bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emergent elasticity in the neural code for space
Authors: Ocko Samuel A. , Hardcastle Kiah , Giocomo Lisa M. , Ganguli Surya
Published: November 2018

Significance

We develop a theoretical model, grounded in known properties of neural dynamics and synaptic plasticity, that can fuse information gathered from the past history of velocity and sequence of encountered landmarks during exploratory behavior, to construct a self-consistent internal representation of space. Moreover, through model reduction techniques, we obtain conceptual insights into how consistent internal spatial representations naturally emerge through an elastic relaxation process in an effective spring–particle system. We verify several experimentally testable predictions of our model involving the spatial behavior of grid cells in the medial entorhinal cortex, as well as suggest additional experiments.
Termite mounds mitigate half of termite methane emissions
Authors: Nauer Philipp A. , Hutley Lindsay B. , Arndt Stefan K.
Published: November 2018

Significance

Termites are important decomposers of plant material in tropical ecosystems, and thereby produce globally significant amounts of the greenhouse gas CH
4
. Here, we provide a mechanistic understanding of CH
4
turnover in termite mounds to fill a long-standing knowledge gap. Using field measurements, we show that termite mounds oxidize, on average, half of the CH
4
produced by termites before emission. This “hidden” biofilter mechanism is mediated by methanotrophic bacteria living in the mound walls or the soil beneath, for which internal termite-mound structures can facilitate CH
4
transport. Process links within the mound stabilize the filter efficiency. Moreover, we estimate undisturbed termite biomass via CH
4
emissions. This knowledge is crucial to reduce uncertainty in global termite-derived CH
4
emissions.
Interplay of the Norrin and Wnt7a/Wnt7b signaling systems in blood–brain barrier and blood–retina barrier development and maintenance
Authors: Wang Yanshu , Cho Chris , Williams John , Smallwood Philip M. , Zhang Chi , Junge Harald J. , Nathans Jeremy
Published: November 2018

Significance

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) and the blood–retina barrier (BRB) play essential roles in maintaining the health of the central nervous system. Two partially redundant ligand–receptor systems—the Norrin and Wnt7a/Wnt7b systems—activate β-catenin signaling in vascular endothelial cells to control BBB and BRB development and maintenance. The present study explores the partially overlapping roles of these two systems in the postnatal brain and retinal vasculatures. In the cerebellum, the two signaling systems are substantially redundant in maintaining the BBB, with isolated loss of some components, such as the ligand Wnt7a or the coactivator Tspan12, producing little or no barrier defect but combined loss of the two components producing a large defect in barrier integrity.
Phylogenomics and the evolution of hemipteroid insects
Authors: Johnson Kevin P. , Dietrich Christopher H. , Friedrich Frank , Beutel Rolf G. , Wipfler Benjamin , Peters Ralph S. , Allen Julie M. , Petersen Malte , Donath Alexander , Walden Kimberly K. O. , Kozlov Alexey M. , Podsiadlowski Lars , Mayer Christoph , Meusemann Karen , Vasilikopoulos Alexandros , Waterhouse Robert M. , Cameron Stephen L. , Weirauch Christiane , Swanson Daniel R. , Percy Diana M. , Hardy Nate B. , Terry Irene , Liu Shanlin , Zhou Xin , Misof Bernhard , Robertson Hugh M. , Yoshizawa Kazunori
Published: November 2018

Hemipteroid insects (Paraneoptera), with over 10% of all known insect diversity, are a major component of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Previous phylogenetic analyses have not consistently resolved the relationships among major hemipteroid lineages. We provide maximum likelihood-based phylogenomic analyses of a taxonomically comprehensive dataset comprising sequences of 2,395 single-copy, protein-coding genes for 193 samples of hemipteroid insects and outgroups. These analyses yield a well-supported phylogeny for hemipteroid insects. Monophyly of each of the three hemipteroid orders (Psocodea, Thysanoptera, and Hemiptera) is strongly supported, as are most relationships among suborders and families. Thysanoptera (thrips) is strongly supported as sister to Hemiptera. However, as in a recent large-scale analysis sampling all insect orders, trees from our data matrices support Psocodea (bark lice and parasitic lice) as the sister group to the holometabolous insects (those with complete metamorphosis). In contrast, four-cluster likelihood mapping of these data does not support this result. A molecular dating analysis using 23 fossil calibration points suggests hemipteroid insects began diversifying before the Carboniferous, over 365 million years ago. We also explore implications for understanding the timing of diversification, the evolution of morphological traits, and the evolution of mitochondrial genome organization. These results provide a phylogenetic framework for future studies of the group.
Role of human Hv1 channels in sperm capacitation and white blood cell respiratory burst established by a designed peptide inhibitor
Authors: Zhao Ruiming , Kennedy Kelleigh , De Blas Gerardo A. , Orta Gerardo , Pavarotti Martín A. , Arias Rodolfo J. , de la Vega-Beltrán José Luis , Li Qufei , Dai Hui , Perozo Eduardo , Mayorga Luis S. , Darszon Alberto , Goldstein Steve A. N.
Published: November 2018

Significance

Some peptide toxins act by stabilizing the voltage sensor domains (VSDs) of voltage-gated channels in open or closed conformations. hHv1 is a human voltage-gated proton channel and has lacked a specific inhibitor to assess its roles in physiology. We designed a phage-display library of 1 million novel peptides sharing an inhibitor cysteine knot (ICK) scaffold by combining elements of natural toxins; phagemids expressing Corza6 (C6) were selected by their capacity to bind to hHv1 protein. Two C6 peptides bind to the two VSDs in hHv1 and thereby inhibit channel operation. C6 was employed to confirm hypothesized roles for hHv1 in human sperm and white blood cells. The method should prove amenable to designer toxin identification for other voltage-gated channels.
Multiplicity in lieu of authority
Authors: Stenberg Josh
Published: November 2018

Over the past two decades, internet users have been the prolific producers of online English translations of
Chinese classical poetry, resulting in multiple variant translations of the same short originals. This essay gives reasons for the
popularity of such translations before examining how this corpus can be approached through ‘near-simultaneous reading.’ A case
study of ten amateur internet translations of a line from a well-known Tang poem shows how, regardless of the deficiencies or
limits of any single internet translation, a richer and more accurate understanding of the original can be achieved through
reading several in succession. Insofar as it refrains from privileging any given translation, near-simultaneous reading allows the
polysemy of the original to be respected by encounters with multiple versions, and puts the onus of meaning-creation on the
reader. Reading in this fashion opens new avenues for imagining the multiple meanings of an original text via variants experienced
in quick succession and assembled uniquely.
Sentential negation and negative words in Guadeloupean Creole
Authors: Petitjean Simon , Schang Emmanuel
Published: November 2018

This paper deals with negation in Guadeloupean Creole. We present the diversity of uses of negation in GC and detail the constraints on negative concord. We show that the different n-words exhibit a non-homogeneous behavior. Our analyses are couched in the Tree-Adjoining Grammar framework.
Negation in Pichi (Equatorial Guinea)
Authors: Yakpo Kofi
Published: November 2018

This chapter provides a detailed overview of negation in Pichi, the English-lexifier Creole spoken by the people of the island of Bioko (Equatorial Guinea). Pichi negation patterns align closely with areal negation patterns found across a broad swath of West Africa. Like the vast majority of genealogically diverse languages of the region, Pichi employs asymmetric negation strategies. These involve the use of subjunctive mood for the negation of imperatives, the use of suppletive portmanteau forms that combine negative polarity and aspect, and the use of an identity-equation copula that incorporates negative polarity, temporal-aspectual values, person deixis and pragmatic functions, and whose distribution is determined by complex syntactic rules. Negative concord is pragmatically determined, hence non-strict with common nouns, where it renders emphatic meanings. Negative concord is grammatically determined and strict with negative indefinite pronouns and with negative phrases fulfilling the functions of negative indefinite pronouns. I conclude that Pichi negation patterns are typically areal in character and cannot be seen to reflect a “Creole” linguistic type.
Negation in Cape Verdean Creole
Authors: Baptista Marlyse , de Pina Emanuel Correia
Published: November 2018

This paper focuses on the behavior of Negation of the Cape Verdean Creole (CVC) variety spoken in Santiago (ST), using Longobardi’s (2014) theoretical framework. We examine simple negation, as well as the semantic and distributional properties of N-words. Following Longobardi’s framework, we offer a parametric analysis of Negation in ST, accounting for the behavior of the negative morpheme ka and the syntax and semantics of N-words such as ningen “no one/anyone” and nada “nothing/anything”. Analyzing the behavior of Negation using Longobardi’s theoretical framework allows us to fine-tune his proposal in order to account for the data at hand: we propose that the typology of Neg and N-words in CVC points to a conceptually balanced system whereby the negator ka can be [+ NOT] or [−NOT] and the N-words can be [+NOT] or [−NOT] or [+ANY] or [−ANY]. To complete this typology in which N-words can be ambiguous between [+NOT, −ANY] and [−ANY, +NOT], we show that non N-words like algen ‘someone’ can be ambiguous between a negative operator and a non-negative item, giving rise to readings that are ambiguous between “anyone/no one” and “someone”. We argue that such lexical items may carry the features [−NOT, −ANY] or [−NOT, +ANY].
Europhobes and Europhiles, Eurospats and Eurojibes
Authors: Partington Alan , Zuccato Matilde
Published: November 2018

This paper is an examination in three parts of the UK’s debate on membership of the European Union, before and immediately after the so-called ‘Brexit’ Referendum. The first part takes its cue from an article by Wolfgang Teubert which has exercised considerable influence in the field of corpus-assisted discourse studies (CADS), namely, his examination of the language of EU-scepticism in the UK (Teubert 2001). The aim of the CADS approach is the uncovering, in the discourse type under study, of non-obvious meanings and patterns of meanings, that is, meanings which might not be readily available to naked-eye perusal. Teubert’s paper was an inspiring example of these procedures.1 In the second part, a para-replication of Teubert’s work, we revisit attitudes to the EU as represented in sections of the UK press in 2013 (the year the British Prime Minister announced an “in-out” referendum on EU membership). The third section examines the themes debated immediately before and immediately after the referendum vote in June 2016. We also reflect on how the much-invoked notion of negative representation needs to be employed with care, particularly with regard to media discourses.
From time to surprise
Authors: Rosique Susana Rodríguez
Published: November 2018

This paper focuses on the meaning and behavior of será posible in Spanish. The structure may have two interpretations: a compositional one (será posible

1
), which describes a situation that can hold in the future; and a less transparent one (será posible

2
), related to a negative assessment. The analysis of the different structures invoked by será posible proves that será posible

2
is no longer interpreted as a copula in future plus and adjective, but has been reanalyzed as a mirative marker. Despite its fixed behavior, the mirative value seems to be motivated by the deictic nature of the future. The paper introduces a wide definition of this verb form, based on the deictic instruction of ‘distance forward’. Productive, mirative interpretations of the future are analyzed from this perspective and confronted with the mirative será posible. More generally, this paper shows that if a wide definition of grammar is assumed, será posible

2
can be considered a case of grammaticalization.
The avertive and proximative grams in Maltese using the auxiliary għodd
Authors: Camilleri Maris
Published: November 2018

Maltese has grammaticalised an avertive construction involving a perfective lexical verb in combination with the auxiliary għodd; itself a grammaticalisation from a lexical verb, which as in the rest of the Arabic vernaculars means ‘count’, but which in Classical Arabic also means ‘counter-to-fact’. Għodd is synchronically also used to build one of the proximative constructions available in the language. The lexical verb in the proximative construction can be either imperfective or perfective, and it is only the verb’s lexical semantics that can disambiguate between an avertive or proximative reading when it is a perfective verb that combines with għodd. The focus in this paper is the syntax of these constructions, where the auxiliary is essentially analysed as a raising predicate. Additional data is however provided to highlight the auxiliary’s further development and grammaticalisation, where we observe the loss of its PRED-value, i.e. its semantic associations, as it comes to function as a feature-bearing auxiliary at the syntactic level.
Pragmatic uses of nu in Old Saxon and Old English
Authors: Louviot Elise
Published: November 2018

The Proto-Germanic temporal adverb *nū has developed pragmatic uses in most Present-Day Germanic languages, as a modal particle and/or as a discourse marker. Synchronically, the two categories are usually considered distinct, but they have much in common, especially in terms of function. Diachronically, it is unclear whether they typically develop independently or constitute two different steps in the same evolutionary pathway. This paper examines two closely related early Germanic corpora (Old English and Old Saxon verse) to determine whether uses of nu matching the formal and functional features typically associated with modal particles and discourse markers respectively can be identified there. It finds that many of the pragmatic uses found in Present-Day Germanic languages can already be observed to some extent in those corpora, especially in Old English, but that there is still too much continuity between the various pragmatic uses of nu (and indeed between lexical, grammatical and pragmatic uses of nu) in Old English and Old Saxon to consider that such uses reflect the existence of truly distinct markers.
The development of three classifiers into degree modifier constructions in Chinese
Authors: Kuo Yueh Hsin
Published: November 2018

This paper is a constructionalisation case study on how a post-head degree modifying (sub)schema arose, which generalises over three constructions that are classifiers in origin: yi xie ‘some’, yi dian ‘one bit’, and yi xia ‘one downward motion’. Two factors underlie their developments: diminutive semantics, and pragmatically motivated syntactic contexts. Their diminutive semantics is general enough for them to be used as degree modifiers, while their postverbal and sentence-final positions, created by a specific topic-comment structure and zero anaphora, enable them to function as degree modifiers and even hedges. Despite similarities, they also display idiosyncrasies, such as collocational preferences.
Network Unavailable: Informal Populations and Literary Form
Authors: Gladstone Jason
Published: November 2018

This essay argues that Roberto Bolaño’s 2666 (2004) and Tao Lin’s Taipei (2013) are global novels that represent the contemporary as a condition in which reality is not governed by the laws of interconnectedness. In 2666 the contemporary is neither networked nor interconnected; in Taipei it is networked but not interconnected. In both novels, the fact of interconnection is not a fact. Rather, here personhood is inoperative and networks are unavailable. From this perspective, the task of the contemporary global novel is not to produce feelings of connection and expansions of subjectivity. Rather, these narratives demonstrate that the contemporary global novel can repurpose literary character to represent informal populations—populations that are included and isolated within global systems in such a way that they are structurally precluded from the state of interconnection.
PhastWeb: a web interface for evolutionary conservation scoring of multiple sequence alignments using phastCons and phyloP
Authors: Ramani Ritika , Krumholz Katie , Huang Yi-Fei , Siepel Adam
Published: November 2018

The Phylogenetic Analysis with Space/Time models (PHAST) package is a widely used software package for comparative genomics that has been freely available for download since 2002. Here, we introduce a web interface (phastWeb) that makes it possible to use two of the most popular programs in PHAST, phastCons and phyloP, without downloading and installing the PHAST software. This interface allows users to upload a sequence alignment and either upload a corresponding phylogeny or have one estimated from the alignment. After processing, users can visualize alignments and conservation scores as genome browser tracks and download estimated tree models and raw scores for further analysis. Altogether, this resource makes key features of the PHAST package conveniently available to a broad audience.

Availability and implementation

PhastWeb is freely available on the web at http://compgen.cshl.edu/phastweb/. The website provides instructions as well as examples.
Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Before 13 and 15 Years of Age: Analysis of National Immunization Survey Teen Data
Authors: Bednarczyk Robert A , Ellingson Mallory K , Omer Saad B
Published: November 2018

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is suboptimally used in the United States. Vaccination before the 13th birthday is recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and vaccination before the 15th birthday requires only 2 doses. We estimated the proportion of adolescents up to date for HPV vaccine using provider-verified vaccination data from the 2016 National Immunization Survey-Teen. Only 16% of US adolescents completed HPV vaccination before turning 13, and 35% completed HPV vaccination before turning 15. With sexual activity initiation increasing throughout adolescence and higher immunogenicity for younger vaccinees, vaccination before the 13th birthday can provide better protection against HPV-related cancers.
Inferring a difference in the star-forming properties of lower versus higher X-ray luminosity AGNs
Authors: Bernhard E , Grimmett L P , Mullaney J R , Daddi E , Tadhunter C , Jin S
Published: November 2018

We explore the distribution of RMS ≡ SFR/SFRMS (where SFRMS is the star formation rate of ‘main-sequence’ star-forming galaxies) for AGN hosts at $z$ = 1. We split our sample into two bins of X-ray luminosity divided at LX = 2 × 1043 erg s−1 to investigate whether the RMS distribution changes as a function of AGN power. Our main results suggest that, when the RMS distribution of AGN hosts is modelled as a log-normal distribution (i.e. the same shape as that of MS galaxies), galaxies hosting more powerful X-ray AGNs (i.e. LX > 2 × 1043 erg s−1) display a narrower RMS distribution that is shifted to higher values compared to their lower LX counterparts. In addition, we find that more powerful X-ray AGNs have SFRs that are more consistent with that of MS galaxies compared to lower LX AGNs. Despite this, the mean SFRs (as opposed to RMS) measured from these distributions are consistent with the previously observed flat relationship between SFR and LX. Our results suggest that the typical star-forming properties of AGN hosts change with LX, and that more powerful AGNs typically reside in more MS-like star-forming galaxies compared to lower LX AGNs.
Impact of E-cigarette Sampling on Cigarette Dependence and Reinforcement Value
Authors: Smith Tracy T , Wahlquist Amy E , Heckman Bryan W , Cummings K Michael , Carpenter Matthew J
Published: November 2018

Introduction

E-cigarettes have risen in prevalence in recent years, and most public health experts agree they deliver fewer toxicants than combustible tobacco products such as cigarettes. Thus, it is important to understand how use of e-cigarettes by current smokers impacts dependence on combustible cigarettes.

Methods

The present study is a secondary analysis of a randomized pilot trial of e-cigarette sampling. Nontreatment seeking current smokers were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to either receive or not receive a weekly supply of e-cigarettes for 3 weeks. Participants completed the Brief Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM) scale and the cigarette purchase task before and after the sampling period and at monthly follow-up visits for 3 months.

Results

Individuals assigned to receive an e-cigarette had significantly lower mean WISDM scores at the end of sampling and the end of the follow-up period compared with those in the control group. Both frequency of e-cigarette use as well as nicotine concentration of the e-cigarette given to smokers were significant predictors of changes in the mean WISDM score. E-cigarette sampling significantly reduced the demand parameter Omax, which measures the maximum amount of money participants estimate they would spend on cigarettes in a single day.

Conclusions

These data suggest that current smokers who try using an e-cigarette may experience reductions in dependence on combustible cigarettes.

Implications

The present analysis suggests that providing an e-cigarette to current cigarette smokers is likely to reduce cigarette dependence, especially if the e-cigarette delivers sufficient nicotine and is used frequently.
Ecological networks: Pursuing the shortest path, however narrow and crooked
Authors: Costa Andrea , Martín González Ana M. , Guizien Katell , Doglioli Andrea M. , Gómez José María , Petrenko Anne A. , Allesina Stefano
Published: November 2018

Representing data as networks cuts across all sub-disciplines in ecology and evolutionary biology. Besides providing a compact representation of the interconnections between agents, network analysis allows the identification of especially important nodes, according to various metrics that often rely on the calculation of the shortest paths connecting any two nodes. While the interpretation of a shortest paths is straightforward in binary, unweighted networks, whenever weights are reported, the calculation could yield unexpected results. We analyzed 129 studies of ecological networks published in the last decade and making use of shortest paths, and discovered a methodological inaccuracy related to the edge weights used to calculate shortest paths (and related centrality measures), particularly in interaction networks. Specifically, 49% of the studies do not report sufficient information on the calculation to allow their replication, and 61% of the studies on weighted networks may contain errors in how shortest paths are calculated. Using toy models and empirical ecological data, we show how to transform the data prior to calculation and illustrate the pitfalls that need to be avoided. We conclude by proposing a five-point check-list to foster best-practices in the calculation and reporting of centrality measures in ecology and evolution studies.
Subjective estimates of uncertainty during gambling and impulsivity after subthalamic deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Paliwal Saee , Mosley Philip E. , Breakspear Michael , Coyne Terry , Silburn Peter , Aponte Eduardo , Mathys Christoph , Stephan Klaas E.
Published: November 2018

1

Subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) for Parkinson’s disease may modulate chronometric and instrumental aspects of choice behaviour, including motor inhibition, decisional slowing, and value sensitivity. However, it is not well known whether STN-DBS affects more complex aspects of decision-making, such as the influence of subjective estimates of uncertainty on choices. In this study, thirty-eight participants with Parkinson’s disease played a virtual casino prior to subthalamic DBS (whilst ‘on’ medication) and again, three-months postoperatively (whilst ‘on’ stimulation). At the group level, there was a small but statistically significant postoperative decrease in impulsivity, as quantified by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS). The gambling behaviour of participants (bet increases, slot machine switches and double or nothing gambles) was associated with this self-reported measure of impulsivity. However, there was a large variance in outcome amongst participants, and we were interested in whether individual differences in subjective estimates of uncertainty (specifically, volatility) were related to differences in pre- and postoperative impulsivity. To examine these individual differences, we fit a computational model (the Hierarchical Gaussian Filter, HGF), to choices made during slot machine game play as well as a simpler reinforcement learning model based on the Rescorla-Wagner formalism. The HGF was superior in accounting for the behaviour of our participants, suggesting that participants incorporated beliefs about environmental uncertainty when updating their beliefs about gambling outcome and translating these beliefs into action. A specific aspect of subjective uncertainty, the participant’s estimate of the tendency of the slot machine’s winning probability to change (volatility), increased subsequent to DBS. Additionally, the decision temperature of the response model decreased post-operatively, implying greater stochasticity in the belief-to-choice mapping of participants. Model parameter estimates were significantly associated with impulsivity; specifically, increased uncertainty was related to increased postoperative impulsivity. Moreover, changes in these parameter estimates were significantly associated with the maximum post-operative change in impulsivity over a six month follow up period. Our findings suggest that impulsivity in persons with Parkinson’s disease may be influenced by subjective estimates of uncertainty (environmental volatility) and implicate a role for the subthalamic nucleus in the modulation of outcome certainty. Furthermore, our work outlines a possible approach to characterising those persons who become more impulsive after subthalamic DBS, an intervention in which non-motor outcomes can be highly variable.
Individual Behavioral and Physiological Responses During Different Experimental Situations – Consistency over Time and Effects of Context
Authors: Safryghin Alexandra , Hebesberger Denise V. , Wascher Claudia A.F.
Published: November 2018

In a number of species, consistent behavioral differences between individuals have been described in standardized tests, e.g. novel object exploration, open field test. Different behavioral expressions are reflective of different coping strategies of individuals in stressful situations. A causal link between behavioral responses and the activation of the physiological stress response is assumed but not thoroughly studied. Also, most standard paradigms investigating individual behavioral differences, are framed in a fearful context, therefore the present study aimed to add a test in a more positive context, the feeding context. We assessed individual differences in physiological (heart rate, HR) and behavioral responses (presence or absence of pawing, startle response, defecation, snorting) of twenty domestic horses (Equus caballus) in two behavioral experiments, a novel object presentation and a pre-feeding excitement test. Experiments were conducted twice, in summer and autumn. Both experiments caused higher mean HR in the first ten seconds after stimulus presentation compared to a control condition, but mean HR did not differ between the experimental conditions. Interestingly, in the novel object experiment, horses displaying stress-related behaviors during the experiments also showed a significantly higher HR increase compared to horses which did not display any stress-related behaviors, reflecting a correlation between behavioral and physiological responses to the novel object. On the contrary, in the pre-feeding experiments, horses that showed fewer behavioral responses had a greater HR increase, indicating the physiological response being due to emotional arousal and not behavioral activity. Moreover, HR response to experimental situations varied significantly between individuals, and although we found HR to be significantly repeatable across experiments, repeatability indices were low. In conclusion, our findings show that horses’ behavioral and physiological responses differed between test situations and that high emotional reactivity, shown via mean HR and HR increase, is not always displayed behaviorally.
Microfluidic On-demand Engineering of Exosomes towards Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Zhao Zheng , McGill Jodi , He Mei
Published: November 2018

Extracellular Vesicles (EVs), particularly exosomes (30-150 nm), are an emerging delivery system in mediating cellular communications, which have been observed for priming immune responses by presenting parent cell signaling proteins or tumor antigens to immune cells. Therefore, preparation of antigenic exosomes that can play therapeutic roles, particularly in cancer immunotherapy, is emerging. However, standard benchtop methods (e.g., ultracentrifugation and filtration) lack the ability to purify antigenic exosomes specifically among other microvesicle subtypes, due to the non-selective and time-consuming (>10 h) isolation protocols. Exosome engineering approaches, such as the transfection of parent cells, also suffer from poor yield, low purity, and time-consuming operations. In this paper, we introduce a streamlined microfluidic cell culture platform for integration of harvesting, antigenic modification, and photo-release of surface engineered exosomes in one workflow, which enables the production of intact, MHC peptide surface engineered exosomes for cytolysis activation. The PDMS microfluidic cell culture chip is simply cast from a 3D-printed mold. The proof-of-concept study demonstrated the enhanced ability of harvested exosomes in antigen presentation and T cell activation, by decorating melanoma tumor peptides on the exosome surface (e.g., gp-100, MART-1, MAGE-A3). Such surface engineered antigenic exosomes were harvested in real-time from the on-chip culture of leukocytes isolated from human blood, leading to much faster cellular uptake. The activation of gp100-specific CD8 T cells which were purified from the spleen of 2 Pmel1 transgenic mice was evaluated using surface engineered exosomes prepared from muring antigen presenting cells. Antigen-specific CD8 T cell proliferation was significantly induced by the engineered exosomes compared to native, non-engineered exosomes. This microfluidic platform serves as an automated and highly integrated cell culture device for rapid, and real-time production of therapeutic exosomes that could advance cancer immunotherapy.
Partitioning index and non-structural carbohydrate dynamics among contrasting cassava genotypes under early terminal water stress
Authors: Duque Luis O. , Setter Tim L.
Published: November 2018

Cassava (Manihot esculentaCrantz.) is a storage root crop of importance in tropical regions where periodic dry season and drought affect performance. Cassava genotypes that differ in performance in ecosystems with various water regimes were subjected to water stress during storage-root initiation and early development. Plants were grown in 50 kg pots in a screen house environment under well-watered and water stress for over a 120-day period. Water stress had a significant effect on most traits analyzed. However, relative water content, partitioning index and non-structural carbohydrates were unaffected. Tolerant genotypes had a higher partitioning index than susceptible genotypes during water stress, associated with a larger number of storage roots initiated and larger storage root biomass, while they were shorter and had less fibrous root biomass. Tolerant lines were indistinguishable from susceptible lines in above ground biomass. These findings suggest that early evaluation of storage root number, partitioning index, and associated traits at an early stage of cassava storage-root development could be an effective approach by which cassava genotypes are screened for favorable drought tolerance response.
A giant ankyrin-B mechanism for neuro-diversity/divergence through stochastic ectopic axon projections
Authors: Yang Rui , Walder-Christensen Kathryn K. , Kim Namsoo , Wu Danwei , Lorenzo Damaris , Badea Alexandra , Gu Shen , Streff Haley , Soler-Alfonso Claudia , Meng Linyan , Wetsel William C , Jiang Yong-Hui , Yin Henry , Bennett Vann
Published: November 2018

ANK2is a high-confidence autism spectrum disorder (ASD) gene where affected individuals exhibit diverse symptoms with a wide range of IQ. We report a cellular mechanism resulting in stochastic brain connectivity that provides a rationale for both gain and loss of function due toANK2mutation. Deficiency of giant ankyrin-B (ankB), the neurospecificANK2mutation target, results in ectopic CNS axon tracts associated with increased axonal branching. We elucidate a mechanism limiting axon branching, whereby giant ankB is recruited by L1CAM to periodic axonal plasma membrane domains where it coordinates cortical microtubules and prevents microtubule stabilization of nascent axon branches. Heterozygous giant ankB mutant mice exhibit innate social deficits combined with normal/enhanced cognitive function. Thus, giant ankB-deficiency results in gain of aberrant structural connectivity with penetrant behavioral consequences that may contribute to both high and low-function ASD and other forms of neurodiversity/divergence.
TMS-evoked EEG potentials from prefrontal and parietal cortex: reliability, site specificity, and effects of NMDA receptor blockade
Authors: Rogasch Nigel C. , Zipser Carl , Darmani Ghazaleh , Mutanen Tuomas P. , Biabani Mana , Zrenner Christoph , Desideri Debora , Belardinelli Paolo , Müller-Dahlhaus Florian , Ziemann Ulf
Published: November 2018

Measuring the brain’s response to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with electroencephalography (EEG) offers a unique insight into the local cortical circuits and networks activated following stimulation, particularly in non-motor regions where less is known about TMS physiology. However, the mechanisms underlying TMS-evoked EEG potentials (TEPs) remain largely unknown. We assessed TEP reliability, site-specificity, and sensitivity to changes in excitatory neurotransmission mediated by n-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors following stimulation of non-motor regions. In fourteen male volunteers, resting EEG and TEPs from prefrontal (PFC) and parietal (PAR) cortex were measured before and after administration of either dextromethorphan (an NMDA receptor antagonist) or placebo across two sessions separated by at least a week in a double-blinded pseudo-randomised crossover design. At baseline, TEPs showed lower within-than between-subject variability for both stimulation sites across sessions, demonstrating the reliability of non-motor TEPs within individuals. There were differences in amplitude between PFC and PAR TEPs across a wide time range (15-250 ms), however the signals were correlated after ~80 ms, suggesting that early peaks reflect site-specific activity, whereas late peaks reflect activity patterns less dependent on the stimulated sites. TEPs were not altered following dextromethorphan compared to placebo, however low frequency resting oscillations were reduced in power. Our findings suggest that TEPs from PFC and PAR: 1) are reliable within and variable between individuals; 2) reflect stimulation site specific activity across early time periods (<80 ms); and 3) are not sensitive to changes in NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission.
Martensitic transformation, electronic structure and magnetism in D03-ordered Heusler Mn3
Z (Z = B, Al, Ga, Ge, Sb) alloys
Authors: Li Tingzhou , Khenata R. , Cheng Zhenxiang , Chen Hong , Yuan Hongkuan , Yang Tie , Kuang Minquan , Bin Omran S. , Wang Xiaotian
Published: November 2018

Recently, 50-nm Heusler Mn3Al thin films were experimentally synthesized by Jamer et al. [Phys. Rev. Appl. (2017), 7, 064036] and the nominal zero moment, i.e. the fully compensated ferrimagnetic property, of these thin films was confirmed. That work motivated the current investigation on the martensitic transformation, electronic structure and magnetism of D03-ordered Mn3Al using first-principles calculations. Owing to tetragonal distortion, the martensitic transformation only occurs with tensile strain rather than with compressive strain and the half-metallic-type Mn3Al becomes a magnetic metal. Consequently, Mn3Al shows great potential for application as a ferromagnetic shape memory alloy. Moreover, not only did the martensitic transformation occur in Mn3Al, it was also observed in similar D03-ordered Mn3
Z (Z = B, Ga, Ge, Sb) compounds.
Polymorphic modifications of a 1H-pyrrolo[3,2,1-ij]quinoline-5-carboxamide possessing strong diuretic properties
Authors: Shishkina Svitlana V. , Levandovskiy Igor A. , Ukrainets Igor V. , Sidorenko Lyudmila V. , Grinevich Lina A. , Yanchuk Igor B.
Published: November 2018

6-Hydroxy-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-oxo-2,4-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[3,2,1-ij]quinoline-5-carboxamide, C19H16N2O4, possesses strong diuretic properties and can be used as a new hypertension remedy. Two polymorphic modifications of this compound have been found, namely the triclinic polymorph (space group P\overline{1}), with one molecule in the asymmetric unit, and the monoclinic polymorph (space group P21/n), with two molecules in asymmetric unit. An analysis of the pairwise interaction energies between the molecules in the crystal phase revealed differences in the crystal packing. The triclinic form has only one level of organization, namely a chain/column, while the monoclinic form has two levels of organization, with a chain/column as the primary basic structural motif and a layer as the secondary basic structural motif.
Ca2CuO2Cl2, a redetermination from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data
Authors: Baptiste Benoît , Azuma Masaki , Yu Runze , Giura Paola , d'Astuto Matteo
Published: November 2018

The crystal structure of Ca2CuO2Cl2, dicalcium oxidocuprate(II) dichloride, was redetermined on the basis of single-crystal X-ray diffraction data using a laboratory Mo anode. Previous structure determinations based on single-crystal X-ray data [Grande & Müller-Buschbaum (1977). Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem.
429, 88–90], powder X-ray diffraction data [Yamada et al. (2005). Phys. Rev. B, 72, 224503–1–5] or neutron diffraction data [Argyriou et al. (1995). Phys. Rev. B, 51, 8434–8437] were confirmed. The present study allowed the refinement of anisotropic displacement parameters for all crystallographic sites, accompanied with higher accuracy and precision for bond lengths and angles. The layered title compound comprises of [CuO4] square-planar and [CaO4Cl4] square-antiprismatic coordination polyhedra, and is the undoped parent compound of a high-temperature superconducting cuprate.
Proposed methodology for coating defect and location in buried pipelines from frequency signal data applied in field conditions
Authors: Castaneda Homero , Alamilla Jorge , Liu Hongbo , Espinosa-Medina Marco Antonio Antonio , Sosa Eliceo
Published: November 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a real-time methodology to detect damages in coating and metallic structure in buried pipelines by using DC bias added to AC signal under field operation conditions, including cathodic protection.

Design/methodology/approach

Impedance measurements were performed on buried pipeline for different field conditions, to develop a methodology to detect and locate damages by impedance distribution along the metallic structure.

Findings

Field condition measurements were conducted as a pilot test on a buried steel pipeline segment with a diameter of 16 inches and length of 20 km. The frequency-based technology shows some differences but overall good behavior between impedance magnitudes vs localization of the interface changes at the soil-coating-steel interface at different frequencies using DC bias added to AC signal under field operation conditions, including cathodic protection.

Research limitations/implications

The methodology is not applicable to highly resistive soil or high degradation coatings.

Practical implications

In this work, we depict a methodology that describes real time monitoring technology for buried metallic structures using AC signal. This monitoring is capable to detect and locate real time damage occurrences on the pipe surface (coating break). Field measurements include different conditions, such as temperature, soil resistivity and soil physical structure and chemical composition.

Social implications

In consideration of the satisfied application in the field of the methodology, it is believed that it can be used for the monitoring of damages in pipes in areas with high consequences and hence pipe integrity can be increased.

Originality/value

This real-time methodology is based on the impedance distribution signal and the differential changes along the pipeline under operating conditions. The results showed good agreement with the proposed methodology, which is able to discriminate some situations inherent of field conditions by using different impedance measurements performed along ±10 km of buried steel pipeline and assuming the reference location as the cathodic protection set up.
How different CSR dimensions impact organization-employee relationships
Authors: Chen Zifei Fay , Hong Cheng , Occa Aurora
Published: November 2018

Purpose

Drawing on interdisciplinary insights from stakeholder theory, relationship management and organizational justice, the purpose of this paper is to examine corporate social responsibility (CSR) from an internal and relational perspective. Specifically, it examines the effects of CSR in overall as well as the discretionary, ethical, legal and economic CSR dimensions on organization–employee relationships, respectively. The moderating role of employees’ perceived CSR-culture fit on these effects was also explored.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted with 303 participants from the USA who were full-time employees at for-profit organizations.

Findings

Results indicate that CSR performance in overall positively influences organization–employee relationships, and such effect is amplified as employees’ perceived CSR-culture fit increases. Discretionary and ethical CSR positively influence organization–employee relationships, but perceived CSR-culture fit only amplifies the influence from ethical CSR. For legal and economic CSR, the effects on organization–employee relationships are only significant when perceived CSR-culture fit is high.

Research limitations/implications

This study extends the body of knowledge of CSR and internal relationship management. However, the limitations regarding the factors from culture, business sectors and organizational setting should be addressed in future studies through both quantitative and qualitative approaches.

Originality/value

This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the effects from four different CSR dimensions on organization–employee relationships as well as how such effects were moderated by employees’ perceived CSR-culture fit. Integrating interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks, this study offers insights for corporate communications and public relations professionals on how to effectively build and cultivate relationships with employees through different dimensions of CSR.
A new approach for steady state analysis of three-phase SEIG feeding single-phase load
Authors: Benhacine Tarek Zine Eddine , Nesba Ali , Mekhtoub Said , Ibtiouen Rachid
Published: November 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to deal with a modified-based approach for the evaluation of the steady state performances of three-phase self-excited induction generator (SEIG) feeding single-phase load.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the symmetrical components method, the proposed approach is based on a modified model of unbalanced three-phase SEIG, which is formulated similarly to the well-known model of balanced three-phase SEIG. Owing to this modified model, the determination of the SEIG operating point amounts to the resolution of two semi-decoupled nonlinear equations for two unknowns; the magnetizing reactance and the per-unit frequency. A simple resolution method based on an iterative two-step technique is used. The results obtained by the proposed approach are compared with those given by a conventional approach and are validated experimentally.

Findings

The proposed approach is as accurate as the conventional approach. Further, for the same accuracy degree, the proposed approach permits to speed up the resolution when compared to the conventional approach, as only few iterations are required for the convergence. The proposed approach was also successfully used for the steady state analysis of SEIG under generalized unbalanced loading conditions.

Practical implications

The determination of the operating point of the generator is based on a modified model of the generator and a simple iterative resolution method. The calculation technique can be implemented on low resource controller to provide online voltage control of the SEIG.

Originality/value

The paper contains two main originalities. The first one consists in a modified formulation of the SEIG model under unbalanced loading conditions. The modified formulation permits the use of the well-known model of balanced three-phase SEIG. Unlike previous ones reported in the literature, the proposed model does not require tedious algebraic manipulations. The second originality is the use of two-step technique to solve the equations, which permits to avoid laborious mathematical derivations and manipulating high-order polynomials.
Strategic talent management: creating strategic value by placing top talents in key positions
Authors: Schreuder Rino , Noorman Simon
Published: November 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to argue that traditional talent management practices cannot lead to organizational excellence.

Design/methodology/approach

On the basis of their extensive HR-experience, the authors analyze common talent management practices and demonstrate the need for a different approach.

Findings

Strategic talent management should align and mutually reinforce business development and personal development to enhance strategic success.

Research limitations/implications

Increasing dynamics and agility in business require HR-professionals to really master strategic thinking and practices and develop themselves as true participants in strategy development.

Practical implications

Talent managers should start thinking in terms of strategic capabilities for the organization.

Social implications

Strategic talent management starts with the where and what of the work that has to be done and only then looks at who.

Originality/value

The paper introduces the new concept of A-positions where top talents and strategic organizational capabilities can reinforce each other.