Maximum Realizability for Linear Temporal Logic Specifications See

Automatic synthesis from linear temporal logic (LTL) specifications is widely used in robotic motion planning and control of autonomous systems. A common specification pattern in such applications consists of an LTL formula describing the requirements on the behaviour of the system, together with a set of additional desirable properties. We study the synthesis problem in settings where the overall specification is unrealizable, more precisely, when some of the desirable properties have t...

Dimitrova, Rayna; Ghasemi, Mahsa; Topcu, Ufuk

On sign-coherence of c-vectors See

Given a finite dimensional algebra A over an algebraically closed field, we consider the c-vectors such as defined by Fu in [18] and we give a new proof of its sign-coherence. Moreover, we characterise the modules whose dimension vectors are c-vectors as bricks respecting a functorially finiteness condition.

Treffinger, Hipolito

NGTS-2b: an inflated hot-Jupiter transiting a bright F-dwarf See

We report the discovery of NGTS-2b, an inflated hot-Jupiter transiting a bright F5V star (2MASS J14202949 − 3112074; Teff = 6478+94 −89 K), discovered as part of the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS). The planet is in a P = 4.51 d orbit with mass 0.74+0.13 −0.12 MJ, radius 1.595+0.047 −0.045 RJ, and density 0.226+0.040 −0.038 g cm−3; therefore one of the lowest density exoplanets currently known. With a relatively deep 1.0 per cent transit around a bright V = 10.96 host star, NGTS-2...

Raynard, L; Goad, MR; Gillen, E; Nielsen, LD; Watson, CA... et al.

Mutation and Selection in Bacteria: Modelling and Calibration. See

Temporal evolution of a clonal bacterial population is modelled taking into account reversible mutation and selection mechanisms. For the mutation model, an efficient algorithm is proposed to verify whether experimental data can be explained by this model. The selection-mutation model has unobservable fitness parameters, and, to estimate them, we use an Approximate Bayesian Computation algorithm. The algorithms are illustrated using in vitro data for phase variable genes of Campylobacter jejuni.

Bayliss, C. D.; Fallaize, C.; Howitt, R.; Tretyakov, M. V.

Low-frequency View of GW170817/GRB 170817A with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope See

The short gamma-ray burst (GRB) 170817A was the first GRB associated with a gravitational-wave event. Due to the exceptionally low luminosity of the prompt γ-ray and the afterglow emission, the origin of both radiation components is highly debated. The most discussed models for the burst and the afterglow include a regular GRB jet seen off-axis and the emission from the cocoon encompassing a “choked” jet. Here, we report low radio frequency observations at 610 and 1390 MHz obtained with t...

Resmi, L; Schulze, S; Ishwara-Chandra, CH; Misra, K; Buchner, J... et al.

Mapping of Jupiter’s tropospheric NH3 abundance using ground-based IRTF/TEXES observations at 5 µm See

We report on results of an observing campaign to support the Juno mission. At the beginning of 2016, using TEXES (Texas Echelon cross-dispersed Echelle Spectrograph), mounted on the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF), we obtained data cubes of Jupiter in the 1930–1943 cm−1 spectral ranges (around 5 µm), which probe the atmosphere in the 1–4 bar region, with a spectral resolution of ≈ 0.15 cm−1 and an angular resolution of ≈ 1.4”. This dataset is analysed by a code that combines a li...

Blain, D; Fouchet, T; Greathouse, T; Encrenaz, T; Charnay, B... et al.

Celebrating the quality of our referees. See

One of the key strengths of The Journal of Physiology is the integrity of our referees and the quality of their reports. This is a brief overview of the refereeing process, by way of encouragement to young researchers to get involved and as a ‘thank you’ to all of the many referees that contribute to reviewing manuscripts submitted to The Journal.

Forsythe, Ian D.

The "Petechiae in children" (PiC) study: evaluating potential clinical decision rules for the management of feverish children with non-blanching rashes, including the role of point of care testing for Procalcitonin & Neisseria meningitidis DNA - a study protocol. See

BACKGROUND: Children commonly present to Emergency Departments (ED) with a non-blanching rash in the context of a feverish illness. While most have a self-limiting viral illness, this combination of features potentially represents invasive serious bacterial infection, including meningococcal septicaemia. A paucity of definitive diagnostic testing creates diagnostic uncertainty for clinicians; a safe approach mandates children without invasive disease are often admitted and treated with broad-...

Waterfield, T; Lyttle, MD; Fairley, D; Mckenna, J; Woolfall, K... et al.

Inflammation and its role in shaping cell responses in cancers See

From tumours to T cells, Dr Cordula Stover has an impressive research portfolio. Based at the University of Leicester, she originally trained as a medic, before moving into research to address some of the many unanswered questions that she faced on a daily basis. Her work focuses mainly on inflammation, with many previous research projects addressing issues relating to cancer.

Stover, Cordula

Variation in faecal microbiota in a group of horses managed at pasture over a 12-month period. See

Colic (abdominal pain) is a common cause of mortality in horses. Change in management of horses is associated with increased colic risk and seasonal patterns of increased risk have been identified. Shifts in gut microbiota composition in response to management change have been proposed as one potential underlying mechanism for colic. However, the intestinal microbiota in normal horses and how this varies over different seasons has not previously been investigated. In this study the faecal mic...

Salem, SE; Maddox, TW; Berg, A; Antczak, P; Ketley, JM... et al.

Structure of the replication regulator Sap1 reveals functionally important interfaces. See

The mechanism by which specific protein-DNA complexes induce programmed replication fork stalling in the eukaryotic genome remains poorly understood. In order to shed light on this process we carried out structural investigations on the essential fission yeast protein Sap1. Sap1 was identified as a protein involved in mating-type switching in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and has been shown to be involved in programmed replication fork stalling. Interestingly, Sap1 assumes two different DNA bind...

Jørgensen, MM; Ekundayo, B; Zaratiegui, M; Skriver, K; Thon, G... et al.

Structure of centromere chromatin: from nucleosome to chromosomal architecture. See

The centromere is essential for the segregation of chromosomes, as it serves as attachment site for microtubules to mediate chromosome segregation during mitosis and meiosis. In most organisms, the centromere is restricted to one chromosomal region that appears as primary constriction on the condensed chromosome and is partitioned into two chromatin domains: The centromere core is characterized by the centromere-specific histone H3 variant CENP-A (also called cenH3) and is required for specif...

Schalch, Thomas; Steiner, Florian A.

Neurovascular coupling response to cognitive examination in healthy controls: a multivariate analysis. See

Cognitive testing with transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) has been used to assess neurovascular coupling (NVC), but few studies address its multiple contributions. Subcomponent analysis considers the relative myogenic (resistance area product, RAP) and metabolic (critical closing pressure (CrCP)) contributors. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in subcomponents that occur with cognitive stimulation with the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE-III) in healthy con...

Beishon, L; Williams, CAL; Robinson, TG; Haunton, VJ; Panerai, RB

Integrase-Controlled Excision of Metal-Resistance Genomic Islands in Acinetobacter baumannii. See

Genomic islands (GIs) are discrete gene clusters encoding for a variety of functions including antibiotic and heavy metal resistance, some of which are tightly associated to lineages of the core genome phylogenetic tree. We have investigated the functions of two distinct integrase genes in the mobilization of two metal resistant GIs, G08 and G62, of Acinetobacter baumannii. Real-time PCR demonstrated integrase-dependent GI excision, utilizing isopropyl β-d-1-thiogalactopyranoside IPTG-inducib...

Al-Jabri, Z; Zamudio, R; Horvath-Papp, E; Ralph, JD; Al-Muharrami, Z... et al.

School leadership development in China: a case study of schools in one district education bureau See

This paper considers the effectiveness of leadership development (LD) processes in relation to school leaders’ needs within an eastern Chinese District Education Bureau (DEB). The analysis is based on Chinese and English sources relating to LD, documentary analysis of DEB initiatives and interviews with ten school leaders from two schools. The findings reveal that LD within the district stalled at principal level because of the tension between their managerial interpretation of the role and t...

Zhang, Wei

Prevalence of non-suicidal self-harm and service contact in England, 2000-14: repeated cross-sectional surveys of the general population. See

BACKGROUND: The number of people presenting to hospital emergency departments after self-harming has increased in England. However, most people who self-harm do not present to hospitals, so whether this rise reflects an increase in the prevalence of self-harm in the community is unknown. Also unknown is whether the prevalence of non-suicidal self-harm (NSSH) or suicidal self-harm, or both, has increased. We aimed to establish temporal trends in the prevalence of NSSH in England. METHODS: We a...

McManus, S; Gunnell, D; Cooper, C; Bebbington, PE; Howard, LM... et al.

Global, regional, and national burden of suicide mortality 1990 to 2016: Systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 See

Objectives To use the estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 to describe patterns of suicide mortality globally, regionally, and for 195 countries and territories by age, sex, and Socio-demographic index, and to describe temporal trends between 1990 and 2016. Design Systematic analysis. Main outcome measures Crude and age standardised rates from suicide mortality and years of life lost were compared across regions and countries, and by age, sex, and Socio-demographic index (a ...

Orpana, HM; Marczak, LB; Arora, M; Abbasi, N; Abdulkader, RS... et al.

Dynamical modelling of dwarf spheroidal galaxies using Gaussian-process emulation See

We present a novel and efficient method for fitting dynamical models of stellar kinematic data for dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSph). Our approach is based on Gaussian-process emulation (GPE), which is a sophisticated form of curve fitting that requires fewer training data than alternative methods. We use a set of validation tests and diagnostic criteria to assess the performance of the emulation procedure. We have implemented an algorithm in which both the GPE procedure and its validation are...

Gration, Amery; Wilkinson, Mark I.

No magnetars in ULXs See

We consider the current observed ensemble of pulsing ultraluminous X-ray sources (PULXs). We show that all of their observed properties (luminosity, spin period, and spin-up rate) are consistent with emission from magnetic neutron stars with fields in the usual range 1011-1013 G, which is collimated ('beamed') by the outflow from an accretion disc supplied with mass at a super-Eddington rate, but ejecting the excess, in the way familiar for other (non-pulsing) ULXs. The observed properties ar...

King, Andrew; Lasota, Jean-Pierre