bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Avoiding frostbite: It helps to learn from others
Authors: Tessler Michael Henry , Goodman Noah D. , Frank Michael C.
Published: November 2017

Machines that learn and think like people must be able to learn from others. Social learning speeds up the learning process and – in combination with language – is a gateway to abstract and unobservable information. Social learning also facilitates the accumulation of knowledge across generations, helping people and artificial intelligences learn things that no individual could learn in a lifetime.
Microscopic and macroscopic approaches to the mental representations of second languages
Authors: Cai Zhenguang G. , Liu Haitao
Published: November 2017

With a particular reference to second language (L2), we discuss (1) how structural priming can be used to tap into L2 representations and their relationships with first and target language representations; and (2) how complex networks additionally can be used to reveal the global and local patterning of L2 linguistic features and L2 developmental trajectories.
Moving beyond the priming of single-language sentences: A proposal for a comprehensive model to account for linguistic representation in bilinguals
Authors: Kootstra Gerrit Jan , Rossi Eleonora
Published: November 2017

In their target article, Branigan & Pickering (B&P) briefly discuss bilingual language representation, focusing primarily on cross-language priming between single-language sentences. We follow up on this discussion by showing how structural priming drives real-life phenomena of bilingual language use beyond the priming of unilingual sentences and by arguing that B&P's account should be extended with a representation for language membership.
On the nature of structure in structural priming
Authors: Kwon Nayoung , Lee Yoonhyoung
Published: November 2017

Like Branigan & Pickering (B&P), we agree that processing evidence is important for linguistic theorization; however, without much evidence of priming of hierarchical argument structure independent of linear ordering, the nature of “structure” in structural priming remains unclear. Consequently, it is an empirical question whether structural priming and acceptability judgments tap into cognitive processes of a similar nature.
Priming methods in semantics and pragmatics
Authors: Maldonado Mora , Spector Benjamin , Chemla Emmanuel
Published: November 2017

Structural priming is a powerful method to inform linguistic theories. We argue that this method extends nicely beyond syntax to theories of meaning. Priming, however, should still be seen as only one of the tools available for linguistic data collection. Specifically, because priming can occur at different, potentially conflicting levels, it cannot detect every aspect of linguistic representations.
Can structural priming answer the important questions about language?
Authors: Martin Andrea E. , Huettig Falk , Nieuwland Mante S.
Published: November 2017

Structural priming makes a valuable contribution to psycholinguistics, but it taps into implicit memory representations and processes that may differ from what is deployed during online language processing. As a result, the strength of inductive inference regarding linguistic representation is rather limited. We question whether implicit memory for language can and should be equated with linguistic representation or with language processing.
The syntax of priming
Authors: O'Grady William
Published: November 2017

Priming reflects the reactivation of processing routines that map strings of words onto semantic representations (and vice versa) without the mediation of syntactic structure, including the “flat structure” that Branigan & Pickering (B&P) propose. Key evidence for this claim comes from the possibility of priming relations involving subject-verb sequences, which are not syntactic constituents.
Developmental psycholinguistics teaches us that we need multi-method, not single-method, approaches to the study of linguistic representation
Authors: Rowland Caroline F. , Monaghan Padraic
Published: November 2017

In developmental psycholinguistics, we have, for many years, been generating and testing theories that propose both descriptions of adult representations and explanations of how those representations develop. We have learnt that restricting ourselves to any one methodology yields only incomplete data about the nature of linguistic representations. We argue that we need a multi-method approach to the study of representation.
Structural priming and the representation of language
Authors: Branigan Holly P. , Pickering Martin J.
Published: November 2017

Structural priming offers a powerful method for experimentally investigating the mental representation of linguistic structure. We clarify the nature of our proposal, justify the versatility of priming, consider alternative approaches, and discuss how our specific account can be extended to new questions as part of an interdisciplinary programme integrating linguistics and psychology as part of the cognitive sciences of language.
Replication research in pedagogical approaches to spoken fluency and formulaic sequences: A call for replication of Wood (2009) and Boers, Eyckmans, Kappel, Stengers & Demecheleer (2006)
Authors: Thomson Haidee , Boers Frank , Coxhead Averil
Published: November 2017

The focus of this paper is replication research in pedagogical approaches to spoken fluency and formulaic sequences, and in particular, a call for replication of two often cited studies: Wood (2009) and Boers, Eyckmans, Kappel, Stengers & Demecheleer (2006). We begin by presenting a brief background to fluency and formulaic language, and pedagogical approaches to the development of these two aspects of learning in a second (L2) or foreign language. We then move on to our two original studies of pedagogical interventions in formulaic sequences and spoken fluency – Wood (2009) and Boers et al. (2006) – and suggest possible approaches to replication for both.
The roles of word-form frequency and phonological neighbourhood density in the acquisition of Lithuanian noun morphology
Authors: SAVIČIŪTĖ Eglė , AMBRIDGE Ben , PINE Julian M.
Published: November 2017

Four- and five-year-old children took part in an elicited familiar and novel Lithuanian noun production task to test predictions of input-based accounts of the acquisition of inflectional morphology. Two major findings emerged. First, as predicted by input-based accounts, correct production rates were correlated with the input frequency of the target form, and with the phonological neighbourhood density of the noun. Second, the error patterns were not compatible with the systematic substitution of target forms by either (a) the most frequent form of that noun or (b) a single morphosyntactic default form, as might be predicted by naive versions of a constructivist and generativist account, respectively. Rather, most errors reflected near-miss substitutions of singular for plural, masculine for feminine, or nominative/accusative for a less frequent case. Together, these findings provide support for an input-based approach to morphological acquisition, but are not adequately explained by any single account in its current form.
Subdirect sums of Lie algebras
Authors: KOCHLOUKOVA D. H. , MARTÍNEZ–PÉREZ C.
Published: November 2017

We show Lie algebra versions of some results on homological finiteness properties of subdirect products of groups. These results include a version of the 1-2-3 Theorem.
Violence exposure and neural systems underlying working memory for emotional stimuli in youth
Authors: Jenness Jessica L. , Rosen Maya L. , Sambrook Kelly A. , Dennison Meg J. , Lambert Hilary K. , Sheridan Margaret A. , McLaughlin Katie A.
Published: November 2017

Violence exposure during childhood is common and associated with poor cognitive and academic functioning. However, little is known about how violence exposure influences cognitive processes that might contribute to these disparities, such as working memory, or their neural underpinnings, particularly for cognitive processes that occur in emotionally salient contexts. We address this gap in a sample of 54 participants aged 8 to 19 years (50% female), half with exposure to interpersonal violence. Participants completed a delayed match to sample task for emotional faces while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Violence-exposed youth performed worse than controls on happy and neutral, but not angry, trials. In whole-brain analysis, violence-exposed youth had reduced activation in the left middle frontal gyrus and right intraparietal sulcus during encoding and the left superior temporal sulcus and temporal–parietal junction during retrieval compared to control youth. Reduced activation in the left middle frontal gyrus during encoding and the left superior temporal sulcus during retrieval mediated the association between violence exposure and task performance. Violence exposure influences the frontoparietal network that supports working memory as well as regions involved in facial processing during working memory for emotional stimuli. Reduced neural recruitment in these regions may explain atypical patterns of cognitive processing seen among violence-exposed youth, particularly within emotional contexts.
Maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring executive function: What do we know and what are the next steps?
Authors: Micalizzi Lauren , Knopik Valerie S.
Published: November 2017

Children exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) exhibit difficulties in executive function (EF) from infancy through adolescence. Due to the developmental significance of EF as a predictor of adaptive functioning throughout the life span, the MSDP–EF relation has clear public health implications. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of the literature on the relationship between MSDP and offspring EF across development; consider brain-based assessments, animal models, and genetically informed studies in an effort to elucidate plausible pathways of effects; discuss implications for prevention and intervention; and make calls to action for future research.
The final straw? An overview of Straw-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus zeylanicus trade in Indonesia
Authors: BERGIN DANIEL , CHNG SERENE C. L. , EATON JAMES A. , SHEPHERD CHRIS R.
Published: November 2017

Currently listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the Straw-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus zeylanicus is being driven towards extinction throughout most of its range by unregulated illegal trade supplying the demand for songbirds. We conducted surveys of bird markets in North and West Kalimantan, and Central, West and East Java between July 2014 and June 2015, and observed a total of 71 Straw-headed Bulbuls in 11 markets in eight cities. Comparing our data with the literature, we found that as numbers in markets are decreasing, prices are increasing to over 20 times the prices recorded in 1987, indicating that numbers in the wild are diminishing. This is corroborated by widespread extirpations throughout their range and reports from traders that Straw-headed Bulbuls are increasingly difficult to locate, while demand from consumers remains high. Concerted efforts from a variety of stakeholders are urgently needed to prevent the extinction of this species in the wild. We recommend that the Straw-headed Bulbul be included in Indonesia’s list of protected species, considered for uplisting to Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). We also urge the Indonesian Government to effectively enforce existing laws, targeting the open bird markets to shut down the trade in this and other threatened species.
The Chimes of Freedom: Bob Dylan, Epigrammatic Validity, and Alternative Facts
Authors: HARRIS JOHN
Published: November 2017

This essay brings together work I have done over the past 10 years: on the nature of ethics, on the purpose of ethics, and on its foundations in a way that, I hope, as E.M. Forster put it, connects “the prose and the passion.” I deploy lessons learned in this process to identify and face what I believe to be crucial challenges to science and to freedom (as defended by, among others, Cicero, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Thomas Hobbes, John Stuart Mill, and Bertrand Russell). Finally I consider threats to freedom of a different sort, posed by the creation and dissemination of “alternative facts” and by what is sometimes called “super” or “full” artificial intelligence (AI).
Purism, Variation, Change and ‘Authenticity’: Ideological Challenges to Language Revitalisation
Authors: Sallabank Julia
Published: November 2017

This paper is based on recent research into the small, highly endangered language Giernesiei1(Guernsey, Channel Islands).2Language documentation has found unexpectedly rich variation and change in Giernesiei usage, not all of which can be accounted for by regional and age-related factors. At the same time, our research into language ideologies and efforts to maintain and revitalise Giernesiei has revealed deep-seated purist or ‘traditionalist’ language attitudes that resist and deny language change. This nostalgic view of language and culture can hyper-valorise ‘authentic’ traditions (arguably reinvented3) and can lead to reluctance to share Giernesiei effectively with younger generations who might ‘change the language’, despite an overt desire to maintain it. This mismatch between ideologies and practices can be seen at language festivals, in lessons for children, and in the experiences of adult learners who were interviewed as part of a British Academy-funded project. I present a taxonomy of reactions to variation in Giernesiei, which confirms and extends the findings of Jaffe4in Corsica. I also discuss recent revitalisation efforts that try to bring together older and ‘new’ speakers and promote the role of adult learners and ‘re-activate’ semi-speakers. The findings support the view that full evaluation of language vitality should include documenting the processes and ideologies of language revitalisation.5,6
Effect of multi-micronutrient-fortified rice on cognitive performance depends on premix composition and cognitive function tested: results of an effectiveness study in Cambodian schoolchildren
Authors: Fiorentino Marion , Perignon Marlène , Kuong Khuov , de Groot Richard , Parker Megan , Burja Kurt , Dijkhuizen Marjoleine A , Sokhom Sek , Chamnan Chhoun , Berger Jacques , Wieringa Frank T
Published: November 2017

Objective

Even though current policy is strongly focused on the crucial first ‘1000 days’, it might be still possible to enhance cognitive function during the pre-adolescent and adolescent years by improving micronutrient status. In Cambodia, nutritional status is poor. Provision of rice fortified with micronutrients through a school meal programme (SMP) could be a cost-effective strategy to help improve health and school performance. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of three different micronutrient-fortified rice formulations on cognitive function in Cambodian children.

Setting

Sixteen Cambodian schools receiving SMP.

Design

The FORISCA-UltraRice®+NutriRice®study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Four groups of four schools were randomly allocated to receive normal rice, UltraRice®Original, UltraRice®New or NutriRice®. Within each school, 132 children were randomly selected. Data on cognitive performance (picture completion, block design and Raven’s coloured progressive matrices (RCPM)), anthropometry, parasite infestation and micronutrient status were collected before the intervention and after 6 months.

Subjects

Cognitive data were available for 1796 children aged 6–16 years.

Results

All cognitive scores improved after 6 months (P<0·001). Block design score improvement was significantly higher in children consuming UltraRice®Original (P=0·03) compared with the other fortified rice groups and placebo. No difference among groups was found on RCPM or picture completion scores. Stunting, parasite infestation and inflammation negatively affected the impact of the intervention.

Conclusions

Combined with other interventions, using SMP to distribute fortified rice to schoolchildren may be a cost-effective way to increase cognitive performance and thereby improve school performance and educational achievements.
EMBODIED BLACK RAGE
Authors: Canham Hugo
Published: November 2017

Examining two sets of archived materials that include a corpus of narratives that reflect on the period of apartheid in South Africa and posters used by anti-apartheid activists, the paper teases out the operations of racism and the manifestations of rage on the Black body. Critical discourse analysis and affect as theory and method are applied to trace the work of racism and its affective consequences and resistances. Here affect is deployed to read the terrain of the corporeal and the discursive. Black rage is seen as a response to White supremacy and it has the following outcomes: it can have destructive consequences, can enable psychological release of pent up anger, and can simultaneously be an expression of self-love.
Cultivating opportunity: do land transfer tools improve land access for beginning farmers?
Authors: Plotkin Samuel Ethan , Hassanein Neva
Published: November 2017

A vast amount of agricultural land in the USA will change hands in the coming years as established farmers age and transition out of farm ownership. As a result, beginning farmers are likely to continue to face numerous obstacles as they try to find and purchase the property. Two of the greatest barriers include the high price that farm property usually commands and the steady conversion of farmland to non-agricultural uses (e.g., suburban development). Non-profit organizations and government agencies have used conservation easements extensively to protect against conversion of agricultural land, but, too often, that does not ensure affordability for beginning farmers. Accordingly, advocates have developed supplemental land transfer tools intended to enhance conservation easements and help beginning farmers gain access to land. In this exploratory research, we look at two of these novel tools, namely Conservation Buyer Programs (CBPs) and the option to purchase at agricultural value (OPAV). Specifically, we present case studies about two entities that use OPAV and two that use CBPs in order to understand how these tools function and whether they improve land access for beginning farmers. Interviews with professionals and beginning farmers who have worked with these tools in four states inform our analysis and add depth to previous scholarship. We found that OPAV and CBPs can improve access to agricultural land for beginning farmers under certain circumstances. These tools, however, are not panaceas to the challenge land affordability presents, nor are they the only tools used by the entities we studied. CBPs alone have rarely been used to help new farmers; yet, they have been paired effectively with a conservation easement and OPAV. Additionally, we found a similar tool, the simultaneous sale, has been quite effective when paired with OPAV, and less costly than the traditional conservation buyer approach. All of these tools expand the land access toolbox in important ways, but given the paucity of existing scholarship on this topic, additional research is needed. Practitioners and researchers must think critically about whether these tools are the most effective instruments to employ in the effort to get beginning farmers on the land.
EchinochloaResistance to Herbicides Continues to Increase in Arkansas Rice Fields
Authors: Rouse Christopher E. , Roma-Burgos Nilda , Norsworthy Jason K. , Tseng Te-Ming , Starkey Clay E. , Scott Robert C.
Published: November 2017

Herbicide-resistantEchinochloaspp. pose a significant threat to U.S. rice production. Two surveys were conducted to characterizeEchinochloaresistance to common rice herbicides and provide important demographic information on the populations in Arkansas: one was theEchinochloa Herbicide Resistance Confirmation Surveyconducted annually since 2006; the other was theEchinochloa Herbicide Resistance Demographics Surveyconducted since 2010. TheResistance Confirmation Surveyshowed that resistance to propanil (50%) was most prevalent, followed by quinclorac (23%), imazethapyr (13%), and cyhalofop (3%). Multiple resistance increased with time, with 27% of accessions being multiple-resistant, mostly to propanil+quinclorac (12%). The parallelResistance Demographics Surveytested resistance by species. Of the 264 accessions collected, 73% were junglerice, 14% were rough barnyardgrass, and 11% were barnyardgrass. Overall, this survey also showed resistance to propanil (53%) and quinclorac (28%) being most prevalent, with low frequencies of resistance to cyhalofop (12%) and imazethapyr (6%). Resistance to herbicides was less frequent with barnyardgrass (54%) and rough barnyardgrass (28%) than with junglerice (73%). Multiple resistance was most frequent with junglerice (33%) and least frequent with rough barnyardgrass (8%). Across both surveys, the resistance cases were clustered in the northeast and Grand Prairie regions of the state. Herbicide resistance amongEchinochloapopulations in rice fields is continuing to increase in frequency and complexity. This is a consequence of sequential selection with different major herbicide sites of action, starting with propanil followed by quinclorac and others.
Exploring physical activity behaviour – needs for and interest in a technology-delivered, home-based exercise programme among patients with intermittent claudication
Authors: Cornelis Nils , Buys Roselien , Fourneau Inge , Dewit Tijl , Cornelissen Véronique
Published: November 2017

Abstract. Background: Supervised walking is a first line therapy in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) with complaints of intermittent claudication. However, uptake of supervised programmes is low. Home-based exercise seems an appealing alternative; especially since technological advances, such as tele-coaching and tele-monitoring, may facilitate the process and support patients when adopting a physically active lifestyle. To guide the development of such an intervention, it is important to identify barriers of physical activity and the needs and interests for technology-enabled exercise in this patient group. Patients and methods: PAD patients were recruited at the vascular centre of UZ Leuven (Belgium). A questionnaire assessing PA (SF-International Physical Activity Questionnaire), barriers to PA, and interest in technology-supported exercise (Technology Usage Questionnaire) was completed. Descriptive and correlation analyses were performed. Results: Ninety-nine patients (76 men; mean age 69 years) completed the survey. Physical activity levels were low in 48 %, moderate in 29 %, and high in 23 %. Intermittent claudication itself is the most important barrier for enhanced PA, with most patients reporting pain (93 %), need for rest (92 %), and obstacles worsening their pain (74 %) as barriers. A total of 93 % participants owned a mobile phone; 76 % had Internet access. Eighty-seven reported the need for an exercise programme, with 67 % showing interest in tele-coaching to support exercise. If technology was available, three-quarter stated they would be interested in home-based tele-coaching using the Internet (preferably e-mails, 86 %); 50 % via mobile phone, 87 % preferred text messages. Both were inversely related to age (rpb = 0.363 and rpb = 0.255, p < 0.05). Acquaintance with elastic bands or gaming platforms was moderate (55 and 49 %, respectively), but patients were interested in using them as alternatives (84 and 42 %). Interest in platforms was age-dependent (rs = –0.508, p < 0.01). Conclusions: PAD patients show significant interest in technology-delivered exercise, offering opportunities to develop a guided home-based exercise programme.
Maintaining Momentum in Climate Model Development
Authors: Ummenhofer Caroline , Subramanian Aneesh , Legg Sonya
Published: November 2017

As the current funding for climate process teams comes to an end, scientists emphasize the continuing need for teams that translate basic research into improved climate models.
Soluble P-selectin promotes retinal ganglion cell survival through activation of Nrf2 signaling after ischemia injury
Authors: Kapupara Kishan , Wen Yao-Tseng , Tsai Rong-Kung , Huang Shun-Ping
Published: November 2017

Retinal ischemic injuries play an important role in the pathogenesis of several eye disorders. Inflammation and oxidative stress are key players in ischemic injuries. Following retinal ischemia, vascular endothelial cells and leukocytes express several inflammatory adhesion receptors, such as selectins and cell adhesion molecules. P-selectin stimulates leukocyte recruitment to platelet aggregates and has an important role in vascular homeostasis and inflammatory leukocyte extravasation. Soluble P-selectin can be neuroprotective through competitive binding to the receptors of endogenous P-selectin molecules. Here, we demonstrate the neuroprotective effect of a recombinant P-selectin immunoglobin G (P-sel-IgG) chimeric fusion protein in a rat anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (rAION) model. rAION was induced by photodynamic therapy. P-sel-IgG treatment reduced optic nerve edema and stabilized the blood–optic nerve barrier (BONB) in the acute phase of rAION. Further, P-sel-IgG increased the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival rate, reduced RGC apoptosis, preserved visual function, maintained retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, and reduced macrophage infiltration in optic nerve tissue in the chronic phase (day 28). Increased NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1) and heme oxygenase 1(HO-1) expression levels, along with increased transcription factor Nrf2, suggesting an antioxidant role of P-sel-IgG via the Nrf2 signaling pathway. In conclusion, this study is the first to demonstrate that P-sel-IgG treatment promotes RGC survival by stabilizing the BONB and activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway in a rAION model.
The role of Atlantic overturning circulation in the recent decline of Atlantic major hurricane frequency
Authors: Yan Xiaoqin , Zhang Rong , Knutson Thomas R.
Published: November 2017

Observed Atlantic major hurricane frequency has exhibited pronounced multidecadal variability since the 1940s. However, the cause of this variability is debated. Using observations and a coupled earth system model (GFDL-ESM2G), here we show that the decline of the Atlantic major hurricane frequency during 2005–2015 is associated with a weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) inferred from ocean observations. Directly observed North Atlantic sulfate aerosol optical depth has not increased (but shows a modest decline) over this period, suggesting the decline of the Atlantic major hurricane frequency during 2005–2015 is not likely due to recent changes in anthropogenic sulfate aerosols. Instead, we find coherent multidecadal variations involving the inferred AMOC and Atlantic major hurricane frequency, along with indices of Atlantic Multidecadal Variability and inverted vertical wind shear. Our results provide evidence for an important role of the AMOC in the recent decline of Atlantic major hurricane frequency.
Exocytosis-coordinated mechanisms for tip growth underlie pollen tube growth guidance
Authors: Luo Nan , Yan An , Liu Gang , Guo Jingzhe , Rong Duoyan , Kanaoka Masahiro M. , Xiao Zhen , Xu Guanshui , Higashiyama Tetsuya , Cui Xinping , Yang Zhenbiao
Published: November 2017

Many tip-growing cells are capable of responding to guidance cues, during which cells precisely steer their growth toward the source of guidance signals. Though several players in signal perception have been identified, little is known about the downstream signaling that controls growth direction during guidance. Here, using combined modeling and experimental studies, we demonstrate that the growth guidance of Arabidopsis pollen tubes is regulated by the signaling network that controls tip growth. Tip-localized exocytosis plays a key role in this network by integrating guidance signals with the ROP1 Rho GTPase signaling and coordinating intracellular signaling with cell wall mechanics. This model reproduces the high robustness and responsiveness of pollen tube guidance and explains the connection between guidance efficiency and the parameters of the tip growth system. Hence, our findings establish an exocytosis-coordinated mechanism underlying the cellular pathfinding guided by signal gradients and the mechanistic linkage between tip growth and guidance.
Balancing a genetic toggle switch by real-time feedback control and periodic forcing
Authors: Lugagne Jean-Baptiste , Sosa Carrillo Sebastián , Kirch Melanie , Köhler Agnes , Batt Gregory , Hersen Pascal
Published: November 2017

Cybergenetics is a novel field of research aiming at remotely pilot cellular processes in real-time with to leverage the biotechnological potential of synthetic biology. Yet, the control of only a small number of genetic circuits has been tested so far. Here we investigate the control of multistable gene regulatory networks, which are ubiquitously found in nature and play critical roles in cell differentiation and decision-making. Using an in silico feedback control loop, we demonstrate that a bistable genetic toggle switch can be dynamically maintained near its unstable equilibrium position for extended periods of time. Importantly, we show that a direct method based on dual periodic forcing is sufficient to simultaneously maintain many cells in this undecided state. These findings pave the way for the control of more complex cell decision-making systems at both the single cell and the population levels, with vast fundamental and biotechnological applications.
Persistence and reversal of plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance
Authors: Lopatkin Allison J. , Meredith Hannah R. , Srimani Jaydeep K. , Pfeiffer Connor , Durrett Rick , You Lingchong
Published: November 2017

In the absence of antibiotic-mediated selection, sensitive bacteria are expected to displace their resistant counterparts if resistance genes are costly. However, many resistance genes persist for long periods in the absence of antibiotics. Horizontal gene transfer (primarily conjugation) could explain this persistence, but it has been suggested that very high conjugation rates would be required. Here, we show that common conjugal plasmids, even when costly, are indeed transferred at sufficiently high rates to be maintained in the absence of antibiotics in Escherichia coli. The notion is applicable to nine plasmids from six major incompatibility groups and mixed populations carrying multiple plasmids. These results suggest that reducing antibiotic use alone is likely insufficient for reversing resistance. Therefore, combining conjugation inhibition and promoting plasmid loss would be an effective strategy to limit conjugation-assisted persistence of antibiotic resistance.
Discovery and characterization of stable and toxic Tau/phospholipid oligomeric complexes
Authors: Ait-Bouziad Nadine , Lv Guohua , Mahul-Mellier Anne-Laure , Xiao Shifeng , Zorludemir Gizem , Eliezer David , Walz Thomas , Lashuel Hilal A.
Published: November 2017

The microtubule-associated protein Tau plays a central role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. Although Tau interaction with membranes is thought to affect some of its physiological functions and its aggregation properties, the sequence determinants and the structural and functional consequences of such interactions remain poorly understood. Here, we report that the interaction of Tau with vesicles results in the formation of highly stable protein/phospholipid complexes. These complexes are toxic to primary hippocampal cultures and are detected by MC-1, an antibody recognizing pathological Tau conformations. The core of these complexes is comprised of the PHF6* and PHF6 hexapeptide motifs, the latter in a β-strand conformation. Studies using Tau-derived peptides enabled the design of mutants that disrupt Tau interactions with phospholipids without interfering with its ability to form fibrils, thus providing powerful tools for uncoupling these processes and investigating the role of membrane interactions in regulating Tau function, aggregation and toxicity.
Publisher Correction: Interlayer excitons in a bulk van der Waals semiconductor
Authors: Arora Ashish , Drüppel Matthias , Schmidt Robert , Deilmann Thorsten , Schneider Robert , Molas Maciej R. , Marauhn Philipp , Michaelis de Vasconcellos Steffen , Potemski Marek , Rohlfing Michael , Bratschitsch Rudolf
Published: November 2017

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML version of this article.
Non-universal transmission phase behaviour of a large quantum dot
Authors: Edlbauer Hermann , Takada Shintaro , Roussely Grégoire , Yamamoto Michihisa , Tarucha Seigo , Ludwig Arne , Wieck Andreas D. , Meunier Tristan , Bäuerle Christopher
Published: November 2017

The electron wave function experiences a phase modification at coherent transmission through a quantum dot. This transmission phase undergoes a characteristic shift of π when scanning through a Coulomb blockade resonance. Between successive resonances either a transmission phase lapse of π or a phase plateau is theoretically expected to occur depending on the parity of quantum dot states. Despite considerable experimental effort, this transmission phase behaviour has remained elusive for a large quantum dot. Here we report on transmission phase measurements across such a large quantum dot hosting hundreds of electrons. Scanning the transmission phase along 14 successive resonances with an original two-path interferometer, we observe both phase lapses and plateaus. We demonstrate that quantum dot deformation alters the sequence of phase lapses and plateaus via parity modifications of the involved quantum dot states. Our findings set a milestone towards an comprehensive understanding of the transmission phase of quantum dots.
Evolution of tribo-induced interfacial nanostructures governing superlubricity in a-C:H and a-C:H:Si films
Authors: Chen Xinchun , Zhang Chenhui , Kato Takahisa , Yang Xin-an , Wu Sudong , Wang Rong , Nosaka Masataka , Luo Jianbin
Published: November 2017

Hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) is capable of providing a near-frictionless lubrication state when rubbed in dry sliding contacts. Nevertheless, the mechanisms governing superlubricity in a-C:H are still not well comprehended, mainly due to the lack of spatially resolved structural information of the buried contact surface. Here, we present structural analysis of the carbonaceous sliding interfaces at the atomic scale in two superlubricious solid lubricants, a-C:H and Si-doped a-C:H (a-C:H:Si), by probing the contact area using state-of-the-art scanning electron transmission microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. The results emphasize the diversity of superlubricity mechanisms in a-C:Hs. They suggest that the occurrence of a superlubricious state is generally dependent on the formation of interfacial nanostructures, mainly a tribolayer, by different carbon rehybridization pathways. The evolution of such anti-friction nanostructures highly depends on the contact mechanics and the counterpart material. These findings enable a more effective manipulation of superlubricity and developments of new carbon lubricants with robust lubrication properties.
Structural insights into substrate and inhibitor binding sites in human indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1
Authors: Lewis-Ballester Ariel , Pham Khoa N. , Batabyal Dipanwita , Karkashon Shay , Bonanno Jeffrey B. , Poulos Thomas L. , Yeh Syun-Ru
Published: November 2017

Human indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (hIDO1) is an attractive cancer immunotherapeutic target owing to its role in promoting tumoral immune escape. However, drug development has been hindered by limited structural information. Here, we report the crystal structures of hIDO1 in complex with its substrate, Trp, an inhibitor, epacadostat, and/or an effector, indole ethanol (IDE). The data reveal structural features of the active site (Sa) critical for substrate activation; in addition, they disclose a new inhibitor-binding mode and a distinct small molecule binding site (Si). Structure-guided mutation of a critical residue, F270, to glycine perturbs the Si site, allowing structural determination of an inhibitory complex, where both the Sa and Si sites are occupied by Trp. The Si site offers a novel target site for allosteric inhibitors and a molecular explanation for the previously baffling substrate-inhibition behavior of the enzyme. Taken together, the data open exciting new avenues for structure-based drug design.
Structure of human immunoproteasome with a reversible and noncompetitive inhibitor that selectively inhibits activated lymphocytes
Authors: Santos Ruda de Luna Almeida , Bai Lin , Singh Pradeep K. , Murakami Naoka , Fan Hao , Zhan Wenhu , Zhu Yingrong , Jiang Xiuju , Zhang Kaiming , Assker Jean Pierre , Nathan Carl F. , Li Huilin , Azzi Jamil , Lin Gang
Published: November 2017

Proteasome inhibitors benefit patients with multiple myeloma and B cell-dependent autoimmune disorders but exert toxicity from inhibition of proteasomes in other cells. Toxicity should be minimized by reversible inhibition of the immunoproteasome β5i subunit while sparing the constitutive β5c subunit. Here we report β5i-selective inhibition by asparagine-ethylenediamine (AsnEDA)-based compounds and present the high-resolution cryo-EM structural analysis of the human immunoproteasome. Despite inhibiting noncompetitively, an AsnEDA inhibitor binds the active site. Hydrophobic interactions are accompanied by hydrogen bonding with β5i and β6 subunits. The inhibitors are far more cytotoxic for myeloma and lymphoma cell lines than for hepatocarcinoma or non-activated lymphocytes. They block human B-cell proliferation and promote apoptotic cell death selectively in antibody-secreting B cells, and to a lesser extent in activated human T cells. Reversible, β5i-selective inhibitors may be useful for treatment of diseases involving activated or neoplastic B cells or activated T cells.
Widespread theta synchrony and high-frequency desynchronization underlies enhanced cognition
Authors: Solomon E. A. , Kragel J. E. , Sperling M. R. , Sharan A. , Worrell G. , Kucewicz M. , Inman C. S. , Lega B. , Davis K. A. , Stein J. M. , Jobst B. C. , Zaghloul K. A. , Sheth S. A. , Rizzuto D. S. , Kahana M. J.
Published: November 2017

The idea that synchronous neural activity underlies cognition has driven an extensive body of research in human and animal neuroscience. Yet, insufficient data on intracranial electrical connectivity has precluded a direct test of this hypothesis in a whole-brain setting. Through the lens of memory encoding and retrieval processes, we construct whole-brain connectivity maps of fast gamma (30–100 Hz) and slow theta (3–8 Hz) spectral neural activity, based on data from 294 neurosurgical patients fitted with indwelling electrodes. Here we report that gamma networks desynchronize and theta networks synchronize during encoding and retrieval. Furthermore, for nearly all brain regions we studied, gamma power rises as that region desynchronizes with gamma activity elsewhere in the brain, establishing gamma as a largely asynchronous phenomenon. The abundant phenomenon of theta synchrony is positively correlated with a brain region’s gamma power, suggesting a predominant low-frequency mechanism for inter-regional communication.
Author Correction: Tunable two-dimensional interfacial coupling in molecular heterostructures
Authors: Xu Beibei , Chakraborty Himanshu , Yadav Vivek K. , Zhang Zhuolei , Klein Michael L. , Ren Shenqiang
Published: November 2017

We regretfully omitted to give credit to a previous figure upon which the surface-tension scheme in Fig. 1b is based. The caption to Fig. 1 should have included the following: “The surface-tension scheme in Fig. 1b is adapted from Fig. 1a in Noh, J., Jeong, S. & Lee, J.-Y. Ultrafast formation of air-processable and high-quality polymer films on an aqueous substrate. Nat. Commun.7, 12374 (2016).”
Organic carbon burial in global lakes and reservoirs
Authors: Mendonça Raquel , Müller Roger A. , Clow David , Verpoorter Charles , Raymond Peter , Tranvik Lars J. , Sobek Sebastian
Published: November 2017

Burial in sediments removes organic carbon (OC) from the short-term biosphere-atmosphere carbon (C) cycle, and therefore prevents greenhouse gas production in natural systems. Although OC burial in lakes and reservoirs is faster than in the ocean, the magnitude of inland water OC burial is not well constrained. Here we generate the first global-scale and regionally resolved estimate of modern OC burial in lakes and reservoirs, deriving from a comprehensive compilation of literature data. We coupled statistical models to inland water area inventories to estimate a yearly OC burial of 0.15 (range, 0.06–0.25) Pg C, of which ~40% is stored in reservoirs. Relatively higher OC burial rates are predicted for warm and dry regions. While we report lower burial than previously estimated, lake and reservoir OC burial corresponded to ~20% of their C emissions, making them an important C sink that is likely to increase with eutrophication and river damming.
Coupling of Polo kinase activation to nuclear localization by a bifunctional NLS is required during mitotic entry
Authors: Kachaner David , Garrido Damien , Mehsen Haytham , Normandin Karine , Lavoie Hugo , Archambault Vincent
Published: November 2017

The Polo kinase is a master regulator of mitosis and cytokinesis conserved from yeasts to humans. Polo is composed of an N-term kinase domain (KD) and a C-term polo-box domain (PBD), which regulates its subcellular localizations. The PBD and KD can interact and inhibit each other, and this reciprocal inhibition is relieved when Polo is phosphorylated at its activation loop. How Polo activation and localization are coupled during mitotic entry is unknown. Here we report that PBD binding to the KD masks a nuclear localization signal (NLS). Activating phosphorylation of the KD leads to exposure of the NLS and entry of Polo into the nucleus before nuclear envelope breakdown. Failures of this mechanism result in misregulation of the Cdk1-activating Cdc25 phosphatase and lead to mitotic and developmental defects in Drosophila. These results uncover spatiotemporal mechanisms linking master regulatory enzymes during mitotic entry.
The roles of photo-carrier doping and driving wavelength in high harmonic generation from a semiconductor
Authors: Wang Zhou , Park Hyunwook , Lai Yu Hang , Xu Junliang , Blaga Cosmin I. , Yang Fengyuan , Agostini Pierre , DiMauro Louis F.
Published: November 2017

High-harmonic generation from gases produces attosecond bursts and enables high-harmonic spectroscopy to explore electron dynamics in atoms and molecules. Recently, high-harmonic generation from solids has been reported, resulting in novel phenomena and unique control of the emission, absent in gas-phase media. Here we investigate high harmonics from semiconductors with controllable induced photo-carrier densities, as well as the driving wavelengths. We demonstrate that the dominant generation mechanism can be identified by monitoring the variation of the harmonic spectra with the carrier density. Moreover, the harmonic spectral dependence on the driving wavelength is reported and a different dependence from the well-known one in gas-phase media is observed. Our study provides distinct control of the harmonic process from semiconductors, sheds light on the underlying mechanism and helps optimize the harmonic properties for future solid-state attosecond light sources.
Widely tunable black phosphorus mid-infrared photodetector
Authors: Chen Xiaolong , Lu Xiaobo , Deng Bingchen , Sinai Ofer , Shao Yuchuan , Li Cheng , Yuan Shaofan , Tran Vy , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Naveh Doron , Yang Li , Xia Fengnian
Published: November 2017

Lately rediscovered orthorhombic black phosphorus (BP) exhibits promising properties for near- and mid-infrared optoelectronics. Although recent electrical measurements indicate that a vertical electric field can effectively reduce its transport bandgap, the impact of the electric field on light-matter interaction remains unclear. Here we show that a vertical electric field can dynamically extend the photoresponse in a 5 nm-thick BP photodetector from 3.7 to beyond 7.7 μm, leveraging the Stark effect. We further demonstrate that such a widely tunable BP photodetector exhibits a peak extrinsic photo-responsivity of 518, 30, and 2.2 mA W−1 at 3.4, 5, and 7.7 μm, respectively, at 77 K. Furthermore, the extracted photo-carrier lifetime indicates a potential operational speed of 1.3 GHz. Our work not only demonstrates the potential of BP as an alternative mid-infrared material with broad optical tunability but also may enable the compact, integrated on-chip high-speed mid-infrared photodetectors, modulators, and spectrometers.
Overweight in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease needs more attention: a cross-sectional study in general practice
Authors: Verberne Lisa D. M. , Leemrijse Chantal J. , Swinkels Ilse C. S. , van Dijk Christel E. , de Bakker Dinny H. , Nielen Mark M. J.
Published: November 2017

Guidelines for management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) primarily focus on the prevention of weight loss, while overweight and obesity are highly prevalent in patients with milder stages of COPD. This cross-sectional study examines the association of overweight and obesity with the prevalence of comorbid disorders and prescribed medication for obstructive airway disease, in patients with mild to moderate COPD. Data were used from electronic health records of 380 Dutch general practices in 2014. In total, we identified 4938 patients with mild or moderate COPD based on spirometry data, and a recorded body mass index (BMI) of ≥21 kg/m2. Outcomes in overweight (BMI ≥ 25 and <30 kg/m2) and obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) patients with COPD were compared to those with a normal weight (BMI ≥ 21 and <25 kg/m2), by logistic multilevel analyses. Compared to COPD patients with a normal weight, positive associations were found for diabetes, osteoarthritis, and hypertension, for both overweight (OR: 1.4–1.7) and obese (OR: 2.4–3.8) patients, and for heart failure in obese patients (OR: 2.3). Osteoporosis was less prevalent in overweight (OR: 0.7) and obese (OR: 0.5) patients, and anxiety disorders in obese patients (OR: 0.5). No associations were found for coronary heart disease, stroke, sleep disturbance, depression, and pneumonia. Furthermore, obese patients were in general more often prescribed medication for obstructive airway disease compared to patients with a normal weight. The findings of this study underline the need to increase awareness in general practitioners for excess weight in patients with mild to moderate COPD.
Correlation between tunability and anisotropy in magnetoelectric voltage tunable inductor (VTI)
Authors: Yan Yongke , Geng Liwei D. , Zhang Lujie , Gao Xiangyu , Gollapudi Sreenivasulu , Song Hyun-Cheol , Dong Shuxiang , Sanghadasa Mohan , Ngo Khai , Wang Yu U. , Priya Shashank
Published: November 2017

Electric field modulation of magnetic properties via magnetoelectric coupling in composite materials is of fundamental and technological importance for realizing tunable energy efficient electronics. Here we provide foundational analysis on magnetoelectric voltage tunable inductor (VTI) that exhibits extremely large inductance tunability of up to 1150% under moderate electric fields. This field dependence of inductance arises from the change of permeability, which correlates with the stress dependence of magnetic anisotropy. Through combination of analytical models that were validated by experimental results, comprehensive understanding of various anisotropies on the tunability of VTI is provided. Results indicate that inclusion of magnetic materials with low magnetocrystalline anisotropy is one of the most effective ways to achieve high VTI tunability. This study opens pathway towards design of tunable circuit components that exhibit field-dependent electronic behavior.