bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermal reactions involving solids: a personal view of selected features of decompositions, thermal analysis and heterogeneous catalysis
Authors: Galwey Andrew K.
Published: March 2020

Convinced that some recent trends in the literature concerned with reactions involving solids have been unproductive, even discouraging interest in the subject, this reviewer analyses the reasons and charts a way forward. In particular, two topics are discussed: thermal analysis and activation energy. Thermal analysis, automated collection and interpretation of kinetic data for solid(?)-state decompositions, resulted in huge numbers of publications between late 1970s and 2010. Measurements were frequently minimalistic (few, often no, confirmatory tests complemented rate data). Kinetic data interpretations were based on the Arrhenius activation model, inapplicable to these assumed, usually unconfirmed, solid-state(?) reactions. Energy distributions within crystalline reactants differ from those of ‘free-flying’ gaseous reactants, and thus, mechanistic proposals are entirely speculative. Such studies yielded little more than the reaction temperature: no meaningful insights into reaction chemistry, controls, mechanisms. Despite my several highly critical articles, these inconsequential studies continued. Overall, this now sidelined topic impacted adversely on solid-state chemistry, activation energy,E. Concurrently with the above studies, L'vov published a theoretical explanation for the magnitude ofE: the Congruent Dissociative Volatilisation (CDV), thermochemical approach. This was also ignored by the ‘Thermoanalytical Community’, possibly because it assumes an initial volatilisation step: it appears that many solid-state scientists are prejudiced against mechanisms involving a phase change. The value of this novel theory (CDV) in identifying controls and mechanisms of solid-state reactions is discussed here. This review is positive: an interesting branch of main-stream chemistry remains open for exploration, expansion, explanation and exploitation!
Knowledge of Maltese singular–plural mappings
Authors: Nieder Jessica , van de Vijver Ruben , Mitterer Holger
Published: March 2020

Which factors determine the choice of a plural allomorph for a new singular form? Are regular mappings stored differently from irregular mappings? Do native speakers only rely on analogical mappings to inflect novel word forms or do they use rules? To answer these questions we used data from Maltese, a language with a split morphology, which has a rich and variable set of concatenative and non-concatenative plural patterns.

We conducted a production experiment, in which we investigated the mapping of a singular onto a plural. We show that this is driven by an interplay between the similarity of novel singular forms with existing singular words and their corresponding plural forms. Moreover, knowledge of the frequency of the plural patterns in the mental lexicon serves as a basis for generalization to novel words. Our results support an analogical model of morphological processing. We do not find evidence that native speakers use default rules.
Conceptualization and preliminary study of engineering disturbed rock dynamics
Authors: Xie Heping , Zhu Jianbo , Zhou Tao , Zhang Kai , Zhou Changtai
Published: March 2020

Many large engineering projects, e.g., the Sichuan–Tibet Railway, inevitably cross the earthquake active areas and the geology complicated zones, facing the challenges of dynamic disturbances and disasters. In view of this, the conceptualization of engineering disturbed rock dynamics is proposed in this paper, aiming to systematically study the rock dynamic behavior and response subjected to engineering disturbances, to establish the 3D rock dynamic theory, and to develop the disaster prevention and control technical measures. The classification standards of rock loading states based on strain rate are summarized and analyzed. The engineering disturbed rock dynamics is defined as the theoretical and applied science of rock dynamic behaviors, dynamic responses and their superposition caused by dynamic disturbances during engineering construction and operation periods. To achieve the goals of the proposed engineering disturbed rock dynamics, a combined methodology of theoretical analysis, laboratory experiment, numerical simulation and in situ tests is put forward. The associated research scopes are introduced, i.e., experimental and theoretical study of engineering disturbed rock dynamics, wave propagation, attenuation and superposition in rock masses, rock dynamic response of different loading conditions, dynamic response of engineering projects under construction disturbance and disaster mitigation techniques, and dynamic response of major engineering projects under operation disturbance and safety guarantee measures. Some theoretical, experimental and field preliminary studies were performed, including dynamic behavior of disturbed rock at varied depth and strain rates, dynamic response of rock mass subjected to blasting excavation disturbance and dynamic drilling disturbance, and disturbance of rock mass subjected to TBM excavation. Preliminary results showed that the rock masses are significantly disturbed by dynamic disturbances during construction and operation periods of engineering projects. The innovative conceptualization of engineering disturbed rock dynamics and the expected associated outcomes could facilitate establishing the 3D rock dynamic theory and offering theoretical fundamentals and technical guarantees for safety and reliability of the design, construction and operation of modern large engineering.
A Novel Steganography Approach for Audio Files
Authors: Abdulrazzaq Sazeen T. , Siddeq Mohammed M. , Rodrigues Marcos A.
Published: March 2020

We present a novel robust and secure steganography technique to hide images into audio files aiming at increasing the carrier medium capacity. The audio files are in the standard WAV format, which is based on the LSB algorithm, while images are compressed by the GMPR technique which is based on the Discrete Cosine Transform and high-frequency minimization encoding algorithm. The method involves compression–encryption of an image file by the GMPR technique followed by hiding it into audio data by appropriate bit substitution. The maximum number of bits without significant effect on audio signal for LSB audio steganography is 6 LSBs. The encrypted image bits are hidden into variable and multiple LSB layers in the proposed method. Experimental results from observed listening tests show that there is no significant difference between the stego-audio reconstructed from the novel technique and the original signal. A performance evaluation has been carried out according to quality measurement criteria of signal-to-noise ratio and peak signal-to-noise ratio.
Teachers’ perspectives on the education of deaf and hard of hearing students in India
Authors: Mohanty Elisa , Mishra Anindya Jayanta
Published: March 2020

Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) students represent a group of people whose specific educational needs have remained unaddressed in the Indian educational system. This fieldwork-based study was conducted at Anushruti Academy for the Deaf (AAD), a school for DHH students located in the city of Roorkee in India. It relies on observations of these children in classroom settings and in-depth interviews with their teachers to foreground the major debates concerning various aspects of their education. Issues of language and speech acquisition, methods of teaching, dialectical relationship of students to technology and experiences of stigma are used to bring forth their lived experiences. The study underscores the need for establishing a linkage between a unifying language and academic content development. This will enhance DHH students’ access to different academic disciplines and enable them to transcend elementary levels of achievements.
Technology and the Global Adolescent
Authors: Gibbons Judith L. , Poelker Katelyn E.
Published: March 2020

Around the world, adolescents use technology for education, to further their identity and socio-emotional development, to access health information, engage in civic activities, and for entertainment. For many, technological advances, especially social media, have drastically influenced how they communicate with family, friends, and romantic partners. Challenges of technology use include the digital divide, internet addiction, and exposure to cyberbullying. The diversity of adolescents' cultural context results in heterogeneous bidirectional influences of technology and teenagers with respect to education and close relationships. Researchers, parents, and policy makers must consider the role of culture in the complex interactions of teenagers with technology.
Manipulation Arguments and Libertarian Accounts of Free Will
Authors: CYR TAYLOR W.
Published: March 2020

In response to the increasingly popular manipulation argument against compatibilism, some have argued that libertarian accounts of free will are vulnerable to parallel manipulation arguments, and thus manipulation is not uniquely problematic for compatibilists. The main aim of this article is to give this point a more detailed development than it has previously received. Prior attempts to make this point have targeted particular libertarian accounts but cannot be generalized. By contrast, I provide an appropriately modified manipulation that targets all libertarian accounts of freedom and responsibility—an especially tricky task given that libertarian accounts are a motley set. I conclude that if manipulation arguments reveal any theoretical cost then it is one borne by all accounts according to which we are free and responsible, not by compatibilism in particular.
What Phenomenal Contrast for Bodily Ownership?
Authors: DE VIGNEMONT FRÉDÉRIQUE
Published: March 2020

In a 1962 article, ‘On Sensations of Position’, G. E. M. Anscombe claimed that we do not feel our legs crossed; we simply know that they are that way. What about the sense of bodily ownership? Do we directly know that this body is our own, or do we know it because we feel this body that way? One may claim, for instance, that we are we aware that this is our own body thanks to our bodily experiences that ascribe the property of myness to the body that they represent. Here I approach this issue from the perspective of the debate on the admissible content of perception, appealing to the method of phenomenal contrast. After rejecting the myness hypothesis, I criticize alternative accounts of the contrast in somatosensory, cognitive, and agentive terms. I conclude that the phenomenology of ownership consists in the affective awareness of the unique significance of the body for survival.
COVID-19 Epidemic in the Middle Province of Northern Italy: Impact, Logistics, and Strategy in the First Line Hospital
Authors: Gagliano Annalisa , Villani Pier Giorgio , Co’ Francesca M , Manelli Anna , Paglia Stefano , Bisagni Pietro A. G. , Perotti Gabriele M , Storti Enrico , Lombardo Massimo
Published: March 2020

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) began in China in early December 2019 and rapidly has spread to many countries around the globe, with the number of confirmed cases increasing every day. An epidemic has been recorded since February 20 in a middle province in Northern Italy (Lodi province, in the low Po Valley). The first line hospital had to redesign its logistical and departmental structure to respond to the influx of COVID-19-positive patients who needed hospitalization. Logistical and structural strategies were guided by the crisis unit, managing in 8 days from the beginning of the epidemic to prepare the hospital to be ready to welcome more than 200 COVID-19-positive patients with different ventilatory requirements, keeping clean emergency access lines, and restoring surgical interventions and deferred urgent, routine activity.
Basic Law: Israel as the Nation State of the Jewish People
Authors: Harel Alon
Published: March 2020

Basic Law: Israel as the Nation State of the Jewish People declares that Israel is the nation state of the Jewish people. It also includes several symbolic and operative provisions which are designed to strengthen the Jewish character of the state. The Basic Law purports to legally define and entrench the particular rather than universal values of Israel—the values that distinguish Israel from other nations rather than those that are shared by other nations. It anchors the Jewish identity of the state in its formal constitutional structure. My aim in this article is to present the history of the constitutional evolution of Israel and then to describe the conservative reactions to the constitutional liberalization of Israel. Then, I turn to examine the Basic Law, its provisions, and the arguments of advocates and opponents. Last, I evaluate its impact on the Israeli legal system. I shall argue that the Basic Law is part of a systematic attack on democratic liberties in Israel that may eventually transform Israel from a liberal democracy to an authoritarian democracy.
What was a Homily in Post-Reformation England?
Authors: YIP HANNAH
Published: March 2020

The homily is frequently considered by scholars to be a printed address which acted as a substitute sermon in post-Reformation England. This essay provides an important corrective to this view by examining five singly issued homilies in English which were not intended for use in the pulpit and which were published c. 1544–c. 1635. It argues that, as a byword for popery but with recognised longstanding roots in patristic ritual, the term ‘homily’ was contentious in this period. The works investigated within this study reveal how the marginalised homily was transformed into a distinctive genre in its own right.
The Political and Economic Geography of Southern Secession
Authors: Chacón Mario L. , Jensen Jeffrey L.
Published: March 2020

We study the economic and political determinants of the Southern secession movement of 1860/61. While economic historians emphasize the importance of slavery to the South’s economy as the primary factor behind the movement, we demonstrate the important role that political inequality among whites played in facilitating secession. In particular, secession was decided in state conventions, which allowed secessionists to exploit biases to representation and may have been pivotal in Alabama and Georgia. Our results suggest that the region’s investment in slavery alone may not be sufficient to explain the electoral success of the movement in the largest Lower South states.
Buprenorphine: prospective novel therapy for depression and PTSD
Authors: Madison Caitlin A. , Eitan Shoshana
Published: March 2020

Background

Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are leading causes of disability and loss of life by suicide. Currently, there are less than satisfactory medical solutions to treat these mental disorders. Here, we explore recent preclinical and clinical studies demonstrating the potential of using buprenorphine to treat major depressive disorder, treatment-resistant depression, and PTSD.

Method

Bibliographic databases were searched to include preclinical and clinical studies demonstrating the therapeutic potential of buprenorphine and the involvement of the kappa opioid receptor (KOR) in mediating these effects.

Results

Original clinical studies examining the effectiveness of buprenorphine to treat depression were mixed. The majority of participants in the PTSD studies were males and suffer from chronic pain and/or substance use disorders. Nonetheless, these recent studies and analyses established proof of concept warranting farther investigations. Additionally, KOR likely mediates the antidepressant and some of the anxiolytic effects of buprenorphine. Still, it appears that the full spectrum of buprenorphine's beneficial effects might be due to activity at other opioid receptors as well.

Conclusions

Pharmaceuticals' abilities to treat medical conditions directly relates to their ability to act upon the endogenous biological systems related to the conditions. Thus, these recent findings are likely a reflection of the central role that the endogenous opioid system has in these mental illnesses. Further studies are necessary to study the involvement of endogenous opioid systems, and specifically KOR, in mediating buprenorphine's beneficial effects and the ability to treat these medical conditions while minimizing risks for misuse and diversion.
Treatment selection in borderline personality disorder between dialectical behavior therapy and psychodynamic psychiatric management
Authors: Keefe John R. , Kim Thomas T. , DeRubeis Robert J. , Streiner David L. , Links Paul S. , McMain Shelley F.
Published: March 2020

Background

No evidence-based therapy for borderline personality disorder (BPD) exhibits a clear superiority. However, BPD is highly heterogeneous, and different patients may specifically benefit from the interventions of a particular treatment.

Methods

From a randomized trial comparing a year of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to general psychiatric management (GPM) for BPD, long-term (2-year-post) outcome data and patient baseline variables (n = 156) were used to examine individual and combined patient-level moderators of differential treatment response. A two-step bootstrapped and partially cross-validated moderator identification process was employed for 20 baseline variables. For identified moderators, 10-fold bootstrapped cross-validated models estimated response to each therapy, and long-term outcomes were compared for patients randomized to their model-predicted optimal v. non-optimal treatment.

Results

Significant moderators surviving the two-step process included psychiatric symptom severity, BPD impulsivity symptoms (both GPM > DBT), dependent personality traits, childhood emotional abuse, and social adjustment (all DBT > GPM). Patients randomized to their model-predicted optimal treatment had significantly better long-term outcomes (d = 0.36, p = 0.028), especially if the model had a relatively stronger (top 60%) prediction for that patient (d = 0.61, p = 0.004). Among patients with a stronger prediction, this advantage held even when applying a conservative statistical check (d = 0.46, p = 0.043).

Conclusions

Patient characteristics influence the degree to which they respond to two treatments for BPD. Combining information from multiple moderators may help inform providers and patients as to which treatment is the most likely to lead to long-term symptom relief. Further research on personalized medicine in BPD is needed.
No action without talk? UN peacekeeping, discourse, and institutional self-legitimation
Authors: von Billerbeck Sarah
Published: March 2020

In this article, I argue that much of the discourse observable within the UN constitutes neither unnecessary and unproductive ‘talk’ nor efforts to convince outside audiences of its legitimacy, but actually a form of institutional self-legitimation that is key to its ability to function. Using the case of the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), I show that because the organisation has a multifaceted organisational identity, it faces situations where it is forced to choose between multiple but equally appropriate courses of action, and it uses self-legitimation alongside other mechanisms to overcome these tensions. I specify three sets of circumstances in which this occurs, showing how DPKO uses discourse that simplifies and exceptionalises in a bid to reconcile or downplay these contradictions and reassert a cohesive and legitimate organisational identity internally. This simplification and exceptionalisation in turn serve an enabling function, allowing DPKO to continue operating in conditions of complexity by decreasing risk aversion and instilling a deep sense of professional loyalty in staff. At the same time, such discursive processes are costly and may entrench inefficient practices, rendering the effects of self-legitimising discourse paradoxical: they may enable action, but they reduce the efficiency and effectiveness of that action.
Life, Death, Inertia, Change: The Hidden Lives of International Organizations
Authors: Gray Julia
Published: March 2020

The life spans of international organizations (IOs) can take unexpected turns. But when we reduce IO life spans simply to their existence or lack thereof, or to formal change involving the addition of new members or the revision of charters, we miss the subtler dynamics within IOs. A broader continuum of IO life spans acknowledges life, death, inertia, and change as responses to crises, and affords a more nuanced perspective on international cooperation. Through this lens, the setbacks that many IOs are currently experiencing look less extraordinary.
Communality and Discord in an Early Neolithic Settlement Agglomeration: The LBK Site of Vráble, Southwest Slovakia
Authors: Furholt Martin , Müller-Scheeßel Nils , Wunderlich Maria , Cheben Ivan , Müller Johannes
Published: March 2020

Our research at the large LBK settlement site of Vráble, southwest Slovakia, revealed dynamics of social integration and antagonisms unfolding in an agglomerated, early farming community. During its lifespan from 5250 to 4950 bc, it constantly grew until around 5050 bc it was inhabited by about 70 contemporaneous longhouses. We found that Vráble consisted of markedly autonomous farmstead units that were held together by village-wide social institutions including sharing and communality. Nevertheless, from the beginning, a contradiction between particular farmstead and collective village and neighbourhood interests existed and rose. Towards the end of the village's existence, around 5075 bc an elaborate enclosure was constructed around one of the three neigbourhoods, actively blocking contact with the others. Along this enclosure, human bodies were deposited, showing a social categorization that we interpret as relating to social inequality. This rising level of conflict and emerging social inequality was, we argue, not sustainable under the conditions of early farming societies and led to the village's abandonment at 4950 bc.
Development and Validation of the Danish Big Five	Inventory-2
Authors: Vedel Anna , Wellnitz Kaare B. , Ludeke Steven , Soto Christopher J. , John Oliver P. , Andersen Simon Calmar
Published: March 2020

Abstract. Following the publication of the Big Five Inventory- 2 (BFI-2) and its abbreviated forms (the 30-item BFI-2-S and 15-item BFI-2-XS), two studies were conducted to develop and validate a Danish translation of these measures. Study 1 first developed a preliminary Danish BFI-2 item pool consisting of translations of the 60 BFI-2 items, then tested and refined this item pool using two waves of data collection, and identified a set of 60-item formulations for the Danish BFI-2. Study 1 then examined the domain- and facet-level structure of the Danish BFI-2, and the construct validity and reliability of this measure. Study 2 tested the generalizability of the measurement properties of the Danish BFI-2 found in Study 1 as well as the preliminary measurement properties of its abbreviated forms (the Danish BFI-2-S and BFI-2-XS) in a new sample. The results of these studies indicate that the Danish BFI-2 is a reliable and valid personality measure with psychometric properties and construct validity corresponding to the English-language original. The preliminary results regarding measurement properties of the abbreviated forms are encouraging and should inspire further validation.
Identifying a human signal in the North Atlantic warming hole
Authors: Chemke Rei , Zanna Laure , Polvani Lorenzo M.
Published: March 2020

North Atlantic sea surface temperatures have large climate impacts affecting the weather of the Northern Hemisphere. In addition to a substantial warming over much of the North Atlantic, caused by increasing greenhouse gases over the 21st century, climate projections show a surprising region of considerable future cooling at midlatitudes, referred to as the North Atlantic warming hole. A similar pattern of surface temperature trends has been observed in recent decades, but it remains unclear whether this pattern is of anthropogenic origin or a simple manifestation of internal climate variability. Here, analyzing state-of-the-art climate models and observations, we show that the recent North Atlantic warming hole is of anthropogenic origin. Our analysis reveals that the anthropogenic signal has only recently emerged from the internal climate variability, and can be attributed to greenhouse gas emissions. We further show that a declining northward oceanic heat flux in recent decades, which is linked to this surface temperature pattern, is also of anthropogenic origin.
Autophagy lipidation machinery regulates axonal microtubule dynamics but is dispensable for survival of mammalian neurons
Authors: Negrete-Hurtado A. , Overhoff M. , Bera S. , De Bruyckere E. , Schätzmüller K. , Kye M. J. , Qin C. , Lammers M. , Kondylis V. , Neundorf I. , Kononenko N. L.
Published: March 2020

Neurons maintain axonal homeostasis via employing a unique organization of the microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton, which supports axonal morphology and provides tracks for intracellular transport. Abnormal MT-based trafficking hallmarks the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases, but the exact mechanism regulating MT dynamics in axons remains enigmatic. Here we report on a regulation of MT dynamics by AuTophaGy(ATG)-related proteins, which previously have been linked to the autophagy pathway. We find that ATG proteins required for LC3 lipid conjugation are dispensable for survival of excitatory neurons and instead regulate MT stability via controlling the abundance of the MT-binding protein CLASP2. This function of ATGs is independent of their role in autophagy and requires the active zone protein ELKS1. Our results highlight a non-canonical role of ATG proteins in neurons and suggest that pharmacological activation of autophagy may not only promote the degradation of cytoplasmic material, but also impair axonal integrity via altering MT stability.
Polychromatic solar energy conversion in pigment-protein chimeras that unite the two kingdoms of (bacterio)chlorophyll-based photosynthesis
Authors: Liu Juntai , Friebe Vincent M. , Frese Raoul N. , Jones Michael R.
Published: March 2020

Natural photosynthesis can be divided between the chlorophyll-containing plants, algae and cyanobacteria that make up the oxygenic phototrophs and a diversity of bacteriochlorophyll-containing bacteria that make up the anoxygenic phototrophs. Photosynthetic light harvesting and reaction centre proteins from both kingdoms have been exploited for solar energy conversion, solar fuel synthesis and sensing technologies, but the energy harvesting abilities of these devices are limited by each protein’s individual palette of pigments. In this work we demonstrate a range of genetically-encoded, self-assembling photosystems in which recombinant plant light harvesting complexes are covalently locked with reaction centres from a purple photosynthetic bacterium, producing macromolecular chimeras that display mechanisms of polychromatic solar energy harvesting and conversion. Our findings illustrate the power of a synthetic biology approach in which bottom-up construction of photosystems using naturally diverse but mechanistically complementary components can be achieved in a predictable fashion through the encoding of adaptable, plug-and-play covalent interfaces.
Introducing the crystalline phase of dicalcium phosphate monohydrate
Authors: Lu Bing-Qiang , Willhammar Tom , Sun Ben-Ben , Hedin Niklas , Gale Julian D. , Gebauer Denis
Published: March 2020

Calcium orthophosphates (CaPs) are important in geology, biomineralization, animal metabolism and biomedicine, and constitute a structurally and chemically diverse class of minerals. In the case of dicalcium phosphates, ever since brushite (CaHPO4·2H2O, dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, DCPD) and monetite (CaHPO4, dicalcium phosphate, DCP) were first described in 19th century, the form with intermediary chemical formula CaHPO4·H2O (dicalcium phosphate monohydrate, DCPM) has remained elusive. Here, we report the synthesis and crystal structure determination of DCPM. This form of CaP is found to crystallize from amorphous calcium hydrogen phosphate (ACHP) in water-poor environments. The crystal structure of DCPM is determined to show a layered structure with a monoclinic symmetry. DCPM is metastable in water, but can be stabilized by organics, and has a higher alkalinity than DCP and DCPD. This study serves as an inspiration for the future exploration of DCPM’s potential role in biomineralization, or biomedical applications.
Ultraviolet photolysis of H2S and its implications for SH radical production in the interstellar medium
Authors: Zhou Jiami , Zhao Yarui , Hansen Christopher S. , Yang Jiayue , Chang Yao , Yu Yong , Cheng Gongkui , Chen Zhichao , He Zhigang , Yu Shengrui , Ding Hongbin , Zhang Weiqing , Wu Guorong , Dai Dongxu , Western Colin M. , Ashfold Michael N. R. , Yuan Kaijun , Yang Xueming
Published: March 2020

Hydrogen sulfide radicals in the ground state, SH(X), and hydrogen disulfide molecules, H2S, are both detected in the interstellar medium, but the returned SH(X)/H2S abundance ratios imply a depletion of the former relative to that predicted by current models (which assume that photon absorption by H2S at energies below the ionization limit results in H + SH photoproducts). Here we report that translational spectroscopy measurements of the H atoms and S(1D) atoms formed by photolysis of jet-cooled H2S molecules at many wavelengths in the range 122 ≤ λ ≤155 nm offer a rationale for this apparent depletion; the quantum yield for forming SH(X) products, Γ, decreases from unity (at the longest excitation wavelengths) to zero at short wavelengths. Convoluting the wavelength dependences of Γ, the H2S parent absorption and the interstellar radiation field implies that only ~26% of photoexcitation events result in SH(X) products. The findings suggest a need to revise the relevant astrochemical models.
Utilising NV based quantum sensing for velocimetry at the nanoscale
Authors: Cohen Daniel , Nigmatullin Ramil , Kenneth Oded , Jelezko Fedor , Khodas Maxim , Retzker Alex
Published: March 2020

Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centers in diamonds have been shown in recent years to be excellent magnetometers on the nanoscale. One of the recent applications of the quantum sensor is retrieving the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrum of a minute sample, whose net polarization is well below the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) of classic devices. The information in the magnetic noise of diffusing particles has also been shown in decoherence spectroscopy approaches to provide a method for measuring different physical parameters. Similar noise is induced on the NV center by a flowing liquid. However, when the noise created by diffusion effects is more dominant than the noise of the drift, it is unclear whether the velocity can be efficiently estimated. Here we propose a non-intrusive setup for measuring the drift velocity near the surface of a flow channel based on magnetic field quantum sensing using NV centers. We provide a detailed analysis of the sensitivity for different measurement protocols, and we show that our nanoscale velocimetry scheme outperforms current fluorescence based approaches even when diffusion noise is dominant. Our scheme can be applied for the investigation of microfluidic channels, where the drift velocity is usually low and the flow properties are currently unclear. A better understanding of these properties is essential for the future development of microfluidic and nanofluidic infrastructures.
Author Correction: Global warming hiatus contributed weakening of the Mascarene High in the Southern Indian Ocean
Authors: P. J. Vidya , Ravichandran M. , Subeesh M. P. , Chatterjee Sourav , M. Nuncio
Published: March 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Extracellular vesicles derived from human adipose-derived stem cells promote the exogenous angiogenesis of fat grafts via the let-7/AGO1/VEGF signalling pathway
Authors: Zhu Yuanzheng , Zhang Jing , Hu Xuan , Wang Zhaohui , Wu Shu , Yi Yangyan
Published: March 2020

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) possess the proangiogenic potential for ischaemic diseases. Thus, our study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of hADSC-EVs on fat grafting and explore the mechanism of hADSC-EVs promoting angiogenesis. The EVs released by hADSCs incubated under normal or hypoxic conditions were employed to supplement fat grafting in a nude mouse model. The proliferation, migration, tube formation and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion of vascular endothelial cells co-cultured with two kinds of hADSC-EVs were analysed. MicroRNA sequencing was performed to reveal the species and content of microRNAs in hADSC-EVs, the key microRNAs were blocked, and their effect in promoting angiogenesis was detected via above protocols as a reverse proof. The results demonstrate that hADSC-EVs could improve the survival of fat grafts by promoting exogenous angiogenesis and enhance the proliferation, migration, tube formation and VEGF secretion of vascular endothelial cells. In addition, the pro-angiogenic effect of hADSC-EVs in vivo and vitro could be enhanced by hypoxic pre-treatment. We found that the let-7 family, a kind of hypoxic-related microRNA, is enriched in hypoxic hADSC-EVs that contribute to angiogenesis via the let-7/argonaute 1 (AGO1)/VEGF signalling pathway.
Sirtuins transduce STACs signals through steroid hormone receptors
Authors: Bayele Henry K.
Published: March 2020

SIRT1 protects against several complex metabolic and ageing-related diseases (MARDs), and is therefore considered a polypill target to improve healthy ageing. Although dietary sirtuin-activating compounds (dSTACs) including resveratrol are promising drug candidates, their clinical application has been frustrated by an imprecise understanding of how their signals are transduced into increased healthspan. Recent work indicates that SIRT1 and orthologous sirtuins coactivate the oestrogen receptor/ER and the worm steroid receptor DAF-12. Here they are further shown to ligand-independently transduce dSTACs signals through these receptors. While some dSTACs elicit ER subtype-selectivity in the presence of hormone, most synergize with 17β-oestradiol and dafachronic acid respectively to increase ER and DAF-12 coactivation by the sirtuins. These data suggest that dSTACs functionally mimic gonadal steroid hormones, enabling sirtuins to transduce the cognate signals through a conserved endocrine pathway. Interestingly, resveratrol non-monotonically modulates sirtuin signalling, suggesting that it may induce hormesis, i.e. “less is more”. Together, the findings suggest that dSTACs may be informational molecules that use exploitative mimicry to modulate sirtuin signalling through steroid receptors. Hence dSTACs’ intrinsic oestrogenicity may underlie their proven ability to impart the health benefits of oestradiol, and also provides a mechanistic insight into how they extend healthspan or protect against MARDs.
Advanced gelatin-based vascularization bioinks for extrusion-based bioprinting of vascularized bone equivalents
Authors: Leucht A. , Volz A.-C. , Rogal J. , Borchers K. , Kluger P. J.
Published: March 2020

Bone tissue is highly vascularized. The crosstalk of vascular and osteogenic cells is not only responsible for the formation of the strongly divergent tissue types but also for their physiological maintenance and repair. Extrusion-based bioprinting presents a promising fabrication method for bone replacement. It allows for the production of large-volume constructs, which can be tailored to individual tissue defect geometries. In this study, we used the all-gelatin-based toolbox of methacryl-modified gelatin (GM), non-modified gelatin (G) and acetylated GM (GMA) to tailor both the properties of the bioink towards improved printability, and the properties of the crosslinked hydrogel towards enhanced support of vascular network formation by simple blending. The vasculogenic behavior of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMECs) and human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) was evaluated in the different hydrogel formulations for 14 days. Co-culture constructs including a vascular component and an osteogenic component (i.e. a bone bioink based on GM, hydroxyapatite and ASCs) were fabricated via extrusion-based bioprinting. Bioprinted co-culture constructs exhibited functional tissue-specific cells whose interplay positively affected the formation and maintenance of vascular-like structures. The setup further enabled the deposition of bone matrix associated proteins like collagen type I, fibronectin and alkaline phosphatase within the 30-day culture.
Root traits of dryland winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) from the 1940s to the 2010s in Shaanxi Province, China
Authors: Sun Yingying , Zhang Suiqi , Chen Wei
Published: March 2020

Eight cultivars of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) adapted to dryland conditions that have been historically planted in Shaanxi Province, China, were grown in plots with irrigation and drought treatments during the growing seasons of 2010–2012 to characterize the changes in root system traits and water use efficiency during the replacement of cultivars. The results showed that the overall root size of dryland wheat cultivars in Shaanxi Province changed with the planting decade. Modern cultivars developed after the 2000s had larger root surface areas than older cultivars under the drought treatment, especially at soil depths of 0–40 cm. However, the total water consumption throughout the stages showed no obvious changes among cultivars. The yield significantly increased with the planting decade, and the water use efficiency showed an average increase of 47.07% from the earliest to the most recent studied cultivar. Water stress promoted larger root sizes than those found in the irrigation treatment, especially at maturity. A trend toward a lower stress susceptibility index was observed over the decades, indicating that the sizes of modern cultivar roots increased less in the drought treatment than in the irrigation treatment. Both the roots and yields of the landrace cultivar from the 1940s showed low sensitivity to drought and better adjustment between the different water conditions. The study revealed that (1) modern wheat cultivars in Shaanxi Province possess higher water use efficiencies and decreased drought resilience and (2) the selection of ideal root traits should consider stable yields under different water conditions.
CYP2J2 Modulates Diverse Transcriptional Programs in Adult Human Cardiomyocytes
Authors: Evangelista Eric A. , Aliwarga Theresa , Sotoodehnia Nona , Jensen Paul N. , McKnight Barbara , Lemaitre Rozenn N. , Totah Rheem A. , Gharib Sina A.
Published: March 2020

CYP2J2, a member of the Cytochrome P450 family of enzymes, is the most abundant epoxygenase in the heart and has multifunctional properties including bioactivation of arachidonic acid to epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, which, in turn, have been implicated in mediating several cardiovascular conditions. Using a proteomic approach, we found that CYP2J2 expression is lower in cardiac tissue from patients with cardiomyopathy compared to controls. In order to better elucidate the complex role played by CYP2J2 in cardiac cells, we performed targeted silencing of CYP2J2 expression in human adult ventricular cardiomyocytes and interrogated whole genome transcriptional responses. We found that knockdown of CYP2J2 elicits widespread alterations in gene expression of ventricular cardiomyocytes and leads to the activation of a diverse repertoire of programs, including those involved in ion channel signaling, development, extracellular matrix, and metabolism. Several members of the differentially up-regulated ion channel module have well-known pathogenetic roles in cardiac dysrhythmias. By leveraging causal network and upstream regulator analysis, we identified several candidate drivers of the observed transcriptional response to CYP2J2 silencing; these master regulators have been implicated in aberrant cardiac remodeling, heart failure, and myocyte injury and repair. Collectively, our study demonstrates that CYP2J2 plays a central and multifaceted role in cardiomyocyte homeostasis and provides a framework for identifying critical regulators and pathways influenced by this gene in cardiovascular health and disease.
A machine learning-based test for adult sleep apnoea screening at home using oximetry and airflow
Authors: Álvarez Daniel , Cerezo-Hernández Ana , Crespo Andrea , Gutiérrez-Tobal Gonzalo C. , Vaquerizo-Villar Fernando , Barroso-García Verónica , Moreno Fernando , Arroyo C. Ainhoa , Ruiz Tomás , Hornero Roberto , del Campo Félix
Published: March 2020

The most appropriate physiological signals to develop simplified as well as accurate screening tests for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) remain unknown. This study aimed at assessing whether joint analysis of at-home oximetry and airflow recordings by means of machine-learning algorithms leads to a significant diagnostic performance increase compared to single-channel approaches. Consecutive patients showing moderate-to-high clinical suspicion of OSA were involved. The apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) from unsupervised polysomnography was the gold standard. Oximetry and airflow from at-home polysomnography were parameterised by means of 38 time, frequency, and non-linear variables. Complementarity between both signals was exhaustively inspected via automated feature selection. Regression support vector machines were used to estimate the AHI from single-channel and dual-channel approaches. A total of 239 patients successfully completed at-home polysomnography. The optimum joint model reached 0.93 (95%CI 0.90–0.95) intra-class correlation coefficient between estimated and actual AHI. Overall performance of the dual-channel approach (kappa: 0.71; 4-class accuracy: 81.3%) significantly outperformed individual oximetry (kappa: 0.61; 4-class accuracy: 75.0%) and airflow (kappa: 0.42; 4-class accuracy: 61.5%). According to our findings, oximetry alone was able to reach notably high accuracy, particularly to confirm severe cases of the disease. Nevertheless, oximetry and airflow showed high complementarity leading to a remarkable performance increase compared to single-channel approaches. Consequently, their joint analysis via machine learning enables accurate abbreviated screening of OSA at home.
The function of bacterial HtrA is evolutionally conserved in mammalian HtrA2/Omi
Authors: Chung Hea-Jong , Jamal Mohammad Abu Hena Mostofa , Hong Seong-Tshool
Published: March 2020

Although the malfunction of HtrA2/Omi leads to Parkinson’s disease (PD), the underlying mechanism has remained unknown. Here, we showed that HtrA2/Omi specifically removed oligomeric α-Syn but not monomeric α-Syn to protect oligomeric α-Syn-induced neurodegeneration. Experiments using mnd2 mice indicated that HtrA2/Omi degraded oligomeric α-Syn specifically without affecting monomers. Transgenic Drosophila melanogaster experiments of the co-expression α-Syn and HtrA2/Omi and expression of genes individually also confirmed that pan-neuronal expression of HtrA2/Omi completely rescued Parkinsonism in the α-Syn-induced PD Drosophila model by specifically removing oligomeric α-Syn. HtrA2/Omi maintained the health and integrity of the brain and extended the life span of transgenic flies. Because HtrA2/Omi specifically degraded oligomeric α-Syn, co-expression of HtrA2/Omi and α-Syn in Drosophila eye maintained a healthy retina, while the expression of α-Syn induced retinal degeneration. This work showed that the bacterial function of HtrA to degrade toxic misfolded proteins is evolutionarily conserved in mammalian brains as HtrA2/Omi.
Cellular processes involved in lung cancer cells exposed to direct current electric field
Authors: Li Huijuan , Liu Shibin , Yang Xue , Du Yongqian , Luo Jiezhang , Tan Jie , Sun Yulong
Published: March 2020

With the rapid breakthrough of electrochemical treatment of tumors, electric field (EF)-sensitive genes, previously rarely exploited, have become an emerging field recently. Here, we reported our work for the identification of EF-sensitive genes in lung cancer cells. The gene expression profile (GSE33845), in which the human lung cancer CL1-0 cells were treated with a direct current electric field (dcEF) (300 mV/mm) for 2 h, was retrieved from GEO database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were acquired, followed by Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway (KEGG) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis. Hub genes were acquired and analyzed by various tools including the Human Protein Atlas, Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cytoscape, FunRich, Oncomine and cBioPortal. Subsequently, three-dimensional protein models of hub genes were modeled by Modeller 9.20 and Rosetta 3.9. Finally, a 100 ns molecular dynamics simulation for each hub protein was performed with GROMACS 2018.2. A total of 257 DEGs were acquired and analyzed by GO, KEGG and PPI. Then, 10 hub genes were obtained, and the signal pathway analysis showed that two inflammatory pathways were activated: the FoxO signaling pathway and the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway. The molecular dynamic analysis including RMSD and the radius of gyration hinted that the 3D structures of hub proteins were built. Overall, our work identified EF-sensitive genes in lung cancer cells and identified that the inflammatory state of tumor cells may be involved in the feedback mechanism of lung cancer cells in response to electric field stimulation. In addition, qualified three-dimensional protein models of hub genes were also constructed, which will be helpful in understanding the complex effects of dcEF on human lung cancer CL1-0 cells.
Dynamic visualization of type II peptidyl carrier protein recognition in pyoluteorin biosynthesis
Authors: Corpuz Joshua C. , Podust Larissa M. , Davis Tony D. , Jaremko Matt J. , Burkart Michael D.
Published: March 2020

The interface interactions of a type II peptidyl carrier protein and partner enzyme are observed to be unique and dynamic.
Topological two-dimensional polymers
Authors: Springer Maximilian A. , Liu Tsai-Jung , Kuc Agnieszka , Heine Thomas
Published: March 2020

The structural topology of a 2D network defines its electronic structure.
The damaging effects of the acidity in PEDOT:PSS on semiconductor device performance and solutions based on non-acidic alternatives
Authors: Cameron Joseph , Skabara Peter J.
Published: March 2020

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate), PEDOT:PSS, has been widely used as an effective hole transporting material in many different organic semiconductor devices for well over a decade.
Synthesis of novel catalytic composite nanofibers containing ruthenium nanoparticles stabilized by a citric acid-β-cyclodextrin polymer
Authors: Fadlallah Sami , Tabary Nicolas , Noël Sébastien , Léger Bastien , Cazaux Frédéric , Monflier Eric , Martel Bernard
Published: March 2020

The elaboration of catalytic composite nanofibers (NFs) by electrospinning through a one-pot strategy is described.
Peptide assembly assisted triplet–triplet annihilation photon upconversion in non-deoxygenated water
Authors: Tian Yajie , Li Jieling , Zhao Luyang , Zhang Xianglan , Wang Anhe , Jian Honglei , Bai Shuo , Yan Xuehai
Published: March 2020

Peptide-tuned TTA-UC luminescence is reported by the formation of UC chromophore-assembled tetrahedral nanorods. Intense UC emission from the upconversion donor to acceptor in nanorods can be observed in non-deoxygenated water.
First imidazole-fused carbaporphyrinoid and its conversion to a N-heterocyclic carbene precursor
Authors: Ren Demin , Koniarz Sebastian , Li Xiaofang , Chmielewski Piotr J.
Published: March 2020

An efficient one step synthesis of imidazole-fused carbachlorin has been carried out along with a procedure leading to cationic N-heterocyclic carbene precursors.
Ternary heterogeneous Pt–Ni–Au nanowires with enhanced activity and stability for PEMFCs
Authors: Lin Zhicheng , Sheng Yuan , Li Jia , Rui Zhiyan , Liu Yide , Liu Jianguo , Zou Zhigang
Published: March 2020

This work presents heterogeneous ternary nanowires with randomly distributed Pt–Ni phases and Pt–Au phases for the first time.