bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Third trimester predictors of interventional timing and accuracy of fetal anticipatory guidance in tetralogy of Fallot: A multi‐center study
Authors: Rodenbarger Andrew , Thorsson Thor , Stiver Corey , Jantzen David , Chevenon Marie , Yu Sunkyung , Lowery Ray , Gelehrter Sarah 
Published: April 2020

AbstractObjectiveThe objective was to evaluate and improve accuracy of anticipatory counseling regarding neonatal intervention for prenatally diagnosed tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) by assessing new and previously published predictors of neonatal intervention.MethodsThis is a multi‐center, retrospective study from three centers of 112 fetal TOF patients undergoing third trimester fetal echocardiograms from 2004 to 2017. Additional cardiac defects requiring neonatal intervention were excluded. Fetal echocardiographic, clinical, and consultation data were compared between neonatal and late intervention. Optimal echocardiographic values were determined.ResultsTwenty‐six infants (23%) required neonatal intervention. Those infants had significantly different pulmonary valve (PV) z‐scores, PV:aortic valve (AoV) ratios, PV:AoV z‐score differences (absolute difference between z‐scores), and increased likelihood of abnormal ductal flow. Counseling during fetal echocardiogram regarding interventional timing was accurate for 50% needing neonatal intervention and 86% undergoing late intervention (P = .002). The best neonatal intervention predictors were PV:AoV ratio of <0.6 and counseling for neonatal intervention. PV:AoV z‐score difference ≥5 provided 89% negative predictive value for excluding patients from neonatal repair.ConclusionsThird trimester fetal echocardiograms can predict interventional timing. The best predictors of neonatal intervention are PV:AoV ratio <0.6, PV:AoV z‐score difference ≥5, and cardiologist counseling that neonatal intervention was likely.
Proline‐to‐cysteine cyclization for generating conformationally constrained cyclic peptides
Authors: Frost John R. , Essman Jake Z. , Huang Chunhui , Pierson Nicholas A. , Pissarnitski Natalya , Meng Tao 
Published: April 2020

AbstractMacrocyclic peptides have received increasing attention throughout the pharmaceutical industry as attractive scaffolds for the development of new therapeutics. Here, we describe the development of a new proline‐to‐cysteine (PTC) peptide cyclization reaction. Peptide sequences flanked by an N‐terminal proline and a C‐terminal cysteine were reacted with α,α′‐dibromo‐m‐xylene to furnish cyclic peptides bearing a tertiary amine embedded within the macrocycle backbone. Macrocyclization proceeded efficiently in solution and on‐resin with peptides of different sequence lengths (5‐10 amino acids) and amino acid compositions. This approach was also applied for peptide bicyclization. Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC‐MS)/MS analysis of a fingerprint ion related to the PTC linkage that was present throughout the substrate scope expedited confirmation of the product cyclic topologies. Conformational studies by variable‐temperature NMR revealed PTC macrocycles can adopt a rigid structure and display an intramolecular hydrogen‐bonding pattern that differs significantly from their cysteine‐to‐cysteine linked counterparts, further highlighting the value of this alternative cyclization approach. Due to its compatibility with library‐based peptide display and selection technologies, the described approach could offer significant utility in drug discovery campaigns.
Updates and New Results in Models with Reduced Couplings
Authors: Heinemeyer S. , Mondragón M. , Patellis G. , Tracas N. , Zoupanos G. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractThe idea of reduction of couplings consists in searching for renormalization group invariant relations between parameters of a renormalizable theory that hold to all orders of perturbation theory. Based on the principle of the reduction of couplings, one can construct Finite Unified Theories which are supersymmetric Grand Unified Theories that can be made all‐order finite. The prediction of the top quark mass well in advance of its discovery and the prediction of the light Higgs boson mass in the range GeV much earlier than its discovery are among the celebrated successes of such models. Here, after a brief review of the reduction of couplings method and the properties of the resulting finiteness in supersymmetric theories, we analyse four phenomenologically favoured models: a minimal version of the , a finite , a finite model and a reduced version of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. A relevant update in the phenomenological evaluation has been the improved light Higgs‐boson mass prediction as provided by the latest version of FeynHiggs. All four models predict relatively heavy supersymmetric spectra that start just below or above the TeV scale, consistent with the non‐observation LHC results. Depending on the model, the lighter regions of the spectra could be accessible at CLIC, while the FCC‐hh will be able to test large parts of the predicted spectrum of each model. The lightest supersymmetric particle, a neutralino, is considered as a cold dark matter candidate and put to test using the latest MicrOMEGAs code.
Production of a Thermostable Pullulanase in Bacillus subtilis by Optimization of the Expression Elements
Authors: Pang Bo , Zhou Li , Cui Wenjing , Liu Zhongmei , Zhou Zhemin 
Published: April 2020

AbstractPullulanase is a debranching enzyme commonly used in the starch processing industry. Production of a thermostable pullulanase with high activity is desired due to the application of the enzyme to starch processing at high temperature. In this study, a thermostable pullulanase with high activity is overproduced in Bacillus subtilis. Via improvement of the plasmid backbones, promoters, and ribosome‐binding‐site (RBS) sequences, an optimal recombinant strain B. subtilis WB800/RBS7 is obtained with an extracellular pullulanase activity of 154.9 U mL−1 in a shake flask, which is 136.8 times higher than that of the wild type. When the strain is cultured in a 5‐L bioreactor, the pullulanase activity is significantly improved to 269.1 U mL−1 (2.74 mg mL−1). These results are expected to aid pullulanase production in industrial starch debranching applications.
Diffusion and partition coefficients of minor and trace elements in magnetite as a function of oxygen fugacity at 1150 ºC
Authors: Sievwright R. H. , O’Neill H. St. C. , Tolley J. , Wilkinson J. J. , Berry A. J. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractLattice diffusion coefficients and partition coefficients have been determined for Li, Mg, Al, Sc, Ti, Cr, V, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, In, Lu, Hf, Ta and U in single crystals of natural magnetite as a function of oxygen fugacity (fO2) at 1150 °C and 1 bar by equilibration with a synthetic silicate melt reservoir. Most experiments were run for twelve hours, which was sufficient to generate diffusion profiles from 25 to > 1000 µm in length. The results were checked at one condition with two additional experiments at 66.9 and 161 h. The profiles were analysed using scanning laser-ablation inductively-coupled-plasma mass-spectrometry. Diffusion coefficients (D) were calculated by fitting data from individual element diffusion profiles to the conventional diffusion equation for one-dimensional diffusion into a semi−infinite slab with constant composition maintained in the melt at the interface. Equilibrium magnetite/melt partition coefficients are given by the ratio of the interface concentrations to those in the melt. Plots of log D as a function of log fO2 produce V-shaped trends for all the investigated elements, representing two different mechanisms of diffusion that depend on (fO2)−2/3 and (fO2)2/3. Diffusion coefficients at a given fO2 generally increase in the order: Cr < Mo ≈ Ta < V < Ti < Al < Hf ≈ Nb < Sc ≈ Zr ≈ Ga < In < Lu ≈ Y < Ni < U ≈ Zn < Mn ≈ Mg < Co < Li < Cu. Thus, Cu contents of magnetites are most susceptible to diffusive reequilibration, whereas the original content of Cr should be best preserved.
Usage of buildings in the life cycle of two endangered Rhinolophus species in the Mediterranean region: implications for roost protection
Authors: Winter Rebecca , Mantilla-Contreras Jasmin , Schmidt Sabine 
Published: April 2020

AbstractSynanthropic roosting may allow cave-dwelling bats to cope with habitat fragmentation provided that suitable buildings are sustainably protected. This study on Asinara Island, Sardinia, focuses on roost requirements in synanthropy at different life stages of two endangered bat species,Rhinolophus hipposiderosandRhinolophus ferrumequinum. We rated the roost potential of 532 buildings and compared it with actual roost usage. Microclimate was compared across different roost types and between species, and bat composition and behaviour in nurseries ofR. hipposideroswere related to roost structure and microclimate. The two species occupied 25% of structures rated as “high potential”, versus 5% and 0% rated as “intermediate” and “low potential”. Concerning microclimate,R. hipposiderospreferred warmer and drier day roosts, with higher temperature fluctuations during summer, while winter, and night, roost microclimate was comparable between species. In larger, warmer, and drier nurseries, colony size and proportion of reproductive females were higher and parturition started earlier. Before parturition, roost temperatures were inversely correlated to clustering, supporting its thermoregulatory function. Mothers spent in total 50% of the night inside the nursery caring the pup. Roost microclimate, size, and location close to foraging areas may thus promote breeding success. We conclude that a structure-based rating of roost potential supplemented by species-specific microclimatic requirements constitutes a promising predictor of roost usage. Moreover, adequate buildings support the complete life cycle ofR. hipposiderosin the absence of suitable caves. Buildings thus deserve increased protection measures in fragmented Mediterranean landscapes to ensure sustainable bat conservation.
Integrated fate assessment of aromatic amines in aerobic sewage treatment plants
Authors: Zhou Lin Jun , Rong Zhi Yi , Gu Wen , Fan De Ling , Liu Ji Ning , Shi Li Li , Xu Yan Hua , Liu Zhi Ying 
Published: April 2020

AbstractThe fate and exposure of chemicals in sewage treatment plants (STPs) are major considerations in risk assessment and environmental regulation. The biodegradability and removal of seven aromatic amines were systematically evaluated using a three-tiered integrated method: a standard ready biodegradability test, an aerobic sewage treatment simulation method, and model prediction. In tier 1, the seven aromatic amines were not readily biodegraded after 28 days. In adapted aerobic active sludge, 4-isopropyl aniline, 2,4-diaminotoluene, and 4-nitroaniline among them exhibited the degradation half-life time less than 20 h, the other four aromatic amines exhibited persistent with degradation half-life of > 60 h. In tier 2 of the aerobic sewage treatment simulation testing, 2,4-diaminotoluene, 4-nitroaniline, and 4-isopropylaniline demonstrated moderately to high overall removal. Hydraulic retention time (HRT) affects the removal with the optimum HRT was determined to be 12 h to 24. 2,6-Dimethyl aniline, 2-chloro-4-nitroaniline, 2,6-diethylaniline, and 3,4-dichloroaniline were not removed during the test, indicting these four aromatic amines will enter surface water and hence pose a potential risk to aquatic ecology. Considering the lack of an STP model in China for regulation purposes, in tier 3, we developed a Chinese STP (aerobic) (abbreviated as C-STP(O)) model that reflects a universal scenario for China to predict the fate. The predicted degradation, volatilization, and absorption showed a close relationship to the physicochemical properties of the chemicals, and had same tendency with tier 2 simulation test. The prediction showed that biodegradation rather than absorption or volatilization was the main removal process of aromatic amines in aerobic STP. With the combination of modified kinetics test with C-STP (O) model, the chemical fate can be more accurately predicted than using only the readily biodegradation result.
Irresolvable Disagreement, Objectivist Antirealism and Logical Revision
Authors: Harth Manfred 
Published: April 2020

AbstractMeta-ethical realism faces the serious epistemological problem of how to explain our epistemic access to moral reality. In the face of this challenge many are sceptical about non-naturalist realism. Nonetheless, there is good reason to acknowledge moral objectivity: morality shows all the signs of a truth-apt discourse but doesn’t exhibit the typical relativity inducing features. This suggests a middle-ground position, a theory that embraces the virtues of realism but does avoid its vices: objectivist antirealism. In this paper, I’ll discuss, mainly following Crispin Wright’s account of moral truth as superassertibility, a promising version of objectivist antirealism and show how to cope with notorious problems, notably those arising from the thought that moral disagreement might be possible in which nobody is guilty of a cognitive shortcoming, which contradicts the antirealist claim that moral truth is not beyond our epistemic reach. The solution is to deny the possibility of cognitively faultless moral disagreement by arguing that cognitively blameless thinkers either agree or stay agnostic and, therefore, never disagree about any moral proposition. Since assuming an agnostic stance on the part of such thinkers contradicts the antirealist’s conception of truth—even within the limits of intuitionistic logic—I’ll propose an alternative logical revision for the moral discourse: a three-valued logic with epistemically construed truth-values.
Information exchange in laboratory markets: competition, transfer costs, and the emergence of reputation
Authors: Hoffmann Roman , Kittel Bernhard , Larsen Mattias 
Published: April 2020

AbstractPublic reputation mechanisms are an effective means to limit opportunistic behavior in markets suffering from moral hazard problems. While previous research was mostly concerned with the influence of exogenous feedback mechanisms, this study considers the endogenous emergence of reputation through deliberate information sharing among actors and the role of barriers in hindering information exchange. Using a repeated investment game, we analyze the effects of competition and transfer costs on players’ willingness to share information with each other. While transfer costs are a direct cost of the information exchange, competition costs represent an indirect cost that arises when the transfer of valuable information to competitors comes at the loss of a competitive advantage. We show that barriers to information exchange not only affect the behavior of the senders of information, but also affect the ones about whom the information is shared. While the possibility of sharing information about others significantly improves trust and market efficiency, both competition and direct transfer costs diminish the positive effect by substantially reducing the level of information exchange. Players about whom the information is shared anticipate and react to the changes in the costs by behaving more or less cooperatively. For reputation building, an environment is needed that fosters the sharing of information. Reciprocity is key to understanding information exchange. Even when it is costly, information sharing is used as a way to sanction others.
Investigating the Role of Cloud‐Radiation Interactions in Subseasonal Tropical Disturbances
Authors: Benedict James J. , Medeiros Brian , Clement Amy C. , Olson Jerry G. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractCloud locking, a method that prescribes cloud properties for radiative tendency calculations, is traditionally used to explore climate feedbacks, but here is applied novelly to investigate cloud‐radiation interaction (CRI) impacts on subseasonal tropical variability. The approach minimizes mean state differences between control (CRI active) and experimental simulations (CRI disabled) of the Community Earth System Model. Disabling CRI weakens amplitudes of the Madden‐Julian oscillation (MJO) by 10–35% and equatorial Rossby waves by 10–30% yet strengthens Kelvin waves by 10–40%. MJO weakening results from suppressed radiation‐convection positive feedbacks and increased gross moist stability. Kelvin waves strengthen from reduced convective inhibition and reduced radiative damping on temperature variance. The results are compared to a recently proposed theory that describes a continuum of tropical disturbances. MJO survival, when its primary maintenance mechanism (CRI) is eliminated, stresses the importance of advection and surface flux processes.
On the Spatiotemporal Diversity of Atlantic Niño and Associated Rainfall Variability Over West Africa and South America
Authors: Vallès‐Casanova Ignasi , Lee Sang‐Ki , Foltz Gregory R. , Pelegrí Josep L. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractThe spatiotemporal evolutions of equatorial Atlantic sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) during Atlantic Niño events and the associated climate impacts on the surrounding continents are extremely diverse. In this study, we construct longitude‐time maps of equatorial Atlantic SSTAs for each observed Atlantic Niño event during 1948–2019 and perform a spatiotemporal empirical orthogonal function analysis to identify the four most frequently recurring Atlantic Niño varieties. The first two contrast the timing of dissipation (early terminating vs. persistent) and the other two the timing of onset (early onset vs. late onset). Largely consistent with the differences in the timings of onset and dissipation, these four varieties display remarkable differences in rainfall response over West Africa and South America. Most of the varieties are subject to onset mechanisms that involve preconditioning in boreal spring by either the Atlantic meridional mode or Pacific El Niño, while for the late onset variability there is no clear source of external forcing.
Constraining Microfractures in Foliated Alpine Fault Rocks With Laser Ultrasonics
Authors: Simpson Jonathan , Adam Ludmila , van Wijk Kasper , Charoensawan Jirapat 
Published: April 2020

AbstractQuantifying the amount and alignment of microfractures is important to understand the geomechanics, fluid flow, and seismic imaging of fault zones. At the Alpine Fault, New Zealand, the preferred alignment of minerals, foliation, and fractures results in elastic wave anisotropy. We have designed a unique laser‐ultrasonic laboratory setup to study Alpine Fault rock samples at upper crustal conditions. Combined with differential effective medium modeling, we distinguish microfracture porosity and orientation from mineral alignment, as a function of distance to the principal slip zone (PSZ). Nearest to the PSZ, the cataclasite has the lowest P wave anisotropy with the most (randomly oriented) fractures. Next, the ultramylonite exhibits the greatest P wave anisotropy (∼45%) with 40% of its fractures aligned with foliation. Further from the PSZ, P wave anisotropy is 14–19% on average, due to 20–30% of the fractures being oriented in the same direction as mineral alignment.
Molecular Orientation in a Variable-Focus Liquid Crystal Lens Induced by Ultrasound Vibration
Authors: Harada Yuki , Koyama Daisuke , Fukui Marina , Emoto Akira , Nakamura Kentaro , Matsukawa Mami 
Published: April 2020

AbstractA method to estimate orientation direction of liquid crystal molecules three-dimensionally under ultrasound excitation was proposed and the relationship between the ultrasound vibration and the molecular orientation was discussed. Our group have reported a technique to control orientation direction of liquid crystal molecules using ultrasound vibration which could be applied to an optical variable-focus liquid crystal lens. The lens consisted of a liquid crystal layer sandwiched by two glass circular discs and a piezoelectric ring. Ultrasound vibration induces change in the refractive index of the lens, enabling the variable-focus function. The three-dimensional orientation direction of the liquid crystal molecules in the lens was predicted from the transmitted light distributions under the crossed Nicol conditions. The liquid crystal molecules were inclined from vertical alignment by the ultrasound vibration, and larger ultrasound vibration gave larger inclination of the molecules. There was a strong correlation between the distributions of ultrasound vibration and the liquid crystal molecular orientation; the molecular orientation was changed remarkably between the antinodal and nodal parts of the ultrasound flexural vibration on the glass plate and the molecules aligned towards the antinode.
The role of computational and subjective features in emotional body expressions
Authors: Poyo Solanas Marta , Vaessen Maarten J. , de Gelder Beatrice 
Published: April 2020

AbstractHumans are experts at recognizing intent and emotion from other people’s body movements; however, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we computed quantitative features of body posture and kinematics and acquired behavioural ratings of these feature descriptors to investigate their role in affective whole-body movement perception. Representational similarity analyses and classification regression trees were used to investigate the relation of emotional categories to both the computed features and behavioural ratings. Overall, postural rather than kinematic features discriminated better between emotional movements for the computed as well as for the behavioural features. In particular, limb angles and symmetry appeared to be the most relevant ones. This was observed independently of whether or not the time-related information was preserved in the computed features. Interestingly, the behavioural ratings showed a clearer distinction between affective movements than the computed counterparts. Finally, the perceived directionality of the movement (i.e. towards or away from the observer) was found to be critical for the recognition of fear and anger.
Complex nonlinear capacitance in outer hair cell macro-patches: effects of membrane tension
Authors: Santos-Sacchi Joseph , Tan Winston 
Published: April 2020

AbstractOuter hair cell (OHC) nonlinear capacitance (NLC) represents voltage sensor charge movements of prestin (SLC26a5), the protein responsible for OHC electromotility. Previous measures of NLC frequency response have employed methods which did not assess the influence of dielectric loss (sensor charge movements out of phase with voltage) that may occur, and such loss conceivably may influence prestin’s frequency dependent activity. Here we evaluate prestin’s complex capacitance out to 30 kHz and find that prestin’s frequency response determined using this approach coincides with all previous estimates. We also show that membrane tension has no effect on prestin’s frequency response, despite substantial shifts in its voltage operating range, indicating that prestin transition rate alterations do not account for the shifts. The magnitude roll-off of prestin activity across frequency surpasses the reductions of NLC caused by salicylate treatments that are known to abolish cochlear amplification. Such roll-off likely limits the effectiveness of prestin in contributing to cochlear amplification at the very high acoustic frequencies processed by some mammals.