bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of Polyphosphate‐Loaded Nanoparticles Using Inverse Miniemulsion Polymerization for Sustained Delivery to the Gastrointestinal Tract
Authors: Borges Fernando T. P. , Papavasiliou Georgia , Teymour Fouad
Published: February 2019

Polyphosphate salts, such as sodium hexametaphosphate (PPi), are effective in the attenuation of collagenase and biofilm production and prevention of anastomotic leak in mice models. However, systemic administration of polyphosphate solutions to the gut presents a series of difficulties such as uncontrolled delivery to target and off‐site tissues. In this article a process to produce PPi‐loaded poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogel nanoparticles through miniemulsion polymerization is developed. The effects of using a polyphosphate salt, as compared to a monophosphate salt, is investigated through cloud point measurements, which is then translated to a change in the required HLB of the miniemulsion system. A parametric study is developed and yields a way to control particle swelling ratio and mean diameter based on the surfactant and/or initiator concentration, among other parameters. Finally, release kinetics of two different crosslink density particles shows a sustained and tunable release of the encapsulated polyphosphate.
Leveraging single‐objective heuristics to solve bi‐objective problems: Heuristic box splitting and its application to vehicle routing
Authors: Matl Piotr , Hartl Richard F. , Vidal Thibaut
Published: February 2019

After decades of intensive research on the vehicle routing problem (VRP), many highly efficient single‐objective heuristics exist for a multitude of VRP variants. But when new side‐objectives emerge—such as service quality, workload balance, pollution reduction, consistency—the prevailing approach has been to develop new, problem‐specific, and increasingly complex multiobjective (MO) methods. Yet in principle, MO problems can be efficiently solved with existing single‐objective solvers. This is the fundamental idea behind the well‐known ϵ‐constraint method (ECM). Despite its generality and conceptual simplicity, the ECM has been largely ignored in the domain of heuristics and remains associated mostly with exact algorithms.

In this article, we dispel these preconceptions and demonstrate that ϵ‐constraint‐based frameworks can be a highly effective way to directly leverage the decades of research on single‐objective VRP heuristics in emerging MO settings.
Sequential Growth and Etching of Gold Nanocrystals Revealed by High‐Resolution Liquid Electron Microscopy
Authors: Kim Sang Yun , Dae Kyun Seong , Koo Kunmo , Kim Daewoon , Park Jungjae , Yuk Jong Min
Published: February 2019

Sequential growth and etching of Au nanoparticles in solution are observed in situ using the graphene liquid cell electron microscopy. Observation reveals that concentration of etching ions in aqueous growth solution leads transition from nanoparticle growth to its etching. At each step, the authors demonstrate different kinetics for both morphological evolutions and reaction rates. This study will likely benefit design strategies of nanoparticles with specific size or shape.
Incorporating Surface Stress in Computations of Heteroepitaxial Quantum Dot Morphology
Authors: Dixit Gopal K. , Ranganathan Madhav
Published: February 2019

Surface stress, which is an inherent property of several crystals, is expected to play a role in morphology of nanostructures. Here the authors describe how surface stress effects can be explicitly incorporated in the computation of quantum dot structure and evolution in coherent heteroepitaxial thin films. In the usual continuum formulation for surface evolution, surface stress enters as an additional contribution to the local chemical potential. Additionally, it modifies the film–vacuum interface boundary condition for the set‐up of the elastic problem. The authors show how the resulting evolution can be computed order‐by‐order in the surface slope. The sign of the surface stress with respect to the mismatch affects the stability of the film to surface undulations. For the case of a positive‐mismatched heteroepitaxial system, a tensile surface stress leads to film stabilization and increases the critical thickness for quantum dot formation in Stranski–Krastanov growth.
Split bootstrap hierarchical modeling of antibiotics abuse in China
Authors: Wang Bei , Zheng Yi , Fang Di , Kamarianakis Yiannis , Wilson Jeffrey R.
Published: February 2019

In the 1990s, China experienced a high degree of antibiotics abuse, which resulted in increased drug resistance. As a result, the World Health Organization introduced a program for children under the age of 5 years who had an acute respiratory tract infection. We analyze the data pertaining to the treatment provided by doctors in several hospitals in China in order to understand the relationships in the data. The data are nested in a three‐level hierarchical structure with small cluster sizes ranging from 2 to 10. While large sample theory provides a mechanism to construct confidence intervals and test hypotheses about regression coefficients, the estimation algorithms often fail to converge when they are applied to small cluster sizes. This paper presents a combination of the cluster bootstrap and primary unit splitting methods, called split bootstrap, which is a novel combination that can be used as an alternative when analyzing data pertaining to the abuse of antibiotics in China with small cluster sizes. The split bootstrap method provides accurate estimations with a minimal reduction in precision.
Furthering the Diverse Hydrogen Atom Transfer and Carbon Bond Dissociation of Amino Acids under Vacuum Ultraviolet
Authors: Guo Mengdi , Wu Haiming , Zhang Hanyu , Luo Zhixun
Published: February 2019

Hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and bond dissociation of amino acids are studied utilizing a customized vacuum ultraviolet laser ionization mass spectrometer (VUV‐LIMS). Three typical molecules (glycine, threonine and cysteine) which have similar structures but a minor difference by having one or two bonds associated with Cα or having a sulfhydryl were select in this study. As results, glycine finds a simplex dissociation pathway by producing CNH4+ (m/z 30) indicative of direct bond cleavage of Cα‐C1 (C1 stands for the carbon atom of the carboxyl group here). Threonine bears two bonds associated with Cα and they both dissociate under VUV excitation, giving rise to three major mass peaks at m/z 30 (CNH4+), 44 and 75 respectively along with selective HAT process. Interestingly, cysteine also bears two dissociative bonds associated with Cα, however, the dominant HAT for producing NH3, CNH4+ or CO2 was found to be dramatically restrained by the production of H2S which is known as an important gasotransmitter in biological nervous system. Based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations, an in‐depth analysis is conducted to show the thermodynamics and reaction kinetics in forming these fragments with or without a HAT process. It is demonstrated that the HAT‐accommodated structure relaxation and incidental elongation of the bonds associated with Cα, depending on the residual energies after ionization, bring forth competitive and cooperative effect in determining the selectivity of alpha‐beta carbon chemistry.
Cotton wool spots detection in diabetic retinopathy based on adaptive thresholding and ant colony optimization coupling support vector machine
Authors: Sreng Syna , Maneerat Noppadol , Hamamoto Kazuhiko , Panjaphongse Ronakorn
Published: February 2019

Diabetic retinopathy is the major issue of diabetes‐induced blindness worldwide but is curable if detected in time. Cotton wool spots (CWSs) are the critical lesions of diabetic retinopathy, which indicate not only advanced nonproliferative but also preproliferative diabetic retinopathy. It is crucial to detect CWSs for grading the severity of diabetic retinopathy. By grading the severity of diabetic retinopathy accurately, the eye specialist can make an effective treatment plan to protect the patient's vision against blindness. CWSs detection remains challenging because of their uneven appearance, in which some CWSs are not clearly visible and some resemble hard exudates. This paper proposed an automatic CWS detection method based on adaptive thresholding and ant colony optimization (ACO) coupled with support vector machine (SVM). One‐hundred and sixty‐two features from five feature sets, namely morphologies, first‐order statistics, gray‐level co‐occurrence matrix, gray‐level run length matrix, and lacunarity, are extracted, and then four feature selection methods,namely genetic algorithm, particle swarm optimization, stepwise method, and ACO, are coupled with SVM classifiers. The evaluation results of the proposed methods on local, standard diabetic retinopathy database calibration level 1, and high‐resolution fundus image database datasets containing 319 images indicate that ACO coupling cubic SVM performs better than the other pairs with sensitivity 90.16%, specificity 97.92%, accuracy 96.96%, and area under receiver operating characteristic curve 97.19%. © 2019 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Vacuum misalignment and pattern of scalar masses in the SU(5)/SO(5) composite Higgs model
Authors: Agugliaro Alessandro , Cacciapaglia Giacomo , Deandrea Aldo , De Curtis Stefania
Published: February 2019

Abstract

Composite Higgs models based on SU(5)/SO(5) are characterised by the presence of custodial triplets, like the Georgi-Machacek model. We classify all the operators giving rise to the top mass and Higgs potential in presence of fermion partial compositeness, with top partners in two-index representations of SU(5). A detailed study of each operator allows us to find correlations in the couplings of Higgs and non-Higgs pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone bosons, which depend only on one, two or three independent parameters. We also analyse the Higgs potential, finding that a misalignment along the custodial invariant triplet direction is forbidden by CP conservation. Avoiding custodial breaking allows us to select a handful of feasible models, which feature universal patterns in the scalar masses related to their transformation properties under the custodial symmetry. Finally, we briefly study the LHC phenomenology of the scalars, which are always below 1 TeV even for multi-TeV condensation scales, and find promising same-sign lepton final states enriched by hard photons.
The choice of female or male parent affects some biochemical characteristics of fruit or seed of kiwiberry (Actinidia arguta)
Authors: Stasiak Agnieszka , Latocha Piotr , Drzewiecki Jerzy , Hallmann Ewelina , Najman Katarzyna , Leontowicz Hanna , Leontowicz Maria , Łata Barbara
Published: February 2019

Kiwiberry (Actinidia arguta) is dioecious species which is now commercially grown in several countries worldwide. A study was conducted to determine the influence of five pollen sources derived fromA. arguta(three cultivars),A. argutavar.purpurea‘Rot’ andA. chinensisvar.deliciosa‘Tomuri’ on fruit and seed characteristics for three femaleA. argutacultivars. Average fruit weight and biochemical features—fruit total phenolic concentration (TPC), ascorbate (ASC), pigments, total antioxidant activity and seed proteins profile were evaluated. TPC was determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu reagent assay. ASC, individual phenolic compounds and pigments composition were analysed using HPLC technique. Seed protein composition was analysed based on SDS-PAGE. Fruit phenolic and dry matter contents were influenced to a large degree by pollen sources while ASC content did not. The type of male and female parents used in the study were found to have a considerable effect on these parameters. The biggest differences in fruit phytocompound contents were found between female parents. The ‘Geneva’ cultivar showed the highest concentration of the most bioactive compounds tested. Four phenolic acids and five flavonoids were present in the highest concentrations in tested kiwiberry fruit.Actinidia chinensisvar.deliciosa‘Tomuri’ pollen clearly modified the seed protein spectrum with a 17 and 23 kDa protein. The obtained results indicate that to achieve desired fruit biochemical characteristics, the pollen source (male vines) should be selected individually for particular female cultivars, especially in the case of polyphenol content. Our findings suggest that not onlyA. argutabut alsoA. argutavar.purpureaandA. chinensisvar.deliciosa‘Tomuri’ males may be suitable as pollinizers for kiwiberry fruit production.
L’Esprit de l’ours contre la station de ski : l’argumentation juridique face à un conflit épistémologique et ontologique
Authors: Gingras Yves , Larregue Julien
Published: February 2019

Cet article analyse un jugement de la Cour suprême du Canada rendu en 2017, en le comparant à un cas semblable survenu en 2002 en Nouvelle-Zélande. La première cause visait à accorder une protection juridique à « l’esprit de l’ours Grizzly » habitant un mont de Colombie-Britannique sur lequel des promoteurs voulaient construire une station de ski et la seconde visait à protéger une créature spirituelle vivant dans les eaux du ruisseau. Dans les deux cas, la question posée aux juges revient à statuer sur l’existence de créatures métaphysiques, et donc à trancher un conflit ontologique. Les juges canadiens et néo-zélandais vont refuser d’étendre le domaine d’application du droit à la protection des objets de ces croyances. Leur conclusion peut se comprendre à la lumière du fait que le mode d’argumentation juridique, de par sa nature rationaliste et naturaliste, n’est pas en mesure de penser les entités métaphysiques à partir du cadre conceptuel que lui a légué la révolution scientifique du XVIIe siècle.
Opportunities to bridge gaps between respiratory protection guidance and practice in US health care
Authors: Braun Barbara I. , Tschurtz Brette A. , Hafiz Hasina , Novak Debra A. , Montero Maria C. , Alexander Cynthia M. , Fauerbach Loretta Litz , Gruden MaryAnn , Isakari Marcia T. , Kuhar David T. , Pompeii Lisa A. , Swift Melanie D. , Radonovich Lewis J.
Published: February 2019

Healthcare organizations are required to provide workers with respiratory protection (RP) to mitigate hazardous airborne inhalation exposures. This study sought to better identify gaps that exist between RP guidance and clinical practice to understand issues that would benefit from additional research or clarification.
An analytical and experimental investigation of aerofoil–turbulence interaction noise for plates with spanwise-varying leading edges
Authors: Ayton Lorna J. , Chaitanya Paruchuri
Published: February 2019

This paper presents an analytic solution for gust–aerofoil interaction noise for flat plates with spanwise-varying periodic leading edges in uniform mean flow. The solution is obtained by solving the linear inviscid equations via separation of variables and the Wiener–Hopf technique, and is suitable for calculating the far-field noise generated by any leading edge with a single-valued piecewise linear periodic spanwise geometry. Acoustic results for homogeneous isotropic turbulent flow are calculated by integrating the single-gust solution over a wavenumber spectrum. The far-sound pressure level is calculated for five test-case geometries; sawtooth serration, slitted $v$-root, slitted $u$-root, chopped peak and square wave, and compared to experimental measurements. Good agreement is seen over a range of frequencies and tip-to-root ratios (varying the sharpness of the serration). The analytic solution is then used to calculate the propagating pressure along the leading edge of the serration for fixed spanwise wavenumbers, i.e. only the contribution to the surface pressure which propagates to the far field. Using these results, two primary mechanisms for noise reduction are discussed; tip and root interference, and a redistribution of energy from cuton modes to cutoff modes. A secondary noise-reduction mechanism due to nonlinear features is also discussed and seen to be particularly important for leading edges with very narrow slits.
A GENERALISATION OF THE FROBENIUS RECIPROCITY THEOREM
Authors: DHARMADASA H. KUMUDINI , MORAN WILLIAM
Published: February 2019

Let $G$ be a locally compact group and $K$ a closed subgroup of $G$. Let $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FE},$$\unicode[STIX]{x1D70B}$ be representations of $K$ and $G$ respectively. Moore’s version of the Frobenius reciprocity theorem was established under the strong conditions that the underlying homogeneous space $G/K$ possesses a right-invariant measure and the representation space $H(\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FE})$ of the representation $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FE}$ of $K$ is a Hilbert space. Here, the theorem is proved in a more general setting assuming only the existence of a quasi-invariant measure on $G/K$ and that the representation spaces $\mathfrak{B}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FE})$ and $\mathfrak{B}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D70B})$ are Banach spaces with $\mathfrak{B}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D70B})$ being reflexive. This result was originally established by Kleppner but the version of the proof given here is simpler and more transparent.
Assessing the potential of photogrammetry to monitor feed intake of dairy cows
Authors: Bloch Victor , Levit Harel , Halachmi Ilan
Published: February 2019

We address the hypothesis that individual cow feed intake can be measured in commercial farms through the use of a photogrammetry method. Feed intake and feed efficiency have a significant economic value for the farmer. A common method for measuring feed mass in research is a feed mass weighing system, which is excessively expensive for commercial farms. However, feed mass can be estimated by its volume, which can be measured by photogrammetry. Photogrammetry applies cameras along the feed-lane, photographing the feed before and after the cow visits the feed-lane, and calculating the feed volume. In this study, the precision of estimating feed mass by its volume was tested by comparing measured mass and calculated volume of feed heaps. The following principal factors had an impact on the precision of this method: camera quality, lighting conditions, image resolution, number of images, and feed density. Under laboratory conditions, the feed mass estimation error was 0·483 kg for heaps up to 7 kg, while in the cowshed the estimation error was 1·32 kg for up to 40 kg. A complementary experiment showed that the natural feed compressibility causes about 85% of uncertainty in the mass estimation error.
Corporations and the American Welfare State: Adversaries or Allies?
Authors: Mizruchi Mark S.
Published: February 2019

One of the most widely held views about American political life is that business is hostile to the welfare state. In the 1970s, David Vogel asked why American businessmen “distrusted their state.” Kim Phillips-Fein has written of the “businessmen's crusade against the New Deal.” Jane Mayer and Nancy MacLean have recounted the efforts of the Koch Brothers and their wealthy allies to remake American politics in a more conservative direction. What could be more uncontroversial than the view that American business is broadly opposed to government social policies?
Identifying gaps in the food security safety net: the characteristics and availability of summer nutrition programmes in California, USA
Authors: Turner Lindsey , O’Reilly Nicole , Ralston Katherine , Guthrie Joanne F
Published: February 2019

Objective

The US Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option (summer nutrition programmes (SNP)) aim to relieve food insecurity for children and teens during summer months. More needs to be known about when and where SNP are available, and how availability varies by community characteristics, particularly in rural areas where food insecurity and reduced food access are more prevalent.

Design

The present study examined the geographic availability of SNP and summer meal uptake rates in 2016, using state-wide administrative claims data.

Setting

Public schools and SNP in California, USA.

Participants

Schools (n8842) and SNP (n4685).

Results

Urban counties were more likely than rural counties to have higher summer uptake rates, calculated as the percentage of summer meals served relative to eligible students utilizing school meal programmes during the academic school year, but uptake overall was low at 18·2 % of target populations. Geographic availability analyses showed that 63·9 % of public urban schools had an SNP available within 1·6 km (1 mile), but availability was significantly higher within the proximity of larger, higher-poverty high schools with diverse or majority non-White students, and those with higher school-year breakfast participation rates. Availability of an SNP within 16 km (10 miles) of rural schools averaged 68·1 % but was significantly higher around larger schools, higher-poverty schools and those with diverse or majority non-White students.

Conclusions

While many communities have SNP available, much more work is needed to increase the availability of these programmes to reduce summer food insecurity for children, particularly in rural communities.
Selected Area Electron Beam Induced Deposition of Pt and W for EBSD Backgrounds
Authors: Osborn William A. , McLean Mark J. , Bush Brian
Published: February 2019

Applying high-resolution electron backscatter diffraction (HR-EBSD) to materials without regions that are amenable to the acquisition of backgrounds for static flat fielding (background subtraction) can cause analysis problems. To address this difficulty, the efficacy of electron beam induced deposition (EBID) of material as a source for an amorphous background signal is assessed and found to be practical. Using EBID material for EBSD backgrounds allows single crystal and large-grained samples to be analyzed using HR-EBSD for strain and small angle rotation measurement.
APPLICATION OF PROJECTION ALGORITHMS TO DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS: BOUNDARY VALUE PROBLEMS
Authors: LAMICHHANE BISHNU P. , LINDSTROM SCOTT B. , SIMS BRAILEY
Published: February 2019

The Douglas–Rachford method has been employed successfully to solve many kinds of nonconvex feasibility problems. In particular, recent research has shown surprising stability for the method when it is applied to finding the intersections of hypersurfaces. Motivated by these discoveries, we reformulate a second order boundary value problem (BVP) as a feasibility problem where the sets are hypersurfaces. We show that such a problem may always be reformulated as a feasibility problem on no more than three sets and is well suited to parallelization. We explore the stability of the method by applying it to several BVPs, including cases where the traditional Newton’s method fails.
Evaluating alternative approaches for predicting pension benefits and incentives
Authors: Knapp David , Lis Maciej , Lee Jinkook , Phillips Drystan
Published: February 2019

In an effort to promote comparative research on pensions, the Gateway to Global Aging Data is developing harmonized cross-national panel data on pension benefits and retirement incentives. Past research has varied in how it predicts pension benefits for individuals who have not yet claimed their benefits when administrative data on earnings histories is unavailable. We use the Gateway data to evaluate several alternative approaches to computing prospective pension benefits using common survey questions and validate them against matched administrative data. We find that in some settings naïve measures of pension benefit growth from continued work and delayed benefit claiming can perform as well as measures based on administrative data. We also find that prospective benefit levels are sensitive to the heterogeneity of lifecycle earnings dynamics, resulting in substantial measurement error even after accounting for work history.
Einzelfallbefunde zur Implementation des Marburger Konzentrationstrainings in den Mathe- und Deutschunterricht
Authors: Hövel Dennis Christian , Hochstein Laura
Published: February 2019

Zusammenfassung. Probleme in der Aufmerksamkeit im Grundschulalter stellen für Schülerinnen und Schüler ein erhebliches Risiko für den weiteren Bildungserfolg dar ( Krause et al., 2014 ). Eine Möglichkeit betroffene Kinder zu unterstützen ist eine Förderung der verbalen Selbstinstruktion ( Mackowiak & Hungerige, 2007 ). Die Meta-Analyse von Briesch und Briesch (2016) ermittelt für diese Art der Förderung einen großen Interventionseffekt von φ = .93 in Bezug auf die Verbesserung des aufgabenbezogenen Verhaltens. Insbesondere wenn Schülerinnen und Schüler aufgefordert werden, ihr Verhalten über einen bestimmten Zeitraum hinweg mit Hilfe dieser Methode zu reflektieren, scheint erfolgsversprechend zu sein ( Briesch und Briesch, 2016 ). Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die Wirksamkeit des Marburger Konzentrationstrainings ( Krowatschek et al., 2017 ) mit anschließender Implementation in die Fächer Deutsch und Mathematik mit Hilfe einer Checkliste ( Hövel, 2016 ). Es werden zwei Einzelfälle analysiert. Beide besuchten eine inklusive Grundschulklasse und zeigten im Lehrerurteil Probleme in der Aufmerksamkeit. Die Evaluation erfolgte mittels Multi-Treatment-Design ( Jain & Spieß, 2012 ) und die Datenerfassung mit Hilfe des Direct Behavior Ratings ( Huber & Rietz, 2015 ). Die ermittelten Nonoverlapp-Indices zeigen ein heterogenes Bild während der Programmphase. Für die Implementationsphase konnten große Interventionseffekte ermittelt werden. Der Beitrag diskutiert die Ergebnisse inhaltlich, forschungsmethodisch und praktisch.
Final Closure of the Paleo‐Asian Ocean and Onset of Subduction of Paleo‐Pacific Ocean: Constraints From Early Mesozoic Magmatism in Central Southern Jilin Province, NE China
Authors: Wang Feng , Xu Wen‐Liang , Xing Kai‐Chen , Wang Yi‐Ni , Zhang Hai‐Hong , Wu Wei , Sun Chen‐Yang , Ge Wen‐Chun
Published: February 2019

When the Paleo‐Asian Ocean closed and the Paleo‐Pacific subduction started in NE China remains controversial. To constrain these key issues, we carried out zircon U‐Pb‐Hf isotopic and whole‐rock geochemical studies of Early Mesozoic igneous rocks in central southern Jilin Province, NE China. Early Mesozoic igneous rocks in region were formed at three stages: the middle Triassic (246 Ma), the late Triassic (219–220 Ma), and the early Jurassic (172–194 Ma). Middle Triassic trachyandesites in southern Jilin Province were solely generated through partial melting of ancient lower crust of the North China Craton (NCC), implying ongoing southward subduction of Paleo‐Asian Ocean Plate beneath the NCC at this time. Late Triassic trachyandesites in southern Jilin Province were derived from the magma mixing/mingling of the NCC lithospheric mantle and juvenile eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt crustal sources. Late Triassic hornblende gabbros in central Jilin Province were derived from depleted lithospheric mantle previously metasomatized by subduction‐related fluids. Coeval adakitic granodiorites were likely produced through the partial melting of thickened juvenile lower crust. Spatially, these rocks occurred on both sides of the Solonker‐Xra‐Moron‐Changchun Suture Zone and record N–S directed extension accompanied by the final closure of the Paleo‐Asian Ocean. Early Jurassic andesites were produced through mixing/mingling between partial melts derived from eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt lithospheric mantle and ancient NCC crust. In contrast, Early Jurassic felsic rocks, including A‐type granites, were derived from the partial melting of Neoproterozoic accreted lower crust, jointly implying an extensional setting as the result of the initial subduction from Paleo‐Pacific Plate at this time.
Hydrochemical Changes Before and After Earthquakes Based on Long‐Term Measurements of Multiple Parameters at Two Sites in Northern Iceland—A Review
Authors: Skelton A. , Liljedahl‐Claesson L. , Wästeby N. , Andrén M. , Stockmann G. , Sturkell E. , Mörth C.‐M. , Stefansson A. , Tollefsen E. , Siegmund H. , Keller N. , Kjartansdóttir R. , Hjartarson H. , Kockum I.
Published: February 2019

Hydrochemical changes before and after earthquakes have been reported for over 50 years. However, few reports provide sufficient data for an association to be verified statistically. Also, no mechanism has been proposed to explain why hydrochemical changes are observed far from earthquake foci where associated strains are small (<10−8). Here we address these challenges based on time series of multiple hydrochemical parameters from two sites in northern Iceland. We report hydrochemical changes before and after M >5 earthquakes in 2002, 2012, and 2013. The longevity of the time series (10 and 16 years) permits statistical verification of coupling between hydrochemical changes and earthquakes. We used a Student t test to find significant hydrochemical changes and a binomial test to confirm association with earthquakes. Probable association was confirmed for preseismic changes based on five parameters (Na, Si, K, δ18O, and δ2H) and postseismic changes based on eight parameters (Ca, Na, Si, Cl, F, SO4, δ18O, and δ2H). Using concentration ratios and stable isotope values, we showed that (1) gradual preseismic changes were caused by source mixing, which resulted in a shift from equilibrium and triggered water‐rock interaction; (2) postseismic changes were caused by rapid source mixing; and (3) longer‐term hydrochemical changes were caused by source mixing and mineral growth. Because hydrochemical changes occur at small earthquake‐related strains, we attribute source mixing and water‐rock interaction to microscale fracturing. Because fracture density and size scale inversely, we infer that mixing of nearby sources and water‐rock interaction are feasible responses to small earthquake‐related strains.
The Impact of Rimed Ice Hydrometeors on Global and Regional Climate
Authors: Gettelman A. , Morrison H. , Thayer‐Calder K. , Zarzycki C. M.
Published: February 2019

Rimed hydrometeors (graupel or hail) are added to a stratiform cloud scheme for global models and tested in a variety of configurations. Off‐line tests compare well to other cloud microphysics schemes with rimed ice used in mesoscale models. Tests in single column and climate mode show expected production of small amounts of rimed ice in the middle troposphere and at high latitudes. The overall climate impacts of rimed ice (hail or graupel) at 100‐km horizontal grid spacing are small. There are some changes to partitioning between cloud ice and snow that affect upper troposphere water budgets and clouds. High‐resolution simulations are conducted with a global but regionally refined grid at 14 km over the Contiguous United States. High‐resolution simulations show local production of graupel with realistic size and number concentrations. The maximum graupel frequency at high resolution is over Western U.S. mountain ranges. Differences in total precipitation with the addition of rimed ice in 8‐year simulations are statistically significant only for orographic precipitation over the Cascade and Rocky mountains, reducing model biases when rimed ice is included. Rimed ice slightly improves summer precipitation intensity relative to observations. Thus, while the global climate impact of rimed ice in stratiform clouds may be negligible, there are potentially important and systematic regional effects, particularly for orographic precipitation. Rimed ice in cumulus clouds is not yet treated but is an important next step.
Author Correction: Molecular and physiological roles of the adaptor protein CARD9 in immunity
Authors: Zhong Xiaoming , Chen Bin , Yang Liang , Yang Zhiwen
Published: February 2019

The original version of this Article contained errors in the author affiliations.
Nacre-mimetic composite with intrinsic self-healing and shape-programming capability
Authors: Du Gaolai , Mao Anran , Yu Jinhong , Hou Jingjing , Zhao Nifang , Han Jingkai , Zhao Qian , Gao Weiwei , Xie Tao , Bai Hao
Published: February 2019

Replicating nacre’s multiscale architecture represents a promising approach to design artificial materials with outstanding rigidity and toughness. It is highly desirable yet challenging to incorporate self-healing and shape-programming capabilities into nacre-mimetic composites due to their rigidity and high filler content. Here, we report such a composite obtained by infiltrating a thermally switchable Diels-Alder network polymer into a lamellar scaffold of alumina. The chemical bond switchability and the physical confinement by the filler endows the composite with sufficient molecular mobility without compromising its thermal dimension stability. Consequently, our composite is capable of self-healing internal damages. Additionally, in contrast to the intractable planar shape of other artificial nacres, precise control of the polymer chain dynamics allows the shape of our composite to be programmed permanently via plasticity and temporarily via shape memory effect. Our approach paves a new way for designing durable multifunctional bioinspired structural materials.
Globally correlated conformational entropy underlies positive and negative cooperativity in a kinase’s enzymatic cycle
Authors: Wang Yingjie , V.S. Manu , Kim Jonggul , Li Geoffrey , Ahuja Lalima G. , Aoto Philip , Taylor Susan S. , Veglia Gianluigi
Published: February 2019

Enzymes accelerate the rate of chemical transformations by reducing the activation barriers of uncatalyzed reactions. For signaling enzymes, substrate recognition, binding, and product release are often rate-determining steps in which enthalpy-entropy compensation plays a crucial role. While the nature of enthalpic interactions can be inferred from structural data, the molecular origin and role of entropy in enzyme catalysis remains poorly understood. Using thermocalorimetry, NMR, and MD simulations, we studied the conformational landscape of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A, a ubiquitous phosphoryl transferase involved in a myriad of cellular processes. Along the enzymatic cycle, the kinase exhibits positive and negative cooperativity for substrate and nucleotide binding and product release. We found that globally coordinated changes of conformational entropy activated by ligand binding, together with synchronous and asynchronous breathing motions of the enzyme, underlie allosteric cooperativity along the kinase’s cycle.
Size-dependent stability of ultra-small α-/β-phase tin nanocrystals synthesized by microplasma
Authors: Haq Atta Ul , Askari Sadegh , McLister Anna , Rawlinson Sean , Davis James , Chakrabarti Supriya , Svrcek Vladimir , Maguire Paul , Papakonstantinou Pagona , Mariotti Davide
Published: February 2019

Nanocrystals sometimes adopt unusual crystal structure configurations in order to maintain structural stability with increasingly large surface-to-volume ratios. The understanding of these transformations is of great scientific interest and represents an opportunity to achieve beneficial materials properties resulting from different crystal arrangements. Here, the phase transformation from α to β phases of tin (Sn) nanocrystals is investigated in nanocrystals with diameters ranging from 6.1 to 1.6 nm. Ultra-small Sn nanocrystals are achieved through our highly non-equilibrium plasma process operated at atmospheric pressures. Larger nanocrystals adopt the β-Sn tetragonal structure, while smaller nanocrystals show stability with the α-Sn diamond cubic structure. Synthesis at other conditions produce nanocrystals with mean diameters within the range 2–3 nm, which exhibit mixed phases. This work represents an important contribution to understand structural stability at the nanoscale and the possibility of achieving phases of relevance for many applications.
HIV-1 vaccination by needle-free oral injection induces strong mucosal immunity and protects against SHIV challenge
Authors: Jones Andrew T. , Shen Xiaoying , Walter Korey L. , LaBranche Celia C. , Wyatt Linda S. , Tomaras Georgia D. , Montefiori David C. , Moss Bernard , Barouch Dan H. , Clements John D. , Kozlowski Pamela A. , Varadarajan Raghavan , Amara Rama Rao
Published: February 2019

The oral mucosa is an attractive site for mucosal vaccination, however the thick squamous epithelium limits antigen uptake. Here we utilize a modified needle-free injector to deliver immunizations to the sublingual and buccal (SL/B) tissue of rhesus macaques. Needle-free SL/B vaccination with modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) and a recombinant trimeric gp120 protein generates strong vaccine-specific IgG responses in serum as well as vaginal, rectal and salivary secretions. Vaccine-induced IgG responses show a remarkable breadth against gp70-V1V2 sequences from multiple clades of HIV-1. In contrast, topical SL/B immunizations generates minimal IgG responses. Following six intrarectal pathogenic SHIV-SF162P3 challenges, needle-free but not topical immunization results in a significant delay of acquisition of infection. Delay of infection correlates with non-neutralizing antibody effector function, Env-specific CD4+ T-cell responses, and gp120 V2 loop specific antibodies. These results demonstrate needle-free MVA/gp120 oral vaccination as a practical and effective route to induce protective immunity against HIV-1.
Towards a data-integrated cell
Authors: Malod-Dognin Noël , Petschnigg Julia , Windels Sam F. L. , Povh Janez , Hemingway Harry , Ketteler Robin , Pržulj Nataša
Published: February 2019

We are increasingly accumulating molecular data about a cell. The challenge is how to integrate them within a unified conceptual and computational framework enabling new discoveries. Hence, we propose a novel, data-driven concept of an integrated cell, iCell. Also, we introduce a computational prototype of an iCell, which integrates three omics, tissue-specific molecular interaction network types. We construct iCells of four cancers and the corresponding tissue controls and identify the most rewired genes in cancer. Many of them are of unknown function and cannot be identified as different in cancer in any specific molecular network. We biologically validate that they have a role in cancer by knockdown experiments followed by cell viability assays. We find additional support through Kaplan-Meier survival curves of thousands of patients. Finally, we extend this analysis to uncover pan-cancer genes. Our methodology is universal and enables integrative comparisons of diverse omics data over cells and tissues.
The severity of ulnar variance compared with contralateral hand: its significance on postoperative wrist function in patients with distal radius fracture
Authors: Jianda Xu , Qu Yuxing , Huan Li , Chen Qian , Zheng Chong , Bin Wang , Pengfei Shen
Published: February 2019

The aim of this study was to detect the severity of ulnar variance (UV) compared with contralateral hand on postoperative wrist function in patients with distal radius fracture. 116 cases with unilateral distal radius fracture were retrospectively analyzed and divided into high or low UV severity groups (Dividing value = 2.5 mm). The following parameters were used to evaluate the effect: palmar tilt, radial inclination, VAS score, DASH score and wrist function. The severity of UV existed widely, accounting for 93.1% (108 cases). The severity of UV correlated with palmar tilt, radial inclination, grip strength, VAS score, DASH score and the wrist function (P < 0.05). Log-rank analysis showed that the severity of UV, palmar tilt, radial inclination were important factors influencing the joint function postoperatively (P < 0.0 5). Multivariate analysis confirmed that the severity of UV was an independent and significant factor on wrist function (P = 0.010). And the palmar tilt was also an important factor influencing wrist function (P = 0.047). The severity of ulnar variance compared with contralateral hand is an independent and significant factor on wrist function, which should be considered as an important step during preoperative plan.
Determination of pressure properties of superconducting systems based on characteristic ratios 2Δ(0)/Tc and ΔC(Tc)/CN(Tc)
Authors: Krzyzosiak Mateusz , Gonczarek Ryszard , Gonczarek Adam , Jacak Lucjan
Published: February 2019

A simplified analytical model of the effect of high pressure on the critical temperature and other thermodynamic properties of superconducting systems is developed using the general conformal transformation method and group-theoretical arguments. Relationships between the characteristic ratios $${ {\mathcal R} }_{1}\equiv 2{\rm{\Delta }}(0)/{T}_{{\rm{c}}}$$

ℛ

1

≡
2
Δ
(
0
)
/

T

c

and $${ {\mathcal R} }_{2}\equiv {\rm{\Delta }}C({T}_{{\rm{c}}})/{C}_{{\rm{N}}}({T}_{{\rm{c}}})$$

ℛ

2

≡
Δ
C
(

T

c

)
/

C

N

(

T

c

)
and the stability of the superconducting state is discussed. Including a single two-parameter fluctuation in the density of states, placed away from the Fermi level, stable solutions determined by $${ {\mathcal R} }_{1}$$

ℛ

1

are found. It is shown that the critical temperature Tc(p), as a function of high external pressure, can be predicted from experimental data, based on the values of the two characteristic ratios, the critical temperature, and a pressure coefficient measured at zero pressure. The model can be applied to s-wave low-temperature and high-temperature superconductors, as well as to some novel superconducting systems of the new generation. The problem of emergence of superconductivity under high pressure is explained as well. The discussion is illustrated by using experimental data for superconducting elements available in the literature. A criterion for compatibility of experimental data is formulated, allowing one to identify incompatible measurement data for superconducting systems for which the maximum or the minimum critical temperature is achieved under high pressure.
Attentional selection and illusory surface appearance
Authors: Harrison William J. , Ayeni Alvin J. , Bex Peter J.
Published: February 2019

The visual system is required to compute objects from partial image structure so that figures can be segmented from their backgrounds. Although early clinical, behavioral, and modeling data suggested that such computations are performed pre-attentively, recent neurophysiological evidence suggests that surface filling-in is influenced by attention. In the present study we developed a variant of the classical Kanizsa illusory triangle to investigate whether voluntary attention modulates perceptual filling-in. Our figure consists of “pacmen” positioned at the tips of an illusory 6-point star and alternating in polarity such that two illusory triangles are implied to compete with one another within the figure. On each trial, observers were cued to attend to only one triangle, and then compared its lightness with a matching texture-defined triangle. We found that perceived lightness of the illusory shape depended on the polarity of pacmen framing the attended triangle. Our findings thus reveal that, for overlapping illusory surfaces, lightness judgements can depend on voluntary attention. Our novel stimulus may prove useful in future attempts to link neurophysiological effects to phenomenology.
Multiple concomitant mechanisms contribute to low platelet count in patients with immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Grodzielski Matías , Goette Nora P. , Glembotsky Ana C. , Constanza Baroni Pietto M. , Méndez-Huergo Santiago P. , Pierdominici Marta S. , Montero Verónica S. , Rabinovich Gabriel A. , Molinas Felisa C. , Heller Paula G. , Lev Paola R. , Marta Rosana F.
Published: February 2019

Mechanisms leading to low platelet count in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) involves both decreased production and increased destruction of platelet. However, the contribution of these pathologic mechanisms to clinical outcome of individual patients is uncertain. Here we evaluated different pathogenic mechanisms including in vitro megakaryopoiesis, platelet/megakaryocyte (MK) desialylation and MK apoptosis, and compared these effects with thrombopoyesis and platelet apoptosis in the same cohort of ITP patients. Normal umbilical cord blood-CD34+ cells, mature MK derived cells or platelets were incubated with plasma from ITP patients. Despite inhibition of thrombopoiesis previously observed, megakaryopoiesis was normal or even increased. Plasma from ITP patients affected the sialylation pattern of control platelets and this effect occurred concomitantly with apoptosis in 35% ITP samples. However, none of these abnormalities were observed in control MKs incubated with ITP plasma. Addition of mononuclear cells as immune effectors did not lead to phosphatidylserine exposure in MK, ruling out an antibody-mediated cytotoxic effect. These results suggest that both desialylation and apoptosis may be relevant mechanisms leading to platelet destruction although, they do not interfere with MK function. Analysis of these thrombocytopenic factors in individual patients showed no specific distribution pattern. However, the presence of circulating antiplatelet autoantibodies was associated with higher incidence of abnormalities. In conclusion, the causes of thrombocytopenia are multifactorial and may occur together, providing a rational basis for the use of combination therapies targeting concomitant ITP mechanisms in patients with refractory disease.
Variable temperatures across different stages have novel effects on behavioral response and population viability in a host-feeding parasitoid
Authors: Zhang Yi-Bo , Zhang Gui-Fen , Liu Wan-Xue , Wan Fang-Hao
Published: February 2019

Parasitoids are insects (usually wasps or flies) that lay eggs within or on other insects (their hosts). Host-feeding parasitoids lay eggs to parasitize the host and feed directly on the host for nourishment. Temperature is the most critical factor affecting insect behavioral responses. Few studies have focused on the impacts of variable temperatures across different life stages on the behaviors of host-feeding parasitoids. This study investigated the effects of temperature experienced during the preadult and adult stages on the life history traits and life table parameters of females of a host-feeding parasitoid, Eretmocerus hayati. Our results show that the temperatures experienced during the preadult and adult stages significantly change life history traits (immature development, adult longevity, host feeding and fecundity). Increasing the preadult temperature resulted in shorter development times for immature stages of the parasitoid, and decreasing the temperature during the adult stage increased reproduction and longevity. Most importantly, we found that host-feeding events changed with temperature rather than life stage. The daily host-feeding ability of the parasitoid increased with increasing temperature at all temperatures except the stress temperature (34 °C). Furthermore, switching temperatures at the immature stage and adult stage can increase the values of life table parameters, with the highest intrinsic rate of increase (r) occurring in the 30/26 °C treatment. This study provides new insight into the mass rearing of parasitic natural enemies.