bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanostructured LnBaCo2O6−𝜹 (Ln = Sm, Gd) with layered structure for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell cathodes
Authors: Mejía Gómez Augusto E. , Lamas Diego G. , Leyva Ana Gabriela , Sacanell Joaquín
Published: April 2017

In this work, we present the combination of two characteristics that are beneficial for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathodic performance in one material. We developed and evaluated for the first time nanostructured layered perovskites of formulae LnBaCo2O6-d with Ln = Sm and Gd (SBCO and GBCO, respectively) as SOFC cathodes, finding promising electrochemical properties in the intermediate temperature range. We obtained those nanostructures by using porous templates to confine the chemical reagents in regions of 200-800 nm. The performance of nanostructured SBCO and GBCO cathodes was analyzed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique under different operating conditions using Gd2O3-doped CeO2 as electrolyte. We found that SBCO cathodes displayed lower area-specific resistance than GBCO ones, because bulk diffusion of oxide ions is enhanced in the former. We also found that cathodes synthesized using smaller template pores exhibited better performance.
Self-gravitational perturbation in super dense degenerate quantum plasmas
Authors: Asaduzzaman M. , Mannan A. , Mamun A. A.
Published: April 2017

Linear and nonlinear propagation of self-gravitational perturbation mode in a super dense degenerate quantum plasma (containing heavy nuclei/element and degenerate electrons) has been investigated. The linear dispersion relation for this mode (associated with self-gravitational potential) has been derived and analyzed. On the other hand, the nonlinear propagation of this mode in such a degenerate quantum plasma system is examined by the reductive perturbation method, which is valid for a small but finite amplitude limit. It has been found that the nonlinear dynamics of small but finite amplitude self-gravitational perturbation mode in spherical geometry is governed by the modified Korteweg-de Vries (mKdV) equation with negative dispersion coefficient, and the numerical solutions of this mK-dV equation have been analyzed to identify the basic features of spherical self-gravitational potential structures that may form in such a super dense degenerate quantum plasma system. The implications of our results in astrophysical compact objects like neutron stars are briefly discussed.
A wave-based model for cross-beam energy transfer in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion
Authors: Myatt J. F. , Follett R. K. , Shaw J. G. , Edgell D. H. , Froula D. H. , Igumenshchev I. V. , Goncharov V. N.
Published: April 2017

Cross-beam energy transfer (CBET) is thought to be responsible for a 30% reduction in hydrodynamic coupling efficiency on OMEGA and up to 50% at the ignition scale for direct-drive (DD) implosions. These numbers are determined by ray-based models that have been developed and integrated within the radiation–hydrodynamics codes LILAC (1-D) and DRACO (2-D). However, ray-based modeling of CBET in an inhomogeneous plasma assumes a steady-state plasma response, does not include the effects of beam speckle, and treats ray caustics in an ad hoc manner. The validity of the modeling for ignition-scale implosions has not yet been determined. To address the physics shortcomings, which have important implications for DD inertial confinement fusion, a new wave-based model has been developed. It solves the time-enveloped Maxwell equations in three dimensions, including polarization effects, plasma inhomogeneity, and open-boundary conditions with the ability to prescribe beams incident at arbitrary angles. Beams can be made realistic with respect to laser speckle, polarization smoothing, and laser bandwidth. This, coupled to a linearized low-frequency plasma response that does not assume a steady state, represents the most-complete model of CBET to date.
Quasilinear diffusion coefficients in a finite Larmor radius expansion for ion cyclotron heated plasmas
Authors: Lee Jungpyo , Wright John , Bertelli Nicola , Jaeger Erwin F. , Valeo Ernest , Harvey Robert , Bonoli Paul
Published: April 2017

In this paper, a reduced model of quasilinear velocity diffusion by a small Larmor radius approximation is derived to couple the Maxwell's equations and the Fokker Planck equation self-consistently for the ion cyclotron range of frequency waves in a tokamak. The reduced model ensures the important properties of the full model by Kennel-Engelmann diffusion, such as diffusion directions, wave polarizations, and H-theorem. The kinetic energy change (Ẇ) is used to derive the reduced model diffusion coefficients for the fundamental damping (n = 1) and the second harmonic damping (n = 2) to the lowest order of the finite Larmor radius expansion. The quasilinear diffusion coefficients are implemented in a coupled code (TORIC-CQL3D) with the equivalent reduced model of the dielectric tensor. We also present the simulations of the ITER minority heating scenario, in which the reduced model is verified within the allowable errors from the full model results.
Vertical jetting induced by shear horizontal leaky surface acoustic wave on 36° Y-X LiTaO3
Authors: Fu C. , Quan A. J. , Luo J. T. , Pang H. F. , Guo Y. J. , Wu Q. , Ng W. P. , Zu X. T. , Fu Y. Q.
Published: April 2017

Shear horizontal surface acoustic waves (SH-SAWs) have been regarded as good candidates for liquid sensing applications but are inefficient in fluid manipulation due to a minimal fluid coupling between the fluid and acoustic waves. However, in this letter, a vertical jetting function was realized using the SH-SAW generated from a 36° Y-X LiTaO3 SAW device. The jetting of the droplet induced by the SH-SAWs was observed nearly along the vertical direction, and the aspect ratio of the liquid beam is proportional to the applied power before breaking up, which is dramatically different from those generated from the conventional Rayleigh SAWs. By conducting theoretical simulation and experimental investigation on the SH-SAWs systematically, we concluded that the wave/energy pressure dissipated into the sessile droplets causes this vertical ejection on the device surface.
Two-state operation of high-power semiconductor lasers with a thick quantum well
Authors: Veselov D. A. , Ayusheva K. R. , Pikhtin N. A. , Lyutetskiy A. V. , Slipchenko S. O. , Tarasov I. S.
Published: April 2017

We have examined the two-state operation process of the high-power edge-emitting lasers based on AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs heterostructure with a thick (90 Å) quantum well in the active region. It has been demonstrated that the laser emission spectrum can be switched between spectral lines corresponding to different optical transitions between the quantum states in the active region. The switching process is governed either by pump current or by temperature. The dynamic characteristics of the switching laser pumped with 100 ns current pulses have been investigated and explained. It has been shown that the current density dependence of internal optical loss can cause the current-initiated switching. The temperature impact is much more important and consists in the charge carrier redistribution in the quantum well. The registered optical power near the switching point was near 2 W in continuous wave and 15 W in pulse mode of operation.
Dynamics of carrier transport via AlGaN barrier in AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMTs
Authors: Ostermaier C. , Lagger P. , Prechtl G. , Grill A. , Grasser T. , Pogany D.
Published: April 2017

Exchange of carriers between the GaN channel and the dielectric/AlGaN interface in AlGaN/GaN metal insulator semiconductor high electron mobility transistors was recently attributed to a serial process of electron transport through the AlGaN barrier and electron trapping/emission at the interface. In this paper, the time constant related to barrier transport is evaluated from the measurements of time onset of threshold voltage drift in stress-recovery experiments. Temperature and forward gate bias dependent studies reveal an activation energy of 0.65 eV for the electron transport at zero bias being consistent with the estimated potential barrier of 0.75 eV at the dielectric/AlGaN interface. Thermo-ionic emission and defect assisted tunneling to near interface states are considered as transport mechanisms.
Grain surface heating in cryogenic environment
Authors: Ramazanov T. S. , Moldabekov Zh. A. , Muratov M. M.
Published: April 2017

The surface temperature of the dust particle in cryogenic complex plasmas at gas pressure 0.6–10 Pa is considered. It is shown that at low pressure the dust particle surface temperature is significantly higher than that of the background gas, as a result of which the atom drag force is comparable with the screened Coulomb interaction and even exceeds it for the large-size dust particles. As the gas temperature near the grain surface is a slowly decreasing function of distance with asymptotic ∼1/r behavior, for correct description of the cryogenic complex plasma at low gas pressure, it is important to include effects related to the dust particle surface temperature.
Out-of-plane easy-axis in thin films of diluted magnetic semiconductor Ba1−xKx(Zn1−yMny)2As2
Authors: Wang R. , Huang Z. X. , Zhao G. Q. , Yu S. , Deng Z. , Jin C. Q. , Jia Q. J. , Chen Y. , Yang T. Y. , Jiang X. M. , Cao L. X.
Published: April 2017

Single-phased, single-oriented thin films of Mn-doped ZnAs-based diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) Ba1−xKx(Zn1−yMny)2As2 (x = 0.03, 0.08; y = 0.15) have been deposited on Si, SrTiO3, LaAlO3, (La,Sr)(Al,Ta)O3, and MgAl2O4 substrates, respectively. Utilizing a combined synthesis and characterization system excluding the air and further optimizing the deposition parameters, high-quality thin films could be obtained and be measured showing that they can keep inactive-in-air up to more than 90 hours characterized by electrical transport measurements. In comparison with films of x = 0.03 which possess relatively higher resistivity, weaker magnetic performances, and larger energy gap, thin films of x = 0.08 show better electrical and magnetic performances. Strong magnetic anisotropy was found in films of x = 0.08 grown on (La,Sr)(Al,Ta)O3 substrate with their magnetic polarization aligned almost solely on the film growth direction.
Faulkner et Camus face à Dostoïevski
Authors: Kouchkine Eugène
Published: April 2017

Based on the analysis of Faulkner’s novel Requiem for a Nun and its stage adaptation by Camus, this article focuses on the elements that connect the two authors and aims to illustrate their relationship with Dostoïevski’s work. The interest is mainly directed towards the theme of suffering as it is revealed in the Russian novelist’s writings and its exploitation through Faulkner and Camus’s dramatic art and work.
Paraboles de guerre
Authors: Lund Hans Peter
Published: April 2017

This article reveals the connection existing betweenA Fableby Faulkner,La Pesteby Camus, andLa Route des Flandresby Simon, with the three novels sharing a parabolic and symbolic vision of war. While Faulkner’s novel evidences a true christology with a lot of biblical references, Camus and Simon sometimes refer to the Bible, as the American writer does, or to ancient mythology. The fictional characters are shown facing clearly the same dis-membering of time, as well as an implacable and very Faulknerian evil that strikes them inevitably, and against which Faulkner and Camus’s characters revolt.
Requiem pour une nonne de Camus
Authors: Lupo Virginie
Published: April 2017

Unlike other adaptations that he has himself chosen, Requiem for a Nun, which was adapted and staged in 1957, is the fruit of a proposal to which Camus responded positively. That’s why I want to examine Camus’ personal motivation for writing this play. I will analyze it in the light of one of Milan Kundera’s texts: Jacques et son maître, Hommage à Denis Diderot en trois actes – which is an adaptation of Jacques et son maître by Denis Diderot – and I will try to see if it is an adaptation, a variation (term borrowed from the music and from Kundera) or a tribute from Camus to Faulkner.
Tragédie et psychologie
Authors: Sändig Brigitte
Published: April 2017

His dislike for psychological analysis accompanied Albert Camus throughout his life and had a profound impact on his idea of theatre. Especially in his early years, he sees psychology as the antagonist of the kind of theater that he envisages, the “modern tragedy”. In the last decade of his life, Camus worked on the novel “Requiem for a Nun” by William Faulkner, whom he greatly respected, in order to stage it. The confrontation with this work and its highly psychologically driven plot makes Camus virtually give up on his anti-psychological attitude.
Lyrisme et paysage chez Camus et Faulkner
Authors: Coquet Clotilde
Published: April 2017

This article links Camus’s recurrent lyrical themes and motifs with those of Faulkner. The speeches delivered by the two authors on receiving the Nobel Prize clearly underpin their conception of the art of writing, torn between suffering and beauty. For them the landscape alone can serve as a generative core to reveal the country itself. This article questions the tension raised by the South (Algeria and the imaginary county of Yoknapatawpha) and the authors’ aspiration for a lyrical prose liberated from the pressure of fiction writing. It outlines a parallel between their destiny and their accidental deaths.
Approches d’une modernité
Authors: Prioult Christiane
Published: April 2017

This work deals with the main interests of William Faulkner and Albert Camus as far as modernity is concerned, and includes the problems of time, conscience and truth, as well as guilt and man’s future. Through the reality of their individual experience, and facing the ethical demands of collective history, as well as the questioning of temporality, the American novelist and the French essayist have shown the dramatic contingencies of historical events. In the darkness of present times they searched for the hope for man to survive which lies in himself, in his capacity to transform the transient, ephemeral present into the capture of the possible by human conscience, and to leave the door open to the possibility of connecting the self to others.
William Faulkner au croisement de deux hommes de théâtre
Authors: Mazza Vincenzo
Published: April 2017

Camus and Barrault collaborated in 1948 to create the ill-fated L’État de siège. The two theatrical figures had already crossed paths, however, at a different time and for different reasons, thanks to Faulkner’s work and Maurice Edgar Coindreau’s translations. Barrault chose As I lay Dying for his first production in 1935, and Camus opted for Requiem pour une nonne in 1956. This study analyses archival documents and press clippings about these two works in order to provide a deeper understanding of the adaptive process and the staging solutions adopted by Camus and Barrault in their respective productions.
Habitat Use and Arrival Timing of Hatchery and Naturalized Chinook Salmon Spawning in a Great Lakes Tributary
Authors: Marklevitz Stephen A. C. , Morbey Yolanda E.
Published: April 2017

Large‐scale stocking programs have been used to introduce and maintain Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha fisheries in the Laurentian Great Lakes since the late 1960s, with discoveries of naturalized populations in tributaries soon after the initial introduction. Characterizing ecological differences between hatchery and naturalized Chinook Salmon is becoming increasingly important for sustainable management of this species. We hypothesized that nonheritable traits (i.e., homing) and artificial selection might result in different habitat use and arrival timing between rearing origins occupying the same river, with the potential for reproductive isolation and divergence of naturalized and hatchery strains. In 2010 and 2011, using visual observations and PIT tags, we tracked individual hatchery and naturalized Chinook Salmon that spawned in the Sydenham River (Owen Sound, Ontario), one of the first tributaries in Lake Huron to be colonized by hatchery strays and establish a naturalized population. We estimated that 52–58% of the 3,200–3,300 fish returning to spawn in 3.5 km of accessible spawning habitat were hatchery fish. In females, the extent of prespawning movement increased with arrival date, decreased with fish length, and was lower for hatchery fish. Hatchery females also displayed a higher probability of direct homing to the stocking site than naturalized females. Prespawning movements by males were extensive but did not depend on rearing origin, arrival timing, or body size. We found no evidence of reproductive isolation, however. Spatial distributions of spawning locations were independent of rearing origin for both sexes, and arrival timing in the river was similar between rearing origins for both sexes. The lack of reproductive isolation is likely attributable to the small area of suitable habitat in this river. Our study represents the first comprehensive comparison of spawning habitat use and timing by hatchery and naturalized Chinook Salmon in the Great Lakes.

Received October 26, 2016; accepted February 22, 2017 Published online April 24, 2017
Trends in Rainbow Trout Recruitment, Abundance, Survival, and Growth during a Boom‐and‐Bust Cycle in a Tailwater Fishery
Authors: Korman Josh , Yard Michael D. , Kennedy Theodore A.
Published: April 2017

Data from a large‐scale mark–recapture study were used in an open‐population model to determine the cause for long‐term trends in growth and abundance of a Rainbow TroutOncorhynchus mykisspopulation in the tailwater of Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona. Reduced growth affected multiple life stages and processes, causing negative feedbacks that regulated the abundance of the population, including higher mortality of larger fish; lower rates of recruitment (young of the year) during years when growth was reduced; and lower rates of sexual maturation in the following year. High and steady flows during spring and summer 2011 resulted in a very large recruitment event. The population had declined tenfold by 2016 due to a combination of lower recruitment and reduced survival of larger trout. Survival rates for 225‐mm and larger Rainbow Trout in 2014, 2015, and 2016 were 11, 21, and 22% lower, respectively, than average survival rates between 2012 and 2013. Abundance at the end of the study would have been threefold to fivefold higher if survival rates for larger individuals had remained at the elevated levels estimated for 2012 and 2013. Growth declined between 2012 and 2014 owing to reduced prey availability, which led to very poor fish condition (~0.90–0.95) by fall 2014. Poor condition in turn resulted in low survival rates of larger fish during fall 2014 and winter 2015, which contributed to the population collapse. In Glen Canyon, large recruitment events driven by high flows can lead to population increases that cannot be sustained due to limitations in prey supply. When the ability to regulate prey supply is lacking, flows that reduce the probability of large recruitment events can be used to avoid boom‐and‐bust population cycles. Our study demonstrates that mark–recapture is a very informative approach for understanding the dynamics of tailwater trout populations.

Received December 6, 2016; accepted March 31, 2017 Published online August 2, 2017
Ionically conducting oxide composite thin films and heterostructures
Authors: Zhang Bowen
Published: April 2017

Ionic conductivity in oxide composite thin films has recently drawn growing attention due to the unique interfacial phenomena and huge application potential. In this review article the author presents the recent progress in three materials classes including (1) the single-layer heteroepitaxial structures, (2) multilayer structures, and (3) vertically aligned heteroepitaxial structures. This review aims to give an overview of this field and offer guidelines to understand the interfacial phenomena. Two promising research directions in this field are proposed at the end, including understanding the interfacial phenomena in heterostructures, and exploring new methods which can separate thin films from their substrates.

This review was submitted as part of the 2017 Materials Literature Review Prize of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining run by the Editorial Board of MST. Sponsorship of the prize by TWI Ltd is gratefully acknowledged
Simultaneous Germinal Vesicle Migration and Oil Droplet Coalescence Predict Final Oocyte Maturation in the Leopard Grouper
Authors: Romo-Mendoza Daniel , Campos-Ramos Rafael , Burgos-Aceves Mario A , Guerrero-Tortolero Danitzia A
Published: April 2017

The size of oocytes during germinal vesicle migration (GVM) and germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) was revised for the Leopard Grouper Mycteroperca rosacea. Histology of ovaries, plasma levels of estradiol-17ß (E2), and testosterone (T) were analyzed in Leopard Grouper at 0, 12, 16, and 24 h after a priming dose of 1,000 IU/kg body weight of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and were compared with control females injected with saline solution. Histological observations were verified in hormonally induced females by observing in vivo intraovarian biopsies after using the same priming dose and a second resolving dose of 500 UI/kg body weight of hCG 16 or 24 h later, which served to analyze spawning performance. Histological and in vivo intraovarian biopsies showed that in full-yolk oocytes (~455 μm diameter) GVM and GVBD were concomitant with coalescence of a single oil droplet 16 and 24 h after the first injection. The oil droplet became a morphological marker as well as a predicting indicator of the competence and synchronization of maximum vitellogenic oocytes and the effectiveness to respond to hormonal therapy. In the experimental fish group E2 and T reached peaks at the same time, which were significantly higher than those in the controls. Mean fecundity was 168,000 eggs/kg, mean fertilization was 88%, and mean viability was 71% (114,000 eggs/kg), all of which were within the range of other cultivated groupers. These results can be used to improve the induction of final maturation in the Leopard Grouper in captivity and may be used in other species of Mycteroperca that show the same marker.
Growth of Pacific White Shrimp Fed Diets Containing a Mixture of Soybean Meal and Tuna Silage
Authors: Hernández C , Olvera-Novoa M A
Published: April 2017

This study evaluated the use of tuna by-product silage (TBS) in diets based on soybean meal (SBM) for the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. A diet based on fish meal (FM, positive control) only was compared with five isonitrogenous formulations (35% crude protein) based on SBM containing increasing dietary levels of TBS (0, 14.9, 29.8, 44.7, or 59.6%) replacing 0% (TBS0, negative control), 25% (TBS25), 50% (TBS50), 75% (TBS75), or 100% (TBS100), respectively, of the protein derived from SBM. A diet containing tuna by-product meal (TBM) as the sole protein source and one using a commercial feed as reference were also included. Each diet was tested on shrimp in triplicate over 41 d using 70-L fiberglass tanks in a closed recirculating system. Each tank was stocked with 10 juvenile shrimp (mean initial weight, 1.09 g). Shrimp fed diet TBS25 grew as well as those fed diets with 100% of the protein from FM. The growth differences were mainly attributable to differences in the nutritional quality of diets. Whole-body composition was significantly affected by diet. The broken-line regression model using thermal growth coefficient data allowed us estimate that the maximum inclusion level of TBS in shrimp fed the SBM-based diet was 26.31%. To reduce the cost of shrimp feed, the ratio of 75% SBM and 25% TBS proteins seems to be the best formulation for juvenile Pacific white shrimp diets.
Blessing or Burden? The Impact of Peace Services on Peace and Violence in Nepal
Authors: Suurmond Jeannine , Lordos Alexandros , Mani Sharma Prakash
Published: April 2017

Recent literature highlights the potential of infrastructures for peace for peacebuilding and violence prevention. An increasing number of studies examine cases of infrastructures for peace, yet little is known about the services individuals actually use when facing conflict. This study investigates local agency in the context of infrastructures for peace in Nepal. Adopting a quantitative approach, we explore the relationship between use of third party support for dealing with conflict (‘peace services’) and individual experiences of peace and violence. Results show that the more respondents reported use of services that actively engage their recipients in dealing with their conflicts, such as mediation, the more peace they experienced in different dimensions of their lives and the lower their propensity for violence was. In contrast, the more respondents reported use of services that require only passive involvement and do not directly focus on the conflict at hand, such as sharing information, the less intrapersonal and intercommunity peace they experienced and the higher their propensity for violence was. Encouraging the use of active peace services could allow more people to enjoy their benefits and ultimately prevent violence and strengthen peace. Future research could further explore the linkages between everyday use of third party support and people's experience of peace and violent behaviour, including direction of effect.
Sanctions, Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding: Coercing Non-State Armed Actors in Africa
Authors: Agbonifo John
Published: April 2017

In pursuit of peace and development, Article 41 of the UN Charter authorises the use of sanctions to deal with any state perceived as a threat to international security and peace. In the post-Cold War era, sanctions rapidly became a tool of choice for conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Non-state armed actors (NSAAs) have increasingly become significant players in the international system as well as a target of the demands of sanctions. However, sanctions often fail to coerce NSAAs to end violence. NSAAs regularly ignore sanctions and engage the state and intervention forces in protracted wars. The literature on why sanctions fail betrays statist bias, emphasising the causal role of regime type, winning coalition, and vulnerability. State actors and NSAAs vary in nature, operational context, and modus operandi. Sanctions designed to alter the behaviour of state actors may not translate well to the context of NSAAs because they ignore the peculiarities of the latter. Peace and development are elusive where sanctions fail to effectively coerce NSAAs. The Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in Sierra Leone, and Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) in Angola are employed as case studies to explore the limitations of sanctions on NSAAs.
Building Sustainable Peace through Business Linkages among Micro-Entrepreneurs: Case Studies of Micro-Enterprises in the North of Sri Lanka
Authors: Yoosuf Amina , Premaratne S.P.
Published: April 2017

Literature on peacebuilding emphasises the need for stakeholders at all levels of society to be engaged in the peace and reconciliation process for peace to be sustainable. Policy-makers around the globe strategically employ entrepreneurship, particularly self-employment and small enterprises development, to economically empower the communities in post-conflict areas. At the same time, researchers in the fields of entrepreneurship and small enterprise development have identified ‘networking’ as an important factor for the success of entrepreneurs. This paper examines the role played by business linkages among micro-entrepreneurs and its contribution to sustainable peacebuilding, including the development of business and social linkages among entrepreneurs from the North of Sri Lanka.
The Role of Civil Society Actors in Peacemaking: The Case of Guatemala
Authors: Brett Roddy
Published: April 2017

This article builds upon recent scholarship in critical peace studies that focuses on the role of civil society actors in formal peacemaking processes, in short, peace talks, and post-conflict peacebuilding. The article specifically explores the role of civil society actors in the Guatemalan peace process. The research addresses the possible tensions and potential complementarities in processes where civil society enjoys a mandated role in centralised, formal peace negotiations carried out between the state and armed actors in talks levied within the liberal peace framework. In the case of Guatemala, non-state actors participated to an unprecedented extent in the peace negotiations, and Guatemala has not relapsed into armed conflict. However, post-conflict Guatemala is a violent and unstable country. Consequently, the study challenges the assumption that peacemaking is necessarily more successful in those instances where provisions have been established to guarantee the participation of civil society.
Would adults with autism be less likely to bury the survivors?: An eye movement study of anomalous text reading
Authors: Au-Yeung Sheena K , Kaakinen Johanna K , Liversedge Simon P , Benson Valerie
Published: April 2017

In a single eye movement experiment, we investigated the effects of context on the time course of local and global anomaly processing during reading in adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In one condition, short paragraph texts contained anomalous target words. Detection of the anomaly was only possible through evaluation of word meaning in relation to the global context of the whole paragraph ( Passage-Level Anomalies). In another condition, the anomaly could be detected via computation of a local thematic violation within a single sentence embedded in the paragraph ( Sentence-Level Anomalies). For the sentence-level anomalies, the ASD group, in contrast with the typically developing (TD) group, showed early detection of the anomaly as indexed by regressive eye movements from the critical target word upon fixation. Conversely, for the passage-level anomalies, and in contrast with the ASD group, the TD group showed early detection of the anomaly with increased regressive eye movements once the critical word had been fixated. The reversal of the pattern of regression path data for the two groups, for the sentence- and passage-level anomalies, is discussed in relation to cognitive accounts of ASD.
When loss-of-function is loss of function: assessing mutational signatures and impact of loss-of-function genetic variants
Authors: Pagel Kymberleigh A , Pejaver Vikas , Lin Guan Ning , Nam Hyun-Jun , Mort Matthew , Cooper David N , Sebat Jonathan , Iakoucheva Lilia M , Mooney Sean D , Radivojac Predrag
Published: April 2017

Motivation

Loss-of-function genetic variants are frequently associated with severe clinical phenotypes, yet many are present in the genomes of healthy individuals. The available methods to assess the impact of these variants rely primarily upon evolutionary conservation with little to no consideration of the structural and functional implications for the protein. They further do not provide information to the user regarding specific molecular alterations potentially causative of disease.

Results

To address this, we investigate protein features underlying loss-of-function genetic variation and develop a machine learning method, MutPred-LOF, for the discrimination of pathogenic and tolerated variants that can also generate hypotheses on specific molecular events disrupted by the variant. We investigate a large set of human variants derived from the Human Gene Mutation Database, ClinVar and the Exome Aggregation Consortium. Our prediction method shows an area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve of 0.85 for all loss-of-function variants and 0.75 for proteins in which both pathogenic and neutral variants have been observed. We applied MutPred-LOF to a set of 1142 de novo vari3ants from neurodevelopmental disorders and find enrichment of pathogenic variants in affected individuals. Overall, our results highlight the potential of computational tools to elucidate causal mechanisms underlying loss of protein function in loss-of-function variants.

Availability and Implementation

http://mutpred.mutdb.org
veqtl-mapper: variance association mapping for molecular phenotypes
Authors: Brown Andrew Anand
Published: April 2017

Motivation

Genetic loci associated with the variance of phenotypic traits have been of recent interest as they can be signatures of genetic interactions, gene by environment interactions, parent of origin effects and canalization. We present a fast efficient tool to map loci affecting variance of gene expression and other molecular phenotypes in cis. Results: Applied to the publicly available Geuvadis gene expression dataset, we identify 816 loci associated with variance of gene expression using an additive model, and 32 showing differences in variance between homozygous and heterozygous alleles, signatures of parent of origin effects.

Availability and implementation

Documentation and links to source code and binaries for linux can be found at https://funpopgen.github.io/veqm/.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Social Relationships and Salivary Telomere Length Among Middle-Aged and Older African American and White Adults
Authors: Lincoln Karen D , Lloyd Donald A , Nguyen Ann W
Published: April 2017

Objectives

A common mechanism underlying premature morbidity may be accelerated biological aging as reflected by salivary telomere length (STL). This study examined the extent to which social relationships, both positive and negative, can be protective or confer risk relative to biological aging.

Method

Data from the Health and Retirement Study and multiple regression were used to examine cross-sectional associations between STL, self-reported social support, and negative interaction (e.g., conflict, criticism) with family in a nationally representative sample of African American and non-Hispanic White middle-aged and older adults (N = 4,080).

Results

Social support from family was associated with shorter STL. Negative interaction with family had no main effect on STL but interactions characterized by high social support and more frequent negative interactions were associated with longer STL. Negative interaction with family was negatively associated with STL for African Americans and Whites but the magnitude of the effect was greater for African Americans.

Discussion

Study findings highlight the role of social relationships in physiological deterioration among middle-aged and older adults and identify a potential mechanism whereby race is linked to accelerated biological aging. Findings highlight the importance of considering positive and negative aspects of social relationships to understand the consequences of social connections for cellular aging in diverse populations.
Are fast radio bursts markers of dark core collapse?
Authors: Katz J. I.
Published: April 2017

Are some neutron stars produced without a supernova, without ejecting mass in a remnant? Theoretical calculations of core collapse in massive stars often predict this. The observation of the repeating FRB 121102, whose dispersion measure has not changed over several years, suggests that dark core collapses are not just failures of computer codes, but may be real. The existence of one repeating fast radio burst (FRB) with unchanging dispersion measure is not conclusive, but within a decade hundreds or thousands of FRB are expected to be discovered, likely including scores of repeaters, permitting useful statistical inferences. A naïve supernova remnant model predicts observable decline in dispersion measure for 100 yr after its formation. If an upper limit on the decline of 2 pc cm−3 yr−1 is set for five repeating FRBs, then the naïve model with nominal parameters is rejected at the 95 per cent level of confidence. This may indicate dark neutron star formation without a supernova or supernova remnant. This hypothesis may also be tested with the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) data that would show, if present, a supernova at an interferometric FRB position if it occurred within the LSST epoch.
Increased Central Nervous System Interleukin-8 in a Majority Postlaminectomy Syndrome Chronic Pain Population
Authors: Giron Sarah E , Bjurstrom Martin F , Griffis Charles A , Ferrante F Michael , Wu Irene I , Nicol Andrea L , Grogan Tristan R , Burkard Joseph F , Irwin Michael R , Breen Elizabeth Crabb
Published: April 2017

Background and Objectives

Multiple processes have been identified as potential contributors to chronic pain, with increasing evidence illustrating an association with aberrant levels of neuroimmune mediators. The primary objectives of the present study were to examine central nervous system cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors present in a chronic pain population and to explore patterns of the same mediator molecules over time. Secondary objectives explored the relationship of central and peripheral neuroimmune mediators while examining the levels of anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and perception of pain associated with the chronic pain patient experience.

Methods

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from a population of majority postlaminectomy syndrome patients (N = 8) was compared with control CSF samples (N = 30) to assess for significant differences in 10 cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. The patient population was then followed over time, analyzing CSF, plasma, and psychobehavioral measures.

Results

The present observational study is the first to demonstrate increased mean CSF levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8; P < 0.001) in a small population of majority postlaminectomy syndrome patients, as compared with a control population. Over time in pain patients, CSF levels of IL-8 increased significantly (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

These data indicate that IL-8 should be further investigated and psychobehavioral components considered in the overall chronic pain paradigm. Future studies examining the interactions between these factors and IL-8 may identify novel targets for treatment of persistent pain states.
Physicochemical, Molecular, and Digestion Characteristics of Annealed and Heat–Moisture Treated Starches Under Acidic, Neutral, or Alkaline pH
Authors: de la Rosa‐Millán Julián
Published: April 2017

Rice, maize, and potato starches were incubated under acidic (2), neutral (7) or alkaline (11) pH conditions, and combined with annealing (ANN) or heat–moisture treatment (HMT), with the aim to evaluate their changes of physicochemical, digestion, and molecular characteristics. The applied treatments produced changes in all starches, showing void zones in the granules, which were more evident in ANN samples. The HMT starches promoted the formation of granular conglomerates that still showed birefringence. Overall, the evaluated conditions promoted changes in granule architecture (revealed by differences in gelatinization enthalpy) and crystallinity, for which an extensive degradation of their characteristics diffraction patterns occurred. These changes were more evident when incubation under acidic conditions was employed. Through principal component analysis, we found that the structural changes in starch granules have a direct influence on slowly digestible starch, resistant starch, and predicted glycemic index values, and this is the result of a higher proportion of organized crystallites, obtained from the acid hydrolysis process.
Susceptibility of Cold-Climate Wine Grape Cultivars to Downy Mildew, Powdery Mildew, and Black Rot
Authors: Jones David S. , McManus Patricia S.
Published: April 2017

Lack of knowledge regarding the susceptibility of cold-climate hybrid wine grape cultivars may be leading to the overuse of fungicides and underutilization of plant host resistance to combat disease in the northern United States. To provide new insights on diseases of cold-climate cultivars and to update management recommendations, disease was evaluated in three vineyards containing eight cultivars that were not sprayed with fungicides in 2015 and 2016. Disease severity or incidence of downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola), powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator), and black rot (Guignardia bidwellii) were measured from bud break until 2 weeks after harvest. Cold-climate cultivars ranged widely in susceptibility to different diseases and, although several cultivars were relatively resistant to two diseases, no cultivar was highly resistant to all three diseases. Additionally, a difference between foliar and fruit susceptibility for all three diseases was noted in several cultivars. These data provide a foundation for developing low-spray and certified organic disease management strategies for cold-climate wine grape cultivars based on susceptibility to disease.
Johnsongrass mosaic virus Contributes to Maize Lethal Necrosis in East Africa
Authors: Stewart Lucy R. , Willie Kristen , Wijeratne Saranga , Redinbaugh Margaret G. , Massawe Deogracious , Niblett Charles L. , Kiggundu Andrew , Asiimwe Theodore
Published: April 2017

Maize lethal necrosis (MLN), a severe virus disease of maize, has emerged in East Africa in recent years with devastating effects on production and food security where maize is a staple subsistence crop. In extensive surveys of MLN-symptomatic plants in East Africa, sequences of Johnsongrass mosaic virus (JGMV) were identified in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania. The East African JGMV is distinct from previously reported isolates and infects maize, sorghum, and Johnsongrass but not wheat or oat. This isolate causes MLN in coinfection with Maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV), as reported for other potyviruses, and was present in MLN-symptomatic plants in which the major East African potyvirus, Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV), was not detected. Virus titers were compared in single and coinfections by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. MCMV titer increased in coinfected plants whereas SCMV, Maize dwarf mosaic virus, and JGMV titers were unchanged compared with single infections at 11 days postinoculation. Together, these results demonstrate the presence of an East African JGMV that contributes to MLN in the region.
Application of Next Generation Sequencing for Diagnostic Testing of Tree Fruit Viruses and Viroids
Authors: Rott M. , Xiang Y. , Boyes I. , Belton M. , Saeed H. , Kesanakurti P. , Hayes S. , Lawrence T. , Birch C. , Bhagwat B. , Rast H.
Published: April 2017

Conventional detection of viruses and virus-like diseases of plants is accomplished using a combination of molecular, serological, and biological indexing. These are the primary tools used by plant virologists to monitor and ensure trees are free of known viral pathogens. The biological indexing assay, or bioassay, is considered to be the “gold standard” as it is the only method of the three that can detect new, uncharacterized, or poorly characterized viral disease agents. Unfortunately, this method is also the most labor intensive and can take up to three years to complete. Next generation sequencing (NGS) is a technology with rapidly expanding possibilities including potential applications for the detection of plant viruses. In this study, comparisons are made between tree fruit testing by conventional and NGS methods, to demonstrate the efficacy of NGS. A comparison of 178 infected trees, many infected with several viral pathogens, demonstrated that conventional and NGS were equally capable of detecting known viruses and viroids. Comparable results were obtained for 170 of 178 of the specimens. Of the remaining eight specimens, some discrepancies were observed between viruses detected by the two methods, representing less than 5% of the specimens. NGS was further demonstrated to be equal or superior for the detection of new or poorly characterized viruses when compared with a conventional bioassay. These results validated both the effectiveness of conventional virus testing methods and the use of NGS as an additional or alternative method for plant virus detection.
Changes of Races and Virulence Genes in Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, the Wheat Stripe Rust Pathogen, in the United States from 1968 to 2009
Authors: Liu Tinglan , Wan Anmin , Liu Dengcai , Chen Xianming
Published: April 2017

Stripe (yellow) rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is a serious disease of wheat in the world. The obligate biotrophic fungal pathogen changes its virulence rapidly, which can circumvent resistance in wheat cultivars and cause severe epidemics. Because P. striiformis f. sp. tritici races have been identified in the United States using different wheat genotypes in different time periods, it is difficult to make direct comparisons of the current population with historical populations. The objective of this study was to characterize historical populations with 18 Yr single-gene lines that are currently used to differentiate P. striiformis f. sp. tritici races in order to understand virulence and race changes of the pathogen over 40 years in the United States. From 908 P. striiformis f. sp. tritici isolates collected from 1968 to 2009 in the United States, 171 races were identified and their frequencies were determined. More races, more new races, and races with more virulence genes were detected since the year 2000 than prior to 2000. None of the races were virulent to Yr5 and Yr15, indicating that these genes have been effective since the late 1960s. Virulence genes to the remaining 16 Yr genes were detected in different periods, and most of them increased in frequency over time. Some virulence genes such as those to Yr17, Yr27, Yr32, Yr43, Yr44, YrTr1, and YrExp2 appeared 14 to 37 years earlier than previously reported, indicating the greater value of using Yr single-gene lines as differentials. Positive and negative associations were detected between virulence genes. The continual information on virulence and races in the P. striiformis f. sp. tritici populations is useful for understanding the evolution of the pathogen and for breeding wheat cultivars with effective resistance to stripe rust.
Salience network dynamics underlying successful resistance of temptation
Authors: Steimke Rosa , Nomi Jason S. , Calhoun Vince D , Stelzel Christine , Paschke Lena M. , Gaschler Robert , Walter Henrik , Uddin Lucina Q.
Published: April 2017

Self-control and the ability to resist temptation are critical for successful completion of long-term goals. Contemporary models in cognitive neuroscience emphasize the primary role of prefrontal cognitive control networks in aligning behavior with such goals. Here we use gaze pattern analysis and dynamic functional connectivity fMRI data to explore how individual differences in the ability to resist temptation are related to intrinsic brain dynamics of the cognitive control and salience networks. Behaviorally, individuals exhibit greater gaze distance from target location (e.g. higher distractibility) during presentation of tempting erotic images compared with neutral images. Individuals whose intrinsic dynamic functional connectivity patterns gravitate towards configurations in which salience detection systems are less strongly coupled with visual systems resist tempting distractors more effectively. The ability to resist tempting distractors was not significantly related to intrinsic dynamics of the cognitive control network. These results suggest that susceptibility to temptation is governed in part by individual differences in salience network dynamics, and provide novel evidence for involvement of brain systems outside canonical cognitive control networks in contributing to individual differences in self-control.