bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prospective instrumental evaluation of swallowing, tongue function, and QOL measures following transoral robotic surgery alone without adjuvant therapy
Authors: Lazarus Cathy L. , Ganz Cindy , Ru Meng , Miles Brett A. , Kotz Tamar , Chai Raymond L.
Published: December 2018

Background

Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has been utilized to deintensify treatment. No studies have measured swallow safety and efficiency, nor assessed the functional impact of TORS alone.

Methods

This prospective cohort underwent baseline and 1‐month postsurgery assessments including modified barium swallow evaluation, using the Dynamic Imaging Grade of Swallowing Toxicity (DIGEST) rating system, tongue range of motion assessment, the Performance Status Scale (PSS), and quality of life with the MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI).

Results

All DIGEST safety scores were 0 (normal) at both time points. DIGEST efficiency scores were mildly impaired in 2 of 10 patients postsurgery. PSS scores revealed all patients were on regular diets, were 100% understandable, and were eating in public at both time points. Tongue Range of Motion scores were 100 of 100 at both time points. MDADI scores were not significantly different across time points.

Conclusions

Careful identification of patients can result in excellent outcomes following TORS. Future studies will examine longer follow‐up of speech, swallowing, and tongue function in patients undergoing TORS surgery.
Genetic polymorphisms of miRNA let7a‐2 and pri‐mir‐34b/c are associated with an increased risk of papillary thyroid carcinoma and clinical/pathological features
Authors: Heidari Zahra , Mohammadpour‐Gharehbagh Abbas , Eskandari Moein , Harati‐Sadegh Mahdiyeh , Salimi Saeedeh
Published: December 2018

microRNAs (miRNAs) as a group of short noncoding RNAs are crucial molecules in transcriptional and translational regulation of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Evidence showed there was an association between the miRNA polymorphisms and various cancers, including papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The present study aims to evaluate the possible effects of let7a‐2 rs1143770 and pri‐mir‐34b/c rs4938723 polymorphisms on PTC susceptibility. A total of 120 patients with PTC and 130 age, sex, and race matched controls were enrolled in the case‐control study. The polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism method was used for genotyping of let7a‐2 rs1143770 and pri‐mir‐34b/c rs4938723 polymorphisms. The let7a‐2 rs1143770 CT and TT genotypes were associated with a 1.9‐fold and 2.2‐fold higher risk of PTC, respectively (P = 0.027 and P = 0.041). Moreover, the let7a‐2 rs1143770 polymorphism was associated with increased PTC risk in both dominant (2‐fold, P = 0.015) and the allelic model (1.5‐fold, P = 0.03). The frequency of pri‐mir‐34b/c rs4938723TC genotype was significantly higher in patients with PTC and associated with a two‐fold higher risk of PTC (P = 0.013). In addition, this polymorphism was associated with a 1.8‐fold increased risk of PTC in dominant model (P = 0.021). The let7a‐2 rs1143770CT genotype was associated with a 3.5‐fold increased risk of N1 stage in PTC patients (P = 0.04), however, pri‐mir‐34b/c rs4938723TC genotype was associated with a 3.4‐fold and 5.1‐fold increased risk of III‐IV stage and vascular invasion in PTC group, respectively (P = 0.04 and P = 0.04). In conclusion, the present study shows that let7a‐2 rs1143770 and pri‐mir‐34b/c rs4938723 polymorphisms could be susceptible factors for PTC and some clinical features.
PAR2 promotes M1 macrophage polarization and inflammation via FOXO1 pathway
Authors: Chen Liang , Gao Beiyao , Zhang Yadong , Lu Hanyu , Li Xiaobo , Pan Luanfeng , Yin Lianhua , Zhi Xiuling
Published: December 2018

Macrophages polarization plays essential but different roles in most diseases such as atherosclerosis, adipose tissue inflammation, and insulin resistance. Our previous study revealed that protease‐activated receptor 2 (PAR2), a G‐protein coupled receptor influenced macrophage function, but little is known regarding the regulation of macrophage polarization process and its potential mechanisms. In the present study, bone marrow–derived macrophages (BMDM) isolated from C57/BL6 mice and cultured with L929‐conditional medium and murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7 were used to study the function of PAR2 activation in vitro. BMDM was stimulated by the small molecular PAR2 agonist, 2‐furoyl‐LIGRLO‐amide trifluoroacetate salt, followed by transcription factor microarray to screen the significantly activated signaling pathways under PAR2 activation. Western blot analysis, quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) was used to evaluate the expression of targeted genes and transcription factors. Immunofluorescence was used to observe the subcellular distribution of transcription factors. Our results demonstrated that M1‐like polarization was presented by PAR2 agonist treatment with significant upregulation of interleukin‐1β, interleukin‐6, monocyte chemotactic protein‐1, and tumor necrosis factor‐α in BMDM and RAW264.7. Microarray identified forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) was significantly increased under PAR2 agonist stimulation, which was confirmed by qPCR and Western blot analysis. Immunofluorescence demonstrated that increased FOXO1 accumulated in the nucleus, which is necessary to promote transcription for targeted genes. We further knocked down FOXO1 expression using small interfering RNA, which alleviated PAR2‐induced proinflammatory gene expression. The PAR2/FOXO1 pathway mediated stimulation of proinflammatory genes was further confirmed by tryptase, an endogenous ligand of PAR2. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that PAR2 activation–induced M1 polarization and inflammation through the FOXO1‐dependent pathway.
Exploring the mediating role of self‐blame and coping in the relationships between self‐compassion and distress in females following the sexual assault
Authors: Hamrick Lauren A. , Owens Gina P.
Published: December 2018

Objective

The present study investigated the associations between self‐compassion, self‐blame, disengagement coping, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptom severity among females who had experienced sexual assault. We also examined whether the relationships between self‐compassion and both PTSD and depression severity were mediated by self‐blame and coping.

Method

A volunteer sample of female adults (N = 207) completed surveys online or on paper.

Results

Mediational analyses showed that higher self‐compassion was associated with lower behavioral self‐blame, characterological self‐blame (CSB), and disengagement coping which, in turn, were associated with less PTSD. Higher self‐compassion was associated with less depression severity directly and indirectly via CSB.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that self‐compassion may be relevant for understanding postassault mental health, partially through its associations with self‐blame and coping. Clinicians working with sexual assault survivors may choose to augment treatment‐as‐usual with interventions designed to increase self‐compassion.
Hereditary breast cancer; Genetic penetrance and current status with BRCA
Authors: Mahdavi Morteza , Nassiri Mohammadreza , Kooshyar Mohammad Mahdi , Vakili‐Azghandi Masoume , Avan Amir , Sandry Ryan , Pillai Suja , Lam Alfred King‐yin , Gopalan Vinod
Published: December 2018

The most important cause of developing hereditary breast cancer is germline mutations occurring in breast cancer (BCs) susceptibility genes, for example, BRCA1, BRCA2, TP53, CHEK2, PTEN, ATM, and PPM1D. Many BC susceptibility genes can be grouped into two classes, high‐ and low‐penetrance genes, each of which interact with multiple genes and environmental factors. However, the penetrance of genes can also be represented by a spectrum, which ranges between high and low. Two of the most common susceptibility genes are BRCA1 and BRCA2, which perform vital cellular functions for repair of homologous DNA. Loss of heterozygosity accompanied by hereditary mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 increases chromosomal instability and the likelihood of cancer, as well as playing a key role in stimulating malignant transformation. With regard to pathological features, familial breast cancers caused by BRCA1 mutations usually differ from those caused by BRCA2 mutations and nonfamilial BCs. It is essential to acquire an understanding of these pathological features along with the genetic history of the patient to offer an individualized treatment. Germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the main genetic and inherited factors for breast and ovarian cancer. In fact, these mutations are very important in developing early onset and increasing the risk of familial breast and ovarian cancer and responsible for 90% of hereditary BC cases. Therefore, according to the conducted studies, screening of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes is recommended as an important marker for early detection of all patients with breast or ovarian cancer risk with family history of the disease. In this review, we summarize the role of hereditary genes, mainly BRCA1 and BRCA2, in BC.
Identification of microRNAs related to myocardial ischemic reperfusion injury
Authors: Liu Kang , Ma Li , Zhou Fang , Yang Yingcong , Hu Hai‐Bo , Wang Long , Zhong Liang
Published: December 2018

Previous studies have suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) are associated with the progression of myocardial ischemic reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, inconsistent results have been obtained due to the differences in sequencing platform, control selection, and filtering conditions. To explore the key miRNAs in the pathogenesis of myocardial I/R injury and develop miRNA diagnostic biomarkers for myocardial I/R injury prevention, we performed a systematic analysis of publicly available myocardial I/R injury miRNA expression data and investigated the function of the signature miRNA. A total of 17 representative myocardial I/R injury miRNA datasets were extracted from the Google Scholar website and a systematic bioinformatics analysis was done. TargetScan software was used to predict the miRNA target genes, and functional enrichment and transcription factor binding analyses were performed on the target genes using the DAVID and Tfacts databases. In this study, a total of 10 signature miRNAs associated with myocardial I/R injury were identified, which included eight significantly upregulated miRNAs (miR‐let‐7b‐3p, miR‐let‐7c‐3p, miR‐15b‐3p, miR‐195‐3p, miR‐21‐5p, miR‐214‐5p, miR‐24‐3p, and miR‐320a) and two significantly downregulated miRNAs (miR‐126‐5p and miR‐499a‐5p). They had different influences on myocardial I/R injury. The upregulated target gene‐expressing signature messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were mainly involved in the transcriptional regulation process of GO: 0000122, negative regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter, and so on, while downregulated expression of signature mRNAs was mainly involved in GO:0070534, protein K63‐linked ubiquitination, and so forth. To summarize, 10 signature miRNAs of myocardial I/R injury pathogenesis were identified and their target genes and transcription factors were revealed, suggesting the potential novel therapeutic targets for myocardial I/R injury.
Downregulation of long noncoding RNA DGCR5 contributes to the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer by activating Wnt signaling pathway
Authors: Liu Yun , Chang Yue , Lu Shuxiong , Xiang Yuan‐Yuan
Published: December 2018

Accumulating research works have reported that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in various cancers, including cervical cancer. LncRNA DGCR5 has been identified in many cancers. However, the biological role of DGCR5 in cervical cancer remains barely known. We aimed to investigate the biological function of DGCR5 in cervical cancer progression. Here, in our current study, we observed that DGCR5 was downregulated in human cervical cancer cell lines (MS751, SiHa, HeLa, and HT‐3) compared with the primary normal cervical squamous cells (NCSC1 and NCSC2). Then, DGCR5 was restrained by transfection with lenti‐virus‐short hairpin RNA (LV‐shRNA) while induced by LV‐DGCR5 in HeLa and C33A cells. Silence of DGCR5 obviously induced cervical cancer cell viability and cell proliferation. Reversely, upregulation of DGCR5 inhibited HeLa and C33A cell survival and proliferation. Furthermore, silencing of DGCR5 increased cervical cancer cell colony formation ability and decreased cell apoptosis, whereas its overexpression exhibited an opposite process. Moreover, DGCR5 suppressed migration and invasion capacity of cervical cancer cells. The Wnt signaling is integral in numerous biological processes. Here, we found that Wnt signaling was strongly activated in cervical cancer cells. Downregulation of DGCR5 contributed to cervical cancer progression by activating Wnt signaling. Subsequently, in vivo animal models were used to confirm that DGCR5 suppressed cervical cancer via targeting Wnt signaling. In conclusion, we reported that DGCR5 was involved in cervical cancer progression via modulating the Wnt pathway.
Pronounced extended duration of tropical cyclone quiescent periods over the western North Pacific in the super El Niño decaying years
Authors: Wang Qian , Zhai Panmao
Published: December 2018

This study investigated the relationship between the duration of the western North Pacific (WNP) tropical cyclone (TC) quiescent periods (no TC in the period) and the super El Niño events during 1951–2016. The results show that the average duration of the TC quiescent period (DTCQP) is shorter (90 days) during super El Niño developing (EN) years, compared with the 1951–2016 mean DTCQP (105 days). However, in the four super El Niño decaying (EN + 1) years, the DTCQP is about 200 days, which is much longer than the 1951–2016 mean DTCQP. Further study suggests that the delayed super El Niño impacts on the DTCQP in the year following the El Niño peak is due to the persistence of the WNP anomalous anticyclone (WNPAC), which is enhanced during the mature phase of El Niño but maintained through the subsequent spring and summer. The anomalous development and persistence of the WNPAC significantly influences the monsoon trough activity, which leads to delayed and weak development of the monsoon trough in the summer of super EN + 1 years. From April to June of the super EN + 1 years, there is almost no monsoon trough activity over the WNP and the large‐scale environmental conditions are unfavourable for TC genesis. In contrast, from April to June in the super EN years, the WNP is dominated by anomalous cyclonic circulation, which leads to early and strong development of the monsoon trough. The intensified and eastwards extended monsoon trough seems to coincide with favourable environmental conditions for TC genesis.
Hepatoprotective effect of chiisanoside from Acanthopanax sessiliflorus against LPS/D‐GalN‐induced acute liver injury by inhibiting NF‐κB and activating Nrf2/HO‐1 signaling pathways
Authors: Bian Xingbo , Liu Xiaofeng , Liu Jinping , Zhao Yan , Li Haijun , Zhang Lianxue , Li Pingya , Gao Yugang
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND

In China, Acanthopanax sessiliflorus is a delicious wild vegetable. It is also used to treat inflammation and pain. Chiisanoside (CSS) is the main constituent of the leaf of A. sessiliflorus. Combined use of lipopolysaccharide and d‐galactosamine (LPS/D‐GalN) can induce acute liver failure in human beings, and there are no reports on the protective effect of CSS against LPS/D‐GalN‐induced acute liver injury in mice.

RESULTS

Chiisanoside pretreatment evidently reduced the activities of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) in the changes induced by LPS/D‐GalN, and these histopathological changes induced by LPS/GalN were significantly weakened. Catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities increased, and malondialdehyde (MDA) activity decreased after CSS treatment compared with LPS/D‐GalN treatment. Pretreatment with CSS also inhibited the expression levels of inflammatory factors. The administration of CSS prevented the phosphorylated expression of inhibitor kappa B (IκB) kinase, and led to a significant increase in heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) expression and nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor2 (Nrf2) nuclear translocation.

CONCLUSION

The protective effects of CSS are attributed to its antioxidative effect and inflammatory suppression in Nuclear factor kappa beta (NF‐κB) and Nrf2/HO‐1 signaling pathways. Chiisanoside might therefore be a potential ingredient for drug and food development against acute liver injury in the future. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Feasibility study on direct fermentation of soybean meal by Bacillus stearothermophilus under non‐sterile conditions
Authors: Wu Ping , Guo Yiting , Golly Moses Kwaku , Ma Haile , He Ronghai , Luo Shilong , Zhang Cheng , Zhang Liuping , Zhu Jinhua
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the feasibility of high‐temperature solid‐state fermentation (SSF) using soybean meal (SBM) during the non‐sterile process, Bacillus stearothermophilus was employed to assess the nutritional quality and bioactivity of SBM after fermentation.

RESULTS

The fermented SBM (FSBM) without autoclaving showed significant improvements in nutritional quality and bioactivity. The contents of peptides and crude and soluble proteins increased by 131.21%, 5.3% and 15.52%, respectively. Meanwhile, DPPH (2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl) scavenging ability, reducing ability and hydroxyl free radical‐scavenging activity rose by 57.07%, 238.92% and 368.26%, respectively. The inhibitory activity of angiotensin I‐converting enzyme increased from 1.43 ± 0.83% to 26.89 ± 1.03%, while the trypsin inhibitor activity decreased by 74.05%. The contents of neutral and alkaline proteases and the growth of microorganisms in FSBM without autoclaving were higher and better than in steam‐treated FSBM. After steam treatment, the water‐holding capacity of SBM decreased, and a high crosslink density was observed on the surface of SBM particles.

CONCLUSIONS

It is feasible to ferment SBM by high‐temperature SSF using B. stearothermophilus under non‐sterile conditions. Adverse effects of SSF using sterile SBM might be owing to the low water‐holding capacity caused by autoclaving. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Prey selection by larval northern pike (Esox lucius) exposed to different zooplankton assemblages representing seasonally flooded wetland and nearshore bay habitats
Authors: Massa Ericka A. , Farrell John M.
Published: December 2018

A prey selection experiment was designed to investigate whether northern pike larvae, at swim‐up and advanced stages, select similar zooplankton prey in seasonally flooded wetlands and nearshore littoral zones, which represent primary St. Lawrence River northern pike spawning habitats. At first exogenous feeding, naïve swim‐up larvae exposed to both wetland and nearshore zooplankton were generalist consumers, feeding primarily on cyclopoid copepods and small cladocerans. No positive selection was observed for any prey taxa. Advanced larvae began to exhibit positive selection for large cladocerans. Significantly larger‐sized prey were consumed by advanced larvae given wetland vs. nearshore zooplankton. Large cladocerans made up a greater proportion of the assemblage originating from seasonally flooded wetlands vs. nearshore habitats, and may explain the difference in size selectivity. Our laboratory experiment suggests pike hatched in wetland environments have greater access to preferred, large cladoceran prey, and differences in spatial and temporal spawning distributions may have important implications for zooplankton availability and hence food consumption during the critical larval period.
Cable bacteria promote DNRA through iron sulfide dissolution
Authors: Kessler Adam J. , Wawryk Michaela , Marzocchi Ugo , Roberts Keryn L. , Wong Wei Wen , Risgaard‐Petersen Nils , Meysman Filip J. R. , Glud Ronnie N. , Cook Perran L. M.
Published: December 2018

Cable bacteria represent a newly discovered group of filamentous microorganisms, which are capable of spatially separating the oxidative and reductive half‐reactions of their sulfide‐oxidizing metabolisms over centimeter distances. We investigated three ways that cable bacteria might interact with the nitrogen (N) cycle: (1) by reducing nitrate through denitrification or dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) within their cathodic cells; (2) by nitrifying ammonium within their anodic cells; and (3) by indirectly affecting denitrification and/or DNRA by changing the Fe2+ concentration in the surrounding sediment. We performed 15N labeling laboratory experiments to measure these three processes using cable bacteria containing sediments from the Yarra River, Australia, and from Vilhelmsborg Sø, Denmark. Our results revealed that in the targeted systems, cable bacteria themselves did not perform significant rates of denitrification, DNRA, or nitrification. However, cable bacteria exhibited an important indirect effect, whereby they increased the Fe2+ pool through iron sulfide dissolution. This elevated availability of Fe2+ significantly increased DNRA and in some cases decreased denitrification. Thus, cable bacteria presence may affect the relative importance of DNRA in sediments and thus the extent by which bioavailable nitrogen is lost from the system.
Structural and physical impacts of nanofillers in ionogels: A comprehensive overview
Authors: Farooq Sobia , Razzaq Humaira , Razzaque Shumaila , Khan Bilal Ahmad , Qaisar Sara
Published: December 2018

Reinforcement in technological applications, hybrid materials gained a lot of interest. Nowadays, much attention is being paid on ionic liquid‐based hybrid materials due to exceptional properties of ionic liquids including thermal stability, non‐flammability, and insignificant vapor pressure combined with varied electrochemical stability window and high ionic conductivity. Ionic liquid‐based hybrid materials that are ionogels with special emphasis on polymer‐based ionogels are mainly emphasized in this review article. These hybrid systems are held together by a combined effect of numerous possible intermolecular interactions including electrostatic, Vander Waals, solvophobic, structural, steric, and hydrogen bonding. Therefore the complex chemo‐mechanical interaction between the polymer network and the ionic liquid may induce remarkable properties to design ionogels for versatile applications. Moreover, to further enhance the compatibility of IL with polymers, nanofillers are being used which may play a role as compatibilzer or as plastisizer to overcome the plastisizing effect of IL. In the last section, impact of addition of various nanofillers (carbon and metal/ metal oxide) on the stability of polymer ionogels is being reviewed with the examples quoted from literature. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:E11–E23, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
A high quality composite axion
Authors: Lillard Benjamin , Tait Tim M. P.
Published: December 2018

Abstract

The strong CP problem is a compelling motivation for physics beyond the Standard Model. The most popular solutions invoke a global U(1)PQ symmetry, but are challenged by quantum gravitational corrections which are thought to be incompatible with global symmetries, arguing that realistic theories contain additional structure. We explore a construction in which the U(1)PQ symmetry is protected to arbitrary order by virtue of a supersymmetric, confining SU(N)
L
× SU(N) × SU(N)
R
× U(1)
X
product gauge group, achieving

$$ \left|\overline{\uptheta}\right| $$

θ
¯

< 10−11 for an SU(5) model with f

a
≲ 3 × 1011 GeV. This construction leads to low energy predictions such as a U(1)
X
gauge symmetry, and for X = B − L engineers a naturally

$$ \mathcal{O} $$

O

(TeV) value for the μ parameter of the MSSM.
Planar master integrals for the two-loop light-fermion electroweak corrections to Higgs plus jet production
Authors: Becchetti Matteo , Bonciani Roberto , Casconi Valerio , Del Duca Vittorio , Moriello Francesco
Published: December 2018

Abstract

We present the analytic calculation of the planar master integrals which contribute to compute the two-loop light-fermion electroweak corrections to the production of a Higgs boson in association with a jet in gluon-gluon fusion. The complete dependence on the electroweak-boson mass is retained. The master integrals are evaluated by means of the differential equations method and the analytic results are expressed in terms of multiple polylogarithms up to weight four.
Computing N -subjettiness for boosted jets
Authors: Napoletano Davide , Soyez Gregory
Published: December 2018

Abstract

Jet substructure tools have proven useful in a number of high-energy particle-physics studies. A particular case is the discrimination, or tagging, between a boosted jet originated from an electroweak boson (signal), and a standard QCD parton (background). A common way to achieve this is to cut on a measure of the radiation inside the jet, i.e. a jet shape. Over the last few years, analytic calculations of jet substructure have allowed for a deeper understanding of these tools and for the development of more efficient ones. However, analytic calculations are often limited to the region where the jet shape is small. In this paper we introduce a new approach in perturbative QCD to compute jet shapes for a generic boosted jets, waiving the above limitation. We focus on an example common in the substructure literature: the jet mass distribution after a cut on the N -subjettiness τ
21 ratio, extending previous works to the region relevant for phenomenology. We compare our analytic predictions to Monte Carlo simulations for both plain and SoftDrop-groomed jets. We use our results to construct analytically a decorrelated tagger.
Holographic spacetimes as quantum circuits of path-integrations
Authors: Takayanagi Tadashi
Published: December 2018

Abstract

We propose that holographic spacetimes can be regarded as collections of quantum circuits based on path-integrals. We relate a codimension one surface in a gravity dual to a quantum circuit given by a path-integration on that surface with an appropriate UV cut off. Our proposal naturally generalizes the conjectured duality between the AdS/CFT and tensor networks. This largely strengthens the surface/state duality and also provides a holographic explanation of path-integral optimizations. For static gravity duals, our new framework provides a derivation of the holographic complexity formula given by the gravity action on the WDW patch. We also propose a new formula which relates numbers of quantum gates to surface areas, even including time-like surfaces, as a generalization of the holographic entanglement entropy formula. We argue the time component of the metric in AdS emerges from the density of unitary quantum gates in the dual CFT. Our proposal also provides a heuristic understanding how the gravitational force emerges from quantum circuits.
Transverse momentum broadening and collinear radiation at NLO in the $$ \mathcal{N}=4 $$ SYM plasma
Authors: Ghiglieri Jacopo , Kim HyungJoo
Published: December 2018

Abstract

We compute

$$ \mathcal{O} $$

O

(g) NLO corrections to the transverse scattering kernel and transverse momentum broadening coefficient

$$ \widehat{q} $$

q
^

of weakly-coupled

$$ \mathcal{N}=4 $$

N
=
4

SYM. Based on this, we also compute NLO correction to the collinear splitting rates. For

$$ \widehat{q} $$

q
^

we find that the NLO/LO ratio is similar to the QCD one, with large NLO corrections. This is contrasted by our findings for the collinear splitting rate, which show a much better convergence in SYM than in QCD, providing further support to earlier expectations that NLO corrections have signs and relative magnitudes controlled by the specifics of the theory. We also compare the ratio of

$$ \widehat{q} $$

q
^

in QCD and in

$$ \mathcal{N}=4 $$

N
=
4

theory to strong coupling expectations.
Heavy Higgs boson decays in the alignment limit of the 2HDM
Authors: Grzadkowski Bohdan , Haber Howard E. , Ogreid Odd Magne , Osland Per
Published: December 2018

Abstract

The Standard Model (SM)-like couplings of the observed Higgs boson impose strong constraints on the structure of any extended Higgs sector. We consider the theoretical properties and the phenomenological implications of a generic two Higgs doublet model (2HDM). This model constitutes a simple and attractive extension of the SM that is consistent with the observation of the SM-like Higgs boson and precision electroweak observables, while providing a potential new source of CP-violation. In this paper we focus on the so-called Higgs alignment limit of the generic 2HDM, where the neutral scalar fieldH1, with the tree-level couplings of the SM Higgs boson, is a mass eigenstate that is aligned in field space with the direction of the Higgs vacuum expectation value. The properties of the two other heavier neutral Higgs scalars,H2andH3, in the alignment limit of the 2HDM are also elucidated. It is shown that the couplings ofH2andH3in the alignment limit are tightly constrained and correlated. For example, in the exact alignment limit at tree level, for bosonic final states BR(H2,3→W+W−, ZZ, H1Z) = 0 and BR(H±→W±H1) = 0, whereas for fermionic final states Γ(H2→ff¯)/Γ(H3→ff¯) ∼M2/M3(whereMαis the mass ofHα). In some cases, the results of the alignment limit differ depending on whether or not alignment is achieved via the decoupling of heavy scalar states. In particular, in the exact alignment limit without decoupling BR(H2,3→H1H1) = 0, whereas these branching ratios are nonzero in the decoupling regime. Observables that could be used to test the alignment scenario at the LHC are defined and discussed. The couplings of the Higgs bosons away from their exact alignment values are determined to leading order, and some consequences are elucidated.
Marginal deformations of 3d $$ \mathcal{N}=2 $$ CFTs from AdS4 backgrounds in generalised geometry
Authors: Ashmore Anthony
Published: December 2018

Abstract

We study exactly marginal deformations of 3d

$$ \mathcal{N}=2 $$

N
=
2

CFTs dual to AdS4 solutions in eleven-dimensional supergravity using generalised geometry. Focussing on Sasaki-Einstein backgrounds, we find that marginal deformations correspond to turning on a four-form flux on the internal space at first order. Viewing this as the deformation of a generalised structure, we derive a general expression for the four-form flux in terms of a holomorphic function. We discuss the explicit examples of S7, Q1,1,1 and M1,1,1 and, using an obstruction analysis, find the conditions for the first-order deformations to extend all orders, thus identifying which marginal deformations are exactly marginal. We also show how the all-orders γ-deformation of Lunin and Maldacena can be encoded as a tri-vector deformation in generalised geometry and outline how to recover the supergravity solution from the generalised metric.
High-dimensional neutrino masses
Authors: Anamiati Gaetana , Castillo-Felisola Oscar , Fonseca Renato M. , Helo J. C. , Hirsch M.
Published: December 2018

Abstract

For Majorana neutrino masses the lowest dimensional operator possible is the Weinberg operator at d = 5. Here we discuss the possibility that neutrino masses originate from higher dimensional operators. Specifically, we consider all tree-level decompositions of the d = 9, d = 11 and d = 13 neutrino mass operators. With renormalizable interactions only, we find 18 topologies and 66 diagrams for d = 9, and 92 topologies plus 504 diagrams at the d = 11 level. At d = 13 there are already 576 topologies and 4199 diagrams. However, among all these there are only very few genuine neutrino mass models: At d = (9, 11, 13) we find only (2,2,2) genuine diagrams and a total of (2,2,6) models. Here, a model is considered genuine at level d if it automatically forbids lower order neutrino masses without the use of additional symmetries. We also briefly discuss how neutrino masses and angles can be easily fitted in these high-dimensional models.
Topological nodal line semimetals in holography
Authors: Liu Yan , Sun Ya-Wen
Published: December 2018

Abstract

We show a holographic model of a strongly coupled topological nodal line semimetal (NLSM) and find that the NLSM phase could go through a quantum phase transition to a topologically trivial state. The dual fermion spectral function shows that there are multiple Fermi surfaces each of which is a closed nodal loop in the NLSM phase. The topological structure in the bulk is induced by the IR interplay between the dual mass operator and the operator that deforms the topology of the Fermi surface. We propose a practical framework for building various strongly coupled topological semimetals in holography, which indicates that at strong coupling topologically nontrivial semimetal states generally exist.
How Monsoons in Africa Drove Glacier Growth in Europe
Authors: Underwood Emily
Published: December 2018

A new study shows that low-latitude weather can affect distant glaciers.
Reequilibration Processes Occurring in Plagioclase‐Hosted Melt Inclusions From Plagioclase Ultraphyric Basalts
Authors: Drignon Mélissa J. , Nielsen Roger L. , Tepley Frank J. , Bodnar Robert J.
Published: December 2018

Plagioclase‐hosted melt inclusions are infrequently used to investigate magmatic processes owing to the perception that they are less robust than olivine‐hosted inclusions. Based on a set of time series experiments ranging from 30 min to 4 days, we demonstrate that plagioclase‐hosted melt inclusions can preserve the original (primitive) magmatic signal if steps are taken to correct for post entrapment crystallization. Diffusion within plagioclase‐hosted melt inclusions is sufficiently fast that the melt inclusions can be homogenized within 30 min through heating experiments. As heating time increases, the composition of melt inclusions drifts. We attribute this longer‐term phenomenon to plastic deformation of the host plagioclase (crystal relaxation) inducing a decrease in the internal pressure in the melt inclusion combined with diffusion of elements across the host/melt inclusion interface. The rate of chemical reequilibration within melt inclusions is limited by the much slower rate of diffusion within the solid host. Indeed, the host/melt inclusion partition coefficient for MgO decreases by 25% from the 30‐min to the 4‐day experiments. Our results suggest that the primary character of plagioclase‐hosted melt inclusions can be recovered if one recognizes and corrects for the effects of the complex physical and chemical processes that occur during melt inclusion homogenization.
Estimates of Present and Future Asthma Emergency Department Visits Associated With Exposure to Oak, Birch, and Grass Pollen in the United States
Authors: Neumann James E. , Anenberg Susan C. , Weinberger Kate R. , Amend Meredith , Gulati Sahil , Crimmins Allison , Roman Henry , Fann Neal , Kinney Patrick L.
Published: December 2018

Pollen is an important environmental cause of allergic asthma episodes. Prior work has established a proof of concept for assessing projected climate change impacts on future oak pollen exposure and associated health impacts. This paper uses additional monitor data and epidemiologic functions to extend prior analyses, reporting new estimates of the current and projected future health burden of oak, birch, and grass pollen across the contiguous United States. Our results suggest that tree pollen in the spring currently accounts for between 25,000 and 50,000 pollen‐related asthma emergency department (ED) visits annually (95% confidence interval: 14,000 to 100,000), roughly two thirds of which occur among people under age 18. Grass pollen in the summer season currently accounts for less than 10,000 cases annually (95% confidence interval: 4,000 to 16,000). Compared to a baseline with 21st century population growth but constant pollen, future temperature and precipitation show an increase in ED visits of 14% in 2090 for a higher greenhouse gas emissions scenario, but only 8% for a moderate emissions scenario, reflecting projected increases in pollen season length. Grass pollen, which is more sensitive to changes in climatic conditions, is a primary contributor to future ED visits, with the largest effects in the Northeast, Midwest, and Southern Great Plains regions. More complete assessment of the current and future health burden of pollen is limited by the availability of data on pollen types (e.g., ragweed), other health effects (e.g., other respiratory disease), and economic consequences (e.g., medication costs).
Increasingly Powerful Tornadoes in the United States
Authors: Elsner James B. , Fricker Tyler , Schroder Zoe
Published: December 2018

Storm reports show an upward trend in the power of tornadoes. Quantifying the magnitude of the increase is difficult given diurnal and seasonal influences on tornadoes embedded within natural variations and made worse by changes in practices for rating damage. Here the authors solve this problem by fitting a statistical model to a metric of tornado power during the period 1994–2016. They find an increase of 5.5% [(4.6, 6.5%), 95% CI] per year in power controlling for the diurnal cycle, seasonality, natural climate variability, and the switch to a new damage scale. A portion of the trend is attributed to long‐term changes in convective storm environments involving dynamic and thermodynamic variables and their interactions. Increasing power is occurring in environments where the effect of convective available potential energy is enhanced by increasing vertical wind shear. However, a majority of the trend is not attributable to changes in storm environments.
Recurrence‐Based Quantification of Dynamical Complexity in the Earth's Magnetosphere at Geospace Storm Timescales
Authors: Donner Reik V. , Balasis Georgios , Stolbova Veronika , Georgiou Marina , Wiedermann Marc , Kurths Jürgen
Published: December 2018

Magnetic storms are the most prominent global manifestations of out‐of‐equilibrium magnetospheric dynamics. Investigating the dynamical complexity exhibited by geomagnetic observables can provide valuable insights into relevant physical processes as well as temporal scales associated with this phenomenon. In this work, we utilize several innovative data analysis techniques enabling a quantitative nonlinear analysis of the nonstationary behavior of the disturbance storm time (Dst) index together with some of the main drivers of its temporal variability, the VBSouth electric field component, the vertical component of the interplanetary magnetic field, Bz, and the dynamic pressure of the solar wind, Pdyn. Using recurrence quantification analysis and recurrence network analysis, we obtain several complementary complexity measures that serve as markers of different physical processes underlying quiet and storm time magnetospheric dynamics. Our approach discriminates the magnetospheric activity in response to external (solar wind) forcing from primarily internal variability and highlights the case‐specific nature of interdependencies between the Dst index and its potential drivers that need to be accounted for in future improved space weather forecasting models.
Empirical Modeling of the Equatorward Boundary of Auroral Precipitation Using DMSP and DE 2
Authors: Landry R. G. , Anderson P. C.
Published: December 2018

A new model of the equatorward boundary of the diffuse aurora has been developed using observations of precipitating particles made by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) from 1987 to 2012 as well as Dynamics Explorer 2 (DE 2), which operated from August 1981 to February 1983. Using a local multilinear regression algorithm, we investigated the use of different combinations of magnetometer indices and solar wind coupling functions with different averaging periods and weights to find the best parameterization for a model of the equatorward boundary of the aurora. We find that weighted averages of the AE index and the solar wind coupling function dΦMP/dt both outperform the often used Kp index. Using conjunction events where two DMSP satellites cross the auroral boundary at nearly the same time, we show that these models are better at extrapolating the auroral boundary to different local times than previous models.
Ionospheric GNSS Imagery of Seismic Source: Possibilities, Difficulties, and Challenges
Authors: Astafyeva E. , Shults K.
Published: December 2018

Up to now, the possibility to obtain images of seismic source from ionospheric Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) measurements (seismo‐ionospheric imagery) has only been demonstrated for giant earthquakes with moment magnitude Mw ≥ 9.0. In this work, we discuss difficulties and restrictions of this method, and we apply for the first time the seismo‐ionospheric imagery for smaller earthquakes. The latter is done on the example of the Mw7.4 Sanriku‐oki earthquake of 9 March 2011. Analysis of 1‐Hz data of total electron content (TEC) shows that the first coseismic ionospheric disturbances (CID) occur ~470–480 s after the earthquake as TEC enhancement on the east‐northeast from the epicenter. The location of these first CID arrivals corresponds to the location of the coseismic uplift that is known as the source of tsunamis. Our results confirm that despite several difficulties and limitations, high‐rate ionospheric GNSS data can be used for determining the seismic source parameters for both giant and smaller/moderate earthquakes. In addition to these seismo‐ionospheric applications, we raise several fundamental questions on CID nature and evolution, namely, one of the most challenging queries—can moderate earthquake generate shock‐acoustic waves?
The 22 July 2009 Total Solar Eclipse: Modeling D Region Ionosphere Using Narrowband VLF Observations
Authors: Venkatesham K. , Singh Rajesh , Maurya Ajeet K. , Dube Adarsh , Kumar Sushil , Phanikumar D. V.
Published: December 2018

We present D region ionospheric response to 22 July 2009 total solar eclipse by modeling 19.8‐kHz signal from NWC very low frequency (VLF) navigational transmitter located in the Australia. NWC VLF signal was received at five stations located in and around eclipse totality path in the Indian, East Asian, and Pacific regions. NWC signal great circle paths to five stations are unique having eclipse coverage from no eclipse to partiality to totality regions, and the signal is exclusively confined in the low and equatorial regions. Eclipse‐induced modulations in NWC signal have been modeled by using long‐wave propagation capability code to obtain D region parameters of reflection height (H′) and sharpness factor (β). Long‐wave propagation capability modeling showed an increase in H′ of about 2.3 km near central line of totality, 3.0 km in the region near to totality fringe, and 2.4 to 3.0 km in the region under partial eclipse. Using H′ and β, Wait ionosphere electron density (Ne) profile at the daytime altitude of 75 km showed a decrease in Ne by about 58% at a station near totality central line, whereas at totality fringe and in partial eclipse region decrease in the Ne was between 63% and 71% with respect to normal time values. The eclipse associated variations in the H′, β, and Ne are less in low‐latitude region as compared to midlatitude. The study contributes to explain observations of wave‐like signature in the D region during an eclipse and difference in the eclipse effect in the different latitude‐longitude sectors.
Identification and Extraction of Seasonal Geodetic Signals Due to Surface Load Variations
Authors: Larochelle S. , Gualandi A. , Chanard K. , Avouac J.‐P.
Published: December 2018

Deformation of the Earth's surface associated with redistributions of continental water mass explains, to first order, the seasonal signals observed in geodetic position time series. Discriminating these seasonal signals from other sources of deformation in geodetic measurements is essential to isolate tectonic signals and to monitor spatio‐temporal variations in continental water storage. We propose a new methodology to identify and extract these seasonal signals. The approach uses a variational Bayesian Independent Component Analysis (vbICA) to extract the seasonal signals and a gravity‐based deformation model to identify which of these signals are caused by surface loading. We test the procedure on two study areas, the Arabian Peninsula and the Nepal Himalaya, and find that the technique successfully extracts the seasonal signals with one or two independent components, depending on whether the load is stationary or moving. The approach is robust to spatial heterogeneities inherent to geodetic measurements and can help extract systematic errors in geodetic products (e.g., draconitic errors). We also discuss how to handle the degree‐1 deformation field present in the geodetic data set but not captured by the gravity‐based model.
Spatial Distribution of Melt Season Cloud Radiative Effects Over Greenland: Evaluating Satellite Observations, Reanalyses, and Model Simulations Against In Situ Measurements
Authors: Wang Wenshan , Zender Charles S. , van As Dirk , Miller Nathaniel B.
Published: December 2018

Arctic clouds can profoundly influence surface radiation and thus surface melt. Over Greenland, these cloud radiative effects (CRE) vary greatly with the diverse topography. To investigate the ability of assorted platforms to reproduce heterogeneous CRE, we evaluate CRE spatial distributions from a satellite product, reanalyses, and a global climate model against estimates from 21 automatic weather stations (AWS). Net CRE estimated from AWS generally decreases with elevation, forming a “warm center” distribution. CRE areal averages from the five large‐scale data sets we analyze are all around 10 W/m2. Modern‐Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications version 2 (MERRA‐2), ERA‐Interim, and Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) CRE estimates agree with AWS and reproduce the warm center distribution. However, the National Center for Atmospheric Research Arctic System Reanalysis (ASR) and the Community Earth System Model Large ENSemble Community Project (LENS) show strong warming in the south and northwest, forming a warm L‐shape distribution. Discrepancies are mainly caused by longwave CRE in the accumulation zone. MERRA‐2, ERA‐Interim, and CERES successfully reproduce cloud fraction and its dominant positive influence on longwave CRE in this region. On the other hand, longwave CRE from ASR and LENS correlates strongly with ice water path instead of with cloud fraction or liquid water path. Moreover, ASR overestimates cloud fraction and LENS underestimates liquid water path substantially, both with limited spatial variability. MERRA‐2 best captures the observed interstation changes, captures most of the observed cloud‐radiation physics, and largely reproduces both albedo and cloud properties. The warm center CRE spatial distribution indicates that clouds enhance surface melt in the higher accumulation zone and reduce surface melt in the lower ablation zone.