bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Geometry Variation on the Mechanical Behavior of the Proximal Femur
Authors: Borjali Amirhossein , Mohseni Mahdi , Van Su Mei , Chizari Mahmoud
Published: November 2019

The mechanical behavior of a proximal femur under a normal body weight loading was examined. The geometry of the proximal femur was created in a finite element model using 29 reference points measured on the CT scan images of a patient. Four additional sets of measurements were calculated using ± (1) and ± (2) the standard deviation of the original set and the result of models was compared. The stress distribution and the locations of critical normal and shear stress, as well as the effect of the femur geometry which may be most susceptible to failure were examined. The findings of this study demonstrate an inferior distribution of stress in the plus-standard deviation models and indicate less ability to bear weight. The minus-standard deviation models appear to be better suited to bearing weight and indicate a more even distribution of the stresses generated within the proximal femur.
2D Perovskite Sr2Nb3O10 for High‐Performance UV Photodetectors
Authors: Li Siyuan , Zhang Yong , Yang Wei , Liu Hui , Fang Xiaosheng
Published: November 2019

2D perovskites, due to their unique properties and reduced dimension, are promising candidates for future optoelectronic devices. However, the development of stable and nontoxic 2D wide‐bandgap perovskites remains a challenge. 2D all‐inorganic perovskite Sr2Nb3O10 (SNO) nanosheets with thicknesses down to 1.8 nm are synthesized by liquid exfoliation, and for the first time, UV photodetectors (PDs) based on individual few‐layer SNO sheets are investigated. The SNO sheet‐based PDs exhibit excellent UV detecting performance (narrowband responsivity = 1214 A W−1, external quantum efficiency = 5.6 × 105%, detectivity = 1.4 × 1014 Jones @270 nm, 1 V bias), and fast response speed (trise ≈ 0.4 ms, tdecay ≈ 40 ms), outperforming most reported individual 2D sheet‐based UV PDs. Furthermore, the carrier transport properties of SNO and the performance of SNO‐based phototransistors are successfully controlled by gate voltage. More intriguingly, the photodetecting performance and carrier transport properties of SNO sheets are dependent on their thickness. In addition, flexible and transparent PDs with high mechanical stability are easily fabricated based on SNO nanosheet film. This work sheds light on the development of high‐performance optoelectronics based on low‐dimensional wide‐bandgap perovskites in the future.
First‐Principles Simulation of Carrier Recombination Mechanisms in Halide Perovskites
Authors: Zhang Xie , Shen Jimmy‐Xuan , Van de Walle Chris G.
Published: November 2019

In recent years, there have been remarkable developments in halide perovskites, which are used in highly efficient optoelectronic devices and exhibit intriguing materials physics. Detailed knowledge of carrier recombination mechanisms is essential for understanding their excellent performance and to further increase their efficiency. Obtaining such knowledge is challenging however, and different studies have reached divergent conclusions in some cases. This progress report outlines the critical developments in understanding the carrier recombination mechanisms in halide perovskites from a computational perspective. The primary focus is radiative and Auger recombination, since they have not been systematically assessed and discussed before, and a number of important issues have been actively debated. This comprehensive discussion of the carrier recombination mechanisms is aimed at establishing physically justified insights that can form the basis for better materials and devices design.
Effects of Tween 20 and Transglutaminase Modifications on the Functional Properties of Peanut Proteins
Authors: Zhang Shao Bing , Wang Xiao Hua , Li Xia , Yan Dong Qiong
Published: November 2019

The effects of Tween 20 on the emulsification and gelation properties of peanut protein isolates (PPI) were investigated. The functional properties of different peanut protein products, including PPI, Tween 20‐assisted aqueous extraction peanut proteins (TPP), and their transglutaminase‐modified products (TG‐TPP), were then compared. The results indicate that the addition of Tween 20 to the PPI resulted in higher emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsion stability index (ESI) values than PPI without Tween 20; however, the emulsions produced by the PPI–Tween 20 mixtures were easier to destabilize during storage. As the amount of Tween 20 was increased, both the surface hydrophobicity and gel strength of the PPI–Tween mixtures significantly decreased. TPP (containing approximately 11% Tween 20) exhibited significantly different functional properties from PPI. Compared with PPI, TPP had higher EAI and ESI values but a weaker heat‐induced gelation ability. The protein solubility of TPP was markedly higher than that of PPI. Modification of TPP with transglutaminase (TGase) significantly enhanced their gelation and oil‐binding properties but reduced the protein solubility and ESI value. The remarkable improvement in the gelation ability of TG‐TPP was mainly attributed to the formation of high‐molecular‐weight protein aggregates and their conformational changes.
Animal models of gene–alcohol interactions
Authors: Lovely Charles Benjamin
Published: November 2019

Most birth defects arise from complex interactions between multiple genetic and environmental factors. However, our current understanding of how these interactions and their contributions affect birth defects remains incomplete. Human studies are limited in their ability to identify the fundamental causes of birth defects due to ethical and practical limitations. Animal models provide a great number of resources not available to human studies and they have been critical in advancing our understanding of birth defects and the complex interactions that underlie them. In this review, we discuss the use of animal models in the context of gene–environment interactions that underlie birth defects. We focus on alcohol which is the most common environmental factor associated with birth defects. Prenatal alcohol exposure leads to a wide range of cognitive impairments and structural deficits broadly termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). We discuss the broad impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on the developing embryo and elaborate on the current state of gene–alcohol interactions. Additionally, we discuss how animal models have informed our understanding of the genetics of FASD. Ultimately, these topics will provide insight into the use of animal models in understanding gene–environment interactions and their subsequent impact on birth defects.
Childhood maltreatment experiences are associated with altered diffusion in occipito‐temporal white matter pathways
Authors: Olson Elizabeth A. , Overbey Tate A. , Ostrand Caroline G. , Pizzagalli Diego A. , Rauch Scott L. , Rosso Isabelle M.
Published: November 2019

Background

Childhood maltreatment may contribute to brain alterations in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We previously found that PTSD was associated with white matter compromise, or lower fractional anisotropy (FA), in the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF). In this study, including non‐PTSD controls, we examined whether ILF FA was associated with maltreatment exposures, including those that meet DSM‐IV criterion A (physical abuse, sexual abuse) and those that typically do not (emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect). We hypothesized that lower FA would be associated with PTSD diagnosis and with both categories of maltreatment.

Methods

Ninety‐three participants (51 female), ages 20–50, were enrolled, including 32 with lifetime DSM‐IV PTSD, 27 trauma‐exposed non‐PTSD controls, and 34 healthy controls. Participants completed structured interviews, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and diffusion‐weighted imaging (36 directions). Probabilistic tractography (using FreeSurfer's TRACULA) was used to assess diffusion metrics in the ILF.

Results

Contrary to our hypothesis, there was no significant effect of diagnostic group on FA. In contrast, higher CTQ scores were significantly associated with lower FA in the ILF bilaterally. This association of maltreatment with lower FA remained statistically significant after controlling for diagnostic group, and it was significant for both criterion‐A‐type and noncriterion‐A‐type maltreatment categories.

Conclusions

This work contributes to a growing body of literature indicating that different forms of childhood maltreatment are associated with altered white matter microstructure in the ILF, an association pathway involved in integrating visual information from occipital regions with emotion processing functions of the anterior temporal lobe.
Single‐Molecule Magnets DyM2N@C80 and Dy2MN@C80 (M=Sc, Lu): The Impact of Diamagnetic Metals on Dy3+ Magnetic Anisotropy, Dy⋅⋅⋅Dy Coupling, and Mixing of Molecular and Lattice Vibrations
Authors: Spree Lukas , Schlesier Christin , Kostanyan Aram , Westerström Rasmus , Greber Thomas , Büchner Bernd , Avdoshenko Stanislav M. , Popov Alexey A.
Published: November 2019

The substitution of scandium in fullerene single‐molecule magnets (SMMs) DySc2N@C80 and Dy2ScN@C80 by lutetium has been studied to explore the influence of the diamagnetic metal on the SMM performance of dysprosium nitride clusterfullerenes. The use of lutetium led to an improved SMM performance of DyLu2N@C80, which shows a higher blocking temperature of magnetization (TB=9.5 K), longer relaxation times, and broader hysteresis than DySc2N@C80 (TB=6.9 K). At the same time, Dy2LuN@C80 was found to have a similar blocking temperature of magnetization to Dy2ScN@C80 (TB=8 K), but substantially different interactions between the magnetic moments of the dysprosium ions in the Dy2MN clusters. Surprisingly, although the intramolecular dipolar interactions in Dy2LuN@C80 and Dy2ScN@C80 are of similar strength, the exchange interactions in Dy2LuN@C80 are close to zero. Analysis of the low‐frequency molecular and lattice vibrations showed strong mixing of the lattice modes and endohedral cluster librations in k‐space. This mixing simplifies the spin–lattice relaxation by conserving the momentum during the spin flip and helping to distribute the moment and energy further into the lattice.
Ein Vergleich der Chemie von Silicium und Titan
Authors: Schubert Ulrich
Published: November 2019

Reaktivität und Eigenschaften vieler Silicium‐ und Titanverbindungen sind sehr ähnlich. So hydrolysieren die meist molekularen Verbindungen MX4 (M = Si, Ti; X = elektronegativer Substituent) sehr rasch unter Bildung von Silicium/Titan‐Sauerstoff‐Verbindungen. SiO2 und TiO2 können durch gleiche Prozesse (Fällung aus wässrigen Lösungen, Flammenhydrolyse, Sol‐Gel‐Verfahren) hergestellt werden und lösen sich nur schwer oder gar nicht in Säuren. Silicate und Titanate entstehen durch Umsetzung der Oxide mit Laugen. Wegen der höheren Reaktivität von Titanverbindungen gegenüber Wasser müssen unterschiedliche Strategien zur Herstellung von organisch modifizierten Derivaten oxidischer Verbindungen angewandt werden. Die größten Unterschiede in der Chemie von Silicium und Titan finden sich in den Strukturen analoger Verbindungen und beruhen hauptsächlich auf dem größeren Radius und der geringeren Elektronegativität von Titanatomen. Deshalb bevorzugt Titan oktaedrische, Silicium dagegen tetraedrische Koordination. Die unterschiedlichen Verknüpfungsmöglichkeiten von tetraedrischen und oktaedrischen Baugruppen führen zu unterschiedlichen Konstruktionsprinzipien von Festkörperstrukturen. Diese werden am Beispiel von Sauerstoffverbindungen diskutiert, besonders am Beispiel der Oxide, der Silikate/Titanate und oxidischer Käfigstrukturen.
Responses in Phenotypic Plasticity of Amaranthus palmeri and Polygonum orientale to Soil Factors under Different Habitats
Authors: Zhang Mei , Ma Kexin , Liu Tong , Tang Lili , Khan Amir Abdullah , Yang Tong , Zheng Pufan , Wang Tongtong , Han Jianhua , Shi Fuchen
Published: November 2019

The extension and structure of functional traits variation in response to different soil factors between invasive and native plants are poorly understood. Functional traits and soil factors of the invasive plant Amaranthus palmeri and its coexisting plant Polygonum orientale are investigated under three heterogeneous habitats: roadside (rs), wasteland (wl), and riverbank (rb) in Tianjin, China. The shoot dry weight (SDW) and leaf nitrogen (LN) of A. palmeri are significantly higher compared with P. orientale, while A. palmeri has significantly lower leaf dry weight (LDW), leaf area (LA), leaf carbon (LC), and leaf C/N ratio under different habitats. The larger phenotypic plasticity of A. palmeri is one of the important reasons for their successful invasion to heterogeneous habitats. Similarly, the soil water content (SWC) of both species shows a significant difference (p < 0.05) with maximum in riverbank habitat to lowest in roadside habitat. Soil N/P ratio, C/N ratio, and C/P ratio of rb habitats are significantly lower compared to wl and rs habitats (p < 0.05). A redundancy analysis indicates that SWC is the dominant soil factor affecting the functional traits of A. palmeri and P. orientale. However, A. palmeri forms an environmental adaptation strategy by changing traits of SDW, LN, and leaf C/N ratio, which is different from P. orientale by changing traits of LA and LDW.
A Proof of Sznitman's Conjecture about Ballistic RWRE
Authors: Guerra Enrique , Ramı́rez Alejandro F.
Published: November 2019

We consider random walk in a uniformly elliptic i.i.d. random environment in ℤd for d ≥ 2. It is believed that whenever the random walk is transient in a given direction it is necessarily ballistic. In order to quantify the gap which would be needed to prove this equivalence, several ballisticity conditions have been introduced. In particular, Sznitman defined the so‐called conditions (T) and (T′). The first one is the requirement that certain unlikely exit probabilities from a set of slabs decay exponentially fast with their width L. The second one is the requirement that for all γ ∈ (0, 1) condition (T)γ is satisfied, which in turn is defined as the requirement that the decay is like for some C > 0. In this article we prove a conjecture of Sznitman from 2002, stating that (T) and (T′) are equivalent. Hence, this closes the circle proving the equivalence of conditions (T), (T′), and (T)γ for some γ ∈ (0, 1) as conjectured by Sznitman, and also of each of these ballisticity conditions with the polynomial condition (P)M for M ≥ 15d + 5 introduced by Berger, Drewitz, and Ramı́rez in 2014. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Long‐Range Self‐Assembly of an Electron‐Deficient Hexaazatrinaphthylene with Out‐of‐Plane Substituents
Authors: Chen Yi‐Ru , Zhang Yong‐Yun , Yeh Ming‐Che , Luo Ying‐Ting , Ong Chi Wi
Published: November 2019

The unprecedented time‐dependent long‐range supramol‐ecular assembly of electron‐deficient hexaazatrinaphthylene (HATN) core based on peripheral crowding with three out‐of‐plane cyclic ketals is reported. The single‐crystal X‐ray structure of the diethyl derivative provided detailed information as to how four molecules in a repeating unit were packed in order to avoid steric crowding of the out‐of‐plane cyclic ketal side chain, providing locking and fastening for stabilizing the self‐assembled structure. The polarizing optical microscopy (POM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) did not instantaneously show any phase transition upon the cooling process. To our surprise, POM images showed a nucleation of spherulite up to 100 μm after 24 hour later. X‐ray diffraction data further confirmed that these soft crystal formed a hexagonal‐like crystal. The long‐range self‐assembly of the new material showed a slight red shift in the UV‐vis absorption spectra and further substantiated by computational method.
Physicochemical Properties and Stabilities of Crude and Purified Oil Bodies Extracted from High Oleic Peanuts
Authors: Wei Songli , Huang Jinian , Zhang Lixia , Sun Qiang , Sun Xiaojing , Jin Lu , Wang Qiang
Published: November 2019

Physicochemical properties and emulsion stabilities of two types of oil bodies—crude oil bodies (COB) and purified oil bodies (OB)—recovered from high oleic peanuts via an aqueous enzymatic extraction process are investigated. RGB color analysis and flavor volatiles identification reveal that both COB and OB present desirable color and acceptable flavor. OB tends to have stronger antioxidant capacity and higher nutritional value compared to COB according to results from fatty acids, amino acids, and tocopherol analyses. The emulsification of oil bodies shows a slightly lower level than lecithin, but excellent thermal stability and storage stability (especially for OB), which relates greatly to small particle size, high zeta‐potential, and high content of hydrophobic amino acids. The freeze–thaw stability of OB is poorer than that of COB, which may relate to the presence of impurities in oil bodies. Thus, the peanut oil bodies, especially purified oil bodies, are proven to be advantageous emulsifying agents and additional valuable sources of antioxidants.

Practical Applications: The results in this work clarify the differences in physiochemical composition and the fundamental emulsifying properties between COB and OB, and demonstrate the possibility of replacing traditional emulsifiers by natural green emulsifiers (e.g., oil bodies) in the food industry. Moreover, oil bodies extracted from high oleic peanuts, which contain plenty of unsaturated fatty acids and tocopherols, are a potential source for food supplements. In the long term, this work will increase the industrial conversion rate of oil bodies, enhance the processing and utilization level of high oleic peanuts, and promote the development of new foods based on peanut resources.
Development of modeling and simulation of bubble‐liquid hydrodynamics in bubble column
Authors: Liu Yang , Zhang Li , Zhou Lixing
Published: November 2019

In the present work, the investigation on strategies to alleviate the cell death in terms of bubble‐liquid two‐phase hydrodynamics in bubble column was performed using the modeling and numerical simulation approaches. A multifluid bubble‐liquid turbulent model based on the second‐order moment algorithm was developed to predict turbulent hydrodynamics. In this model, the anisotropic characteristics of Reynolds stresses and the interactions between bubble and liquid phases are considered by means of the defined bubble‐liquid two‐phase fluctuation velocities correlation. Hydrodynamic parameters such as turbulent energy dissipation rate, the turbulent kinetic energy, the distributions of bubble normal and shear stresses, and the operation conditions of gas entrance velocity and height to diameter of column are accurately simulated. A proposed correlation named turbulent energy production rate is revealed successfully the higher cell death rate at the gas inlet regions that cannot be verified by the rest of the two‐phase hydrodynamics. Superficial gas velocity is the predominant influence on this value distribution as smaller the ratio of height to diameter of bubble column, which reduced by two order of magnitude under decreased by one level of gas velocity. Near inlet region with large height‐to‐diameter ratio, this value is always larger than those of small one.
A national survey of turnover intention among general practitioners in China
Authors: Gan Yong , Jiang Heng , Li Liqing , Yang Yudi , Wang Chao , Liu Jianxin , Yang Tingting , Zheng Yanling , Zhu Yi , Sampson Opoku , Xu Hongbin , Yu Fang , Chen Yali , Herath Chulani , Zhong Yanyan , Liu Qiaoyan , Yu Minyi , Liu Ling , Gao Chao , Lu Zuxun
Published: November 2019

Studies on turnover intention among Chinese general practitioners (GPs) at the national level are limited. This study aimed to assess intention to leave and its associated factors among a nationally representative sample of GPs. The participants were selected using a multistage stratified random sampling method. A self‐administered structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 3236 GPs in China between October 2017 and February 2018. A multiple linear stepwise regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with turnover intention. Over 70.0% GPs had a moderate or high turnover intention. GPs who were male, were younger, had a higher education level, had a lower professional title, had a lower income level, and had a temporal work contract had higher turnover intention. In addition, GPs who worked night shifts, had low job satisfaction, and had few opportunities for professional development reported higher turnover intention. Substantial gender and regional differences in predictors of turnover intention among GPs were observed. The study showed that turnover intention in Chinese GPs is high, and the factors influencing turnover intention were low professional title and income level, high education level, having a temporary work contract, working night shifts, and limited opportunities for professional development.
Novel FH mutation associated with multiple uterine leiomyomas in Chinese siblings
Authors: Zhao Zichen , Wang Wenhui , You Yan , Zhu Lan , Feng Fengzhi
Published: November 2019

Background

Fumarate hydratase (FH) plays an important role in cell metabolism. Germline mutation of FH may cause hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer syndrome. The correlation between various mutations of FH gene and the phenotype is controversial and needs further study. Therefore, this article described a novel mutation in siblings with multiple uterine leiomyomas.

Methods

Whole‐exome sequencing was performed on the two patients and their family members using their peripheral blood. The function of the DNA variant was predicted in silico.

Results

Pathology results showed characteristics of leiomyoma. A novel missense mutation of FH gene (c.1214A＞G, p.Leu405Ser) was identified in both patients and their father. This mutation was predicted to be probably pathogenic and deleterious.

Conclusion

This study indicated that the novel mutation may be responsible for the occurrence of multiple uterine leiomyomas. However, the risk of renal disease should not be ignored and regular screening was recommended.
International perspectives on the implementation of reproductive carrier screening
Authors: Delatycki Martin B. , Alkuraya Fowzan , Archibald Alison , Castellani Carlo , Cornel Martina , Grody Wayne W. , Henneman Lidewij , Ioannides Adonis S. , Kirk Edwin , Laing Nigel , Lucassen Anneke , Massie John , Schuurmans Juliette , Thong Meow‐Keong , van Langen Irene , Zlotogora Joël
Published: November 2019

Reproductive carrier screening started in some countries in the 1970s for hemoglobinopathies and Tay‐Sachs disease. Cystic fibrosis carrier screening became possible in the late 1980s and with technical advances, screening of an ever increasing number of genes has become possible. The goal of carrier screening is to inform people about their risk of having children with autosomal recessive and X‐linked recessive disorders, to allow for informed decision making about reproductive options. The consequence may be a decrease in the birth prevalence of these conditions, which has occurred in several countries for some conditions. Different programs target different groups (high school, premarital, couples before conception, couples attending fertility clinics, and pregnant women) as does the governance structure (public health initiative and user pays). Ancestry‐based offers of screening are being replaced by expanded carrier screening panels with multiple genes that is independent of ancestry. This review describes screening in Australia, Cyprus, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It provides an insight into the enormous variability in how reproductive carrier screening is offered across the globe. This largely relates to geographical variation in carrier frequencies of genetic conditions and local health care, financial, cultural, and religious factors.
Measuring Proximity Between Newspapers and Political Parties: The Sentiment Political Compass
Authors: Falck Fabian , Marstaller Julian , Stoehr Niklas , Maucher Sören , Ren Jeana , Thalhammer Andreas , Rettinger Achim , Studer Rudi
Published: November 2019

The proximity between newspapers and political parties is strongly subjective and difficult to measure. Yet, political tendencies of newspapers can have a significant impact on voters’ opinion‐forming and ought to be known by the public in a transparent and timely manner. This article introduces the Sentiment Political Compass (SPC), a data‐driven framework for analyzing political bias of newspapers toward political parties. Using the SPC, newspapers are embedded in a two‐dimensional space (left‐leaning vs. right‐leaning, libertarian vs. autocratic). To assess the informative value of our framework, we crawled a data set consisting of 180,000 newspaper articles from twenty‐five newspapers during the German Federal Elections over a time period of 18 months and extracted 740,000 political entities enriched with their contextual sentiment. We analyze this dataset on the party‐ and politician‐level as well as considering the temporal dimension and draw insights about the relationship between newspapers and political parties. We provide the data set and our code open‐source at www.politicalcompass.de to encourage the application of the SPC to other political landscapes.
In vivo and in vitro evidence for the inhibition of homogentisate solanesyltransferase by cyclopyrimorate
Authors: Shino Mamiko , Hamada Takahiro , Shigematsu Yoshio , Banba Shinichi
Published: November 2019

BACKGROUND

Cyclopyrimorate is a highly effective bleaching herbicide discovered by Mitsui Chemicals Agro, Inc. The target site was recently reported to be homogentisate solanesyltransferase (HST) in the plastoquinone (PQ) biosynthesis pathway on the basis of the number of intermediates in cyclopyrimorate‐treated plants and in vitro HST assays. Here, the target site of cyclopyrimorate was further explored using both in vivo and in vitro experiments.

RESULTS

The cyclopyrimorate‐dependent bleaching effect on Arabidopsis thaliana was reversed by decyl PQ, suggesting that this symptom is attributable to the inhibition of PQ biosynthesis. Furthermore, homogentisate (HGA), a substrate of HST, weakly reversed the bleaching effect of cyclopyrimorate in a dose‐dependent manner. We expected that the weak reversal by HGA was due to competitive inhibition by cyclopyrimorate or des‐morpholinocarbonyl cyclopyrimorate (DMC), a metabolite of cyclopyrimorate in plants that exhibit higher HST‐inhibitory activity as compared to cyclopyrimorate. Kinetic analysis was therefore conducted using DMC. DMC inhibited HST competitively with respect to HGA, and was a mixed non‐competitive inhibitor with respect to the other substrate, farnesyl diphosphate. Moreover, neither cyclopyrimorate nor DMC inhibited 2‐methyl‐6‐phytyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone/2‐methyl‐6‐solanesyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone methyltransferase, which is located downstream of HST in the PQ biosynthesis pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

The target site of cyclopyrimorate and DMC is HST, which is a novel target site for commercial herbicides. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Probing Higgs couplings to light quarks via Higgs pair production
Authors: Alasfar Lina , Lopez Roberto Corral , Gröber Ramona
Published: November 2019

Abstract

We consider the potential of the Higgs boson pair production process to probe the light quark Yukawa couplings. We show within an effective theory description that the prospects of constraining enhanced first generation light quark Yukawa couplings in Higgs pair production are similar to other methods and channels, due to a coupling of two Higgs bosons to two fermions. Higgs pair production can hence also probe if the Higgs sector couples non-linearly to the light quark generations. For the second generation, we show that by employing charm tagging for the Higgs boson pair decaying to c$$ \overline{c} $$

c
¯

γγ, we can obtain similarly good prospects for measuring the charm Yukawa coupling as in other direct probes.
Instantons from blow-up
Authors: Kim Joonho , Kim Sung-Soo , Lee Ki-Hong , Lee Kimyeong , Song Jaewon
Published: November 2019

Abstract

We generalize Nakajima-Yoshioka blowup equations to arbitrary gauge group with hypermultiplets in arbitrary representations. Using our blowup equations, we compute the instanton partition functions for 4d

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 2 and 5d

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 1 gauge theories for arbitrary gauge theory with a large class of matter representations, without knowing explicit construction of the instanton moduli space. Our examples include exceptional gauge theories with fundamentals, SO(N ) gauge theories with spinors, and SU(6) gauge theories with rank-3 antisymmetric hypers. Remarkably, the instanton partition function is completely determined by the perturbative part.
The first heat: production of entanglement entropy in the early universe
Authors: Khlebnikov Sergei , Sheoran Akhil
Published: November 2019

Abstract

Entanglement entropy (EE) of a spatial region quantifies correlations between the region and its surroundings. For a free scalar in the adiabatic vacuum in de Sitter space the EE is known to remain low, scaling as the surface area of the region. Here, we study the evolution of entanglement after the universe transitions from de Sitter to flat space. We concentrate on the case of a massless minimally coupled scalar. We find numerically that, after the de Sitter stage ends, the EE and the Ŕenyi entropy rapidly grow and saturate at values obeying the volume law. The final state of the subsystem (region) is a partially thermalized state reminiscent of a generalized Gibbs ensemble. We comment on application of our results to the question of when and how cosmological perturbations decohere.
Case-management protocol for bloody diarrhea as a model to reduce the clinical impact of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli infections. Experience from Southern Italy
Authors:   Bloody Diarrhea Apulia Working Group, Loconsole Daniela , Giordano Mario , Laforgia Nicola , Torres Diletta , Santangelo Luisa , Carbone Vincenza , Parisi Antonio , Quarto Michele , Scavia Gaia , Chironna Maria
Published: November 2019

To describe an operating protocol for bloody diarrhea (BD) in a pediatric population as a rapid response to a public health threat represented by an excess of pediatric HUS cases in the Apulia region (Southern Italy) starting from 2013. The protocol was set up with the goal of correct clinical management of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections, reductions in subsequent cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and improved short- and long-term disease outcomes. The protocol consisted of rapid hospitalization of children with bloody diarrhea (BD), hematochemical laboratory tests every 12–24 hours, and prompt laboratory diagnosis of STEC. No antibiotics were recommended until diagnosis. Children positive for STEC infections underwent early vigorous volume expansion. In June–December 2018, 438 children with BD were hospitalized, of which 53 (12.1%) had a STEC infection. The most common serogroups were O26 (36.1%), O111 (23.0%), and O157 (14.8%). Thirty-one samples carried the stx2 gene. Four cases evolved into HUS (7.5%), all with favorable outcome despite neurological involvement in two cases. Prompt and accurate laboratory diagnosis of STEC infections is of the utmost importance in patients with BD for correct clinical management. The strict adherence to the protocol could reduce the progression rate of STEC infections to HUS and prevents complications. Enhanced BD surveillance may help reduce cases of pediatric HUS in Southern Italy.
Indicators to measure the climate change adaptation outcomes of ecosystem-based adaptation
Authors: Donatti Camila I. , Harvey Celia A. , Hole David , Panfil Steven N. , Schurman Hanna
Published: November 2019

Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) is the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of a strategy to help people adapt to climate change. Despite the potential of EbA to provide adaptation benefits, there is a lack of consensus on how to measure the success of this approach. This paper reviews the intended adaptation outcomes and indicators used by ongoing and completed EbA projects and addresses the following questions: (a) where have EbA projects been implemented? (b) what activities have been conducted by EbA projects? (c) what adaptation outcomes are EbA projects seeking to achieve? (d) how have the impacts of EbA projects been measured and evaluated? and (e) what is the set of indicators that can capture the diversity of adaptation outcomes achieved by EbA? To identify the adaptation outcomes provided by EbA and the indicators that could be used to measure such outcomes, we reviewed 58 EbA projects implemented globally, and obtained recommendations from experts on what indicators should be measured. We identified 13 adaptation outcomes that could be achieved through EbA, such as reducing the loss of assets of coastal communities due to extreme events. We identified seven indicators to monitor the success of EbA in achieving adaptation outcomes. Our review suggests that there is a strong need to better articulate the adaptation outcomes that EbA projects seek to achieve, to use a common set of specific indicators to track these outcomes, and to fund the monitoring of long-term EbA projects.
An empirical catalog of code smells for the presentation layer of Android apps
Authors: Carvalho Suelen Goularte , Aniche Maurício , Veríssimo Júlio , Durelli Rafael S. , Gerosa Marco Aurélio
Published: November 2019

Software developers, including those of the Android mobile platform, constantly seek to improve their applications’ maintainability and evolvability. Code smells are commonly used for this purpose, as they indicate symptoms of design problems. However, although the literature presents a variety of code smells, such as God Class and Long Method, characteristics that are specific to the underlying technologies are not taken into account. The presentation layer of an Android app, for example, implements specific architectural decisions from the Android platform itself (such as the use of Activities, Fragments, and Listeners) as well as deal with and integrate different types of resources (such as layouts and images). Through a three-step study involving 246 Android developers, we investigated code smells that developers perceive for this part of Android apps. We devised 20 specific code smells and collected the developers’ perceptions of their frequency and importance. We also implemented a tool that identifies the proposed code smells and studied their prevalence in 619 open-source Android apps. Our findings suggest that: 1) developers perceive smells specific to the presentation layer of Android apps; 2) developers consider these smells to be of high importance and frequency; and 3) the proposed smells occur in real-world Android apps. Our domain-specific smells can be leveraged by developers, researchers, and tool developers for searching potentially problematic pieces of code.
Salt-tolerant plant growth-promoting bacteria enhanced salinity tolerance of salt-tolerant alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivars at high salinity
Authors: Ansari Mohammad , Shekari Farid , Mohammadi Mohammad Hossein , Juhos Katalin , Végvári György , Biró Borbála
Published: November 2019

Alfalfa (Medicago sativaL.) plant growth decreases when cultivated under salinity or irrigated with salty water. Inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) is a method for mitigating the harmful effects of salinity on plants growth. To investigate salt-tolerant PGPB with salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive alfalfa cultivar interactions under salinity, some physiological and agronomical aspects were investigated. The inoculated plants of alfalfa cultivars withHartmannibacter. diazotrophicus and Pseudomonassp. bacteria were compared with non-inoculated plants. Plants were grown in growth room and irrigated with tap water until 6–7 weeks, and then, salinity stress imposed by irrigating with tap water (control), 10 dS m−1and 20 dS m−1NaCl. Salinity reduced relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI), K+, photosynthesis rate (Pn) and stomatal conductance (gs), leaf number, height, and dry weight, and increased sodium in all cultivars. Inoculation of cultivars with both PGPB mitigated the negative effects of salinity on plants growth by increasing the root length and weight, nodule number, chlorophyll pigments, RWC, MSI, Pn, and gs. Chlorophyll pigments, plant height and leaf number, Na+, K+/Na+, and nodule number improved more pronounced through inoculating withPseudomonassp., whereas K+, carotenoids, and RWC improved more pronounced throughH. diazotrophicusunder salinity. The results showed inoculation with two bacteria improved growth performance in salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive cultivars under 10 dS m−1, but at high salinity (20 dS m−1), inoculation was successful only in salt-tolerant alfalfa cultivars.
Robust estimation and inference for general varying coefficient models with missing observations
Authors: Bravo Francesco
Published: November 2019

This paper considers estimation and inference for a class of varying coefficient models in which some of the responses and some of the covariates are missing at random and outliers are present. The paper proposes two general estimators—and a computationally attractive and asymptotically equivalent one-step version of them—that combine inverse probability weighting and robust local linear estimation. The paper also considers inference for the unknown infinite-dimensional parameter and proposes two Wald statistics that are shown to have power under a sequence of local Pitman drifts and are consistent as the drifts diverge. The results of the paper are illustrated with three examples: robust local generalized estimating equations, robust local quasi-likelihood and robust local nonlinear least squares estimation. A simulation study shows that the proposed estimators and test statistics have competitive finite sample properties, whereas two empirical examples illustrate the applicability of the proposed estimation and testing methods.
HPV-associated cancers
Authors: Minichsdorfer Christoph
Published: November 2019

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is a DNA virus consisting of approximately 8000 base pairs. HPV represents the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide. Around 200 different genotypes exist. They are distinguished into low- and high-risk genotypes, depending on the risk of such HPV-associated lesions undergoing malignant transformation. The high-risk genotypes include HPV 16 and 18, which are responsible for a variety of human cancers. The most common malignancies that are associated with HPV infection are cervical cancer, oropharyngeal cancer and anal cancer. Screening for HPV precursor lesions in women has led to a drastic reduction in cervical cancer morbidity and mortality in the last 30 years. Unfortunately no such screening tests are available for other HPV-associated malignancies. With the advent of HPV vaccination programs a marked decrease in the prevalence of HPV was reached in vaccinated individuals. However, since these programs were initiated around 2009 the full effect on the incidence of HPV-associated cancers cannot be fully estimated yet.
Effect of body surface area and gender on wall thickness thresholds in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Huurman R. , Schinkel A. F. L , van der Velde N. , Bowen D. J. , Menting M. E. , van den Bosch A. E. , van Slegtenhorst M. , Hirsch A. , Michels M.
Published: November 2019

Background

Family screening for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is based on genetic testing and clinical evaluation (maximal left ventricular wall thickness (MWT) ≥15 mm, or ≥13 mm in first-degree relatives of HCM patients). The aim of this study was to assess the effect of gender and body size on diagnosis of HCM and prediction of clinical outcome.

Methods

This study includes 199 genotype-positive subjects (age 44 ± 15 years, 50% men) referred for cardiac screening. Gender-specific reference values for MWT indexed by body surface area (BSA), height and weight were derived from 147 healthy controls. Predictive accuracy of each method for HCM-related events was assessed by comparing areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC).

Results

Men had a higher absolute, but similar BSA- and weight-indexed MWT compared with women (14.0 ± 3.9 mm vs 11.5 ± 3.8 mm, p < 0.05; 6.8 ± 2.1 mm/m2 vs 6.6 ± 2.4 mm/m2; 0.17 ± 0.06 mm/kg vs 0.17 ± 0.06 mm/kg, both p > 0.05). Applying BSA- and weight-indexed cut-off values decreased HCM diagnoses in the study group (48% vs 42%; 48% vs 39%, both p < 0.05), reclassified subjects in the largest, lightest and heaviest tertiles (≥2.03 m2: 58% vs 45%; ≤70 kg: 37% vs 46%; ≥85 kg: 53% vs 25%, all p < 0.05) and improved predictive accuracy (AUC 0.76 [95% CI 0.69–0.82] vs 0.78 [0.72–0.85]; and vs 0.80 [0.74–0.87]; both p < 0.05).

Conclusions

In genotype-positive subjects referred for family screening, differences in MWT across gender are mitigated after indexation by BSA or weight. Indexation decreases the prevalence of HCM, particularly in larger men, and improves the predictive accuracy for HCM-related events.
C60 Fullerenes Suppress Reactive Oxygen Species Toxicity Damage in Boar Sperm
Authors: Li Xinhong , Wang Lirui , Liu Huan , Fu Jieli , Zhen Linqing , Li Yuhua , Zhang Yaozhong , Zhang Yafei
Published: November 2019

We report the carboxylated C60improved the survival and quality of boar sperm during liquid storage at 4 °C and thus propose the use of carboxylated C60as a novel antioxidant semen extender supplement. Our results demonstrated that the sperm treated with 2 μg mL−1carboxylated C60had higher motility than the control group (58.6% and 35.4%, respectively;P ˂ 0.05). Moreover, after incubation with carboxylated C60for 10 days, acrosome integrity and mitochondrial activity of sperm increased by 18.1% and 34%, respectively, compared with that in the control group. Similarly, the antioxidation abilities and adenosine triphosphate levels in boar sperm treated with carboxylated C60significantly increased (P ˂ 0.05) compared with those in the control group. The presence of carboxylated C60in semen extender increases sperm motility probably by suppressing reactive oxygen species (ROS) toxicity damage. Interestingly, carboxylated C60could protect boar sperm from oxidative stress and energy deficiency by inhibiting the ROS-induced protein dephosphorylation via the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway. In addition, the safety of carboxylated C60as an alternative antioxidant was also comprehensively evaluated by assessing the mean litter size and number of live offspring in the carboxylated C60treatment group. Our findings confirm carboxylated C60as a novel antioxidant agent and suggest its use as a semen extender supplement for assisted reproductive technology in domestic animals.
Children's online use of word order and morphosyntactic markers in Tagalog thematic role assignment: an eye-tracking study
Authors: GARCIA Rowena , ROESER Jens , HÖHLE Barbara
Published: November 2019

We investigated whether Tagalog-speaking children incrementally interpret the first noun as the agent, even if verbal and nominal markers for assigning thematic roles are given early in Tagalog sentences. We asked five- and seven-year-old children and adult controls to select which of two pictures of reversible actions matched the sentence they heard, while their looks to the pictures were tracked. Accuracy and eye-tracking data showed that agent-initial sentences were easier to comprehend than patient-initial sentences, but the effect of word order was modulated by voice. Moreover, our eye-tracking data provided evidence that, by the first noun phrase, seven-year-old children looked more to the target in the agent-initial compared to the patient-initial conditions, but this word order advantage was no longer observed by the second noun phrase. The findings support language processing and acquisition models which emphasize the role of frequency in developing heuristic strategies (e.g., Chang, Dell, & Bock, 2006).
Left ventricle segmental function in childhood cancer survivors using speckle-tracking echocardiography
Authors: Akam-Venkata Jyothsna , Kadiu Gilda , Galas James , Lipshultz Steven E. , Aggarwal Sanjeev
Published: November 2019

Aim:

Anthracycline-associated cardiotoxicity in childhood cancer survivors may relate to global or segmental left ventricular abnormalities from associated thromboembolic events and myocardial microinfarcts. We characterized left ventricular segmental changes by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography in anthracycline-treated asymptomatic childhood cancer survivors.

Methods and Results:

Childhood cancer survivors’ echocardiograms with normal left ventricular fractional shortening >1 year after anthracycline chemotherapy were studied. Cancer-free control children had normal echocardiograms. Apical two-, three-, and four-chamber peak systolic left ventricular longitudinal and global longitudinal strain, and peak systolic left ventricular radial and circumferential strain at papillary muscle levels were analyzed. The mean (standard deviation) age was 12.7 (3.8) years in 41 childhood cancer survivors. The median (interquartile range) follow-up after anthracycline chemotherapy was 4.73 (2.15–8) years. The median (range) cumulative anthracycline dose was 160.2 (60–396.9) mg/m2. In childhood cancer survivors, the mean (standard deviation) left ventricular longitudinal strain was lower in two- (−18.6 [3.2] versus −21.3 [2.5], p < 0.001), three- (−16.3 [6.0] versus −21.7 [3.0], p < 0.001), and four- (−17.6 [2.7] versus −20.8 [2.0], p < 0.001) chamber views compared to controls. The left ventricular global longitudinal strain (−17.6 [2.7] versus −21.3 [2.0]) and circumferential strain (−20.8 [4.3] versus −23.5 [2.6], p < 0.001) were lower in childhood cancer survivors. Among childhood cancer survivors, 12 out of 16 left ventricular segments had significantly lower longitudinal strain than controls.

Conclusions:

Asymptomatic anthracycline-treated childhood cancer survivors with normal left ventricular fractional shortening had lower global longitudinal and circumferential strain. The left ventricular longitudinal strain was lower in majority of the segments, suggesting that anthracycline cardiotoxicity is more global than regional.
Demographic change and climate change
Authors: Rauscher Michael
Published: November 2019

This paper uses a continuous-time overlapping-generations model with endogenous growth and pollution accumulation over time to study the link between longevity and global warming. It is seen that increasing longevity accelerates climate change in a business-as-usual scenario without climate policy. If a binding emission target is set exogenously and implemented via a cap-and-trade system, the price of emission permits is increasing in longevity. Longevity has no effect on the optimal solution of the climate problem if perfect intergenerational transfers are feasible. If these transfers are absent, the impact of longevity is ambiguous.