bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatio-temporal Analysis of Precipitation data in the Poyang Lake Basin, China
Authors: Xiao Liying
Published: January 2020

The monthly precipitation data from 14 stations were used to research the precipitation variation in Poyang lake basin during 1957–2012. The Mann–Kendall method was applied to analysis precipitation trends. There are two main periods of 1964~1975 and 1986~1999 with increasing annual precipitations for this basin. There is a highest coefficient of variation of the annual precipitation in the north mountain area of the basin. There are significant increasing trends in annual precipitation for Lushan station and Zhangshu station which located in the north. Six stations in the north had the significant upward trend in summer and eleven stations had the significant upward trend in winter. It can be determined that the Poyang lake basin has become wetter in winter over the period 1957-2012.
Understanding prescription in language. A corpus-based approach
Authors: Kibbee Douglas A. , Craig Alan
Published: January 2020

We define prescription as any intervention in the way another person speaks. Long excluded from linguistics as unscientific, prescription is in fact a natural part of linguistic behavior. We seek to understand the logic and method of prescriptivism through the study of usage manuals: their authors, sources and audience; their social context; the categories of “errors” targeted; the justification for correction; the phrasing of prescription; the relationship between demonstrated usage and the usage prescribed; the effect of the prescription. Our corpus is a collection of about 30 usage manuals in the French tradition. Eventually we hope to create a database permitting easy comparison of these features.
A descent derivative-free algorithm for nonlinear monotone equations with convex constraints
Authors: Mohammad Hassan , Bala Abubakar Auwal
Published: January 2020

In this paper, we present a derivative-free algorithm for nonlinear monotone equations with convex constraints. The search direction is a product of a positive parameter and the negation of a residual vector. At each iteration step, the algorithm generates a descent direction independent from the line search used. Under appropriate assumptions, the global convergence of the algorithm is given. Numerical experiments show the algorithm has advantages over the recently proposed algorithms by Gao and He (Calcolo 55 (2018) 53) and Liu and Li (Comput. Math. App. 70 (2015) 2442–2453).
Design Thinking als Tool
Authors: Hantl-Merget Judith , Rittner Anna-Maria
Published: January 2020

New Work verändert die Zusammenarbeit grundlegend – vor allem zwischen Führungsebene und Basis. Ein wichtiger Ansatz ist hier Design Thinking: Er schafft Mitarbeitern einen Raum für Kreativität, in dem Neues entstehen kann.
A Case Study of Puerperal Group A Streptococcal Infection Complicated by Toxic Shock Syndrome
Authors: Olp Robert J. , Chamales Ingrid A. , Schmiedecke Stacey S.
Published: January 2020

Puerperal infection with group A streptococcus (GAS), Streptococcus pyogenes, is associated significant morbidity and mortality. When associated with toxic shock syndrome (TSS), mortality rates rise to approximately 50%. We present the case of a 32-year-old Para 2 reporting severe left distal lower extremity pain, fevers, and chills at 1 week following an uncomplicated vaginal delivery. The patient's clinical status rapidly decompensated to septic shock requiring transfer to the intensive care unit. She underwent anterior and lateral compartment fasciotomy of the left lower extremity for concerns of possible necrotizing soft tissue infection. Final blood cultures confirmed GAS infection with unclear primary source, though endometritis was favored. She required additional orthopaedic procedures including an arthroscopy with washout for contralateral septic arthritis and myositis before her discharge on hospital day 19. She obtained a near-full recovery complicated by poor wound healing and permanent left foot drop. While GAS remains a rare puerperal event, obstetricians should recall there is a 20-fold increased incidence among postpartum women. Progression to TSS is associated with very poor prognosis and hysterectomy is often necessary. Favorable outcomes in GAS with or without TTS hinge on astute clinical suspicion, aggressive fluid resuscitation, early antibiotic therapy, and source control.
The Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Evaluation of Knee Pathology
Authors: Garwood Elisabeth R. , Tai Ryan , Joshi Ganesh , Watts V George J.
Published: January 2020

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds the potential to revolutionize the field of radiology by increasing the efficiency and accuracy of both interpretive and noninterpretive tasks. We have only just begun to explore AI applications in the diagnostic evaluation of knee pathology. Experimental algorithms have already been developed that can assess the severity of knee osteoarthritis from radiographs, detect and classify cartilage lesions, meniscal tears, and ligament tears on magnetic resonance imaging, provide automatic quantitative assessment of tendon healing, detect fractures on radiographs, and predict those at highest risk for recurrent bone tumors. This article reviews and summarizes the most current literature.
Non-scattering energies for acoustic-type equations on manifolds with a single flat end
Authors: Morioka Hisashi , Shoji Naotaka
Published: January 2020

In this paper, we consider the scattering theory for acoustic-type equations on non-compact manifolds with a single flat end. Our main purpose is to show an existence result of non-scattering energies. Precisely, we show a Weyl-type lower bound for the number of non-scattering energies. Usually, a scattered wave occurs for every incident wave by the inhomogeneity of the media. However, there may exist suitable wavenumbers and patterns of incident waves such that the corresponding scattered wave vanishes. We call (the square of) this wavenumber a non-scattering energy in this paper. The problem of non-scattering energies can be reduced to a well-known interior transmission eigenvalue problem.
Crystallization of bismuth iron garnet thin films using capacitively coupled oxygen plasmas
Authors: Jeffery R. D. , Sharda R. , Woodward R. C. , Faraone L. , Martyniuk M.
Published: January 2020

It is demonstrated for the first time that amorphous bismuth iron garnet films can be crystallized within capacitively coupled oxygen plasmas at temperatures approximately 100 °C lower than required using conventional thermal annealing. We characterize the plasma optical emissions at high pressures (2 Torr–5 Torr) and high rf powers (500 W–800 W) and show that film crystallization is nevertheless related to thermal conditions generated in the plasma. It is demonstrated that these thermal conditions are related to the concentration of the dominant oxygen species O and O+ in the plasma, which, in turn, are a function of the rf power and pressure. The plasma treated garnet Faraday rotation and optical transmission are shown to be comparable with conventional oven or rapid thermal annealing.
Spin current propagation through ultra-thin insulating layers in multilayered ferromagnetic systems
Authors: Swindells C. , Hindmarch A. T. , Gallant A. J. , Atkinson D.
Published: January 2020

Spin current pumping from a ferromagnet through an insulating layer into a heavy metal was studied in a CoFeB/SiO2/Pt system in relation to the thickness and interfacial structure of the insulating layer. The propagation of spin current from the ferromagnet into the heavy metal falls rapidly with sub-nanometer thicknesses of SiO2 and is suppressed beyond a nominal thickness of 2 nm. Structural analysis shows that SiO2 only forms a complete barrier layer beyond around 2 nm, indicating that the presence of a discontinuous insulating barrier, and not tunneling or diffusion, explains the main observations of spin-pumping with thin insulating layers.
A broad range frequency measurement method for continuous and pulsed THz waves
Authors: Qi Xin , Xiao Houxiu , Han Xiaotao , Wang Zhenxing , Xia Donghui , Wang Pengbo , Li Liang
Published: January 2020

This paper proposes a method to measure the frequency of terahertz (THz) waves based on the Zeeman effect and the high magnetic field technology with a wideband range from 60 GHz to 3 THz. As the frequency of THz waves absorbed by the sample is linear to the magnetic field in the Zeeman effect, the frequency can be measured by the magnetic field strength. A comparison study of THz frequency measurement was carried out in two magnet systems (a superconducting one and a pulsed one) to investigate the performance in two kinds of high magnetic fields. The experimental results of 60–700 GHz show that this method has high resolution (about 0.001%), excellent linearity, and good repeatability. Moreover, the proposed method can measure polychromatic signals simultaneously as well as the single pulse frequency in the order of tens of microseconds.
Construction of an n-body Fe–Cu potential and its application in atomistic modeling of Fe–Cu solid solutions
Authors: Shen Y. J. , Liu L. C. , Mi S. T. , Gong H. R. , Zhou S. F.
Published: January 2020

By means of the embedded-atom method, a Fe–Cu potential has been constructed through a newly mathematic form of cross potential. The newly constructed Fe–Cu potential has demonstrated to be more reliable than the five reported Fe–Cu potentials. Based on the Fe–Cu potential, the mechanical and thermodynamic properties and the structural stability of Fe–Cu solid solutions in the whole composition range are derived by molecular dynamics simulation. It is found that the heat of formation curves of the FexCu100 − x solid solutions with body-centered-cubic (BCC) and face-centered-cubic (FCC) structures intersect at the point of x = 65, implying that FexCu100 − x solid solutions with FCC and BCC structures are thermodynamically stable when 0 ≤ x ≤ 65 and 65 < x ≤ 100, respectively. In addition, the derived lattice constants, structural stability, elastic constants, elastic moduli, heat capacity, and coefficients of thermal expansion of Fe–Cu solid solutions from the new Fe–Cu potential agree well with the data of the experiments, first-principles calculation, and the Miedema model.
Directed assembly and micro-manipulation of passive particles at fluid interfaces via capillarity using a magnetic micro-robot
Authors: Yao Tianyi , Chisholm Nicholas G. , Steager Edward B. , Stebe Kathleen J.
Published: January 2020

Controlled assembly of microscale objects can be achieved by exploiting interactions that dominate at that length scale. Capillary interactions are an excellent candidate for this purpose; microparticles trapped at fluid interfaces disturb the interface shape, migrate, and assemble to minimize the interfacial area. These interactions are independent of microparticle material properties and so can be used to assemble objects of arbitrary materials. By using a magnetic robot as a mobile distortion source, additional control over assembly can be achieved. For example, millimeter-scale magnetic robots that are heavy enough to distort the interface have been used to generate long range capillary attractions and collect passive particles that are hundreds of micrometers in diameter. However, for smaller robots and particles, gravity is less important, and capillary interactions rely on interface distortions from undulated contact lines. We use a magnetic microrobot to manipulate passive microparticles at the water/hexadecane interface via an interplay of hydrodynamic and capillary interactions. Furthermore, we demonstrate preferred docking at corners of a square microrobot without the need for high resolution position control. We modulate the strength of docking interactions, allowing structure assembly and release. Finally, we design undulated docking stations with multiple stable sites for cargo delivery. The ability to dynamically manipulate microparticles and their structures at fluid interfaces creates new possibilities for manufacturing of complex microstructures.
Magnetic phase and magneto-resistive effects in vanadium oxide epitaxial nanoclusters
Authors: Kengni-Zanguim Brice , Joly Loïc , Scheurer Fabrice , Ohresser Philippe , Dayen Jean-François , Ulhaq-Bouillet Corinne , Uzan Joseph , Kundys Bohdan , Majjad Hicham , Halley David
Published: January 2020

The metal-insulator transition and the original magnetic phase that appear in vanadium oxide nanoclusters epitaxially embedded in an MgO matrix are studied via electron transport, magneto-resistance, and X-ray circular dichroism measurements. The metal-insulator transition temperature is observed to be in the range of 1.5–27 K. We observe, from 0.3 K to at least 125 K, a superparamagnetic behavior, whereas vanadium oxide, in its bulk phase, is reported to be anti-ferromagnetic (AF) at low temperatures. This striking feature is consistent with either ferromagnetic spin pairing or spin canting in the AF spin order along the 1D vanadium ion chains of the Magnéli phase or for the VO2(A)-like phase. Finally, the observed magneto-resistive effect, which reached up to 8% at low temperatures, indicates ferromagnetic behavior for some of the nanoparticles. This enables their integration in spintronic devices that could be combined with metal-insulator switching and magneto-resistive effects.
The catalytic nature of protein aggregation
Authors: Dear Alexander J. , Meisl Georg , Michaels Thomas C. T. , Zimmermann Manuela R. , Linse Sara , Knowles Tuomas P. J.
Published: January 2020

The formation of amyloid fibrils from soluble peptide is a hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Characterization of the microscopic reaction processes that underlie these phenomena have yielded insights into the progression of such diseases and may inform rational approaches for the design of drugs to halt them. Experimental evidence suggests that most of these reaction processes are intrinsically catalytic in nature and may display enzymelike saturation effects under conditions typical of biological systems, yet a unified modeling framework accounting for these saturation effects is still lacking. In this paper, we therefore present a universal kinetic model for biofilament formation in which every fundamental process in the reaction network can be catalytic. The single closed-form expression derived is capable of describing with high accuracy a wide range of mechanisms of biofilament formation and providing the first integrated rate law of a system in which multiple reaction processes are saturated. Moreover, its unprecedented mathematical simplicity permits us to very clearly interpret the effects of increasing saturation on the overall kinetics. The effectiveness of the model is illustrated by fitting it to the data of in vitro Aβ40 aggregation. Remarkably, we find that primary nucleation becomes saturated, demonstrating that it must be heterogeneous, occurring at interfaces and not in solution.
Engineered fluidic systems to understand lymphatic cancer metastasis
Authors: Greenlee Joshua D. , King Michael R.
Published: January 2020

The majority of all cancers metastasize initially through the lymphatic system. Despite this, the mechanisms of lymphogenous metastasis remain poorly understood and understudied compared to hematogenous metastasis. Over the past few decades, microfluidic devices have been used to model pathophysiological processes and drug interactions in numerous contexts. These devices carry many advantages over traditional 2D in vitro systems, allowing for better replication of in vivo microenvironments. This review highlights prominent fluidic devices used to model the stages of cancer metastasis via the lymphatic system, specifically within lymphangiogenesis, vessel permeability, tumor cell chemotaxis, transendothelial migration, lymphatic circulation, and micrometastases within the lymph nodes. In addition, we present perspectives for the future roles that microfluidics might play within these settings and beyond.
Thermal properties of carbon nitride toward use as an electrode in phase change memory devices
Authors: Aryana K. , Gaskins J. T. , Nag J. , Read J. C. , Olson D. H. , Grobis M. K. , Hopkins P. E.
Published: January 2020

In phase change memory cells, the majority of heat is lost through the electrodes during the programming process, which leads to significant drops in the performance of the memory device. In this Letter, we report on the thermal properties of thin film carbon nitride with a modest electrical resistivity of 5–10 mΩ cm, a low thermal conductivity of 1.47 ± 0.09 W m−1 K–1, and a low interfacial thermal conductance between carbon nitride and phase change material for length scales below 40 nm. The thermally insulating property of carbon nitride makes it a suitable thermal barrier, allowing for less heat loss during Joule heating within the memory unit. We compare the thermal properties of carbon nitride against the commonly used electrodes and insulators such as tungsten and silicon nitride, respectively, to demonstrate the promise of carbon nitride as a potential material candidate for electrode applications in phase change memory devices.
First-principles prediction of the native filament:dielectric interfaces for the possible filamentary switching mechanism in chalcogenide selector devices
Authors: Li Huanglong , Chen Wenduo
Published: January 2020

Chalcogenide selector devices are key components of the high-density cross-point memory/memristor arrays. However, their threshold switching mechanism remains elusive. Apart from the commonly cited purely electronic models, the filamentary models have recently been supported by experiment. In the context of filamentary switching, we study the native filament:dielectric interfaces in typical selector materials, namely, GeSe and SiTe. Local crystallization induced filaments and electrochemically induced filaments are considered. The filament:dielectric contacts are found to have low n-type and p-type Schottky barriers for GeSe and SiTe, respectively. The filamentary mechanism and purely electronic mechanism can be synergetic: thermal excitation of carriers from the filament to the host dielectric can induce electronic and structural changes of the host dielectric, which may in turn facilitate the growth of filament. This work promotes the understanding of filamentary-type switching in chalcogenide selector devices.
Benchmark ab initio calculations on intermolecular structures and the exciton character of poly(p-phenylenevinylene) dimers
Authors: Nieman Reed , Aquino Adelia J. A. , Lischka Hans
Published: January 2020

Benchmark ab initio calculations have been performed for poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) dimers, a paradigmatic material for studying excitation energy transfer mechanisms. Second-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory was utilized with the scaled opposite spin approach (SOS-MP2) and correlation consistent basis sets to determine the geometric properties and interaction energies in the ground state. Vertical excitations and optimized structures for the S1 state were computed using the SOS second-order algebraic diagrammatic construction method. For the ground state properties, extrapolation to the complete basis set (CBS) limit and correction for the basis set superposition error (BSSE) were performed. While all results computed with different basis sets and considering BSSE correction or not agreed at the CBS limit, a strong bias was observed either using augmented basis sets or BSSE corrections, proving that these approaches are not advisable for calculating intermolecular distances and interaction energies with smaller basis sets. The lower states for vertical excitations were largely local excitons where the hole/electron pair was confined to single chains. For higher excited states, interchain charge transfer (CT) states were also observed. Geometry optimization of the S1 state led to significant reductions in the intermolecular distances and energetic stabilization, with Stokes shifts between 1.4 eV and 0.9 eV (with increasing chain length), and significant CT values between 0.5e and 0.4e.
The reaction of propylene to propylene-oxide on CeO2: An FTIR spectroscopy and temperature programmed desorption study
Authors: M. Bashir S. , Idriss H.
Published: January 2020

The potential of CeO2 as an epoxidation catalyst is studied for the reaction of propylene with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and temperature programmed desorption (TPD). Adsorption and decomposition of H2O2 and propylene oxide (PO) are also explored to determine their surface chemistry and thermal stability. Hydrogen peroxide adsorbed dissociatively on CeO2 forming adsorbed peroxo (O—O) species, as observed through vibrational features at 890 cm−1 and (830–855) cm−1 (FTIR). The signal at 890 cm−1 disappeared when a pulse of propylene was passed through the catalyst, and at the same time, adsorbed PO was observed (a sharp IR mode at 827 cm−1; ring deformation). The reaction between gas phase propylene and adsorbed peroxide species suggested the Eley–Rideal type mechanism. The absence of a ring opening reaction of PO at room temperature may indicate that CeO2 can be a suitable oxide for epoxidation of hydrocarbons. PO started to decompose above 323 K, as observed from FTIR and TPD results. TPD spectra of PO show its desorption at 365 K, with a small fraction decomposing into acetaldehyde and formaldehyde due to partial decomposition, while CO2 and CO are released at higher temperatures. Adsorbed acetate, formate, and carbonate species, formed due to further reactions of aldehydes, are observed during the thermal reaction (FTIR).
Melts of single-chain nanoparticles: A neutron scattering investigation
Authors: Arbe Arantxa , Rubio Jon , Malo de Molina Paula , Maiz Jon , Pomposo José A. , Fouquet Peter , Prevost Sylvain , Juranyi Fanni , Khaneft Marina , Colmenero Juan
Published: January 2020

The impact of purely intramolecular cross-linking on the properties of a polymer melt is studied by neutron diffraction and quasielastic incoherent and coherent neutron scattering on a system composed exclusively of single-chain nanoparticles. As a reference, a parallel study is presented on the melt of the linear precursor chains’ counterpart. Associated with structural heterogeneities provoked by the internal compartmentalization due to cross-links, a dramatic slowing down of the relaxation of density fluctuations is observed at intermediate length scales.
Wavelength tuning in the purple wavelengths using strain-controlled AlxGa1–xN/GaN disk-in-wire structures
Authors: Chung Kunook , Pandey Ayush , Sarwar Tuba , Aiello Anthony , Mi Zetian , Bhattacharya Pallab , Ku Pei-Cheng
Published: January 2020

AlxGa1–xN/GaN disk-in-wire polar nanostructures were fabricated, and their optical properties were studied. Wavelength tuning was observed by locally controlling the strain in each nanopillar via its diameter. The measured wavelength shift was in an excellent agreement with a one-dimensional strain relaxation model considering only the elastic and piezoelectric properties of the material. The inhomogeneous broadening decreases and internal quantum efficiency increases with a decreasing nanopillar diameter. The potential extension of strain-induced wavelength tuning across ultraviolet through near infrared was also discussed.
Nanoscale fluorination opens the door to tunable bandgap graphene and new moiré structures
Authors: Bandari Anashe
Published: January 2020

An electron beam activated fluorination process helps researchers directly write tunable bandgap structures onto graphene and demonstrates a previously unseen rectangular moiré structure.
Analysis of the uterine flush fluid proteome of healthy mares and mares with endometritis or fibrotic endometrial degeneration
Authors: Diel de Amorim Mariana , Khan Firdous A. , Chenier Tracey S. , Scholtz Elizabeth L. , Hayes M. Anthony
Published: January 2020

The objective of this study was to evaluate the differences in the uterine flush fluid proteome between healthy mares and mares with endometritis or fibrotic endometrial degeneration (FED). Uterine flush fluid samples were collected from healthy mares (n=8; oestrus n=5 and dioestrus n=3) and mares with endometritis (n=23; oestrus n=14 and dioestrus n=9) or FED (n=7; oestrus n=6 and dioestrus n=1). Proteomic analysis was performed using label-free liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Of 216 proteins identified during oestrus, 127 were common to all three groups, one protein was exclusively detected in healthy mares, 47 proteins were exclusively detected in mares with endometritis and four proteins were exclusively detected in mares with FED. Of 188 proteins identified during dioestrus, 113 proteins were common between healthy mares and mares with endometritis, eight proteins were exclusively detected in healthy mares and 67 proteins were exclusively detected in mares with endometritis. Quantitative analysis revealed a subset of proteins differing in abundance between the three groups during oestrus and between healthy mares and mares with endometritis during dioestrus. These results provide a springboard for evaluation of specific proteins as biomarkers of uterine health and disease and for investigation of their roles in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy.
Conservative and disruptive modes of adolescent change in human brain functional connectivity
Authors: Váša František , Romero-Garcia Rafael , Kitzbichler Manfred G. , Seidlitz Jakob , Whitaker Kirstie J. , Vaghi Matilde M. , Kundu Prantik , Patel Ameera X. , Fonagy Peter , Dolan Raymond J. , Jones Peter B. , Goodyer Ian M. ,   the NSPN Consortium, Vértes Petra E. , Bullmore Edward T. , Bullmore Edward , Dolan Raymond , Goodyer Ian , Fonagy Peter , Jones Peter , Moutoussis Michael , Hauser Tobias , Neufeld Sharon , Romero-Garcia Rafael , St Clair Michelle , Vértes Petra , Whitaker Kirstie , Inkster Becky , Prabhu Gita , Ooi Cinly , Toseeb Umar , Widmer Barry , Bhatti Junaid , Villis Laura , Alrumaithi Ayesha , Birt Sarah , Bowler Aislinn , Cleridou Kalia , Dadabhoy Hina , Davies Emma , Firkins Ashlyn , Granville Sian , Harding Elizabeth , Hopkins Alexandra , Isaacs Daniel , King Janchai , Kokorikou Danae , Maurice Christina , McIntosh Cleo , Memarzia Jessica , Mills Harriet , O’Donnell Ciara , Pantaleone Sara , Scott Jenny , Fearon Pasco , Suckling John , van Harmelen Anne-Laura , Kievit Rogier
Published: January 2020

Adolescent changes in human brain function are not entirely understood. Here, we used multiecho functional MRI (fMRI) to measure developmental change in functional connectivity (FC) of resting-state oscillations between pairs of 330 cortical regions and 16 subcortical regions in 298 healthy adolescents scanned 520 times. Participants were aged 14 to 26 y and were scanned on 1 to 3 occasions at least 6 mo apart. We found 2 distinct modes of age-related change in FC: “conservative” and “disruptive.” Conservative development was characteristic of primary cortex, which was strongly connected at 14 y and became even more connected in the period from 14 to 26 y. Disruptive development was characteristic of association cortex and subcortical regions, where connectivity was remodeled: connections that were weak at 14 y became stronger during adolescence, and connections that were strong at 14 y became weaker. These modes of development were quantified using the maturational index (MI), estimated as Spearman’s correlation between edgewise baseline FC (at 14 y,

F

C

14

) and adolescent change in FC (

Δ
F

C

14
−
26

), at each region. Disruptive systems (with negative MI) were activated by social cognition and autobiographical memory tasks in prior fMRI data and significantly colocated with prior maps of aerobic glycolysis (AG), AG-related gene expression, postnatal cortical surface expansion, and adolescent shrinkage of cortical thickness. The presence of these 2 modes of development was robust to numerous sensitivity analyses. We conclude that human brain organization is disrupted during adolescence by remodeling of FC between association cortical and subcortical areas.
Fire synchronizes flowering and boosts reproduction in a widespread but declining prairie species
Authors: Wagenius Stuart , Beck Jared , Kiefer Gretel
Published: January 2020

Fire is an important determinant of habitat structure and biodiversity across ecosystems worldwide. In fire-dependent communities, similar to the North American prairie, fire suppression contributes to local plant extinctions. Yet the demographic mechanisms responsible for species loss have not been directly investigated. We conducted a 21-y longitudinal study of 778 individual plants ofEchinacea angustifolia, a widespread perennial species with chronically limited mating opportunities, to explore how fire affects reproduction. In a large preserve, with management units on different burn schedules, we investigatedEchinaceamating scenes, which quantify isolation from potential mates and overlap in the timing of flowering, to determine the extent to which fire influences the potential for sexual reproduction. We demonstrate that fire consistently increased mating opportunities by synchronizing reproductive effort. Each fire occurred during fall or spring and stimulated flowering in the subsequent summer, thus synchronizing reproduction among years and increasing the proximity of potential mates after a fire. Greater within-season flowering synchrony in postfire mating scenes further increased mating potential. The improved postfire mating scene enhanced reproduction by increasing pollination efficiency. Seed set in scenes postfire exceeded other scenes by 55%, and annual fecundity nearly doubled (88% increase). We predict the reproductive benefits of synchronized flowering after fire can alleviate mate-finding Allee effects, promote population growth, and forestall local extirpation in small populations ofEchinaceaand many other prairie species. Furthermore, the synchronization of flowering by burning may improve mating opportunities, reproduction, and the likelihood of persistence for many other plant species in fire-dependent habitats.
Serotonergic afferents from the dorsal raphe decrease the excitability of pyramidal neurons in the anterior piriform cortex
Authors: Wang Dejuan , Wang Xiaojie , Liu Penglai , Jing Siqi , Du Han , Zhang Lingzhi , Jia Fan , Li Anan
Published: January 2020

The olfactory system receives extensive serotonergic inputs from the dorsal raphe, a nucleus involved in control of behavior, regulation of mood, and modulation of sensory processing. Although many studies have investigated how serotonin modulates the olfactory bulb, few have focused on the anterior piriform cortex (aPC), a region important for olfactory learning and encoding of odor identity and intensity. Specifically, the mechanism and functional significance of serotonergic modulation of the aPC remain largely unknown. Here we used pharmacologic, optogenetic, and fiber photometry techniques to examine the serotonergic modulation of neural activity in the aPC in vitro and in vivo. We found that serotonin (5-HT) reduces the excitability of pyramidal neurons directly via 5-HT2Creceptors, phospholipase C, and calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels. Furthermore, endogenous serotonin attenuates odor-evoked calcium responses in aPC pyramidal neurons. These findings identify the mechanism underlying serotonergic modulation of the aPC and shed light on its potential role.
A precisely positioned MED12 activation helix stimulates CDK8 kinase activity
Authors: Klatt Felix , Leitner Alexander , Kim Iana V. , Ho-Xuan Hung , Schneider Elisabeth V. , Langhammer Franziska , Weinmann Robin , Müller Melanie R. , Huber Robert , Meister Gunter , Kuhn Claus-D.
Published: January 2020

The Mediator kinase module regulates eukaryotic transcription by phosphorylating transcription-related targets and by modulating the association of Mediator and RNA polymerase II. The activity of its catalytic core, cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8), is controlled by Cyclin C and regulatory subunit MED12, with its deregulation contributing to numerous malignancies. Here, we combine in vitro biochemistry, cross-linking coupled to mass spectrometry, and in vivo studies to describe the binding location of the N-terminal segment of MED12 on the CDK8/Cyclin C complex and to gain mechanistic insights into the activation of CDK8 by MED12. Our data demonstrate that the N-terminal portion of MED12 wraps around CDK8, whereby it positions an “activation helix” close to the T-loop of CDK8 for its activation. Intriguingly, mutations in the activation helix that are frequently found in cancers do not diminish the affinity of MED12 for CDK8, yet likely alter the exact positioning of the activation helix. Furthermore, we find the transcriptome-wide gene-expression changes in human cells that result from a mutation in the MED12 activation helix to correlate with deregulated genes in breast and colon cancer. Finally, functional assays in the presence of kinase inhibitors reveal that binding of MED12 remodels the active site of CDK8 and thereby precludes the inhibition of ternary CDK8 complexes by type II kinase inhibitors. Taken together, our results not only allow us to propose a revised model of how CDK8 activity is regulated by MED12, but also offer a path forward in developing small molecules that target CDK8 in its MED12-bound form.
Tetraspanins TSP-12 and TSP-14 function redundantly to regulate the trafficking of the type II BMP receptor in
Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Liu Zhiyu , Shi Herong , Nzessi Anthony K. , Norris Anne , Grant Barth D. , Liu Jun
Published: January 2020

Significance

Tetraspanins are a unique family of eukaryotic 4-pass transmembrane proteins. However, their functions in vivo are poorly understood. We find that 2 tetraspanins that share redundant functions are primarily localized to endosomes, which are major sorting centers for membrane proteins and lipids within the cell. We show that these 2 tetraspanins regulate the recycling of the type II receptor of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathway. In their absence, the BMP type II receptor is mistargeted to lysosomes, leading to reduced cell-surface levels available to receive extracellular signals. Our work highlights the importance of tetraspanin-mediated intracellular trafficking in regulating BMP signaling in vivo, and suggests a similar mode of action for the mammalian counterparts of these 2 tetraspanins.
Adsorption performance of Ag/Fe3O4/ZrO2 composite decorated with graphene toward methylene blue dye
Authors: Kristianto Y , Taufik A , Saleh R
Published: January 2020

Use of carbon-based materials, such as graphene, has drawn attention in the wastewater treatment field because of their high specific surface area. This property of graphene suggested that it had superior adsorption characteristics for removing contaminant dyes from aqueous solutions. Based on this precept, we wanted to enhance the adsorption ability of the Ag/Fe3O4/ZrO2 photocatalyst by adding graphene, using the co-precipitation method for synthesis. The crystal structure of as-prepared specimen was characterized using X-ray diffraction, which confirmed the existence of tetragonal phase ZrO2, cubic spinel phase Fe3O4 and cubic phase Ag. Unfortunately, the graphene characteristic peak could not be detected by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Thermal gravimetric analysis showed that mass degradation below 150 °C could be attributed to the loss of bound water from the surface of the ZrO2. Mass degradation at 340 °C could be attributed to the combustion process of graphene, which indicated the presence of graphene in the prepared samples. The synthesized samples were utilized for the uptake of methylene blue (MB) as a model of an organic pollutant. The results that were obtained showed that the inclusion of graphene increased the ability of Fe3O4/ZrO2 adsorption. Increases in the weight percentage of graphene increased the adsorption ability of the samples. The best adsorption occurred in alkaline pH conditions. The experimental data could be fitted better using the Langmuir model than it could using the Freundlich model. Finally, as-prepared samples showed good stability, even after four cycles of reuse.
Effect of Ni doping on the structural and optical properties of TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by co-precipitation method
Authors: Cahyaningsih D , Taufik A , Saleh R
Published: January 2020

In this study, Ni-doped TiO2 nanoparticles with different dopant concentrations were fabricated using coprecipitation. The chemical compositions, and structural and optical properties were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and UV-VIS diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Identification of paramagnetic species was conducted using electron spin resonance (ESR). The XRD pattern shows that only a single phase of anatase appeared because Ni2+ has a similar ionic radius to that of Ti4+ and replaced some of the Ti4+ ions in the TiO2 lattice. The crystallite size decreased with increasing Ni content. This phenomenon probably arises from the introduction of Ni2+ ions which decreased crystalline growth. The UV-VIS diffuse reflectance spectra showed that the UV absorption moved to a longer wavelength (red shift) and the band gap energy decreased. This caused the doped Ni atoms to form a localized energy state below the conduction band of the TiO2 lattice. The ESR studies on the Ni-doped TiO2 nanoparticles revealed the presence of Ni2+, Ti3+, and oxygen defects in all samples.
Theoretical study on production of stable and radioactive isotopes from proton irradiated sodium chloride
Authors: Kambali I
Published: January 2020

The search for new radioactive isotopes has been on the rise due to high demands of positron-emitting radionuclides applicable for positron emission tomography (PET) modality in nuclear medicine. In this investigation, proton irradiations of sodium chloride (NaCl) were theoretically highlighted, including discussion on stable and radioactive isotopes produced during proton bombardment of the NaCl target. TALYS 2015-Calculated results indicated that 23Mg, 20Ne, 32S, 35Ar, 37Ar and 34S were expectedly produced following NaCl irradiation with 11 MeV protons. More isotopes such as 22Na, 34mCl, 36Cl and 36Ar were generated when the proton energy was increased to 26.5 MeV. Positron emitting radionuclides were found to dominate.
Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using the leaf and stem bark of Diospyros discolor Willd. (Ebenaceae)
Authors: Nurfadilah M , Suffan W , Secario K , Handayani W , Imawan C
Published: January 2020

The synthesis of nanoparticles using parts of plants is extremely attractive because it is environmentally friendly. This study examined the suitability of the leaf and stem bark extracts of the plant Diospyros discolor for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles. The reaction could be monitored by visual examination, because the formation of silver nanoparticles was accompanied by a color change of the solution. The characterization of silver nanoparticles was performed using UV–visible, particle size analyzer, and transmission electron microscopy analyses. We observed that the process of nucleation of the silver nanoparticles required several hours. The biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using the stem bark extract was faster than that using the leaf extract. In addition, the volume ratio of the extracts and AgNO3 solutions greatly affected the yield of silver nanoparticles. This effect was more significant in the case of the leaf extract. This biosynthesis successfully afforded spherical silver nanoparticles of about 30 nm in diameter, which were relatively stable on the basis of zeta potential measurements.
LaMnO3/ZnO/NGP composite: synthesis, characterization and its application for wastewater treatment
Authors: Susanti Y D , Afifah N , Saleh R
Published: January 2020

A series of LaMnO3/ZnO/NGP samples was successfully synthesized using co-precipitation method in 3 weight percentage of nanographene platelets (NGP) on LaMnO3/ZnO (3, 5, 10 wt.%). The structure of the sample was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The morphology and element structure of the sample was studied by Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, respectively. The thermal stability of the sample was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The XRD pattern confirmed the following structures: orthorhombic for LaMnO3 nanoparticles, hexagonal wurtzite for ZnO nanoparticles and graphitic like for NGP. The samples were tested for methylene blue (MB) removal and they show successful results in wastewater treatment through the adsorption test. The removal of MB was investigated by changing experimental variables such as the LaMnO3/ZnO/NGP dosage, the weight percentage of NGP on LaMnO3/ZnO and initial MB concentration. The experimental analysis of adsorption kinetics was best fit using pseudo second-order and Langmuir kinetic model. The increasing weight ratio of NGP shows higher adsorption of MB. Among the three different synthesized weight ratio of NGP in LaMnO3/ZnO (3, 5, 10 wt.%), 10 wt.% of NGP on LaMnO3/ZnO shows the maximum adsorption capacity than others.
Stock portfolio optimization using priority index and genetic algorithm
Authors: Vasiani V D , Handari B D , Hertono G F
Published: January 2020

Stock portfolio is a kind of investment which consists of several stocks. The aim of a stock portfolio is to minimize the risk of an investment and maximize the return on investment. To construct the optimum portfolio of stocks, one needs a strategy of stock selection and must determine the percentage of investment in each stock selected. In this paper, both the priority index method and genetic algorithm are applied to optimize the stock portfolios in terms of the return. Priority index is used in stock selection based on some parameters: price/earnings (P/E), earnings/share (EPS), wealth creation, undervaluation, and price per earnings/growth (PEG). Stock selection in each sector is determined by choosing the stocks which have a priority index score at least equal to the minimum priority index score of the selected stocks. The minimum priority index score of the selected stock is determined by using a certain scale parameter. The percentage of investment in each selected stock is then determined by using a genetic algorithm. The results showed that increasing the value of scale parameters does not always increase the average return. Moreover, the stock selection with a wealth creation parameter has a higher average return than without a wealth creation parameter. Stock selection using daily data has a higher average return than annual data. The results also showed that the method has an optimum period of up to five months to make an investment decision.
Construction of parametric equation for equilateral triangle vertices with integer coordinates
Authors: Yumia M , Tasman H
Published: January 2020

In this paper we explore equilateral triangles with integer coordinates vertices lying on the plane a x + b y + c z = 0 where coefficients a, b, c satisfy the Diophantine equation a2
+ b2 + c2 = 3d2
for some integer!. If the plane is translated with any integer translation vector, we find planes which also containing equilateral triangles with integer coordinates vertices. Based on that knowledge from some previous studies, another parametric equations for integer coordinates vertices of equilateral triangle in ℝ3 are constructed.
Catalytic conversion of citronellal to citronellol over skeletal Ni catalyst
Authors: Sudiyarmanto S , Adilina I B , Aditya R R , Sukandar D , Tursiloadi S
Published: January 2020

Catalytic conversion of citronellal to citronellol was performed via hydrogenation over skeletal Ni catalyst. The reaction parameters applied include variation of reactant-catalyst ratio, reaction temperature, pressure, and time. Citronellal 78 % obtained from the fractionation of citronella oil was used as the reactant. The reaction was carried out using reactant-catalyst ratio of 1:5 % and 1:10 % at temperatures of 100 °C, 150 °C and 200 °C and pressure of 10 bar, 15 bar and 20 bar for 1 and 3 hours. Results show that the optimum reaction condition was at 100 °C with reactant-catalyst ratio of 1:10 % under pressure of 20 bar for 1 hour giving 100 % conversion of citronellal, 51.78 % yield of citronellol and 40.39 % selectivity.
Non-fecal and fecal coliform tests of ready-to-eat food and drinks using fluorogenic and chromogenic media
Authors: Naratama M R , Santoso I
Published: January 2020

The aim of this research was to assess the microbiological quality of ready-to-eat foods and drinks. Fifteen samples were enriched in buffered peptone water (BPW) before tested for the presence of coliforms using two chromogenic media (Chromocult Coliform Agar-Enhanced Selectivity (CCA-ES) and Harlequin E. coli agar (HEC)) and a fluorogenic medium (Readycult Coliform 100 (RC 100)) at 37°C. Results showed that all samples contained non-Escherichia. coli coliforms and 12 of them contained Escherichia coli. Twelve E. coli strains and 15 non-E. coli coliform isolates were isolated. Fecal coliform tests showed that the isolated E. coli from 12 samples were of fecal origin while only 7 out of 15 coliform isolates were fecal non-E. coli coliforms.
A simple, cost-effective and rapid method for simultaneous determination of Strychnos nux-vomica alkaloids in blood and Ayurvedic medicines based on ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction–thin-layer chromatography-image analysis
Authors: Jain Rajeev , Tripathi Rohitashva Mani , Negi Archna , Singh Shishir Pratap
Published: January 2020

A simple, rapid, cost-effective and green analytical method is developed based on ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (US-DLLME) coupled to thin-layer chromatography (TLC)-image analysis for the simultaneous determination of two major alkaloids of Strychnos nux-vomica L i.e., strychnine and brucine. The method is composed of three steps, namely (i) US-DLLME by injecting a mixture of 100-μL chloroform (extraction solvent) and 1-mL methanol (disperser solvent) in 5 mL of aqueous sample, followed by ultrasonication and centrifugation, (ii) TLC of 20 μL of sedimented phase with methanol: ammonia (100:1.5, v/v) as the mobile phase and visualization under ultraviolet radiation (254 nm) and (iii) photography of TLC plate and quantification of spots by image analysis using freely available imageJ software (National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA). The limit of detection and limit of quantification for both alkaloids were found to be in the range of 0.12–0.15 and 0.36–0.48 μg/spot, respectively. The method was found to be linear in the range of 0.5–5 μg/spot with correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.995 and 0.997 for strychnine and brucine, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied for the determination of strychnine and brucine in Ayurvedic formulations and blood samples. The method does not require any sophisticated instrument and handling skills and can be adopted for rapid analysis of strychnine and brucine in forensic toxicological laboratories.
Orally Administered Human Immunoglobulin Therapy for Norovirus Enteritis in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Case Series at a Single Academic Transplant Center
Authors: Nussbaum Eliezer Z , Azar Marwan M , Cohen Elizabeth , McManus Dayna , Topal Jeffrey E , Malinis Maricar
Published: January 2020

Norovirus enteritis can cause intractable diarrhea in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients, for which there are no established treatments. We reviewed medical records of 9 SOT recipients at our center who received orally administered human immunoglobulin for norovirus enteritis, and it appeared to be an effective treatment modality.