bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metal–Organic Framework‐Derived Materials for Sodium Energy Storage
Authors: Zou Guoqiang , Hou Hongshuai , Ge Peng , Huang Zhaodong , Zhao Ganggang , Yin Dulin , Ji Xiaobo
Published: December 2017

Recently, sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are extensively explored and are regarded as one of the most promising alternatives to lithium‐ion batteries for electrochemical energy conversion and storage, owing to the abundant raw material resources, low cost, and similar electrochemical behavior of elemental sodium compared to lithium. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted enormous attention due to their high surface areas, tunable structures, and diverse applications in drug delivery, gas storage, and catalysis. Recently, there has been an escalating interest in exploiting MOF‐derived materials as anodes for sodium energy storage due to their fast mass transport resulting from their highly porous structures and relatively simple preparation methods originating from in situ thermal treatment processes. In this Review, the recent progress of the sodium‐ion storage performances of MOF‐derived materials, including MOF‐derived porous carbons, metal oxides, metal oxide/carbon nanocomposites, and other materials (e.g., metal phosphides, metal sulfides, and metal selenides), as SIB anodes is systematically and completely presented and discussed. Moreover, the current challenges and perspectives of MOF‐derived materials in electrochemical energy storage are discussed.
A Theoretical Review on Interfacial Thermal Transport at the Nanoscale
Authors: Zhang Ping , Yuan Peng , Jiang Xiong , Zhai Siping , Zeng Jianhua , Xian Yaoqi , Qin Hongbo , Yang Daoguo
Published: December 2017

With the development of energy science and electronic technology, interfacial thermal transport has become a key issue for nanoelectronics, nanocomposites, energy transmission, and conservation, etc. The application of thermal interfacial materials and other physical methods can reliably improve the contact between joined surfaces and enhance interfacial thermal transport at the macroscale. With the growing importance of thermal management in micro/nanoscale devices, controlling and tuning the interfacial thermal resistance (ITR) at the nanoscale is an urgent task. This Review examines nanoscale interfacial thermal transport mainly from a theoretical perspective. Traditional theoretical models, multiscale models, and atomistic methodologies for predicting ITR are introduced. Based on the analysis and summary of the factors that influence ITR, new methods to control and reduce ITR at the nanoscale are described in detail. Furthermore, the challenges facing interfacial thermal management and the further progress required in this field are discussed.
1D Nanomaterials: Design, Synthesis, and Applications in Sodium–Ion Batteries
Authors: Jin Ting , Han Qingqing , Wang Yijing , Jiao Lifang
Published: December 2017

Sodium–ion batteries (SIBs) have received extensive attention as ideal candidates for large‐scale energy storage systems (ESSs) owing to the rich resources and low cost of sodium (Na). However, the larger size of Na+ and the less negative redox potential of Na+/Na result in low energy densities, short cycling life, and the sluggish kinetics of SIBs. Therefore, it is necessary to develop appropriate Na storage electrode materials with the capability to host larger Na+ and fast ion diffusion kinetics. 1D materials such as nanofibers, nanotubes, nanorods, and nanowires, are generally considered to be high‐capacity and stable electrode materials, due to their uniform structure, orientated electronic and ionic transport, and strong tolerance to stress change. Here, the synthesis of 1D nanomaterials and their applications in SIBs are reviewed. In addition, the prospects of 1D nanomaterials on energy conversion and storage as well as the development and application orientation of SIBs are presented.
The Role of Teaching and Teacher Training in the Hiring and Promotion of Ph.D. Economists
Authors: Allgood Sam , Hoyt Gail , McGoldrick KimMarie
Published: December 2017

Surveys suggest that a majority of graduate students seek academic positions after completing their degree. We survey groups involved in the job market to determine the roles of teaching and research in hiring and the subsequent success of new faculty. We find that while characteristics that signal research potential are highly valued by both graduate directors and department chairs, there are significant discrepancies in the extent that teaching is valued in the hiring process across institution types. Furthermore, although new faculty devote half of their time to teaching, only half of them agree that graduate school prepared them to teach.
Inhomogeneities in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Thin Films for Solar Cells: Band‐Gap Versus Potential Fluctuations
Authors: Abou‐Ras Daniel , Schäfer Norbert , Hages Charles J. , Levcenko Sergej , Márquez José , Unold Thomas
Published: December 2017

Inhomogeneities in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films have been reported to lead to band‐gap or electrostatic potential fluctuations, which may reduce the photovoltaic performance of the corresponding solar cells via enhanced recombination. The issue of where these inhomogeneities occur in the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 absorber has so far not been discussed in detail in literature. The present work gives an overview of spatial variations in composition, net doping, and lifetime on various scales, also with respect to their occurrences at interfaces and extended structural defects. Impacts of these spatial variations on the device performance of the corresponding solar cells are discussed. It can be shown that compositional inhomogeneities possibly affecting the device performance are only present at (partial) dislocations and at the Cu(In,Ga)Se2/buffer interface, and that inhomogeneous distributions of excess charges at line/planar defects as well as of net doping concentrations affect considerably the potential landscape within Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films.
Concise Review: Cell Therapy for Critical Limb Ischemia: An Integrated Review of Preclinical and Clinical Studies
Authors: Qadura Mohammad , Terenzi Daniella C. , Verma Subodh , Al-Omran Mohammed , Hess David A.
Published: December 2017

Critical limb ischemia (CLI), the most severe form of peripheral artery disease, is characterized by pain at rest and non-healing ulcers in the lower extremities. For patients with CLI, where the extent of atherosclerotic artery occlusion is too severe for surgical bypass or percutaneous interventions, limb amputation remains the only treatment option. Thus, cell-based therapy to restore perfusion and promote wound healing in patients with CLI is under intense investigation. Despite promising preclinical studies in animal models, transplantation of bone marrow (BM)-derived cell populations in patients with CLI has shown limited benefit preventing limb amputation. Early trials injected heterogenous mononuclear cells containing a low frequency of cells with pro-vascular regenerative functions. Most trials transferred autologous cells damaged by chronic disease that demonstrated poor survival in the ischemic environment and impaired function conferred by atherosclerotic or diabetic co-morbidities. Finally, recent preclinical studies suggest optimized blood vessel formation may require paracrine and/or structural contributions from multiple progenitor cell lineages, angiocrine-secretory myeloid cells derived from hematopoietic progenitor cells, tubule-forming endothelial cells generated by circulating or vessel-resident endothelial precursors, and vessel-stabilizing perivascular cells derived from mesenchymal stem cells. Understanding how stem cells co-ordinate the myriad of cells and signals required for stable revascularization remains the key to translating the potential of stem cells into curative therapies for CLI. Thus, combination delivery of multiple cell types within supportive bioengineered matricies may represent a new direction to improve cell therapy strategies for CLI.
Estimating the Annual Spawning Run Size and Population Size of the Southern Distinct Population Segment of Green Sturgeon
Authors: Mora Ethan A. , Battleson Ryan D. , Lindley Steven T. , Thomas Michael J. , Bellmer Russ , Zarri Liam J. , Klimley A. Peter
Published: December 2017

The Southern Distinct Population Segment of Green Sturgeon Acipenser medirostris spawns in the Sacramento River, California, and is listed as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. We estimated the spawning run size and population size in 2010–2015 by using dual‐frequency identification sonar (DIDSON) sampling, underwater video camera species identification, and acoustic tag detections. Spawning run size varied from 336 to 1,236 individuals. We estimated the total population size to be 17,548 individuals (95% confidence interval [CI] = 12,614–22,482). The estimated number of adults was 2,106 (95% CI = 1,246–2,966), the estimated number of juveniles was 4,387 (95% CI = 2,595–6,179), and the estimated number of subadults was 11,055 (95% CI = 6,540–15,571). This study provides the first estimate of Sacramento River Green Sturgeon run size and initiates a time series of abundance that can inform Endangered Species Act recovery processes. Furthermore, these absolute abundance estimates provide a context for evaluating the significance of impacts, such as bycatch in coastal fisheries or entrainment in water diversions, where the number of impacted individuals is known.
Spatial Differences in the Distributions of Arctic and Pacific Lampreys in the Eastern Bering Sea
Authors: Siwicke Kevin A. , Seitz Andrew C.
Published: December 2017

The Arctic Lamprey Lethenteron camtschaticum and Pacific Lamprey Entosphenus tridentatus are ecologically and culturally valuable native species that co‐occur in the eastern Bering Sea. Lamprey wounds are often observed on fishes in this region, yet there is a paucity of information on the distribution of anadromous lampreys, lamprey–host interactions, and foraging behavior in the ocean. Our hypothesis was that each lamprey species would be positively associated (distribution and abundance) with their presumed hosts: Arctic Lampreys with smaller fishes that could easily be killed, and Pacific Lampreys with larger hosts that could sustain blood feeding. To examine lamprey distribution, abundance, and associations, we utilized data from two fishery‐independent surveys—one epipelagic trawl survey and one benthic trawl survey—conducted between 2002 and 2012 in the eastern Bering Sea. Distinct distributions of lamprey species were evident in models of their presence and absence by latitude and longitude. Arctic Lampreys inhabited the northern regions on the inner/middle continental shelf in depths less than 100 m, while Pacific Lampreys inhabited waters deeper than 150 m along the continental slope. Pacific Herring Clupea pallasii and juvenile salmonids were found in regions with relatively high Arctic Lamprey catches in the epipelagic trawl survey, and catches of lampreys and these potential hosts were positively correlated. Demersal groundfishes were found in regions with relatively high Pacific Lamprey abundance in the benthic trawl survey, but catches of Pacific Lampreys and these hosts were not consistent. We conclude that Arctic Lampreys and Pacific Lampreys are segregated in the eastern Bering Sea, and although differences in their distributions may be explained by species‐specific host preferences, alternate explanations include differences in seasonal movements, source river locations, and marine residence times. This study provides an initial baseline of the oceanic ecology of lampreys, which increases our understanding of species‐specific differences beyond traditional freshwater studies.
Prespawn Mortality of Female Chinook Salmon Increases with Water Temperature and Percent Hatchery Origin
Authors: Bowerman Tracy , Roumasset Adrienne , Keefer Matthew L. , Sharpe Cameron S. , Caudill Christopher C.
Published: December 2017

High rates of prespawn mortality, when adult salmon die after completing migration but prior to spawning, can lead to population declines and can impede recovery of threatened stocks. In this study, annual prespawn mortality of female Chinook SalmonOncorhynchus tshawytscharanged from 1% to 100% over 14 years in seven study reaches located throughout the upper Willamette River basin, Oregon. Prespawn mortality rates were positively correlated with the annual maximum 7‐d average maximum stream temperature and the percentage of spawning fish of hatchery origin. Observed prespawn mortality rates varied considerably, but annual female prespawn rates were consistently >80% where maximum temperatures exceeded 20°C and the composition of spawning fish was >80% hatchery origin. In several spawning tributaries, prespawn mortality rates generally decreased at higher elevations. The proximate cause of prespawn death was not evaluated here, and observed patterns likely reflected additional factors that influence mortality either directly or indirectly, such as handling, dam passage, fishing pressure, instream habitat, energetic budget, fish density, and pathogen loads.
AMP‐activated protein kinase activation in mediating phenylalanine‐induced neurotoxicity in experimental models of phenylketonuria
Authors: Lu Lihua , Ben Xiaoming , Xiao Lingling , Peng Min , Zhang Yongjun
Published: December 2017

Phenylketonuria (PKU), one of the most prevalent autosomal recessive disorders of amino acid metabolism, is characterized by abnormal accumulation of phenylalanine, which can lead to intellectual disability. The main pathologic changes in the central nervous system of untreated phenylketonuric patients are reductions in the number of axons, dendrites, and synapses in the brain. Such alterations are thought to be mainly associated with the toxic effects caused by phenylalanine. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. The present study shows that a high concentration of phenylalanine remarkably inhibited neuronal neurite formation in vitro. Interestingly, AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK), the energy status sensor, was activated in cultured cerebral cortical neurons upon phenylalanine treatment. Pretreatment with an AMPK inhibitor ameliorated the reduction of neurite formation caused by phenylalanine. In addition, the levels of the phosphorylated AMPK, the active form of AMPK, were significantly higher in the cerebral cortices of PKU mice with elevated phenylalanine levels in this brain region compared to those in wild‐type control mice, whereas the density of dendritic spines on basal secondary dendrites of pyramidal neurons in prefrontal cortices of PKU mice was significantly decreased. Collectively, these findings indicate that AMPK activation is a key event in impaired neuronal dendritic development in PKU and consequently, a potential therapeutic target for developing neuroprotective strategies against phenylalanine‐evoked brain injury in PKU.
From the air to the water phase: implication for toxicity testing of combustion-derived particles
Authors: Schmidt Susanne , Altenburger Rolf , Kühnel Dana
Published: December 2017

The biological effects of airborne particulate matter (PM) in humans stimulated many research activities in recent years. One type of particles contributing to PM are those derived from combustion processes. By using in vitro test systems for assessing the toxic effects of those particles, the transfer into liquid media is necessary. Thus the question arises, how the transfer of airborne particles into liquid suspensions should be realized and how the exposure of test organisms/cells to the particles can be done and monitored with regard to concentration and stability. Further, the characterization of the airborne particles regarding their composition seems to be of importance in order to understand the induced biological effects. Hence, this review gathers and evaluates results from in vitro and ecotoxicity studies, where the introduction of airborne particles into liquids is required. The aim was to learn on the current practice and recommend on the design of toxicity studies in the future. In total, about 80 papers were retrieved by literature search that deal with the assessment of biological effects of combustion-derived particles or their constituents. The papers were evaluated in detail with regard to the methodology applied. From this evaluation and based on expert knowledge regarding nanoparticle testing, recommendations for the assessment of PM applying toxicological assays were developed. To provide guidance, essential criteria are developed that should help in preparation, testing, and during the evaluation phase of toxicological assays. We further advise whole particle testing, complemented by testing of particle extracts and washed particles.
Hospital-wide education committees and high-quality residency training: A qualitative study
Authors: Silkens Milou E.W. M. , Slootweg Irene A. , Scherpbier Albert J. J. A. , Heineman Maas Jan , Lombarts Kiki M. J. M. H.
Published: December 2017

Introduction High-quality residency training is of utmost importance for residents to become competent medical specialists. Hospital-wide education committees have been adopted by several healthcare systems to govern postgraduate medical education and to support continuous quality improvement of residency training. To understand the functioning and potential of such committees, this study examined the mechanisms through which hospital-wide education committees strive to enable continuous quality improvement in residency training.
Methods Focus group studies with a constructivist grounded theory approach were performed between April 2015 and August 2016. A purposeful sample of hospital-wide education committees led to seven focus groups.
Results Hospital-wide education committees strived to enable continuous quality improvement of residency training by the following mechanisms: creating an organization-wide quality culture, an organization-wide quality structure and by collaborating with external stakeholders. However, the committees were first and foremost eager to claim a strategic position within the organization they represent. All identified mechanisms were interdependent and ongoing.
Discussion From a governance perspective, the position of hospital-wide education committees in the Netherlands is uniquely contributing to the call for institutional accountability for the quality of residency training. When implementing hospital-wide education committees, shared responsibility of the committees and the departments that actually provide residency training should be addressed. Although committees vary in the strategies they use to impact continuous quality improvement of residency training, they increasingly have the ability to undertake supporting actions and are working step by step to contribute to high-quality postgraduate medical education.
Regulatory interpretation: regulators, regulated parties, and the courts
Authors: Randolph Gregory M. , Fetzner James P.
Published: December 2017

While regulators, firms, and the courts must all be able to interpret regulations to best address economic and social issues, regulatory interpretation may vary greatly across parties. After introducing a framework to explain the impact of the complexity of written regulations and the complexity of the regulatory environment on regulatory interpretation, this paper utilizes regulatory examples to explore the challenges associated with regulatory interpretation. Several recent initiatives designed to improve regulatory efficacy are examined to assess potential methods available to reduce challenges associated with regulatory interpretation. When considered with the public policy implementation literature and research on networks in public policy, several implications emerge from the consideration of regulatory interpretation and recent regulatory initiatives. Regulators should pursue strategies to minimize the number of possible interpretations in the design of regulation and seek improved regulatory mechanisms to alleviate regulatory interpretation challenges. Furthermore, theoretical models should acknowledge regulatory interpretation to better assist in the design and implementation of regulation.
Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Measure Attitude change in Health Professionals after Completion of an Aboriginal Health and Cultural Safety Training Programme
Authors: Ryder Courtney , Mackean Tamara , Ullah Shahid , Burton Heather , Halls Heather , McDermott Dennis , Edmondson Wendy
Published: December 2017

Socially accountable health curricula, designed to decrease Aboriginal health inequities through the transformation of health professional students into culturally safe practitioners, has become a focal point for health professional programmes. Despite this inclusion in health curricula there remains the question of how to best assess students in this area in relation to the concept, of cultural safety and transformative unlearning, to facilitate attitudinal change. To address this question, this study developed a research questionnaire to measure thematic areas of transformative unlearning, cultural safety and critical thinking in Aboriginal Health for application on undergraduate and postgraduate students and faculty staff. The Likert-scale questionnaire was developed and validated through face and content validity. Test–retest methodology was utilised to determine stability and reliability of the questionnaire with 40 participants. The extent of agreement and reliability were determined through weighted kappa and intraclass correlation coefficient. Exploratory factor analysis was calculated to determine construct validity for questionnaire items. For the overall population subset the tool met good standards of reliability and validity, with 11 of the 15 items reaching moderate agreement (κ > 0.6) and an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.72, suggesting substantial agreement. Cronbach's alpha was calculated above 0.7 for the thematic areas. The majority of items provided high factor loadings, low loading items will be reviewed to strengthen the tool, where validations of the revised tool with a larger cohort will allow future use to compare and determine effective teaching methodologies in Aboriginal health and cultural safety curricula.
Cultural Values Versus Cultural Norms as Predictors of Differences in Helping Behaviors and in Emotion Regulation: A Preliminary Nation-Level Test Related to the Leung-Morris Model
Authors: Smith Peter B.
Published: December 2017

Leung and Morris (2015) propose conditions under which values, norms, and schemata drive cultural differences in behavior. They build on past theories about dimensions of situational strength to propose that personal values drive behavior more in weak situations and perceived norms drive behavior more in strong situations. Drawing on this analysis as well as two recent models of cultural tightness-looseness, country-level effects are predicted on the assumption that tighter cultures more frequently create strong situations and looser cultures more frequently create weak situations. Using secondary data, I examine values as well as perceived descriptive norms and injunctive norms relevant to collectivism in relation to two key dependent measures: helping strangers and emotion regulation. The relation of embeddedness values to helping strangers is moderated negatively by tightness (in that high embeddedness reduces helping less in the context of tightness), and its relation to emotion regulation is moderated positively (in that embeddedness increases emotion regulation more in the context of tightness). Furthermore, descriptive norms show main effects for both dependent variables that are predominantly unmoderated by tightness. Finally, the link of injunctive norms with emotion regulation is moderated positively by tightness (in that injunctiveness heightens emotion regulation more in the context of tightness). Results support the relevance of nation-level tightness to reliance on values and norms, but the strength of effects depends on how it is operationalized.
Seasonal forecasting of green water components and crop yields of winter wheat in Serbia and Austria
Authors: Lalić B. , Firanj Sremac A. , Dekić L. , Eitzinger J. , Perišić D.
Published: December 2017

A probabilistic crop forecast based on ensembles of crop model output (CMO) estimates offers a myriad of possible realizations and probabilistic forecasts of green water components (precipitation and evapotranspiration), crop yields and green water footprints (GWFs) on monthly or seasonal scales. The present paper presents part of the results of an ongoing study related to the application of ensemble forecasting concepts for agricultural production. The methodology used to produce the ensemble CMO using the ensemble seasonal weather forecasts as the crop model input meteorological data without the perturbation of initial soil or crop conditions is presented and tested for accuracy, as are its results. The selected case study is for winter wheat growth in Austria and Serbia during the 2006–2014 period modelled with the SIRIUS crop model. The historical seasonal forecasts for a 6-month period (1 March-31 August) were collected for the period 2006–2014 and were assimilated from the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecast and the Meteorological Archival and Retrieval System. The seasonal ensemble forecasting results obtained for winter wheat phenology dynamics, yield and GWF showed a narrow range of estimates. These results indicate that the use of seasonal weather forecasting in agriculture and its applications for probabilistic crop forecasting can optimize field operations (e.g., soil cultivation, plant protection, fertilizing, irrigation) and takes advantage of the predictions of crop development and yield a few weeks or months in advance.
THE OTHER SIDE OF ARGENTINE FOREIGN TRADE: SOURCES FOR THE STUDY OF IMPORTS, 1880-1913
Authors: Rayes Agustina
Published: December 2017

Historiography has payed less attention to imports than exports from the last quarter of the nineteenth century to the beginning of World War I. On the one hand, this is explained by the crucial and more visible part that exports played in fostering economic growth. On the other, the reason why imports have been less studied is the high level of disaggregation of the data available. In this paper, we analyse the official Argentine statistics as the main source for a reconstruction of imports. Then, we recalculate the balance of trade using our corrected export series. Additionally, we propose a research agenda based on gaps in the specialised literature and the possibilities given by the use of the official statistics.
The neural correlates of Childhood Trauma Questionnaire scores in adults: A meta-analysis and review of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies
Authors: Heany Sarah J. , Groenewold Nynke A. , Uhlmann Anne , Dalvie Shareefa , Stein Dan J. , Brooks Samantha J.
Published: December 2017

Childhood maltreatment, including abuse and neglect, may have sustained effects on the integrity and functioning of the brain, alter neurophysiological responsivity later in life, and predispose individuals toward psychiatric conditions involving socioaffective disturbances. This meta-analysis aims to quantify associations between self-reported childhood maltreatment and brain function in response to socioaffective cues in adults. Seventeen functional magnetic resonance imaging studies reporting on data from 848 individuals examined with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire were included in a meta-analysis of whole-brain findings, or a review of region of interest findings. The spatial consistency of peak activations associated with maltreatment exposure was tested using activation likelihood estimation, using a threshold of p < .05 corrected for multiple comparisons. Adults exposed to childhood maltreatment showed significantly increased activation in the left superior frontal gyrus and left middle temporal gyrus, and decreased activation in the left superior parietal lobule and the left hippocampus. Although hyperresponsivity to socioaffective cues in the amygdala and ventral anterior cingulate cortex in correlation with maltreatment severity is a replicated finding in region of interest studies, null results are reported as well. The findings suggest that childhood maltreatment has sustained effects on brain function into adulthood, and highlight potential mechanisms for conveying vulnerability to development of psychopathology.
An algebra for distributed Big Data analytics
Authors: FEGARAS LEONIDAS
Published: December 2017

We present an algebra for data-intensive scalable computing based on monoid homomorphisms that consists of a small set of operations that capture most features supported by current domain-specific languages for data-centric distributed computing. This algebra is being used as the formal basis of MRQL, which is a query processing and optimization system for large-scale distributed data analysis. The MRQL semantics is given in terms of monoid comprehensions, which support group-by and order-by syntax and can work on heterogeneous collections without requiring any extension to the monoid algebra. We present the syntax and semantics of monoid comprehensions and provide rules to translate them to the monoid algebra. We give evidence of the effectiveness of our algebra by presenting some important optimization rules, such as converting nested queries to joins.
The use ofheapsas quantifier and intensifier in New Zealand English
Authors: CALUDE ANDREEA
Published: December 2017

This article documents novel uses of the nounheapsin New Zealand English, namely as quantifier and intensifier, by means of quantitative and qualitative analyses of corpus data. Closely following in the footsteps oflots,heapsis the second most frequent size noun in New Zealand English. On the basis of exhaustive coding of four corpora of New Zealand English (spoken and written), the article describes and exemplifies the various uses ofheapsin this English variety. Results showheapsis preferred in speech compared to writing, and that its most common use is as a quantifier, followed by an extension to an intensifying use, which has received comparatively less attention in the literature (and never specifically in the context of New Zealand English). An examination of early New Zealand English in theONZE Corpustestifies to this incoming change, withheapsgrammaticalizing into an adverb and bearing the semantic role of intensifier. Multivariate statistical tests show that innovative uses ofheapsare largely driven by younger speakers.
MicroRNAs regulate key cell survival pathways and mediate chemosensitivity during progression of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Leivonen Suvi-Katri , Icay Katherine , Jäntti Kirsi , Siren Ilari , Liu Chengyu , Alkodsi Amjad , Cervera Alejandra , Ludvigsen Maja , Hamilton-Dutoit Stephen Jacques , d’Amore Francesco , Karjalainen-Lindsberg Marja-Liisa , Delabie Jan , Holte Harald , Lehtonen Rainer , Hautaniemi Sampsa , Leppä Sirpa
Published: December 2017

Despite better therapeutic options and improved survival of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 30–40% of the patients experience relapse or have primary refractory disease with a dismal prognosis. To identify biological correlates for treatment resistance, we profiled microRNAs (miRNAs) of matched primary and relapsed DLBCL by next-generation sequencing. Altogether 492 miRNAs were expressed in the DLBCL samples. Thirteen miRNAs showed significant differential expression between primary and relapse specimen pairs. Integration of the differentially expressed miRNAs with matched mRNA expression profiles identified highly anti-correlated, putative targets, which were significantly enriched in cancer-associated pathways, including phosphatidylinositol (PI)), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling. Expression data suggested activation of these pathways during disease progression, and functional analyses validated that miR-370-3p, miR-381-3p, and miR-409-3p downregulate genes on the PI, MAPK, and BCR signaling pathways, and enhance chemosensitivity of DLBCL cells in vitro. High expression of selected target genes, that is, PIP5K1 and IMPA1, was found to be associated with poor survival in two independent cohorts of chemoimmunotherapy-treated patients (n = 92 and n = 233). Taken together, our results demonstrate that differentially expressed miRNAs contribute to disease progression by regulating key cell survival pathways and by mediating chemosensitivity, thus representing potential novel therapeutic targets.
Giant coercivity and high magnetic blocking temperatures for N2
3− radical-bridged dilanthanide complexes upon ligand dissociation
Authors: Demir Selvan , Gonzalez Miguel I. , Darago Lucy E. , Evans William J. , Long Jeffrey R.
Published: December 2017

Increasing the operating temperatures of single-molecule magnets—molecules that can retain magnetic polarization in the absence of an applied field—has potential implications toward information storage and computing, and may also inform the development of new bulk magnets. Progress toward these goals relies upon the development of synthetic chemistry enabling enhancement of the thermal barrier to reversal of the magnetic moment, while suppressing alternative relaxation processes. Herein, we show that pairing the axial magnetic anisotropy enforced by tetramethylcyclopentadienyl (CpMe4H) capping ligands with strong magnetic exchange coupling provided by an N23− radical bridging ligand results in a series of dilanthanide complexes exhibiting exceptionally large magnetic hysteresis loops that persist to high temperatures. Significantly, reducing the coordination number of the metal centers appears to increase axial magnetic anisotropy, giving rise to larger magnetic relaxation barriers and 100-s magnetic blocking temperatures of up to 20 K, as observed for the complex [K(crypt-222)][(CpMe4H2Tb)2(μ−$${\rm{N}}_2^ \cdot$$

N

2

⋅

)].
Hydrologically-driven crustal stresses and seismicity in the New Madrid Seismic Zone
Authors: Craig Timothy J. , Chanard Kristel , Calais Eric
Published: December 2017

The degree to which short-term non-tectonic processes, either natural and anthropogenic, influence the occurrence of earthquakes in active tectonic settings or ‘stable’ plate interiors, remains a subject of debate. Recent work in plate-boundary regions demonstrates the capacity for long-wavelength changes in continental water storage to produce observable surface deformation, induce crustal stresses and modulate seismicity rates. Here we show that a significant variation in the rate of microearthquakes in the intraplate New Madrid Seismic Zone at annual and multi-annual timescales coincides with hydrological loading in the upper Mississippi embayment. We demonstrate that this loading, which results in geodetically observed surface deformation, induces stresses within the lithosphere that, although of small amplitude, modulate the ongoing seismicity of the New Madrid region. Correspondence between surface deformation, hydrological loading and seismicity rates at both annual and multi-annual timescales indicates that seismicity variations are the direct result of elastic stresses induced by the water load.
Hepatocytic expression of human sodium-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide enables hepatitis B virus infection of macaques
Authors: Burwitz Benjamin J. , Wettengel Jochen M. , Mück-Häusl Martin A. , Ringelhan Marc , Ko Chunkyu , Festag Marvin M. , Hammond Katherine B. , Northrup Mina , Bimber Benjamin N. , Jacob Thomas , Reed Jason S. , Norris Reed , Park Byung , Moller-Tank Sven , Esser Knud , Greene Justin M. , Wu Helen L. , Abdulhaqq Shaheed , Webb Gabriela , Sutton William F. , Klug Alex , Swanson Tonya , Legasse Alfred W. , Vu Tania Q. , Asokan Aravind , Haigwood Nancy L. , Protzer Ulrike , Sacha Jonah B.
Published: December 2017

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major global health concern, and the development of curative therapeutics is urgently needed. Such efforts are impeded by the lack of a physiologically relevant, pre-clinical animal model of HBV infection. Here, we report that expression of the HBV entry receptor, human sodium-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (hNTCP), on macaque primary hepatocytes facilitates HBV infection in vitro, where all replicative intermediates including covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) are present. Furthermore, viral vector-mediated expression of hNTCP on hepatocytes in vivo renders rhesus macaques permissive to HBV infection. These in vivo macaque HBV infections are characterized by longitudinal HBV DNA in serum, and detection of HBV DNA, RNA, and HBV core antigen (HBcAg) in hepatocytes. Together, these results show that expressing hNTCP on macaque hepatocytes renders them susceptible to HBV infection, thereby establishing a physiologically relevant model of HBV infection to study immune clearance and test therapeutic and curative approaches.
Neurons along the auditory pathway exhibit a hierarchical organization of prediction error
Authors: Parras Gloria G. , Nieto-Diego Javier , Carbajal Guillermo V. , Valdés-Baizabal Catalina , Escera Carles , Malmierca Manuel S.
Published: December 2017

Perception is characterized by a reciprocal exchange of predictions and prediction error signals between neural regions. However, the relationship between such sensory mismatch responses and hierarchical predictive processing has not yet been demonstrated at the neuronal level in the auditory pathway. We recorded single-neuron activity from different auditory centers in anaesthetized rats and awake mice while animals were played a sequence of sounds, designed to separate the responses due to prediction error from those due to adaptation effects. Here we report that prediction error is organized hierarchically along the central auditory pathway. These prediction error signals are detectable in subcortical regions and increase as the signals move towards auditory cortex, which in turn demonstrates a large-scale mismatch potential. Finally, the predictive activity of single auditory neurons underlies automatic deviance detection at subcortical levels of processing. These results demonstrate that prediction error is a fundamental component of singly auditory neuron responses.
Publisher Correction: Enhanced generation and anisotropic Coulomb scattering of hot electrons in an ultra-broadband plasmonic nanopatch metasurface
Authors: Sykes Matthew E. , Stewart Jon W. , Akselrod Gleb M. , Kong Xiang-Tian , Wang Zhiming , Gosztola David J. , Martinson Alex B. F. , Rosenmann Daniel , Mikkelsen Maiken H. , Govorov Alexander O. , Wiederrecht Gary P.
Published: December 2017

The originally published version of this Article contained an error in Equation 1. The two ℏ terms were missing from this equation. This has now been corrected in the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.
Electrical semiconduction modulated by light in a cobalt and naphthalene diimide metal-organic framework
Authors: Castaldelli Evandro , Imalka Jayawardena K. D. G. , Cox David C. , Clarkson Guy J. , Walton Richard I. , Le-Quang Long , Chauvin Jerôme , Silva S. Ravi P. , Demets Grégoire Jean-François
Published: December 2017

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as an exciting class of porous materials that can be structurally designed by choosing particular components according to desired applications. Despite the wide interest in and many potential applications of MOFs, such as in gas storage, catalysis, sensing and drug delivery, electrical semiconductivity and its control is still rare. The use and fabrication of electronic devices with MOF-based components has not been widely explored, despite significant progress of these components made in recent years. Here we report the synthesis and properties of a new highly crystalline, electrochemically active, cobalt and naphthalene diimide-based MOF that is an efficient electrical semiconductor and has a broad absorption spectrum, from 300 to 2500 nm. Its semiconductivity was determined by direct voltage bias using a four-point device, and it features a wavelength dependant photoconductive–photoresistive dual behaviour, with a very high responsivity of 2.5 × 105 A W−1.
Coherent Ising machines—optical neural networks operating at the quantum limit
Authors: Yamamoto Yoshihisa , Aihara Kazuyuki , Leleu Timothee , Kawarabayashi Ken-ichi , Kako Satoshi , Fejer Martin , Inoue Kyo , Takesue Hiroki
Published: December 2017

In this article, we will introduce the basic concept and the quantum feature of a novel computing system, coherent Ising machines, and describe their theoretical and experimental performance. We start with the discussion how to construct such physical devices as the quantum analog of classical neuron and synapse, and end with the performance comparison against various classical neural networks implemented in CPU and supercomputers.
Intraoperative delivery of the Notch ligand Jagged-1 regenerates appendicular and craniofacial bone defects
Authors: Youngstrom Daniel W. , Senos Rafael , Zondervan Robert L. , Brodeur Jack D. , Lints Austin R. , Young Devin R. , Mitchell Troy L. , Moore Megan E. , Myers Marc H. , Tseng Wei-Ju , Loomes Kathleen M. , Hankenson Kurt D.
Published: December 2017

Each year, 33% of US citizens suffer from a musculoskeletal condition that requires medical intervention, with direct medical costs approaching $1 trillion USD per year. Despite the ubiquity of skeletal dysfunction, there are currently limited safe and efficacious bone growth factors in clinical use. Notch is a cell–cell communication pathway that regulates self-renewal and differentiation within the mesenchymal/osteoblast lineage. The principal Notch ligand in bone, Jagged-1, is a potent osteoinductive protein that positively regulates post-traumatic bone healing in animals. This report describes the temporal regulation of Notch during intramembranous bone formation using marrow ablation as a model system and demonstrates decreased bone formation following disruption of Jagged-1 in mesenchymal progenitor cells. Notch gain-of-function using recombinant Jagged-1 protein on collagen scaffolds promotes healing of craniofacial (calvarial) and appendicular (femoral) surgical defects in both mice and rats. Localized delivery of Jagged-1 promotes bone apposition and defect healing, while avoiding the diffuse bone hypertrophy characteristic of the clinically problematic bone morphogenetic proteins. It is concluded that Jagged-1 is a bone-anabolic agent with therapeutic potential for regenerating traumatic or congenital bone defects.
Biogas production from food waste via co-digestion and digestion- effects on performance and microbial ecology
Authors: Zamanzadeh Mirzaman , Hagen Live Heldal , Svensson Kine , Linjordet Roar , Horn Svein Jarle
Published: December 2017

In this work, performance and microbial structure of a digestion (food waste-only) and a co-digestion process (mixture of cow manure and food waste) were studied at mesophilic (37 °C) and thermophilic (55 °C) temperatures. The highest methane yield (480 mL/g VS) was observed in the mesophilic digester (MDi) fed with food waste alone. The mesophilic co-digestion of food waste and manure (McoDi) yielded 26% more methane than the sum of individual digestions of manure and food waste. The main volatile fatty acid (VFA) in the mesophilic systems was acetate, averaging 93 and 172 mg/L for McoDi and MDi, respectively. Acetate (2150 mg/L) and propionate (833 mg/L) were the main VFAs in the thermophilic digester (TDi), while propionate (163 mg/L) was the major VFA in the thermophilic co-digester (TcoDi). The dominant bacteria in MDi wasChloroflexi(54%), whileFirmicuteswas dominant in McoDi (60%). For the mesophilic reactors, the dominant archaea wasMethanosaetain MDi, whileMethanobacteriumandMethanosaetahad similar abundance in McoDi. In the thermophilic systems, the dominant bacteria wereThermotogae, FirmicutesandSynergistetesin both digesters, however, the relative abundance of these phyla were different. For archaea, the genusMethanothermobacterwere entirely dominant in both TDi and TcoDi.
Transcription of a B chromosome CAP-G pseudogene does not influence normal Condensin Complex genes in a grasshopper
Authors: Navarro-Domínguez Beatriz , Ruiz-Ruano Francisco J. , Camacho Juan Pedro M. , Cabrero Josefa , López-León María Dolores
Published: December 2017

Parasitic B chromosomes invade and persist in natural populations through several mechanisms for transmission advantage (drive). They may contain gene-derived sequences which, in some cases, are actively transcribed. A further interesting question is whether B-derived transcripts become functional products. In the grasshopper Eyprepocnemis plorans, one of the gene-derived sequences located on the B chromosome shows homology with the gene coding for the CAP-G subunit of condensin I. We show here, by means of fluorescent in situ hybridization coupled with tyramide signal amplification (FISH-TSA), that this gene is located in the distal region of the B24 chromosome variant. The DNA sequence located in the B chromosome is a pseudogenic version of the CAP-G gene (B-CAP-G). In two Spanish populations, we found active transcription of B-CAP-G, but it did not influence the expression of CAP-D2 and CAP-D3 genes coding for corresponding condensin I and II subunits, respectively. Our results indicate that the transcriptional regulation of the B-CAP-G pseudogene is uncoupled from the standard regulation of the genes that constitute the condensin complex, and suggest that some of the B chromosome known effects may be related with its gene content and transcriptional activity, thus opening new exciting avenues for research.
Molecular Characterization and Co-expression Analysis of the SnRK2 Gene Family in Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)
Authors: Li Changning , Nong Qian , Xie Jinlan , Wang Zeping , Liang Qiang , Solanki Manoj Kumar , Malviya Mukesh Kumar , Liu Xiaoyan , Li Yijie , Htun Reemon , Wei Jiguang , Li Yangrui
Published: December 2017

In plants, both abscisic acid (ABA) dependent and independent pathways form the basis for the response to environmental stresses. Sucrose non-fermenting 1-related protein kinase 2 (SnRK2) plays a central role in plant stress signal transduction. However, complete annotation and specific expression patterns of SnRK2s in sugarcane remain unclear. For the present study, we performed a full-length cDNA library survey of sugarcane, thus identifying ten SoSnRK2 genes via phylogenetic, local BLAST methods, and various bioinformatics analyses. Phylogenetic analysis indicated division of SoSnRK2 genes into three subgroups, similar to other plant species. Gene structure comparison with Arabidopsis suggested a unique evolutionary imprint of the SnRK2 gene family in sugarcane. Both sequence alignment and structural annotation provided an overview of the conserved N-terminal and variations of the C-terminal, suggesting functional divergence. Transcript and transient expression assays revealed SoSnRK2s to be involved in the responses to diverse stress signals, and strong ABA induction of SoSnRK2s in subgroup III. Co-expression network analyses indicated the existence of both conserved and variable biological functions among different SoSnRK2s members. In summary, this comprehensive analysis will facilitate further studies of the SoSnRK2 family and provide useful information for the functional validation of SoSnRK2s.