bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Rotation-time symmetry in bosonic systems and the existence of exceptional points in the absence of $${\mathscr{PT}}$$ symmetry
Authors: Lange Ewelina , Chimczak Grzegorz , Kowalewska-Kudłaszyk Anna , Bartkiewicz Karol 
Published: November 2020

AbstractWe study symmetries of open bosonic systems in the presence of laser pumping. Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians describing these systems can be parity-time ($${{\mathscr{PT}}}$$PT) symmetric in special cases only. Systems exhibiting this symmetry are characterised by real-valued energy spectra and can display exceptional points, where a symmetry-breaking transition occurs. We demonstrate that there is a more general type of symmetry, i.e., rotation-time ($${\mathscr{RT}}$$RT) symmetry. We observe that$${\mathscr{RT}}$$RT-symmetric non-Hermitian Hamiltonians exhibit real-valued energy spectra which can be made singular by symmetry breaking. To calculate the spectra of the studied bosonic non-diagonalisable Hamiltonians we apply diagonalisation methods based on bosonic algebra. Finally, we list a versatile set rules allowing to immediately identifying or constructing$${\mathscr{RT}}$$RT-symmetric Hamiltonians. We believe that our results on the$${\mathscr{RT}}$$RT-symmetric class of bosonic systems and their spectral singularities can lead to new applications inspired by those of the$${{\mathscr{PT}}}$$PT-symmetric systems.
New criteria for efficient Raman and Brillouin amplification of laser beams in plasma
Authors: Trines R. M. G. M. , Alves E. P. , Webb E. , Vieira J. , Fiúza F. , Fonseca R. A. , Silva L. O. , Cairns R. A. , Bingham R. 
Published: November 2020

AbstractRaman or Brillouin amplification of a laser beam in plasma has long been seen as a way to reach multi-PW powers in compact laser systems. However, no significant plasma-based Raman amplification of a laser pulse beyond 0.1 TW has been achieved in nearly 20 years, and only one report of Brillouin amplification beyond 1 TW. In this paper, we reveal novel non-linear criteria for the initial seed pulse that will finally open the door to efficient Raman and Brillouin amplification to petawatt powers and Joule-level energies. We show that the triple product of the coupling constant $$\Gamma $$
Γ
, seed pulse duration $$\tau $$
τ
and seed pulse amplitude a for the Raman seed pulse (or $$a^{2/3}$$

a

2
/
3

for Brillouin) must exceed a specific minimum threshold for efficient amplification. We also analyze the plasma-based Raman and Brillouin amplification experiments to date, and show that the seed pulses used in nearly all experiments are well below our new threshold, which explains the poor efficiency obtained in them. Finally, we analyze a recent Brillouin amplification experiment that used increased seed pulse power to obtain Joule-level amplification, and find excellent agreement with our theory.
Dynamic regulation of coral energy metabolism throughout the diel cycle
Authors: Linsmayer Lauren Buckley , Deheyn Dimitri Dominique , Tomanek Lars , Tresguerres Martin 
Published: November 2020

AbstractCoral reefs are naturally exposed to daily and seasonal variations in environmental oxygen levels, which can be exacerbated in intensity and duration by anthropogenic activities. However, coral’s diel oxygen dynamics and fermentative pathways remain poorly understood. Here, continuous oxygen microelectrode recordings in the coral diffusive boundary layer revealed hyperoxia during daytime and hypoxia at nighttime resulting from net photosynthesis and net respiration, respectively. The activities of the metabolic enzymes citrate synthase (CS), malate dehydrogenase, and strombine dehydrogenase remained constant throughout the day/night cycle, suggesting that energy metabolism was regulated through adjustments in metabolite fluxes and not through changes in enzyme abundance. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses identified strombine as coral’s main fermentative end product. Strombine levels peaked as oxygen became depleted at dusk, indicating increased fermentation rates at the onset of nightly hypoxia, and again at dawn as photosynthesis restored oxygen and photosynthate supply. When these peaks were excluded from the analyses, average strombine levels during the day were nearly double those at night, indicating sifnificant fermentation rates even during aerobic conditions. These results highlight the dynamic changes in oxygen levels in the coral diffusive boundary layer, and the importance of fermentative metabolism for coral biology.
Association between maternal blood lipids levels during pregnancy and risk of small-for-gestational-age infants
Authors: Chen Qinqing , Chen Huiqi , Xi Fangfang , Sagnelli Matthew , Zhao Baihui , Chen Yuan , Yang Mengmeng , Xu Dong , Jiang Ying , Chen Guangdi , Luo Qiong 
Published: November 2020

AbstractDyslipidemia in pregnancy are associated with risk of adverse outcomes. As an adverse pregnancy outcome, small-for-gestational-age has been extensively studied in Western countries. However, similar studies have rarely been conducted in Asian countries. Data were derived from 5695 pairs of non-diabetic mothers and neonates between 1 Jan 2014 and 31 Dec 2014. 5.6% neonates in our study were SGA. Serum samples were collected during second and third trimesters for evaluation on fasting lipids levels. The present study intended to explore the associations between maternal lipid profile and small-for-gestational-age neonates. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated and adjusted via logistic regression analysis. After adjustments for confounders, third-trimester total cholesterol levels were associated with a decreased risk for small-for-gestational-age (aOR = 0.622, 95% CI 0.458–0.848, P = 0.002), and third-trimester high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were associated with an increased risk for small-for-gestational-age (aOR = 1.955, 95% CI 1.465–2.578, P < 0.001; aOR = 1.403, 95% CI 1.014–1.944, P = 0.041).In the highest gestational weight gain strata, especially the third-trimester, the effect of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels on the risk for small-for-gestational-age is larger. High high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level during third trimester could be considered as indicators of a high-risk of small-for-gestational-age, regardless of gestational weight gain.
APOE4 genetic polymorphism results in impaired recovery in a repeated mild traumatic brain injury model and treatment with Bryostatin-1 improves outcomes
Authors: Giarratana Anna O. , Zheng Cynthia , Reddi Sahithi , Teng Shavonne L. , Berger David , Adler Derek , Sullivan Patrick , Thakker-Varia Smita , Alder Janet 
Published: November 2020

AbstractAfter traumatic brain injury (TBI), some people have worse recovery than others. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Apolipoprotein E (APOE) are known to increase risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease, however there is controversy from human and rodent studies as to whether ApoE4 is a risk factor for worse outcomes after brain trauma. To resolve these conflicting studies we have explored the effect of the human APOE4 gene in a reproducible mouse model that mimics common human injuries. We have investigated cellular and behavioral outcomes in genetically engineered human APOE targeted replacement (TR) mice following repeated mild TBI (rmTBI) using a lateral fluid percussion injury model. Relative to injured APOE3 TR mice, injured APOE4 TR mice had more inflammation, neurodegeneration, apoptosis, p-tau, and activated microglia and less total brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the cortex and/or hippocampus at 1 and/or 21 days post-injury. We utilized a novel personalized approach to treating APOE4 susceptible mice by administering Bryostatin-1, which improved cellular as well as motor and cognitive behavior outcomes at 1 DPI in the APOE4 injured mice. This study demonstrates that APOE4 is a risk factor for poor outcomes after rmTBI and highlights how personalized therapeutics can be a powerful treatment option.
Exposure to a biopesticide interferes with sucrose responsiveness and learning in honey bees
Authors: Carlesso Daniele , Smargiassi Stefania , Sassoli Lara , Cappa Federico , Cervo Rita , Baracchi David 
Published: November 2020

AbstractThe entomopathogenic fungus Beauveriabassiana is a widely used biopesticide that is considered as an effective alternative to classical agrochemicals. B. bassiana is thought to be safe for pollinators although little is known about its side-effects on pollinators’ behaviour and cognition. Here, we focused on honey bees and used the proboscis extension response (PER) protocol to assess whether B. bassiana affects individual sucrose responsiveness, non-associative and associative olfactory learning and memory. Fungus-treated bees displayed an enhanced sucrose responsiveness, which could not be explained by metabolic alterations. Strikingly, exposed bees were twice as inconsistent as controls in response to sucrose, showing PER to lower but not to higher sucrose concentrations. Exposed bees habituated less to sucrose and had a better acquisition performance in the conditioning phase than controls. Further, neither mid- nor long-term memory were affected by the fungus. As sucrose responsiveness is the main determinant of division of foraging labour, these changes might unsettle the numerical ratio between the sub-castes of foragers leading to suboptimal foraging. Although the use of biocontrol strategies should be preferred over chemical pesticides, careful assessment of their side-effects is crucial before claiming that they are safe for pollinators.
Tree canopy arthropods have idiosyncratic responses to plant ecophysiological traits in a warm temperate forest complex
Authors: Swart Rudi C. , Samways Michael J. , Roets Francois 
Published: November 2020

AbstractBiodiversity studies on forest canopies often have narrow arthropod taxonomic focus, or refer to a single species of tree. In response, and to better understand the wide range of drivers of arthropod diversity in tree canopies, we conducted a large-scale, multi-taxon study which (a) included effect of immediate surroundings of an individual tree on plant physiological features, and (b), how these features affect compositional and functional arthropod diversity, in a warm, southern Afro-temperate forest. We found that tree species differed significantly in plant physiological features and arthropod diversity patterns. Surprisingly, we found negative correlation between surrounding canopy cover, and both foliar carbon and arthropod diversity in host trees, regardless of tree species. Subtle, tree intraspecific variation in physiological features correlated significantly with arthropod diversity measures, but direction and strength of correlations differed among tree species. These findings illustrate great complexity in how canopy arthropods respond to specific tree species, to immediate surroundings of host trees, and to tree physiological features. We conclude that in natural forests, loss of even one tree species, as well as homogenization of the crown layer and/or human-induced environmental change, could lead to profound and unpredictable canopy arthropod biodiversity responses, threatening forest integrity.
The importance of using whole genome sequencing and extended spectrum beta-lactamase selective media when monitoring antimicrobial resistance
Authors: Duggett Nicholas , AbuOun Manal , Randall Luke , Horton Robert , Lemma Fabrizio , Rogers Jon , Crook Derrick , Teale Christopher , Anjum Muna F. 
Published: November 2020

AbstractTo tackle the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance programmes are in place within Europe applying phenotypic methods, but there are plans for implementing whole genome sequencing (WGS). We tested the benefits of WGS using Escherichia coli collected from pig surveillance performed between 2013 to 2017. WGS was performed on 498 E. coli producing ESBL and AmpC enzymes, recovered from pig caeca on MacConkey + cefotaxime (McC + CTX) agar, as recommended by the European Commission, or ESBL agar, used additionally by United Kingdom. Our results indicated WGS was extremely useful for monitoring trends for specific ESBL genes, as well as a plethora of AMR genotypes, helping to establish their prevalence and co-linkage to certain plasmids. Recovery of isolates with multi-drug resistance (MDR) genotypes was lower from McC + CTX than ESBL agar. The most widespread ESBL genes belonged to the blaCTX-M family. blaCTX-M-1 dominated all years, and was common in two highly stable IncI1 MDR plasmids harbouring (blaCTX-M-1,sul2, tetA) or (blaCTX-M-1, aadA5, sul2, dfrA17), in isolates which were phylogenetically dissimilar, suggesting plasmid transmission. Therefore, WGS provided a wealth of data on prevalence of AMR genotypes and plasmid persistence absent from phenotypic data and, also, demonstrated the importance of culture media for detecting ESBL E. coli.
Development and validation of a 4-color multiplexing spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) genotyping assay on a novel integrated digital PCR instrument
Authors: Jiang Lingxia , Lin Robert , Gallagher Steve , Zayac Andrew , Butchbach Matthew E. R. , Hung Paul 
Published: November 2020

AbstractDigital PCR (dPCR) technology has been proven to be highly sensitive and accurate in detecting copy number variations (CNV). However, a higher-order multiplexing dPCR assay for measuring SMN1 and SMN2 copy numbers in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) samples has not been reported. Described here is a rapid multiplex SMA dPCR genotyping assay run on a fully integrated dPCR instrument with five optical channels. The hydrolysis probe-based multiplex dPCR assay quantifies SMN1, SMN2, and the total SMN (SMN1 + SMN2) while using RPPH1 gene as an internal reference control. The quadruplex assay was evaluated with characterized control DNA samples and validated with 15 blinded clinical samples from a previously published study. SMN1 and SMN2 copy numbers were completely concordant with previous results for both the control and blinded samples. The dPCR-based SMA copy number determination was accomplished in 90 min with a walk-away workflow identical to real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). In summary, presented here is a simple higher-order multiplexing solution on a novel digital PCR platform to meet the growing demand for SMA genotyping and prognostics.
Implications of landscape genetics and connectivity of snow leopard in the Nepalese Himalayas for its conservation
Authors: Shrestha Bikram , Kindlmann Pavel 
Published: November 2020

AbstractThe snow leopard is one of the most endangered large mammals. Its population, already low, is declining, most likely due to the consequences of human activity, including a reduction in the size and number of suitable habitats. With climate change, habitat loss may escalate, because of an upward shift in the tree line and concomitant loss of the alpine zone, where the snow leopard lives. Migration between suitable areas, therefore, is important because a decline in abundance in these areas may result in inbreeding, fragmentation of populations, reduction in genetic variation due to habitat fragmentation, loss of connectivity, bottlenecks or genetic drift. Here we use our data collected in Nepal to determine the areas suitable for snow leopards, by using habitat suitability maps, and describe the genetic structure of the snow leopard within and between these areas. We also determine the influence of landscape features on the genetic structure of its populations and reveal corridors connecting suitable areas. We conclude that it is necessary to protect these natural corridors to maintain the possibility of snow leopards’ migration between suitable areas, which will enable gene flow between the diminishing populations and thus maintain a viable metapopulation of snow leopards.
Neuronal architecture of the second-order CO2 pathway in the brain of a noctuid moth
Authors: Chu X. , KC P. , Ian E. , Kvello P. , Liu Y. , Wang G. R. , Berg B. G. 
Published: November 2020

AbstractMany insects possess the ability to detect fine fluctuations in the environmental CO2 concentration. In herbivorous species, plant-emitted CO2, in combination with other sensory cues, affect many behaviors including foraging and oviposition. In contrast to the comprehensive knowledge obtained on the insect olfactory pathway in recent years, we still know little about the central CO2 system. By utilizing intracellular labeling and mass staining, we report the neuroanatomy of projection neurons connected with the CO2 sensitive antennal-lobe glomerulus, the labial pit organ glomerulus (LPOG), in the noctuid moth, Helicoverpa armigera. We identified 15 individual LPOG projection neurons passing along different tracts. Most of these uniglomerular neurons terminated in the lateral horn, a previously well-described target area of plant-odor projection neurons originating from the numerous ordinary antennal-lobe glomeruli. The other higher-order processing area for odor information, the calyces, on the other hand, was weakly innervated by the LPOG neurons. The overlapping LPOG terminals in the lateral horn, which is considered important for innate behavior in insects, suggests the biological importance of integrating the CO2 input with plant odor information while the weak innervation of the calyces indicates the insignificance of this ubiquitous cue for learning mechanisms.
Climatic factors determine the yield and quality of Honghe flue-cured tobacco
Authors: Tang Zuoxin , Chen Lulu , Chen Zebin , Fu Yali , Sun Xiaolu , Wang Binbin , Xia Tiyuan 
Published: November 2020

AbstractFlue-cured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is a major cash crop in Yunnan, China, and the yield, chemical components, and their proportions decide the quality of tobacco leaves. To understand the effects of environmental factors (soil and climatic factors) on the yield and quality of flue-cured tobacco and determine the main regulating factors, we selected three flue-cured tobacco cultivars [K326, Yunyan87 (Yun87), and Honghuadajinyuan (Hongda)] grown in the Honghe Tobacco Zone. Indices related to yield and economic traits, chemical component properties, soil physical and chemical properties, and climatic factors at different planting sites, were evaluated. We used variance analysis, correlation analysis, and redundancy analysis (RDA) in this study. The results showed that the yield and chemical component properties of flue-cured tobacco, except for the number of left leaves and plant total sugar (PTS) content, were significantly correlated with climatic factors. Particularly, the yield increased in drier and sunnier weather. In terms of the carbon supply capacity, PTS, petroleum ether (PPE), and starch contents (PS) were higher under high-altitude and high-latitude climatic conditions, whereas for the nitrogen supply capacity, plant nitrogen (PTN) and nicotine (PN) contents improved under low-altitude and low-latitude climatic conditions. PTS, reducing sugar (PRS), potassium (PTK), chlorine (PCL), and PPE contents were negatively related to soil clay content, soil pH, and soil organic matter, whereas PRS and PTK contents were positively correlated with alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen (AN). According to RDA, the soil clay, AN, available phosphorus (AP), and soil chlorine content (SCL) strongly affected the quality of flue-cured tobacco. The quality of the K326 and Yun87 cultivars was mostly influenced by moisture, whereas the quality of the Hongda cultivar was mostly affected by temperature. In conclusion, compared with soil properties, climatic factors more significantly affect the yield and quality of Honghe flue-cured tobacco leaves.
External error attribution dampens efferent-based predictions but not proprioceptive changes in hand localization
Authors: Gastrock Raphael Q. , Modchalingam Shanaathanan , ’t Hart Bernard Marius , Henriques Denise Y. P. 
Published: November 2020

AbstractIn learning and adapting movements in changing conditions, people attribute the errors they experience to a combined weighting of internal or external sources. As such, error attribution that places more weight on external sources should lead to decreased updates in our internal models for movement of the limb or estimating the position of the effector, i.e. there should be reduced implicit learning. However, measures of implicit learning are the same whether or not we induce explicit adaptation with instructions about the nature of the perturbation. Here we evoke clearly external errors by either demonstrating the rotation on every trial, or showing the hand itself throughout training. Implicit reach aftereffects persist, but are reduced in both groups. Only for the group viewing the hand, changes in hand position estimates suggest that predicted sensory consequences are not updated, but only rely on recalibrated proprioception. Our results show that estimating the position of the hand incorporates source attribution during motor learning, but recalibrated proprioception is an implicit process unaffected by external error attribution.
Extremely hard and tough high entropy nitride ceramics
Authors: Moskovskikh Dmitry , Vorotilo Stepan , Buinevich Veronika , Sedegov Alexey , Kuskov Kirill , Khort Alexander , Shuck Christopher , Zhukovskyi Maksim , Mukasyan Alexander 
Published: November 2020

AbstractSimultaneously hard and tough nitride ceramics open new venues for a variety of advanced applications. To produce such materials, attention is focused on the development of high-entropy ceramics, containing four or more metallic components distributed homogeneously in the metallic sublattice. While the fabrication of bulk high-entropy carbides and borides is well established, high-entropy nitrides have only been produced as thin films. Herein, we report on a newel three-step process to fabricate bulk high-entropy nitrides. The high-entropy nitride phase was obtained by exothermic combustion of mechanically-activated nanostructured metallic precursors in nitrogen and consolidated by spark plasma sintering. The fabricated bulk high-entropy nitride (Hf0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2Ti0.2Zr0.2)N demonstrates outstanding hardness (up to 33 GPa) and fracture toughness (up to 5.2 MPa∙m1/2), significantly surpassing expected values from mixture rules, as well as all other reported binary and high-entropy ceramics and can be used for super-hard coatings, structural materials, optics, and others. The obtained results illustrate the scalable method to produce bulk high-entropy nitrides with the new benchmark properties.