bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mirach’s Goblin: Discovery of a dwarf spheroidal galaxy behind the Andromeda galaxy
Authors: Martínez-Delgado David , Grebel Eva K. , Javanmardi Behnam , Boschin Walter , Longeard Nicolas , Carballo-Bello Julio A. , Makarov Dmitry , Beasley Michael A. , Donatiello Giuseppe , Haynes Martha P. , Forbes Duncan A. , Romanowsky Aaron J.
Published: October 2018

Context. It is of broad interest for galaxy formation theory to carry out a full inventory of the numbers and properties of dwarf galaxies, both satellite and isolated, in the Local Volume.

Aims. Ultra-deep imaging in wide areas of the sky with small amateur telescopes can help to complete the census of these hitherto unknown low-surface-brightness galaxies, which cannot be detected by the current resolved stellar population and HI surveys. We report the discovery of Donatiello I, a dwarf spheroidal galaxy located one degree from the star Mirach (β And) in a deep image taken with an amateur telescope.

Methods. The color-magnitude diagram (CMD) obtained from follow-up observations obtained with the Gran Telescopio Canarias (La Palma, Spain) reveals that this system is beyond the local group and is mainly composed of old stars. The absence of young stars and HI emission in the ALFALFA survey is typical of quenched dwarf galaxies. Our photometry suggests a distance modulus for this galaxy of (m − M) = 27.6 ± 0.2 (3.3 Mpc), although this distance cannot yet be established securely owing to the crowding effects in our CMD. At this distance, the absolute magnitude (MV = −8.3), surface brightness (μV = 26.5 mag arcsec−2), and stellar content of Donatiello I are similar to the “classical” Milky Way companions Draco or Ursa Minor.

Results. The projected position and distance of Donatiello I are consistent with this object being a dwarf satellite of the closest S0-type galaxy NGC 404 (“Mirach’s Ghost”). Alternatively, it could be one of the most isolated quenched dwarf galaxies reported so far behind the Andromeda galaxy.
With and without spectroscopy: Gaia DR2 proper motions of seven ultra-faint dwarf galaxies
Authors: Massari D. , Helmi A.
Published: October 2018

Aims. We present mean absolute proper motion measurements for seven ultra-faint dwarf galaxies orbiting the Milky Way, namely Boötes III, Carina II, Grus II, Reticulum II, Sagittarius II, Segue 2, and Tucana IV. For four of these dwarfs our proper motion estimate is the first ever provided.

Methods. The adopted astrometric data come from the second data release of the Gaia mission. We determine the mean proper motion for each galaxy starting from an initial guess of likely members, based either on radial velocity measurements or using stars on the horizontal branch identified in the Gaia (GBP – GRP, G) colour-magnitude diagram in the field of view towards the UFD. We then refine their membership iteratively using both astrometry and photometry. We take into account the full covariance matrix among the astrometric parameters when deriving the mean proper motions for these systems.

Results. Our procedure provides mean proper motions with typical uncertainties of ∼0.1 mas yr−1, even for galaxies without prior spectroscopic information. In the case of Segue 2 we find that using radial velocity members only leads to biased results, presumably because of the small number of stars with measured radial velocities.

Conclusions. Our procedure allows the number of member stars per galaxy to be maximized regardless of the existence of prior spectroscopic information, and can therefore be applied to any faint or distant stellar system within reach of Gaia.
Phase-space structure analysis of self-gravitating collisionless spherical systems
Authors: Halle A. , Colombi S. , Peirani S.
Published: October 2018

In the mean field limit, isolated gravitational systems often evolve towards a steady state through a violent relaxation phase. One question is to understand the nature of this relaxation phase, in particular the role of radial instabilities in the establishment/destruction of the steady profile. Here, through a detailed phase-space analysis based both on a spherical Vlasov solver, a shell code, and a N-body code, we revisit the evolution of collisionless self-gravitating spherical systems with initial power-law density profiles ρ(r) ∝ rn, 0 ≤ n ≤ −1.5, and Gaussian velocity dispersion. Two sub-classes of models are considered, with initial virial ratios η = 0.5 (“warm”) and η = 0.1 (“cool”). Thanks to the numerical techniques used and the high resolution of the simulations, our numerical analyses are able, for the first time, to show the clear separation between two or three well-known dynamical phases: (i) the establishment of a spherical quasi-steady state through a violent relaxation phase during which the phase-space density displays a smooth spiral structure presenting a morphology consistent with predictions from self-similar dynamics, (ii) a quasi-steady-state phase during which radial instabilities can take place at small scales and destroy the spiral structure but do not change quantitatively the properties of the phase-space distribution at the coarse grained level, and (iii) relaxation to a non-spherical state due to radial orbit instabilities for n ≤ −1 in the cool case.
Orbital properties of binary post-AGB stars
Authors: Oomen Glenn-Michael , Van Winckel Hans , Pols Onno , Nelemans Gijs , Escorza Ana , Manick Rajeev , Kamath Devika , Waelkens Christoffel
Published: October 2018

Binary post-asymptotic giant branch (post-AGB) stars are thought to be the products of a strong but poorly understood interaction during the AGB phase. The aim of this contribution is to update the orbital elements of a sample of galactic post-AGB binaries observed in a long-term radial-velocity monitoring campaign by analysing these systems in a homogeneous way. Radial velocities are computed from high signal-to-noise spectra via a cross-correlation method. The radial-velocity curves are fitted by using both a least-squares algorithm and a Nelder–Mead simplex algorithm. We use a Monte Carlo method to compute uncertainties on the orbital elements. The resulting mass functions are used to derive a companion mass distribution by optimising the predicted to the observed cumulative mass-function distributions, after correcting for observational bias. As a result, we derive and update orbital elements for 33 galactic post-AGB binaries, among which 3 are new orbits. The orbital periods of the systems range from 100 to about 3000 days. Over 70% (23 out of 33) of our binaries have significant non-zero eccentricities ranging over all periods. Their orbits are non-circular even though the Roche-lobe radii are smaller than the maximum size of a typical AGB star and tidal circularisation should have been strong when the objects were on the AGB. We derive a distribution of companion masses that is peaked around 1.09 M⊙ with a standard deviation of 0.62 M⊙. The large spread in companion masses highlights the diversity of post-AGB binary systems. Post-AGB binaries are often chemically peculiar, showing in their photospheres the result of an accretion process of circumstellar gas devoid of refractory elements. We find that only post-AGB stars with high effective temperatures (> 5500 K) in wide orbits are depleted in refractory elements, suggesting that re-accretion of material from a circumbinary disc is an ongoing process. It appears, however, that depletion is inefficient for the closest orbits irrespective of the actual surface temperature.
Assemblages non soudés dans les réacteurs nucléaires
Authors: Dhers Jean
Published: October 2018

Les réacteurs nucléaires utilisent peu d’assemblages non soudés. Il existe cependant quelques assemblages sans soudure qui concernent le circuit primaire des réacteurs LWR, tels que ceux de nos centrales françaises. Il s’agit essentiellement de trois types d’assemblage : le dudgeonnage, le frettage et le boulonnage. Les deux premières techniques concernent respectivement le générateur de vapeur, les pénétrations dans le couvercle, ou le fond de cuve et la pompe primaire. Elles sont toujours associées à un soudage ultérieur qui garantit l’étanchéité. Il s’agit de composants essentiels au bon fonctionnement du réacteur. Les assemblages boulonnés concernent la pompe primaire, l’assemblage du couvercle de cuve avec la cuve, et les internes de cuve. Certains assemblages boulonnés sont plus sensibles aux phénomènes de corrosion sous tension voire pour les internes de cuve de corrosion sous tension assistée par irradiation.
A Task-Driven Implementation of a Simple Numerical Solver for Hyperbolic Conservation Laws
Authors: Essadki Mohamed , Jung Jonathan , Larat Adam , Pelletier Milan , Perrier Vincent
Published: October 2018

This article describes the implementation of an all-in-one numerical procedure within the runtime StarPU. In order to limit the complexity of the method, for the sake of clarity of the presentation of the non-classical task-driven programming environment, we have limited the numerics to first order in space and time. Results show that the task distribution is efficient if the tasks are numerous and individually large enough so that the task heap can be saturated by tasks which computational time covers the task management overhead. Next, we also see that even though they are mostly faster on graphic cards, not all the tasks are suitable for GPUs, which brings forward the importance of the task scheduler. Finally, we look at a more realistic system of conservation laws with an expensive source term, what allows us to conclude and open on future works involving higher local arithmetic intensity, by increasing the order of the numerical method or by enriching the model (increased number of parameters and therefore equations).
Clinical and radiographic presentation of pelvic sarcoma in children
Authors: Kadhim Muayad , Oyoun Nariman Abol , Womer Richard B. , Dormans John P.
Published: October 2018

Introduction: Pelvic sarcomas may present with vague symptoms. The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics and clinical presentations of different types of pelvic sarcoma in children.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients up to 21 years of age with the diagnosis of pelvic sarcoma between January 2000 and June 2013. Data on demographics, tumor type and location, and clinical presentation were collected from the medical records.

Results: A total of 59 patients [37 males (62.7%) and 22 females (37.3%)] were examined in this study. Mean age at presentation was 11.3 ± 5 years (range 0.8–21 years). Thirty-six patients had Ewing sarcoma (61%), 9 osteosarcoma (6.8%), 4 undifferentiated sarcoma (6.8%), 2 (3.4%) rhabdomyosarcoma, 2 synovial cell sarcoma, and one (1.7%) of each fibrosarcoma, dermatofibrosarcoma, fibromyxoid sarcoma, chondrosarcoma, chordoma, and epithelioid sarcoma. Pain at presentation was reported in 41 patients, 13 mass, 8 limping, and 5 neurologic symptoms. Most of the bony tumors were painful (77%), while most of the soft tissue tumors were painless (70%). Nine patients presented with constitutional symptoms. Most patients presented within 4–12 months from symptoms beginning. Twenty-one patients (35.6%) presented with metastases (14 Ewing sarcoma, 6 osteosarcoma, and 1 synovial cell sarcoma). Pelvic radiographs showed lytic lesion in 11 patients, 4 sclerotic lesions, 6 mixed lesion, 6 had only soft tissue mass, 1 radiograph showed osteopenia, and 2 radiographs were reported normal.

Conclusion: Ewing sarcoma was the most common pelvic sarcoma tumor in children. In most cases, pelvic sarcoma in children presented with pain mimicking other benign conditions. Some patients presented with metastatic disease with no prognostic clinical or radiographical signs or symptoms. Pelvic sarcoma should be considered a differential diagnosis as part of children work up.
Intraoperative Shear Wave Elastography vs. Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound for the Characterization and Differentiation of Focal Liver Lesions to Optimize Liver Tumor Surgery
Authors: da Silva Natascha , Hornung Matthias , Beyer Lukas , Hackl Christina , Brunner Stefan , Schlitt Hans , Wiggermann Philipp , Jung Ernst
Published: October 2018

Purpose Assessment of intraoperative quantitative shear wave elastography (SWE) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for the characterization of focal liver lesions (FLLs) during liver surgery using postoperative histopathological results as the gold standard.

Materials and Methods US data of 79 consecutive patients with 98 FLLs who underwent liver surgery between 08/2015 – 06/2017 were prospectively acquired and retrospectively analyzed. Multifrequency linear/T-shaped probes (6 – 9 MHz) were used to store cine loops of at least 5 s and images of B-mode, SWE and CEUS. The first CEUS loop was continuously documented over 1 min. in each case. Quantitative SWE analysis of FLLs was performed by placing 5 regions of interest to measure shear wave speed (m/s) and stiffness (kPa). CEUS was evaluated during the arterial, portal venous and late phase after i. v. bolus injections of 2.4 – 10 ml sulfur hexafluoride microbubbles. Postoperative histopathology after tumor resection or intraoperative biopsy was obtained to confirm findings of SWE and CEUS.

Results Of 98 FLLs in 79 patients (mean age: 58 years sd ± 12y) 88 were malignant and 10 were benign ranging from 0.69 to 15.2 cm in size (mean: 2.8 cm, sd ± 2.25 cm). SWE characterized 73/88 FLLs correctly as malignant and 7/10 as benign using a cut-off value of 2.5 m/s/21.3 kPa (p < 0.0005). The sensitivity was 83 %, specificity 70 %, accuracy 82 %. CEUS could correctly identify 86/88 malignant and 8/10 benign FLLs. The sensitivity was 98 %, specificity 80 %, accuracy 96 %. SWE could correctly identify 2 malignant FLLs which CEUS falsely characterized as benign.

Conclusion Intraoperative CEUS and SWE are excellent tools for the highly accurate visualization, characterization and malignancy assessment of hepatic tumors during liver surgery.
Kosten und Prozesse der Sterilgutversorgung
Authors: Krohn Markus , Mickley Thomas , Fleßa Steffen
Published: October 2018

In der Zentralen Sterilgutversorgungsabteilung (ZSVA) werden wiederverwendbare Medizinprodukte für die gesamte Klinik aufbereitet. Doch welche Kosten entstehen
eigentlich bei der Produktion einer Sterilguteinheit? Und welche Rolle spielt die Arbeitsintensität der Mitarbeiter?
Situation of Adolescent Contraceptive Use in Germany
Authors: Oppelt Patricia , Fahlbusch Christine , Heusinger Katharina , Lotz Laura , Dittrich Ralf , Baier Friederike
Published: October 2018

Introduction Would adolescent girls in Germany choose a different method of contraception to the combined oral contraceptive if provided with the appropriate information? Is there a need for long-acting contraception among our adolescent girls? How satisfied are female patients with the information they receive at their respective gynaecology practices, and how much do the girls know about different methods of contraception?

Materials and Methods In the study “Thinking About Needs in COntraception” (TANCO), not only female patients, but also their respective gynaecologists were surveyed online about current methods of contraception, their satisfaction with these methods, and also their level of knowledge concerning the individual methods of contraception, the situation related to advice about different contraceptive options and their general satisfaction with gynaecological care. This article presents the data from the subset of adolescent girls aged 14 to 19 years (n = 2699) out of the total of 18 521 women surveyed.

Results The girls surveyed were familiar with at least the name of more than five different methods of contraception (average 5.3). The doctors assumed that the respondents would know only 4.2 different methods. When asked explicitly about how the individual methods of contraception work, clear deficits became evident. This applies not only to the entire population of respondents, but also the users of the respective contraceptive method. In addition, a strong interest in long-acting contraception emerged from the survey, particularly among young women.

Discussion The data from the TANCO study reveal a clear discrepancy between the existing contraception almost exclusively in the form of the contraceptive pill and the contraceptive options considered by adolescent girls if they are thoroughly informed. The need for education into alternatives to the pill is high, as is the willingness to use such alternatives after receiving information – much higher than the figures suggested by the gynaecologists.
Possible Reasons for Discontinuation of Therapy: an Analysis of 571 071 Treatment Cycles From the German IVF Registry
Authors: Kreuzer Vera , Kimmel Markus , Schiffner Julia , Czeromin Ute , Tandler-Schneider Andreas , Krüssel Jan-Steffen
Published: October 2018

Introduction Numerous couples discontinue fertility treatment before achieving the objective, the birth of a child. The aim of this retrospective data analysis is to identify the reasons for early discontinuation of therapy (drop-out).

Materials and Methods Retrospective data analysis. With the aid of the German IVF Registry (D·I·R®), a total of 122 560 “last cycles” in Germany in the period 2012 – 2015 were identified and the courses were analysed.

Results From the named cohort of “last cycles”, 37.3% of the female patients (45 699) gave birth to a child and ended the therapy. The remaining 76 861 discontinued the treatment before having a child. The fertility treatment was conducted due to a purely male indication in 46.27% of cases and in 17.96% the cause lay exclusively with the woman. 4.53% of the drop-outs suffered a miscarriage in the last cycle. 73.56% of the drop-out patients ended the therapy after the lack of a positive pregnancy test. After the third therapy cycle, 67% of the couples ended their treatment.

Conclusion The results make it possible to provide couples with individual counselling. They offer an option for preparing for the emotional and physical hurdles.
Low-grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma
Authors: Ricciardi Enzo , Baert Thaïs , Ataseven Beyhan , Heitz Florian , Prader Sonia , Bommert Mareike , Schneider Stephanie , du Bois Andreas , Harter Philipp
Published: October 2018

In the early 2000s a two-tier grading system was introduced for serous ovarian cancer. Since then, we have increasingly come to accept that low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC) is a separate entity with a unique mutational landscape and clinical behaviour. As less than 10% of serous carcinomas of the ovary are low-grade, they are present in only a small number of patients in clinical trials for ovarian cancer. Therefore the current treatment of LGSOC is based on smaller trials, retrospective series, and subgroup analysis of large clinical trials on ovarian cancer. Surgery plays a major role in the treatment of patients with LGSOC. In the systemic treatment of LGSOC, hormonal treatment and targeted therapies seem to play an important role.
Volumetría hipocampal: análisis comparativo de los métodos de evaluación en enfermedad de Alzheimer
Authors: Chaves Hernán , Rollan Cecilia Eugenia , Ventrice Fernando , Calandri Ismael Luis , Farez Mauricio Franco , Yañez Paulina
Published: October 2018

Objetivo La atrofia hipocampal es uno de los biomarcadores radiológicos más sensibles de la enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA) y existen diferentes métodos para evaluarla: análisis subjetivo visual (ASV), análisis objetivo manual (AOM) y análisis objetivo automático (AOA). Nos proponemos comparar esos métodos, y evaluar si el AOA presenta una confiabilidad cercana al AOM (método de referencia) y superior al ASV.

Materiales y Métodos Se seleccionaron retrospectivamente imágenes de resonancia magnética (RM) fast spoiled gradient-echo (FSPGR) de 28 sujetos (14 con deterioro cognitivo leve, 7 con EA y 7 controles). El ASV fue realizado por 10 radiólogos, clasificando la atrofia hipocampal en: nula, leve, moderada o severa. El AOM se basó en la segmentación manual de los hipocampos por dos operadores. El AOA fue realizada por medio del software FreeSurfer 5.3. Se calcularon coeficientes de correlación rho de Spearman para las variables discretas y coeficientes de correlación intraclase para las variables continuas.

Resultados Los coeficientes de correlación entre los dos operadores que realizaron el AOM fueron de 0,88 (p < 0,0001) para los hipocampos izquierdos y de 0,86 (p < 0,0001) para los hipocampos derechos. El coeficiente de correlación entre todos los ASV (promediados) y AOM fue de -0,81 (IC 95% -0,96- -0,66). Los coeficientes de correlación entre el AOA y el AOM fue de 0,54 (p < 0,0001) para los hipocampos izquierdos y de 0,61 (p < 0,0001) para los hipocampos derechos.

Conclusión Si bien el AOA tiene moderada correlación con el método de referencia, no es superior al ASV promedio y se deberían tomar recaudos antes de ser implementado en la práctica asistencial.
Interaction and resonance of fast magnetoacoustic solitary waves in cylindrical geometry for dense astrophysical plasmas
Authors: Jahangir R. , Masood W. , Siddiq M. , Batool N.
Published: October 2018

The cylindrical Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (CKP) equation, also known as Johnson's equation, is derived for dense electron ion plasmas in the small amplitude limit to study the interaction and resonance of two magnetoacoustic solitons in cylindrical geometry. The exact analytical solutions of the CKP equation are derived using Hirota's direct method and a novel gauge transformation. It is observed that cylindrical geometry transforms the line solitons to the horseshoe-like solitary structures. For multi-solitons, it is shown that the interaction parameter for the CKP solitary wave depends upon the plasma parameters of the system. For the present investigation, plasma parameters are chosen that are customarily found in the white dwarf stars. The interaction of magnetoacoustic solitons are shown to change their trajectory and introduce a phase shift. The resonance condition is developed for the CKP equation which shows that the amplitude of resultant solitons becomes four times the amplitude of initial solitons.
Spin molecular-orbit coupling and magnetic properties of the decorated honeycomb layers of Mo3S7(dmit)3 crystals
Authors: Merino Jaime , Jacko Anthony C. , Khosla Amie L. , Ralko Arnaud , Powell Ben J.
Published: October 2018

We explore the magnetic properties of isolated a − b planes of trinuclear organometallic crystals, Mo3S7(dmit)3, in which an interplay of strong electronic correlations and spin molecular-orbital coupling (SMOC) occurs. The magnetic properties can be described by a XXZ+1200, S = 1 Heisenberg model on a honeycomb lattice with single-spin anisotropy, D, which depends strongly on SMOC. Based on ab initio estimates of SMOC in Mo3S7(dmit)3 crystals, we predict that the honeycomb layers of Mo3S7(dmit)3 are Néel ordered. However, in materials with a greater degree of magnetic frustration, Néel order can give way to a large-D phase.
Investigation of spin-orientation in antiferromagnetic ordering for LiFe1-xZnxPO4 with Mössbauer spectroscopy
Authors: Choi Hyunkyung , Kim Mun Hwan , Kim Chul Sung
Published: October 2018

We have investigated the spin orientation in antiferromagnetic polycrystalline LiFe1-xZnxPO4 using Mössbauer spectroscopy. The temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility curves show antiferromagnetic behavior with ordering temperature. The experimentally determined effective moment of LiFe1-xZnxPO4 is larger than the theoretical value, which can be explained as incomplete absence of orbital contribution by the crystalline field around distorted octahedra. The value of the Néel temperature (TN) and the spin reorientation temperature (TS) of LiFe1-xZnxPO4 decreased with the increasing Zn concentrations from 48 and 14 K for x = 0.1 to 36 and 8 K for x = 0.5, resulting in weak antiferromagnetic interaction. Below TN, Mössbauer spectra of LiFe1-xZnxPO4 showed asymmetric eight-line shape due to the strong crystalline field in the distorted octahedral structure. A change in both the magnetic hyperfine field and electric quadrupole splitting below TS suggests that magnetic phase transition is related to the spin rotation and the superexchange interaction.
Conduction band electron relaxation and spin relaxation dynamics in CdZnTe alloy
Authors: Teng Lihua , Mu Lijun , Wang Xia
Published: October 2018

Conduction band electron relaxation and spin relaxation dynamics in Cd0.96Zn0.04Te alloy are investigated using time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy. The measured linearly polarization pump-probe spectroscopy demonstrates the presence of a fast process and a slow process, both of which indicate electron trapping and recombination at the defect/impurity level. The time constants of the fast process are within the range of 3.1 to 4.9 ps, and those of the slow process are within the range of 16.1 to 18.1 ps. During the ultrafast thermalization process in the first picosecond, an oscillating signal that results from the band gap renormalization (BGR) effect is found. The D’yakonov-Perel’ (DP) mechanism dominates the spin relaxation process, and the spin relaxation slows down with the incorporation of Zn, because of the decrease of spin-orbit splitting energy and enhancement of electron-impurity scattering.
Steric effect of water molecule clusters on electrostatic interaction and electroosmotic transport in aqueous electrolytes: A mean-field approach
Authors: Sin Jun-Sik , Jang Yong-Man , Kim Chol-Ho , Kim Hyon-Chol
Published: October 2018

We theoretically study the size effect of water molecule clusters not only on electrostatic interaction between two charged surfaces in an aqueous electrolyte but also on electroosmotic transport in a nanofluidic channel. Applying a free energy based mean-field approach accounting for different sizes of ions and water molecule clusters, we derive a set of coupled equations to compute electrostatic and electroosmotic properties between charged surfaces. We verify that the smaller the size of a water cluster, the stronger the electroosmotic transport in nanofluidic channels. In addition, we find that an increase in size of a water cluster yields a decrease in electrostatic interaction strength between similar or oppositely charged planar surfaces.
Numerical simulation of dielectrophoretic particle separation using slanted electrodes
Authors: Kazemi Bahar , Darabi Jeff
Published: October 2018

This study presents the numerical simulation and optimization of a dielectrophoretic (DEP) bio-separation chip for isolating bioparticles such as circulating tumor cells. The chip consists of an array of slanted electrodes placed on the top and bottom walls of the channel with an angle of 5°, 10°, and 15° with respect to the flow direction. The spatially non-uniform electric field produced by the slanted electrodes applies a DEP force on the particles flowing through the channel. The repulsive DEP forces applied by the top and bottom electrode arrays are balanced in the normal direction (y), causing the particles to flow along the centerline of the channel. However, the lateral component (z) of the DEP force deflects particles in the lateral direction, guiding them toward different outlets based on their size. Numerical simulation of the particle-fluid transport was performed using OpenFOAM, an open-source computational fluid dynamics package. The computational model considers the dominant forces such as the DEP, hydrodynamic, and gravitational forces and simulates the deflection and trajectory of the particles within the microfluidic channel based on their size. Additionally, a parametric study was performed to investigate the effects of voltage, flow rate, number of electrode pairs, cell size, channel height, the angle of electrodes, and the width and spacing of electrodes on the separation process and to optimize the utility of the DEP devices for cell separation.
Quasi-compact Higgs bundles and Calogero-Sutherland systems with two types of spins
Authors: Kharchev S. , Levin A. , Olshanetsky M. , Zotov A.
Published: October 2018

We define the quasi-compact Higgs GC-bundles over singular curves introduced in our previous paper for the Lie group SL(N). The quasi-compact structure means that the automorphism groups of the bundles are reduced to the maximal compact subgroups of GC at marked points of the curves. We demonstrate that in particular cases, this construction leads to the classical integrable systems of the Hitchin type. The examples of the systems are analogs of the classical Calogero-Sutherland systems related to a simple complex Lie group GC with two types of interacting spin variables. These type models were introduced previously by Feher and Pusztai. We construct the Lax operators of the systems as the Higgs fields defined over a singular rational curve. We also construct the hierarchy of independent integrals of motion. Then we pass to a fixed point set of real involution related to one of the complex structures on the moduli space of the Higgs bundles. We prove that the number of independent integrals of motion is equal to the half of dimension of the fixed point set. The latter is a phase space of a real completely integrable system. We construct the classical r-matrix depending on the spectral parameter on a real singular curve, and in this way we prove the complete integrability of the system. We present three equivalent descriptions of the system and establish their equivalence.
Delivering the hepatitis C cure to Aboriginal people: documenting the perspectives of one Aboriginal Health Service
Authors: Wallace Jack , Hanley Bev , Belfrage Mary , Gregson Sandra , Quiery Niall , Lucke Jayne
Published: October 2018

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are disproportionately affected by hepatitis C, an infection that is curable with direct acting antivirals (DAAs). The Australian Government funded access to DAAs from March 2016 for all people with hepatitis C, with primary care physicians, along with clinical specialists, permitted to prescribe these treatments. The Victorian Aboriginal Health Service, in recognising the effect of liver disease from viral hepatitis within their community, and of the increased availability to DAAs, established a Liver Clinic to facilitate access to treatment for people attending the service. This study conducted semi-structured interviews to document the health service provider perspectives on the barriers and enablers to treatment; explored patients’ experiences of hepatitis C treatment and cure; and sought to identify possible health system-level changes to facilitate increased access and uptake of treatment by Aboriginal people. The study found the success of the clinic was supported by the multidisciplinary and accessible nature of the health service, and the relationships built over time between clinic staff and people with, or at risk of, hepatitis C. For those treated, the individual effect of the cure not only eliminated the hepatitis C virus, but reduced shame and increased broader social participation.
Akt-mediated platelet apoptosis and its therapeutic implications in immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Chen Mengxing , Yan Rong , Zhou Kangxi , Li Xiaodong , Zhang Yang , Liu Chunliang , Jiang Mengxiao , Ye Honglei , Meng Xingjun , Pang Ningbo , Zhao Lili , Liu Jun , Xiao Weiling , Hu Renping , Cui Qingya , Zhong Wei , Zhao Yunxiao , Zhu Mingqing , Lin Anning , Ruan Changgeng , Dai Kesheng
Published: October 2018

Significance

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) patients with antiplatelet glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX autoantibodies appear refractory to conventional treatments; however, the mechanism remains elusive. Here we show that the platelets undergo apoptosis in ITP patients with anti-GPIbα autoantibodies. We demonstrate that anti-GPIbα antibody binding activates Akt, which elicits platelet apoptosis through activation of phosphodiesterase (PDE3A) and PDE3A-mediated PKA inhibition. Phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure results in phagocytosis of anti-GPIbα antibody-bound platelets by macrophages in the liver. Notably, inhibition or genetic ablation of Akt or Akt-regulated apoptotic signaling or blockage of PS exposure rescues the platelets from clearance. Therefore, our findings reveal pathogenic mechanisms of ITP with anti-GPIbα autoantibodies and, more importantly, suggest therapeutic strategies for thrombocytopenia caused by autoantibodies or other pathogenic factors.
The rhythms of narrative tension and its cultural satisfaction
Authors: Candel Daniel
Published: October 2018

Critics reading narratives as progressions, that’s to say, from beginning to end, prefer to see meaning emerge as a result of the interaction between different elements in the narrative, rather than of the imposition of a priori cultural schemata. This article, however, argues for the possibility of using a priori cultural schemata, as long as these pass through the filters established by theories of narrative progression. To show how this is done, I will interpret Frank Miller’s comic300by letting a tool of cultural-semantic analysis interact with narrative tension in the form of suspense, curiosity, and surprise. I argue that the back and forth between narrative tension and the tool accounts not only for the content of the comic but also for its basic narrative rhythm.
The textual analysis of dramatic discourse revisited
Authors: James Allan , Gömceli Nursen
Published: October 2018

This article explores dimensions of dramatic structure which the literary linguistic analysis of a play text can illuminate within an integrated model of dramatic significance. The play to be examined is John Millington Synge’sThe Playboy of the Western World, known for its lexical richness, denseness of dramatic expression and not least the structural creativity of its Hiberno-English, all of which provide an abundant fund of textual semiotics for the present drama-specific literary linguistic analysis. The dimensions of the play investigated are (i) those of its ‘constitution’, which linguistically comprises dialogue and stage directions, and characterisation, plot and setting as traditional constituents of dramatic structure in their own right; and (ii) those of its ‘realisation’ as literary work, staging production and theatre performance and the associated addressivity of materially the same play text at each of these levels. As such, it will be shown that the employment of, and further development of, a linguistic model of social semiotics (afterHalliday 1978;Fairclough 2003) enables a unified account to be given of the dramatic meanings a play text expresses at these two levels of its internal construction and its external actualisation.
Projecting (un)certainty
Authors: Ho Yufang , Lugea Jane , McIntyre Dan , Wang Jing , Xu Zhijie
Published: October 2018

This article uses Text World Theory (Werth 1999;Gavins 2007) in conjunction with VUE (Visual Understanding Environment) concept mapping software to analyze three statements from the trial of Amanda Knox, who was charged (along with her boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito) with the murder of Meredith Kercher in 2007. We compare the cognitive patterns (i.e. text-worlds) as reflected in Knox’s statements and use the insights gained to guide an examination of their individual linguistic features and associated potential legal implications. In the first two dictated statements, Knox is projected as anactorresponsible for the reported actions/events that implicate her in the crime, whereas in the third statement (handwritten in English), she is projected as asenser, presenting more prominent epistemic uncertainty and indicating bewilderment. Further micro-level linguistic comparison indicates signs of textual alteration in the first two statements, i.e. crucial text was altered and thus resulted in a change of meaning and legal significance.
A stepwise method for annotating appraisal
Authors: Fuoli Matteo
Published: October 2018

Despite a growing awareness of methodological issues, the literature onappraisalhas not so far provided adequate answers to some of the key challenges involved in reliably identifying and classifying evaluative language expressions. This article presents a stepwise method for the manual annotation ofappraisalin text that is designed to optimize reliability, replicability and transparency. The procedure consists of seven steps, from the creation of a context-specific annotation manual to the statistical analysis of the quantitative data derived from the manually-performed annotations. By presenting this method, the article pursues the twofold purpose of (i) providing a practical tool that can facilitate more reliable, replicable and transparent analyses, and (ii) fostering a discussion of the best practices that should be observed when manually annotatingappraisal.
Teasing apart listener-sensitivity
Authors: Vajrabhaya Prakaiwan , Pederson Eric
Published: October 2018

Using a repetition paradigm, in which speakers describe the same event to a sequence of listeners, we analyze the degree of reduction in representational gestures. We find that when listener feedback, both verbal and non-verbal, is minimal and unvarying, speakers steadily reduce their motoric commitment in repeated gestures across tellings without regard to the novelty of the information to the listener. Within this specific condition, we interpret the result to coincide with the view that gestures primarily serve as a part of speech production rather than a communicative act. Importantly, we propose that gestural sensitivity to the listener derives from an interaction between interlocutors, rather than simple modeling of the listener’s state of knowledge in the mind of the speaker alone.
Seeing first person changes gesture but saying first person does not
Authors: Parrill Fey , Stec Kashmiri
Published: October 2018

Events with a motor action component (e.g., handling an object) tend to evoke gestures from the point of view of a character (character viewpoint, or CVPT) while events with a path component (moving through space) tend to evoke gestures from the point of view of an observer (observer viewpoint, or OVPT). Events that combine both components (e.g., rowing a boat across a lake) seem to evoke both types of gesture, but it is unclear why narrators use one or the other. We carry out two manipulations to explore whether gestural viewpoint can be manipulated. Participants read a series of stories and retold them in two conditions. In the image condition, story sentences were presented with images from either the actor’s perspective (actor version) or the observer’s perspective (observer version). In the linguistic condition, the same sentences were presented in either the second person (you…) or the third person point of view (h/she…). The second person led participants to use the first person (I) in retelling. Gestures produced during retelling were coded as CVPT or OVPT. Participants produced significantly more CVPT gestures after seeing images from the point of view of an actor, but the linguistic manipulation did not affect viewpoint in gesture. Neither manipulation affected overall gesture rate, or co-occurring speech. We relate these findings to frameworks in which motor action and mental imagery are linked to viewpoint in gesture.
Spatial conceptualization of sequence time in language and gesture
Authors: Chui Kawai
Published: October 2018

The study investigates the consistency and divergence between language and gesture in the expression of spatial orientations in the metaphorical conceptualization of sequence time, and the influence of the diversity in the reading and writing practices used in Taiwan on the spatialization of earlier and later events across modalities. The study was based on Chinese conversational data in face-to-face communication. The spontaneous gestures occurring along with speech reveal real-time metaphorical conceptualization in the context of use. It was found that the spatial orientations that are consistent between the two modalities bear out the online activation of the universal front-back and the culture-specific up-down concepts in the source domains. When speech and gesture are not redundant, the divergence reflects the more complex temporal spatialization involving two timelines or different orientations on the same timeline. The most preferred cross-modal combination of two timelines is the co-occurrence of lateral gestures and the front-back spatial words. Finally, the two different directions in which Chinese characters can be read and written were found to affect people’s conceptualization of the earlier or later event as being rightward or leftward.
Lingua Franca between pidginization and koineization
Authors: Operstein Natalie
Published: October 2018

Published literature on Lingua Franca contains divergent views regarding its place in the taxonomy of contact language types. While this language is traditionally regarded as a pidgin, some scholars consider it more accurate to view it as a koine. This paper shows that Lingua Franca exhibits features that are consistent with both pidginization and koineization, and proposes to view it as located on the pidgin/koine continuum.
Why some children accept under-informative utterances
Authors: Veenstra Alma , Hollebrandse Bart , Katsos Napoleon
Published: October 2018

Binary judgement on under-informative utterances (e.g. Some horses jumped over the fence, when all horses did) is the most widely used methodology to test children’s ability to generate implicatures. Accepting under-informative utterances is considered a failure to generate implicatures. We present off-line and reaction time evidence for the Pragmatic Tolerance Hypothesis, according to which some children who accept under-informative utterances are in fact competent with implicature but do not consider pragmatic violations grave enough to reject the critical utterance. Seventy-five Dutch-speaking four to nine-year-olds completed a binary (Experiment A) and a ternary judgement task (Experiment B). Half of the children who accepted an utterance in Experiment A penalised it in Experiment B. Reaction times revealed that these children experienced a slow-down in the critical utterances in Experiment A, suggesting that they detected the pragmatic violation even though they did not reject it. We propose that binary judgement tasks systematically underestimate children’s competence with pragmatics.
When languagebites
Authors: Tabacaru Sabina
Published: October 2018

This article focuses onsarcasm, for which the definitions have often been loose and confusing, integrating it into the concept ofirony. My approach is based on a large corpus of examples taken from two contemporary television-series, which help identify the wide range of linguistic processes at the core of sarcastic utterances. I present a quantitative and descriptive analysis of the main processes found in two American television-series:House M.D.andThe Big Bang Theory. The results show the intricate meanings created in sarcasm through various linguistic mechanisms, such as repetition, explicitation, metonymy, metaphor, shift of focus, reasoning, and rhetorical questions. This more holistic analysis, including a broad corpus of instances and a more detailed analysis of the examples, aims to fill the unexplored gaps in more classical analyses, emphasizing the complexities and implications that can be drawn in interaction.
Variation in phrasal rhythm in sign languages
Authors: Brentari Diane , Hill Joseph , Amador Brianne
Published: October 2018

In this paper. we offer a preliminary investigation of some aspects of individual and group variation in sign rate and rhythm, considering the sociolinguistic factors of Age (younger and older adults), Gender, and Sign Variety (Black and Mainstream American Sign Language). Differences in sign rate and rhythmic structure among signers were found in signers’ elicited narratives. A novel approach to phrasal rhythm is introduced, called “rhythm ratio”, which considers sign duration and transition duration together and is similar in spirit to the “normalized pairwise variability index” (nPVI) in spoken languages. This measure appears to be promising as a method for identifying rhythm class in sign languages; however, due to the small number of signers in each group these results can only be suggestive.
A negation-tense interaction in Georgian Sign Language
Authors: Makharoblidze Tamar , Pfau Roland
Published: October 2018

We describe an intriguing interaction of negation and tense in Georgian Sign Language (GESL), a sign language which to date has received close to no attention by linguists. GESL verbs that employ an irregular negation strategy in the present tense (modal verbs and the verbknow) require double marking in the past tense, i.e. the irregular negative form combines with the negative particlenot, which is not used in the present and future tense with these verbs. The GESL data thus provide us with direct evidence for an active contribution of the feature tense in the grammar of GESL – in contrast to most other sign languages previously studied. We also offer a cross-linguistic perspective on the data by discussing instances of Negative Concord reported for various sign languages as well as tense-negation interactions attested in spoken languages.
The importance of nomenclature in the Culicidae - mini review.
Authors: Harbach R. E.
Published: October 2018

Culicidae comprise an important group of two-winged flies (Diptera) known as mosquitoes. The first piece of information we acquire about a mosquito is its scientific name. Reasons why it is important and useful to have that piece of information are discussed. Names are interesting and informative. They are derived from sources which reveal something about the nature and provenance of the species. Ultimately, names bring images to mind that make things real and comprehensible.
Forced migrant “compatriots” from Ukraine: Accessing legal residency and citizenship in the Russian Federation
Authors: Myhre Marthe Handå
Published: October 2018

This paper examines the Russian migration and citizenship regime as encountered by forced migrants from Ukraine who fled to Russia during the period of 2014–2016. Based on legal and other official documents, media articles, and interviews, it gives an account of these migrants' reception in Russia in theory and practice. Russia made great efforts to accommodate them, and in Russian media they were often spoken of as an easily integrated labor resource and as potential citizens. In 2015–2016, around 165,000 Ukrainians acquired Russian citizenship. While ethno-cultural similarity does privilege Ukrainian migrants in Russia, full asylum has been granted sparingly, and citizenship is not unconditionally granted. As this paper shows, Russian authorities have rather tried to control and distribute these forced migrants for the benefit of the state, according to principles of selectivity and economic interests — giving privileged access to permanent residency and citizenship to working-age people willing to settle in regions where population growth and more workers are deemed necessary. However, permanent residency and citizenship are also available to those able to circumvent or pay their way through the obstacles encountered — taking advantage of the flexibility inherent in a system that is not totally consistent.