bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magnon-impurity interaction effect on the magnonic heat capacity of the Lieb lattice
Authors: Le P. T. T. , Hoi B. D. , Yarmohammadi Mohsen
Published: December 2018

In this paper, we theoretically address the magnonic heat capacity of charged impurity-infected infinite 2D Lieb lattice with new interesting features to be seen. The dynamics of non-interacting and interacting magnons are described by the Heisenberg model, the Born approximation, and the Green’s function technique. The used model consists of three potentials, satisfying the experiment requirements: (i) the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI), (ii) the next-nearest-neighbors (NNN) coupling, and (iii) the Zeeman magnetic field. We show that the magnonic heat capacity increases with the charged impurity concentration and/or the scattering potential. We realized that the infecting the system with different impurity atoms yields the higher magnonic heat capacity than the same ones. Furthermore, we show that both normal and perturbed magnonic heat capacities do not alter for heavy atomic nuclei. The obtained numerical data state that the efficient magnonic heat capacity occurs at short-range potentials and do not change for longer-range ones. This manifest itself at long-ranges as a plateau for DMI potential and the oscillatory accompanied with decay trends for NNN coupling and the Zeeman magnetic field. Finally, we observe the non-monotonic and non-symmetric behaviors for heat capacity when Zeeman magnetic field is parallel and/or antiparallel to the host spins.
Wide-field diamond magnetometry with millihertz frequency resolution and nanotesla sensitivity
Authors: Mizuno Kosuke , Nakajima Makoto , Ishiwata Hitoshi , Masuyama Yuta , Iwasaki Takayuki , Hatano Mutsuko
Published: December 2018

Wide-field quantum magnetometry using nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond can be a breakthrough for a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in a small volume, which is important for biological applications. Although the coherence time of the electron spin of the NV center results in a limited frequency resolution for diamond magnetometry in the range 10–100 kHz, recent studies have shown that a phase-sensitive protocol can circumvent this limit using a confocal setup. We proposed a new measurement protocol, “iQdyne,” which facilitates an improved frequency resolution of wide-field imaging, unencumbered by the coherence limit imposed by the NV center. We demonstrated wide-field magnetometry with a frequency resolution of 238 mHz and a magnetic sensitivity of 65 nT/Hz1/2, which are superior to those obtained using a conventional XY8-based technique, and showed the potential of the iQdyne protocol for the wide-field NMR imaging.
High-power broadly tunable grating-coupled external cavity laser in green region
Authors: Xu Binbin , Lv Xueqin , Ding Ding , Lv Wenlong , Zhang Yan , Zhang Jiangyong
Published: December 2018

A broadly tunable grating-coupled external cavity laser system in the green region is demonstrated by employing a commercially available broad-area green laser diode. A simple Littrow-type external cavity configuration was adopted, and two gratings with different diffraction efficiencies were used as the light feedback elements. When a grating with the first-order diffraction efficiency of 50% and the zeroth-order diffraction efficiency of 31% was used, a tuning bandwidth of 11.0 nm with an output power near 400 mW was achieved. When a grating with the first-order diffraction efficiency of 10% and the zeroth-order diffraction efficiency of 78% was used, a tuning bandwidth of 5.0 nm with an output power near 750 mW was achieved. Meanwhile, the spectral linewidth was narrowed significantly down to 0.08-0.18 nm from the free-running linewidth of 2.81 nm due to the external mode selection effect. Such high-power broadly tunable green EC lasers are important for second harmonic generation.
Structural and electrical characterization of thick GaN layers on Si, GaN, and engineered substrates
Authors: Tanaka Atsunori , Choi Woojin , Chen Renjie , Liu Ren , Mook William M. , Jungjohann Katherine L. , Yu Paul K. L. , Dayeh Shadi A.
Published: December 2018

A major challenge in gallium nitride (GaN) vertical power devices and other large bandgap materials is the high defect density that compromises the performance, reliability, and yield. Defects are typically nucleated at the heterointerface where there are both lattice and thermal mismatches. Here, we report the selective area growth (SAG) of thick GaN on Si and on the newly available Qromis Substrate Technology™ (QST) substrates that lead to a significant reduction of the defect densities to a level that is nearly comparable to that on native substrates by defect annihilation. We performed a parametric study of the electrical properties of the SAG GaN layers by fabricating and characterizing Schottky barrier diodes for SAG GaN layer thicknesses of 5, 10, 15, and 20 μm for GaN-on-Si, GaN-on-QST, and GaN-on-GaN diodes. While thicker layers led to a significant reduction in defect densities and improvement in the diode forward current characteristics, the GaN-on-QST diodes exhibited nearly similar characteristics to the GaN-on-GaN diodes. Further improvement in the device structure and/or SAG growth for GaN-on-Si is needed to achieve a comparable performance as the defect densities in the GaN-on-Si are comparable to that of GaN-on-QST substrates.
Role of stable modes in driven shear-flow turbulence
Authors: Fraser A. E. , Pueschel M. J. , Terry P. W. , Zweibel E. G.
Published: December 2018

A linearly unstable, sinusoidal E × B shear flow is examined in the gyrokinetic framework in both the linear and nonlinear regimes. In the linear regime, it is shown that the eigenmode spectrum is nearly identical to hydrodynamic shear flows, with a conjugate stable mode found at every unstable wavenumber. In the nonlinear regime, turbulent saturation of the instability is examined with and without the inclusion of a driving term that prevents nonlinear flattening of the mean flow and a scale-independent radiative damping term that suppresses the excitation of conjugate stable modes. From a variety of analyses, the nonlinear state is found to have a significant component associated with stable modes. The role of these modes is investigated through a simple fluid model that tracks how momentum transport and partial flattening of the mean flow scale with the driving term. From this model, it is shown that, except at high radiative damping, stable modes play an important role in the turbulent state and yield significantly improved quantitative predictions when compared with corresponding models neglecting stable modes.
Fast evaluation of the current driven by electron cyclotron waves for reactor studies
Authors: Poli E. , Müller M. , Zohm H. , Kovari M.
Published: December 2018

Injection of electromagnetic waves in the electron-cyclotron (EC) frequency range is one of the most promising schemes to drive part of the plasma current in a tokamak fusion reactor. The theoretical calculation of the driven current, as usually performed by ray/beam tracing codes, relies on the knowledge of the magnetic equilibrium, the electron density, and temperature profiles on the one hand and of the wave injection parameters on the other. If the optimum current drive efficiency for a given scenario is sought, extensive parameter scans are usually performed to determine the best injection conditions. This is, however, not a viable approach in typical systems-code applications, where the plasma configuration is not provided in sufficient detail and parameter scans would be anyway too demanding from the computational point of view. In this case, a different approach is required. In this paper, a procedure for the evaluation of the optimum current driven by EC waves for given global parameters is proposed, which relies on a single numerical calculation of the current drive efficiency, based on the adjoint method (including momentum-conserving corrections). The results are shown to be in good agreement with the full numerical optimization of the EC current drive efficiency for a variety of reactor relevant scenarios. This simplified approach also helps clarify the physics underlying the optimum current-drive conditions and the limitations to the achievable current-drive efficiency in reactor-grade plasmas.
Mg and N co-doped CuCrO2: A record breaking p-type TCO
Authors: Ahmadi M. , Asemi M. , Ghanaatshoar M.
Published: December 2018

We prepare CuCrO2 thin films with magnesium and nitrogen dopants. The solid state reaction method is employed to produce CuCrO2 targets with three different concentrations of Mg (0%, 2.5%, and 5%). The targets are used in an RF sputtering system to prepare thin films in the presence of N2 as the reactive gas. In this manner, Mg and N atoms, respectively, replace Cr and O sites in the CuCrO2 structure and enhance the electrical and optical properties of the host material. This cationic-anionic substitution yields a superior hole transport and results in an increased conductivity of ∼278 S cm−1 which is considered as a record for p-type conductivity in transparent conducting oxides. Moreover, the co-doped CuCrO2 demonstrates a bandgap of 3.52 eV and a transmittance of about 69% in the visible region.
Equations of macroscopic electrodynamics for two-dimensional crystals
Authors: Mikhailov S. A.
Published: December 2018

The electrodynamics of two-dimensional (2D) dielectric and conducting layers cannot be described by three-dimensional macroscopic quantities such as the dielectric constant ϵ or the refractive index n. By means of the proper averaging of the microscopic Maxwell equations, we derive general macroscopic electrodynamic equations for 2D crystals and discuss some of their consequences.
Ultraslow frictional sliding and the stick-slip transition
Authors: Breki Alexander , Nosonovsky Michael
Published: December 2018

Understanding the onset of sliding is the key to understanding mechanisms of friction as a fundamental dissipative surface phenomenon. Most recent studies of the abrupt stick-to-slip transition concentrate on either nanotribological or fracture mechanics analysis. Here, we investigate ultraslow sliding friction, which is intermediate between the static and dynamic friction. During ultraslow friction, the sliding velocity is comparable with the relaxation rate of the material. Friction between two very smooth steel samples was studied at the sliding velocity of 37 nm/s. The force-displacement dependencies suggest that the onset of sliding is a gradual transition between two regimes rather than an abrupt irreversible transition from static to kinetic friction observed at higher sliding velocities.
Fully automating liquid processing within an acoustic levitation system
Authors: Cockbill Louisa
Published: December 2018

The automated insertion and ejection of droplets has been integrated into a midair, contactless liquid manipulation device.
Road deaths relating to the attendance of medical appointments in Queensland
Authors: Greenup Edwin Phillip , Potts Boyd Alexander
Published: December 2018

Objective
This study sought to estimate and observe the risks imposed on patients as they travel to hospital for referred treatment. Factors such as distance and remoteness were compared to understand how they affect this risk.

Methods
This study focused on Queensland residents attending specialist out-patient appointments in a Queensland public hospital throughout 2016. Deidentified information on all recipients of a specialist out-patient appointment in 2016 (n=2946584) were included in the study. This study also contained a theoretical component: using a data model to estimate the number of fatalities that could be expected from a travelling population of this size and complexity. The modelling results were compared with the frequency of actual fatalities among individuals travelling to receive treatment, as determined by a review of the Queensland Police Road Database. The data model and empirical values from police reports were used to independently measure what risk, if any, individuals travelling to obtain specialist out-patient treatment are exposed to. Differences between the model and observed values were evaluated using statistical tests.

Results
A direct relationship between increasing remoteness and travel risk was established in both the model and observed data (CV(RMSD)=0.660773).

Conclusion
Fatal risk is present in any road journey regardless of distance, duration or the purpose of travel. Individuals living in regional and remote Queensland are exposed to a larger risk than those living in the major cities of Queensland when travelling to obtain public health care.

What is already known on this subject?
Road safety remains one of Australia’s most serious public health issues, with 1295 road-related fatalities recorded throughout Australia in 2016. Although the potential dangers of road travel are well understood, extended journeys by road to attend hospital appointments are often undertaken despite available alternatives to travel in some instances.

What this paper adds?
Travelling to attend medical appointments exposes a patient to a small but potentially catastrophic risk that can be observed in state road crash data. This risk is measurably greater for individuals in regional Queensland.

What are the implications for practitioners?
Clinical models of care that reduce patient travel may represent a new standard in patient safety when of the risks associated travel are considered.
Nitrate is safe to feed ad libitum in molasses roller drums as a source of non-protein nitrogen
Authors: Goopy J. P. , Hegarty R. S.
Published: December 2018

We investigated voluntary intake, growth and safety of cattle offered low-quality forage diets plus isonitrogenous molasses-based liquid supplements containing either urea (U) or a calcium nitrate-containing compound (NO3). We hypothesised that changing the nitrogen source from U to calcium nitrate would not jeopardise animal health or affect intake. Angus cattle (n = 24) were allocated to six pens, with three pens each receiving a molasses supplement containing U or a molasses supplement containing NO3 for 31 days. There was a trend (P = 0.06) for the NO3 treatment group to consume more of the (oaten chaff) basal diet than the U treatment group. The U group consumed more supplement than did the NO3 group (1.31 vs 0.40 kg DM/head.day s.e.m. = 0.094, P < 0.0001), but total DM intake was not different (6.45 vs 6.10 kg/head.day, P = 0.15). Mean final animal liveweight was not different between treatments. Methaemoglobin levels were higher in the NO3 group (2.1 vs 1.3%, P < 0.001). Low consumption of nitrate was also reflected in there being no effect of nitrate on the methane production rate when assessed in open-circuit calorimetry chambers (7.1 vs 7.0 g/head.2 h, P = 0.898). It is confirmed that nitrate may be safely provided to cattle when dissolved at 154 g/kg in a molasses-based liquid supplement available ad libitum, but may not be an effective methane mitigant due to low NO3 intake. It is speculated that nitrate may be a useful tool to limit voluntary intake of non-protein nitrogen supplements.
Processing strategies used by Basque-French bilingual and Basque monolingual children for the production of the subject-agent in Basque
Authors: Duguine Isabelle , Köpke Barbara
Published: December 2018

We sought to describe the strategies used by 2L1 and L2 Basque-French bilingual children and monolingual Basque children to express subject-agent function in a free elicitation context in Basque. Based on a three-year longitudinal study, the analysis focused on transitive constructions requiring a subject-agent noun marked for ergative case. The results showed that the children mastered production of the ergative case marker at different ages, and used different psycholinguistic strategies to refer to the subject-agent. The majority of the bilingual children favoured topological strategy (i.e., marking of the subject-agent in the first position through subject-verb-object word order). However, the children with L1 Basque seemed to engage more in morphological strategy, through the use of the nominal ergative suffix. These data allowed us to discuss variations in the performance of bilingual children in light of the cue cost and cue validity concepts elaborated by the Competition Model applied to language production.
Production, comprehension and repetition of accusative case by monolingual Russian and bilingual Russian-Dutch and Russian-Hebrew-speaking children
Authors: Janssen Bibi , Meir Natalia
Published: December 2018

The present study explores the acquisition of the Russian accusative [acc] case inflections in two groups of bilingual children (Russian-Dutch and Russian-Hebrew) who acquire Russian as their Heritage Language (HL) and two groups of monolingual Russian-speaking children within theUnified Competition Model(MacWhinney, 2008,2012). Seventy-two typically developing children participated in the study. Children’s performance on three tasks was compared: elicited production, forced-choice comprehension and sentence repetition.

The current study confirmed the predictions of theUnified Competition Model: monolingual children view the [acc] case inflection as a reliable cue. Conversely, bilingual children showed lower accuracy on nouns which require the use of a dedicated [acc] marker. Similarly, the percentage of children manifesting sensitivity to [acc] case cue was low in bilinguals. The findings of the study extend theUnified Competition Modelto patterns of HL acquisition in bilinguals. Cue detection in HL for bilinguals is challenged when exposure is limited.
Bilingual reference production
Authors: Torregrossa Jacopo , Bongartz Christiane , Tsimpli Ianthi Maria
Published: December 2018

We investigate reference production in bilingual children. Based onKibrik (2011), we analyze the production of referring expressions in discourse in terms of activation of a referent. We propose a novel approach, which calculates activation by taking into account different activation-lending factors and their respective weight. This allows us to compare the activation encoded by referring expressions across languages and groups of speakers, and to run correlational analyses with the speakers’ cognitive profiles. In particular, the study addresses the correlation between activation and lexical processing among bilinguals, based on the distribution of referring expressions in narratives by 20 German-Greek bilingual children, compared to their monolingual peers. We found that bilingual pronouns correspond to a lower activation than monolingual ones. Speed of lexical retrieval is a predictor of the bilingual performance. Our model of analysis accounts for how reference production varies across individuals and which cognitive mechanisms underlie this variation.
Presidential transitions and generational change in Southern African liberation movements
Authors: Southall Roger
Published: December 2018

Recent presidential transitions in Southern Africa have prompted suggestions that the region is moving towards a new generational politics which is more responsive to the need for economic reform and holds significant democratic possibilities. While this analysis concedes that this analysis has some considerable purchase, it argues that the evidence suggests that liberation movements are likely to remain mired in a morass of patronage and corruption, and that there will be as much continuity as change.
Impact of Acacia bark extract tablets on the skin of healthy humans: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
Authors: Hoshino Tomohiro , Yamashita Shin-ichiro , Suzuki Naoko , Baba Asami , Ogawa Sosuke , Izumi Tatsuya
Published: December 2018

This study investigated the effects of proanthocyanidins derived from Acacia (Acacia mearnsii) bark extract in healthy Japanese adult subjects experiencing uncomfortable skin symptoms. All subjects were randomly allocated into two groups (n = 33 each) using a computerized random-number generator. The subjects received either Acacia bark extract tablets or placebo for 8 weeks. Evaluations included water content in the stratum corneum, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), Skindex-16, dermatology life quality index (DLQI), visual analog scale for desire to scratch, and blood tests. At 4 weeks, the symptom/feeling score of DLQI, subjective symptoms related to uncomfortable skin, and the desire to scratch were significantly reduced in the intervention group than in the placebo group. At 8 weeks, the intervention group exhibited significantly lower TEWL on facial skin than that in the placebo group. In conclusion, the intake of Acacia bark extract tablets reduced TEWL and improved dry and uncomfortable skin.
Synthesis-guided structure revision of the monoterpene alcohol isolated from Mentha haplocalyx
Authors: Konishi Shunsuke , Mori Naoki , Takikawa Hirosato , Watanabe Hidenori
Published: December 2018

The monoterpene isolated from Mentha haplocalyx, 3,3,5-trimethyl-2-oxabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-en-4-ol, was synthesized according to its proposed structure. However, the NMR data of the synthetic sample were not in agreement with those reported for the natural product. After considerable efforts, the genuine structure was confirmed as (1R*,2R*)-4-(1′-hydroxy-1′-methylethyl)-1-methylycyclohex-3-ene-1,2-diol.
Estimating disease prevalence from drug utilization data using the Random Forest algorithm
Authors: Slobbe Laurentius C J , Füssenich Koen , Wong Albert , Boshuizen Hendriek C , Nielen Markus M J , Polder Johan J , Feenstra Talitha L , van Oers Hans A M
Published: December 2018

Background

Aggregated claims data on medication are often used as a proxy for the prevalence of diseases, especially chronic diseases. However, linkage between medication and diagnosis tend to be theory based and not very precise. Modelling disease probability at an individual level using individual level data may yield more accurate results.

Methods

Individual probabilities of having a certain chronic disease were estimated using the Random Forest (RF) algorithm. A training set was created from a general practitioners database of 276 723 cases that included diagnosis and claims data on medication. Model performance for 29 chronic diseases was evaluated using Receiver-Operator Curves, by measuring the Area Under the Curve (AUC).

Results

The diseases for which model performance was best were Parkinson’s disease (AUC = .89, 95% CI = .77–1.00), diabetes (AUC = .87, 95% CI = .85–.90), osteoporosis (AUC = .87, 95% CI = .81–.92) and heart failure (AUC = .81, 95% CI = .74–.88). Five other diseases had an AUC >.75: asthma, chronic enteritis, COPD, epilepsy and HIV/AIDS. For 16 of 17 diseases tested, the medication categories used in theory-based algorithms were also identified by our method, however the RF models included a broader range of medications as important predictors.

Conclusion

Data on medication use can be a useful predictor when estimating the prevalence of several chronic diseases. To improve the estimates, for a broader range of chronic diseases, research should use better training data, include more details concerning dosages and duration of prescriptions, and add related predictors like hospitalizations.
Lilikoi: an R package for personalized pathway-based classification modeling using metabolomics data
Authors: Al-Akwaa Fadhl M , Yunits Breck , Huang Sijia , Alhajaji Hassam , Garmire Lana X
Published: December 2018

Lilikoi (the Hawaiian word for passion fruit) is a new and comprehensive R package for personalized pathway-based classification modeling using metabolomics data. Four basic modules are presented as the backbone of the package: feature mapping module, which standardizes the metabolite names provided by users and maps them to pathways; dimension transformation module, which transforms the metabolomic profiles to personalized pathway-based profiles using pathway deregulation scores; feature selection module, which helps to select the significant pathway features related to the disease phenotypes; and classification and prediction module, which offers various machine learning classification algorithms. The package is freely available under the GPLv3 license through the github repository at: https://github.com/lanagarmire/lilikoi and CRAN: https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/lilikoi/index.html.
Divergent evolution in the genomes of closely related lacertids, Lacerta viridis and L. bilineata, and implications for speciation
Authors: Kolora Sree Rohit Raj , Weigert Anne , Saffari Amin , Kehr Stephanie , Walter Costa Maria Beatriz , Spröer Cathrin , Indrischek Henrike , Chintalapati Manjusha , Lohse Konrad , Doose Gero , Overmann Jörg , Bunk Boyke , Bleidorn Christoph , Grimm-Seyfarth Annegret , Henle Klaus , Nowick Katja , Faria Rui , Stadler Peter F , Schlegel Martin
Published: December 2018

Background

Lacerta viridis and Lacerta bilineata are sister species of European green lizards (eastern and western clades, respectively) that, until recently, were grouped together as the L. viridis complex. Genetic incompatibilities were observed between lacertid populations through crossing experiments, which led to the delineation of two separate species within the L. viridis complex. The population history of these sister species and processes driving divergence are unknown. We constructed the first high-quality de novo genome assemblies for both L. viridis and L. bilineata through Illumina and PacBio sequencing, with annotation support provided from transcriptome sequencing of several tissues. To estimate gene flow between the two species and identify factors involved in reproductive isolation, we studied their evolutionary history, identified genomic rearrangements, detected signatures of selection on non-coding RNA, and on protein-coding genes.

Findings

Here we show that gene flow was primarily unidirectional from L. bilineata to L. viridis after their split at least 1.15 million years ago. We detected positive selection of the non-coding repertoire; mutations in transcription factors; accumulation of divergence through inversions; selection on genes involved in neural development, reproduction, and behavior, as well as in ultraviolet-response, possibly driven by sexual selection, whose contribution to reproductive isolation between these lacertid species needs to be further evaluated.

Conclusion

The combination of short and long sequence reads resulted in one of the most complete lizard genome assemblies. The characterization of a diverse array of genomic features provided valuable insights into the demographic history of divergence among European green lizards, as well as key species differences, some of which are candidates that could have played a role in speciation. In addition, our study generated valuable genomic resources that can be used to address conservation-related issues in lacertids.
Sustainable seafood certifications are inadequate to challenges of ecosystem change
Authors: Kourantidou Melina , Kaiser Brooks A
Published: December 2018

The recent Marine Stewardship Council certification for the Russian Barents Red King Crab demonstrates the consequences of overlooking ecological factors in seafood sustainability assessments. The crab is commercially valuable but has uncertain invasive effects for the ecosystem. Russian authorities manage it as a long-term fishery and openly accept the co-incidental risks that come along with the invasion. The Russian crab fishery is monopolized and there is limited transparency on both quota acquisition and decision-making regarding its management. Including ecological and socio-political dimensions expands the sustainability definition to more closely match general consumer perceptions of what certified sustainability represents. The focus of widely trusted certification processes on fishery practices masks important sustainability considerations from end consumers and may distort their choices.
Late Identification of Chikungunya Virus in the Central Nervous System of a 2-Month-Old Infant: Persistence of Maternal-Neonatal Infection?
Authors: Di Maio Ferreira Fátima C P A , da Silva Anamaria S V , Bispo de Filippis Ana M , Brasil Patrícia
Published: December 2018

We report here a probable case of vertical transmission of chikungunya infection with confirmed maternal viremia close to labor that led to severe infection in the newborn. The newborn progressed with cutaneous lesions and irritability 2 months after vertical transmission, when chikungunya virus was detected in the infant’s CSF by a molecular diagnostic test (real-time polymerase chain reaction).
Rapid Communication: A comparison of cardiac lesions and heart weights from market pigs that did and did not die during transport to one Ontario abattoir1
Authors: Zurbrigg Kathy , van Dreumel Tony , Rothschild Max F , Alves David , Friendship Robert M , O’Sullivan Terri L
Published: December 2018

In-transit losses of market hogs represent a small proportion of all market-weight pigs shipped in a year. This suggests that individual pig factors may be a significant cause of in-transit losses along with more traditionally considered environmental and transport factors. An investigation was performed to determine whether cardiac pathology and heart weights were associated with pigs that did or did not die during transport to an abattoir. The hearts from 70 pigs that died in-transit to one Ontario abattoir and 388 pigs that arrived alive were collected and examined. Hearts from pigs that died during transport demonstrated greater frequencies of cardiac lesions (P < 0.05). These included hypertrophy of ventricle walls (Left: 97% vs. 64%; Right: 86% vs. 57%), dilation of ventricle chambers (Left: 79% vs. 0.5%; Right: 100% vs. 5%), and dilation of the pulmonary artery and aorta (59% vs. 1.5%). Total heart weight to body weight ratios were increased (3.6 vs. 3.3 g/kg) and left ventricle plus septum weight over right ventricle weight ratio was decreased in pigs that died during transport over non–in-transit loss pigs (2.5 vs. 2.8; P < 0.05). This may indicate reduced cardiac function in hogs that died during transport. Pigs with reduced cardiac function would have exercise intolerance and be more susceptible to death during transport due to the increased cardiac workload required during sorting, loading, and transport of the pigs to the abattoir. Further research to quantify cardiac function in pigs with cardiac lesions or abnormal heart weight ratios is warranted.
Pediatric influenza and illness severity: what is known and what questions remain?
Authors: Doyle Joshua D. , Campbell Angela P.
Published: December 2018

Purpose of review

Influenza causes a range of illnesses in children, from uncomplicated self-limited illness to severe disease and death. This review provides an update on the severity and burden of influenza in US children over recent seasons.

Recent findings

The 2017–2018 influenza season was widespread and severe across all ages, including children. Disease severity is influenced by influenza virologic characteristics and host factors, as well as public health interventions such as influenza vaccination and antiviral treatment. In recent influenza A (H3N2)-predominant seasons (2016–2017 and 2017–2018), influenza vaccination effectiveness was higher in younger children compared with older children and adolescents, although the reasons for this are unclear. Interestingly, even in seasons when influenza A (H3N2) viruses predominate, influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 and B viruses can play a large role in severe pediatric disease. Although children less than 5 years of age and those with underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe disease, influenza-associated hospitalizations and deaths occur every season in healthy children.

Influenza causes a substantial burden of outpatient visits, hospitalizations, and deaths among children. Ongoing research is important to better characterize factors that contribute to influenza severity, and to identify strategies to improve the impact of influenza vaccination and treatment.
Dissociating task acquisition from expression during learning reveals latent knowledge
Authors: Kuchibhotla Kishore V. , Sten Tom Hindmarsh , Papadoyannis Eleni S. , Elnozahy Sarah , Fogelson Kelly , Kumar Rupesh , Boubenec Yves , Holland Peter C. , Ostojic Srdjan , Froemke Robert C.
Published: December 2018

Performance on cognitive tasks during learning is used to measure intelligence, yet it remains controversial since such testing is susceptible to contextual factors. To what extent does performance during learning depend on the testing context, rather than underlying knowledge? We trained mice, rats and ferrets on a range of tasks to examine how testing context impacts the acquisition of knowledge versus its expression. We interleaved reinforced trials with “probe” trials in which we omitted reinforcement. Across tasks, each animal species performed remarkably better in probe trials during learning and inter-animal variability was strikingly reduced. Reinforcement feedback is thus critical for learning-related plasticity but, paradoxically, masks the expression of underlying knowledge. We capture these results with a network model in which learning occurs during reinforced trials while context modulates only the read-out parameters. Probing learning by omitting reinforcement thus uncovers latent knowledge and identifies context—not “smartness”—as the major source of individual variability.

HIGHLIGHTS

Knowledge acquisition and expression can be segregated by the introduction of non-reinforced probe trials across a variety of animal species and behavioral tasks.

Animals learn much faster and in a more stereotyped way in non-reinforced probe trials than their performance in the presence of reinforcement suggests.

Underperformance and variability in performance arise from sensitivity to the behavioral testing context, not acquisition of sensorimotor associations.

A circuit model accounts for context-dependent performance by modulating the integration of sensorimotor associations.

eTOC

Kuchibhotla et al. show the acquisition and expression of knowledge can be behaviorally dissociated in mice, rats, and ferrets across a variety of sensorimotor tasks. Across animals, variability in performance arises from the testing context, not underlying aptitude.
Using DNA from mothers and children to study parental investment in children's educational attainment
Authors: Wertz Jasmin , Moffitt Terrie E. , Agnew-Blais Jessica , Arseneault Louise , Belsky Daniel W. , Corcoran David L. , Houts Renate , Matthews Timothy , Prinz Joseph A. , Richmond-Rakerd Leah S. , Sugden Karen , Williams Benjamin , Caspi Avshalom
Published: December 2018

This study tested implications of new genetic discoveries for understanding the association between parental investment and children's educational attainment. A novel design matched genetic data from 860 British mothers and their children with home-visit measures of parenting: the E-Risk Study. Three findings emerged. First, both mothers' and children's education-associated genetics, summarized in a genome-wide polygenic score, predicted parenting -- a gene-environment correlation. Second, accounting for genetic influences slightly reduced associations between parenting and children's attainment -- indicating some genetic confounding. Third, mothers' genetics influenced children's attainment over and above genetic mother-to-child transmission, via cognitively-stimulating parenting -- an environmentally-mediated effect. Findings imply that, when interpreting parents' effects on children, environmentalists must consider genetic transmission, but geneticists must also consider environmental transmission.
Characterizing and minimizing the contribution of sensory inputs to TMS-evoked potentials
Authors: Biabani Mana , Fornito Alex , Mutanen Tuomas P. , Morrow James , Rogasch Nigel C.
Published: December 2018

Background

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) evokes voltage deflections in electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings, known as TMS-evoked potentials (TEPs), which are increasingly used to study brain dynamics. However, the extent to which TEPs reflect activity directly evoked by magnetic rather than sensory stimulation is unclear.

Objective

To characterize and minimize the contribution of sensory inputs to TEPs.

Methods

Twenty-four healthy participants received TMS over the motor cortex using two different intensities (below and above cortical motor threshold) and waveforms (monophasic, biphasic). TMS was also applied over the shoulder as a multisensory control condition. Common sensory attenuation measures, including coil padding and noise masking, were adopted. We examined spatiotemporal relationships between the EEG responses to the scalp and shoulder stimulations at sensor and source levels. Furthermore, we compared three different filters (independent component analysis, signal-space projection with source informed reconstruction (SSP-SIR) and linear regression) designed to attenuate the impact of sensory inputs on TEPs.

Results

The responses to the scalp and shoulder stimulations were correlated in both temporal and spatial domains, especially after ∼60 ms, regardless of the intensity and stimuli waveform. Among the three filters, SSP-SIR showed the best trade-off between removing sensory-related signals while preserving data not related to the control condition.

Conclusions

The findings demonstrate that TEPs elicited by motor cortex TMS reflect a combination of transcranially and peripherally evoked brain responses despite adopting sensory attenuation methods during experiments, thereby highlighting the importance of adopting sensory control conditions in TMS-EEG studies. Offline filters may help to isolate the transcranial component of the TEP from its peripheral component, but only if these components express different spatiotemporal patterns. More realistic control conditions may help to improve the characterization and attenuation of sensory inputs to TEPs, especially in early responses.
Comparative Transcriptomes Analysis of Taenia pisiformis at Different Development Stages
Authors: Chen Lin , Jing Yu , Xu Jing , Wang Wei , Ji Lily , Yang Chengzhong , Yu Hua
Published: December 2018

To understand the characteristics of the transcriptional group of Taenia pisiformis at different developmental stages, and to lay the foundation for the screening of vaccine antigens and drug target genes, the transcriptomes of adult and larva of T. pisiformis were assembled and analyzed using bioinformatic tools. A total of 36,951 unigenes with a mean length of 950bp were formed, among which 12,665, 8,188, 7,577, and 6,293 unigenes have been annotated respectively by sequence similarity analysis with four databases (NR, Swiss-Prot, KOG, and KEGG). It should be noted there are 5,662 unigenes that share good similarity with the four databases and get a relatively perfect functional annotation. Besides, a total of 10,247 differentially expressed genes were screened. To be specific, 6,910 unigenes were up-regulated in the larva stage while 3,337 were down-regulated in the adult stage. To sum up, this study sequenced and analyzed the transcriptomes of the larval and adult stages of T. pisiformis. The results of differentially expressed genes in these two stages could provide basis for functional genomics, immunology and gene expression profiles of T. pisiformis.
Tracking genetic invasions: genome-wide SNPs reveal the source of pyrethroid-resistantAedes aegypti(yellow fever mosquito) incursions at international ports
Authors: Schmidt Thomas L. , van Rooyen Anthony R. , Chung Jessica , Endersby-Harshman Nancy M. , Griffin Philippa C. , Sly Angus , Hoffmann Ary A. , Weeks Andrew R.
Published: December 2018

Biological invasions are increasing globally in number and extent despite efforts to restrict their spread. Knowledge of incursion pathways is necessary to prevent new invasions and to design effective biosecurity protocols at source and recipient locations. This study uses genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to determine the origin of 115 incursiveAedes aegypti(yellow fever mosquito) detected at international ports in Australia and New Zealand. We also genotyped mosquitoes at three point mutations in the voltage-sensitive sodium channel (Vssc) gene: V1016G, F1534C, and S989P. These mutations confer knockdown resistance to synthetic pyrethroid insecticides, widely used for controlling invertebrate pests. We first delineated reference populations usingAe. aegyptisampled from 15 locations in Asia, South America, Australia and the Pacific Islands. Incursives were assigned to these populations using discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) and an assignment test with a support vector machine predictive model. Bali, Indonesia, was the most common origin ofAe. aegyptidetected in Australia, whileAe. aegyptidetected in New Zealand originated from Pacific Islands such as Fiji. Most incursives had the same allelic genotype across the threeVsscgene point mutations, which confers strong resistance to synthetic pyrethroids, the only insecticide class used in current, widely-implemented aircraft disinsection protocols endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Additionally, all internationally-assignedAe. aegyptihadVsscpoint mutations linked to pyrethroid resistance that are not found in Australian populations. These findings demonstrate that protocols for preventing introductions of invertebrates must consider insecticide resistance, and highlights the usefulness of genomic datasets for managing global biosecurity objectives.
Identification of A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase 9 domain (ADAM9) required in the early stages of encephalomyocarditis virus infection
Authors: Bazzone Lindsey E. , King Michael , MacKay Christopher R. , Kyawe Pyae P. , Meraner Paul , Lindstrom Daniel , Rojas-Quintero Joselyn , Owen Caroline A. , Wang Jennifer P. , Brass Abraham Louis , Kurt-Jones Evelyn A , Finberg Robert W.
Published: December 2018

Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) is a picornavirus that produces lytic infections in murine and human cells. Employing a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 knockout screen to find host factors required for EMCV infection, we identified a role for ADAM9 in EMCV infection. CRISPR-mediated deletion of ADAM9 in multiple human cell lines rendered the cells highly resistant to EMCV infection and cell death. Primary fibroblasts from ADAM9 KO mice were also strongly resistant to EMCV infection and cell death. In contrast, ADAM9 KO and WT cells were equally susceptible to infection with other viruses, including the picornavirus Coxsackie virus B. ADAM9 KO cells failed to produce viral progeny when incubated with EMCV. However, bypassing EMCV entry into cells through delivery of viral RNA directly to the cytosol yielded infectious EMCV virions from ADAM9 KO cells, suggesting that ADAM9 is not required for EMCV replication post-entry. These findings establish that ADAM9 is required for the early stage of EMCV infection, likely for virus entry or viral genome delivery to the cytosol.
Clathrin-coated Pits are Shredded Organelles Presorting Receptors in the Plasma Membrane
Authors: Kim Do-Hyeon , Kwon Yonghoon , An Hyeong Jeon , Zhou Kai , Jeong Min Gyu , Park Soyeon , Chang Yeonho , Lee Nam Ki , Ryu Sung Ho
Published: December 2018

A myriad of receptor types crowds the plasma membrane of cells. Here, we revealed that clathrin-coated pits (CCPs) presort receptors to modulate receptor activation on the plasma membrane. We visualized individual molecules of receptors, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), ErbB2, transferrin receptor (TfR), and beta2-adrenergic receptors (β2-AR), inside a single CCP in a living cell using single-molecule diffusivity-based colocalization analysis. The spatially distinct subsets of CCPs selectively allocated for these receptors were observed in a resting state. The EGFR pre-allocated CCP subset was partially shared with that for ErbB2, whereas the EGFR and TfR pre-allocated CCP subsets were mutually exclusive. PICALM was necessary for the pre-allocation of CCPs for EGFR. Furthermore, EGFR dimerization was markedly elevated inside the pre-allocated CCP subset after dynamin recruitment. The pre-sorting function of CCPs provides an efficient mechanism to control competition and cooperation between receptors on the crowded plasma membrane.

One Sentence Summary

Clathrin-coated pits are small-sized organelles pre-sorting receptor kinds to modulate receptor activation on the crowded plasma membrane.
A Priori Activation of Apoptosis Pathways of Tumor (AAAPT) Technology: Sensitization of Tumor Cells Using Targeted and Cleavable Apoptosis Initiators in Gastric Cancer.
Authors: Pandurangi Raghu S , Wu Han , Li Yan ,   Wu Han and Li Yan
Published: December 2018

Cancer cells develop tactics to circumvent the interventions by desensitizing themselves to interventions. The principle route of desensitization includes activation of survival pathways (e.g. NF-kB, PARP) and downregulation of cell death pathways (e.g. CD95, ASK1). As a result, it requires high dose of therapy to induce cell death which, in turn damages normal cells through the collateral effects. Methods are needed to sensitize the low and non-responsive resistant tumor cells in order to evoke a better response from the current treatments. Current treatments including chemotherapy can induce cell death only in bulk cancer cells sparing low-responsive and resistant tumor cells. Here we report a novel tumor sensitizer derived from the natural Vitamin E analogue (AMP-001). The drug design is based on a novel “A priori activation of apoptosis pathways of tumor technology (AAAPT) which is designed to activate cell death pathways and inhibit survival pathways simultaneously. It involves an inbuilt targeting vector which targets tumor specific Cathepsin B, overexpressed by many cancers including gastric cancer. Our results indicate that AMP-001 sensitizes gastric cancer cells which resulted in expanding the therapeutic index of front-line chemotherapy doxorubicin both in vitro and in vivo nude mouse model. The synergy between AMP-001 and doxorubicin could pave a new pathway to use AMP-001 as a neoadjuvant to chemotherapy to achieve a better efficacy and reduced off-target toxicity.
Framework disorder and its effect on selective hysteretic sorption of a T-shaped azole-based metal–organic framework
Authors: Wang Sujuan , Wei Zhang-Wen , Zhang Jianyong , Jiang Long , Liu Dingxin , Jiang Ji-Jun , Si Rui , Su Cheng-Yong
Published: December 2018

Metal–organic frameworks with highly ordered porosity have been studied extensively. In this paper, the effect of framework (pore) disorder on the gas sorption of azole-based isoreticular Cu(II) MOFs with rtl topology and characteristic 1D tubular pore channels is investigated for the first time. In contrast to other isoreticular rtl metal–organic frameworks, the Cu(II) metal–organic framework based on 5-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)isophthalate acid has a crystallographically identifiable disordered framework without open N-donor sites. The framework provides a unique example for investigating the effect of pore disorder on gas sorption that can be systematically evaluated. It exhibits remarkable temperature-dependent hysteretic CO2 sorption up to room temperature, and shows selectivity of CO2 over H2, CH4 and N2 at ambient temperature. The unique property of the framework is its disordered structure featuring distorted 1D tubular channels and DMF-guest-remediated defects. The results imply that structural disorder (defects) may play an important role in the modification of the performance of the material.