bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapid and label-free microfluidic neutrophil purification and phenotyping in diabetes mellitus
Authors: Hou Han Wei , Petchakup Chayakorn , Tay Hui Min , Tam Zhi Yang , Dalan Rinkoo , Chew Daniel Ek Kwang , Li King Ho Holden , Boehm Bernhard O.
Published: July 2016

Advanced management of dysmetabolic syndromes such as diabetes will benefit from a timely mechanistic insight enabling personalized medicine approaches. Herein, we present a rapid microfluidic neutrophil sorting and functional phenotyping strategy for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients using small blood volumes (fingerprick ~100 μL). The developed inertial microfluidics technology enables single-step neutrophil isolation (>90% purity) without immuno-labeling and sorted neutrophils are used to characterize their rolling behavior on E-selectin, a critical step in leukocyte recruitment during inflammation. The integrated microfluidics testing methodology facilitates high throughput single-cell quantification of neutrophil rolling to detect subtle differences in speed distribution. Higher rolling speed was observed in T2DM patients (P < 0.01) which strongly correlated with neutrophil activation, rolling ligand P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 (PSGL-1) expression, as well as established cardiovascular risk factors (cholesterol, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (CRP) and HbA1c). Rolling phenotype can be modulated by common disease risk modifiers (metformin and pravastatin). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and principal component analysis (PCA) revealed neutrophil rolling as an important functional phenotype in T2DM diagnostics. These results suggest a new point-of-care testing methodology and neutrophil rolling speed as a functional biomarker for rapid profiling of dysmetabolic subjects in clinical and patient-oriented settings.
Pronounced genetic differentiation and recent secondary contact in the mangrove tree Lumnitzera racemosa revealed by population genomic analyses
Authors: Li Jianfang , Yang Yuchen , Chen Qipian , Fang Lu , He Ziwen , Guo Wuxia , Qiao Sitan , Wang Zhengzhen , Guo Miaomiao , Zhong Cairong , Zhou Renchao , Shi Suhua
Published: July 2016

Systematically investigating the impacts of Pleistocene sea-level fluctuations on mangrove plants may provide a better understanding of their demographic history and useful information for their conservation. Therefore, we conducted population genomic analyses of 88 nuclear genes to explore the population dynamics of a mangrove treeLumnitzera racemosaacross the Indo-West Pacific region. Our results revealed pronounced genetic differentiation in this species between the populations from the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, which may be attributable to the long-term isolation between the western and eastern coasts of the Malay Peninsula during sea-level drops in the Pleistocene glacial periods. The mixing of haplotypes from the two highly divergent groups was identified in a Cambodian population at almost all 88 nuclear genes, suggesting genetic admixture of the two lineages at the boundary region. Similar genetic admixture was also found in other populations from Southeast Asia based on the Bayesian clustering analysis of six nuclear genes, which suggests extensive and recent secondary contact of the two divergent lineages in Southeast Asia. Computer simulations indicated substantial migration from the Indian Ocean towards the South China Sea, which likely results in the genetic admixture in Southeast Asia.
Design of a molecular imprinting biosensor with multi-scale roughness for detection across a broad spectrum of biomolecules
Authors: Yu Yingjie , Zhang Qi , Chang Chung-Chueh , Liu Ying , Yang Zhenhua , Guo Yichen , Wang Yantian , Galanakis Dennis K. , Levon Kalle , Rafailovich Miriam
Published: July 2016

The molecular imprinting technique has tremendous applications in artificial enzymes, bioseparation, and sensor devices.
Correction: Simplifying microfluidic separation devices towards field-detection of blood parasites
Authors: Holm S. H. , Beech J. P. , Barrett M. P. , Tegenfeldt J. O.
Published: July 2016

Correction for ‘Simplifying microfluidic separation devices towards field-detection of blood parasites’ by S. H. Holm et al., Anal. Methods, 2016, 8, 3291–3300.
Bioactive and biocompatible copper containing glass-ceramics with remarkable antibacterial properties and high cell viability designed for future in vivo trials
Authors: Popescu R. A. , Magyari K. , Vulpoi A. , Trandafir D. L. , Licarete E. , Todea M. , Ştefan R. , Voica C. , Vodnar D. C. , Simon S. , Papuc I. , Baia L.
Published: July 2016

The efficiency of 60SiO2·(32 −x) CaO·8P2O5·xCuO (mol%) glass-ceramics were proved, and was determined the most appropriate composition for furtherin vivotrials.
An efficient and sustainable synthesis of NHC gold complexes
Authors: Johnson Alice , Gimeno M. Concepción
Published: July 2016

A simple, efficient and sustainable method for the general synthesis of NHC gold(i) complexes is described.
Effect of Zn2+ ions on the assembly of amylin oligomers: insight into the molecular mechanisms
Authors: Wineman-Fisher Vered , Miller Yifat
Published: July 2016

High and low concentrations of Zn2+ ions decrease the polymorphism of amylin oligomers and do not affect their cross β-beta structures.
Effective dynamics along given reaction coordinates, and reaction rate theory
Authors: Zhang Wei , Hartmann Carsten , Schütte Christof
Published: July 2016

In molecular dynamics and related fields one considers dynamical descriptions of complex systems in full (atomic) detail. In order to reduce the overwhelming complexity of realistic systems (high dimension, large timescale spread, limited computational resources) the projection of the full dynamics onto some reaction coordinates is examined in order to extract statistical information like free energies or reaction rates. In this context, the effective dynamics that is induced by the full dynamics on the reaction coordinate space has attracted considerable attention in the literature. In this article, we contribute to this discussion: we first show that if we start with an ergodic diffusion process whose invariant measure is unique then these properties are inherited by the effective dynamics. Then, we give equations for the effective dynamics, discuss whether the dominant timescales and reaction rates inferred from the effective dynamics are accurate approximations of such quantities for the full dynamics, and compare our findings to results from approaches like Mori–Zwanzig, averaging, or homogenization. Finally, by discussing the algorithmic realization of the effective dynamics, we demonstrate that recent algorithmic techniques like the “equation-free” approach and the “heterogeneous multiscale method” can be seen as special cases of our approach.
Detection and quantification of ATP in human blood serum
Authors: Akdeniz Ali , Caglayan Mehmet Gokhan , Polivina Irina , Anzenbacher Pavel
Published: July 2016

Two fluorescent sensors and the corresponding micro-chip assay display great potential for the detection of ATP in a high-throughput fashion.
Binary adsorption isotherms of two ionic liquids and ibuprofen on an activated carbon cloth: simulation and interpretations using statistical and COSMO-RS models
Authors: Sellaoui Lotfi , Bouzid Mohamed , Duclaux Laurent , Reinert Laurence , Knani Salah , Ben Lamine Abdelmottaleb
Published: July 2016

Chemical structures of IL1, IL2 and IBP.
Transport and return of an oilfield scale inhibitor reverse micelle nanofluid: impact of preflush and overflush
Authors: Zhang Ping , Ruan Gedeng , Shen Dong , Kan Amy T. , Tomson Mason B.
Published: July 2016

Systematic evaluation of the transport and return behavior of a Ca–DTPMP reverse micelle nanomaterial and nanofluid for oilfield mineral scale control.
Preparation of a carboxymethylated bacterial cellulose/polyaniline composite gel membrane and its characterization
Authors: Yue Lina , Zheng Yudong , Xie Yajie , Liu Shumin , Guo Shaolin , Yang Bowen , Tang Tianzhu
Published: July 2016

The influence of carboxymethylation on the structure, morphology, electrical/proton conductivity and mechanical properties of carboxymethylated bacterial cellulose/polyaniline composites has been investigated.
Design and synthesis of novel dual-target agents for HDAC1 and CK2 inhibition
Authors: Purwin M. , Hernández-Toribio J. , Coderch C. , Panchuk R. , Skorokhyd N. , Filipiak K. , de Pascual-Teresa B. , Ramos A.
Published: July 2016

Drug entities able to address multiple targets can be more effective than those directed to just one biological target.
Selective electrochemical detection of dopamine in the presence of uric acid and ascorbic acid based on a composite film modified electrode
Authors: Zhang Li , Ning Li , Li Shaobin , Pang Haijun , Zhang Zhuanfang , Ma Huiyuan , Yan Hong
Published: July 2016

An electrochemical dopamine sensor based on vanadium-substituted polyoxometalates, copper oxide and chitosan–palladium was fabricated by the LBL technique.
Molecular relaxation and dynamic rheology of “cluster phase”-free ionomers based on lanthanum(iii)-neutralized low-carboxylated poly(methyl methacrylate)
Authors: Zhang Lina , Qiu Biwei , Song Yihu , Zheng Qiang
Published: July 2016

La(iii)-neutralized low-carboxylated poly(methyl methacrylate)-based ionomers free of cluster phase exhibit a fluid-to-solid transition assigned to an interconnected multiplets network.
Synthesis and surface protection of nano zerovalent iron (NZVI) with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane for water remediation of cobalt and zinc and their radioactive isotopes
Authors: Mahmoud Mohamed E. , Saad Ebtissam Ahmed , Soliman Mohamed Ali , Abdelwahab Mohamed S.
Published: July 2016

A method is described to synthesize a novel magnetic nano-sorbent via surface modification and protection of nano-zerovalent iron (NZVI) with 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane for the formation of NZVI-NH2.
Chemical and structural analysis of alkali pretreated pinewood for efficient ethanol production
Authors: Noori Mahboubeh S. , Karimi Keikhosro
Published: July 2016

Improvement of enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol production from softwood pine was conducted by pretreatment with 8% (w/v) NaOH at different temperatures of 0, 25, and 80 °C for 2 h.
Activation energies and information entropies of helium penetration through fullerene walls. Insights into the formation of endofullerenes nX@C60/70(n = 1 and 2) from the information entropy approach
Authors: Sabirov Denis Sh. , Terentyev Anton O. , Sokolov Viacheslav I.
Published: July 2016

In the present study, we calculate the activation barriers and information entropies of helium penetration into the C60and C70fullerenes resulting in the singly and doubly filled endofullerenes Hen@C60/70(n= 1 and 2).
Protein binding-protected DNA three-way junction-mediated rolling circle amplification for sensitive and specific detection of transcription factors
Authors: Li Kan , Wang Lei , Xu Xiaowen , Gao Ting , Yan Ping , Jiang Wei
Published: July 2016

A novel fluorescent strategy for transcription factors assay was developed based on protein binding-protected DNA three-way junction-mediated rolling circle amplification.
Modulation of the surface properties of protein particles by a surfactant for stabilizing foams
Authors: Zou Yuan , Wan Zhili , Guo Jian , Wang Jinmei , Yin Shouwei , Yang Xiaoquan
Published: July 2016

In this study, a detailed investigation into the behavior of foams stabilized by mixtures of zein/TA colloidal particles (ZTP) with a conventional anion surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) has been made.
Size induced modification of boron structural unit in YBO3: systematic investigation by experimental and theoretical methods
Authors: Nair Ramya Gopakumar , Nigam Sandeep , Vishwanadh B. , Sudarsan V. , Vatsa R. K. , Majumder Chiranjib , Jain V. K.
Published: July 2016

Nanocrystalline YBO3 (∼4–8 nm) was prepared using polyol method. It is established that while bulk YBO3 has only BO4 units, its nanoparticles has both BO3 and BO4 units. The BO3 units are primarily distributed on surface on nanoparticles.
The dispersion, solubilization and stabilization in “solution” of single-walled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Kharisov Boris I. , Kharissova Oxana V. , Dimas Alejandro Vázquez
Published: July 2016

Methods for the solubilization and dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes in water and organic solvents by physical and chemical methods have been reviewed.
A catalyst-free approach to 3-thiocyanato-4H-chromen-4-ones
Authors: Zhang Xiao-Zhuan , Ge Dao-Liang , Chen Shan-Yong , Yu Xiao-Qi
Published: July 2016

A facile and efficient approach to 3-thiocyanato-4H-chromen-4-ones from enaminones and KSCN was realized at room temperature. In addition, one-pot synthesis of 3-thiocyanatochromenones from 2-hydroxylacetophenones was also developed.
Synthesis of diverse isatins via ring contraction of 3-diazoquinoline-2,4-diones
Authors: Shrestha Rajeev , Lee Gun Joon , Lee Yong Rok
Published: July 2016

An efficient protocol for the construction of diverse isatin derivatives was developed starting from 3-diazoquinoline-2,4-diones via ring contraction reaction.
Growth of covalently bonded Sierpiński triangles up to the second generation
Authors: Gu Gaochen , Li Na , Liu Liwei , Zhang Xue , Wu Qimeng , Nieckarz Damian , Szabelski Pawel , Peng Lianmao , Teo Boon K. , Hou Shimin , Wang Yongfeng
Published: July 2016

Growth of covalently bonded Sierpiński triangles (CB-STs) on metal surfaces was investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM).
A practical and efficient route to heteraphanes: synthesis of structurally simplified analogues of ansamycins
Authors: Reddy R. Santhosh , Zheng Shaojun , Lagishetti Chandraiah , You Hengyao , He Yun
Published: July 2016

The intramolecular Mitsunobu reaction has been employed for the practical synthesis of a wide variety of heteraphanes. This strategy enabled the efficient synthesis of a diverse range of macrocycles with varying ring sizes under mild conditions.
Polydopamine coated manganese oxide nanoparticles with ultrahigh relaxivity as nanotheranostic agents for magnetic resonance imaging guided synergetic chemo-/photothermal therapy
Authors: Ding Xing , Liu Jianhua , Li Junqi , Wang Fan , Wang Yinghui , Song Shuyan , Zhang Hongjie
Published: July 2016

A multifunctional core/shell nanotheranostic platform was constructed which could offer MRI guided combinational chemotherapy and photothermal therapy for cancer.
Multi-electron reactivity of a cofacial di-tin(ii) cryptand: partial reduction of sulfur and selenium and reversible generation of S3˙−
Authors: Stauber Julia M. , Müller Peter , Dai Yizhe , Wu Gang , Nocera Daniel G. , Cummins Christopher C.
Published: July 2016

A cofacial di-tin(ii) hexacarboxamide cryptand that binds sulfur to form a complex containing μ-S and bridging μ-S5 ligands and acts reversibly as a source of S3˙− in DMF solution is described.
Preparation of porous MoO2@C nano-octahedrons from a polyoxometalate-based metal–organic framework for highly reversible lithium storage
Authors: Xia Guoliang , Liu Dong , Zheng Fangcai , Yang Yang , Su Jianwei , Chen Qianwang
Published: July 2016

Porous MoO2@C nanocomposite was synthesized through the direct pyrolysis of NENU-5 and showed an excellent electrochemical performance (1442 mA h g−1at 0.1 A g−1for 50 cycles and 443.8 mA h g−1at 1 A g−1for 850 cycles) when tested as anode materials for LIBs.
Synthesis of mesoporous Fe/N/C oxygen reduction catalysts through NaCl crystallite-confined pyrolysis of polyvinylpyrrolidone
Authors: Wang Wang , Luo Jin , Chen Wenhui , Li Jun , Xing Wei , Chen Shengli
Published: July 2016

NaCl crystallite confinement can efficiently avoid the weight loss of precursors in the pyrolysis synthesis of Fe/N/C ORR catalysts.
Drug binding rate regulates the properties of polysaccharide prodrugs
Authors: Li Di , Ding Jianxun , Zhuang Xiuli , Chen Li , Chen Xuesi
Published: July 2016

The properties of polysaccharide prodrugs are regulated by the drug binding rate.
Leserbrief: Kritischer nachfragen!
Authors: Linde Walter
Published: July 2016

Zum Artikel „Interview mit AOK-Chef Litsch: Bauchläden sind noch immer sehr beliebt“, kma 05/2016
Vom Wesen zur Wirtschaft: Erklärter Wille der Verleger: Die Branche aufmischen
Authors: Lohmann Heinz
Published: July 2016

Der Weg der kma ist ein Spiegelbild der Entwicklung der Gesundheitsbranche in den letzten 20 Jahren vom Wesen zur Wirtschaft.
Herausgeber Axel Ekkernkamp: Dietmar Haake holte mich früh ins Boot
Authors: Ekkernkamp Axel
Published: July 2016

Seit 2006 ist der Chef vom Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin Herausgeber der kma. Doch mit Heft und Verleger vertraut ist Axel Ekkernkamp seit Gründung des Magazins. Wir freuen uns, dass der Unfallchirurg, Manager und Politiker, der in der Herzog-Kommission saß und das Bundesverdienstkreuz trägt, uns seither die Treue hält.
Externe Dienstleistungen: Die Zukunft gehört den Systempartnerschaften
Authors: Quaschner Peter
Published: July 2016

Hat ein Krankenhaus seine Hausaufgaben gemacht, sind die klassischen Sparmaßnahmen bereits ausgereizt. Dennoch lohnt sich hier die Zusammenarbeit mit externen Dienstleistern, so der Geschäftsführer des evangelischen Krankenhauses Oberhausen – vor allem in Form strategischer Kooperationen.
BODIPY star-shaped molecules as solid state colour converters for visible light communications
Authors: Vithanage D. A. , Manousiadis P. P. , Sajjad M. T. , Rajbhandari S. , Chun H. , Orofino C. , Cortizo-Lacalle D. , Kanibolotsky A. L. , Faulkner G. , Findlay N. J. , O'Brien D. C. , Skabara P. J. , Samuel I. D. W. , Turnbull G. A.
Published: July 2016

In this paper, we study a family of solid-state, organic semiconductors for visible light communications. The star-shaped molecules have a boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) core with a range of side arm lengths which control the photophysical properties. The molecules emit red light with photoluminescence quantum yields ranging from 22% to 56%. Thin films of the most promising BODIPY molecules were used as a red colour converter for visible light communications. The film enabled colour conversion with a modulation bandwidth of 73 MHz, which is 16 times higher than that of a typical phosphor used in LED lighting systems. A data rate of 370 Mbit/s was demonstrated using On-Off keying modulation in a free space link with a distance of ∼15 cm.
Approach to the unfolding and folding dynamics of add A-riboswitch upon adenine dissociation using a coarse-grained elastic network model
Authors: Li Chunhua , Lv Dashuai , Zhang Lei , Yang Feng , Wang Cunxin , Su Jiguo , Zhang Yang
Published: July 2016

Riboswitches are noncoding mRNA segments that can regulate the gene expression via altering their structures in response to specific metabolite binding. We proposed a coarse-grained Gaussian network model (GNM) to examine the unfolding and folding dynamics of adenosine deaminase (add) A-riboswitch upon the adenine dissociation, in which the RNA is modeled by a nucleotide chain with interaction networks formed by connecting adjoining atomic contacts. It was shown that the adenine binding is critical to the folding of the add A-riboswitch while the removal of the ligand can result in drastic increase of the thermodynamic fluctuations especially in the junction regions between helix domains. Under the assumption that the native contacts with the highest thermodynamic fluctuations break first, the iterative GNM simulations showed that the unfolding process of the adenine-free add A-riboswitch starts with the denature of the terminal helix stem, followed by the loops and junctions involving ligand binding pocket, and then the central helix domains. Despite the simplified coarse-grained modeling, the unfolding dynamics and pathways are shown in close agreement with the results from atomic-level MD simulations and the NMR and single-molecule force spectroscopy experiments. Overall, the study demonstrates a new avenue to investigate the binding and folding dynamics of add A-riboswitch molecule which can be readily extended for other RNA molecules.
Predicting epitaxial orientations and lattice structure in ultrathin magnetic thin films
Authors: Lu Yong , Wang Cuiping , Shi Rongpei , Cui Yuanyuan , Shi Zhan , Yang Shuiyuan , Cui Yuwen , Liu Xingjun
Published: July 2016

Metastable phases, such as bcc Co or Ni and hcp Fe or Ni, reportedly possess extraordinary magnetic properties for epitaxial ultra-thin films. To understand phase stability of these epitaxy-oriented phases upon substrate lattices, we calculated novel phase diagrams of Co, Fe, and Ni ultrathin films by considering the chemical free energy, elastic strain energy, and surface energy. Verified by experimental data in the literatures, the stable epitaxy-oriented phases are readily identified from the phase diagrams. The stabilization of these metastable phases is determined by the interplay between orientation-dependent elastic strain energy and surface energy.
Combining experiment and optical simulation in coherent X-ray nanobeam characterization of Si/SiGe semiconductor heterostructures
Authors: Tilka J. A. , Park J. , Ahn Y. , Pateras A. , Sampson K. C. , Savage D. E. , Prance J. R. , Simmons C. B. , Coppersmith S. N. , Eriksson M. A. , Lagally M. G. , Holt M. V. , Evans P. G.
Published: July 2016

The highly coherent and tightly focused x-ray beams produced by hard x-ray light sources enable the nanoscale characterization of the structure of electronic materials but are accompanied by significant challenges in the interpretation of diffraction and scattering patterns. X-ray nanobeams exhibit optical coherence combined with a large angular divergence introduced by the x-ray focusing optics. The scattering of nanofocused x-ray beams from intricate semiconductor heterostructures produces a complex distribution of scattered intensity. We report here an extension of coherent x-ray optical simulations of convergent x-ray beam diffraction patterns to arbitrary x-ray incident angles to allow the nanobeam diffraction patterns of complex heterostructures to be simulated faithfully. These methods are used to extract the misorientation of lattice planes and the strain of individual layers from synchrotron x-ray nanobeam diffraction patterns of Si/SiGe heterostructures relevant to applications in quantum electronic devices. The systematic interpretation of nanobeam diffraction patterns from semiconductor heterostructures presents a new opportunity in characterizing and ultimately designing electronic materials.
Photo-enhanced magnetization in Fe-doped ZnO nanowires
Authors: Lorite I. , Kumar Y. , Esquinazi P. , Friedländer S. , Pöppl A. , Michalsky T. , Meijer J. , Grundmann M. , Meyer T. , Estrela-Lopis I.
Published: July 2016

An emerging branch of electronics, the optospintronics, would be highly boosted if the control of magnetic order by light is implemented in magnetic semiconductors' nanostructures being compatible with the actual technology. Here, we show that the ferromagnetic magnetization of low Fe-doped ZnO nanowires prepared by carbothermal process is enhanced under illumination up to temperatures slightly below room temperature. This enhancement is related to the existence of an oxygen vacancy VO in the neighborhood of an antiferromagnetic superexchange Fe3+-Fe3+ pair. Under illumination, the VO is ionized to VO+ giving an electron to a close Fe3+ ion from the antiferromagnetic pair. This light excited electron transition allows the transition of Fe3+ to Fe2+ forming stable ferromagnetic double exchange pairs, increasing the total magnetization. The results presented here indicate an efficient way to influence the magnetic properties of ZnO based nanostructures by light illumination at high temperatures.
Wake structure in actuator disk models of wind turbines in yaw under uniform inflow conditions
Authors: Howland Michael F. , Bossuyt Juliaan , Martínez-Tossas Luis A. , Meyers Johan , Meneveau Charles
Published: July 2016

Reducing wake losses in wind farms by deflecting the wakes through turbine yawing has been shown to be a feasible wind farm controls approach. Nonetheless, the effectiveness of yawing depends not only on the degree of wake deflection but also on the resulting shape of the wake. In this work, the deflection and morphology of wakes behind a porous disk model of a wind turbine operating in yawed conditions are studied using wind tunnel experiments and uniform inflow. First, by measuring velocity distributions at various downstream positions and comparing with prior studies, we confirm that the non-rotating porous disk wind turbine model in yaw generates realistic wake deflections. Second, we characterize the wake shape and make observations of what is termed as curled wake, displaying significant spanwise asymmetry. The wake curling observed in the experiments is also reproduced qualitatively in Large Eddy Simulations using both actuator disk and actuator line models. Results suggest that when a wind turbine is yawed for the benefit of downstream turbines, the curled shape of the wake and its asymmetry must be taken into account since it affects how much of it intersects the downstream turbines.
Fundamental study on the application of liquid crystals to actuator devices
Authors: Zhou Yuan , Tsuji Tomohiro , Chono Shigeomi
Published: July 2016

In a fundamental study to develop liquid crystal microactuators, we prepared a sandwich cell with a movable upper plate and used backflow induced by applying repetitively a rectangular wave voltage to drive the upper plate in its plane. We used 4-cyano-4′-pentyl biphenyl, a low-molar-mass nematic liquid crystal. The speed of the plate depends significantly on the frequency of the applied voltage. With specific settings of applied voltage, duty ratio, plate gap, and upper plate mass, the speed increases with increasing frequency, attaining a maximum value of 120 μm/s at 175 Hz. Further increases in frequency, however, produce a gradual decrease in plate speed because the molecules of the liquid crystal respond too slowly to the change in voltage at the higher frequencies. In addition, to expand the field of application of liquid crystal actuators, we performed an experiment to control the direction of movement of the upper plate by patterning the electrodes and the alignment layer to govern the orientation of molecules at the walls. The plate changes its direction smoothly with quick responses at each switching, but its speed is reduced compared with the unidirectional actuators over the entire frequency range.
Magnetoplasmonic RF mixing and nonlinear frequency generation
Authors: Firby C. J. , Elezzabi A. Y.
Published: July 2016

We present the design of a magnetoplasmonic Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) modulator facilitating radio-frequency (RF) mixing and nonlinear frequency generation. This is achieved by forming the MZI arms from long-range dielectric-loaded plasmonic waveguides containing bismuth-substituted yttrium iron garnet (Bi:YIG). The magnetization of the Bi:YIG can be driven in the nonlinear regime by RF magnetic fields produced around adjacent transmission lines. Correspondingly, the nonlinear temporal dynamics of the transverse magnetization component are mapped onto the nonreciprocal phase shift in the MZI arms, and onto the output optical intensity signal. We show that this tunable mechanism can generate harmonics, frequency splitting, and frequency down-conversion with a single RF excitation, as well as RF mixing when driven by two RF signals. This magnetoplasmonic component can reduce the number of electrical sources required to generate distinct optical modulation frequencies and is anticipated to satisfy important applications in integrated optics.
Secondary electron emission from lithium and lithium compounds
Authors: Capece A. M. , Patino M. I. , Raitses Y. , Koel B. E.
Published: July 2016

In this work, measurements of electron-induced secondary electron emission (SEE) yields of lithium as a function of composition are presented. The results are particularly relevant for magnetic fusion devices such as tokamaks, field-reversed configurations, and stellarators that consider Li as a plasma-facing material for improved plasma confinement. SEE can reduce the sheath potential at the wall and cool electrons at the plasma edge, resulting in large power losses. These effects become significant as the SEE coefficient, γe, approaches one, making it imperative to maintain a low yield surface. This work demonstrates that the yield from Li strongly depends on chemical composition and substantially increases after exposure to oxygen and water vapor. The total yield was measured using a retarding field analyzer in ultrahigh vacuum for primary electron energies of 20–600 eV. The effect of Li composition was determined by introducing controlled amounts of O2 and H2O vapor while monitoring film composition with Auger electron spectroscopy and temperature programmed desorption. The results show that the energy at which γe = 1 decreases with oxygen content and is 145 eV for a Li film that is 17% oxidized and drops to less than 25 eV for a fully oxidized film. This work has important implications for laboratory plasmas operating under realistic vacuum conditions in which oxidation significantly alters the electron emission properties of Li walls.
Resistance mutations generate divergent antibiotic susceptibility profiles against translation inhibitors
Authors: Cocozaki Alexis I. , Altman Roger B. , Huang Jian , Buurman Ed T. , Kazmirski Steven L. , Doig Peter , Prince D. Bryan , Blanchard Scott C. , Cate Jamie H. D. , Ferguson Andrew D.
Published: July 2016

Significance

The ribosome is a large and complex RNA–protein complex that synthesizes proteins in all kingdoms of life. The sequences of bacterial ribosomes differ, and antibiotics exploit these differences to inhibit the ribosome and stop cell growth. Mutations in the ribosome can interfere with antibiotic binding and render the bacteria resistant to the antibiotic. Using a combination of structural, biophysical, and biochemical experiments, we show how rRNA mutations alter the structure of the ribosome at the antibiotic binding site and result in divergent antibiotic susceptibility profiles.
Polymorphism and electronic structure of polyimine and its potential significance for prebiotic chemistry on Titan
Authors: Rahm Martin , Lunine Jonathan I. , Usher David A. , Shalloway David
Published: July 2016

Significance

Titan is the only place in the solar system, except Earth, where rainfall and seasonally flowing liquids erode the landscape. Whereas the surface pressure is similar to that of Earth, the temperature is extremely low and the dominant liquids are methane and ethane. This makes Titan a test case for exploring the environmental limits of prebiotic chemistry and addressing the question of whether life can develop without water. Experimental and observational data suggest that hydrogen cyanide, the most abundant hydrogen-bonding molecule in Titan’s atmosphere, may polymerize on the surface to polyimine. Using quantum mechanical calculations, we show that polyimine has interesting electronic and structural properties that could potentially facilitate prebiotic chemistry under cryogenic conditions akin to those on Titan.
Probe for the measurement of cell surface pH in vivo and ex vivo
Authors: Anderson Michael , Moshnikova Anna , Engelman Donald M. , Reshetnyak Yana K. , Andreev Oleg A.
Published: July 2016

Significance

In acidic, diseased tissues, such as tumors, cell surfaces are expected to be more acidic than the surroundings, but no means have been available to measure surface acidity specifically in such tissues. We have developed a probe that uses a pH low insertion peptide to locate a pH-sensing dye, seminaphtharhodafluor, at acidic cell surfaces and find that the probe can measure surface pH, which is correlated with tumor aggressiveness. Even an individual cancer cell maintains acidity at its surface and can be detected in a well-perfused area. The new probe can be used in vivo and ex vivo on tissue specimens and opens a path to both medical utility and exploration of other functions of acidity on cell surfaces.
Insulin induction of SREBP-1c in rodent liver requires LXRα-C/EBPβ complex
Authors: Tian Jing , Goldstein Joseph L. , Brown Michael S.
Published: July 2016

Significance

In patients with type 2 diabetes, excessive insulin stimulates the conversion of glucose to fat in the liver. The resultant fatty liver can cause liver failure. Fat accumulation in blood produces hypertriglyceridemia, which accelerates heart attacks. Insulin increases fat production by increasing the mRNA-encoding sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), which activates genes encoding enzymes required for fat synthesis. If we can understand how insulin increases SREBP-1c mRNA, we may be able to prevent insulin-induced fat synthesis. Here we show that insulin action requires a complex of two nuclear proteins, LXRα and C/EBPβ, which activate the
Srebp-1c
gene. This work provides insight into a mechanism that controls fat production and has major implications for health.
Name-Changes and Everyday Self-Fashioning in the Toledo Inquisition, 1575–1610
Authors: Weinreich Spencer J.
Published: July 2016

This article surveys more than a thousand relaciones de causa (summaries of cases) from the Toledo tribunal of the Spanish Inquisition to examine the uses of names in early modern Iberia. Three crucial features of early modern names come to the fore: the potential to communicate information about the bearer, contingency upon interpersonal use, and the ease of changing one’s name. The confluence of these factors made names a potent means for creating, maintaining, or altering identities, and thus for negotiating any number of problems or opportunities. This agency of ordinary people over their own social identities demands a democratization of the concept of “Renaissance self-fashioning.” Furthermore, the ubiquity of name-changes in the early modern period highlights the extent to which naming is a continual process, problematizing traditional onomastic sources that privilege birth-names and focus on subjects’ names at a single point in time.
Commemorating Dwelling: The Death and Burial of Houses in Iron and Viking Age Scandinavia
Authors: Eriksen Marianne Hem
Published: July 2016

Current debates on the ontology of objects and matter have reinvigorated archaeological theoretical discourse and opened a multitude of perspectives on understanding the past, perspectives which have only just begun to be explored in scholarship on Late Iron Age Scandinavia. This article is a critical discussion of the sporadic tradition of covering longhouses and halls with burial mounds in the Iron and Viking ages. After having stood as social markers in the landscape for decades or even centuries, some dwellings were transformed into mortuary monuments — material and mnemonic spaces of the dead. Yet, was it the house or a deceased individual that was being interred and memorialized? Through an exploration of buildings that have been overlain by burial mounds, and by drawing on theoretical debates about social biographies and the material turn, this article illuminates mortuary citations between houses and bodies in Late Iron Age Scandinavia. Ultimately, I question the assumed anthropocentricity of the practice of burying houses. Rather, I suggest that the house was interwoven with the essence of the household and that the transformation of the building was a mortuary citation not necessarily of an individual, but of the entire, entangled social meshwork of the house.
Divergent Ways of Relating to the Past in the Viking Age
Authors: Lund Julie , Arwill-Nordbladh Elisabeth
Published: July 2016

The flexibility of material culture encourages material phenomena to take a dynamic part in social life. An example of this is material citation, which can provide society with links to both the past and connections to contemporary features. In this article, we look at the diverging ways of relating to and reinventing the past in the Viking Age, exploring citations to ancient monuments in the landscape of Gammel Lejre on Zealand, Denmark. Complementing the placement of landscape monuments, attention is also brought to examples of mortuary citations related to bodily practices in Viking-age mortuary dramas, such as those visible at the mound of Skopintull on the island of Adelsö in Lake Mälaren, Sweden. Through these case studies, we explore the variability in citational strategies found across tenth-century Scandinavia.
The performance of subject positions, power, and identity: a case of refugee recognition
Authors: Dagg Jennifer , Haugaard Mark
Published: July 2016

This article explores the negotiation of subject positions, identities, and their recognition. It develops a theoretical model of identity and recognition, which is applied to the exemplar of a young Palestinian woman negotiating the refugee recognition process in Ireland. The paper is divided into five parts, as follows: (1) methodology; (2) a theorisation of subject positions, identity, and recognition based upon the work of Austin, Barnes, Davies and Harré, Butler, Foucault, Giddens, Goffman, Heidegger, Jenkins, and Searle; (3) the application of these perspectives to the complex performance of identity in a cross-cultural context; (4) the negotiation of the subject position asylum seeker; and (5) short conclusion-cum-epilogue. What emerges is that social actors occupy multiple conflicting subject positions; they are structurally constrained by others’ perceptions and refusals of recognition, thus frequently affirming subject positions that are contrary to their own desired identity-construction.
AMPK activity regulates trafficking of mitochondria to the leading edge during cell migration and matrix invasion
Authors: Cunniff Brian , McKenzie Andrew J. , Heintz Nicholas H. , Howe Alan K.
Published: July 2016

Cell migration is a complex behavior involving many energy-expensive biochemical events that iteratively alter cell shape and location. Mitochondria, the principal producers of cellular ATP, are dynamic organelles that fuse, divide, and relocate to respond to cellular metabolic demands. Using ovarian cancer cells as a model, we show that mitochondria actively infiltrate leading edge lamellipodia, thereby increasing local mitochondrial mass and relative ATP concentration and supporting a localized reversal of the Warburg shift toward aerobic glycolysis. This correlates with increased pseudopodial activity of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a critically important cellular energy sensor and metabolic regulator. Furthermore, localized pharmacological activation of AMPK increases leading edge mitochondrial flux, ATP content, and cytoskeletal dynamics, whereas optogenetic inhibition of AMPK halts mitochondrial trafficking during both migration and the invasion of three-dimensional extracellular matrix. These observations indicate that AMPK couples local energy demands to subcellular targeting of mitochondria during cell migration and invasion.
Ribosomal proteins produced in excess are degraded by the ubiquitin–proteasome system
Authors: Sung Min-Kyung , Reitsma Justin M. , Sweredoski Michael J. , Hess Sonja , Deshaies Raymond J.
Published: July 2016

Ribosome assembly is an essential process that consumes prodigious quantities of cellular resources. Ribosomal proteins cannot be overproduced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae because the excess proteins are rapidly degraded. However, the responsible quality control (QC) mechanisms remain poorly characterized. Here we demonstrate that overexpression of multiple proteins of the small and large yeast ribosomal subunits is suppressed. Rpl26 overexpressed from a plasmid can be detected in the nucleolus and nucleoplasm, but it largely fails to assemble into ribosomes and is rapidly degraded. However, if the endogenous RPL26 loci are deleted, plasmid-encoded Rpl26 assembles into ribosomes and localizes to the cytosol. Chemical and genetic perturbation studies indicate that overexpressed ribosomal proteins are degraded by the ubiquitin–proteasome system and not by autophagy. Inhibition of the proteasome led to accumulation of multiple endogenous ribosomal proteins in insoluble aggregates, consistent with the operation of this QC mechanism in the absence of ribosomal protein overexpression. Our studies reveal that ribosomal proteins that fail to assemble into ribosomes are rapidly distinguished from their assembled counterparts and ubiquitinated and degraded within the nuclear compartment.
Is Canada Ready for Nationwide Collaboration on Medical School Admissions Practices and Policies?
Authors: Hanson Mark D. , Moineau Geneviève , Kulasegaram Kulamakan (Mahan) , Hammond Robert
Published: July 2016

The report by the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) entitled “The Future of Medical Education in Canada: A Collective Vision for MD Education” includes recommendations to enhance admissions processes and increase national collaboration. To achieve these goals, the AFMC conducted a nationwide environmental scan appraising medical schools’ readiness for national collaboration and progress toward establishing “made-in-Canada” admissions processes. A critical narrative review of the academic and gray literature was conducted as part of this environmental scan. Four core admissions practice and policy domains were identified: (1) social accountability strategies, (2) standardized admissions testing, (3) interviewing procedures, and (4) application procedures.

In this article, the authors summarize and discuss the findings of this narrative review with regard to the four domains. They provide documentation of historical and present-day admissions factors relevant to Canadian medical schools’ readiness for nationwide collaboration and a descriptive analysis of the facilitators and barriers to establishing “made-in-Canada” admissions processes.

All four domains had facilitators and barriers. One barrier, however, cut across multiple domains—medical schools’ pursuit of prestige and its potential to conflict with the goals of the other domains. The authors recommend holding a national forum to debate these issues and to advance the AFMC’s goals, a process that will not be straightforward. Yet, national collaboration holds promise for applicants, medical schools, and Canada’s diverse population of patients, so efforts toward this end must continue.
Measuring Moral Courage for Interns and Residents: Scale Development and Initial Psychometrics
Authors: Martinez William , Bell Sigall K. , Etchegaray Jason M. , Lehmann Lisa Soleymani
Published: July 2016

Purpose

To develop a practical and psychometrically sound set of survey items that measures moral courage for physicians in the context of patient care.

Method

In 2013, the 731 internal medicine and surgical interns and residents from two northeastern U.S. academic medical centers were invited to anonymously complete a survey about moral courage, empathy, and speaking up about patient safety breaches.

Results

Of the eligible participants, 352 (48%) responded. Principal components analysis of the moral courage items demonstrated a single, meaningful, nine-item factor labeled the Moral Courage Scale for Physicians (MCSP). All item–total score correlations were significant (P< .001) and ranged from 0.57 to 0.76. The Cronbach alpha for the MCSP was 0.90. Consistent with expectations based on theory, MCSP scores were negatively associated with being an intern versus resident (B = −4.17,P< .001), suggesting discriminant validity. MCSP scores were positively associated with respondents’ Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy perspective-taking score (B = 0.53,P< .001), a construct conceptually relevant to moral courage, suggesting convergent validity. Finally, MCSP scores were positively correlated with self-reported speaking up about patient safety breaches (r= 0.19,P= .008), an action that involves moral courage, suggesting concurrent validity.

Conclusions

The authors provided initial evidence for the reliability and validity of a measure of moral courage for physicians. The MCSP may help researchers and educators to tangibly measure physician moral courage as a concept, and track progress on a set of desired behaviors in response to curricular interventions.
Effectiveness of the Ponseti method for treating clubfoot associated with myelomeningocele: 3–9 years follow-up
Authors: Matar Hosam E. , Beirne Peter , Garg Neeraj K.
Published: July 2016

Clubfoot in myelomeningocele patients is characterized by its stiffness, severe rigidity and has traditionally been treated with extensive soft-tissue release surgery with poor outcomes. We present our experience using the Ponseti method to treat clubfoot associated with myelomeningocele. This was a retrospective, consecutive review over a 10-year period in our tertiary centre. On initial presentation, patients were assessed using the Pirani scoring system and the standard Ponseti method was initiated. Our outcome measures were successful functional correction of deformity defined as achieving a plantigrade pain-free foot. Secondary outcome measures included relapse and the need for surgical procedures. A total of 11 children with 18 myelomeningocele-associated clubfeet were included, with an average follow-up duration of 4.5 years (range 3–9 years). The average age at presentation was 4.7 weeks, with an average Pirani score of 5.5. Initial correction was achieved in all children with an average of 7 (range 4–9) Ponseti casts and tendo-achilles tenotomy was performed in 17 of 18 feet (94.4%). Nine children with 15 of 18 (83.3%) myelomeningocele-associated clubfeet achieved a satisfactory outcome at the final follow-up, with functional, pain-free feet. Recurrence occurred in five of 15 (33.3%) feet, which was managed successfully with a second tendo-achilles tenotomy and further Ponseti casting. Two children three of 18 (16.7%) failed Ponseti treatment. Ponseti method is an effective first-line treatment for myelomeningocele-associated clubfoot to achieve functional painless feet; children will often require more casts and have a higher risk of relapse.
Neighborhood Variation in the Utilization of Laparoscopy for the Treatment of Colon Cancer
Authors: Doumouras Aristithes G. , Saleh Fady , Eskicioglu Cagla , Amin Nalin , Cadeddu Margherita , Hong Dennis
Published: July 2016

BACKGROUND:

The rates of laparoscopic colectomy for colon cancer have steadily increased since its inception. Laparoscopic colectomy currently accounts for a third of colectomy procedures in the United States, but little is known regarding the spatial pattern of the utilization of laparoscopy for colon cancer.

OBJECTIVE:

This study evaluated the utilization of laparoscopy for colon cancer at the neighborhood level in Ontario.

DESIGN:

Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data was performed.

SETTING:

This study was conducted at all hospitals in the province of Ontario.

PATIENTS:

This population-based study included all patients aged ≥18 who received an elective colectomy for colon cancer from April 2008 until March 2012 in the province of Ontario.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

The primary outcome measure was the neighborhood rates of laparoscopy.

RESULTS:

Overall, 9,969 patients underwent surgery, and the cluster analysis identified 74 cold-spot neighborhoods, representing 1.8 million people, or 14% of the population. In the multivariate analysis, patients from rural neighborhoods were less than half as likely to receive laparoscopy, OR 0.44 (95% CI, 0.24–0.84; p = 0.012). Additionally, having a minimally invasive surgery fellowship training facility within the same administrative health region as the neighborhood made it more than 23 times as likely to be a hot spot, OR 25.88 (95% CI, 12.15–55.11; p < 0.001). Neighborhood socioeconomic status was not associated with variation in the utilization of laparoscopy.

LIMITATIONS:

Patient case mix could affect laparoscopy use.

CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE:

This study identified an unequal utilization of laparoscopy for colon cancer within Ontario with rural neighborhoods experiencing low rates of laparoscopic colectomy, whereas neighborhoods in the same administrative region as minimally invasive surgery training centers experienced increased utilization. Further study into the causes of this variation in resource allocation is needed to identify ways to improve more efficient spread of knowledge and technical skills advancement.