bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multishelled Hollow Structures of Yttrium Oxide for the Highly Selective and Ultrasensitive Detection of Methanol
Authors: Zheng Jianzhong , Zhang Tingmei , Zeng Huajie , Guo Wei , Zhao Bo , Sun Yinghui , Li Youyong , Jiang Lin
Published: January 2019

Methanol is extremely harmful to human health, since it is oxidized slowly and can accumulate in the human body. Therefore, it is essential to develop a methanol gas sensing technology with high sensitivity and selectivity for use in environmental monitoring and healthcare. In this work, a simple and low‐cost sensor based on a Y2O3 multishelled hollow structure (YMSH) to selectively detect methanol with an ultrasensitive limit of detection (71 ppb) is developed. The unique multishelled hollow structure with a large surface area and exposed {222} facets makes an important contribution to the ultrasensitive detection of methanol, which is further confirmed by subsequent theoretical simulations. Moreover, in situ Fourier transform infrared spectra verify that CO2 is the final product, which indicates a high catalytic activity of the YMSHs toward methanol oxidation. Interestingly, the sensor can also be applied to liquor samples that are mixtures of ethanol, methanol, and water, which provides a facile way to detect methanol in wines. This sensor represents a unique and highly sensitive means to detect methanol, which has great promise for potential application in environmental monitoring and food safety inspection.
2D Early Transition Metal Carbides (MXenes) for Catalysis
Authors: Li Zhe , Wu Yue
Published: January 2019

MXenes, a bourgeoning class of 2D transition metal carbides, are of considerable interest in catalysis due to their rich surface chemistry, tunable electronic structures, and thermal stability. Here, recent conceptual advances in applying MXenes and their nanocomposites in (photo)electrocatalysis and conventional heterogeneous catalysis are highlighted. In addition, the nature of active sites in the MXene‐based catalysts are discussed and the significance and challenges in the future development of catalysts using MXenes as the platforms are summarized.
Synergistical Coupling Interconnected ZnS/SnS2 Nanoboxes with Polypyrrole‐Derived N/S Dual‐Doped Carbon for Boosting High‐Performance Sodium Storage
Authors: Cao Liang , Zhang Bao , Ou Xing , Wang Chunhui , Peng Chunli , Zhang Jiafeng
Published: January 2019

Metal sulfides possess tremendous potentials owing to their high specific capacity for sodium storage. However, the huge volume expansion, accompanied with structural collapse and unsatisfied electric conductivity upon continuous cycling, always lead to inferior rate capability and severe cycling fading. In this work, binary metal sulfide (ZnS/SnS2) nanoboxes confined in N/S dual‐doped carbon shell (ZSS@NSC) are fabricated through a facile co‐precipitation method involving the wrapping of polypyrrole, and subsequent in situ sulfidation process. Such a well‐designed heterogeneity between ZnS and SnS2 provides rapid Na+ insertion and enhanced charge transport by creating an electric field at the heterointerface. More significantly, the formation of polypyrrole‐derived N/S dual‐doped carbon is synergistically coupled with the ZnS/SnS2 to create a unique and robust architecture, further strengthening the interconnect function at the heterointerface, which improves electric/ion transfer and mitigates the volume variation during the long‐term cycling process. Herein, this as‐prepared ZSS@NSC exhibits satisfied specific capacity, excellent rate property, and superior cyclic stability (a reversible capacity of 456.2 mAh g−1 with excellent capacity retention of 97.2% after 700 stable cycles at ultrahigh rate of 5 A g−1). The boosted Na‐storage properties demonstrate that the optimized strategy of structure‐engineering has a broad prospect to promote energy storage applications.
Lithography Compatible, Flexible Micro‐Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes by Template‐Directed Growth
Authors: Zhu Juan , Li Jianping , Zhong Qigang , Wang Hong , Huang Lizhen , Fontein Florian , Hu Laigui , Liu Ran , Fuchs Harald , Wang Wenchong , Wang Yandong , Chi Lifeng
Published: January 2019

In this work, high‐resolution flexible micro‐organic light‐emitting diodes (micro‐OLEDs) are presented by template‐directed growth. The templates are prepared by parallel patterning techniques (nanotransfer printing and photolithography) to create prepatterns on flexible substrates. The prepatterns act as nucleation sites and induce area‐selective growth of organic semiconductor molecules upon deposition. By optimization of growth parameters such as substrate temperature and growth rate, uniform patterns of diverse light‐emitting materials can be realized with feature sizes down to hundreds of nanometers, including orange, blue, and green emissions on the flexible substrates. Flexible micro‐OLEDs are further demonstrated based on the patterned organic semiconductors. By combination of parallel patterning techniques, this work provides a high yield and resolution patterning way for flexible organic electronics over large areas.
Importance of Oxygen Partial Pressure in Annealing NiO Film for High Efficiency Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Zhao Xing , Chen Jiangzhao , Park Nam‐Gyu
Published: January 2019

The effect of annealing atmosphere and importance of oxygen partial pressure upon annealing NiO film for achieving high efficiency inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is reported. The solution‐process NiO films are deposited on an FTO (fluorine‐doped tin oxide) substrate and annealed at 400 °C under different atmospheres of air, O2, N2, and Ar. The devices using air‐ and O2‐annealed NiO films show better photovoltaic performance than the N2‐ and Ar‐annealed ones, mostly due to large difference in photocurrent density (Jsc) of ≈20 mA cm−2 for air and O2 vs ≈15 mA cm−2 for N2 and Ar. Oxygen‐excess condition leads to more p‐type characteristics along with better electrical and interfacial properties, leading to higher photovoltaic performance. When comparing air and O2 condition, the air‐annealed NiO film shows slightly better power conversion efficiency (PCE) (15.68% for air vs. 14.93% for O2), being indicative of importance of oxygen partial pressure. By carefully modifying oxygen content, the best photovoltaic performance is achieved from the NiO film annealed at the O2/(O2+N2) ratio of 30%, delivering a PCE of 16.32%.
A thermal‐aware VM consolidation mechanism with outage avoidance
Authors: Wang Jing V. , Cheng Chi‐Tsun , Tse Chi K.
Published: January 2019

Efficient energy and temperature management techniques are essential elements for operators of cloud data centers. Dynamic virtual machine (VM) consolidation using live migration techniques presents a great opportunity for cloud service providers to adaptively reduce energy consumption and optimize their resource utilization. In recent studies, power consumption readings of individual physical hosts were chosen as the main monitoring parameters in their allocation policies, whereas very few have considered host temperature, which has shown to have a negative impact on server reliability, as a migration criterion. In this work, a thermal‐aware VM consolidation mechanism is proposed for resource allocation optimization and server reliability assurance. We consider the variability in host temperature as a migration criterion to avoid outage incidents via having better VM consolidations. Extensive simulation results obtained from CloudSim show the promising performance of the proposed mechanism in energy saving while reducing the number of server outage incidents due to fluctuations in host temperature.
Recycling of polyurethane foam waste in the production of lightweight cement pastes and its irradiated polymer impregnated composites
Authors: Abdel‐Rahman H.A. , Younes M.M. , Khattab Magdy M.
Published: January 2019

This study aimed at using polyurethane foam waste in the production of lightweight white cement pastes by a partial replacement of white cement with different ratios of polyurethane foam waste (10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%) based on the weight of cement. The lightweight white cement pastes specimens in addition to conventional white cement paste were cured under tap water for 7 and 28 days. The physical, mechanical, and thermal properties were evaluated. The results showed that the specimens cured for 28 days achieved better properties as compared to the specimens cured for 7 days. Furthermore, at each curing age the specimens of lightweight white cement pastes showed relatively lower properties as compared to the conventional white cement paste and as the polyurethane waste content increased, the properties in terms of compressive strength and bulk density decreased while the total porosity percentage increased especially at higher ratios. On the other hand, the effects of styrene–butadiene rubber latex and irradiation dose on the properties of irradiated polymer impregnated lightweight white cement composites have been investigated. The results confirmed that the impregnation of the hardened lightweight white cement pastes with styrene–butadiene rubber latex and their exposure to different doses of gamma rays (50, 100, 150, and 200 kGy) showed a gradual improvement in the mechanical and physical properties up to 150 kGy and then started to decrease at 200 kGy. Characterization of some selected specimens was carried out by the studying of thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 25:328–338, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers
A new class of SYK-like models with maximal chaos
Authors: Marcus Eric , Vandoren Stefan
Published: January 2019

Abstract

We investigate a model closely related to both the original Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) model and the

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 1 supersymmetric SYK model. It consists of N real Majorana fermions and M auxiliary bosons with Yukawa interactions. We consider the large N and M limit and keep the ratio M/N fixed. The model has two branches characterized by the conformal dimensions of fields, which we compute as a function of the ratio M/N. One of the branches contains the supersymmetric saddle for M = N. As we take the limit M/N → ∞ both branches coincide and we obtain the same conformal dimensions as SYK. Furthermore, we determine the Lyapunov exponent of the model and find maximal chaos independent of M/N.
On classical stability with broken supersymmetry
Authors: Basile I. , Mourad J. , Sagnotti A.
Published: January 2019

Abstract

We study the perturbative stability of four settings that arise in String Theory, when dilaton potentials accompany the breaking of Supersymmetry, in the tachyon-free USp(32) and U(32) orientifold models, and also in the heterotic SO(16) × SO(16) model. The first two settings are a family ofAdS3×S7vacua of the orientifold models and a family ofAdS7×S3vacua of the heterotic model, supported by form fluxes, with small world-sheet and string-loop corrections within wide ranges of parameters. In both cases we find some unstable scalar perturbations, as a result of mixings induced by fluxes, confirming for the first class of vacua a previous result. However, in the second class of vacua they only affect theℓ= 1 modes, so that a ℤ2projection induced by an overall parity in the internal space suffices to eliminate them, leading to perturbative stability. Moreover, the constant dilaton profiles of these vacua allow one to extend the analysis to generic potentials, thus exploring the possible effects of higher-order corrections, and we exhibit wide nearby regions of perturbative stability. The solutions in the third setting have nine-dimensional Poincaré symmetry. They include regions with large world-sheet or string-loop corrections, but we show that these vacua have no perturbative instabilities. Finally, the last setting concerns cosmological solutions in ten dimensions where the “climbing” phenomenon takes place: they have bounded string-loop corrections but large world-sheet ones close to the initial singularity. In this case we find that perturbations generally decay, but homogeneous tensor modes exhibit an interesting logarithmic growth that signals a breakdown of isotropy. If the Universe then proceeds to lower dimensions, milder potentials from other branes force all perturbations to remain bounded.
A case study on the detailed reproducibility of a Human Cell Atlas project
Authors: Hua Kui , Zhang Xuegong
Published: January 2019

Background

Reproducibility is a defining feature of a scientific discovery. Reproducibility can be at different levels for different types of study. The purpose of the Human Cell Atlas (HCA) project is to build maps of molecular signatures of all human cell types and states to serve as references for future discoveries. Constructing such a complex reference atlas must involve the assembly and aggregation of data from multiple labs, probably generated with different technologies. It has much higher requirements on reproducibility than individual research projects. To add another layer of complexity, the bioinformatics procedures involved for single‐cell data have high flexibility and diversity. There are many factors in the processing and analysis of single‐cell RNA‐seq data that can shape the final results in different ways.

Methods

To study what levels of reproducibility can be reached in current practices, we conducted a detailed reproduction study for a well‐documented recent publication on the atlas of human blood dendritic cells as an example to break down the bioinformatics steps and factors that are crucial for the reproducibility at different levels.

Results

We found that the major scientific discovery can be well reproduced after some efforts, but there are also some differences in some details that may cause uncertainty in the future reference. This study provides a detailed case observation on the on‐going discussions of the type of standards the HCA community should take when releasing data and publications to guarantee the reproducibility and reliability of the future atlas.

Conclusion

Current practices of releasing data and publications may not be adequate to guarantee the reproducibility of HCA. We propose building more stringent guidelines and standards on the information that needs to be provided along with publications for projects that evolved in the HCA program.
When and why defaults influence decisions: a meta-analysis of default effects
Authors: JACHIMOWICZ JON M. , DUNCAN SHANNON , WEBER ELKE U. , JOHNSON ERIC J.
Published: January 2019

When people make decisions with a pre-selected choice option – a ‘default’ – they are more likely to select that option. Because defaults are easy to implement, they constitute one of the most widely employed tools in the choice architecture toolbox. However, to decide when defaults should be used instead of other choice architecture tools, policy-makers must know how effective defaults are and when and why their effectiveness varies. To answer these questions, we conduct a literature search and meta-analysis of the 58 default studies (pooledn= 73,675) that fit our criteria. While our analysis reveals a considerable influence of defaults (d= 0.68, 95% confidence interval = 0.53–0.83), we also discover substantial variation: the majority of default studies find positive effects, but several do not find a significant effect, and two even demonstrate negative effects. To explain this variability, we draw on existing theoretical frameworks to examine the drivers of disparity in effectiveness. Our analysis reveals two factors that partially account for the variability in defaults’ effectiveness. First, we find that defaults in consumer domains are more effective and in environmental domains are less effective. Second, we find that defaults are more effective when they operate through endorsement (defaults that are seen as conveying what the choice architect thinks the decision-maker should do) or endowment (defaults that are seen as reflecting the status quo). We end with a discussion of possible directions for a future research program on defaults, including potential additional moderators, and implications for policy-makers interested in the implementation and evaluation of defaults.
SPACES OF TYPES IN POSITIVE MODEL THEORY
Authors: HAYKAZYAN LEVON
Published: January 2019

We introduce a notion of the space of types in positive model theory based on Stone duality for distributive lattices. We show that this space closely mirrors the Stone space of types in the full first-order model theory with negation (Tarskian model theory). We use this to generalise some classical results on countable models from the Tarskian setting to positive model theory.
MeV bremsstrahlung X rays from intense laser interaction with solid foils
Authors: Palaniyappan S. , Gautier D. C. , Tobias B. J. , Fernandez J. C. , Mendez J. , Burris-Mog T. , Huang C. K. , Favalli A. , Hunter J. F. , Espy M. E. , Schmidt D. W. , Nelson R. O. , Sefkow A. , Shimada T. , Johnson R. P.
Published: January 2019

Laser-based compact MeV X-ray sources are useful for a variety of applications such as radiography and active interrogation of nuclear materials. MeV X rays are typically generated by impinging the intense laser onto ~mm-thick high-Z foil. Here, we have characterized such a MeV X-ray source from 120 TW (80 J, 650 fs) laser interaction with a 1 mm-thick tantalum foil. Our measurements show X-ray temperature of 2.5 MeV, flux of 3 × 1012 photons/sr/shot, beam divergence of ~0.1 sr, conversion efficiency of ~1%, that is, ~1 J of MeV X rays out of 80 J incident laser, and source size of 80 m. Our measurement also shows that MeV X-ray yield and temperature is largely insensitive to nanosecond laser contrasts up to 10−5. Also, preliminary measurements of similar MeV X-ray source using a double-foil scheme, where the laser-driven hot electrons from a thin foil undergoing relativistic transparency impinging onto a second high-Z converter foil separated by 50–400 m, show MeV X-ray yield more than an order of magnitude lower compared with the single-foil results.
A CLOSED-FORM GARCH VALUATION MODEL FOR POWER EXCHANGE OPTIONS WITH COUNTERPARTY RISK
Authors: Wang Xingchun , Xu Guangli , Li Dan
Published: January 2019

In this paper, a discrete-time framework is proposed to value power exchange options with counterparty default risk, where counterparty risk is considered in a reduced-form setting and the variance processes of the underlying assets are captured by GARCH processes. In addition, the proposed model allows for the correlation between the intensity of default and the variances of the underlying assets by breaking down the total risk into systematic and idiosyncratic components. By dint of measure-change techniques and characteristic functions, we obtain the closed-form pricing formula for the value of power exchange options with counterparty default risk. Finally, numerical results are presented to show the power exchange option values.
China's Asset Management Companies as State Spatial–Temporal Strategy
Authors: Ho Sarah , Marois Thomas
Published: January 2019

Chinese authorities created four new asset management companies (AMCs) in 1999. These have since undergone profound transformations which have been influential in China's contemporary integration into the world market. Conventional interpretations see these powerful AMCs in largely technical and asocial terms. By contrast, we employ a critical geographical analytical framework to understand the transformation of these AMCs as an expression of the state's spatial–temporal strategy to create conditions of political economic stability now by displacing the conditions of financial instability and crisis into the future. This strategy does not come without unintended and destabilizing consequences, nor is it without class-based social and political implications.
Voronoi-Visibility Roadmap-based Path Planning Algorithm for Unmanned Surface Vehicles
Authors: Niu Hanlin , Savvaris Al , Tsourdos Antonios , Ji Ze
Published: January 2019

In this paper, a novel Voronoi-Visibility (VV) path planning algorithm, which integrates the merits of a Voronoi diagram and a Visibility graph, is proposed for solving the Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) path planning problem. The VM (Voronoi shortest path refined by Minimising the number of waypoints) algorithm was applied for performance comparison. The VV and VM algorithms were compared in ten Singapore Strait missions and five Croatian missions. To test the computational time, a high-resolution, large spatial dataset was used. It was demonstrated that the proposed algorithm not only improved the quality of the Voronoi shortest path but also maintained the computational efficiency of the Voronoi diagram in dealing with different geographical scenarios, while also keeping the USV at a configurable clearance distance c from coastlines. Quantitative results were generated by comparing the Voronoi, VM and VV algorithms in 2,000 randomly generated missions using the Singapore dataset.
Partizipation von Kindern bei der Bildungsdokumentation
Authors: Knauf Helen
Published: January 2019

Zusammenfassung. Der vorliegende Beitrag geht der Frage nach, wie Kindertageseinrichtungen die Partizipation von Kindern bei der Bildungsdokumentation umsetzen. Partizipation wird als normativer Begriff und politisches Ziel in der frühpädagogischen Arbeit beschrieben. In der zugrundeliegenden Studie wurden Bildungsdokumentationen aus 61 Kindertageseinrichtungen in Deutschland ausgewertet; es wurden Lerngeschichten, Portfolios und Wanddokumentationen einbezogen. Die Analyse macht deutlich, dass in Kindertageseinrichtungen verschiedene Strategien, auch gleichzeitig, zum Einsatz kommen. Drei Strategien für die Partizipation in der Bildungsdokumentation wurden identifiziert: (1.) Die Kinder werden als Adressaten der Bildungsdokumentation berücksichtigt, (2.) sie sind selbst an der Erstellung der Bildungsdokumentation beteiligt und (3.) sie definieren selbst die Inhalte der Bildungsdokumentation. Es zeigt sich jedoch auch, dass in vielen Bildungsdokumentationen Kinder weder als Gestaltende noch als Adressaten beteiligt werden.
Atmospheric Rivers Increase Future Flood Risk in Western Canada's Largest Pacific River
Authors: Curry C. L. , Islam S. U. , Zwiers F. W. , Déry S. J.
Published: January 2019

Snow‐dominated watersheds are bellwethers of climate change. Hydroclimate projections in such basins often find reductions in annual peak runoff due to decreased snowpack under global warming. British Columbia's Fraser River Basin (FRB) is a large, nival basin with exposure to moisture‐laden atmospheric rivers originating in the Pacific Ocean. Landfalling atmospheric rivers over the region in winter are projected to increase in both strength and frequency in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 climate models. We investigate future changes in hydrology and annual peak daily streamflow in the FRB using a hydrologic model driven by a bias‐corrected Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 ensemble. Under Representative Concentration Pathway (8.5), the FRB evolves toward a nival‐pluvial regime featuring an increasing association of extreme rainfall with annual peak daily flow, a doubling in cold season peak discharge, and a decrease in the return period of the largest historical flow, from a 1‐in‐200‐year to 1‐in‐50‐year event by the late 21st century.
Latitude and Longitude Dependence of Ionospheric TEC and Magnetic Perturbations From Infrasonic‐Acoustic Waves Generated by Strong Seismic Events
Authors: Zettergren M. D. , Snively J. B.
Published: January 2019

A numerical study of the effects of seismically generated acoustic waves in the ionosphere is conducted using a three‐dimensional (3‐D) ionospheric model driven by an axisymmetric neutral atmospheric model. A source consistent with the 2011 Tohoku earthquake initial ocean surface uplifting is applied to simulate the subsequent responses. Perturbations in electron density, ion drift, total electron content (TEC), and ground‐level magnetic fields are examined. Results reveal strong latitude and longitude dependence of ionospheric TEC, and of ground‐level magnetic field perturbations associated with acoustic wave‐driven ionospheric dynamo currents. Results also demonstrate that prior two‐dimensional models can capture dominant meridional responses of TEC over latitude, even though dynamics at other longitudes are not resolved. Conclusions support that TEC and magnetic signatures can arise from nonlinear acoustic waves generated by strong earthquakes; simulations elucidate the comprehensive physics of their 3‐D ionospheric responses.
Beyond Receiver Functions: Green's Function Estimation by Transdimensional Inversion and Its Application to OBS Data
Authors: Akuhara Takeshi , Bostock Michael G. , Plourde Alexandre P. , Shinohara Masanao
Published: January 2019

Receiver functions, calculated by deconvolving P (or vertical) component records of teleseismic waveforms from the corresponding SV (or radial) components, have been widely used to obtain receiver‐side Green's functions in an approximate form. Conventional receiver function methods, however, often fail due to numerical instability of the deconvolution and strong multiples on the P components. These problems become severe when analyzing in high frequency and using data from ocean bottom seismometers (OBSs). We present a novel technique to estimate Green's functions of receiver‐side structure from teleseismic P waveforms. In this method, two components of Green's functions, which are assumed to form a series of pulses, are directly related in a single equation without explicit deconvolution. Based on the equation, we construct posterior probability distributions regarding the number of pulses, their timing, and amplitudes within a transdimensional Bayesian framework. A reversible‐jump Markov chain Monte Carlo method is used for this purpose, and we further utilize a parallel tempering method to achieve rapid convergence. Synthetic tests and application to an OBS installed at the Yamato Basin, the Sea of Japan, show that the proposed method can estimate radial‐component Green's functions more accurately than conventional receiver function methods. We suggest that the high‐frequency Green's functions estimated by the new method can be used to reveal fine‐scale (in order ~100 m) structure of the seafloor sediment.
Abundance of non-conservative microplastics in the upper ocean from 1957 to 2066
Authors: Isobe Atsuhiko , Iwasaki Shinsuke , Uchida Keiichi , Tokai Tadashi
Published: January 2019

Laboratory-based studies have suggested that marine organisms can be harmed by ingesting microplastics. However, unless the current and future microplastic abundance in the ocean environment is quantified, these experimental studies could be criticized for using an unrealistic density or sparsity of microplastics. Here we show the secular variations of pelagic microplastic abundance in the Pacific Ocean from 1957 to 2066, based on a combination of numerical modeling and transoceanic surveys conducted meridionally from Antarctica to Japan. Marine plastic pollution is an ongoing concern especially in the North Pacific, and pelagic microplastics are regarded as non-conservative matter due to the removal processes that operate in the upper ocean. The results of our numerical model incorporating removal processes on a 3-year timescale suggested that the weight concentrations of pelagic microplastics around the subtropical convergence zone would increase approximately twofold (fourfold) by 2030 (2060) from the present condition.
State-level prevalence, health service use, and spending vary widely among Medicare beneficiaries with Parkinson disease
Authors: Mantri Sneha , Fullard Michelle E. , Beck James , Willis Allison W.
Published: January 2019

State-level variations in disease, healthcare utilization, and spending influence healthcare planning at federal and state levels and should be examined to understand national disparities in health outcomes. This descriptive study examined state-level variations in Parkinson disease (PD) prevalence, patient characteristics, Medicare spending, out-of-pocket costs, and health service utilization using data on 27.5 million Medicare beneficiaries in the US in 2014. We found that 45.8% (n = 179,496) of Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with PD were women; 26.1% (n = 102,205) were aged 85+. The District of Columbia, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, and Florida had the highest age-, race-, and sex-adjusted prevalence of Parkinson disease among Medicare beneficiaries in the US. Women comprised over 48.5% of PD patient populations in West Virginia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas. More than 31% of the PD populations in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, and Rhode Island were aged 85+. PD patients who were “dual-eligible”—receiving both Medicare and Medicaid benefits—also varied by state, from <10% to >25%. Hospitalizations varied from 304 to 653 stays per 1000 PD patients and accounted for 26.5% of the 7.9 billion United States Dollars (USD) paid by the Medicare program for healthcare services delivered to our sample. A diagnosis of PD was associated with greater healthcare use and spending. This study provides initial evidence of substantial geographic variation in PD patient characteristics, health service use, and spending. Further study is necessary to inform the development of state- and federal-level health policies that are cost-efficient and support desired outcomes for PD patients.
Mathematical modeling of diurnal patterns of carbon allocation to shoot and root in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Küstner Lisa , Nägele Thomas , Heyer Arnd G.
Published: January 2019

We developed a mathematical model to simulate dynamics of central carbon metabolism over complete diurnal cycles for leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to either normal (120 µmol m−2 s−1) or high light intensities (1200 µmol m−2 s−1). The main objective was to obtain a high-resolution time series for metabolite dynamics as well as for shoot structural carbon formation (compounds with long residence time) and assimilate export of aerial organs to the sink tissue. Model development comprised a stepwise increment of complexity to finally approach the in vivo situation. The correct allocation of assimilates to either sink export or shoot structural carbon formation was a central goal of model development. Diurnal gain of structural carbon was calculated based on the daily increment in total photosynthetic carbon fixation, and this was the only parameter for structural carbon formation implemented in the model. Simulations of the dynamics of central metabolite pools revealed that shoot structural carbon formation occurred solely during the light phase but not during the night. The model allowed simulation of shoot structural carbon formation as a function of central leaf carbon metabolism under different environmental conditions without structural modifications. Model simulations were performed for the accession Landsberg erecta (Ler) and its hexokinase null-mutant gin2-1. This mutant displays a slow growth phenotype especially at increasing light intensities. Comparison of simulations revealed that the retarded shoot growth in the mutant resulted from an increased assimilate transport to sink organs. Due to its central function in sucrose cycling and sugar signaling, our findings suggest an important role of hexokinase-1 for carbon allocation to either shoot growth or assimilate export.
Different mitogenomic codon usage patterns between damselflies and dragonflies and nine complete mitogenomes for odonates
Authors: Guan De-Long , Qian Zeng-Qiang , Ma Li-Bin , Bai Yi , Xu Sheng-Quan
Published: January 2019

Damselflies and dragonflies, of the order Odonata, have distinct body plans and predatory abilities. Knowledge of their various evolutionary histories will allow for an understanding of the genetic and phenotypic evolution of insects. Mitogenomes are suitable materials to elucidate this, but the mitogenome of only a few odonates have been annotated. Herein, we report the complete mitogenome of nine odonates, including seven dragonflies and two damselflies, and a comprehensive analysis of the codon usage in 31 Odonata mitogenomes with the aim to estimate their evolutionary characteristics. Overall, a weak codon bias exists among odonate mitogenomes, although this favours AT-ending codons. Damselflies have a weaker codon usage bias than dragonflies, and 37 codons have significantly different usages. Both directional mutation and purifying selection shape damselfly and dragonfly mitogenomes. Although inevitable, directional mutation bias plays a minor role, whereas purifying selection pressure is the dominant evolutionary force. A higher selection pressure is observed in dragonflies than in damselflies, but it mainly acts on codon usage patterns rather than amino acid translation. Our findings suggest that dragonflies might have more efficient mitochondrial gene expression levels than damselflies, producing more proteins that support their locomotion and predatory abilities.
A large explosive silicic eruption in the British Palaeogene Igneous Province
Authors: Troll Valentin R. , Emeleus C. Henry , Nicoll Graeme R. , Mattsson Tobias , Ellam Robert M. , Donaldson Colin H. , Harris Chris
Published: January 2019

Large-volume pyroclastic eruptions are not known from the basalt-dominated British Palaeogene Igneous Province (BPIP), although silicic magmatism is documented from intra-caldera successions in central volcanoes and from small-volume ash-layers in the associated lava fields. Exceptions are the Sgùrr of Eigg (58.7 Ma) and Òigh-sgeir pitchstones in the Inner Hebrides (>30 km apart), which have been conjectured to represent remnants of a single large silicic event. Currently available major element data from these outcrops differ, however, creating a need to test if the two pitchstones are really related. We employ a systematic array of methods ranging from mineralogy to isotope geochemistry and find that samples from the two outcrops display identical mineral textures and compositions, major- and trace elements, and Sr-Nd-Pb-O isotope ratios, supporting that the two outcrops represent a single, formerly extensive, pyroclastic deposit. Available isotope constraints suggest a vent in the Hebridean Terrane and available radiometric ages point to Skye, ~40 km to the North. A reconstructed eruption volume of ≥5km3 DRE is derived, suggesting a VEI 5 event or larger. We therefore argue, contrary to long-held perception, that large-volume silicic volcanism and its associated climatic effects were likely integral to the BPIP during the opening of the North Atlantic.
Social bonding drives vocal exchanges in Bonobos
Authors: Levréro Florence , Touitou Sonia , Frédet Julia , Nairaud Baptiste , Guéry Jean-Pascal , Lemasson Alban
Published: January 2019

The origin of human speech is still a hotly debated topic in science. Evidence of socially-guided acoustic flexibility and proto-conversational rules has been found in several monkey species, but is lacking in social and cooperative great apes. Here we investigated spontaneous vocal interactions within a peaceful context in captive bonobos to reveal that vocal interactions obey temporally and social rules. Dyadic vocal interactions were characterized by call overlap avoidance and short inter-call intervals. Bonobos preferentially responded to conspecifics with whom they maintained close bonds. We also found that vocal sharing rate (production rate of shared acoustic variants within each given dyad) was mostly explained by the age difference of callers, as other individual characteristics (sex, kinship) and social parameters (affinity in spatial proximity and in vocal interactions) were not. Our results show that great apes spontaneously display primitive conversation rules guided by social bonds. The demonstration that such coordinated vocal interactions are shared between monkeys, apes and humans fills a significant gap in our knowledge of vocal communication within the primate phylogeny and highlights the universal feature of social influence in vocal interactions.
PD-L1 Expression in Circulating Tumor Cells Increases during Radio(chemo)therapy and Indicates Poor Prognosis in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Wang Yang , Kim Tae Hyun , Fouladdel Shamileh , Zhang Zhuo , Soni Payal , Qin Angel , Zhao Lili , Azizi Ebrahim , Lawrence Theodore S. , Ramnath Nithya , Cuneo Kyle C. , Nagrath Sunitha
Published: January 2019

Preclinical studies demonstrated that radiation up-regulates PD-L1 expression in tumor cells, providing a rationale for combining PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors with radiation. However this has not been validated in patients with non-small cell lung cancer due to the difficulty to obtain serial biopsies. Measuring PD-L1 expression in circulating tumor cells (CTCs), may allow real-time monitoring of immune activation in tumor. In this study, whole blood from non-metastatic NSCLC patients was collected before, during, and after radiation or chemoradiation using a microfluidic chip. PD-L1 expression in CTCs was assessed by immunofluorescence and qPCR and monitored through the course of treatment. Overall, PD-L1(+) CTCs were detected in 25 out of 38 samples (69.4%) with an average of 4.5 cells/ml. After initiation of radiation therapy, the proportion of PD-L1(+) CTCs increased significantly (median 0.7% vs. 24.7%, P < 0.01), indicating up-regulation of PD-L1 in tumor cells in response to radiation. In addition, patients positive for PD-L1 (≥5% of CTCs positive for PD-L1) at baseline had shorter PFS. Gene expression analysis revealed that higher levels of PD-L1 were associated with poor prognosis. Therefore, CTCs can be used to monitor dynamic changes of PD-L1 during radiation therapy which is potentially prognostic of response to treatment.
Transcriptome analysis identifies strong candidate genes for ginsenoside biosynthesis and reveals its underlying molecular mechanism in Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer
Authors: Zhao Mingzhu , Lin Yanping , Wang Yanfang , Li Xiangyu , Han Yilai , Wang Kangyu , Sun Chunyu , Wang Yi , Zhang Meiping
Published: January 2019

Ginseng, Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, is one of the most important medicinal herbs for human health and medicine in which ginsenosides are known to play critical roles. The genes from the cytochrome P450 (CYP) gene superfamily have been shown to play important roles in ginsenoside biosynthesis. Here we report genome-wide identification of the candidate PgCYP genes for ginsenoside biosynthesis, development of functional SNP markers for its manipulation and systems analysis of its underlying molecular mechanism. Correlation analysis identified 100 PgCYP genes, including all three published ginsenoside biosynthesis PgCYP genes, whose expressions were significantly correlated with the ginsenoside contents. Mutation association analysis identified that six of these 100 PgCYP genes contained SNPs/InDels that were significantly associated with ginsenosides biosynthesis (P ≤ 1.0e-04). These six PgCYP genes, along with all ten published ginsenoside biosynthesis genes from the PgCYP and other gene families, formed a strong co-expression network, even though they varied greatly in spatio-temporal expressions. Therefore, this study has identified six new ginsenoside biosynthesis candidate genes, provided a genome-wide insight into how they are involved in ginsenoside biosynthesis and developed a set of functional SNP markers useful for enhanced ginsenoside biosynthesis research and breeding in ginseng and related species.
Analysis of Spatial Pattern Evolution and Influencing Factors of Regional Land Use Efficiency in China Based on ESDA-GWR
Authors: Cao Xiaoshu , Liu Yongwei , Li Tao , Liao Wang
Published: January 2019

In order to give an in-depth understanding of the contradictions arising from the land resource supply and demand, this study selected 30 provinces (some are autonomous regions or municipalities) in China to be the research unit, used the carbon emission as an undesirable output, and adopted the Super-SBM DEA model and ESDA-GWR method to research the evolution characteristics and influencing factors of land use efficiency in China in 2003–2013. The results indicated that: (1) The land use efficiency in China overall was moderately ineffective and the overall utilization level was low; (2) The Global Spatial Autocorrelation was instable and had maintained a high level; (3) The “hot spots” mainly being distributed in the southeast coastal regions and “cold spots” being found in the central and western regions, so that as time goes on, the pattern of “high in the east and low in the west” has been gradually formed and stabilized. (4) The GWR model analysis showed that the natural factors such as NDVI, DMSP/OLS and DEM have a significant impact on land use efficiency, thereby providing an important contribution to this study. For the eastern coastal areas, the emphasis should be improving their OT, PF and PGDP, for the western region, should focus on improving its comprehensive economic development level to improve the DMSP/OLS, while strengthening the ecological environment to improve the level of NDVI.
A Novel Supplementation Approach to Enhance Host Response to Sublingual Vaccination
Authors: Rowe John C. , Attia Zayed , Kim Eunsoo , Cormet-Boyaka Estelle , Boyaka Prosper N.
Published: January 2019

Sublingual immunization is emerging as an alternative to nasal immunization and induction of mucosal IgA responses. UsingBacillus anthracisedema toxin (EdTx) as an adjuvant, we previously showed that innate responses triggered after sublingual immunization could limit generation of IgA responses. We tested whether co-administration of a neutrophil elastase inhibitor (NEI) could rescue the ability of EdTx to induce broad antibody responses, including mucosal IgA. NEI supplementation of sublingual vaccines containing EdTx promoted antigen-specific serum IgA responses but also enhanced serum IgG1, and IgG2b responses. This enhancing effect of NEI did not extend to all antibody isotypes and IgG sublclasses, since NEI  reduced serum IgE responses and did not affect IgG2a/c and IgG3 responses. NEI supplementation also promoted anti-Bacillus anthracisprotective antigen (PA) neutralizing antibodies and enhanced high affinity IgG1 and IgA antibodies. In addition to serum IgA, NEI supplementation stimulated antigen-specific mucosal IgA responses in the GI tract, and enhanced antigen-specific IgG responses in vaginal washes. Analysis of CD4+T helper cell responses revealed that co-administration of NEI broadened the profile of cytokine responses, by stimulating Th1, Th2, Th17, and Tfh cytokines. We also noted that NEI had a higher stimulatory effect on IL-5, IL-10, IL-17 responses.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Facile design of an ultra-thin broadband metamaterial absorber for C-band applications
Authors: Hoa Nguyen Thi Quynh , Tuan Tran Sy , Hieu Lam Trung , Giang Bach Long
Published: January 2019

We report a facile design of an ultra-thin broadband metamaterial absorber (MA) for C-band applications by utilizing a single layer of a metal-dielectric-metal structure of FR-4 substrate. The absorption performances are characterized using a numerical method. The proposed MA exhibits the broadband absorption response over the entire C-band spectrum range from 4.0 GHz to 8.0 GHz with absorptivity above 90% and the high absorptivity is remained over 80% for a large incident angle up to 40° under both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarizations over the band. The origin of absorption mechanism is explained by the electric and surface current distributions, which is also supported by the retrieved constitutive electromagnetic parameters, significantly affected by magnetic resonance. In addition, compared with the previous reports, the proposed MA presents a greater practical feasibility in term of low-profile and wide incident angle insensitivity, suggesting that the proposed absorber is a promising candidate for C-band applications.
ES-mediated chimera analysis revealed requirement of DDX6 for NANOS2 localization and function in mouse germ cells
Authors: Shimada Ryuki , Kiso Makoto , Saga Yumiko
Published: January 2019

In embryonic male germ cells, the RNA-binding protein NANOS2 recruits its target RNAs to processing bodies (P-bodies), where they are repressed. This process is necessary to promote male-type germ cell differentiation. However, it remains unclear whether all NANOS2 functions depend on P-bodies. To address this question, we established ES cell lines containing a germ cell-specific inducible Cre and reporter together with the floxed Ddx6 allele. We deleted the Ddx6 gene by administering tamoxifen to chimeric embryos containing germ cells derived from recombinant ES cells. DDX6-null germ cells exhibited both similar and distinct defects from those observed in NANOS2-null germ cells. These results demonstrate that NANOS2 function is carried out via both P-body-dependent and -independent mechanisms. RNA-seq analyses further supported the phenotypic differences between DDX6-null and NANOS2-null germ cells, and indicated distinct molecular cascades involved in NANOS2-mediated gene regulation.
Face perception influences the programming of eye movements
Authors: Kauffmann Louise , Peyrin Carole , Chauvin Alan , Entzmann Léa , Breuil Camille , Guyader Nathalie
Published: January 2019

Previous studies have shown that face stimuli elicit extremely fast and involuntary saccadic responses toward them, relative to other categories of visual stimuli. In the present study, we further investigated to what extent face stimuli influence the programming and execution of saccades examining their amplitude. We performed two experiments using a saccadic choice task: two images (one with a face, one with a vehicle) were simultaneously displayed in the left and right visual fields of participants who had to initiate a saccade toward the image (Experiment 1) or toward a cross in the image (Experiment 2) containing a target stimulus (a face or a vehicle). Results revealed shorter saccades toward vehicle than face targets, even if participants were explicitly asked to perform their saccades toward a specific location (Experiment 2). Furthermore, error saccades had smaller amplitude than correct saccades. Further analyses showed that error saccades were interrupted in mid-flight to initiate a concurrently-programmed corrective saccade. Overall, these data suggest that the content of visual stimuli can influence the programming of saccade amplitude, and that efficient online correction of saccades can be performed during the saccadic choice task.
Multiple stochastic pathways in forced peptide-lipid membrane detachment
Authors: Utjesanovic Milica , Matin Tina R. , Sigdel Krishna P. , King Gavin M. , Kosztin Ioan
Published: January 2019

We have used high resolution AFM based dynamic force spectroscopy to investigate peptide-lipid membrane interactions by measuring the detachment (last-rupture) force distribution, P(F), and the corresponding force dependent rupture rate, k(F), for two different peptides and lipid bilayers. The measured quantities, which differed considerably for different peptides, lipid-membranes, AFM tips (prepared under identical conditions), and retraction speeds of the AFM cantilever, could not be described in terms of the standard theory, according to which detachment occurs along a single pathway, corresponding to a diffusive escape process across a free energy barrier. In particular, the prominent retraction speed dependence of k(F) was a clear indication that peptide-lipid membrane dissociation occurs stochastically along several detachment pathways. Thereby, we have formulated a general theoretical approach for describing P(F) and k(F), by assuming that peptide detachment from lipid membranes occurs, with certain probability, along a few dominant diffusive pathways. This new method was validated through a consistent interpretation of the experimental data. Furthermore, we have found that for moderate retraction speeds at intermediate force values, k(F) exhibits catch-bond behavior (i.e. decreasing detachment rate with increasing force). According to the proposed model this behavior is due to the stochastic mixing of individual detachment pathways which do not convert or cross during rupture. To our knowledge, such catch-bond mechanism has not been proposed and demonstrated before for a peptide-lipid interaction.