bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New physics solutions for RD and RD∗
Authors: Alok Ashutosh Kumar , Kumar Dinesh , Kumar Jacky , Kumbhakar Suman , Sankar S. Uma
Published: September 2018

Abstract

Recent measurements of R

D∗ have reduced tension with the Standard Model prediction. Taking all the present data into account, we obtain the values of the Wilson coefficients of each new physics four-fermion operator of a given Lorentz structure. We find that the combined data rule out most of the solutions based on scalar/pseudoscalar operators. By studying the inter-relations between different solutions, we find that there are only four allowed solutions, which are based on operators with (V − A), linear combination of (V − A) and (V + A), tensor and linear combination of scalar/pseudoscalar and tensor structure. We demonstrate that the need for new physics is driven by those measurement of R

D
and R

D∗ where the τ lepton is not studied. Further, we show that new physics only in

$$ b\to c\ \mu \overline{\nu} $$

b
→
c

μ

ν
¯

is not compatible with the full set of observables in the decays

$$ B\to Dl\overline{\nu} $$

B
→
D
l

ν
¯

and

$$ B\to {D}^{\ast }l\overline{\nu} $$

B
→

D
∗

l

ν
¯

.
M3: a new muon missing momentum experiment to probe (g − 2)μ and dark matter at Fermilab
Authors: Kahn Yonatan , Krnjaic Gordan , Tran Nhan , Whitbeck Andrew
Published: September 2018

Abstract

New light, weakly-coupled particles are commonly invoked to address the persistent ∼ 4σanomaly in (g−2)μand serve as mediators between dark and visible matter. If such particles couple predominantly to heavier generations and decay invisibly, much of their best-motivated parameter space is inaccessible with existing experimental techniques. In this paper, we present a new fixed-target, missing-momentum search strategy to probe invisibly decaying particles that couple preferentially to muons. In our setup, a relativistic muon beam impinges on a thick active target. The signal consists of events in which a muon loses a large fraction of its incident momentum inside the target without initiating any detectable electromagnetic or hadronic activity in downstream veto systems. We propose a two-phase experiment, M3(Muon Missing Momentum), based at Fermilab. Phase 1 with ∼ 1010muons on target can test the remaining parameter space for which light invisibly-decaying particles can resolve the (g− 2)μanomaly, while Phase 2 with ∼ 1013muons on target can test much of the predictive parameter space over which sub-GeV dark matter achieves freeze-out via muon-philic forces, including gaugedU(1)Lμ−Lτ.
Single‐Port Thoracoscopic Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer
Authors: Hu Weipeng , Yuan Yong , Chen Longqi
Published: September 2018

Background

This study was to explore the safety and feasibility of single‐port thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.

Methods

The patients were placed in left lateral prone position, and a 4‐cm incision through the 4th–5th intercostal space was taken on the post‐axillary line. Except for a surgical wound protector, no other special instruments were used for single‐port technique. The 10‐mm camera and two or three thoracoscopic instruments were used for the thoracic phase. Mobilization of stomach with celiac lymph node dissection was performed via multiple‐port laparoscopic approach. Cervical double‐layered anastomosis was completed by hand‐sewn technique.

Results

A total of twenty‐eight patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma underwent the single‐port thoracoscopic surgery. All of the patients underwent R0 resection. The median time taken for thoracic phase and total operation time were 126 min (range, 121–153) and the 253 min (range, 197–309), respectively. The median number of resected thoracic lymph nodes was 16 (range, 12–24). There were no deaths or severe postoperative complications in this study, with no conversion of minimally invasive surgery to open procedure.

Conclusions

Our preliminary results demonstrate that this technique is safe and feasible for treating esophageal cancer within an acceptable length of operation time, which does not compromise the surgical radicality.
Realization of Low-Cost Multichannel Surface Plasmon Resonance Based Optical Transducer
Authors: Somarapalli Manjunath , Jolivot Romuald , Mohammed Waleed
Published: September 2018

This paper demonstrates a low-cost and portable multichannel surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based optical transducer. The system’s portability is achieved through the development of compact web-cam based spectrometer, and edge coupling to the SPR chip. Here, two configurations are presented: single-channel integrated system and two-channel system where the SPR chip and the spectrometer are coupled by a pair of plastic optical fibers. For the two-channel configuration, two different approaches are utilized to extract the optical spectrum: manual region cropping and automatic regions detection. For both approaches, image distortion and the size of the fiber tip affect the measured spectrum. For all configurations, mechanical alignment and mounting are made by 3D printing. The developed systems are tested with water and glycerol solution of different concentrations. The measured sensitivity is in the order of 10‒4 RIU (refractive index unit) for all systems under the ambient condition.
Getting the Best Out of Advanced Rehabilitation Technology for the Lower Limbs: Minding Motor Learning Principles
Authors: Spiess Martina Rebekka , Steenbrink Frans , Esquenazi Alberto
Published: September 2018

Advanced technology, including gait‐training devices, is increasingly being integrated into neurorehabilitation. However, to use gait‐training devices to their optimal potential, it is important that they are applied in accordance with motor learning and locomotor training principles. In this article, we outline the most important principles and explain how advanced gait‐training devices are best used to improve therapy outcome.
Special Issue on Climate Change and Land Conservation and Restoration: Advances in Economics Methods and Policies for Adaptation and Mitigation
Authors: Cline Sarah , Dissanayake Sahan T. M.
Published: September 2018

Climate change will likely impact the ecosystem services and biodiversity generated from conserved land. Land conservation can also play a significant role in achieving cost-effective mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. In this special issue we feature seven papers from the 2017 NAREA Workshop, “Climate Change and Land Conservation and Restoration: Advances in Economics Methods and Policies for Adaptation and Mitigation.” The articles include papers furthering the methodological frontier; portfolio optimization, dynamic rangeland stocking, and global timber harvest models, and those highlighting innovative applications; climate smart agricultural practices in Nigeria and Vietnam, welfare impacts on birding, and carbon and albedo pricing.
A ‘fownde patrone and second father’ of the Marian Church: Antonio Buonvisi, religious exile and mid-Tudor Catholicism
Authors: Smith Frederick E.
Published: September 2018

Despite receiving particular praise from a range of early modern commentators, from Nicholas Sander to Pedro de Ribadeneyra, most historians have seen the Italian merchant Antonio Buonvisi playing a fairly negligible role in the history of mid-Tudor Catholicism. This article challenges this interpretation. After reassessing some rather simplistic assessments of Buonvisi’s religious beliefs, this article explores his actions and activities following his self-imposed exile from England in 1549. Using research conducted in both the State Archives of Lucca and the Vatican City, it suggests that Buonvisi played a far more significant role in ensuring the survival of English Catholicism over the first decades of the Reformation than is usually acknowledged. Indeed, it argues that Buonvisi may have helped lay core foundations for the Catholic restoration of Mary I’s reign, the success of which has recently been highlighted by historians such as Eamon Duffy.
‘Worthy to be hadde and redde of euerye Englishe man’: the private, public and political contexts of Thomas More’s EnglishWorkes
Authors: Forsyth Katherine
Published: September 2018

In 1624 the playwright John Webster lauded Thomas More as a learned and worthy poet, placing him alongside Chaucer, Gower, Lydgate and Philip Sidney. It is clear that More was celebrated by Webster not only for the quality of his literary writing, but also for the wider political, social and historical influence of his literary output. This article uses the production of the 1557 folio of More’s EnglishWorkesto explore the literary, political and religious influence of More’s writing in the 1550s and beyond, and situates More’sWorkeswithin the wider context of folio production in Renaissance England. It also explores how the publication of More’sWorkesin folio established a distinct literary position for Thomas More in the mid-1550s, and highlights the unusual nature of the folio’s compilation and production within the mid-Tudor book trade.
State intervention in disputes between secular and regular clergy in early seventeenth-century Ireland
Authors: Empey Mark
Published: September 2018

The success of the Counter-Reformation in Ireland following the restoration of the Catholic hierarchy was a remarkable achievement. Between 1618 and 1630 Rome made a staggering nineteen episcopal appointments in a kingdom that was ruled by a Protestant king. Documenting the achievements of the initial period only paints half the picture, however. The implementation of the Tridentine reforms and the thorny issue of episcopal authority brought the religious orders into a head-on collision with the secular clergy. This protracted dispute lasted for a decade, most notably in the diocese of Dublin where an English secular priest, Paul Harris, led a hostile attack on the Franciscan archbishop, Thomas Fleming. The longevity of the feud, though, owed at least as much to the intervention of Lord Deputy Sir Thomas Wentworth as it did to the internal tensions of the Catholic Church. Despite Wentworth’s influential role, he has been largely written out of the conflict. This article addresses the lacunae in the current historiography and argues that the lord deputy’s interference was a decisive factor in exacerbating the hostilities between the secular and regular clergy in early seventeenth-century Ireland.
On the stable ergodicity of Berger–Carrasco’s example
Authors: OBATA DAVI
Published: September 2018

We prove the stable ergodicity of an example of a volume-preserving, partially hyperbolic diffeomorphism introduced by Berger and Carrasco in [Berger and Carrasco. Non-uniformly hyperbolic diffeomorphisms derived from the standard map. Comm. Math. Phys.329 (2014), 239–262]. This example is robustly non-uniformly hyperbolic, with a two-dimensional center; almost every point has both positive and negative Lyapunov exponents along the center direction and does not admit a dominated splitting of the center direction. The main novelty of our proof is that we do not use accessibility.
Whose Atlantic? – Historiographies of South Africa, Namibia, OPSAAAL, and Central America
Authors: Houser Myra A.
Published: September 2018

During the 1970s and 1980s, southern African liberation movements lent rhetorical and sometimes material support to Central American guerilla groups. Such action represented both change and continuity within the previous decade’s non-aligned solidarities. This paper explores these connections and attempts to explain their significance on both sides of the ocean. It draws upon research in southern African and American archives in order to re-examine both spaces’ historiographies. Finally, it asks what these solidarities tell us about the nature of Cold War trans-oceanic linkages, fits them into debates over the nature of the discursive Atlantic, and ponders whether previous scholarship has effectively explored their significance.
Molecular investigation of the Pfmdr1 gene of Plasmodium falciparum isolates in Henan Province imported from Africa
Authors: Yang Chengyun , Zhou Ruimin , Liu Ying , Li Suhua , Qian Dan , Zhao Yuling , Zhang Hongwei , Xu Bianli
Published: September 2018

Efficacious antimalarial drugs are important for malaria control and elimination, and continuous monitoring of their efficacy is essential. The prevalence and distribution of Pfmdr1 were evaluated in African migrant workers in Henan Province. Among 632 isolates, 13 haplotypes were identified, NYSND (39.87%, 252/632), YYSND (2.85%, 18/632), NFSND (31.01%, 196/632), NYSNY (0.47%, 3/632), YFSND (13.77%, 87/632), NFSNY (0.32%, 2/632), YYSNY (2.06%, 13/632), YFSNY (0.16%, 1/632), N/Y YSND (1.90%, 12/632), N Y/F SND (6.17%, 39/632), N/Y Y/F SND (0.47%, 3/632), YYSN D/Y (0.16%, 1/632) and N/Y FSND (0.79%, 5/632). The highest frequency of NYSND was observed in individuals from North Africa (63.64%, 7/11), followed by South Africa (61.33%, 111/181), Central Africa (33.33%, 56/168), West Africa (28.94%, 68/235) and East Africa (27.03%, 10/37) (χ2 = 54.605, P < 0.05). The highest frequency of NFSND was observed in East Africa (48.65%, 18/37), followed by West Africa (39.14%, 92/235), Central Africa (26.79%, 45/168), South Africa (22.65%, 41/181) and North Africa (9.09%, 1/11) (χ2 = 22.368 P < 0.05). The mutant prevalence of codons 86 and 184 decreased. These data may provide complementary information on antimalarial resistance that may be utilized in the development of a treatment regimen for Henan Province.
Infection patterns of trematodes across size classes of an invasive snail species using field and laboratory studies
Authors: Bachtel Rebecca Z. , Rittenhouse Matthew , Sandland Gregory J. , Koop Jennifer A. H.
Published: September 2018

In the Upper Mississippi River Region, invasive faucet snails (Bithynia tentaculata) and their trematode parasites have been implicated in more than 182 000 waterfowl deaths since 1996. Estimating transmission potential depends on accurate assessments of susceptible host population size. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying snail–host susceptibility in this system. Prior field studies suggest that very small, likely young, faucet snails are less suitable secondary intermediate hosts. Here, we test whether the patterns observed in the field are because small snails (1) are refractory to infection by cercariae, (2) die from infection and are removed from sampled populations, and/or (3) are not preferred by cercariae. Our own field collections were consistent with the observation that smaller faucet snails exhibit lower metacercarial infection prevalence and abundance than larger snails. However, laboratory-based experiments show that smaller snails were actually more susceptible to infection than larger snails. Moreover, the smallest snail size class had significantly higher mortality than larger snails following infection, which may explain their reduced infection levels observed in the field. Our study demonstrates the importance of pairing field and laboratory studies to better understand mechanisms underlying patterns of infection.
Psychological origins of the Industrial Revolution
Authors: Baumard Nicolas
Published: September 2018

Since the Industrial Revolution, human societies have experienced high and sustained rates of economic growth. Recent explanations of this sudden and massive change in economic history have held that modern growth results from an acceleration of innovation. But it is unclear why the rate of innovation drastically accelerated in England in the eighteenth century. An important factor might be the alteration of individual preferences with regard to innovation resulting from the unprecedented living standards of the English during that period, for two reasons. First, recent developments in economic history challenge the standard Malthusian view according to which living standards were stagnant until the Industrial Revolution. Pre-industrial England enjoyed a level of affluence that was unprecedented in history. Second, behavioral sciences have demonstrated that the human brain is designed to respond adaptively to variations in resources in the local environment. In particular, Life History Theory, a branch of evolutionary biology, suggests that a more favorable environment (high resources, low mortality) should trigger the expression of future-oriented preferences. In this paper, I argue that some of these psychological traits – a lower level of time discounting, a higher level of optimism, decreased materialistic orientation, and a higher level of trust in others – are likely to increase the rate of innovation. I review the evidence regarding the impact of affluence on preferences in contemporary as well as past populations, and conclude that the impact of affluence on neurocognitive systems may partly explain the modern acceleration of technological innovations and the associated economic growth.
Multi-Equal-Collision-Probability-Cure Method for Convex Polygon-shape Spacecraft Safe Proximity Manoeuvres
Authors: Yi Wang , Xiaoqian Chen , Dechao Ran , Yangwei Ou , Qing Ni , Yuzhu Bai
Published: September 2018

In this paper, the spacecraft close-range safe proximity problem is investigated. In the presence of a “chief” spacecraft, a Multi-Equal-Collision-Probability-Curve (MECPC) method is developed. The influence of the chief spacecraft with a convex polygon shape is considered and the chief spacecraft is divided into several small components. Each component generates a corresponding separate repulsive force and the superposition of these forces is regarded as the ultimate avoidance force. As a result, the proposed MECPC method not only improves the system robustness against control and navigation uncertainties but is also analytically validated in collision avoidance. The MECPC method solves the safe proximity problem in the presence of a convex polygon shape. In addition, an Improved Linear Quadratic Regulator (ILQR) is designed to track the expected trajectory. Numerical simulations are performed in a close-range operation environment to verify the effectiveness of the proposed MECPC method.
ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE MAXIMUM OF CUBIC EXPONENTIAL SUMS
Authors: Lamzouri Youness
Published: September 2018

In this paper, we investigate the distribution of the maximum of partial sums of certain cubic exponential sums, commonly known as ‘Birch sums’. Our main theorem gives upper and lower bounds (of nearly the same order of magnitude) for the distribution of large values of this maximum, that hold in a wide uniform range. This improves a recent result of Kowalski and Sawin. The proofs use a blend of probabilistic methods, harmonic analysis techniques, and deep tools from algebraic geometry. The results can also be generalized to other types of $\ell$-adic trace functions. In particular, the lower bound of our result also holds for partial sums of Kloosterman sums. As an application, we show that there exist $x\in [1,p]$ and $a\in \mathbb{F}_{p}^{\times }$ such that $|\sum _{n\leqslant x}\exp (2\unicode[STIX]{x1D70B}i(n^{3}+an)/p)|\geqslant (2/\unicode[STIX]{x1D70B}+o(1))\sqrt{p}\log \log p$. The uniformity of our results suggests that this bound is optimal, up to the value of the constant.
A NOTE ON COUNTABILITY
Authors: Epstein Richard L.
Published: September 2018

What do we mean by ‘countable’?
PREPAREDNESS REVISITED: CIVILIAN SOCIETIES AND THE CAMPAIGN FOR AMERICAN DEFENSE, 1914–1920
Authors: Franz Manuel
Published: September 2018

Civilian societies advocating a bold defense program were arguably the most visible manifestation of the American preparedness campaign in World War I. Though historians have acknowledged the significance of the broader preparedness movement in a number of studies, they have often marginalized its civilian branch in general and defense societies in particular. This article examines the structures, activities, and objectives of two major organizations active in the movement in order to challenge historiography's traditional view on preparedness. Exploring the key role of the National Security League and the American Defense Society between 1914 and 1920, the article presents two main arguments: First, civilian societies were not merely the appendix to a centralized campaign dominated by military professionals and politicians associated with the defense cause but acted as principal agents of preparedness. Second, the historiographic time frame of preparedness cannot be limited chronologically to America's years of neutrality but must include the period after April 1917.
Value-based provider payment: towards a theoretically preferred design
Authors: Cattel Daniëlle , Eijkenaar Frank , Schut Frederik T.
Published: September 2018

Worldwide, policymakers and purchasers are exploring innovative provider payment strategies promoting value in health care, known as value-based payments (VBP). What is meant by ‘value’, however, is often unclear and the relationship between value and the payment design is not explicated. This paper aims at: (1) identifying value dimensions that are ideally stimulated by VBP and (2) constructing a framework of a theoretically preferred VBP design. Based on a synthesis of both theoretical and empirical studies on payment incentives, we conclude that VBP should consist of two components: a relatively large base payment that implicitly stimulates value and a relatively small payment that explicitly rewards measurable aspects of value (pay-for-performance). Being the largest component, the base payment design is essential, but often neglected when it comes to VBP reform. We explain that this base payment ideally (1) is paid to a multidisciplinary provider group (2) for a cohesive set of care activities for a predefined population, (3) is fixed, (4) is adjusted for the population’s risk profile and (5) includes risk-mitigating measures. Finally, some important trade-offs in the practical operationalisation of VBP are discussed.
FITS Format for Planetary Surfaces: Definitions, Applications, and Best Practices
Authors: Marmo C. , Hare T. M. , Erard S. , Minin M. , Pineau F.‐X. , Zinzi A. , Cecconi B. , Rossi A. P.
Published: September 2018

Planetary science encompasses a broad number of research fields and brings together several research communities (geologists, astronomers, physicists, geochemists, etc.). Planetary missions produce an impressively growing amount of diverse data requiring an evolution from a mostly manual‐based visual analysis to a more automated and quantitative analysis. Interoperability, openness of data formats, and shared processing techniques are a necessity to efficiently extract scientific information from the data and to guarantee the reproducibility of the scientific results. Unfortunately, the technologies and data formats used by researchers for planetary surface studies and the field of astronomy diverged as these related, but almost completely isolated, domains evolved. In this paper we will describe how a small addition to the Flexible Image Transport System (FITS) standard, widely used in the astronomy investigations, will allow FITS to be more easily used in planetary surface investigations. We will also show how FITS metadata can easily be transformed in the Planetary Data System version 4 metadata archival model and lastly provide example implementations. More than imposing a formal data model, a FITS description for planetary data aims to simplify sharing data across the planetary and astronomy domains and promoting interoperability from raw data formatting to final visualization.
Modeling Trench Sediment‐Controlled Flow in Subduction Channels: Implications for the Topographic Evolution of the Central Andean Fore Arc
Authors: Cosentino N. J. , Morgan J. P. , Jordan T. E.
Published: September 2018

The high elevation of the onshore fore‐arc platform in northern Chile cannot be accounted for by previously proposed tectonic mechanisms such as coastal underplating and coseismic deformation, whose topographic effects are restricted to the coastal zone. Subduction channels have been recognized both in modern and fossil noncollisional convergent margins, yet their role on fore‐arc surface elevation has not been sufficiently explored. Long‐term viscoelastic flow in a strengthened, finite‐thickness subduction channel promotes coupled offshore fore‐arc subsidence and onshore fore‐arc platform uplift. We propose that the onset of protracted hyperaridity in the coastal zone of northern Chile starved the trench of sediments, inducing a rise in shear stress at the top of the subduction channel sufficient to trigger hundreds of meters of uplift of the onshore fore‐arc basin surface, most of which took place by the middle Miocene. This is consistent with latitudinal correlations between coastal precipitation, trench sediment thickness and onshore fore‐arc topography along the Chilean margin, and with available paleoclimatic and paleotopographic evidence in northern Chile.
Up to What Extent Can We Characterize Ocean Eddies Using Present‐Day Gridded Altimetric Products?
Authors: Amores Angel , Jordà Gabriel , Arsouze Thomas , Le Sommer Julien
Published: September 2018

The most common methodology used to detect and characterize mesoscale eddies in the global ocean is to analyze altimetry‐based sea‐level gridded products with an automatic eddy detection and tracking algorithm. However, a careful look at the location of altimetry tracks shows that their separation is often larger than the Rossby radius of deformation. This implies that gridded products based on the information obtained along track would potentially be unable to characterize the mesoscale variability and, in particular, the eddy field. In this study, we analyze up to what extent sea‐level gridded products are able to characterize mesoscale eddies with a special focus on the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. In order to perform this task, we have generated synthetic sea level anomaly maps using along‐track data extracted from realistic high‐resolution ocean model simulations and applying an optimal interpolation procedure. Then, we have used an eddy detection and tracking algorithm to the gridded synthetic product and to the original model outputs and compared the characteristics of the resulting eddy fields. Our results suggest that gridded products largely underestimate the density of eddies, capturing only between 6% and 16% of the total number of eddies. The main reason is that the spatial resolution of the gridded products is not enough to capture the small‐scale eddies that are the most abundant. Also, the unresolved structures are aliased into larger structures in the gridded products, so those products show an unrealistic number of large eddies with overestimated amplitudes.
Three‐Dimensional Turbulence‐Resolving Modeling of the Venusian Cloud Layer and Induced Gravity Waves: Inclusion of Complete Radiative Transfer and Wind Shear
Authors: Lefèvre M. , Lebonnois S. , Spiga A.
Published: September 2018

Venus' convective cloud layers and associated gravity waves strongly impact the local and global budget of heat, momentum, and chemical species. Here we use for the first time three‐dimensional turbulence‐resolving dynamical integrations of Venus' atmosphere from the surface to 100‐km altitude, coupled with fully interactive radiative transfer computations. We show that this enables to correctly reproduce the vertical position (46‐ to 55‐km altitude) and thickness (9 km) of the main convective cloud layer measured by Venus Express and Akatsuki radio occultations, as well as the intensity of convective plumes (3 m/s) measured by VEGA balloons. Both the radiative forcing in the visible and the large‐scale dynamical impact play a role in the variability of the cloud convective activity with local time and latitude. Our model reproduces the diurnal cycle in cloud convection observed by Akatsuki at the low latitudes and the lack thereof observed by Venus Express at the equator. The observed enhancement of cloud convection at high latitudes is simulated by our model, although underestimated compared to observations. We show that the influence of the vertical shear of horizontal superrotating winds must be accounted for in our model to allow for gravity waves of the observed intensity (>1 K) and horizontal wavelength (up to 20 km) to be generated through the obstacle effect mechanism. The vertical extent of our model also allows us to predict for the first time a 7‐km‐thick convective layer at the cloud top (70‐km altitude) caused by the solar absorption of the unknown ultraviolet absorber.
The Enigma of Being Yourself: A Critical Examination of the Concept of Authenticity
Authors: Jongman-Sereno Katrina P. , Leary Mark R.
Published: September 2018

As the term is typically used, authenticity refers to the degree to which a particular behavior is congruent with a person’s attitudes, beliefs, values, motives, and other dispositions. However, researchers disagree regarding the best way to conceptualize and measure authenticity, whether being authentic is always desirable, why people are motivated to be authentic, and the nature of the relationship between authenticity and psychological well-being. In this article, we examine existing views of authenticity, identify questionable assumptions about the concept of authenticity, and discuss issues regarding subjective feelings of inauthenticity, the implications of authenticity for psychological and social well-being, and the importance that people place on being authentic.
Authenticity in Context: Being True to Working Selves
Authors: Chen Serena
Published: September 2018

The core premise of this article is that it is scientifically informative and psychologically meaningful to conceptualize and assess authenticity in context. I begin by providing some theoretical background on the nature of the self-concept, highlighting how the self-concept is composed of a collection of selves, with different selves activated and therefore at play in different contexts. This basic fact, that the self-concept is both multifaceted and malleable, implies that authenticity is a construct that requires study at a contextual level. I illustrate this by reviewing theory and findings from 3 areas of research, incorporating studies from my laboratory throughout. These areas are (a) authenticity in the context of close relationships; (b) authenticity in hierarchical contexts, wherein one occupies a lower versus higher position of social power; and (c) authenticity in relation to the larger cultural context. Finally, I address a number of issues and questions that arise when considering authenticity in context and propose a number of directions for future research on the context-specific nature of authenticity.
The antibacterial efficacy of a foam mouthwash and its ability to remove biofilms
Authors: Jones Siân B. , West Nicola X. , Nesmiyanov Pavel P. , Krylov Sergey E. , Klechkovskaya Vera V. , Arkharova Natalya A. , Zakirova Svetlana A.
Published: September 2018

Objectives/Aims

To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of a newly developed foam mouthwash containing a modified lactoperoxidase system in vitro.

Materials and methods

Biofilms of five bacterial species were developed on hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces whilst salivary-based biofilm was grown on tooth enamel. Each surface was exposed to the foam mouthwash or saline in vitro. Optical density and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to determine retention of the biofilm following 5 or 30 s exposure time.

Results

The foam mouthwash was active against biofilms formed by S. aureus, K. rhizophila, M. thailandicus, E. coli, and C. violaceum and eliminated significant amount of biofilm from each surface; immature 4 h biofilm was less resistant than 24 h biofilm. A 30 s rinse showed best performance, with removal of up to 66% of biofilm from the hydrophilic surface. SEM imaging confirmed oral biofilm removal from the enamel surface after a 5 s rinse with the foam mouthwash.

Discussion

Foam mouthwash demonstrated a significant impact on growing biofilm when compared against saline solution. Growing biofilms were more susceptible to the action of the foam mouthwash, which justifies after-meal use of the mouthwash when traditional dentifrices may not be accessible.

Conclusions

Foam mouthwash can be a convenient on-the-go format of oral care products that can be used after meals or when needed to reduce the risk of biofilm-associated oral conditions.
Bi-directional cell-pericellular matrix interactions direct stem cell fate
Authors: Ferreira Silvia A. , Motwani Meghna S. , Faull Peter A. , Seymour Alexis J. , Yu Tracy T. L. , Enayati Marjan , Taheem Dheraj K. , Salzlechner Christoph , Haghighi Tabasom , Kania Ewa M. , Oommen Oommen P. , Ahmed Tarek , Loaiza Sandra , Parzych Katarzyna , Dazzi Francesco , Varghese Oommen P. , Festy Frederic , Grigoriadis Agamemnon E. , Auner Holger W. , Snijders Ambrosius P. , Bozec Laurent , Gentleman Eileen
Published: September 2018

Modifiable hydrogels have revealed tremendous insight into how physical characteristics of cells’ 3D environment drive stem cell lineage specification. However, in native tissues, cells do not passively receive signals from their niche. Instead they actively probe and modify their pericellular space to suit their needs, yet the dynamics of cells’ reciprocal interactions with their pericellular environment when encapsulated within hydrogels remains relatively unexplored. Here, we show that human bone marrow stromal cells (hMSC) encapsulated within hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels modify their surroundings by synthesizing, secreting and arranging proteins pericellularly or by degrading the hydrogel. hMSC’s interactions with this local environment have a role in regulating hMSC fate, with a secreted proteinaceous pericellular matrix associated with adipogenesis, and degradation with osteogenesis. Our observations suggest that hMSC participate in a bi-directional interplay between the properties of their 3D milieu and their own secreted pericellular matrix, and that this combination of interactions drives fate.
Ancient proteins from ceramic vessels at Çatalhöyük West reveal the hidden cuisine of early farmers
Authors: Hendy Jessica , Colonese Andre C. , Franz Ingmar , Fernandes Ricardo , Fischer Roman , Orton David , Lucquin Alexandre , Spindler Luke , Anvari Jana , Stroud Elizabeth , Biehl Peter F. , Speller Camilla , Boivin Nicole , Mackie Meaghan , Jersie-Christensen Rosa R. , Olsen Jesper V. , Collins Matthew J. , Craig Oliver E. , Rosenstock Eva
Published: September 2018

The analysis of lipids (fats, oils and waxes) absorbed within archaeological pottery has revolutionized the study of past diets and culinary practices. However, this technique can lack taxonomic and tissue specificity and is often unable to disentangle signatures resulting from the mixing of different food products. Here, we extract ancient proteins from ceramic vessels from the West Mound of the key early farming site of Çatalhöyük in Anatolia, revealing that this community processed mixes of cereals, pulses, dairy and meat products, and that particular vessels may have been reserved for specialized foods (e.g., cow milk and milk whey). Moreover, we demonstrate that dietary proteins can persist on archaeological artefacts for at least 8000 years, and that this approach can reveal past culinary practices with more taxonomic and tissue-specific clarity than has been possible with previous biomolecular techniques.
Turning a native or corroded Mg alloy surface into an anti-corrosion coating in excited CO2
Authors: Wang Yuecun , Liu Boyu , Zhao Xin’ai , Zhang Xionghu , Miao Yucong , Yang Nan , Yang Bo , Zhang Liqiang , Kuang Wenjun , Li Ju , Ma Evan , Shan Zhiwei
Published: September 2018

Despite their energy-efficient merits as promising light-weight structural materials, magnesium (Mg) based alloys suffer from inadequate corrosion resistance. One primary reason is that the native surface film on Mg formed in air mainly consists of Mg(OH)2 and MgO, which is porous and unprotective, especially in humid environments. Here, we demonstrate an environmentally benign method to grow a protective film on the surface of Mg/Mg alloy samples at room temperature, via a direct reaction of already-existing surface film with excited CO2. Moreover, for samples that have been corroded obviously on surface, the corrosion products can be converted directly to create a new protective surface. Mechanical tests show that compared with untreated samples, the protective layer can elevate the yield stress, suppress plastic instability and prolong compressive strains without peeling off from the metal surface. This environmentally friendly surface treatment method is promising to protect Mg alloys, including those already-corroded on the surface.
Coherently driven microcavity-polaritons and the question of superfluidity
Authors: Juggins R. T. , Keeling J. , Szymańska M. H.
Published: September 2018

Due to their driven-dissipative nature, photonic quantum fluids present new challenges in understanding superfluidity. Some associated effects have been observed, and notably the report of nearly dissipationless flow for coherently driven microcavity-polaritons was taken as a smoking gun for superflow. Here, we show that the superfluid response—the difference between responses to longitudinal and transverse forces—is zero for coherently driven polaritons. This is a consequence of the gapped excitation spectrum caused by external phase locking. Furthermore, while a normal component exists at finite pump momentum, the remainder forms a rigid state that is unresponsive to either longitudinal or transverse perturbations. Interestingly, the total response almost vanishes when the real part of the excitation spectrum has a linear dispersion, which was the regime investigated experimentally. This suggests that the observed suppression of scattering should be interpreted as a sign of this new rigid state and not a superfluid.
Voice-selective prediction alterations in nonclinical voice hearers
Authors: Pinheiro Ana P. , Schwartze Michael , Kotz Sonja A.
Published: September 2018

Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) are a cardinal symptom of psychosis but also occur in 6–13% of the general population. Voice perception is thought to engage an internal forward model that generates predictions, preparing the auditory cortex for upcoming sensory feedback. Impaired processing of sensory feedback in vocalization seems to underlie the experience of AVH in psychosis, but whether this is the case in nonclinical voice hearers remains unclear. The current study used electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate whether and how hallucination predisposition (HP) modulates the internal forward model in response to self-initiated tones and self-voices. Participants varying in HP (based on the Launay-Slade Hallucination Scale) listened to self-generated and externally generated tones or self-voices. HP did not affect responses to self vs. externally generated tones. However, HP altered the processing of the self-generated voice: increased HP was associated with increased pre-stimulus alpha power and increased N1 response to the self-generated voice. HP did not affect the P2 response to voices. These findings confirm that both prediction and comparison of predicted and perceived feedback to a self-generated voice are altered in individuals with AVH predisposition. Specific alterations in the processing of self-generated vocalizations may establish a core feature of the psychosis continuum.
Absence of Parallel Fibre to Purkinje Cell LTD During Eyeblink Conditioning
Authors: Johansson Fredrik , Jirenhed Dan-Anders , Rasmussen Anders , Zucca Riccardo , Hesslow Germund
Published: September 2018

Long-term depression (LTD) of parallel fibre/Purkinje cell synapses has been the favoured explanation for cerebellar motor learning such as classical eyeblink conditioning. Previous evidence against this interpretation has been contested. Here we wanted to test whether a classical conditioning protocol causes LTD. We applied a conditioning protocol, using a train of electrical pulses to the parallel fibres as the conditional stimulus. In order to rule out indirect effects caused by antidromic granule cell activation or output from Purkinje cells that might produce changes in Purkinje cell responsiveness, we focused the analysis on the first pulse in the conditional stimulus, that is, before any indirect effects would have time to occur. Purkinje cells learned to respond with a firing pause to the conditional stimulus. Yet, there was no depression of parallel fibre excitation after training.
CLIC1 and CLIC4 complement CA125 as a diagnostic biomarker panel for all subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancer
Authors: Singha Bipradeb , Harper Sandra L. , Goldman Aaron R. , Bitler Benjamin G. , Aird Katherine M. , Borowsky Mark E. , Cadungog Mark G. , Liu Qin , Zhang Rugang , Jean Stephanie , Drapkin Ronny , Speicher David W.
Published: September 2018

New plasma and tissue biomarkers of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) could improve early diagnosis and post-diagnosis clinical management. Here we investigated tissue staining and tissue secretion of CLIC1 and CLIC4 across EOC subtypes. CLIC1 and CLIC4 are two promising biomarkers we previously showed were elevated in EOC patient sera. Individually, CLIC1 or CLIC4 stained larger percentages of malignant tumors across all EOC subtypes compared with CA125, particularly early stage and mucinous tumors. CLIC4 also stained benign tumors but staining was limited to nuclei; whereas malignant tumors showed diffuse cellular staining of stromal and tumor cells. Both proteins were shed by all EOC subtypes tumors in short term organ culture at more consistent levels than CA125, supporting their potential as pan-subtype serum and tissue biomarkers. Elevated CLIC4 expression, but not CLIC1 expression, was a negative indicator of patient survival, and CLIC4 knockdown in cultured cells decreased cell proliferation and migration indicating a potential role in tumor progression. These results suggest CLIC1 and CLIC4 are promising serum and tissue biomarkers as well as potential therapeutic targets for all EOC subtypes. This justifies development of high throughput serum/plasma biomarker assays to evaluate utility of a biomarker panel consisting of CLIC1, CLIC4 and CA125.
Complex rice systems to improve rice yield and yield stability in the face of variable weather conditions
Authors: Khumairoh Uma , Lantinga Egbert A. , Schulte Rogier P. O. , Suprayogo Didik , Groot Jeroen C. J.
Published: September 2018

Extreme weather events and pest outbreaks decrease rice yields and increase their variability, presenting challenges for the agricultural agenda to increase rice productivity and yield stability in Asia. The integration of azolla, fish and ducks has been shown to create robust systems that maintain high yields under heavy rainfall, but no clear evidence exists that rice yields in these systems are stable across locations and throughout time under divergent weather conditions. We show that the introduction of additional elements into the rice cropping system enhanced the adaptive capacity to extreme weather events across four locations and three cropping cycles. The complex system showed both static and dynamic stability, and had the highest reliability index, thereby outperforming the conventional and organic monoculture systems. The complex rice system design provides a promising example for resilience towards the impacts of climate change on rice production and for safeguarding food security in Asia and beyond.
Novel millimeter-wave-based method for in situ cell isolation and other applications
Authors: Boyce Barney , Samsonova Natalia
Published: September 2018

As an alternative to laser-based methods, we developed a novel in situ cell isolation method and instrument based on local water absorption of millimeter wave (MMW) radiation that occurs in cellular material and nearby culture medium while the cultureware materials (plastic and glass) are transparent to MMW frequencies. Unwanted cells within cell population are targeted with MMWs in order to kill them by overheating. The instrument rapidly (within 2–3 seconds) heats a cell culture area of about 500 µm in diameter to 50 °C using a low-power W-band (94 GHz) MMW source. Heated cells in the area detach from the substrate and can be removed by a media change leaving a bare spot. Hence we named the instrument “CellEraser”. Quick, local and non-contact heating with sharp boundaries of the heated area allows elimination of the unwanted cells without affecting the neighboring cells. The instrument is implemented as a compact microscope attachment and the selective hyperthermic treatment can be done manually or in an automated mode. Mammalian cells heated even momentarily above 50 °C will not survive. This “temperature of no return” does not compromise cellular membranes nor does it denature proteins. Using the CellEraser instrument we found that the key event that determines the fate of a cell at elevated temperatures is whether or not the selectivity of its nucleus is compromised. If a cell nucleus becomes “leaky” allowing normally excluded (cytoplasmic) proteins in and normally nuclear-localized proteins out, that cell is destined to die. Quick heating by MMWs to higher temperatures (70 °C) denatures cellular proteins but the cells are not able to detach from the substrate – instead they undergo a phenomenon we called “thermofixation”: such cells look similar to cells fixed with common chemical fixatives. They remain flat and are not washable from the substrate. Interestingly, their membranes become permeable to DNA dyes and even to antibodies. Thermofixation allows the use of western blot antibodies for immunofluorescence imaging.
MR imaging of subaortic and retroesophageal anomalous courses of the left brachiocephalic vein in the fetus
Authors: Dong Su-Zhen , Zhu Ming
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this study was to report fetal cases of subaortic and retroesophageal anomalous courses of the left brachiocephalic vein (LBCV) evaluated by fetal cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A retrospective review of 7282 fetal cardiac MRI from June 2006 to March 2017, nine cases of anomalous courses of the LBCV were correctly diagnosed by fetal cardiac MRI, one case of abnormal subaortic left brachiocephalic vein (ASLBV) missed by fetal MRI was identified postnatally during further imaging of the TOF. The diagnosis was confirmed postnatally by cardiac CT/MRI. An ASLBV was found in 8 cases, a retroesophageal LBCV was found in 2 additional cases with right aortic arch and aberrant left subclavian artery. 3 of 8 ASLBV cases were with a right aortic arch, 4 ASLBV cases had additional cardiovascular anomalies with one case isolated. 7 of 8 ASLBV and 2 retroesophageal LBCV were correctly diagnosed by fetal cardiac MRI; however fetal cardiac MRI missed 2 cases of associated pulmonary atresia (PA). Prenatal echocardiography (echo) correctly diagnosed five ASLBV and one retroesophageal LBCV as well as associated intracardiac anomalies. Fetal cardiac MRI can be a useful adjunct in the identification of subaortic and retroesophageal anomalous courses of the LBCV prenatally.