bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surgical Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair in a Non-High-Volume Institution
Authors: Kunihara Takashi , Vukic Claudia , Sata Fumihiro , Schäfers Hans-Jaochim
Published: April 2020

Background Surgical thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair remains challenging. Apart from mortality, spinal cord injury (SCI) is a dreaded complication. We analyzed our experience to identify predictors for SCI in a nonhigh-volume institution.

Patients and Methods All patients who underwent TAAA repair between February 1996 and November 2016 (n = 182) were enrolled. Most were male (n = 121; 66.4%), median age was 68 years (range: 21–84). Elective operations were performed in 153 instances (84.1%). Our approach to minimize SCI includes distal aortic perfusion, mild hypothermia, identification of the Adamkiewicz artery, and sequential aortic clamping. Cerebrospinal fluid drainage was introduced in 2001 and liberal use of selective visceral perfusion in 2006.

Results Early mortality was 12.1%; it was 8.5% after elective procedures. Reduced left ventricular function, nonelective setting, older age, and longer bypass time were identified as independent predictors for mortality in multivariable logistic regression model. Permanent SCI was observed in nine patients (4.9%), of whom seven (3.8%) developed paraplegia. In a multivariable logistic regression model for paraplegia, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), Crawford type II repair, smaller body surface area, and era before 2001 were identified as independent predictors, whereas only PAD was significant for SCI. The incidence of paraplegia was 13.8% in extensive repair out of the first 91 cases, whereas it was improved up to 2.7% thereafter.

Conclusion Using an integrated approach, acceptable outcome of TAAA repair can be achieved, even in a nonhigh-volume center. PAD and extensive involvement of the aorta are strong independent predictors for spinal cord deficit after TAAA repair.
Nonspecific Interstitial Pneumonia
Authors: Teoh Alan K. Y. , Corte Tamera J.
Published: April 2020

Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) is a complex disorder commonly associated with other conditions such as connective tissue diseases (CTDs) and environmental exposures. Although idiopathic NSIP has been recognized as a separate clinical entity, recent studies have suggested that a proportion of these cases have autoimmune features suggestive of underlying CTDs. The diagnosis of NSIP usually carries a better prognosis compared with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis but has an unpredictable natural history. Its pathogenesis is thought to be an inflammatory-driven process involving multiple pathways, including a genetic predisposition. The lack of specific clinical features often makes the diagnosis of NSIP difficult. The huge variability of radiological and histological features seen in NSIP adds to the complexity of achieving an accurate diagnosis of NSIP and a multidisciplinary approach is often required. There is a lack of consensus on the optimal management strategy of NSIP. Early clarification of the goals of therapy and close monitoring for the progression of disease is important across the spectrum of NSIP irrespective of its etiology. Although immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory agents are commonly used for severe and progressive disease, the therapeutic landscape of NSIP is constantly evolving as the role of newer agents such as antifibrotic therapies is being explored.
A Champion of Host Defense: A Generic Large-Scale Cause for Platelet Dysfunction and Depletion in Infection
Authors: Page Martin J. , Pretorius Etheresia
Published: April 2020

Thrombocytopenia is commonly associated with sepsis and infections, which in turn are characterized by a profound immune reaction to the invading pathogen. Platelets are one of the cellular entities that exert considerable immune, antibacterial, and antiviral actions, and are therefore active participants in the host response. Platelets are sensitive to surrounding inflammatory stimuli and contribute to the immune response by multiple mechanisms, including endowing the endothelium with a proinflammatory phenotype, enhancing and amplifying leukocyte recruitment and inflammation, promoting the effector functions of immune cells, and ensuring an optimal adaptive immune response. During infection, pathogens and their products influence the platelet response and can even be toxic. However, platelets are able to sense and engage bacteria and viruses to assist in their removal and destruction. Platelets greatly contribute to host defense by multiple mechanisms, including forming immune complexes and aggregates, shedding their granular content, and internalizing pathogens and subsequently being marked for removal. These processes, and the nature of platelet function in general, cause the platelet to be irreversibly consumed in the execution of its duty. An exaggerated systemic inflammatory response to infection can drive platelet dysfunction, where platelets are inappropriately activated and face immunological destruction. While thrombocytopenia may arise by condition-specific mechanisms that cause an imbalance between platelet production and removal, this review evaluates a generic large-scale mechanism for platelet depletion as a repercussion of its involvement at the nexus of responses to infection.
Chitin perception in plasmodesmata characterizes submembrane immune-signaling specificity in plants
Authors: Cheval Cécilia , Samwald Sebastian , Johnston Matthew G. , de Keijzer Jeroen , Breakspear Andrew , Liu Xiaokun , Bellandi Annalisa , Kadota Yasuhiro , Zipfel Cyril , Faulkner Christine
Published: April 2020

The plasma membrane (PM) is composed of heterogeneous subdomains, characterized by differences in protein and lipid composition. PM receptors can be dynamically sorted into membrane domains to underpin signaling in response to extracellular stimuli. In plants, the plasmodesmal PM is a discrete microdomain that hosts specific receptors and responses. We exploited the independence of this PM domain to investigate how membrane domains can independently integrate a signal that triggers responses across the cell. Focusing on chitin signaling, we found that responses in the plasmodesmal PM require the LysM receptor kinases LYK4 and LYK5 in addition to LYM2. Chitin induces dynamic changes in the localization, association, or mobility of these receptors, but only LYM2 and LYK4 are detected in the plasmodesmal PM. We further uncovered that chitin-induced production of reactive oxygen species and callose depends on specific signaling events that lead to plasmodesmata closure. Our results demonstrate that distinct membrane domains can integrate a common signal with specific machinery that initiates discrete signaling cascades to produce a localized response.
Archaeological climate proxies and the complexities of reconstructing Holocene El Niño in coastal Peru
Authors: Sandweiss Daniel H. , Andrus C. Fred T. , Kelley Alice R. , Maasch Kirk A. , Reitz Elizabeth J. , Roscoe Paul B.
Published: April 2020

Archaeological evidence plays a key role in longitudinal studies of humans and climate. Climate proxy data from Peruvian archaeological sites provide a case study through insight into the history of the “flavors” or varieties of El Niño (EN) events after ∼11 ka: eastern Pacific EN, La Niña, coastal EN (COA), and central Pacific or Modoki EN (CP). Archaeological proxies are important to the coastal Peruvian case because more commonly used paleoclimate proxies are unavailable or equivocal. Previously, multiproxy evidence from the Peruvian coast and elsewhere suggested that EN frequency varied over the Holocene: 1) present in the Early Holocene; 2) absent or very low frequency during the Middle Holocene (∼9 to 6 ka); 3) low after ∼6 ka; and 4) rapidly increasing frequency after 3 ka. Despite skepticism about the reliability of archaeological proxies, nonarchaeological proxies seemed to confirm this archaeological EN reconstruction. Although there is consensus that EN frequency varied over this period, some nonarchaeological and archaeological proxies call parts of this reconstruction into question. Here we review Holocene EN frequency reconstructions for the Peruvian coast, point to complexities introduced by apparent contradictions in a range of proxy records, consider the impact of CP and COA phenomena, and assess the merits of archaeological proxies in EN reconstructions. Reconciling Peruvian coastal paleoclimate data is critical for testing models of future EN behavior under climate variability.
Archaeology, climate, and global change in the Age of Humans
Authors: Rick Torben C. , Sandweiss Daniel H.
Published: April 2020

We live in an age characterized by increasing environmental, social, economic, and political uncertainty. Human societies face significant challenges, ranging from climate change to food security, biodiversity declines and extinction, and political instability. In response, scientists, policy makers, and the general public are seeking new interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary approaches to evaluate and identify meaningful solutions to these global challenges. Underrecognized among these challenges is the disappearing record of past environmental change, which can be key to surviving the future. Historical sciences such as archaeology access the past to provide long-term perspectives on past human ecodynamics: the interaction between human social and cultural systems and climate and environment. Such studies shed light on how we arrived at the present day and help us search for sustainable trajectories toward the future. Here, we highlight contributions by archaeology—the study of the human past—to interdisciplinary research programs designed to evaluate current social and environmental challenges and contribute to solutions for the future. The past is a multimillennial experiment in human ecodynamics, and, together with our transdisciplinary colleagues, archaeology is well positioned to uncover the lessons of that experiment.
Comparison of the prebiotic properties of native chicory and synthetic inulins using swine fecal cultures
Authors: Nakayama Yasunori , Kawasaki Naoko , Tamiya Taiga , Anzai Sayuri , Toyohara Kiyotsuna , Nishiyama Akira , Kitazono Eiichi
Published: April 2020

Inulin-type fructans are known to exert different effects on the fermentation profile depending on the average and range of the degree of polymerization (DP). Here, swine fecal cultures were used to investigate the prebiotic properties of native chicory inulin (NIN), extracted from the chicory root, and synthetic inulin (SIN), which has a narrower DP distribution than NIN. Both NIN and SIN showed prebiotic effects, but NIN exhibited a significant decrease in pH and increase in the production of propionate and butyrate compared to SIN. There were also differences in the production of succinate and lactate, the precursors of propionate and butyrate, and the relative abundance of associated genes. Furthermore, NIN induced the growth of certain species of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus more strongly than SIN. These results suggest that NIN and SIN exhibit different prebiotic properties due to differences in DP, and that NIN might be more beneficial to host health.
Characterization of plant immunity-activating mechanism by a pyrazole derivative
Authors: Kusajima Miyuki , Fujita Moeka , Yamakawa Hiromoto , Ushiwatari Tsukasa , Mori Takamasa , Tsukamoto Kazuki , Hayashi Hiroshi , Maruyama-Nakashita Akiko , Che Fang-Sik , Nakashita Hideo
Published: April 2020

A newly identified chemical, 4-{3-[(3,5-dichloro-2-hydroxybenzylidene)amino]propyl}-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-5-one (BAPP) was characterized as a plant immunity activator. BAPP enhanced disease resistance in rice against rice blast disease and expression of a defense-related gene without growth inhibition. Moreover, BAPP was able to enhance disease resistance in dicotyledonous tomato and Arabidopsis plants against bacterial pathogen without growth inhibition, suggesting that BAPP could be a candidate as an effective plant activator. Analysis using Arabidopsis sid2-1 and npr1-2 mutants suggested that BAPP induced systemic acquired resistance (SAR) by stimulating between salicylic acid biosynthesis and NPR1, the SA receptor protein, in the SAR signaling pathway.
Purification and characterization of formaldehyde dismutases of Methylobacterium sp. FD1
Authors: Imoto Seiji , Yonemitsu Hiroshi , Totsui Noriki , Kishimoto Noboru
Published: April 2020

In the present study, we purified and characterized three formaldehyde dismutases (Fdms) (EC 1.2.98.1) (Fdm1, Fdm2, and Fdm3) of Methylobacterium sp. FD1. These Fdms (with His-tag) were produced in the recombinant E. coli and purified by immobilized metal affinity chromatography from the E. coli extracts. In each of the three Fdms, the enzyme-bound coenzyme was nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(H)) and the enzyme-bound metal was zinc. The quaternary structures of these Fdms were estimated as homotetrameric. The optimal pHs and temperatures of Fdm1, Fdm2, and Fdm3 were approximately 6.5, 6.0, and 6.0, and 35°C, 25°C, and 30°C, respectively. The Km values of Fdm1, Fdm2, and Fdm3 were 621, 865, and 414 mM, respectively. These results were similar to the properties of already-known Fdms. However, each of the Fdms of FD1 had methanol:p-nitroso-N,N-dimethylaniline oxidoreductase activity that is not found in already-known Fdms.
Estimation of sea clutter inherent Doppler spectrum from shipborne S-band radar sea echo*
Authors: Zhang Jin-Peng , Zhang Yu-Shi , Xu Xin-Yu , Li Qing-Liang , Wu Jia-Ji
Published: April 2020

Measurement of shipborne radar sea echo is instrumental in collecting the sea clutter data in open sea areas. However, the ship movement would introduce an extra Doppler component into the spectrum of the sea clutter, so the sea clutter inherent spectrum must be estimated prior to investigating the sea clutter Doppler characteristics from the shipborne radar sea echo. In this paper we show some results about a shipborne sea clutter measurement experiment that was conducted in the South China Sea in a period between 2017 and 2018; abundant clutter data have been collected by using a shipborne S-band clutter measurement radar. To obtain the sea clutter inherent Doppler spectrum from these data, an estimation method, based on the mapping relationship between the shipborne clutter spectrum and the inherent clutter spectrum, is proposed. This method is validated by shipborne clutter data sets under the same measuring conditions except for the ship speed. Using this method, the characteristics of the Doppler spectrum lineshapes in the South China Sea are calculated and analyzed according to different sea states, wave directions, and radar resolutions, which can be instrumental in designing the radar target detection algorithms.
Multiple Fano resonances in metal–insulator–metal waveguide with umbrella resonator coupled with metal baffle for refractive index sensing*
Authors: Qi Yun-Ping , Wang Li-Yuan , Zhang Yu , Zhang Ting , Zhang Bao-He , Deng Xiang-Yu , Wang Xiang-Xian
Published: April 2020

A single baffle metal–insulator–metal (MIM) waveguide coupled with a semi-circular cavity and a cross-shaped cavity is proposed based on the multiple Fano resonance characteristics of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) subwavelength structure. The isolated state formed by two resonators interferes with the wider continuous state mode formed by the metal baffle, forming Fano resonance that can independently be tuned into five different modes. The formation mechanism of Fano resonance is analyzed based on the multimode interference coupled mode theory (MICMT). The finite element method (FEM) and MICMT are used to simulate the transmission spectra of this structure and analyze the influence of structural parameters on the refractive index sensing characteristics. And the transmission responses calculated by the FEM simulation are consistent with the MICMT theoretical results very well. The results show that the figure of merit (FOM) can reach 193 and the ultra-high sensitivity is 1600 nm/RIU after the structure parameters have been optimized, and can provide theoretical basis for designing the high sensitive refractive index sensors based on SPPs waveguide for high-density photonic integration with excellent performance in the near future.
Compact ultra-narrowband superconducting filter using N-spiral resonator with open-loop secondary coupling structure*
Authors: Tao Lin , Wei Bin , Guo Xubo , Li Hongcheng , Luo Chenjie , Cao Bisong , Jiang Linan
Published: April 2020

A novel N-spiral resonator with open-loop secondary coupling structure (OLSCS) is proposed to realize a compact ultra-narrowband high temperature superconducting (HTS) filter. The coupling strength and polarity between the resonators can be significantly reduced and changed by introducing OLSCS, thus the required weak coupling can be achieved in a very compact size. A six-pole superconducting filter at 1701 MHz with a fractional bandwidth of 0.19% is designed to validate this method. The filter is fabricated on MgO substrate with a compact size of 15 mm × 10 mm. The measured insertion loss is 0.79 dB, and the return loss is better than 17.4 dB. The experimental results show a good agreement with the simulations.
Exact analytical results for a two-level quantum system under a Lorentzian-shaped pulse field*
Authors: Xie Qiong-Tao , Liu Xiao-Liang
Published: April 2020

We investigate a two-level quantum system driven by a Lorentzian-shaped pulse field. An analytical solution is presented in terms of the confluent Heun functions. It is shown that for specially chosen parameter conditions, there are a number of the exact analytical solutions in an explicit form. The dependence of the final transition probabilities in the two levels on the system parameters is derived analytically and confirmed numerically.
Ultraviolet irradiation dosimeter based on persistent photoconductivity effect of ZnO*
Authors: Wang Chao-Jun , Yang Xun , Zang Jin-Hao , Chen Yan-Cheng , Lin Chao-Nan , Liu Zhong-Xia , Shan Chong-Xin
Published: April 2020

It is essential to determine the accumulative ultraviolet (UV) irradiation over a period of time in some cases, such as monitoring UV irradiation to the skin, solar disinfection of water, photoresist exposure, etc. UV colorimetric dosimeters, which use dyes’ color change to monitor the amount of UV exposure, have been widely studied. However, the exposure data of these UV colorimetric dosimeters can hardly be converted to digital signals, limiting their applications. In this paper, a UV dosimeter has been proposed and demonstrated based on the persistent photoconductivity (PPC) in zinc oxide microwires (ZnO MWs). The PPC effect usually results in high photoconductivity gain but low response speed, which has been regarded as a disadvantage for photodetectors. However, in this work, the unique characteristics of the PPC effect have been utilized to monitoring the accumulative exposure. We demonstrate that the photocurrent in the ZnO MWs depends on the accumulative UV exposure due to the PPC effect, thus the photocurrent can be utilized to determine the UV accumulation. The dosimeter is immune to visible light and exhibits a photoconductive gain of 2654, and the relative error of the dosimeter is about 10%. This UV dosimeter with electrical output is reusable and convenient to integrate with other electronic devices and may also open a new application area for the PPC effect.
Adjustable polarization-independent wide-incident-angle broadband far-infrared absorber*
Authors: Li Jiu-Sheng , Chen Xu-Sheng
Published: April 2020

To promote the application of far-infrared technology, functional far-infrared devices with high performance are needed. Here, we propose a design scheme to develop a wide-incident-angle far-infrared absorber, which consists of a periodically semicircle-patterned graphene sheet, a lossless inter-dielectric spacer and a gold reflecting film. Under normal incidence for both TE- and TM-polarization modes, the bandwidth of 90% absorption of the proposed far-infrared absorber is ranging from 6.76 THz to 11.05 THz. The absorption remains more than 90% over a 4.29-THz broadband range when the incident angle is up to 50° for both TE- and TM-polarization modes. The peak absorbance of the absorber can be flexibly tuned from 10% to 100% by changing the chemical potential from 0 eV to 0.6 eV. The tunable broadband far-infrared absorber has promising applications in sensing, detection, and stealth objects.
Probe of topological invariants using quantum walks of a trapped ion in coherent state space*
Authors: Meng Ya , Mei Feng , Chen Gang , Jia Suo-Tang
Published: April 2020

We present a protocol to realize topological discrete-time quantum walks, which comprise a sequence of spin-dependent flipping displacement operations and quantum coin tossing operations, with a single trapped ion. It is demonstrated that the information of bulk topological invariants can be extracted by measuring the average projective phonon number when the walk takes place in coherent state space. Interestingly, the specific chiral symmetry owned by our discrete-time quantum walks simplifies the measuring process. Furthermore, we prove the robustness of such bulk topological invariants by introducing dynamical disorder and decoherence. Our work provides a simple method to measure bulk topological features in discrete-time quantum walks, which can be experimentally realized in the system of single trapped ions.
Experimental evaluation of interface states during time-dependent dielectric breakdown of GaN-based MIS-HEMTs with LPCVD-SiNx gate dielectric*
Authors: Zhao Ya-Wen , Li Liu-An , Que Tao-Tao , Qiu Qiu-Ling , He Liang , Liu Zhen-Xing , Zhang Jin-Wei , Wu Qian-Shu , Chen Jia , Wu Zhi-Sheng , Liu Yang
Published: April 2020

We experimentally evaluated the interface state density of GaN MIS-HEMTs during time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB). Under a high forward gate bias stress, newly increased traps generate both at the SiN
x
/AlGaN interface and the SiN
x
bulk, resulting in the voltage shift and the increase of the voltage hysteresis. When prolonging the stress duration, the defects density generated in the SiN
x
dielectric becomes dominating, which drastically increases the gate leakage current and causes the catastrophic failure. After recovery by UV light illumination, the negative shift in threshold voltage (compared with the fresh one) confirms the accumulation of positive charge at the SiN
x
/AlGaN interface and/or in SiN
x
bulk, which is possibly ascribed to the broken bonds after long-term stress. These results experimentally confirm the role of defects in the TDDB of GaN-based MIS-HEMTs.
Growth and aggregation of Cu nanocrystals on ionic liquid surfaces*
Authors: Shen Jia-Wei , Ye Xun-Heng , Bao Zhi-Long , Li Lu , Yang Bo , Tao Xiang-Ming , Ye Gao-Xiang
Published: April 2020

We report a catalyst-free growth of Cu nanocrystals on ionic liquid surfaces by thermal evaporation method at room temperature. After deposition of Cu on ionic liquid surfaces, ramified Cu aggregates form. It is found that the aggregates are composed of both granules and nanocrystals with triangular or hexagonal appearances. The sizes of the nanocrystals are in the range of tens to hundreds of nanometers and increase with the nominal deposition thickness. The growth mechanism of the Cu aggregates and nanocrystals is presented.
Entrainment range affected by the difference in sensitivity to light-information between two groups of SCN neurons*
Authors: Zhu Bao , Zhou Jian , Jia Mengting , Yang Huijie , Gu Changgui
Published: April 2020

The mammals can not only entrain to the natural 24-h light–dark cycle, but also to the artificial cycle with non 24-h period through the main clock named suprachiasmatic nucleus in the brain. The range of the periods of the artificial cycles which the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) can entrain, is called entrainment range reflecting the flexibility of the SCN. The SCN can be divided into two groups of neurons functionally, based on the different sensitivities to the light information. In the present study, we examined whether the entrainment range is affected by this difference in the sensitivity by a Poincaré model. We found that the relationship of the entrainment range to the difference depends on the coupling between two groups. When the coupling strength is much smaller than the light intensity, the relationship is parabolic-like, and the maximum of the entrainment range is obtained with no difference of the sensitivity. When the coupling strength is much larger than the light intensity, the relationship is monotonically changed, and the maximum of the entrainment range is obtained when the difference is the largest. Our finding may provide an explanation for the exitance of the difference in the sensitivity to light-information as well as shed light on how to increase the flexibility of the SCN represented by widening the entrainment range.
Extinction mechanisms of hyperbolic h-BN nanodisk*
Authors: Chen Runkun , Chen Jianing
Published: April 2020

We applied the finite element method to calculate the extinction spectrum of single hyperbolic hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanodisk. We show that the hyperbolic h-BN nanodisk exhibits two extinction mechanisms in the mid-infrared region. The volume confined phonon polaritons resonances of the nanodisk give rise to a series of weak extinction peaks. The localized surface phonon polaritons lead to a robust dipolar extinction, and the extinction peak position is tunable by varying the size of the h-BN nanodisk. These findings reveal the mechanisms of the interaction between light and resonant h-BN nanodisk, which are essential for h-BN related opto-electromagnetic applications.
Facile and fast growth of high mobility nanoribbons of ZrTe5*
Authors: Wang Jingyue , Niu Jingjing , Li Xinqi , Ma Xiumei , Yao Yuan , Wu Xiaosong
Published: April 2020

Recently, ZrTe5 has received a lot of attention as it exhibits various topological phases, such as weak and strong topological insulators, a Dirac semimetal, a three-dimensional quantum Hall state, and a quantum spin Hall insulator in the monolayer limit. While most of studies have been focused on the three-dimensional bulk material, it is highly desired to obtain nanostructured materials due to their advantages in device applications. We report the synthesis and characterizations of ZrTe5 nanoribbons. Via a silicon-assisted chemical vapor transport method, long nanoribbons with thickness as thin as 20 nm can be grown. The growth rate is over an order of magnitude faster than the previous method for the bulk crystals. Moreover, transport studies show that the nanoribbons are of low unintentional doping and high carrier mobility, over 30000 cm2/V⋅s, which enable reliable determination of the Berry phase of π in the ac plane from quantum oscillations. Our method holds great potential in growth of high quality ultra-thin nanostructures of ZrTe5.
Tunable deconfined quantum criticality and interplay of different valence-bond solid phases*
Authors: Zhao Bowen , Takahashi Jun , Sandvik Anders W.
Published: April 2020

We use quantum Monte Carlo simulations to study an S = 1/2 spin model with competing multi-spin interactions. We find a quantum phase transition between a columnar valence-bond solid (cVBS) and a Néel antiferromagnet (AFM), as in the scenario of deconfined quantum-critical points, as well as a transition between the AFM and a staggered valence-bond solid (sVBS). By continuously varying a parameter, the sVBS–AFM and AFM–cVBS boundaries merge into a direct sVBS–cVBS transition. Unlike previous models with putative deconfined AFM–cVBS transitions, e.g., the standard J–Q model, in our extended J–Q model with competing cVBS and sVBS inducing terms the transition can be tuned from continuous to first-order. We find the expected emergent U(1) symmetry of the microscopically Z
4 symmetric cVBS order parameter when the transition is continuous. In contrast, when the transition changes to first-order, the clock-like Z
4 fluctuations are absent and there is no emergent higher symmetry. We argue that the confined spinons in the sVBS phase are fracton-like. We also present results for an SU(3) symmetric model with a similar phase diagram. The new family of models can serve as a useful tool for further investigating open questions related to deconfined quantum criticality and its associated emergent symmetries.
Scalable preparation of water-soluble ink of few-layered WSe2 nanosheets for large-area electronics*
Authors: Xian Guoyu , Zhang Jianshuo , Liu Li , Zhou Jun , Liu Hongtao , Bao Lihong , Shen Chengmin , Li Yongfeng , Qin Zhihui , Yang Haitao
Published: April 2020

Few-layer two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor nanosheets with a layer-dependent band gap are attractive building blocks for large-area thin-film electronics. A general approach is developed to fast prepare uniform and phase-pure 2H-WSe2 semiconducting nanosheets at a large scale, which involves the supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) treatment and a mild sonication-assisted exfoliation process in aqueous solution. The as-prepared 2H-WSe2 nanosheets preserve the intrinsic physical properties and intact crystal structures, as confirmed by Raman, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). The uniform 2H-WSe2 nanosheets can disperse well in water for over six months. Such good dispersivity and uniformity enable these nanosheets to self-assembly into thickness-controlled thin films for scalable fabrication of large-area arrays of thin-film electronics. The electronic transport and photoelectronic properties of the field-effect transistor based on the self-assembly 2H-WSe2 thin film have also been explored.
Three new late-type hypervelocity star candidates from Gaia DR2 with refined selection criteria
Authors: Li Jiao , Jia Shi , Gao Yan , Jiang Deng-Kai , Kupfer Thomas , Heber Ulrich , Liu Chao , Chen Xue-Fei , Han Zhan-Wen
Published: April 2020

Several dozen hypervelocity star (HVS) candidates have been reported based on the second data release of Gaia (Gaia DR2). However, it has been proven that the radial velocities of some Gaia HVS candidates are not reliable. In this paper, we employ refined astrometric criteria to re-examine Gaia DR2, arriving at a more reliable sample of HVS and high velocity star candidates than those found by previous authors. We develop a method called Binary Escape Probability Analysis to identify some HVS candidates. This method allows us to work with stars having only two epochs of measured radial velocity. These stars were usually discarded in previous similar studies. A scrutiny of our final results sheds light on selection effects present in our studies, which we propose to be the focus of future studies. In total, we find three late-type (2 G-type and 1 K-type) HVS and 21 high velocity star candidates, 3 and 11 of which are new, respectively. Judging by their historical trajectories, which we calculate, all three HVS candidates could not have had Galactic center origins. Further monitoring is required to confirm their status.
Engrailed Homeobox 1 and Cytokeratin 19 Are Independent Diagnostic Markers of Eccrine Porocarcinoma and Distinguish It From Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Miura Keiko , Akashi Takumi , Namiki Takeshi , Hishima Tsunekazu , Bae Yuan , Sakurai Urara , Murano Keimei , Shiraishi Junichi , Warabi Masahiro , Tanizawa Toru , Tanaka Michio , Bhunchet Ekapot , Kumagai Jiro , Ayabe Shinya , Sekiya Takahiro , Ando Noboru , Shintaku Hiroshi , Kinowaki Yuko , Tomii Shohei , Kirimura Susumu , Kayamori Kou , Yamamoto Kurara , Ito Takashi , Eishi Yoshinobu
Published: April 2020

Objectives

The diagnostic utility of En1 in the histopathologic differentiation of eccrine porocarcinoma (EPC) from invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was investigated.

Methods

Expression of En1 and CK19 in 16 cases of EPC was immunohistochemically examined and compared with that in 32 cases of SCC.

Results

In all 16 EPCs, En1 was expressed in 3% to 100% of tumor cells. In 20 of the 32 SCCs, En1 was expressed in 3% to 90% of tumor cells. A total of 13 of the 16 EPCs and five of the 32 SCCs were judged as En1 positive, with a cutoff value of 25%. In addition, 11 of the 16 EPCs and four of the 32 SCCs were CK19 positive. The frequencies of En1- and CK19-positive cases were significantly higher in EPCs than in SCCs. In a logistic regression analysis for predicting EPC, En1 and CK19 were independent markers. When expression patterns of En1 and CK19 were combined, none of the 32 SCCs was both positive. In contrast, 15 of the 16 EPCs were positive for either En1 or CK19.

Conclusions

A combination of En1 and CK19 expression can improve the accuracy of histologic diagnosis of EPC.
A global challenge and a legal requirement: new findings can help the Welsh response and put sustainable development into practice
Authors: Weatherup Cathy , Azam Sumina
Published: April 2020

Sustainable development legislation in Wales requires us to think and act differently to contribute to seven well being goals, namely; prosperity, resilience, health, equity, cohesive communities, globally responsible and a vibrant culture and thriving welsh language, now and over the longer term. Findings from a Literature Review, commissioned by the Health and Sustainability Hub, Public Health Wales, identify approaches and recommendations to help implement the legislation; aimed at people, policies and practice.
Uncovering TAPS strategies of the tobacco industry at PoS in low- and middle-income countries: the case of Turkey
Authors: Uznay Fatih , Gumus Sevtap
Published: April 2020

Background

This study aims to uncover strategies executed by the tobacco industry against tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS) bans at points of sale (PoS) in Turkey.

Methods

The data are based on a field study conducted in the city of Izmir. There are 10 750 PoS in all of Izmir; the 6200 PoS in the 11 central districts were considered as potential subjects. Using a proportional sampling method (95% confidence interval, 5% margin of error), it was calculated that 384 PoS could adequately represent the whole. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with PoS administrators, using survey form consisting of 53 questions. Descriptive statistics methods have been used to analyze the data.

Results

Of a total of 384 PoS visited; 96.4% featured at least one type of display/TAPS ban violation, 94.5% featured display settings creating brand dominance on display units, 76.7% received promotional payments and 14.8% received free tobacco products for featured display settings. Additionally, 29.2% of PoS had tobacco product displays visible from outside, 26.8% sold tobacco products on the counter, 24.7% featured advertising items on display units, 19.3% sold tobacco products as single stick and 11.7% had price tags with fonts larger than the legally fixed 20 pt.

Conclusions

An official institution specializing in tobacco control must be established to continually inspect the tobacco market. Tobacco products must stay hidden, in closed cupboards or under the counter, and communication between PoS and tobacco industry must be limited. In addition, tobacco products must be distributed by government institutions rather than the industry.
Measles outbreak in Romania: understanding factors related to suboptimal vaccination uptake
Authors: Habersaat Katrine Bach , Pistol Adriana , Stanescu Aurora , Hewitt Catherine , Grbic Miljana , Butu Cassandra , Jackson Cath
Published: April 2020

Background

A large measles outbreak started in Romania in 2016. Current study aimed to (i) clarify who was affected by the outbreak, (ii) identify their barriers and drivers to vaccination and (iii) explore variation by population group.

Methods

This was a two-component study. Outbreak surveillance data for 6743 measles cases were reviewed to identify key characteristics. A survey was administered via telephone to 704 caregivers of measles cases (520 respondents) to explore capability, opportunity and motivation barriers to vaccination. Data were summarized descriptively for respondent characteristics and statements. Differences by population group (education, household income, ethnicity, setting and mobility) were explored using χ2 tests, Fisher’s exact tests or regression models.

Results

Most cases were unvaccinated and lived in low coverage areas. Ethnic minorities were disproportionally affected. Most caregivers felt welcome at health facilities. Some were less satisfied with the waiting time and had found the vaccine out of stock. Not everybody knew that vaccines were free of charge. Less than half knew the child’s next vaccination date, some had not been informed and did not know where to seek this information. Some said their peers did not vaccinate. Beliefs were generally supportive of vaccination; but many were concerned about vaccine safety and found they had not received good information about this. Conclusions varied greatly between minorities and less educated groups, compared with people with higher education levels.

Conclusions

Identifying characteristics of the population affected and underlying factors can inform a strategy to avoid future outbreaks and further research to obtain deeper insights.
BRAF and KRAS mutations in metastatic colorectal cancer: future perspectives for personalized therapy
Authors: Li Zi-Nan , Zhao Lin , Yu Li-Feng , Wei Min-Jie
Published: April 2020

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide and 30% of patients with CRC experience metastasis. Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) have a 5-year overall survival rate of <10%. V-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF) and V-Ki-ras2 Kirsten ratsarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutations are mostly studied in mCRC, as clinical trials found that first-line chemotherapy with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor agent confers limited efficacy for mCRC. Treatment decisions for early-stage mCRC do not consider BRAF or KRAS mutations, given the dramatically poor prognosis conferred by these mutations in clinical trials. Thus, it is necessary to identify patients with mCRC harboring BRAF or KRAS mutations to formulate rational therapeutic strategies to improve prognosis and survival. BRAF and KRAS mutations occur in ∼10% and ∼44% of patients with mCRC, respectively. Although the survival rate of patients with mCRC has improved in recent years, the response and prognosis of patients with the aforementioned mutations are still poor. There is a substantial unmet need for prospective personalized therapies for patients with BRAF- or KRAS-mutant mCRC. In this review, we focus on BRAF and KRAS mutations to understand the mechanisms underlying resistance and improving the response rate, outcomes, and prognosis of patients with mCRC bearing these mutations and to discuss prospective personalized therapies for BRAF- and KRAS-mutant mCRC.
Can Armed Non-state Actors Exercise Jurisdiction and Thus Become Human Rights Duty-bearers?
Authors: Müller Amrei
Published: April 2020

Recent literature and United Nations documents advocate that most armed non-state actors (ANSAs) should be bound by human rights law. This article takes a more critical stance on this issue. It argues that only a limited number of ANSAs should potentially become human rights duty-bearers: those that exercise de facto (human rights) jurisdiction and thus have considerable institutional and military capacities, as well as particular normative characteristics. It specifies these capacities and characteristics with an analysis of ANSAs’ practice that tentatively indicates that some of these entities may indeed exercise de facto jurisdiction. The argument is justified by highlighting the broader consequences that recognising ANSAs as human rights duty-bearers will entail. It will also endow them with privileges that will legitimise their authority over time. This is grounded in the normative logic of human rights law that emphasises the interrelationship between human rights, equality and democracy that also permeates the notion of jurisdiction and is further supported by a political understanding of the right to self-determination. The article closes with a brief sketch of two complementary ways to develop international law binding ANSAs to be further explored in future research: the so-called ‘responsibilities for human rights’ and an adapted law of occupation.
On oracle-type local recovery guarantees in compressed sensing
Authors: Adcock Ben , Boyer Claire , Brugiapaglia Simone
Published: April 2020

We present improved sampling complexity bounds for stable and robust sparse recovery in compressed sensing. Our unified analysis based on $\ell ^1$ minimization encompasses the case where (i) the measurements are block-structured samples in order to reflect the structured acquisition that is often encountered in applications and (ii) the signal has an arbitrary structured sparsity, by results depending on its support $S$. Within this framework and under a random sign assumption, the number of measurements needed by $\ell ^1$ minimization can be shown to be of the same order than the one required by an oracle least-squares estimator. Moreover, these bounds can be minimized by adapting the variable density sampling to a given prior on the signal support and to the coherence of the measurements. We illustrate both numerically and analytically that our results can be successfully applied to recover Haar wavelet coefficients that are sparse in levels from random Fourier measurements in dimension one and two, which can be of particular interest in imaging problems. Finally, a preliminary numerical investigation shows the potential of this theory for devising adaptive sampling strategies in sparse polynomial approximation.
Community detection on Euclidean random graphs
Authors: Abbe Emmanuel , Baccelli François , Sankararaman Abishek
Published: April 2020

We study the problem of community detection on Euclidean random geometric graphs where each vertex has two latent variables: a binary community label and a $\mathbb{R}^d$ valued location label which forms the support of a Poisson point process of intensity $\lambda $. A random graph is then drawn with edge probabilities dependent on both the community and location labels. In contrast to the stochastic block model (SBM) that has no location labels, the resulting random graph contains many more short loops due to the geometric embedding. We consider the recovery of the community labels, partial and exact, using the random graph and the location labels. We establish phase transitions for both sparse and logarithmic degree regimes and provide bounds on the location of the thresholds, conjectured to be tight in the case of exact recovery. We also show that the threshold of the distinguishability problem, i.e., the testing between our model and the null model without community labels exhibits no phase transition and in particular, does not match the weak recovery threshold (in contrast to the SBM).
Structural and biochemical characterization of the environmental MBLs MYO-1, ECV-1 and SHD-1
Authors: Fröhlich Christopher , Sørum Vidar , Huber Sandra , Samuelsen Ørjan , Berglund Fanny , Kristiansson Erik , Kotsakis Stathis D , Marathe Nachiket P , Larsson D G Joakim , Leiros Hanna-Kirsti S
Published: April 2020

Background

MBLs form a large and heterogeneous group of bacterial enzymes conferring resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, including carbapenems. A large environmental reservoir of MBLs has been identified, which can act as a source for transfer into human pathogens. Therefore, structural investigation of environmental and clinically rare MBLs can give new insights into structure–activity relationships to explore the role of catalytic and second shell residues, which are under selective pressure.

Objectives

To investigate the structure and activity of the environmental subclass B1 MBLs MYO-1, SHD-1 and ECV-1.

Methods

The respective genes of these MBLs were cloned into vectors and expressed in Escherichia coli. Purified enzymes were characterized with respect to their catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km). The enzymatic activities and MICs were determined for a panel of different β-lactams, including penicillins, cephalosporins and carbapenems. Thermostability was measured and structures were solved using X-ray crystallography (MYO-1 and ECV-1) or generated by homology modelling (SHD-1).

Results

Expression of the environmental MBLs in E. coli resulted in the characteristic MBL profile, not affecting aztreonam susceptibility and decreasing susceptibility to carbapenems, cephalosporins and penicillins. The purified enzymes showed variable catalytic activity in the order of <5% to ∼70% compared with the clinically widespread NDM-1. The thermostability of ECV-1 and SHD-1 was up to 8°C higher than that of MYO-1 and NDM-1. Using solved structures and molecular modelling, we identified differences in their second shell composition, possibly responsible for their relatively low hydrolytic activity.

Conclusions

These results show the importance of environmental species acting as reservoirs for MBL-encoding genes.
Veterinary informatics: forging the future between veterinary medicine, human medicine, and One Health initiatives—a joint paper by the Association for Veterinary Informatics (AVI) and the CTSA One Health Alliance (COHA)
Authors: Lustgarten Jonathan L , Zehnder Ashley , Shipman Wayde , Gancher Elizabeth , Webb Tracy L
Published: April 2020

Objectives

This manuscript reviews the current state of veterinary medical electronic health records and the ability to aggregate and analyze large datasets from multiple organizations and clinics. We also review analytical techniques as well as research efforts into veterinary informatics with a focus on applications relevant to human and animal medicine. Our goal is to provide references and context for these resources so that researchers can identify resources of interest and translational opportunities to advance the field.

Methods and Results

This review covers various methods of veterinary informatics including natural language processing and machine learning techniques in brief and various ongoing and future projects. After detailing techniques and sources of data, we describe some of the challenges and opportunities within veterinary informatics as well as providing reviews of common One Health techniques and specific applications that affect both humans and animals.

Discussion

Current limitations in the field of veterinary informatics include limited sources of training data for developing machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms, siloed data between academic institutions, corporate institutions, and many small private practices, and inconsistent data formats that make many integration problems difficult. Despite those limitations, there have been significant advancements in the field in the last few years and continued development of a few, key, large data resources that are available for interested clinicians and researchers. These real-world use cases and applications show current and significant future potential as veterinary informatics grows in importance. Veterinary informatics can forge new possibilities within veterinary medicine and between veterinary medicine, human medicine, and One Health initiatives.