHz. The angular resolutions of the observations were 7.5�, 6.8�, 3 � � 10�, 4.5�, 3.0�, 1.9� and 1.5� respectively. A map of the quantity ?? in galactic coordinates is obtained from an analysis of the changes in the radio brightness distributions with frequency. For an assumed electron kinetic temperature of 104 K, the emission measure is found to vary from 3�9 cm -6 pc near the south galactic pole to 140 cm -6 pc near the equator.
The ratio of the lateral diffusion coefficient to mobility for electrons in argon at 294 K
Authors: Milloy HB , Crompton RW
Published: November 2018

An error has been found in the calibration of the pressure gauge used for our experiments. The correction for this error has two consequences: an adjustment of all values in the published Table 1 by an amount ranging from 1.5 % to 0.7 %, and the elimination of the small (<1 %) pressure dependence exhibited by the data in the table and referred to on page 58.
Counterpart of the Kasner Model in Brans?Dicke Theory
Authors: Johri VB , Goswami GK
Published: November 2018

We present a simple and elegant generalization of the Kasner model in Brans-Dicke (BD) theory by solving the BD field equations corresponding to the Bianchi type I metric.
Models for the Emission Line Spectra of Oxygen-rich Supernova Remnants
Authors: A Dopita Michael
Published: November 2018

The mechanism of excitation of the oxygen-rich class of young supernova remnants (SNRs), typified by the fast-moving knots of Cas A, is not currently understood. In this paper we review the available optical data and the current state of attempts at theoretical modelling. A new model is proposed which dramatically improves the fit of the theory with the observations for this class of SNRs. The model is of an X-ray driven R-type ionisation front precursor of a very fast shock. The peculiarities of the thermal balance in oxygen allow an enormous amount of superheating in the gas, which is first exposed to the X-ray ionising field, and the optical emission occurs in this superheated gas. The fit with observation is sufficiently good to give some degree of confidence that the mode of excitation of the plasma has at last been identified, and elemental abundances in four young oxygen-rich SNRs are derived.
Particle Motion in Longitudinal Waves. I Subluminal Waves
Authors: Rowe ET
Published: November 2018

The classical equations of motion for a particle moving in a parallel longitudinal wave of arbitrary phase speed are discussed and the case of subluminal waves is considered in detail. Motion of both trapped and untrapped particles is explored with particular reference to the ability of a wave to accelerate particles to relativistic energy. The particle orbit is found in both closed and expanded forms, taking the electric field into account exactly. Expressions are also found for the 'drift velocity' of a particle, which is an important quantity because it is a constant of the particle motion that describes the motion of the centre of oscillation.
Relativistic Quantum Response of a Strongly Magnetised Plasma. I. Mildly Relativistic Electron Gas
Authors: Padden WEP
Published: November 2018

Approximate analytic expressions are derived for the linear response 4-tensor of a strongly magnestised, mildly relativistic electron plasma. The results are obtained within the framework of quantum plasma dynamics, thus the response contains relativistic and quantum effects that are essential in a super-strong magnetic field. The response is obtained in terms of relativistic plasma dispersion functions known as Shkarofsky functions. These functions allow the wave properties of the plasma to be studied without resorting to complicated numerical schemes. The response derived is valid for radiation with frequency up to about the cyclotron frequency and is of use in the theory of spectra formation in X-ray pulsars. In addition, a simple graphical technique is introduced that allows one to visually locate the roots of the resonant denominator occurring in the response, as well as determine the conditions under which both roots are valid and contribute to absorption.
Electron Swarm Transport Through Low Pressure Noble Gases
Authors: Dall’Armi G , Brown KL , Purdie PH , Fletcher J
Published: November 2018

The electron drift velocity, the longitudinal diffusion coefficient and the electron ionisation coefficient have been measured in helium, neon, argon and krypton using the integrated voltage transient technique. Whilst the present data agree substantially with previous determinations at those values of E / N at which they overlap, the current work represents a marked extension of the range of E/N covered for We and NDL in most of the gases investigated.
Negative Corona Current Pulses and Cathode Sheath Instabilities in a Short Point-Plane Gap in CO2
Authors: Cernák M , Hosokawa T
Published: November 2018

Waveforms ofthe first negative corona current pulses have been measured in C02 and C02+SF6 mixtures as a function of applied voltage and gas pressure in the range 6�67-66�7 kPa. A complex form of the pulses with a step on the pulse leading edge and a current hump on the pulse trailing part has been found at gas pressures below 40 kPa. Changing the cathode surface material from copper to copper iodide, which has an exceptionally high photoelectric yield, resulted in at least a twofold increase in height of the step on the pulse leading edge, but had little effect on the main current rise to the pulse peak. The use of unconditioned cathodes resulted in the appearance of peculiar current spikes on the pulse tail, which are tentatively attributed to positive-streamer-like instabilities of the cathode sheath. The implications of these results for theories of Trichel pulse formation are discussed, and a physical picture of the phenomenon based on the presumed existence of a cathode-directed streamer associated with the steep pulse rise is outlined.
Lattice Dynamics of YBa2Cu3O6+x (x = 0,1)
Authors: Yim KK , Oitmaa J , Elcombe MM
Published: November 2018

We report shell model based calculations of the lattice dynamics of YBa2Cu306 and YBa2Cu307. Two models are proposed for YBa2Cu306, the model parameters being obtained by a least squares fit to recent neutron scattering results. The parameters obtained are then used, with modification, to model the lattice dynamics of YBa2Cu307. Since this material has significant carrier concentration, even in the normal state we have used both screened and unscreened versions of the shell model. The screened model gives a better overall description of the lattice dynamics of YBa2Cu307. The phonon dispersion curves along the symmetry directions and the weighted phonon density of states for both YBa2Cu306 and YBa2Cu307 are presented.
Interspecific diversity of testes mass and sperm morphology in the Philippine chrotomyine rodents: implications for differences in breeding systems across the species
Authors: Breed William G. , Hassan Hazirah , Gonzalez Macarena , McLennan Hanna J. , Leigh Chris M. , Heaney Lawrence R.
Published: November 2018

The high diversity of native Philippine murid rodents includes an old endemic group, the chrotomyines, which are the sister group of the Australasian hydromyines. Herein we detail their interspecific diversity of relative testes mass (RTM) and sperm morphology. We find that in chrotomyines, as in the Australasian hydromyines, testes mass relative to body mass differs by an order of magnitude across the species and ranges from a large RTM in Soricomys and Chrotomys species to a small RTM in Apomys. Sperm morphology is associated with these findings, with individuals in species of Soricomys and Chrotomys producing relatively larger spermatozoa with a prominent apical hook and long tail, whereas, by contrast, the Apomys species have a sperm head that either has a very short or no apical hook and a shorter tail. These findings indicate coevolution of RTM with sperm morphological traits across the species, with the marked interspecific differences in RTM suggesting differences in the intensity of intermale sperm competition and hence breeding system. Thus, we hypothesise that species of Soricomys and Chrotomys that produce more streamlined spermatozoa with longer tails have a polyandrous or promiscuous mating system, whereas the Apomys species, which produce smaller and less streamlined spermatozoa, may exhibit monogamy.
‘This country just hangs tight’: perspectives on managing land degradation and climate change in far west NSW
Authors: Berry Emily , Metternicht Graciela , Baumber Alex
Published: November 2018

Discussions of land degradation often display a disconnect between global and local scales. Although global-scale discussions often focus on measuring and reversing land degradation through metrics and policy measures, local-scale discussions can highlight a diversity of viewpoints and the importance of local knowledge and context-specific strategies for sustainable land management. Similarly, although scientific studies clearly link anthropogenic climate change to land degradation as both cause and consequence, the connection may not be so clear for local rangelands communities due to the complex temporal and spatial scales of change and management in such environments. In research conducted in October 2015, we interviewed 18 stakeholders in the far west of New South Wales about their perspectives on sustainable land management. The results revealed highly variable views on what constitutes land degradation, its causes and appropriate responses. For the pastoral land managers, the most important sign of good land management was the maintenance of groundcover, through the management of total grazing pressure. Participants viewed overgrazing as a contributor to land degradation in some cases and they identified episodes of land degradation in the region. However, other more contentious factors were also highlighted, such as wind erosion, grazing by goats and kangaroos and the spread of undesired ‘invasive native scrub’ at the expense of more desirable pasture, and alternative views that these can offer productive benefits. Although few participants were concerned about anthropogenic climate change, many described their rangeland management styles as adaptive to the fluctuations of the climate, regardless of the reasons for these variations. Rather than focusing on whether landholders ‘believe in’ climate change or agree on common definitions or measurement approaches for land degradation, these results suggest that their culture of adaptation may provide a strong basis for coping with an uncertain future. The culture of adaption developed through managing land in a highly variable climate may help even if the specific conditions that landholders need to adapt to are unlike those experienced in living memory. Such an approach requires scientific and expert knowledge to be integrated alongside the context-specific knowledge, values and existing management strategies of local stakeholders.
Getting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to the people: opportunities, challenges and emerging models of PrEP implementation
Authors: Sullivan Patrick S. , Siegler Aaron J.
Published: November 2018

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) is now accepted as an efficacious approach to preventing HIV acquisition among people at high risk of HIV infection but, in most places, PrEP uptake to date has not been sufficient to have a large effect on HIV incidence. In this paper we consider several key elements of the effort to expand PrEP uptake for at-risk populations who would benefit most, such as increasing access to PrEP, integrating PrEP programs with other services, promoting PrEP persistence and developing systems for monitoring PrEP use. We used a PrEP Continuum framework to describe barriers to equitable uptake of PrEP, and to illustrate possible solutions to barriers. Access to PrEP includes regulatory issues and geographic proximity to PrEP providers. Integrating PrEP programs with other comprehensive sexual health services, through clinic-based programs or technology-based approaches, offers opportunities to identify PrEP candidates and improve linkages to PrEP care. Once at-risk people are prescribed PrEP, lowering barriers to persistence on PrEP is critical to realising the most population benefits. To understand progress and identify underserved groups and communities, systems to monitor the uptake of PrEP are needed. Making the most of a new biomedical intervention tool requires ongoing research about implementation, scale-up through multiple channels, including community-based organisations, and high-quality monitoring of uptake. We must turn to questions of PrEP implementation and continue to seek innovative approaches to reduce barriers to PrEP uptake and persistence on PrEP.
La rétro-traduction du récit de voyage : quels écueils et quelles stratégies ?
Authors: Al-zaum Abdulmalek
Published: November 2018

La question de la généricité du récit de voyage soulève bien des polémiques et fait l’objet de nombreuses études
littéraires, historiques et anthropologiques. Situé en réalité au carrefour de différents genres, le récit de voyage s’est
inscrit depuis sa naissance dans les traditions d’écriture littéraire. La complexité sémantique du terme "voyage" a en
effet contribué au développement de textes factuels, fictionnels ou fantastiques. Conçu toutefois comme l’une des
modalités de transmission des savoirs et des cultures, le récit de voyage présente à la traduction de nombreux écueils. En effet,
la prédominance des cultures étrangères, c’est-à-dire l’altérité, et les nombreux malentendus qui en découlent
donnent lieu, dans une certaine mesure, à des formes d’intraduisibilité. La traduction de l’altérité dans la
littérature de voyage, si elle n’est pas directe, constitue néanmoins une caractéristique majeure comme en témoignent les
composantes principales du récit : énoncés, métaphores, connotations, etc. Les relations de voyage comportent, en outre, des «
résidus » ou des traces de la culture source souvent qualifiées et regroupées sous le terme de realia. Protéiformes, ceux-ci
représentent la part de l’Autre dans le récit traduit et, en tant qu’éléments lexicultures du monde diégétique,
contribuent à créer un effet de distance ou de proximité dans le récit. A travers la traduction arabe du récit Une Française
Médecin au Yémen, le présente article soulève la question de la part de la culture de l'autre ainsi que les realia comme des
écueils de traduction auxquelles font face les traducteurs.
A taxonomy of manipulative operations in political discourse translation
Authors: Daghigh Ali Jalalian , Saleh Sanatifar Mohammad , Awang Rokiah
Published: November 2018

Translation may not always be understood in the way the writer of the original text intended it to be. This is particularly true in political discourse translation in which the target text has to be re-contextualized and tailored to suit the ideologies, values and socio-political needs of the target community. In so doing, translators, more precisely trans-editors, consciously or unconsciously appeal to certain operations, thus manipulate the source text. Manipulation can be analyzed at a contextual and textual level. By adopting a micro perspective (textual) and inspired by critical discourse analysis, this study tends to propose a rather inclusive typology of such manipulative operations in Persian translation of English opinion articles. Four global manipulative strategies are identified that are linked to certain local techniques.
Textual transformation of an Arabic poem into an American rap song
Authors: Shehab Ekrema , Daragmeh Abdel Karim
Published: November 2018

Arabic poetry and English rap are strikingly different products owing to the divergent language pairs and genre pairs. This study examines the nature and degree of change in translating the content of Arabic poetry into English rap. It studies three main content-based elements in the original Arabic poem and attempts to identify any changes in the target rap song in light of the conventional rap themes. The authors gathered study evidence from the translation of Nizar Qabbani’s famous poem “Qariat il-Finjan” into the rap song “Finjan” by the Syrian-American translator and rapper Omar Offendum. The data provides ample evidence that rendering Arabic poems into English rap songs can be achieved with a high level of success, yet with a considerable degree of adaptation to fit the target genre’s thematic conventions. The study points to how the considerable thematic adaptations fit into identity politics, youth culture and liberation theology which are distinctive features of the rap impulse.
Describing lexical patterns in simultaneously interpreted discourse in a parallel aligned corpus of Russian-English interpreting (SIREN)
Authors: Dayter Daria
Published: November 2018

The paper introduces a corpus of simultaneous interpretation, SIREN. SIREN is a parallel aligned bidirectional corpus of original and simultaneously interpreted speech in Russian and English. At the moment the corpus contains 235,040 words and is enriched with POS and shallow syntactic annotation.

After outlining the corpus design, I used scores for lexical variety, density and POS proportionalities to make tentative claims about the linguistic variation between originals and interpretations. Low lexical variety and density are taken as indicators of simplification, while a higher ratio of nominal to pronominal reference is seen as an indicator of explicitation. Atypical wordclass distribution indicates the source language shining through. Somewhat contradictory results, with the Russian subcorpus conforming to the predictions of translation theory and the English subcorpus exhibiting the opposite trend in all universals but still shining through, invites further investigation of the data and once again puts into question unequivocal claims about T-universals.
The discursive practices of “guilting” in family discourse
Authors: Johnson Rebekah J.
Published: November 2018

This study looks at the way in which four members of a Midwestern American family co-construct theadult child identityof two graduate school students by using particular discursive practices while discussing topics related to parental expectations and decision-making. More specifically, it focuses on what constitutes “guilting” in the adult child-parent interactions. The data shows that guilting, both direct and indirect, is accomplished through making complaints and assessments. Participants orient to particular utterances as guilting and respond with justifications, explanations, or deflection. Guilting is shown to be used as a tool to control others’ future actions and/or to establish closer connection.
Managing conflict on WhatsApp
Authors: García-Gómez Antonio
Published: November 2018

This study investigates family conflict talk in a computer-mediated environment from a language-in-interaction focus. It is based
on two different data sets of six WhatsApp groups that feature arguing British families, and of six WhatsApp groups that feature
arguing Spanish families. It looks at the different linguistic strategies that participants deploy when taking up opposing stances
on a given issue. Through a detailed discourse analysis of the conflict-based episodes in English and Spanish, the results not
only show a differentiated linguistic process in the way(s) in which the study participants managed conflict, but also suggest
that smartphone-mediated interpersonal conflict needs to be understood as an attempt to inhabit legitimate subject positions in
and through discourse.
Development and Evaluation of a Pilot Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution Program for Hospitalized General Medical Patients
Authors: Jakubowski Andrea , Pappas Alexander , Isaacsohn Lee , Castillo Felipe , Masyukova Mariya , Silvera Richard , Holaday Louisa , Rausch Evan , Farooq Sameen , Veltri Keith T. , Cunningham Chinazo O. , Bachhuber Marcus A.
Published: November 2018

Background: Overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) to people at risk of witnessing or experiencing an opioid overdose has traditionally been provided through harm reduction agencies. Expanding OEND to inpatient general medical settings may reach at-risk individuals who do not access harm reduction services and have not been trained. An OEND program targeting inpatients was developed, piloted, and evaluated on 2 general medicine floors at Montefiore Medical Center, a large urban academic medical center in Bronx, New York. Methods: The planning committee consisted of 10 resident physicians and 2 faculty mentors. A consult service model was piloted, whereby the primary inpatient care team paged the consult team (consisting of rotating members from the planning committee) for any newly admitted patient who had used any opioid in the year prior to admission. Consult team members assessed patients for eligibility and provided OEND to eligible patients through a short video training. Upon completion, patients received a take-home naloxone kit. To evaluate the program, a retrospective chart review over the first year (April 2016 to March 2017) of the pilot was conducted. Results: Overall, consults on 80 patients were received. Of these, 74 were eligible and the consult team successfully trained 50 (68%). Current opioid analgesic use of ≥50 morphine milligram equivalents daily was the most common eligibility criterion met (38%). Twenty-four percent of patients were admitted for an opioid-related adverse event, the most common being opioid overdose (9%), then opioid withdrawal (8%), skin complication related to injecting (5%), and opioid intoxication (2%). Twenty-five percent had experienced an overdose, 35% had witnessed an overdose in their lifetime, and 83% had never received OEND previously. Conclusions: Integrating OEND into general inpatient medical care is possible and can reach high-risk patients who have not received OEND previously. Future research should identify the optimal way of implementing this service.
Perturbation of normal quaternionic operators
Authors: Cerejeiras Paula , Colombo Fabrizio , Kähler Uwe , Sabadini Irene
Published: November 2018

The theory of quaternionic operators has applications in several different fields, such as quantum mechanics, fractional evolution problems, and quaternionic Schur analysis, just to name a few. The main difference between complex and quaternionic operator theory is based on the definition of a spectrum. In fact, in quaternionic operator theory the classical notion of a resolvent operator and the one of a spectrum need to be replaced by the two

S
S

-resolvent operators and the

S
S

-spectrum. This is a consequence of the noncommutativity of the quaternionic setting. Indeed, the

S
S

-spectrum of a quaternionic linear operator

T
T

is given by the noninvertibility of a second order operator. This presents new challenges which make our approach to perturbation theory of quaternionic operators different from the classical case. In this paper we study the problem of perturbation of a quaternionic normal operator in a Hilbert space by making use of the concepts of

S
S

-spectrum and of slice hyperholomorphicity of the

S
S

-resolvent operators. For this new setting we prove results on the perturbation of quaternionic normal operators by operators belonging to a Schatten class and give conditions which guarantee the existence of a nontrivial hyperinvariant subspace of a quaternionic linear operator.
Multiray generalization of the arcsine laws for occupation times of infinite ergodic transformations
Authors: Sera Toru , Yano Kouji
Published: November 2018

We prove that the joint distribution of the occupation time ratios for ergodic transformations preserving an infinite measure converges to a multidimensional version of Lamperti’s generalized arcsine distribution, in the sense of strong distributional convergence. Our results can be applied to interval maps and Markov chains. We adopt the double Laplace transform method, which has been utilized in the study of occupation times of diffusions on multiray. We also discuss the inverse problem.
SkeletalVis: an exploration and meta-analysis data portal of cross-species skeletal transcriptomics data
Authors: Soul Jamie , Hardingham Tim E , Boot-Handford Ray P , Schwartz Jean-Marc
Published: November 2018

Motivation

Skeletal diseases are prevalent in society, but improved molecular understanding is required to formulate new therapeutic strategies. Large and increasing quantities of available skeletal transcriptomics experiments give the potential for mechanistic insight of both fundamental skeletal biology and skeletal disease. However, no current repository provides access to processed, readily interpretable analysis of this data. To address this, we have developed SkeletalVis, an exploration portal for skeletal gene expression experiments.

Results

The SkeletalVis data portal provides an exploration and comparison platform for analysed skeletal transcriptomics data. It currently hosts 287 analysed experiments with 739 perturbation responses with comprehensive downstream analysis. We demonstrate its utility in identifying both known and novel relationships between skeletal expression signatures. SkeletalVis provides users with a platform to explore the wealth of available expression data, develop consensus signatures and the ability to compare gene signatures from new experiments to the analysed data to facilitate meta-analysis.

Availability and implementation

The SkeletalVis data portal is freely accessible at http://phenome.manchester.ac.uk.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Improving the efficiency of gene insertion in a human artificial chromosome vector and its transfer in human-induced pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Hasegawa Yoshinori , Ikeno Masashi , Suzuki Nobutaka , Nakayama Manabu , Ohara Osamu
Published: November 2018

A human artificial chromosome (HAC) vector has potential to overcome the problems of stable gene expression associated with plasmid, transposon, and virus-based vectors, such as insertional mutagenesis, position effect, uncontrollable copy number, unstable gene expression, and DNA size limitation. The main advantages of the HAC are its episomal nature and ability to accommodate DNA inserts of any size. However, HAC vectors have two disadvantages: low efficiency of gene insertion and lack of reports regarding the successful HAC transfer to human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). We here provide the first report of a method for the efficient transfer of HAC to human iPSCs for obtaining reproducible experimental results. Moreover, we achieved a 10% increase in the gene insertion efficiency in the HAC vector using our new site-specific recombination systems VCre/VloxP and SCre/SloxP.
Positive Allosteric Modulation of AMPAR by PF-4778574 Produced Rapid Onset Antidepressant Actions in Mice
Authors: Shen Mengxin , Lv Dan , Li Shuting , Zhang Yanhua , Wang Zhen , Zhao Chiyu , Chen Xuejie , Wang Chuang
Published: November 2018

It has been reported that fast-acting antidepressants enhance glutamatergic neurotransmission in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) regions via alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) activation. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the fast-acting antidepressants lead to an activation of AMPAR pathways remain largely unclear. To address this issue, a novel AMPAR positive allosteric agonist, PF-4778574, was used to test the rapid effects and the role of VGF (nonacronymic)/brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB)/AKT signaling in these actions in mice. We found that PF-4778574 rapidly alleviated chronic unpredictable stress-induced depression-like behaviors in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, knock down of vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGLUT1) in the PFC of mice induced depression-like behaviors, whereas treatment with PF-4778574 was sufficient to alleviate it, indicating a presynaptic VGLUT1 independent effect. Furthermore, we demonstrate that pharmacological inhibitors of AMPAR or of L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel (L-VDCC) blocked the antidepressants’ effect on behaviors and the upregulation on the AMPAR-mediated VGF/BDNF/TrkB/AKT signaling of PF-4778574. Together, our findings indicate that postsynaptic AMPAR activation followed by activation of L-VDCC and subsequent VGF/BDNF/TrkB/AKT signaling are required for the rapid antidepressant effects of PF-4778574. Our data support a promising therapeutic profile for PF-4778574 as a new fast-acting antidepressant.
Prevalence and Determinants of QuantiFERON-Diagnosed Tuberculosis Infection in 9810 Mongolian Schoolchildren
Authors: Ganmaa Davaasambuu , Khudyakov Polyna , Buyanjargal Uyanga , Jargalsaikhan Badamtsetseg , Baigal Delgerekh , Munkhjargal Oyunsuren , Yansan Narankhuu , Bolormaa Sunjidmaa , Lkhagvasuren Enkhsaikhan , Sempos Christopher T , Bromage Sabri , Wu Zhenqiang , Ochirbat Batbayar , Gunchin Batbaatar , Martineau Adrian R
Published: November 2018

Background

There is controversy regarding the potential influence of vitamin D deficiency, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, BCG vaccination, season, and body habitus on susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis to identify determinants of a positive QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT) assay result in children aged 6–13 years attending 18 schools in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Data relating to potential risk factors for MTB infection were collected by questionnaire, physical examination, and determination of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations. Risk ratios (RRs) were calculated with adjustment for potential confounders, and population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated for modifiable risk factors identified.

Results

Nine hundred forty-six of 9810 (9.6%) participants had a positive QFT result. QFT positivity was independently associated with household exposure to pulmonary tuberculosis (adjusted RR [aRR], 4.75 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 4.13–5.46, P < .001]; PAF, 13.1% [95% CI, 11.1%–15.0%]), vitamin D deficiency (aRR, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.08–1.40], P = .002; PAF, 5.7% [95% CI, 1.9%–9.3%]), exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (1 indoor smoker, aRR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.04–1.35]; ≥2 indoor smokers, aRR, 1.30 [95% CI, 1.02–1.64]; P for trend = .006; PAF, 7.2% [95% CI, 2.2%–12.0%]), and increasing age (aRR per additional year, 1.14 [95% CI, 1.10–1.19], P < .001). No statistically significant independent association was seen for presence of a BCG scar, season of sampling, or body mass index.

Conclusions

Vitamin D deficiency and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke are potentially modifiable risk factors for MTB infection.
Discrete maximum principles for nonlinear elliptic finite element problems on surfaces with boundary
Authors: Karátson János , Kovács Balázs , Korotov Sergey
Published: November 2018

The maximum principle forms an important qualitative property of second-order elliptic equations; therefore, its discrete analogues, the so-called discrete maximum principles (DMPs), have drawn much attention owing to their role in reinforcing the qualitative reliability of the given numerical scheme. In this paper DMPs are established for nonlinear finite element problems on surfaces with boundary, corresponding to the classical pointwise maximum principles on Riemannian manifolds in the spirit of Pucci & Serrin (2007, The Maximum Principle. Springer). Various real-life examples illustrate the scope of the results.
On the discrepancy between the X-ray and UV absorption measurements of O vi in the local ISM
Authors: Gatuzz Efraín , García Javier A , Kallman Timothy R
Published: November 2018

The total amount of O vi present in the interstellar medium (ISM) obtained via absorption measurements in UV and X-ray spectra is currently in disagreement, with the latter being significantly larger (by a factor of 10 or more) than the former. Previous works have proposed that the blend of the O vi Kα line (22.032 Å) with the O ii Kβ-L12 line (22.04 Å) could account for the stronger absorption observed in the X-ray spectra. Here, we present a detailed study of the oxygen absorption in the local ISM, implementing our new model IGMabs which includes photoabsorption cross-sections of highly ionized species of abundant elements as well as turbulence broadening. By analysing high-resolution Chandra spectra of 13 low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) and 29 extragalactic sources, we have estimated the column densities of O i – O iii and from O vi – O viii along multiple line-of-sights. We find that in most cases the O ii Kβ-L12 line accounts for <30${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of the total O vi K α + O ii K β. We conclude that the amount of O ii predicted by our model is still insufficient to explain the discrepancy between X-ray and UV measurements of O vi column densities.
X-ray spectra reveal the reawakening of the repeat changing-look AGN NGC 1566
Authors: Parker M L , Schartel N , Grupe D , Komossa S , Harrison F , Kollatschny W , Mikula R , Santos-Lleó M , Tomás L
Published: November 2018

We present simultaneous XMM–Newton and NuSTAR observations of the repeat changing-look AGN NGC 1566, which dramatically increased in brightness in the IR to X-ray bands in 2018. The broad-band X-ray spectrum was taken at the peak of the outburst and is typical of Seyfert 1 AGN. The spectrum shows a soft excess, Compton hump, warm absorption and reflection, ruling out tidal disruption as the cause of the outburst and demonstrating that a ‘standard’ accretion disk can develop very rapidly. The high-resolution grating spectrum reveals that the outburst has launched a ∼500 km s−1 outflow, and shows photoionized emission lines from rest-frame gas. We discuss possible mechanisms for the outburst, and conclude that it is most likely caused by a disk instability.
109. Differences in Gram-Negative Antibiotic Susceptibility Among Patients Receiving Fecal Microbiota Transplant for Clostridioides difficile
Authors: Woodworth Michael , Wang Tiffany , Raheja Divyanshu , Waldman Alex , Friedman-Moraco Rachel , Graham Allen , Dhere Tanvi , Kraft Colleen
Published: November 2018

Background

Decreases in multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) colonization and antibiotic resistance gene abundance have been reported after fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), but data on clinical microbiology culture and susceptibility results after FMT are limited.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the available microbiology results for patients who underwent FMT for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (RCDI) at Emory University from July 7, 2012 until December 2017 and had microbiology results within 1 year pre- and post-FMT. Demographic and clinical characteristics were abstracted by trained reviewers, and statistical tests of differences in central tendency were tested with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.

Results

Of 236 unique patients undergoing FMT during the study period, 18 had growth of Gram-negative bacteria on culture pre- and post-FMT. Of these, 8 had Gram-negative growth in urine culture (the most common site) pre- and post-FMT. Fourteen (14/18, 78%) patients were female, 4/18 (22%) were black, 14/22 (78%) were white, and 18/18 (100%) were non-Hispanic. The mean number of CDI episodes prior to first FMT was 4 (range 3–7 episodes). Differences in counts of susceptible, intermediate, and resistant susceptibility test results before and after FMT are shown in Figures 1 and 2. Although a trend in reduction of resistant reports is visually suggested, this was not statistically significant by Wilcoxon signed-rank testing (P = 0.10 for all cultures, P = 0.21 for urine). Ten patients had pre-FMT micro results and no micro results after FMT, but reduction of count of infectious syndromes in FMT could not be tested with this study design. Abstraction of viral quantitative PCR results did not suggest clinical recognition of new infection or reactivation of viruses after FMT.

Conclusion

FMT may reduce clinical burden of antimicrobial resistance, but statistically significant differences in resistance were not detected in this study. Further study with RCTs is needed.

Disclosures

All authors: No reported disclosures.
114. Birth Prevalence of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection and Language, Hearing, and Developmental Outcomes in a Cohort of HIV-Exposed, Uninfected Preschool Children
Authors: Purswani Murli , Yao Tzy-Jyun , Russell Jonathan S , Malee Kathleen , Spector Stephen A , Williams Paige , Frederick Toni , Burchett Sandra , Dietrich Monika , Redmond Sean , Hoffman Howard , Torre Peter , Lee Sonia , Rice Mabel ,   For the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS)
Published: November 2018

Background

The prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection (cCMV) at birth is 0.5%–1% in the United States. Most cCMV newborns are asymptomatic at birth with 10%–15% subsequently developing sequelae, such as hearing loss. Higher cCMV prevalence (2.5%–11.4%) is reported in infants born to HIV-infected women, associated with maternal immune suppression and lack of antiretroviral therapy (ART), with few studies addressing neurodevelopmental (ND) outcomes in their offspring. We report birth prevalence of cCMV in a cohort of HIV-exposed, uninfected infants (HEU) born to women on combination ART with well-controlled HIV and describe ND outcomes through age 5 years.

Methods

The Surveillance Monitoring for ART Toxicities (SMARTT) study is an ongoing NICHD-funded observational multi-centered cohort study (United States and Puerto Rico) of growth and development of HEU children that commenced in 2007. As of August 1, 2017, participants with stored blood pellets collected ≤3 weeks after birth and at least 1 ND assessment ≥1 year of age had pellets tested by DNA PCR to establish cCMV. Comparisons of ND outcomes (defined in figure) at ages 1, 2, and 5 by cCMV status were made using Wilcoxon and Fisher’s Exact tests.

Results

Of 895 children meeting study criteria (55% black; 32% white; 40% Latino), 8 had cCMV, yielding a birth prevalence of 0.89% (95% CI 0.39–1.75%). All were asymptomatic and similar to CMV-uninfected infants in gestational age and anthropometric measurements at birth. The last HIV viral load prior to delivery was undetectable in 88% of women. The last available CD4% was <20% in 3/8 mothers of cCMV newborns compared with 112/873 in those without (38% vs. 13%, P < 0.07). The mean duration of follow-up (± standard deviation) of children with cCMV was 7.2 years (1.6) and those without 5.9 (2.3) years (P < 0.11). ND assessments for language development (CDI at 1, A&S at 2, TOLD-P:3 at 5), cognition (Bayleys-III at 1), intelligence (WPPSI-III at 5), and hearing (PTA at 5) did not differ by cCMV status (figure).

Conclusion

Birth prevalence of cCMV in HEU children born within the last decade approaches national US prevalence. Preschool HEU children with asymptomatic cCMV at birth did not show poorer language, hearing, and developmental outcomes compared with CMV-uninfected HEU children.

Disclosures

All authors: No reported disclosures.