bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Size assessment in polychaete worms—application of morphometric correlations for common North Atlantic taxa
Authors: Górska Barbara , Gromisz Sławomira , Włodarska‐Kowalczuk Maria
Published: February 2019

Body size is a basic animal feature that defines its functioning in multispecies assemblages. Polychaetes are numerically dominant components of marine macrobenthos, playing a key role in benthic productivity. They are also the most problematic group regarding body‐size assessments due to common fragmentation of fragile bodies during sample processing that inhibits direct assessments of their size and biomass. Here, we present quantified relationships that allow an estimation of the total‐body length based on morphometric features (widths of thoracic chaetigers) that remain intact after standard macrobenthic sample treatment. The best‐fitted regression equations (p < 0.001, r from 0.41 to 0.99) were selected for 28 polychaete families, six orders, two infraclasses, and one subclass based on the measurements on 3580 complete individuals collected in the North Atlantic (Norwegian and Spitsbergen fjords and continental margin). In Capitellidae, Cirratulidae, Oweniidae, and Trichobranchidae, the shapes of the relationships differed among dominant species/genera, and so, specific formula was proposed. The method has been applied to assess the size spectra of macrozoobenthos based on 18 van Veen grab samples collected at six stations in two Spitsbergen fjords. The percentage contribution of complete individuals in polychaete biomass and abundance in size classes varied between 0% and 43%, with the lowest percentages noted in two dominant families—Cirratulidae and Lumbrineridae. The presented method is likely to be widely applied in studies requiring polychaete individual size assessments (e.g., benthic biomass size spectra, population dynamics, and secondary production).
Selective Coating of SnS on the Bio‐Inspired Moth‐Eye Patterned PEDOT:PSS Polymer Films
Authors: Cao Thuy Thi , Uyen Thi Phan Ngoc , Male Umashankar , Huh Do Sung
Published: February 2019

A new strategy for the selective coating of tin sulfide (SnS) on the surface of moth‐eye patterned (MEP) conducting polymer film is studied by considering the optical properties of the antireflective moth‐eye pattern and flexibility of polymer films. The semiconductor SnS is selectively coated on the surface of MEP microdomes of poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrene‐sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) film. The SnS coated MEP film is obtained by using pore selectively SnS thin layer functionalized polystyrene honeycomb‐patterned porous (HCP) film as a template. Aqueous PEDOT:PSS solution is poured on the SnS functionalized HCP films and detached for the fabrication of SnS coated MEP films. The films show a satisfactory photo‐responsive property under solar stimulated light illumination due to the antireflective MEP structure of PEDOT film and homogenous SnS coating on the surface of the conducting polymer.
Thermoresponsive DNA by Intercalation of dsDNA with Oligoethylene‐Glycol‐Functionalized Small‐Molecule Intercalators
Authors: Bera Debaditya , Verdonck Lars , Glassner Mathias , Madder Annemieke , Hoogenboom Richard
Published: February 2019

Thermoresponsive polymeric materials are important building blocks for smart materials. In this work, the transformation of dsDNA into a thermoresponsive polymer is reported by intercalation of short, oligoethylene‐glycol‐modified proflavine intercalators. The thermoresponsiveness of the dsDNA‐intercalator complex originates from the heating‐induced dehydration of the ethylene glycol side chains, which leads to aggregation of the intercalated dsDNA. This work demonstrates the possibility of designing small‐molecule intercalators to prepare thermoresponsive dsDNA complexes with tunable lower critical solution temperature behavior.
Adult‐Onset Myoclonus‐Dystonia Syndrome Preceding Characteristic Facial Myoclonus in Indian ADCY5‐related Dyskinesia
Authors: Agarwal Pankaj Ashok , Ramprasad Vedam L.
Published: February 2019

View Supplementary Video 1
Assessment of Flexible Shape Complementarity: New Opportunities to Explain and Induce Selectivity in Ligands of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B
Authors: Naß Alexandra , Schaller David , Wolber Gerhard
Published: February 2019

For drug design projects it is essential to rationally induce and explain selectivity. In this context shape complementarity as well as protein and ligand flexibility represent important factors. Currently available tools for the analysis of protein‐ligand interactions focus mainly on electrostatic complementarity and/or static structures. Here we address the shortcomings of available methods by presenting two new tools: The first one can be used to assess steric complementarity in flexible protein‐ligand complexes in order to explain selectivity of known ligands. It further allows to determine ligand atoms with especially good or bad shape‐fit which can be of use in lead optimization projects. The second tool was designed to detect differences in protein flexibility in similar proteins along with their exploitation for virtual screening. Both tools yield interesting results when applied to data of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B): The case of PTP1B has proven especially difficult in terms of selectivity, due to a closely related phosphatase connected to severe undesired effects. With our tool for steric complementarity assessment we were able to explain previously undisclosed causes of moderate selectivity of selected PTP1B ligands. The second tool allowed us to find differences of flexibility in the two highly similar proteins and give directions for exploitation in virtual screening.
Synchronization for fractional‐order multi‐linked complex network with two kinds of topological structure via periodically intermittent control
Authors: Xu Yao , Li Wenxue
Published: February 2019

This paper concentrates on the global synchronization of the fractional‐order multi‐linked complex network (FMCN) via periodically intermittent control. It should be stressed that periodically intermittent control is employed to the FMCN for the first time. Moreover, the network is defined on digraphs with different weights, and two situations on topological structure of the network are discussed, including each digraph being strongly connected, and the biggest one being strongly connected. Based on Lyapunov method and graph theory, some synchronization criteria are obtained under two situations. And, the obtained synchronization criteria have a close relationship with the order of fractional‐order derivative, coupling strength, control gain, control rate, and control period. Besides, for practicability, theoretical results are applied to studying the synchronization of fractional‐order multi‐linked chaotic systems, and some sufficient conditions are provided. For a special case, fractional‐order multi‐linked Lorenz chaotic systems, numerical simulations are given to indicate the feasibility of theoretical results and the effectiveness of control strategy.
A data‐efficient method for local noise power spectrum (NPS) estimation in FDK‐reconstructed 3D cone‐beam CT
Authors: Zeng Rongping , Torkaman Mahsa , Ning Holly , Zhuge Ying , Miller Robert , Myers Kyle J.
Published: February 2019

Purpose

For computed tomography (CT) systems in which noise is nonstationary, a local noise power spectrum (NPS) is often needed to characterize its noise property. We have previously developed a data‐efficient radial NPS method to estimate the two‐dimensional (2D) local NPS for filtered back projection (FBP)‐reconstructed fan‐beam CT utilizing the polar separability of CT NPS. In this work, we extend this method to estimate three‐dimensional (3D) local NPS for feldkamp‐davis‐kress (FDK)‐reconstructed cone‐beam CT (CBCT) volumes.

Methods

Starting from the 2D polar separability, we analyze the CBCT geometry and FDK image reconstruction process to derive the 3D expression of the polar separability for CBCT local NPS. With the polar separability, the 3D local NPS of CBCT can be decomposed into a 2D radial NPS shape function and a one‐dimensional (1D) angular amplitude function with certain geometrical transforms. The 2D radial NPS shape function is a global function characterizing the noise correlation structure, while the 1D angular amplitude function is a local function reflecting the varying local noise amplitudes. The 3D radial local NPS method is constructed from the polar separability. We evaluate the accuracy of the 3D radial local NPS method using simulated and real CBCT data by comparing the radial local NPS estimates to a reference local NPS in terms of normalized mean squared error (NMSE) and a task‐based performance metric (lesion detectability).

Results

In both simulated and physical CBCT examples, a very small NMSE (<5%) was achieved by the radial local NPS method from as few as two scans, while for the traditional local NPS method, about 20 scans were needed to reach this accuracy. The results also showed that the detectability‐based system performances computed using the local NPS estimated with the NPS method developed in this work from two scans closely reflected the actual system performance.

Conclusions

The polar separability greatly reduces the data dimensionality of the 3D CBCT local NPS. The radial local NPS method developed based on this property is shown to be capable of estimating the 3D local NPS from only two CBCT scans with acceptable accuracy. The minimum data requirement indicates the potential utility of local NPS in CBCT applications even for clinical situations.
Effects of Riparian Timber Harvest on Southeast Alaska Stream Habitat after 30–40 Years: Insights for Management
Authors: Ross Jared A. , Infante Dana M. , Martin Douglas J. , Rey Mark
Published: February 2019

Logging regulations in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska have evolved over time to alleviate the negative effects that historic harvest practices have had on stream habitat. While natural landscape factors largely control stream habitat, timber harvest can alter these influences, underscoring the importance of clarifying the effects of both for understanding and managing habitat in streams. We sampled areas in Southeast Alaska that had riparian zones harvested between 1980 and 1990, a period of less-restrictive timber harvest regulations. Relationships between geomorphic and riparian factors with stream habitat informed a comparison of habitat under differing timber management strategies 30–40 years after harvest. Pool, substrate, and large wood characteristics were related to stream size, channel gradient, and channel confinement, whereas wood-formed pools and large wood density were related to riparian factors. Pool characteristics in streams with harvested riparian zones were similar to those in streams with unharvested riparian zones. Large wood size distributions in streams with harvested riparian zones were also similar to those in streams with unharvested riparian zones and streams within forests managed for timber under contemporary regulations. These findings are likely due to legacy wood loads remaining and functioning to create habitat 30–40 years after harvest. Substrate size was related to timber management practices; streams with harvested riparian zones had smaller median particle sizes than unharvested streams. Wood loads remain and function instream decades after harvest, but the reduced supply of large-sized wood from young-growth riparian stands can result in declining habitat quality, especially in unconfined channels. Management strategies to enhance recovery of riparian stands with trees large enough to supply large-sized wood are recommended. Our approach proved useful in teasing out legacy effects of past timber harvest from the effects of natural drivers on stream habitat, and the results can be used to help prioritize efforts aimed at conserving or restoring stream and riparian habitats in the region.
Assessing a Threatened Fish Species under Budgetary Constraints: Evaluating the Use of Existing Monitoring Data
Authors: Gwinn Daniel C. , Todd Charles R. , Brown Paul , Hunt Taylor L. , Butler Gavin , Kitchingman Adrian , Koehn John D. , Ingram Brett
Published: February 2019

Because of the high costs of collecting field data, many species recovery and management plans do not include a monitoring feedback component to measure the success of interventions and refine management strategies. Here, we demonstrate how leveraging existing monitoring data can provide broad-scale, cost-effective information about a threatened fish species, the Murray Cod Maccullochella peelii, which is of cultural and recreational importance in Australia. We applied a Bayesian hierarchical model of abundance to Murray Cod catch data collected as part of broad-scale, general condition monitoring in the Murray–Darling Basin. The model uses replicated sampling at spatially independent sites to disentangle the confounding effects of detection probability and abundance on catch data. We demonstrate the reliability of the analysis for determining trends in abundance with a simulation study, and we show that basinwide abundance of Murray Cod declined by over 50% between 2010 and 2013. We found that detection probability of Murray Cod can vary substantially across space and through time, suggesting that accounting for variable detection will be important in any future evaluation of Murray Cod populations. This study highlights variable detection as an issue in monitoring regimes and demonstrates a method for the cost-effective use of existing monitoring data to evaluate species abundance trends.
Application of ground penetrating radar to detect tunnel lining defects based on improved full waveform inversion and reverse time migration
Authors: Zhang Fengkai , Liu Bin , Liu Lanbo , Wang Jing , Lin Chunjin , Yang Lei , Li Yao , Zhang Qingsong , Yang Weimin
Published: February 2019

Ground penetrating radar is a popular approach to detect defects in tunnel lining. However, the interpretation is usually based on the original image, which is very different from the real shape of the lining defects. Full waveform inversion and reverse time migration are helpful to solve this problem. Full waveform inversion can invert the relative permittivity distribution and reverse time migration can migrate reflection events to their proper locations. Traditional full waveform inversion method is only applicable to cross‐hole ground penetrating radar data or surface multi‐offset ground penetrating radar data. We propose an improved full waveform inversion method which offers satisfactory inversion result for surface common‐offset radar. The forward modelled waveform and the objective function curve show that our new full waveform inversion method is much more accurate than traditional full waveform inversion for common‐offset radar. Traditional reverse time migration has weaker amplitude with increasing depth; we use an energy matrix to improve the imaging effect. Moreover, our reverse time migration is based on the relative permittivity distribution obtained from full waveform inversion, which provides more accurate imaging result. Through several numerical and engineering examples, we discuss the application of both methods in tunnel lining inspection. The results show that for tunnel lining without rebars, the combined methods can give satisfactory imaging results. But the image quality deteriorates rapidly when dealing with rebars.
Misuse of prescribed opioids in the United States
Authors: Mojtabai Ramin , Amin‐Esmaeili Masoumeh , Nejat Eleeka , Olfson Mark
Published: February 2019

Purpose

To assess the prevalence and correlates of self‐reported misuse of prescribed‐opioid medications in the US general population.

Method

In 31 068 adult participants of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) 2015 and 2016 who reported using opioids in the past year, we assessed the prevalence and correlates of self‐reported misuse of prescribed opioids, defined as using a larger dose, more frequently, or longer than prescribed. Multivariable logistic‐regression models and the machine‐learning method of boosted regression were used to identify the correlates of misuse.

Results

On the basis of weighted NSDUH estimates, of more than 89 million US adults who used prescription opioids every year, close to 3.9 million (4.4%) reported misused the prescribed medications. Prescribed‐opioid misuse was most strongly associated with co‐occurring misuse of opioids without a prescription, misuse of benzodiazepines, other drug‐use disorders, history of illegal activity, and psychological distress. Misuse of prescribed opioids was also strongly associated with prescription opioid–use disorder, especially among those who misused more potent opioids or started misusing opioids before the current year.

Conclusions

Misuse of prescribed opioids is associated with other high‐risk behaviors and adverse health outcomes. The findings call for better monitoring of opioid prescription in clinical practice.
Poly(styrene‐co‐maleic anhydride)‐graft‐fatty acids as novel solid–solid PCMs for thermal energy storage
Authors: Sarı Ahmet , Biçer Alper , Alkan Cemil
Published: February 2019

A solid–solid phase change material (S‐SPCM) can store and release a specific amount of latent heat during its phase transition. In this regard, poly(styrene‐co‐maleic anhydride) (SMA)‐graft‐fatty acids (FA) copolymers were synthesized as novel S‐SPCMs for thermal energy storage (TES). The chemical structures of the SMA‐g‐FA copolymers were characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) and Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy techniques. The phase transformations of the copolymers form crystalline phase to amorphous phase were monitored using polarized optical microscopy (POM). The latent heat TES (LHTES) properties, thermal cycling reliability, and thermal stability of the S‐SPCMs were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis methods. The SMA‐g‐FA copolymers produced as S‐SPCMs showed solid–solid phase transitions at about 40°C–60 °C range and had latent heat storage and release ability between 84 and 127 J/g, respectively. The S‐SPCMs had stable chemical structures and reliable LHTES characteristics even after 5,000 thermal cycling. They had reasonable thermal conductivity value changed in the range of 0.15–0.19 W/mK. Furthermore, it was concluded that the SMA‐g‐FA copolymers can be considered as promising S‐SPCMs for TES utilizations. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:E337–E347, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers
Cellulose nanocrystal‐based poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) nanocomposites covered with antimicrobial silver thin films
Authors: Ferreira Filipe V. , Mariano Marcos , Pinheiro Ivanei F. , Cazalini Elisa M. , Souza Diego H.S. , Lepesqueur Laura S.S. , Koga‐Ito Cristiane Y. , Gouveia Rubia F. , Lona Liliane M.F.
Published: February 2019

In this study, we reported the preparation and prospective application of the nanocomposites of poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT) reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). CNCs were isolated from bleached sugarcane bagasse by acid hydrolysis and functionalized with adipic acid. Nanocomposites were prepared with different concentration of CNCs (0.8, 1.5, and 2.3 wt% CNC) by solution‐casting method and then were covered with silver thin film by magnetron sputtering. The results showed that the surface modification increased the degree of crystallinity of nanocrystals from 51% to 56%, decreasing their length and diameter. Moreover, AFM‐IR spectroscopy revealed that the modified CNCs were covered by adipic acid molecules, improving the dispersion of nanocrystals in PBAT. Well‐dispersed modified CNCs acted as heterogeneous nuclei for crystallization of PBAT, and increased the storage modulus of the polymer by more than 200%. These improvements in thermal and mechanical properties of CNC‐based PBAT associated with the decrease of 56% in the Escherichia coli biofilm formation on nanocomposites (antibacterial properties) qualify the CNC/PBAT nanocomposites covered with silver thin films to be used as food packaging. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:E356–E365, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers
Proteomics in Drug Development: The Dawn of a New Era?
Authors: Frantzi Maria , Latosinska Agnieszka , Mischak Harald
Published: February 2019

Mass spectrometry offers the potential of acquiring high resolution data depicting the functional status of a group of healthy or diseased individuals, according to different conditions. As most of the drugs are currently targeting proteins, proteomics has a dual value, both in the discovery of new molecules as therapeutic targets, but also as a methodology to perform high throughput drug profiling. As there is an evident need for drugs to be improved in terms of efficacy, a mechanistic insight for downstream effectors can be valuable in order to predict side effects and resistance mechanisms. Recently developed assays, like thermal proteome profiling enables comprehensive drug target profiling and is, therefore, of high value in drug discovery. In this review, a systematic literature search is conducted and the most prominent proteomics studies as implicated in assisting drug discovery and development is presented. Focus is placed on investigations that are closer to implementation, therefore particular emphasis is given in studies conducted in human diseased population and further verified in vitro or in vivo.
Effect of Sodium Alginate on the Morphology and Properties of High Energy Insensitive Explosive TKX‐50
Authors: Dong Wenbo , Chen Shusen , Jin Shaohua , Chen Minglei , Yan Bo , Chen Yu
Published: February 2019

Dihydroxylammonium 5,5′‐bistetrazole‐1,1′‐diolate (TKX‐50) is an energetic ion salt with high energy and low mechanical sensitivity. However, its poor morphology and low binding ability with conventional binders have significantly limited its application. In the present work, we reported a novel strategy to improve the morphology and surface properties of TKX‐50 using sodium alginate (SA) as the modifier by the anti‐solvent method. The results of imaging characterization indicated that SA greatly affected both crystal habit and morphology of TKX‐50, resulting in modified TKX‐50 granulars with low aspect ratios. The formation mechanism was explored by the molecular dynamics simulation. The XPS and SEM characterizations also revealed that SA adhered onto TKX‐50 surface to form a coating layer. The non‐isothermal kinetic parameters were calculated from DSC results. Our work has provided a new strategy to improve the morphology and surface properties of TKX‐50 for its practical applications.
Drug‐related teratogenic and pathologic causes of birth defects in a tertiary hospital in Southwestern Nigeria
Authors: Offor Ifeanyichukwu , Awodele Olufunsho , Oshikoya Kazeem A.
Published: February 2019

Birth defects are important causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality. A good understanding of the etiology is a vital step toward developing improved treatment and preventive strategies. We conducted an audit of medical records of newborns with birth abnormalities in a tertiary hospital over a 10‐year period, using a Pro forma designed to collect information on obstetric history, antenatal history, sociodemographics of parents, and the type of birth abnormality. Of the 180 medical records reviewed, female babies were 92 (51.1%) and male babies were 86 (47.8%). The mean age of the fathers was 38.2 + 6.2, and mothers 31.8 + 4.9. Majority 115 (63.9%) of the mothers had records of acute illnesses, and 23 (12.8%) chronic illnesses during pregnancy. Unspecified febrile illness 44 (38.3%), malaria 40 (34.8%), typhoid 8 (6.9%), hypertension 13 (56.5%), pregestational diabetes 4 (17.4%), and HIV 3 (13.0%) were the commonest maternal pathologies. Most of the documented birth abnormalities were Down's syndrome 34 (15.2%); congenital hydrocephalus 32 (14.3%); acyanotic congenital heart defect 30 (13.4%); deformity of the digits 26 (11.6%); and ventricular septal defect 20 (8.9%). The prevalence of maternal pathologies calls for concern, as these may be implicated in birth defects, therefore should be further investigated in future studies.
p‐Nitrophenylcarbonates: A New Class of Compounds for Chemodosimetric Colorimetric Fluoride Anion Sensing Detectable by the Naked Eye
Authors: Yadav Amit Kumar , Chilukuri Harsha , Kumari Linthoinganbi Raj , Karthikeyan Muthukumarasamy , Fernandes Moneesha
Published: February 2019

A new class of compounds containing the p‐nitrophenylcarbonate motif is reported, that can selectively sense fluoride anions over other halide anions with a detection limit ranging from 0.29 to 0.48 μM. The fluoride ion acts as nucleophile, leading to the liberation of p‐nitrophenol, that is easily detectable and quantifiable colorimetrically.
Weak and Reversible Binding of Alkali Metal Ions (Na+/K+) by an Aza‐Oxa Cryptand
Authors: Gupta Mayank , Tomar Kapil , Pandey Sarvesh K. , Bharadwaj Parimal K.
Published: February 2019

A laterally asymmetric cryptand incorporating amino N and ethereal O was utilized to bind the hard alkali metal ions (Na+ and K+) in aqueous medium. Single crystal X‐ray diffraction studies revealed that both Na+ and K+ ions were included inside the cryptand cavity. However, the trapped metal ions were weakly bound and could be released from the cavity of the cryptand. This cryptand had been used as a column chromatographic material for trapping Na+ and K+ ions from water as the trapped metal ion could be released back into water to extract the cryptand in its free state. Metal binding capability of the cryptand was evaluated using computational studies that revealed lower binding energy (B.E.) for the Na+ and K+ ions compared to first row transition metal ions.
S4: A Spatially Continuous, Individual‐Based Model of Salmonid Redd Superimposition
Authors: Dudley Peter N.
Published: February 2019

Superimposition is one of the earliest risks faced by salmonids during their life cycle and can cause substantial egg mortality. Because habitat area is a determining factor in superimposition risk, agencies allocate large amounts of resources to spawning habitat restoration. Due to the superimposition mortality risk and the funding of spawning habitat restoration, freely available, user‐friendly models that accurately predict superimposition could be useful for strategic management. This paper presents an individual‐based model, the Salmonid Spawning Superimposition Simulator (S4), which is a spatially continuous spawning model with a daily temporal resolution and heterogeneous habitat. I used S4 to analyze the effects of spawning behavior, available habitat, habitat heterogeneity, and changing size and reproductive life span over the spawning season. Salmon may prefer to spawn on previously established redds, and this behavior increased superimposition risk at low spawning densities but had less of an effect as spawner density increased. Decreasing the density of spawners reduced the superimposition risk quickly down to a density threshold of 0.03 spawners/m2, below which there was less than a 5% change in the number of eggs killed. There were small effects from changing spawner length and reproductive life span over the spawning season. Finally, as the difference in habitat quality between patches increased, the effect of changing the percentage of superior‐quality habitat on the number of eggs killed became more peaked and asymmetric. This model and the associated findings can help managers to determine effective levels of spawning gravel additions, understand the causes of observed superimposition mortality, and assess the effects of restoration on superimposition risk.
Combinatoriality in the vocal systems of nonhuman animals
Authors: Engesser Sabrina , Townsend Simon W.
Published: February 2019

A key challenge in the field of human language evolution is the identification of the selective conditions that gave rise to language's generative nature. Comparative data on nonhuman animals provides a powerful tool to investigate similarities and differences among nonhuman and human communication systems and to reveal convergent evolutionary mechanisms. In this article, we provide an overview of the current evidence for combinatorial structures found in the vocal system of diverse species. We show that considerable structural diversity exits across and within species in the forms of combinatorial structures used. Based on this we suggest that a fine‐grained classification and differentiation of combinatoriality is a useful approach permitting systematic comparisons across animals. Specifically, this will help to identify factors that might promote the emergence of combinatoriality and, crucially, whether differences in combinatorial mechanisms might be driven by variations in social and ecological conditions or cognitive capacities.

This article is categorized under:

Cognitive Biology > Evolutionary Roots of Cognition

Linguistics > Evolution of Language
Non-unitary evolution of neutrinos in matter and the leptonic unitarity test
Authors: Fong Chee Sheng , Minakata Hisakazu , Nunokawa Hiroshi
Published: February 2019

Abstract

We present a comprehensive study of the three-active plus N sterile neutrino model as a framework for constraining leptonic unitarity violation induced at energy scales much lower than the electroweak scale. We formulate a perturbation theory with expansion in small unitarity violating matrix element W while keeping (non-W suppressed) matter effect to all orders. We show that under the same condition of sterile state masses 0.1 eV2 ≲ m

J

2
≲ (1–10) GeV2 as in vacuum, assuming typical accelerator based long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment, one can derive a very simple form of the oscillation probability which consists only of zeroth-order terms with the unique exception of probability leaking term

$$ \mathcal{C} $$

C

αβ
of

$$ \mathcal{O} $$

O

(W
4). We argue, based on our explicit computation to fourth-order in W, that all the other terms are negligibly small after taking into account the suppression due to the mass condition for sterile states, rendering the oscillation probability sterile-sector model independent. Then, we identify a limited energy region in which this suppression is evaded and the effects of order W
2 corrections may be observable. Its detection would provide another way, in addition to detecting

$$ \mathcal{C} $$

C

αβ
, to distinguish between low-scale and high-scale unitarity violation. We also solve analytically the zeroth-order system in matter with uniform density to provide a basis for numerical evaluation of non-unitary neutrino evolution.
Adjoint orbits, generalised parallelisable spaces and consistent truncations
Authors: Anderson Louise
Published: February 2019

Abstract

The aim of this note is to present some new explicit examples ofO(d,d)generalised Leibniz parallelisable spaces arising as the normal bundles of adjoint orbits$$ \mathcal{O} $$Oof some semi-simple Lie groupG. Using this construction, an explicit expression for a generalised frame is given in the case when the orbits are regular, but subtleties arise when they become degenerate. In the case of regular orbits, the resulting space is a globally flat fiber bundle over$$ \mathcal{O} $$Owhich can be made compact, allowing for a generalised Scherk-Schwartz reduction. This means these spaces should admit consistent supergravity truncations. For degenerate orbits, the procedure hinges on the existence of a suitable metric, allowing for a consistent normalisation of the generalised frame.
ν-inflaton dark matter
Authors: Manso António Torres , Rosa João G.
Published: February 2019

Abstract

We present a unified model where the same scalar field can drive inflation and account for the present dark matter abundance. This scenario is based on the incomplete decay of the inflaton field into right-handed neutrino pairs, which is accomplished by imposing a discrete interchange symmetry on the inflaton and on two of the right-handed neutrinos. We show that this can lead to a successful reheating of the Universe after inflation, while leaving a stable inflaton remnant at late times. This remnant may be in the form of WIMP-like inflaton particles or of an oscillating inflaton condensate, depending on whether or not the latter evaporates and reaches thermal equilibrium with the cosmic plasma. We further show that this scenario is compatible with generating light neutrino masses and mixings through the seesaw mechanism, predicting at least one massless neutrino, and also the observed baryon asymmetry via thermal leptogenesis.
Loop corrections to dark matter direct detection in a pseudoscalar mediator dark matter model
Authors: Abe Tomohiro , Fujiwara Motoko , Hisano Junji
Published: February 2019

Abstract

If dark matter (DM) is a fermion and its interactions with the standard model particles are mediated by pseudoscalar particles, the tree-level amplitude for the DM-nucleon elastic scattering is suppressed by the momentum transfer in the non-relativistic limit. At the loop level, on the other hand, the spin-independent contribution to the cross section appears without such suppression. Thus, the loop corrections are essential to discuss the sensitivities of the direct detection experiments for the model prediction. The one-loop corrections were investigated in the previous works. However, the two-loop diagrams give the leading order contribution to the DM-gluon effective operator

$$ \left(\overline{\chi}\chi {G}_{\mu \nu}^{\alpha }{G}^{\alpha \mu \nu}\right) $$

χ
¯

χ

G

μ
ν

α

G

α
μ
ν

and have not been correctly evaluated yet. Moreover, some interaction terms which affect the scattering cross section were overlooked. In this paper, we show the cross section obtained by the improved analysis and discuss the region where the cross section becomes large.
Thulium fiber laser: the new player for kidney stone treatment? A comparison with Holmium:YAG laser
Authors: Traxer Olivier , Keller Etienne Xavier
Published: February 2019

Purpose

To compare the operating modes of the Holmium:YAG laser and Thulium fiber laser. Additionally, currently available literature on Thulium fiber laser lithotripsy is reviewed.

Materials and methods

Medline, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched for articles relating to the operating modes of Holmium:YAG and Thulium fiber lasers, including systematic review of articles on Thulium fiber laser lithotripsy.

Results

The laser beam emerging from the Holmium:YAG laser involves fundamental architectural design constraints compared to the Thulium fiber laser. These differences translate into multiple potential advantages in favor of the Thulium fiber laser: four-fold higher absorption coefficient in water, smaller operating laser fibers (50–150 µm core diameter), lower energy per pulse (as low as 0.025 J), and higher maximal pulse repetition rate (up to 2000 Hz). Multiple comparative in vitro studies suggest a 1.5–4 times faster stone ablation rate in favor of the Thulium fiber laser.

Conclusions

The Thulium fiber laser overcomes the main limitations reported with the Holmium:YAG laser relating to lithotripsy, based on preliminary in vitro studies. This innovative laser technology seems particularly advantageous for ureteroscopy and may become an important milestone for kidney stone treatment.
Trust: from the Philosophical to the Commercial
Authors: Tallant Jonathan , Donati Donatella
Published: February 2019

This is a paper about trust, with a specific focus on the ways in which trust is investigated in the business literature and the commercial sector. The lens through which the topic is approached is distinctively philosophical. We use philosophical tools to demonstrate the paucity of some of the accounts of trust that are given in the business and management literature, as well as the empirically informed literature that has flowed from them. We close with a discussion of some work on trust drawn from the commercial sector that would, as we shall demonstrate, benefit from a clearer understanding of the nature of trust. We take this to be important. Trust is a key moral and ethical component of transactional relationships. Without a clear understanding of the notion, we will be missing a central concept in our attempts to understand the commercial world that we inhabit. The paper proceeds in four parts. In the first part of the paper we introduce some reasonably standard philosophical distinctions between different kinds of trust, as well as saying a little more about our methods. In the second, we demonstrate that a reasonably widely held account of trust in the business and management literature fails to capture the nuance reflected by the philosophical literature. On the basis of this, in the third section, we suggest that various pieces of empirical work require reassessment. In the final part of the paper we explore some non-academic discussions of trust drawn from the commercial sector arguing that, there too, we require a more precise understanding of trust. In short, though, our overarching argument is simply this: if we can give a more precise analysis of trust, it follows that both our empirical research and current commercial activity can be improved.
Can Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives Improve Global Supply Chains? Improving Deliberative Capacity with a Stakeholder Orientation
Authors: Soundararajan Vivek , Brown Jill A. , Wicks Andrew C.
Published: February 2019

Global multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) are important instruments that have the potential to improve the social and environmental sustainability of global supply chains. However, they often fail to comprehensively address the needs and interests of various supply-chain participants. While voluntary in nature, MSIs have most often been implemented through coercive approaches, resulting in friction among their participants and in systemic problems with decoupling. Additionally, in those cases in which deliberation was constrained between and amongst participants, collaborative approaches have often failed to materialize. Our framework focuses on two key aspects of these breakdowns: assumptions about the orientation of MSI participants, and the deliberation processes that participants use to engage with each other to create these initiatives and sustain them over time. Drawing from stakeholder and deliberation theories, we revisit the concept of MSIs and show how their deliberative capacity may be enhanced in order to encourage participants to collaborate voluntarily.
Why does polysemy vary across languages? An explanation in the framework of the Sign Theory of Language / Pourquoi la polysémie varie-t-elle d'une langue à l'autre? Une explication dans le cadre de la Théorie du langage basée sur le signe
Authors: Zuercher Beau
Published: February 2019

Many pairs of words traditionally treated as crosslinguistic equivalents do not share the same set of senses, and dominant theories fail to account for this asymmetry. This article proposes an explanation for the crosslinguistic variation of polysemy based on two key insights from Bouchard's Sign Theory of Language. First, multifunctional words have only a single, abstract meaning, and second, properties of the linguistic sign follow from properties of the external systems with which language interfaces. The article describes the content of the English and French deictic verbs go, aller, come, and venir, showing that each possesses a simple semantic representation composed of primitives from general cognition. It then examines several specific semantic uses of go and aller, showing that differences in the surface polysemy of these verbs follow directly from a single difference in their abstract lexical meaning and the way the latter interacts with context, extralinguistic knowledge and grammar.
A NOTE ON THE PERIODICITY OF ENTIRE FUNCTIONS
Authors: LIU KAI , YU PEIYONG
Published: February 2019

We give some sufficient conditions for the periodicity of entire functions based on a conjecture of C. C. Yang, using the concepts of value sharing, unique polynomial of entire functions and Picard exceptional value.
Ophelimus mediterraneus sp. n. (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae): a new Eucalyptus gall wasp in the Mediterranean region
Authors: Borowiec N. , La Salle J. , Brancaccio L. , Thaon M. , Warot S. , Branco M. , Ris N. , Malausa J.-C. , Burks R.
Published: February 2019

We report here for the first time the presence ofOphelimus mediterraneussp. n. in Mediterranean Europe. This species appears to be closely related toOphelimus maskelli, a well-known invasive pest ofEucalyptus. Based on molecular (cytochrome oxidase I, 28S), morphological (multivariate ratio analysis) and bio-ecological investigations, our study gives unambiguous relevant criteria that allow the discrimination between these two species. A full description ofO. mediterraneussp. n. is also provided. The geographic distribution ofO. mediterraneussp. n. as well as its impact onEucalyptusspecies needs to be more widely assessed since its presence may have been confused withO. maskelliin their sympatric introduced areas. Further investigations of potential parasitoids in the native area may thus be welcomed to evaluate classical biological control achievability.
Gerstenhaber Bracket on the Hochschild Cohomology via An Arbitrary Resolution
Authors: Volkov Yury
Published: February 2019

We prove formulas of different types that allow us to calculate the Gerstenhaber bracket on the Hochschild cohomology of an algebra using some arbitrary projective bimodule resolution for it. Using one of these formulas, we give a new short proof of the derived invariance of the Gerstenhaber algebra structure on Hochschild cohomology. We also give some new formulas for the Connes differential on the Hochschild homology that lead to formulas for the Batalin–Vilkovisky (BV) differential on the Hochschild cohomology in the case of symmetric algebras. Finally, we use one of the obtained formulas to provide a full description of the BV structure and, correspondingly, the Gerstenhaber algebra structure on the Hochschild cohomology of a class of symmetric algebras.
First country-wide survey of the Endangered Asian elephant: towards better conservation and management in Sri Lanka
Authors: Fernando Prithiviraj , De Silva M.K. Channa R. , Jayasinghe L.K.A. , Janaka H.K. , Pastorini Jennifer
Published: February 2019

The Endangered Asian elephant Elephas maximus comes into widespread conflict with agrarian communities, necessitating active management. The species’ distribution is of primary importance for management planning. However, data-based countrywide distribution maps have not been available for any of the 13 Asian elephant range states. We conducted a 5 × 5 km grid-based questionnaire survey in Sri Lanka to produce an island-wide elephant distribution map. Elephants occur over 59.9% of Sri Lanka and people are resident in 69.4% of elephant range, indicating the challenge of separating people and elephants at a landscape scale. Elephants in Sri Lanka have lost 16.1% of their range since 1960 but their current distribution remains largely contiguous. We found the range of adult males was 15.1% greater, and less seasonal, than that of herds, possibly because males have a higher tolerance for conflict with people. The distribution of conflict coincided with the co-occurrence of humans and elephants. We conclude that a human–elephant coexistence model is the only viable option for effectively mitigating human–elephant conflict and conserving elephants in Sri Lanka. The findings are currently being used to effect a paradigm change in elephant conservation and management in the country.
Re-evaluation of merogony of aCystoisospora ohioensis-like coccidian and its distinction from gametogony in the intestine of a naturally infected dog
Authors: Dubey J. P.
Published: February 2019

Four species ofCystoisospora,C. canis,C. ohioensis,C. neorivoltaandC. burrowsiare described from feces of dogs. Of these, the oocysts ofC. canisare the largest and easily distinguished from the remaining three species. Oocysts ofC. ohioensis,C. neorivoltaandC. burrowsiare difficult to distinguish because of overlap in their sizes. However, based on endogenous developmental stages,C. ohioensisis distinct fromC. neorivoltaandC. burrowsibecause its endogenous stages are confined to surface epithelium of intestine whereas endogenous stages ofC. neorivoltaandC. burrowsiare predominantly in the lamina propria. There are uncertainties regarding the endogenous stages ofC. neorivoltaandC. burrowsiand there is no way now to determine whetherC. burrowsiandC. neorivoltaare different parasites; therefore, these are referred asC. ohioensis-like organisms. Additionally, mode of division of asexual stages of coccidia of dogs is largely unknown and ultrastructural studies are lacking. In the present study, development of asexual and sexual stages of aC. ohioensis-like organism in a naturally infected dog is described by light microscopy and by transmission electron microscopy. Merozoites divided by endodyogeny/merogony. Meronts were crescent/merozoite-shaped and contained a maximum of eight nuclei. A distinctive feature of merozoites was the presence of many PAS-positive amylopectin granules that were absent or rare in immature microgamonts making it possible to distinguish them.
Morphological characterization and molecular phylogeny of zoonotic trematodes in the freshwater snail Asolene platae
Authors: Dellagnola Federico A. , Montes Martín M. , Martorelli Sergio R. , Vega Israel A.
Published: February 2019

In the context of a broader program dealing with the symbiotic associations of apple snails, we sampled three species that coexist in Lake Regatas (Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina). The population ofAsolene platae, (but not those ofPomacea canaliculataandPomacea scalaris) showed trematode larvae (echinocercariae and xiphidiocercariae) in haemocoelic spaces and connective tissue of the digestive gland. The echinocercariae resembled those of the genusEchinochasmus, but lacked sensory hairs on their body and tail; whereas xiphidiocercariae were similar to the xiphidiocercariae armatae belonging to the Opisthoglyphe type. The phylogenetical positions of these trematodes were inferred by the 28S rRNA, ITS1 and mtCOXI gene sequences. The 28S rRNA gene linked the echinocercarial sequences with the polyphyletic genusEchinochasmus(Echinochasmidae), while the xiphidiocercarial sequences were linked with the genusPhaneropsolus(Phaneropsolidae). The molecular markers used were able to distinguish two cryptic molecular entities of the single echinocercarial morphotype. Although ITS1 and mtCOXI did not allow resolving phylogeny beyond the family level because of the scarce number of sequences in the molecular databases, both cercariae (echinocercariae and xiphidiocercariae) could be distinguished by the Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 amplicon size. This is the first correlative morphological and molecular study of zoonotic trematodes in Neotropical ampullariids.