bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shared Communion
Authors: Freeman Curtis W.
Published: November 2018

This theological roundtable discussion on shared communion, presented at the 2018 CTS Convention, reflects twenty-plus years of conversations among theologians: some Catholic, members of the College Theology Society; and some Baptist, members of the National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion, region-at-large. They gather at the annual convention of the College Theology Society not only for intellectual exchange but also for common prayer. Over the decades, the Baptist theologians have always participated in Mass. Their fidelity informed Sandra Yocum's presidential address at the convention, which began with a lament over our Christian disunity reflected in the faces of my dear friends in Christ, these Baptist theologians who with all humility process with the other communicants, but with arms crossed over their chests to signal that they cannot receive Christ, whom they too believe to be present in the sacrament.1 The lament sparked a desire in Curtis Freeman to respond with this careful study of the rules among Baptists and Catholics for intercommunion. The subsequent thoughtful responses from Catholics and Baptists bring to the foreground the painful reality of Christ's wounded Body that neither refraining from nor participating in the Eucharist will fully resolve. Yet, each respondent affirms hope in the Eucharist's healing power and echoes Christ's own prayer “that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you” (John 17:21).
Non-linear glacier response to calving events, Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland
Authors: CASSOTTO RYAN , FAHNESTOCK MARK , AMUNDSON JASON M. , TRUFFER MARTIN , BOETTCHER MARGARET S. , DE LA PEÑA SANTIAGO , HOWAT IAN
Published: November 2018

Jakobshavn Isbræ, a tidewater glacier that produces some of Greenland's largest icebergs and highest speeds, reached record-high flow rates in 2012 (Joughin and others, 2014). We use terrestrial radar interferometric observations from August 2012 to characterize the events that led to record-high flow. We find that the highest speeds occurred in response to a small calving retreat, while several larger calving events produced negligible changes in glacier speed. This non-linear response to calving events suggests the terminus was close to flotation and therefore highly sensitive to terminus position. Our observations indicate that a glacier's response to calving is a consequence of two competing feedbacks: (1) an increase in strain rates that leads to dynamic thinning and faster flow, thereby promoting destabilization, and (2) an increase in flow rates that advects thick ice toward the terminus and promotes restabilization. The competition between these feedbacks depends on temporal and spatial variations in the glacier's proximity to flotation. This study highlights the importance of dynamic thinning and advective processes on tidewater glacier stability, and further suggests the latter may be limiting the current retreat due to the thick ice that occupies Jakobshavn Isbræ’s retrograde bed.
Modeling the Near‐Surface Diurnal Cycle of Sea Surface Temperature in the Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Pimentel S. , Tse W.‐H. , Xu H. , Denaxa D. , Jansen E. , Korres G. , Mirouze I. , Storto A.
Published: November 2018

The diurnal cycle of sea surface temperature (SST) is an important component of the ocean‐atmosphere system and is necessary for accurately computing air‐sea heat fluxes. Ocean temperatures in the near‐surface are highly sensitive to atmospheric conditions and can vary significantly depending on time of day. Ocean general circulation models are unable to fully capture the near‐surface diurnal SST variability, because they do not possess the necessary vertical structure and resolution. Furthermore, SST observations come from a number of sources that represent the temperature at various near‐surface depths. This presents difficulties when assimilating SST observations as well as constructing robust climate records of SST. In this study we model the fine‐scale near‐surface structure allowing SST comparisons between foundation SST, SST at depth, subskin SST, and skin SST. Hourly model results, forced and initialized using readily available reanalysis data, are from a 2‐year period, 2013–2014, over the Mediterranean Sea. Various solar absorption parameterizations are examined, and the resulting SSTs are compared to Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager‐derived observations of the skin temperature.
New Detrital Zircon Geochronology From the Cycladic Basement (Greece): Implications for the Paleozoic Accretion of Peri‐Gondwanan Terranes to Laurussia
Authors: Zlatkin Olga , Avigad Dov , Gerdes Axel
Published: November 2018

Between the eastern Mediterranean basin in the South and the East European (Baltica) Craton to the north, we distinguish two fundamental pre‐Variscan geological domains: an Internal domain, which hosts Ordovician‐Devonian (450–400 Ma) igneous rocks and detrital zircon populations, and an External domain, which contains no 450‐ to 400‐Ma zircon ages. From the Balkan Peninsula to the Turkish plate, the aforementioned Internal domain includes the Serbo‐Macedonian Massif, the Istanbul and Sakarya terranes, whereas the External domain, holding a more distal position relative to Baltica, includes the Pelagonian terrane and the External Hellenides. The two domains are interpreted as two consecutive (i.e., Caledonian and Variscan) Paleozoic accretionary belts, attached to the southern margin of Baltica. The Cycladic and Pelagonian terranes are currently juxtaposed along strike of the central Hellenides in Northern Greece. The Cycladic Massif is a Cadomian‐type terrane, while the Pelagonian displays an Avalonian‐type affinity. Despite its Avalonian affinity, the Pelagonian lacks Ordovician‐Devonian (450–400‐Ma) zircon ages. In contrast, detrital zircon grains of such ages are abundant in the Cycladic Massif. In this study, the Ordovician‐Devonian detrital zircon population is recognized also in pre‐Variscan (>310‐Ma) Cycladic Basement from Ios and Naxos Islands, affiliating the Cycladic Massif with the Internal (Caledonian) domain. This indicates that the Caledonian accretion incorporated some Cadomian‐type terranes. It also suggests that the protolith of the Cycladic blueschists was deposited within the Internal domain, that is, northeast of the Pelagonian terrane. This recognition helps to reconstruct the Paleozoic and Mesozoic paleogeography of the peri‐Gondwanan terranes.
Kinematics of Foreland‐Vergent Crustal Accretion: Inferences From the Dinarides Evolution
Authors: van Unen Marianne , Matenco Liviu , Nader Fadi Henri , Darnault Romain , Mandic Oleg , Demir Vedad
Published: November 2018

One of the most common observation in Mediterranean areas is the migration of contractional deformation and associated slabs through time toward external orogenic areas, associated with lower plate crustal accretion. The Dinarides orogen of Central Europe is an optimal place to study such a sequence of contractional deformation. Compared with other areas, contraction in the Dinarides was less overprinted by subsequent extension, while a remnant of the subducted slab is observed in a far external orogenic position. Understanding the deformational evolution of the Dinarides is hampered by the reduced availability of kinematic studies. Therefore, we have performed a surface kinematic study in the external parts of the Dinarides. By correlating with available geophysical and evolutionary constraints, we constructed two large‐scale, kinematically controlled regional transects. The results demonstrate a long‐lived evolution of shortening that affected the Dinarides lower orogenic plate. While the Late Jurassic‐earliest Cretaceous deformation was associated with an earlier obduction moment, the latest Cretaceous onset of continental collision has gradually focused deformation at inherited rheological weakness zones. We show that shortening was interrupted by a period of Miocene extension that affected all orogenic areas and created the Dinarides Lake System. The extension was followed by renewed shortening, which started during the latest Miocene and remains presently active, whose kinematics in the central and SE part of the Dinarides is revealed for the first time by our study. These results indicate a lower plate crustal accretion mechanism that was spatially and temporally connected with gradual slab retreat in the Dinarides.
Nanosized food additives impact beneficial and pathogenic bacteria in the human gut: a simulated gastrointestinal study
Authors: Siemer Svenja , Hahlbrock Angelina , Vallet Cecilia , McClements David Julian , Balszuweit Jan , Voskuhl Jens , Docter Dominic , Wessler Silja , Knauer Shirley K. , Westmeier Dana , Stauber Roland H.
Published: November 2018

Nanotechnology provides the food industry with new ways to modulate various aspects of food. Hence, engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are increasingly added to food and beverage products as functional ingredients. However, the impact of engineered as well as naturally occurring NPs on both commensal and pathogenic microorganisms within the gastrointestinal tract (GI) is not fully understood. Here, well-defined synthetic NPs and bacterial models were used to probe nanoparticle–bacteria interactions, from analytical to in situ to in vitro. NP–bacteria complexation occurred most efficiently for small NPs, independent of their core material or surface charge, but could be reduced by NPs’ steric surface modifications. Adsorption to bacteria could also be demonstrated for naturally occurring carbon NPs isolated from beer. Complex formation affected the (patho)biological behavior of both the NPs and bacteria, including their cellular uptake into epithelial cells and phagocytes, pathogenic signaling pathways, and NP-induced cell toxicity. NP–bacteria complex formation was concentration-dependently reduced when the NPs became coated with biomolecule coronas with sequential simulation of first oral uptake and then the GI. However, efficient NP adsorption was restored when the pH was sufficiently low, such as in simulating the conditions of the stomach. Collectively, NP binding to enteric bacteria may impact their (patho)biology, particularly in the stomach. Nanosized-food additives as well as naturally occurring NPs may be exploited to (rationally) shape the microbiome. The information contained in this article should facilitate a “safe by design” strategy for the development and application of engineered NPs as functional foods ingredients.
Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution over asymmetric channel and unstable channel
Authors: Hu Xiao-Long , Cao Yuan , Yu Zong-Wen , Wang Xiang-Bin
Published: November 2018

We show that a high key rate of Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution (MDIQKD) over asymmetric and unstable quantum channel can be obtained by full optimization and compensation. Employing a gradient optimization method, we make the full optimization taking both the global optimization for the 12 independent parameters and the joint constraints for statistical fluctuations. We present a loss-compensation method by monitoring the channel loss for an unstable channel. The numerical simulation shows that the method can produce high key rate for both the asymmetric channel and the unstable channel. Compared with the existing results of independent constraints, our result here improves the key rate by 1 to tens of times in typical experimental conditions.
Sodium selenite inhibits deoxynivalenol-induced injury in GPX1-knockdown porcine splenic lymphocytes in culture
Authors: Ren Zhihua , Fan Yu , Zhang Zhuo , Chen Chaoxi , Chen Changhao , Wang Xuemei , Deng Junliang , Peng Guangneng , Hu Yanchun , Cao Suizhong , Yu Shumin , Ma Xiaoping , Shen Liuhong , Zhong Zhijun , Zhou Ziyao , Xu Zhiwen , Zuo Zhicai
Published: November 2018

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a cytotoxic mycotoxin that can cause cell damages. The main effect is to inhibit protein synthesis. Oxidative stress is one of the effects of DON. Selenium (Se) can ameliorate the cell damage caused by DON-induced oxidative stress, but it is unclear whether through selenoprotein glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1). We established GPX1-knockdown porcine spleen lymphocytes, and treated them with DON and Se. Untransfected porcine splenic lymphocytes (group P) and transfected cells (group M, GPX1 knockdown) were treated with or without DON (0.824, 0.412, 0.206, or 0.103 μg/mL, group D1-4), Se (Na2SeO3, 2 μM, group Se), or both (group SD1–4) for 6, 12, or 24 h. The cells were collected and the activities of SOD and CAT, levels of GSH, H2O2, malonaldehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and the inhibition of free hydroxyl radicals were determined. Levels of ROS were measured at 24 h. Compared with group P, the antioxidant capacity of group M was reduced. DON caused greater oxidative damage to the GPX1-knockdown porcine splenic lymphocytes than to the normal control cells. When Na2SeO3 was combined with DON, it reduced the damage in the GPX1-knockdown porcine splenic lymphocytes, but less effectively than in the normal porcine splenic lymphocytes.
Stereochemical conversion of nucleic acid circuits via strand displacement
Authors: Hsieh Wei-Che , Martinez Gustavo R. , Wang Ashley , Wu Sharon F. , Chamdia Raunaq , Ly Danith H.
Published: November 2018

Remarkable accomplishments demonstrating the importance of nucleic acids in molecular engineering and computation have been made over the past two decades. However, much of the work in this area so far has been carried out in vitro, utilizing almost exclusively homochiral D-DNAs (or D-RNAs) as chemical building blocks. Such natural building blocks are prone to enzymatic degradation and cross-hybridization with the host’s genetic materials. Here we report the development of an orthogonal nucleic acid system that is made up of a left-handed and a right-handed conformer, and a non-helical peptide nucleic acid analogue. We show that the stereochemical information inherent in the right-handed and left-handed conformers can be interconverted from (R) to (S) and vice versa, along with their helical sense and recognition capability, through strand displacement. The genetic information encoded in these synthetic building blocks can be interfaced with DNA or RNA through a molecular converter.
Water as a structure-driving agent between the UiO-66 and MIL-140A metal–organic frameworks
Authors: Butova Vera V. , Budnyk Andriy P. , Charykov Konstantin M. , Vetlitsyna-Novikova Kristina S. , Lamberti Carlo , Soldatov Alexander V.
Published: November 2018

Water (or tetragonal-ZrO2 NPs) in the synthesis batch of Zr-BDC MOFs reacts with ZrCl4 forming the SBU of the UiO-66 phase.
Two photon excitable graphene quantum dots for structured illumination microscopy and imaging applications: lysosome specificity and tissue-dependent imaging
Authors: Singh Harwinder , Sreedharan Sreejesh , Tiwari Karishma , Green Nicola H. , Smythe Carl , Pramanik Sumit Kumar , Thomas Jim A. , Das Amitava
Published: November 2018

Two-photon active graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are obtained from extracts of the neem root.
An in situ assembly strategy for the construction of a sensitive and reusable electrochemical aptasensor
Authors: Song Juan , Li Songling , Gao Feng , Wang Qingxiang , Lin Zhenyu
Published: November 2018

In situ assembly of an electroactive AuNPs–Cu2+–l-cysteine tag was applied for the construction of a sensitive and reusable aptasensor.
Effect of energy dependence of the density of states on pressure-dependent rate constants
Authors: Bao Junwei Lucas , Truhlar Donald G.
Published: November 2018

The rate of collisional energy transfer is slowed down by the increase in the density of states at higher energies.
Kinetic energy densities based on the fourth order gradient expansion: performance in different classes of materials and improvementviamachine learning
Authors: Golub Pavlo , Manzhos Sergei
Published: November 2018

We study the performance of fourth-order gradient expansions of the kinetic energy density (KED) in semi-local kinetic energy functionals depending on the density-dependent variables.
Photoelectron spectra of Al2O2− and Al3O3−via slow electron velocity-map imaging
Authors: DeVine Jessalyn A. , Babin Mark C. , Neumark Daniel M.
Published: November 2018

High-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy of cryogenically-cooled aluminum oxide anions shows new subtleties in the vibronic structure of Al2O2−/0 and Al3O3−/0.
Carotenoid–chlorophyll energy transfer in the fucoxanthin–chlorophyll complex binding a fucoxanthin acyloxy derivative
Authors: Staleva-Musto Hristina , West Robert , Trathnigg Marco , Bína David , Litvín Radek , Polívka Tomáš
Published: November 2018

A fucoxanthin derivative has negligible charge-transfer character of the S1/ICT state resulting in slowing down of the carotenoid–chlorophyll energy transfer.
Model potential study of non-valence correlation-bound anions of (C60)n clusters: the role of electric field-induced charge transfer
Authors: Choi Tae Hoon , Jordan Kenneth D.
Published: November 2018

Orbitals associated with the non-valence correlation-bound anions of the C60 dimer and linear trimer from calculations allowing charge transfer.
TBN-mediated regio- and stereoselective sulfonylation & oximation (oximosulfonylation) of alkynes with sulfonyl hydrazines in EtOH/H2O
Authors: Wang Bin , Yan Zicong , Liu Liyan , Wang Jiawei , Zha Zhenggen , Wang Zhiyong
Published: November 2018

A difunctionalization of alkynes cascade reaction was developed to generate α-sulfonylethanone oximes in environmentally benign EtOH/H2O.
Mechanism analysis of a narrow-band ultra-bright green phosphor with its prospect in white light-emitting diodes and field emission displays
Authors: Li Junyi , Zhou Xufeng , Ding Jianyan , Zhou Xiaopeng , Wang Yuhua
Published: November 2018

A narrow-band ultra-bright green phosphor for w-LEDs and FEDs.
Drifting of the line-tied footpoints of CME flux-ropes
Authors: Aulanier Guillaume , Dudík Jaroslav
Published: November 2018

Context. Bridging the gap between heliospheric and solar observations of eruptions requires the mapping of interplanetary coronal mass ejection (CME) footpoints down to the Sun’s surface. But this not straightforward. Improving the understanding of the spatio-temporal evolutions of eruptive flares requires a comprehensive standard model. But the current model is only two-dimensional and cannot address the question of interplanetary CME footpoints.

Aims. Existing 3D extensions to the standard model show that flux-rope footpoints are surrounded by curved-shaped quasi-separatrix layer (QSL) footprints that can be related with hook-shaped flare-ribbons. We build upon this finding and further address the joint questions of their time-evolution, and of the formation of flare loops at the ends of the flaring polarity inversion line (PIL) of the erupting bipole, which are both relevant for flare understanding in general and for interplanetary CME studies in particular.

Methods. We calculated QSLs and relevant field lines in an MHD simulation of a torus-unstable flux-rope. The evolving QSL footprints are used to define the outer edge of the flux rope at different times, and to identify and characterize new 3D reconnection geometries and sequences that occur above the ends of the flaring PIL. We also analyzed flare-ribbons as observed in the extreme ultraviolet by SDO/AIA and IRIS during two X-class flares.

Results. The flux-rope footpoints are drifting during the eruption, which is unexpected due to line-tying. This drifting is due to a series of coronal reconnections that erode the flux rope on one side and enlarge it on the other side. Other changes in the flux-rope footpoint-area are due to multiple reconnections of individual field lines whose topology can evolve sequentially from arcade to flux rope and finally to flare loop. These are associated with deformations and displacements of QSL footprints, which resemble those of the studied flare ribbons.

Conclusions. Our model predicts continuous deformations and a drifting of interplanetary CME flux-rope footpoints whose areas are surrounded by equally evolving hooked-shaped flare-ribbons, as well as the formation of flare loops at the ends of flaring PILs which originate from the flux-rope itself, both of which being due to purely three-dimensional reconnection geometries. The observed evolution of flare-ribbons in two events supports the model, but more observations are required to test all its predictions.
Three regimes of CO emission in galaxy mergers
Authors: Renaud Florent , Bournaud Frédéric , Daddi Emanuele , Weiß Axel
Published: November 2018

The conversion factor αCO from the observable CO(1-0) luminosity to the mass of molecular gas is known to vary between isolated galaxies and some mergers, but the underlying reasons are not clearly understood. Thus, the value(s) of αCO that are to be adopted remain highly uncertain. To provide better constraints, we applied the large velocity gradient method to a series of hydrodynamical simulations of galaxies and derived the evolution of αCO. We report significant variations of αCO, and identify three distinct regimes: disk galaxies, starbursts, and post-burst phases. We show that estimating the star formation rate over 20Myr smoothes out some of these differences, but still maintains a distinction between disks and starbursts. We find a tighter correlation of αCO with the gas depletion time than with star formation rate, but deviations are induced by the transitions to and from the starburst episodes. We conclude that αCO fluctuates because of both feedback energy and velocity dispersion. Identifying the phase of an interaction by classical means (e.g., morphology or luminosity) could then help to select the relevant conversion factor that is to be used and to obtain more accurate estimates of the molecular masses of galaxies.
Design and performance of a wideband precision capacitive divider for AC and impulse voltage measurement
Authors: Long Zhaozhi , Liu Shaobo , Li Wenting , Lu Fei , Zhang Chi , Zhou Feng , Zhang Shuhan
Published: November 2018

In this paper, the theoretical analysis, design, and performance of a wide-band precision capacitive voltage divider are presented. Based on the equivalent circuit model of the traditional capacitive divider, the influence factors of response characteristic and non-linearity are analyzed. The advantage of a compressed-gas capacitor as the high voltage part of the wide-band capacitive voltage divider is studied. The measured high voltage capacitance of the compressed gas capacitor is 9.854 pF. The theoretical value of the temperature coefficient is 2 ppm/°C, and the relative variation of the capacitance is −50 ppm with AC voltage (50 Hz) from 50 kV to 550 kV. The scale factor is estimated by AC voltage calibration, and the complete result of the calibration is expressed: F = 10 340(1% ± 0.026%) for a coverage probability of not less than 95% (k = 2). The step response and amplitude-frequency of the damped capacitive divider are analyzed and measured. Last but not least, the proposed capacitive divider prototype is tested to measure the switching impulse voltage and lightning impulse voltage. According to the test results, the proposed capacitive divider possesses good dynamic behavior and non-linearity and can measure the AC voltage, impulse voltage, and transient overvoltage in the field calibration.
High-temperature rotating cylinder rheometer for studying metallic glass forming liquids
Authors: Hembree William , Bochtler Benedikt , Busch Ralf
Published: November 2018

A high-temperature Couette rotating cylinder rheometer has been developed for shear viscosity investigations of metallic glass forming liquids under precisely controlled flow and environmental conditions. These materials generally exhibit viscosities in the range of 10−2 to 10−1 Pa s above their liquidus temperature. While knowledge of the viscosity is crucial for estimating the glass forming ability and processing capabilities of these liquids, accurate rheological measurements are challenging due to their vulnerability to oxidation and contamination from the crucible and processing environment. Thus, the present device was constructed to measure the shear viscosities of these reactive melts in an inert atmosphere using shear cells manufactured from isostatically pressed graphite. A custom suite of LabVIEW programs provides all the necessary data acquisition tools and controls for the motor, inductive generator, sample temperature, and torque sensor. The setup includes a proportional-integral-derivative controller that allows for both isothermal and continuous heating/cooling experiments from room temperature up to 1400 K. The system is calibrated using NIST reference oils at room temperature. To demonstrate the functionality of the apparatus at high temperatures, the viscosity of the metallic glass forming alloy Zr59.3Cu28.8Al10.4Nb1.5 (AMZ4) was measured above the melting point and was found to be in excellent agreement with previously reported reference values from levitation-based measurement techniques.
Elementary kinetics of nitrogen electroreduction on Fe surfaces
Authors: Maheshwari Sharad , Rostamikia Gholamreza , Janik Michael J.
Published: November 2018

Electrochemical ammonia synthesis could provide a sustainable and efficient alternative to the energy intensive Haber-Bosch process. Development of an active and selective N2 electroreduction catalyst requires mechanism determination to aid in connecting the catalyst composition and structure to performance. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are used to examine the elementary step energetics of associative N2 reduction mechanisms on two low index Fe surfaces. Interfacial water molecules in the Heyrovsky-like mechanism help lower some of the elementary activation barriers. Electrode potential dependent barriers show that cathodic potentials below −1.5 V-RHE (reversible hydrogen electrode) are necessary to give a significant rate of N2 electroreduction. DFT barriers suggest a larger overpotential than expected based on elementary reaction free energies. Linear Brønsted-Evans-Polanyi relationships do not hold across N–H formation steps on these surfaces, further confirming that explicit barriers should be considered in DFT studies of the nitrogen reduction reaction.
Structure, optical property, and reaction process of Si quantum dots embedded in an amorphous silicon carbide matrix
Authors: Fu Junchi , Qu Yazhou , Huang Feifei , Zhang Ling , Yang Qinru , Cheng Qijin
Published: November 2018

Silicon quantum dots (QDs) embedded in an amorphous silicon carbide matrix were prepared using silane, methane, and hydrogen as reactive gases at a low substrate temperature by radio-frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition followed by thermal annealing at 1000 °C in a N2 atmosphere in the quartz furnace. The structure, optical properties, and reaction process of the synthesized Si QDs embedded in an amorphous silicon carbide matrix under different discharge powers are investigated. With the increase in the discharge power from 40 to 100 W, the experimental result measured by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, UV-Visible spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy reveals that the average size and the crystal volume fraction of Si QDs decrease from 4.4 to 3.4 nm and from 61.1% to 46.3%, respectively, while the optical bandgap and the deposition rate increase from 1.75 to 1.96 eV and from 15.5 to 16.5 nm/min, respectively. Moreover, the real-time diagnosis of plasma by optical emission spectroscopy (OES) is used to determine the chemical species and excitation temperature under the glow discharge of silane, methane, and hydrogen gas mixtures. Based on the OES measurement, the chemical reactions happening in the plasma and growth mechanism for the synthesis of Si QDs embedded in an amorphous silicon carbide matrix have been proposed. This work plays a significant role in preparation of the Si QDs embedded in an amorphous silicon carbide matrix for third-generation photovoltaic solar cells.
Vibronic structure and photoelectron angular distribution in the photoelectron spectrum of ICN
Authors: Manna Soumitra , Mishra Sabyashachi
Published: November 2018

The valence shell photoelectron spectrum of ICN has been simulated using the equation-of-motion coupled-cluster method to calculate the ionization energies and the norms of the Dyson orbitals to describe the intensity of the photoelectron bands. The simulated spectrum not only reproduces the position and intensity of the four main bands observed in the experimental photoelectron spectrum, but the vibronic structure present in the individual photoelectron bands is also reproduced to a reasonable extent. The agreement between the experimental and simulated vibronic structures at higher energies corresponding to the Ã and B̃ states is particularly noteworthy. Additionally, the photoionization cross section and asymmetry parameter have been calculated for the ionization of four outermost valence molecular orbitals in the photon energy range of 0–50 eV. The computed asymmetry parameters are found to provide a qualitative description of the corresponding experimental measurements. The shape-resonance seen in the experimental asymmetry parameters and the trends seen in the calculated cross section for the four ionization channels have been explained by the partial wave analysis of the contribution of the individual angular momentum channels to the photoelectron.
A highly accurate measurement of resonator Q-factor and resonance frequency
Authors: Gyüre-Garami B. , Sági O. , Márkus B. G. , Simon F.
Published: November 2018

The microwave cavity perturbation method is often used to determine material parameters (electric permittivity and magnetic permeability) at high frequencies, and it relies on the measurement of the resonator parameters. We present a method to determine the Q-factor and resonance frequency of microwave resonators which is conceptually simple but provides a sensitivity for these parameters which overcomes those of existing methods by an order of magnitude. The microwave resonator is placed in a feedback resonator setup, where the output of an amplifier is connected to its own input with the resonator as a bandpass filter. After reaching steady-state oscillation, the feedback circuit is disrupted by a fast microwave switch, and the transient signal, which emanates from the resonator, is detected using down-conversion. The Fourier transform of the resulting time-dependent signal yields directly the resonance profile of the resonator. Albeit the method being highly accurate, this comes with a conceptual simplicity, ease of implementation, and lower circuit cost. We compare existing methods for this type of measurement to explain the sensitivity of the present technique, and we also make a prediction for the ultimate accuracy for the resonator Q and f0 determination.
Complexities of atomic structure at CdO/MgO and CdO/Al2O3 interfaces
Authors: Grimley Everett D. , Wynn Alex P. , Kelley Kyle P. , Sachet Edward , Dean Julian S. , Freeman Colin L. , Maria Jon-Paul , LeBeau James M.
Published: November 2018

We report the interface structures of CdO thin films on 001-MgO and 0001-Al2O3 substrates. Using aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy, we show that epitaxial growth of (001)-CdO∥(001)-MgO occurs with a lattice misfit greater than 10%. A high density of interface misfit dislocations is found to form. In combination with molecular dynamics simulations, we show that dislocation strain fields form and overlap in very thin heterostructures of CdO and MgO (<3 nm). On the c-Al2O3 substrate, we find that CdO grows with a surface normal of 025. We show that three rotation variants form due to the symmetry of the sapphire surface. These results contribute insights into the epitaxial growth of these rock-salt oxides.
Ab initio optical and energy loss spectra of transition metal monopnictides TaAs, TaP, NbAs, and NbP
Authors: Grassano Davide , Bechstedt Friedhelm , Pulci Olivia
Published: November 2018

Transition metal monopnictides represent a new class of topological semimetals with low-energy excitations, namely, Weyl fermions. We report optical properties across a wide spectral energy range for TaAs, TaP, NbAs, and NbP, calculated within density functional theory. Spectra are found to be somewhat independent of the anion and the light polarization. Their features are explained in terms of the upper s, p, d, and f electrons. Characteristic absorption features are related to the frequency dependence of the Fresnel reflectivity. While the lower part of the energy loss spectra is dominated by plasmonic features, the high-energy structures are explained by interband transitions.
The life and botany of Edward Macarthur Bowman (1826–1872)
Authors: Bean Anthony R.
Published: November 2018

Edward Macarthur Bowman was one of a select group of pioneer settlers in Queensland who had a strong scientific interest in native plants, and attempted to make a living from collecting plant specimens and seeds. In this he was unsuccessful, but recently located letters and newspaper articles, transcribed here for the first time, give an insight into Bowman’s motivations, his connections to other collectors and botanists, and also the remarkably successful botanical exploring excursions that he was able to make despite his limited means.
Mutation in
LBX1/Lbx1
precludes transcription factor cooperativity and causes congenital hypoventilation in humans and mice
Authors: Hernandez-Miranda Luis Rodrigo , Ibrahim Daniel M. , Ruffault Pierre-Louis , Larrosa Madeleine , Balueva Kira , Müller Thomas , Weerd Willemien de , Stolte-Dijkstra Irene , Hostra Robert M. W. , Brunet Jean-François , Fortin Gilles , Mundlos Stefan , Birchmeier Carmen
Published: November 2018

Significance

Maintaining low CO
2
levels in our bodies is critical for life and depends on neurons that generate the respiratory rhythm and monitor tissue gas levels. Inadequate response to increasing levels of CO
2
is common in congenital hypoventilation diseases. Here, we identified a mutation in
LBX1
, a homeodomain transcription factor, that causes congenital hypoventilation in humans. The mutation alters the C terminus of the protein without disturbing its DNA-binding domain. Mouse models carrying an analogous mutation recapitulate the disease. The mutation spares most Lbx1 functions, but selectively affects development of a small group of neurons central in respiration. Our work reveals a very unusual pathomechanism, a mutation that hampers a small subset of functions carried out by a transcription factor.
Evolution of bond formation and fracture process of ultrasonic spot welded dissimilar materials
Authors: Wang Tianhao , Shukla Shivakant , Frank Michael , Mishra Rajiv S.
Published: November 2018

Ultrasonic spot welding was applied for dissimilar lap welding of aluminium alloy and steel sheets. With a combination of heat and force input during the welding process, the welded interface at aluminium/steel interface was formed. A graphical model was established to represent the weld formation process. The thickness of top aluminium sheet was reduced with an increase in welding time, which led to the failure mode switching from debonding failure to pullout failure. The intermetallic at the welded interface was verified by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy on the surface of the fractured specimen. In addition, the vibration direction of the sonotrode during ultrasonic spot welding influenced joint strength by changing the alignment of micro bonds at the welded interface.
Predictable gene expression related to behavioral variation in parenting
Authors: Benowitz Kyle M , McKinney Elizabeth C , Cunningham Christopher B , Moore Allen J
Published: November 2018

Differential gene expression has been associated with transitions between behavioral states for a wide variety of organisms and behaviors. Heterochrony, genetic toolkits, and predictable pathways underlying behavioral transitions have been hypothesized to explain the relationship between transcription and behavioral changes. Less studied is how variation in transcription is related to variation within a behavior, and if the genes that are associated with this variation are predictable. Here, we adopt an evolutionary systems biology perspective to address 2 hypotheses relating differential expression to changes within and between behavior. We predicted fewer genes will be associated with variation within a behavior than with transitions between states, and the genes underlying variation within a behavior will represent a narrower set of biological functions. We tested for associations with parenting variation within a state with a set of genes known a priori to be differentially expressed (DE) between parenting states in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides. As predicted, we found that far fewer genes are DE related to variation within parenting. Moreover, these were not randomly distributed among categories or pathways in the gene set we tested and primarily involved genes associated with neurotransmission. We suggest that this means candidate genes will be easier to identify for associations within a behavior, as descriptions of behavioral state may include more than a single phenotype.
DeeReCT-PolyA: a robust and generic deep learning method for PAS identification
Authors: Xia Zhihao , Li Yu , Zhang Bin , Li Zhongxiao , Hu Yuhui , Chen Wei , Gao Xin
Published: November 2018

Motivation

Polyadenylation is a critical step for gene expression regulation during the maturation of mRNA. An accurate and robust method for poly(A) signals (PASs) identification is not only desired for the purpose of better transcripts’ end annotation, but can also help us gain a deeper insight of the underlying regulatory mechanism. Although many methods have been proposed for PAS recognition, most of them are PAS motif- and human-specific, which leads to high risks of overfitting, low generalization power, and inability to reveal the connections between the underlying mechanisms of different mammals.

Results

In this work, we propose a robust, PAS motif agnostic, and highly interpretable and transferrable deep learning model for accurate PAS recognition, which requires no prior knowledge or human-designed features. We show that our single model trained over all human PAS motifs not only outperforms the state-of-the-art methods trained on specific motifs, but can also be generalized well to two mouse datasets. Moreover, we further increase the prediction accuracy by transferring the deep learning model trained on the data of one species to the data of a different species. Several novel underlying poly(A) patterns are revealed through the visualization of important oligomers and positions in our trained models. Finally, we interpret the deep learning models by converting the convolutional filters into sequence logos and quantitatively compare the sequence logos between human and mouse datasets.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/likesum/DeeReCT-PolyA

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Healthcare Costs and Life-years Gained From Treatments Within the Advancing Cryptococcal Meningitis Treatment for Africa (ACTA) Trial on Cryptococcal Meningitis: A Comparison of Antifungal Induction Strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Chen Tao , Mwenge Lawrence , Lakhi Shabir , Chanda Duncan , Mwaba Peter , Molloy Síle F , Gheorghe Adrian , Griffiths Ulla K , Heyderman Robert S , Kanyama Cecilia , Kouanfack Charles , Mfinanga Sayoki , Chan Adrienne K , Temfack Elvis , Kivuyo Sokoine , Hosseinipour Mina C , Lortholary Olivier , Loyse Angela , Jaffar Shabbar , Harrison Thomas S , Niessen Louis W ,   ACTA Trial Team
Published: November 2018

Background

Mortality from cryptoccocal meningitis remains high. The ACTA trial demonstrated that, compared with 2 weeks of amphotericin B (AmB) plus flucystosine (5FC), 1 week of AmB and 5FC was associated with lower mortality and 2 weeks of oral flucanozole (FLU) plus 5FC was non-inferior. Here, we assess the cost-effectiveness of these different treatment courses.

Methods

Participants were randomized in a ratio of 2:1:1:1:1 to 2 weeks of oral 5FC and FLU, 1 week of AmB and FLU, 1 week of AmB and 5FC, 2 weeks of AmB and FLU, or 2 weeks of AmB and 5FC in Malawi, Zambia, Cameroon, and Tanzania. Data on individual resource use and health outcomes were collected. Cost-effectiveness was measured as incremental costs per life-year saved, and non-parametric bootstrapping was done.

Results

Total costs per patient were US $1442 for 2 weeks of oral FLU and 5FC, $1763 for 1 week of AmB and FLU, $1861 for 1 week of AmB and 5FC, $2125 for 2 weeks of AmB and FLU, and $2285 for 2 weeks of AmB and 5FC. Compared to 2 weeks of AmB and 5FC, 1 week of AmB and 5FC was less costly and more effective and 2 weeks of oral FLU and 5FC was less costly and as effective. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for 1 week of AmB and 5FC versus oral FLU and 5FC was US $208 (95% confidence interval $91–1210) per life-year saved.

Clinical Trials Registration

ISRCTN45035509.

Conclusions

Both 1 week of AmB and 5FC and 2 weeks of Oral FLU and 5FC are cost-effective treatments.
Associations between general practice characteristics with use of urgent referrals for suspected cancer and endoscopies: a cross-sectional ecological study
Authors: Mendonca Silvia C , Abel Gary A , Gildea Carolynn , McPhail Sean , Peake Michael D , Rubin Greg , Singh Hardeep , Hamilton Willie , Walter Fiona M , Roland Martin O , Lyratzopoulos Georgios
Published: November 2018

Background

Large variation in measures of diagnostic activity has been described previously between English general practices, but related predictors remain understudied.

Objective

To examine associations between general practice population and characteristics, with the use of urgent referrals for suspected cancer, and use of endoscopy.

Methods

Cross-sectional observational study of English general practices. We examined practice-level use (/1000 patients/year) of urgent referrals for suspected cancer, gastroscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy. We used mixed-effects Poisson regression to examine associations with the sociodemographic profile of practice populations and other practice attributes, including the average age, sex and country of qualification of practice doctors.

Results

The sociodemographic characteristics of registered patients explained much of the between-practice variance in use of urgent referrals (32%) and endoscopic investigations (18–25%), all being higher in practices with older and more socioeconomically deprived patients. Practice-level attributes explained a substantial amount of between-practice variance in urgent referral (19%) but little of the variance in endoscopy (3%-4%). Adjusted urgent referral rates were higher in training practices and those with younger GPs. Practices with mean doctor ages of 41 and 57 years (at the 10th/90th centiles of the national distribution) would have urgent referral rates of 24.1 and 19.1/1000 registered patients, P < 0.001.

Conclusion

Most between-practice variation in use of urgent referrals and endoscopies seems to reflect health need. Some practice characteristics, such as the mean age of GPs, are associated with appreciable variation in use of urgent referrals, though these associations do not seem strong enough to justify targeted interventions.
Factors influencing healthy eating and physical activity amongst school staff
Authors: Huse Oliver , Palermo Claire , Evans Monica , Peeters Anna
Published: November 2018

Limited research has explored teachers’ perceptions of the role that schools can play in supporting staff members’ healthy eating and physical activity. We aimed to identify barriers to healthy eating and physical activity within the school context, and to conclude on potential strategies for supporting staff to pursue these healthier behaviours. A convenience sampling strategy was used to recruit eleven schools from across Victoria to participate in this study, through contacts known to the researchers. The researchers facilitated focus groups involving staff from schools. Focus groups ranged in size from 3 to 12 participants (total 82) and lasted between 40 and 75 min. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and sub-themes which were identified by staff as being important for healthy eating and physical activity. Schools that were perceived by staff to support healthy eating and physical activity offered opportunities, through initiatives and the physical environment, to support staff in accessing environments and facilities that supported them in being healthy. Further supportive elements were identified as a culture of health behaviours amongst staff members and leadership which supported health behaviours. Workplace stressors were reported to impact many aspects of staff health and wellbeing. Potential actions by schools to better support staff to pursue healthy eating and physical activity were identified from the themes emerging from this study. Alignment between these themes and elements of the World Health Organisation’s healthy workplace framework suggest it will be important for health promotion models to account for these themes.
Valency and English learners’ thesauri
Authors: Gao Jun , Liu Haitao
Published: November 2018

Learners’ thesauri do not simply offer an inventory of semantically related lexical items but explicate their nuances and furnish users with rich syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic information. Adopting the theoretical framework of valency, this study examines the distinctive features of two English learners’ thesauri, the Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus: A Dictionary of Synonyms (OLT) and the Longman Language Activator (LLA). Furthermore, the study, supported by learner corpus evidence, empirically assesses the usefulness of OLT and LLA in Chinese learners’ writing. The results demonstrate that learners’ thesauri can generally meet the practical needs of users in writing through providing a range of synonyms and syntactic patterns, including abundant information on semantic collocations, and offering rich pragmatic information regarding registers and emotive variables. The results also show some defects in OLT and LLA, such as their failure to present specific syntactic patterns, including those frequently used in Chinese learners’ compositions. It is then suggested that the compilation of learners’ thesauri draw upon the ways in which lexical information is presented in the English Valency Dictionary, and that learner corpora and native speaker corpora be combined to improve their usefulness.
Les collections royales de raretés sous François Ier et Henri II
Authors: Trébosc Delphine
Published: November 2018

François Ier, qui fonda la collection royale de raretés, en instaura non seulement le regroupement, mais aussi la fonction politique, la collection de singularités prenant part à la fois au projet encyclopédique royal et à la magnificence royale. Sous son règne, ainsi que sous celui d’Henri II, le château de Fontainebleau devint le lieu privilégié du rassemblement et de la présentation de cette collection, en particulier au sein de plusieurs espaces associés au logis du roi.