bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conceptual design of the time-of-flight backscattering spectrometer, MIRACLES, at the European Spallation Source
Authors: Tsapatsaris N. , Lechner R. E. , Markó M. , Bordallo H. N.
Published: August 2016

In this work, we present the conceptual design of the backscattering time-of-flight spectrometer MIRACLES approved for construction at the long-pulse European Spallation Source (ESS). MIRACLES’s unparalleled combination of variable resolution, high flux, extended energy, and momentum transfer (0.2–6 Å−1) ranges will open new avenues for neutron backscattering spectroscopy. Its remarkable flexibility can be attributed to 3 key elements: the long-pulse time structure and low repetition rate of the ESS neutron source, the chopper cascade that tailors the moderator pulse in the primary part of the spectrometer, and the bent Si(111) analyzer crystals arranged in a near-backscattering geometry in the secondary part of the spectrometer. Analytical calculations combined with instrument Monte-Carlo simulations show that the instrument will provide a variable elastic energy resolution, δ(ħ ω), between 2 and 32 μeV, when using a wavelength of λ ≈ 6.267 Å (Si(111)-reflection), with an energy transfer range, ħ ω, centered at the elastic line from −600 to +600 μeV. In addition, when selecting λ ≈ 2.08 Å (i.e., the Si(333)-reflection), δ(ħ ω) can be relaxed to 300 μeV and ħ ω from about 10 meV in energy gain to ca −40 meV in energy loss. Finally, the dynamic wavelength range of MIRACLES, approximately 1.8 Å, can be shifted within the interval of 2–20 Å to allow the measurement of low-energy inelastic excitations.
Meta-metallic coils and resonators: Methods for high Q-value resonant geometries
Authors: Mett R. R. , Sidabras J. W. , Hyde J. S.
Published: August 2016

A novel method of decreasing ohmic losses and increasing Q-value in metallic resonators at high frequencies is presented. The method overcomes the skin-depth limitation of rf current flow cross section. The method uses layers of conductive foil of thickness less than a skin depth and capacitive gaps between layers. The capacitive gaps can substantially equalize the rf current flowing in each layer, resulting in a total cross-sectional dimension for rf current flow many times larger than a skin depth. Analytic theory and finite-element simulations indicate that, for a variety of structures, the Q-value enhancement over a single thick conductor approaches the ratio of total conductor thickness to skin depth if the total number of layers is greater than one-third the square of the ratio of total conductor thickness to skin depth. The layer number requirement is due to counter-currents in each foil layer caused by the surrounding rf magnetic fields. We call structures that exhibit this type of Q-enhancement “meta-metallic.” In addition, end effects due to rf magnetic fields wrapping around the ends of the foils can substantially reduce the Q-value for some classes of structures. Foil structures with Q-values that are substantially influenced by such end effects are discussed as are five classes of structures that are not. We focus particularly on 400 MHz, which is the resonant frequency of protons at 9.4 T. Simulations at 400 MHz are shown with comparison to measurements on fabricated structures. The methods and geometries described here are general for magnetic resonance and can be used at frequencies much higher than 400 MHz.
A novel facility for reduced-gravity testing: A setup for studying low-velocity collisions into granular surfaces
Authors: Sunday C. , Murdoch N. , Cherrier O. , Morales Serrano S. , Valeria Nardi C. , Janin T. , Avila Martinez I. , Gourinat Y. , Mimoun D.
Published: August 2016

This work presents an experimental design for studying low-velocity collisions into granular surfaces in low-gravity. In the experiment apparatus, reduced-gravity is simulated by releasing a free-falling projectile into a surface container with a downward acceleration less than that of Earth’s gravity. The acceleration of the surface is controlled through the use of an Atwood machine, or a system of pulleys and counterweights. The starting height of the surface container and the initial separation distance between the projectile and surface are variable and chosen to accommodate collision velocities up to 20 cm/s and effective accelerations of ∼0.1 to 1.0 m/s2. Accelerometers, placed on the surface container and inside the projectile, provide acceleration data, while high-speed cameras capture the collision and act as secondary data sources. The experiment is built into an existing 5.5 m drop tower frame and requires the custom design of all components, including the projectile, surface sample container, release mechanism, and deceleration system. Data from calibration tests verify the efficiency of the experiment’s deceleration system and provide a quantitative understanding of the performance of the Atwood system.
An online, energy-resolving beam profile detector for laser-driven proton beams
Authors: Metzkes J. , Zeil K. , Kraft S. D. , Karsch L. , Sobiella M. , Rehwald M. , Obst L. , Schlenvoigt H.-P. , Schramm U.
Published: August 2016

In this paper, a scintillator-based online beam profile detector for the characterization of laser-driven proton beams is presented. Using a pixelated matrix with varying absorber thicknesses, the proton beam is spatially resolved in two dimensions and simultaneously energy-resolved. A thin plastic scintillator placed behind the absorber and read out by a CCD camera is used as the active detector material. The spatial detector resolution reaches down to ∼4 mm and the detector can resolve proton beam profiles for up to 9 proton threshold energies. With these detector design parameters, the spatial characteristics of the proton distribution and its cut-off energy can be analyzed online and on-shot under vacuum conditions. The paper discusses the detector design, its characterization and calibration at a conventional proton source, as well as the first detector application at a laser-driven proton source.
A sound absorbing metasurface with coupled resonators
Authors: Li Junfei , Wang Wenqi , Xie Yangbo , Popa Bogdan-Ioan , Cummer Steven A.
Published: August 2016

An impedance matched surface is able, in principle, to totally absorb the incident sound and yield no reflection, and this is desired in many acoustic applications. Here we demonstrate a design of impedance matched sound absorbing surface with a simple construction. By coupling different resonators and generating a hybrid resonance mode, we designed and fabricated a metasurface that is impedance-matched to airborne sound at tunable frequencies with subwavelength scale unit cells. With careful design of the coupled resonators, over 99% energy absorption at central frequency of 511 Hz with a 50% absorption bandwidth of 140 Hz is achieved experimentally. The proposed design can be easily fabricated, and is mechanically stable. The proposed metasurface can be used in many sound absorption applications such as loudspeaker design and architectural acoustics.
Bifurcations, chaos and adaptive backstepping sliding mode control of a power system with excitation limitation
Authors: Min Fuhong , Wang Yaoda , Peng Guangya , Wang Enrong
Published: August 2016

The bifurcation and Lyapunov exponent for a single-machine-infinite bus system with excitation model are carried out by varying the mechanical power, generator damping factor and the exciter gain, from which periodic motions, chaos and the divergence of system are observed respectively. From given parameters and different initial conditions, the coexisting motions are developed in power system. The dynamic behaviors in power system may switch freely between the coexisting motions, which will bring huge security menace to protection operation. Especially, the angle divergences due to the break of stable chaotic oscillation are found which causes the instability of power system. Finally, a new adaptive backstepping sliding mode controller is designed which aims to eliminate the angle divergences and make the power system run in stable orbits. Numerical simulations are illustrated to verify the effectivity of the proposed method.
Estimation of near-interface oxide trap density at SiO2/SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor interfaces by transient capacitance measurements at various temperatures
Authors: Fujino Yuki , Kita Koji
Published: August 2016

A method for estimating near-interface oxide trap density in silicon carbide metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors by transient capacitance measurements was investigated. The fitting of the transient capacitance characteristics measured at room and low temperatures to a simple model describing the de-trapping process enables us to characterize the responses of the traps at various distances from the interface. The distribution of the trap locations in the oxide and that of response times were taken into account in this fitting. This method was applied to MOS-capacitor samples to show the significant reduction in interface state density by tuning the thermal oxidation conditions. It was found that the density of the oxide traps, especially in the spatially shallow region within several angstroms from the interface, is sensitive to thermal oxide growth conditions.
On a particular solution to the 3D Navier-Stokes equations for liquids with cavitation
Authors: Rabinowitch Alexander S.
Published: August 2016

The 3D Navier-Stokes equations for incompressible viscous liquids are examined. In the axially symmetric case, they are represented in the form of three nonlinear partial differential equations. These equations are studied and their particular solution is found. In it, the velocity components are sinusoidal in the direction of their axis of symmetry. As to the pressure, it can reach a sufficiently small value at which the phenomenon of cavitation takes place in a liquid. The found solution describes some flows of viscous liquids outside vapor-filled regions in them.
Cold atmospheric plasma jet in an axial DC electric field
Authors: Lin Li , Keidar Michael
Published: August 2016

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) jet is currently intensively investigated as a tool for new and potentially transformative cancer treatment modality. However, there are still many unknowns about the jet behavior that requires attention. In this paper, a helium CAP jet is tested in an electrostatic field generated by a copper ring. Using Rayleigh microwave scattering method, some delays of the electron density peaks for different ring potentials are observed. Meanwhile, a similar phenomenon associated with the bullet velocity is found. Chemical species distribution along the jet is analyzed based on the jet optical emission spectra. The spectra indicate that a lower ring potential, i.e., lower DC background electric field, can increase the amount of excited N2, N2+, He, and O in the region before the ring, but can decrease the amount of excited NO and HO almost along the entire jet. Combining all the results above, we discovered that an extra DC potential mainly affects the temporal plasma jet properties. Also, it is possible to manipulate the chemical compositions of the jet using a ring with certain electric potentials.
Twisted electron-acoustic waves in plasmas
Authors: Aman-ur-Rehman  , Ali S. , Khan S. A. , Shahzad K.
Published: August 2016

In the paraxial limit, a twisted electron-acoustic (EA) wave is studied in a collisionless unmagnetized plasma, whose constituents are the dynamical cold electrons and Boltzmannian hot electrons in the background of static positive ions. The analytical and numerical solutions of the plasma kinetic equation suggest that EA waves with finite amount of orbital angular momentum exhibit a twist in its behavior. The twisted wave particle resonance is also taken into consideration that has been appeared through the effective wave number qeff accounting for Laguerre-Gaussian mode profiles attributed to helical phase structures. Consequently, the dispersion relation and the damping rate of the EA waves are significantly modified with the twisted parameter η, and for η → ∞, the results coincide with the straight propagating plane EA waves. Numerically, new features of twisted EA waves are identified by considering various regimes of wavelength and the results might be useful for transport and trapping of plasma particles in a two-electron component plasma.
Kinetic study on non-thermal volumetric plasma decay in the early afterglow of air discharge generated by a short pulse microwave or laser
Authors: Yang Wei , Zhou Qianhong , Dong Zhiwei
Published: August 2016

This paper reports a kinetic study on non-thermal plasma decay in the early afterglow of air discharge generated by short pulse microwave or laser. A global self-consistent model is based on the particle balance of complex plasma chemistry, electron energy equation, and gas thermal balance equation. Electron-ion Coulomb collision is included in the steady state Boltzmann equation solver to accurately describe the electron mobility and other transport coefficients. The model is used to simulate the afterglow of microsecond to nanosecond pulse microwave discharge in N2, O2, and air, as well as femtosecond laser filament discharge in dry and humid air. The simulated results for electron density decay are in quantitative agreement with the available measured ones. The evolution of plasma decay under an external electric field is also investigated, and the effect of gas heating is considered. The underlying mechanism of plasma density decay is unveiled through the above kinetic modeling.
Electron acoustic solitary waves in a magnetized plasma with nonthermal electrons and an electron beam
Authors: Singh S. V. , Devanandhan S. , Lakhina G. S. , Bharuthram R.
Published: August 2016

A theoretical investigation is carried out to study the obliquely propagating electron acoustic solitary waves having nonthermal hot electrons, cold and beam electrons, and ions in a magnetized plasma. We have employed reductive perturbation theory to derive the Korteweg-de-Vries-Zakharov-Kuznetsov (KdV-ZK) equation describing the nonlinear evolution of these waves. The two-dimensional plane wave solution of KdV-ZK equation is analyzed to study the effects of nonthermal and beam electrons on the characteristics of the solitons. Theoretical results predict negative potential solitary structures. We emphasize that the inclusion of finite temperature effects reduces the soliton amplitudes and the width of the solitons increases by an increase in the obliquity of the wave propagation. The numerical analysis is presented for the parameters corresponding to the observations of “burst a” event by Viking satellite on the auroral field lines.
Explosive-induced shock damage in copper and recompression of the damaged region
Authors: Turley W. D. , Stevens G. D. , Hixson R. S. , Cerreta E. K. , Daykin E. P. , Graeve O. A. , La Lone B. M. , Novitskaya E. , Perez C. , Rigg P. A. , Veeser L. R.
Published: August 2016

We have studied the dynamic spall process for copper samples in contact with detonating low-performance explosives. When a triangular shaped shock wave from detonation moves through a sample and reflects from the free surface, tension develops immediately, one or more damaged layers can form, and a spall scab can separate from the sample and move ahead of the remaining target material. For dynamic experiments, we used time-resolved velocimetry and x-ray radiography. Soft-recovered samples were analyzed using optical imaging and microscopy. Computer simulations were used to guide experiment design. We observe that for some target thicknesses the spall scab continues to run ahead of the rest of the sample, but for thinner samples, the detonation product gases accelerate the sample enough for it to impact the spall scab several microseconds or more after the initial damage formation. Our data also show signatures in the form of a late-time reshock in the time-resolved data, which support this computational prediction. A primary goal of this research was to study the wave interactions and damage processes for explosives-loaded copper and to look for evidence of this postulated recompression event. We found both experimentally and computationally that we could tailor the magnitude of the initial and recompression shocks by varying the explosive drive and the copper sample thickness; thin samples had a large recompression after spall, whereas thick samples did not recompress at all. Samples that did not recompress had spall scabs that completely separated from the sample, whereas samples with recompression remained intact. This suggests that the hypothesized recompression process closes voids in the damage layer or otherwise halts the spall formation process. This is a somewhat surprising and, in some ways controversial, result, and the one that warrants further research in the shock compression community.
Improved density profile measurements in the C-2U advanced beam-driven Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) plasmas
Authors: Beall M. , Deng B. H. , Gota H.
Published: August 2016

In the prior C-2 experiment, electron density was measured using a two-color 6-chord CO2/HeNe interferometer. Analysis shows that high-frequency common mode phase noise can be reduced by a factor of 3 by constructing a reference chord. In the system upgrade from C-2 to C-2U a 4-chord far-infrared laser interferometer was developed, which demonstrated superior sensitivity (1 × 1016 m−2 at >1 MHz bandwidth) and solved the under spatial sampling issue of the C-2 interferometer system. Improved density-profile measurement results are presented in this paper, including evidence of fast-ion modified density profile and stabilization of the n = 1 plasma wobble mode.
Annular beam with segmented phase gradients
Authors: Cheng Shubo , Wu Liang , Tao Shaohua
Published: August 2016

An annular beam with a single uniform-intensity ring and multiple segments of phase gradients is proposed in this paper. Different from the conventional superposed vortices, such as the modulated optical vortices and the collinear superposition of multiple orbital angular momentum modes, the designed annular beam has a doughnut intensity distribution whose radius is independent of the phase distribution of the beam in the imaging plane. The phase distribution along the circumference of the doughnut beam can be segmented with different phase gradients. Similar to a vortex beam, the annular beam can also exert torques and rotate a trapped particle owing to the orbital angular momentum of the beam. As the beam possesses different phase gradients, the rotation velocity of the trapped particle can be varied along the circumference. The simulation and experimental results show that an annular beam with three segments of different phase gradients can rotate particles with controlled velocities. The beam has potential applications in optical trapping and optical information processing.
Suppression of ion conductance by electro-osmotic flow in nano-channels with weakly overlapping electrical double layers
Authors: Liu Yang , Guo Lingzi , Zhu Xin , Ran Qiushi , Dutton Robert
Published: August 2016

This theoretical study investigates the nonlinear ionic current-voltage characteristics of nano-channels that have weakly overlapping electrical double layers. Numerical simulations as well as a 1-D mathematical model are developed to reveal that the electro-osmotic flow (EOF) interplays with the concentration-polarization process and depletes the ion concentration inside the channels, thus significantly suppressing the channel conductance. The conductance may be restored at high electrical biases in the presence of recirculating vortices within the channels. As a result of the EOF-driven ion depletion, a limiting-conductance behavior is identified, which is intrinsically different from the classical limiting-current behavior.
Quantum transport model for zigzag molybdenum disulfide nanoribbon structures : A full quantum framework
Authors: Chen Chun-Nan , Shyu Feng-Lin , Chung Hsien-Ching , Lin Chiun-Yan , Wu Jhao-Ying
Published: August 2016

Mainly based on non-equilibrium Green’s function technique in combination with the three-band model, a full atomistic-scale and full quantum method for solving quantum transport problems of a zigzag-edge molybdenum disulfide nanoribbon (zMoSNR) structure is proposed here. For transport calculations, the relational expressions of a zMoSNR crystalline solid and its whole device structure are derived in detail and in its integrity. By adopting the complex-band structure method, the boundary treatment of this open boundary system within the non-equilibrium Green’s function framework is so straightforward and quite sophisticated. The transmission function, conductance, and density of states of zMoSNR devices are calculated using the proposed method. The important findings in zMoSNR devices such as conductance quantization, van Hove singularities in the density of states, and contact interaction on channel are presented and explored in detail.
Phylogenetic placement and revision of the tropical Asian crab spider genus Pagida (Araneae : Thomisidae)
Authors: Benjamin Suresh P. , Clayton Crisenthiya I.
Published: August 2016

The tropical Asian crab spider genus Pagida Simon, 1895 has remained taxonomically unrevised and has never been subjected to phylogenetic evaluation. The present study is designed to investigate the monophyly of the genus, its placement within Thomisidae and review all species. Our cladistic analysis, based on 78 morphological characters from 34 taxa (30 ingroup and four outgroup), demonstrates the monophyly of the genus and shows that Pagida is sister to Stiphropus Gerstäcker, 1873 within Thomisidae. The monophyly of Pagida and Pagida + Stiphropus is well supported. Pagida salticiformis (O. P.-Cambridge, 1883), the type species of Pagida, is redescribed from a series of specimens collected recently from its type locality, Sri Lanka. Pagida pseudorchestes is redescribed based on nine males and seven females. A new species, Pagida minuta, sp. nov., is described, based on four males and one female.
Age, growth, reproductive biology and spawning periodicity of the forktail rabbitfish (Siganus argenteus) from the Mariana Islands
Authors: Taylor Brett M. , Gourley John , Trianni Michael S.
Published: August 2016

In the present study, life-history traits of importance to fisheries management were estimated for the forktail rabbitfish (Siganus argenteus) based on fishery-dependent samples collected over a 2-year period in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Age-based and reproductive information was derived from analysis of sagittal otoliths and gonads. The species is short-lived, with a maximum age of 7+ years, and females reach sexual maturity at ~1.3 years (21.8-cm fork length). Age distributions and total mortality rates were similar between sexes. However, females on average reached larger asymptotic sizes, with estimates of mean asymptotic length exceeding that of males by 2cm. Reproductive cycles, based on temporal variation in gonadosomatic index values and proportional frequency of active ovaries, demonstrated two annual activity peaks, consistent across 2years of sampling. Peak spawning occurred from March to May–June, whereas a second, smaller peak spanned August and September. In the Mariana Islands, S. argenteus represents a short-lived species with potential for rapid population turnover; 85% of the population is under 3years of age, whereas approximately half of all harvested individuals have reached reproductive maturity. Derived estimates of natural and fishing mortality indicate minimal concerns for the long-term fishery sustainability of this species under present levels of exploitation.
Cd47-Sirpα interaction and IL-10 constrain inflammation-induced macrophage phagocytosis of healthy self-cells
Authors: Bian Zhen , Shi Lei , Guo Ya-Lan , Lv Zhiyuan , Tang Cong , Niu Shuo , Tremblay Alexandra , Venkataramani Mahathi , Culpepper Courtney , Li Limin , Zhou Zhen , Mansour Ahmed , Zhang Yongliang , Gewirtz Andrew , Kidder Koby , Zen Ke , Liu Yuan
Published: August 2016

Significance

The present study reveals that macrophage phagocytosis toward healthy self-cells is controlled by a two-tier mechanism: a forefront activation mechanism requiring the inflammatory cytokine-stimulated protein kinase C (PKC)-spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) pathway, to which IL-10 conversely regulates, and the subsequent self-target discrimination mechanism controlled by the CD47-signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα)–mediated inhibition. The findings significantly expand our understanding of macrophage phagocytic plasticity and behavior under different conditions and also provide insights into strategies for enhancing transplantation tolerance and macrophage-based cancer eradication, especially for cancers toward which therapeutic antibodies are yet unavailable.
Verbal and nonverbal expressions of mutual regulation in relevant episodes of psychotherapy / Manifestaciones verbales y no verbales de la regulación mutua en episodios relevantes de psicoterapia
Authors: Morán Javier , Martínez Claudio , Tomicic Alemka , Pérez J. Carola , Krause Mariane , Guzmán Marcela , San Martín Diego , Angulo Salvador , Barroux Isabelle , Gerstmann Adam , de la Cerda Cecilia
Published: August 2016

The purpose of this paper is to describe verbal and nonverbal expressions of mutual regulation between patients and therapists through the analysis of relevant episodes of five psychotherapy processes. Microanalyses of discourse, vocal quality and facial expression of emotions were conducted on both patients and therapists in 67 Episodes of Change and 86 Episodes of Rupture of the Therapeutic Alliance. The analyses were carried out using hierarchical regression, showing that both Episodes of Change and Episodes of Rupture correspond to interactional scenarios where patients and therapists use different forms of speech, vocal qualities and facial expressions that account for specific regulation processes which are coherent with such scenarios.
Do Native Pacific Lamprey and Invasive Sea Lamprey Share an Alarm Cue? Implications for Use of a Natural Repellent to Guide Imperiled Pacific Lamprey into Fishways
Authors: Byford Greg J. , Wagner C. Michael , Hume John B. , Moser Mary L.
Published: August 2016

Instream barriers affect anadromous lampreys worldwide by preventing access to spawning habitat, resulting in the decline of several species. Because lampreys rely heavily on olfactory cues to choose movement paths during upstream migration in rivers, the manipulation of these cues may be used to guide individuals into the vicinity of fish passage devices and thereby mitigate the impacts of barriers during migration. However, because experimentation with imperiled species presents significant legal and ethical challenges, use of a surrogate species that exhibits similar responses may prove very useful. Our laboratory study established that (1) the odor derived from dead Pacific Lamprey Entosphenus tridentatus elicits an avoidance response from invasive Sea Lamprey Petromyzon marinus from the Laurentian Great Lakes, and (2) the magnitude of this response does not differ from the conspecific alarm cue present in Sea Lamprey. By presenting the odor on the side of a river channel opposite a lamprey fish passage device, migrating lampreys of conservation concern may be guided to fishways, if the behavioral response to the cue has evolved in these taxa. Due to their availability and well-studied chemical communication system, Sea Lamprey may prove to be a useful surrogate for identifying and producing chemosensory cues for use in guiding Pacific Lampreys towards fish passage devices and away from intakes and screens.

Received December 10, 2015; accepted May 6, 2016 Published online August 31, 2016
White Crappie Tank Culture and Out-of-Season Spawning
Authors: Culpepper Charlie M , Allen Peter J
Published: August 2016

While extensive crappie culture has been practiced for decades, limited knowledge of crappie aquaculture methods has hampered the production potential of White Crappie Pomoxis annularis to a small time frame during the natural spawning season, which occurs only once annually. Out-of-season spawning of White Crappie could greatly enhance annual production potential. Therefore, White Crappie out-of-season spawning experiments were conducted from November to February in recirculating tank systems. After 2 weeks of simulated winter (10°C, 8 h light), photoperiod and temperature were increased to spring (22°C, 16 h light) conditions over 3 weeks (1°C and 30 min increase every 2 d) and 6 weeks (1°C and 30 min increase every 4 d). Fish were injected with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRHa; 100% priming dose and 100% resolving dose, 24 and 48 h later) and strip-spawned upon ovulation. The 3-week treatment (11 females : 10 males) induced 1 female to spawn with 11% fertilization rate. The 6-week treatment (12 females : 10 males) induced 2 females to spawn with fertilization rates of 31.5% and 79.2%. Gonads of unspawned females were sampled at 96 h after the resolving dose to assess reproductive maturity. Gonadosomatic index (GSI) and egg diameter (ED) from unspawned females (3-week GSI [mean ± SE] = 0.02 ± 0.01, ED = 0.71 ± 0.22; 6-week GSI = 0.03 ± 0.02, ED = 0.72 ± 0.10) were compared with wild females sampled during December (winter; GSI = 0.02 ± 0.01; ED = 0.53 ± 0.07) and April (spring; GSI = 0.04 ± 0.01; ED = 0.90 ± 0.12). No difference between 6-week GSI and spring GSI was detected; however, ED was smaller for 3- and 6-week treatments when compared with spring ED. Therefore, out-of-season spawning of White Crappies, using recirculating tank systems and hormone-induced spawning, is possible, but a longer seasonal shift regime is needed to enhance spawning success.
Effect of the look‐up line on the gaze and head orientation of elite ice hockey players
Authors: Vickers Joan N. , Causer Joe , Stuart Michael , Little Elaine , Dukelow Sean , Lavangie Marc , Nigg Sandro , Arsenault Gina , Morton Barry , Scott Matt , Emery Carolyn
Published: August 2016

A “look‐up line” (LUL) has been proposed for ice hockey, which is an orange 1 m (40′) warning line (WL) painted on the ice at the base of the boards. The LUL purports to provide an early warning to players to keep their head up prior to and as they are being checked. We determined if players looked up more on a rink with the LUL compared to a traditional Control rink. Elite offensive (O) and defensive (D) players competed 1 vs. 1, while wearing an eye tracker that recorded their quiet eye (QE) and fixation and tracking (F‐T) and an electrogoniometer that measured head angle. External cameras recorded skate duration during four skate phases: P1 preparation, P2 decision‐making, P3 cut to boards, P4 contact. The QE was the final fixation prior to contact between O and D as they skated towards and across the WL during P3 and P4. Skate phase durations (%) did not differ by rink or rink by position. More QE and F‐T occurred on the WL on the LUL rink than on the Control. The expected increase in head angle on the LUL rink did not occur during P3 or P4. Post‐hoc results also showed O and D skated further from the boards on the LUL rink, suggesting the players preferred to control the puck on white ice, rather than the orange colour of the LUL rink. More research is needed to determine if these results apply to the competitive setting.
FATSLiM: a fast and robust software to analyze MD simulations of membranes
Authors: Buchoux Sébastien
Published: August 2016

When studying biological membranes, Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations reveal to be quite complementary to experimental techniques. Because the simulated systems keep increasing both in size and complexity, the analysis of MD trajectories need to be computationally efficient while being robust enough to perform analysis on membranes that may be curved or deformed due to their size and/or protein-lipid interactions. This work presents a new software named FATSLiM (‘Fast Analysis Toolbox for Simulations of Lipid Membranes’) that can extract physical properties from MD simulations of membranes (with or without interacting proteins). Because it relies on the calculation of local normals, FATSLiM does not depend of the bilayer morphology and thus can handle with the same accuracy vesicles for instance. Thanks to an efficiency-driven development, it is also fast and consumes a rather low amount of memory.

Availability and Implementation

FATSLiM (http://fatslim.github.io) is a stand-alone software written in Python. Source code is released under the GNU GPLv3 and is freely available at https://github.com/FATSLiM/fatslim. A complete online documentation including instructions for platform-independent installation is available at http://pythonhosted.org/fatslim.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Adenosine Analog NITD008 Is a Potent Inhibitor of Zika Virus
Authors: Deng Yong-Qiang , Zhang Na-Na , Li Chun-Feng , Tian Min , Hao Jia-Nan , Xie Xu-Ping , Shi Pei-Yong , Qin Cheng-Feng
Published: August 2016

The ongoing Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreaks have raised global concerns due to its unexpected clinical manifestations. Antiviral development is of high priority in response to the ZIKV emergency. In this study, we report that an adenosine analog NITD008 has potent in vitro and in vivo antiviral activity against ZIKV. The compound can effectively inhibit the historical and contemporary ZIKV strains in cultures as well as significantly reduce viremia and prevent mortality in A129 mice. Our results have demonstrated that NITD008 is potent inhibitor of ZIKV and can be used as reference inhibitor for future ZIKV antiviral drug screen and discovery.
Duration of Colonization With Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase-Producing Bacteria at Long-Term Acute Care Hospitals in Chicago, Illinois
Authors: Haverkate Manon R. , Weiner Shayna , Lolans Karen , Moore Nicholas M. , Weinstein Robert A. , Bonten Marc J. M. , Hayden Mary K. , Bootsma Martin C. J.
Published: August 2016

Background.  High prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing Enterobacteriaceae has been reported in long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs), in part because of frequent readmissions of colonized patients. Knowledge of the duration of colonization with KPC is essential to identify patients at risk of KPC colonization upon readmission and to make predictions on the effects of transmission control measures.

Methods.  We analyzed data on surveillance isolates that were collected at 4 LTACHs in the Chicago region during a period of bundled interventions, to simultaneously estimate the duration of colonization during an LTACH admission and between LTACH (re)admissions. A maximum-likelihood method was used, taking interval-censoring into account.

Results.  Eighty-three percent of patients remained colonized for at least 4 weeks, which was the median duration of LTACH stay. Between LTACH admissions, the median duration of colonization was 270 days (95% confidence interval, 91–∞).

Conclusions.  Only 17% of LTACH patients lost colonization with KPC within 4 weeks. Approximately half of the KPC-positive patients were still carriers when readmitted after 9 months. Infection control practices should take prolonged carriage into account to limit transmission of KPCs in LTACHs.
Rotavirus and Norovirus in Pediatric Healthcare-Associated Gastroenteritis
Authors: Yi Jumi , Sederdahl Bethany K. , Wahl Kelly , Jerris Robert R. , Kraft Colleen S. , McCracken Courtney , Gillespie Scott , Kirby Amy E. , Shane Andi L. , Moe Christine L. , Anderson Evan J.
Published: August 2016

Rotavirus and norovirus are important etiologies of gastroenteritis among hospitalized children. During 2012–2013, we tested 207 residual stool specimens from children with healthcare-associated vomiting and/or diarrhea for rotavirus and norovirus. Twenty (10%) were rotavirus positive, and 3 (3%) were norovirus positive, stressing the importance of these pathogens in hospitalized children.
The IRE1/bZIP60 Pathway and Bax Inhibitor 1 Suppress Systemic Accumulation of Potyviruses and Potexviruses in Arabidopsis and Nicotiana benthamiana Plants
Authors: Gaguancela Omar Arias , Zúñiga Lizbeth Peña , Arias Alexis Vela , Halterman Dennis , Flores Francisco Javier , Johansen Ida Elisabeth , Wang Aiming , Yamaji Yasuyuki , Verchot Jeanmarie
Published: August 2016

The inositol requiring enzyme (IRE1) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress sensor. When activated, it splices the bZIP60 mRNA, producing a truncated transcription factor that upregulates genes involved in the unfolded protein response. Bax inhibitor 1 (BI-1) is another ER stress sensor that regulates cell death in response to environmental assaults. The potyvirus 6K2 and potexvirus TGB3 proteins are known to reside in the ER, serving, respectively, as anchors for the viral replicase and movement protein complex. This study used green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), Plantago asiatica mosaic virus (PlAMV), Potato virus Y (PVY), and Potato virus X (PVX) to determine that the IRE1/bZIP60 pathway and BI-1 machinery are induced early in virus infection in Arabidopsis thaliana, Nicotiana benthamiana, and Solanum tuberosum. Agrodelivery of only the potyvirus 6K2 or TGB3 genes into plant cells activated bZIP60 and BI-1 expression in Arabidopsis thaliana, N. benthamiana, and S. tuberosum. Homozygous ire1a-2, ire1b-4, and ire1a-2/ire1b-4 mutant Arabidopsis plants were inoculated with TuMV-GFP or PlAMV-GFP. PlAMV accumulates to a higher level in ire1a-2 or ire1a-2/ire1b-4 mutant plants than in ire1b-4 or wild-type plants. TuMV-GFP accumulates to a higher level in ire1a-2, ire1b-4, or ire1a-2/ire1b-4 compared with wild-type plants, suggesting that both isoforms contribute to TuMV-GFP infection. Gene silencing was used to knock down bZIP60 and BI-1 expression in N. benthamiana. PVX-GFP and PVY-GFP accumulation was significantly elevated in these silenced plants compared with control plants. This study demonstrates that two ER stress pathways, namely IRE1/bZIP60 and the BI-1 pathway, limit systemic accumulation of potyvirus and potexvirus infection. Silencing BI-1 expression also resulted in systemic necrosis. These data suggest that ER stress–activated pathways, led by IRE1 and BI-1, respond to invading potyvirus and potexviruses to restrict virus infection and enable physiological changes enabling plants to tolerate virus assault.
Genetic and Phenotypic Characterization ofGrapevine vein clearing virusfrom WildVitis rupestris
Authors: Beach Steven , Kovens Michael , Hubbert LeAnn , Honesty Shae , Guo Qiang , Pap Daniel , Dai Ru , Kovacs Laszlo , Qiu Wenping
Published: August 2016

Grapevine vein clearing virus (GVCV), a new member of the genus Badnavirus in the family Caulimoviridae, is associated with a vein clearing and vine decline disease that severely affects grape production and berry quality in commercial vineyards in the Midwest region of the United States. In this paper, the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of GVCV-VRU1 and GVCV-VRU2, two isolates from wild Vitis rupestris grapevines in their native habitat, are described. The GVCV-VRU1 genome is 7,755 bp long while the GVCV-VRU2 genome consists of 7,725 bp, both of which are different from the genome of the GVCV-CHA isolate (7,753 bp), which was originally discovered in the grape cultivar ‘Chardonel’. The nucleotide sequence identity among GVCV-VRU1, GVCV-VRU2, and GVCV-CHA ranges from 91.6 to 93.4%, and open reading frame (ORF) II is the most divergent ORF with only 83.3 to 88.5% identity. Sequence analysis of the ORF II indicated that GVCV isolates genetically similar to GVCV-VRU1 and GVCV-VRU2 also are present in commercial vineyards. Symptoms of GVCV-VRU1- or GVCV-VRU2-infected wild V. rupestris grapevine appeared initially as translucent vein clearing on young leaves and progressed to vein necrosis on mature leaves. Inoculation of GVCV-VRU1 or GVCV-VRU2 by grafting onto grape cultivar Chardonel resulted in mild mottle and leaf distortion. The natural range of wild V. rupestris grapevines overlaps with commercial vineyards in the Midwestern United States. Therefore, the discovery of GVCV isolates in wild V. rupestris grapevines has important implications for epidemics and management of the GVCV-associated disease.
The benefits of expanded physician assistant practice in hospice and palliative medicine
Authors: Boucher Nathan A. , Nix Harvey
Published: August 2016

Patients with advanced or terminal illness, especially racial and ethnic minorities, would benefit from greater access to hospice and palliative care. Expanding the PA role in these areas would help fill gaps in both access and patients' understanding of what hospice and palliative care can offer. This article describes why hospice and palliative care are needed, what PAs can and do offer hospice and palliative care delivery, and what challenges should be overcome to expand PA practice in hospice and palliative care. The article also reviews the legislative outlook for PA practice in hospice care.
Women, family medicine, and career choice
Authors: Essary Alison C. , Coplan Bettie H. , Cawley James F. , Schneller Eugene S. , Ohsfeldt Robert L.
Published: August 2016

Objective:

This study compared the cost of physician versus physician assistant (PA) education for women practicing in family medicine.

Methods:

Using 2013 salary survey data from both the Medical Group Management Association and the American Academy of PAs as well as other publicly available data sources, the authors compared the current net present value (NPV) of physician and PA training for women practicing in family medicine.

Results:

Considering a base case scenario involving a 24-year-old woman, the NPV to become a family medicine physician was $2,015,000 compared with an NPV of $1,751,000 to become a family medicine PA. Alternative projections produced an NPV for PA training that slightly exceeded the NPV for family medicine physician training.

Conclusions:

For a woman practicing in family medicine, becoming a physician or a PA offers similar financial rewards.
What Determines Whether a Pain is Rated as Mild, Moderate, or Severe? The Importance of Pain Beliefs and Pain Interference
Authors: Jensen Mark P. , Tomé-Pires Catarina , de la Vega Rocío , Galán Santiago , Solé Ester , Miró Jordi
Published: August 2016

Reliable and valid measures of pain intensity are needed to accurately evaluate the efficacy of pain treatments. Perhaps with the exception of faces pain intensity scales, which are thought to reflect both pain intensity and pain affect, the other most commonly used pain intensity scales—Numerical Rating Scales (NRSs), Visual Analog Scales, and Verbal Rating Scales (VRSs)—are all thought to reflect primarily pain intensity or the magnitude of felt pain. However, to our knowledge, this assumption has not been directly tested for VRSs.

Methods

We evaluated whether VRS pain severity ratings are influenced by pain beliefs, catastrophizing, or pain interference over and above any effects of pain intensity, as measured by a NRS, in 4 samples of individuals with physical disabilities and chronic pain.

Results

As hypothesized, and while controlling for pain intensity as measured by a NRS, higher scores on factors representing pain interference with function, pain catastrophizing, and a number of pain-related beliefs were all associated with a tendency for the study participants to rate their pain as more severe on a VRS.

Discussion

These findings indicate VRSs of pain severity cannot necessarily be assumed to measure only pain intensity; they may also reflect patient perceptions about pain interference and beliefs about their pain. Clinicians and researchers should take these findings into account when selecting measures and when interpreting the results of studies using VRSs as outcome measures.
Paradoxical Truths and Persistent Myths: Reframing the Team Competence Conversation
Authors: Lingard Lorelei
Published: August 2016

Medicine has conventionally had an individualist orientation to competence. Individual competence is conceptualized as a stable possession that, once acquired, holds across contexts. Individual competence is necessary; however, it is insufficient for quality health care. We also need to attend to collective competence in order to grapple with paradoxical truths about teamwork, such as: competent individuals can form incompetent teams. Collective competence is conceptualized as a distributed capacity of a system, an evolving, relational phenomenon that emerges from the resources and constraints of particular contexts. This article outlines a set of paradoxical truths about teamwork in health care and uses the concept of collective competence to explain how they can hold true. It then considers a set of persistent myths about teamwork which have their roots in an individualist orientation, exploring how they hold us back from meaningful change in how we educate for, and practice as, health care teams. Finally, the article briefly considers the implications of these truths and myths for educational issues such as interprofessional education and competency-based health professional education.
Frame-of-Reference Training: Establishing Reliable Assessment of Teaching Effectiveness
Authors: Newman Lori R. , Brodsky Dara , Jones Richard N. , Schwartzstein Richard M. , Atkins Katharyn Meredith , Roberts David H.
Published: August 2016

Introduction:

Frame-of-reference (FOR) training has been used successfully to teach faculty how to produce accurate and reliable workplace-based ratings when assessing a performance. We engaged 21 Harvard Medical School faculty members in our pilot and implementation studies to determine the effectiveness of using FOR training to assess health professionals' teaching performances.

Methods:

All faculty were novices at rating their peers' teaching effectiveness. Before FOR training, we asked participants to evaluate a recorded lecture using a criterion-based peer assessment of medical lecturing instrument. At the start of training, we discussed the instrument and emphasized its precise behavioral standards. During training, participants practiced rating lectures and received immediate feedback on how well they categorized and scored performances as compared with expert-derived scores of the same lectures. At the conclusion of the training, we asked participants to rate a post-training recorded lecture to determine agreement with the experts' scores.

Results:

Participants and experts had greater rating agreement for the post-training lecture compared with the pretraining lecture. Through this investigation, we determined that FOR training is a feasible method to teach faculty how to accurately and reliably assess medical lectures.

Discussion:

Medical school instructors and continuing education presenters should have the opportunity to be observed and receive feedback from trained peer observers. Our results show that it is possible to use FOR rater training to teach peer observers how to accurately rate medical lectures. The process is time efficient and offers the prospect for assessment and feedback beyond traditional learner evaluation of instruction.