bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From Backwaters to Major Policymakers: Policy Polarization in the States, 1970–2014
Authors: Grumbach Jacob M.
Published: May 2018

Political scientists often characterize state and local governments as marginal and highly constrained in policymaking. However, I suggest that in recent decades state governments have moved from the margins to the center of partisan battles over the direction of U.S. public policy. Across 16 issue areas, I investigate interstate policy variation, policy differences across states, and policy polarization, the changing relationship between party control of state government and policy outcomes. Since the 1970s, interstate variation has increased such that an individual’s tax burden, right to obtain an abortion, and other relationships to government are increasingly determined by her state of residence. Policy polarization increases dramatically after 2000 in 14 of the 16 areas. I show that party control increasingly predicts socioeconomic outcomes in the polarized area of health care, but not in the nonpolarized area of criminal justice.
Practices of Dynamic Order
Authors: Jabko Nicolas , Sheingate Adam
Published: May 2018

In accounting for the endurance of dysfunctional institutions, scholars often highlight the importance of path dependence or incremental change. Yet this fails to capture the creativity that actors deploy to reproduce order, particularly in times of crisis. We propose the concept of dynamic order, rooted in pragmatist theory, as an alternative way to think about institutional durability. Powerful actors reproduce order through creative adjustments to rules and routines that channel action into predictable and controllable behavior. We illustrate this dynamic with examples from the European Union and the United States. In response to the crisis of the Eurozone, EU and state officials invented new procedures that strengthened European governance at the very moment many questioned whether the euro could survive. Likewise, in the United States, public officials responded to social movements and street protests against racism and police brutality by creatively channeling these grievances into judicial proceedings and procedures controlled by the state. By focusing on how elite actors regenerate order in times of crises, our analysis enhances the conceptual toolkit currently available to the scholars of institutions.
Ched Evans, rape myths and Medusa's gaze: a story of mirrors and windows
Authors: Gurnham David
Published: May 2018

This paper analyses the visualisation of rape and sexual assault in legal and scholarly language. It begins with a critique of the Court of Appeal ruling inR v. Evans (Chedwyn)and its forensic examination of the details of a female rape complainant's consensual sexual activity with other men. The case is analysed in light of a visual metaphor used by Ellison and Munro to describe the removal of popular misconceptions about rape. The paper contextualises that discussion with reference to the idea of the male gaze and its affirmation of a phallocentric cultural and social world in which the objectification of female difference is entrenched. The paper finally challenges that assessment, however, sketching an alternative approach to visual-critical scholarship that embraces interdisciplinarity and a literary sensibility to break (or at least to loosen) the association between the prurient eye of the male voyeur and the criminal justice gaze.
Localized and Intense Energy Conversion in the Diffusion Region of Asymmetric Magnetic Reconnection
Authors: Swisdak M. , Drake J. F. , Price L. , Burch J. L. , Cassak P. A. , Phan T.‐D.
Published: May 2018

We analyze a high‐resolution simulation of magnetopause reconnection observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission and explain the occurrence of strongly localized dissipation with an amplitude more than an order of magnitude larger than expected. Unlike symmetric reconnection, wherein reconnection of the ambient reversed magnetic field drives the dissipation, we find that the annihilation of the self‐generated, out‐of‐plane (Hall) magnetic field plays the dominant role. Electrons flow along the magnetosheath separatrices, converge in the diffusion region, and jet past the X‐point into the magnetosphere. The resulting accumulation of negative charge generates intense parallel electric fields that eject electrons along the magnetospheric separatrices and produce field‐aligned beams. Many of these features match Magnetospheric Multiscale observations.
Gauging the Improvement of Recent Mean Sea Surface Models: A New Approach for Identifying and Quantifying Their Errors
Authors: Pujol Marie‐Isabelle , Schaeffer Philippe , Faugère Yannice , Raynal Matthias , Dibarboure Gerald , Picot Nicolas
Published: May 2018

This paper presents an assessment and comparison of recent mean sea surface (MSS) models. Using a new approach and independent altimeter data sets, we quantify the major improvement of the CNES_CLS15 and the DTU15 models. We observe a reduction in the amplitude of omission errors thanks to the use of new geodetic altimeter data sets (i.e., Cryosat‐2 and Jason‐1 geodetic): they are reduced by a factor of 2 compared with previous generations (CNES_CLS11). We also quantify commission errors resulting from the leakage of residual ocean variability and altimeter noise into the MSS models. For wavelengths shorter than 250 km, the error is of the order of 1–2 cm2, i.e., ∼10% to 20% of the sea level anomaly (SLA) variance. The global error of both 2015 models has similar orders of magnitude and spectral power densities, although the commission errors of the CNES_CLS15 model are about half as large as those of the DTU15 model. Its absolute error is also slightly smaller than for the DTU15 model in coastal regions and at high latitudes. Conversely, the DTU15 model produces smaller omission errors, especially in the open ocean over strong bathymetric features. More importantly, the MSS errors still have a substantial impact on altimetry products for wavelengths ranging from 30 to 100 km: the error explains ∼30% of the global SLA variance, and the error can be 2.5 times higher on uncharted ground tracks (e.g., Sentinel‐3) over rugged bathymetry.
Fronts of the Malvinas Current System: Surface and Subsurface Expressions Revealed by Satellite Altimetry, Argo Floats, and Mercator Operational Model Outputs
Authors: Artana Camila , Lellouche Jean‐Michel , Park Young‐Hyang , Garric Gilles , Koenig Zoé , Sennéchael Nathalie , Ferrari Ramiro , Piola Alberto R. , Saraceno Martin , Provost Christine
Published: May 2018

We examine the surface and subsurface signature of ocean fronts closely associated with the Malvinas Current dynamics. We first evaluate the performances of the Mercator Ocean eddy permitting (1/12° spatial resolution) global operational system in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean over the last 10 years (2007–2016) using satellite, Argo float and in situ data collected near 41°S. Observations versus model comparisons show that the model correctly reproduces the general circulation and the complex hydrographic features of the study area including the vicinity of the Brazil‐Malvinas Confluence. The model outputs accurately match the observations except in June 2015. The causes for the June 2015 mismatch are analyzed. We then used the model and satellite altimetry to identify isolines of absolute dynamic topography (ADT) and potential density at different depths associated with the mean front location and establish their correspondence with specific water mass boundaries. Frontal displacements as depicted in satellite ADT, model ADT, and model potential density at 450 m are in general agreement. The ADT and potential density at 450 m provide nonidentical and complementary information on eddies shed by the Polar Front (PF): while ADT depicts the surface circulation with PF eddies entrained into the energetic circulation over the deep Argentine Basin, potential density at 450 m is more effective at monitoring PF eddies feeding the Malvinas Current.
Coupling bimolecular PARylation biosensors with genetic screens to identify PARylation targets
Authors: Krastev Dragomir B. , Pettitt Stephen J. , Campbell James , Song Feifei , Tanos Barbara E. , Stoynov Stoyno S. , Ashworth Alan , Lord Christopher J.
Published: May 2018

Poly (ADP-ribose)ylation is a dynamic protein modification that regulates multiple cellular processes. Here, we describe a system for identifying and characterizing PARylation events that exploits the ability of a PBZ (PAR-binding zinc finger) protein domain to bind PAR with high-affinity. By linking PBZ domains to bimolecular fluorescent complementation biosensors, we developed fluorescent PAR biosensors that allow the detection of temporal and spatial PARylation events in live cells. Exploiting transposon-mediated recombination, we integrate the PAR biosensor en masse into thousands of protein coding genes in living cells. Using these PAR-biosensor “tagged” cells in a genetic screen we carry out a large-scale identification of PARylation targets. This identifies CTIF (CBP80/CBP20-dependent translation initiation factor) as a novel PARylation target of the tankyrase enzymes in the centrosomal region of cells, which plays a role in the distribution of the centrosomal satellites.
Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans H-NS promotes biofilm formation and alters protein dynamics of other species within a polymicrobial oral biofilm
Authors: Bao Kai , Bostanci Nagihan , Thurnheer Thomas , Grossmann Jonas , Wolski Witold E. , Thay Bernard , Belibasakis Georgios N. , Oscarsson Jan
Published: May 2018

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is a Gram-negative organism, strongly associated with aggressive forms of periodontitis. An important virulence property of A. actinomycetemcomitans is its ability to form tenacious biofilms that can attach to abiotic as well as biotic surfaces. The histone-like (H-NS) family of nucleoid-structuring proteins act as transcriptional silencers in many Gram-negative bacteria. To evaluate the role of H-NS in A. actinomycetemcomitans, hns mutant derivatives of serotype a strain D7S were generated. Characteristics of the hns mutant phenotype included shorter and fewer pili, and substantially lower monospecies biofilm formation relative to the wild type. Furthermore, the D7S hns mutant exhibited significantly reduced growth within a seven-species oral biofilm model. However, no apparent difference was observed regarding the numbers and proportions of the remaining six species regardless of being co-cultivated with D7S hns or its parental strain. Proteomics analysis of the strains grown in monocultures confirmed the role of H-NS as a repressor of gene expression in A. actinomycetemcomitans. Interestingly, proteomics analysis of the multispecies biofilms indicated that the A. actinomycetemcomitans wild type and hns mutant imposed different regulatory effects on the pattern of protein expression in the other species, i.e., mainly Streptococcus spp., Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Veillonella dispar. Gene ontology analysis revealed that a large portion of the differentially regulated proteins was related to translational activity. Taken together, our data suggest that, apart from being a negative regulator of protein expression in A. actinomycetemcomitans, H-NS promotes biofilm formation and may be an important factor for survival of this species within a multispecies biofilm.
Changes in Parkinson’s disease sleep symptoms and daytime somnolence after bilateral subthalamic deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Kharkar Siddharth , Ellenbogen Jonathan Richard , Samuel Michael , Rizos Alexandra , Silverdale Monty , Chaudhuri K Ray , Ashkan Keyoumars
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) markedly improves motor function in advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD), but its effect on sleep is less clear. Patients and methods: Forty PD patients who had subthalamic DBS (STN-DBS) were identified from an on-going non-motor naturalistic longitudinal study (NILS). All patients were followed up for at least 6 months, 26 patients had a 1 year follow-up. A total PDSS score of 100 or less, a score in any PDSS-item of 6 or less, and a Epworth score of 10 or more were classified as being significant. Results: Forty-five percent of patients reported significant improvement in the total PDSS score at 6 months, and 35% at 12 months. In terms of magnitude, the total PDSS score at 6 months was significantly improved from baseline while the improvement at 12 months was not statistically significant. The most frequently reported improvements were overall sleep quality and maintenance of sleep. Some patients reported worsening of the total PDSS score. More than half of the patients reporting daytime sleepiness at baseline had persistent sleepiness at 6 and 12 months. The mean Epworth Score did not improve because a significant number of patients without sleepiness at baseline reported new-onset sleepiness at 6 and 12 months. Neither medication changes nor motor improvement were consistently related to sleep changes after DBS. Conclusion: Subthalamic DBS is associated with a statistically and clinically significant, but variable, improvement in sleep as measured by the PDSS. The most frequent improvements were better overall sleep quality and better sleep maintenance.
Author Correction: Newcastle disease virus-based H5 influenza vaccine protects chickens from lethal challenge with a highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza virus
Authors: Ma Jingjiao , Lee Jinhwa , Liu Haixia , Mena Ignacio , Davis A. Sally , Sunwoo Sun Young , Lang Yuekun , Duff Michael , Morozov Igor , Li Yuhao , Yang Jianmei , García-Sastre Adolfo , Richt Juergen A. , Ma Wenjun
Published: May 2018

The wrong contract number was quoted in the Acknowledgments section of this Article. This work was supported by NIAID funded Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance under contract number HHSN272201400006C, not HHSN266200700006C as indicated in the original paper.
Renormalization group theory for percolation in time-varying networks
Authors: Karschau Jens , Zimmerling Marco , Friedrich Benjamin M.
Published: May 2018

Motivated by multi-hop communication in unreliable wireless networks, we present a percolation theory for time-varying networks. We develop a renormalization group theory for a prototypical network on a regular grid, where individual links switch stochastically between active and inactive states. The question whether a given source node can communicate with a destination node along paths of active links is equivalent to a percolation problem. Our theory maps the temporal existence of multi-hop paths on an effective two-state Markov process. We show analytically how this Markov process converges towards a memoryless Bernoulli process as the hop distance between source and destination node increases. Our work extends classical percolation theory to the dynamic case and elucidates temporal correlations of message losses. Quantification of temporal correlations has implications for the design of wireless communication and control protocols, e.g. in cyber-physical systems such as self-organized swarms of drones or smart traffic networks.
Cypripedin diminishes an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in non-small cell lung cancer cells through suppression of Akt/GSK-3β signalling
Authors: Treesuwan Surassawadee , Sritularak Boonchoo , Chanvorachote Pithi , Pongrakhananon Varisa
Published: May 2018

Lung cancer appears to have the highest rate of mortality among cancers due to its metastasis capability. To achieve metastasis, cancer cells acquire the ability to undergo a switch from epithelial to mesenchymal behaviour, termed the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Drug discovery attempts have been made to find potent compounds that will suppress EMT. Cypripedin, a phenanthrenequinone isolated from Thai orchid,Dendrobium densiflorum, exhibits diverse pharmacological activities. In this study, we found that cypripedin attenuated typical mesenchymal phenotypes, including migratory behaviour, of non-small cell lung cancer H460 cells, with a significant reduction of actin stress fibres and focal adhesion and with weakened anchorage-independent growth. Western blot analysis revealed that the negative activity of this compound on EMT was a result of the down-regulation of the EMT markers Slug, N-Cadherin and Vimentin, which was due to ATP-dependent tyrosine kinase (Akt) inactivation. As a consequence, the increase in the Slug degradation rate via a ubiquitin-proteasomal mechanism was encouraged. The observation in another lung cancer H23 cell line also supported this finding, indicating that cypripedin exhibits a promising pharmacological action on lung cancer metastasis that could provide scientific evidence for the further development of this compound.
Parallel descending dopaminergic connectivity of A13 cells to the brainstem locomotor centers
Authors: Sharma Sandeep , Kim Linda H. , Mayr Kyle A. , Elliott David A. , Whelan Patrick J.
Published: May 2018

The mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) is an important integrative area for the initiation and modulation of locomotion. Recently it has been realized that dopamine (DA) projections from the substantia nigra pars compacta project to the MLR. Here we explore DA projections from an area of the medial zona incerta (ZI) known for its role in motor control onto the MLR. We provide evidence that dopaminergic (DAergic) A13 neurons have connectivity to the cuneiform nucleus (CnF) and pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) of the MLR. No ascending connectivity to the dorsolateral striatum was observed. On the other hand, DAergic A13 projections to the medullary reticular formation (MRF) and the lumbar spinal cord were sparse. A small number of non-DAergic neurons within the medial ZI projected to the lumbar spinal cord. We then characterized the DA A13 cells and report that these cells differ from canonical DA neurons since they lack the Dopamine Transporter (DAT). The lack of DAT expression, and possibly the lack of a dopamine reuptake mechanism, points to a longer time of action compared to typical dopamine neurons. Collectively our data suggest a parallel descending DAergic pathway from the A13 neurons of the medial ZI to the MLR, which we expect is important for modulating movement.
A Predictive Spatial Distribution Framework for Filovirus-Infected Bats
Authors: Fiorillo Graziano , Bocchini Paolo , Buceta Javier
Published: May 2018

Tools with predictive capabilities in regards of filovirus outbreaks are mainly anthropocentric and have disregarded the ecological dimension of the problem. Here we contribute to shift the current paradigm by studying the dynamics of the putative main zoonotic niche of filoviruses, bats, and its link to environmental drivers. We propose a framework that combines data analysis, modeling, and the evaluation of sources of variability. We implement a regression analysis using factual data to correlate environmental parameters and the presence of bats to find the distribution of resources. The information inferred by the regression is fed into a compartmental model that describes the infection state. We also account for the lack of knowledge of some parameters using a sampling/averaging technique. As a result we estimate the spatio-temporal densities of bats. Importantly, we show that our approach is able to predict where and when an outbreak is likely to appear when tested against recent epidemic data in the context of Ebola. Our framework highlights the importance of considering the feedback between the ecology and the environment in zoonotic models and sheds light on the mechanisms to propagate filoviruses geographically. We expect that our methodology can help to design prevention policies and be used as a predictive tool in the context of zoonotic diseases associated to filoviruses.
Cigarette smoke promotes HIV infection of primary bronchial epithelium and additively suppresses CFTR function
Authors: Chinnapaiyan S. , Dutta R. , Bala J. , Parira T. , Agudelo M. , Nair M. , Unwalla H. J.
Published: May 2018

Recurrent lung infections are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV and this is exacerbated in smokers even when administered combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). The incidence of pneumonia is increased with smoking and treatment interruption and is directly dependent on viral load in patients when adjusted for CD4 counts. CFTR dysfunction plays an important role in aberrant airway innate immunity as it is pivotal in regulating mucociliary clearance (MCC) rates and other antibacterial mechanisms of the airway. In our earlier work, we have demonstrated that bronchial epithelium expresses canonical HIV receptors CD4, CCR5 and CXCR4 and can be infected with HIV. HIV Tat suppresses CFTR mRNA and function via TGF-β signaling. In the present study, we demonstrate that cigarette smoke (CS) potentiates HIV infection of bronchial epithelial cells by upregulating CD4 and CCR5 expression. HIV and CS individually and additively suppress CFTR biogenesis and function, possibly explaining the increased incidence of lung infections in HIV patients and its exacerbation in HIV smokers.
Cervical vagus nerve morphometry and vascularity in the context of nerve stimulation - A cadaveric study
Authors: Hammer Niels , Löffler Sabine , Cakmak Yusuf Ozgur , Ondruschka Benjamin , Planitzer Uwe , Schultz Michael , Winkler Dirk , Weise David
Published: May 2018

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has become a well-established therapy for epilepsy and depression, and is emerging to treat inflammatory disease, with the cervical vagus nerve (CVN) as major stimulation site. CVN morphometries are missing for VNS, considering its variability. Morphometric data were obtained from CVNs in 27 cadavers, including branching patterns and histology. Cross-sectional area, greater and lesser diameters averaged 7.2 ± 3.1 mm2, 5.1 ± 1.5 and 4.1 ± 1.3 mm, and were ≤11.0 mm2, ≤7.0 and ≤5.8 mm in 90% of the specimens, respectively. Midline distance (position lateral to the laryngeal eminence) and skin distance (anterior-posterior from skin) averaged 34.5 ± 6.2 and 36.2 ± 9.4 mm, ≤49.0 and ≤41.0 mm in 90%, respectively. Nerve dimensions and surface topography correlated closely, but without gender-, side- or branching-dependent differences. The nerve fascicle number averaged 5.2 ± 3.5. Vagal arteries were observed in 49% of the cases. Negative correlations were found for age and cross-sectional area, as well as subperineural vessel count. Detailed anatomical data on the CVN and its vascularity are given, forming the morphometric basis for VNS refinement, filling an evident gap in light of the CVN being a structure with variable positions and branching. A 35 × 35-mm rule may apply for the CVN position, irrespective of branching or positional variation.
Distribution of different surface modified carbon dots in pumpkin seedlings
Authors: Qian Kun , Guo Huiyuan , Chen Guangcai , Ma Chuanxin , Xing Baoshan
Published: May 2018

The distribution of surface modified carbon dots (CDs) in the pumpkin seedlings was studied by visualization techniques and their potential phytotoxicity was investigated at both the physiological and biochemical levels. The average size of carbon dots was approximately 4 nm. The fluorescent peaks of bared CDs, CD-PEI and CD-PAA were between 420 nm and 500 nm, indicating CDs could emit blue and green fluorescence. Fluorescent images showed that all three types of CDs could accumulate in the pumpkin roots and translocate to the shoots, although the distribution pattern of each CDs was obviously different. At the biochemical level, the elevated antioxidant enzymes in pumpkin roots suggest that all the CDs could potentially trigger the antioxidant defense systems in pumpkin seedlings. Additionally, such alteration was greater in the roots than in the shoots. Our study represents a new perspective on CD visualization in plant tissues and provide useful information for the potential toxicity of different types of CDs to terrestrial plants, which is of importance to agricultural application.
On the scattering directionality of a dielectric particle dimer of High Refractive Index
Authors: Barreda Ángela I. , Saleh Hassan , Litman Amélie , González Francisco , Geffrin Jean-Michel , Moreno Fernando
Published: May 2018

Low-losses and directionality effects exhibited by High Refractive Index Dielectric particles make them attractive for applications where radiation direction control is relevant. For instance, isolated metallo-dielectric core-shell particles or aggregates (dimers) of High Refractive Index Dielectric particles have been proposed for building operational switching devices. Also, the possibility of using isolated High Refractive Index Dielectric particles for optimizing solar cells performance has been explored. Here, we present experimental evidence in the microwave range, that a High Refractive Index Dielectric dimer of spherical particles is more efficient for redirecting the incident radiation in the forward direction than the isolated case. In fact, we report two spectral regions in the dipolar spectral range where the incident intensity is mostly scattered in the forward direction. They correspond to the Zero-Backward condition (also observed for isolated particles) and to a new condition, denoted as “near Zero-Backward” condition, which comes from the interaction effects between the particles. The proposed configuration has implications in solar energy harvesting devices and in radiation guiding.
Genomic and ecological study of two distinctive freshwater bacteriophages infecting a Comamonadaceae bacterium
Authors: Moon Kira , Kang Ilnam , Kim Suhyun , Kim Sang-Jong , Cho Jang-Cheon
Published: May 2018

Bacteriophages of freshwater environments have not been well studied despite their numerical dominance and ecological importance. Currently, very few phages have been isolated for many abundant freshwater bacterial groups, especially for the family Comamonadaceae that is found ubiquitously in freshwater habitats. In this study, we report two novel phages, P26059A and P26059B, that were isolated from Lake Soyang in South Korea, and lytically infected bacterial strain IMCC26059, a member of the family Comamonadaceae. Morphological observations revealed that phages P26059A and P26059B belonged to the family Siphoviridae and Podoviridae, respectively. Of 12 bacterial strains tested, the two phages infected strain IMCC26059 only, showing a very narrow host range. The genomes of the two phages were different in length and highly distinct from each other with little sequence similarity. A comparison of the phage genome sequences and freshwater viral metagenomes showed that the phage populations represented by P26059A and P26059B exist in the environment with different distribution patterns. Presence of the phages in Lake Soyang and Lake Michigan also indicated a consistent lytic infection of the Comamonadaceae bacterium, which might control the population size of this bacterial group. Taken together, although the two phages shared a host strain, they showed completely distinctive characteristics from each other in morphological, genomic, and ecological analyses. Considering the abundance of the family Comamonadaceae in freshwater habitats and the rarity of phage isolates infecting this family, the two phages and their genomes in this study would be valuable resources for freshwater virus research.
Comparison of Fast-Track Versus Conventional Surgery Protocol for Patients Undergoing Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy: A Chinese Experience
Authors: Huang Zhichao , Yi Lu , Zhong Zhaohui , Zhu Liang , Zhao Hongqing , Li Yijian , Nian Yeqi , Xu Peng , Wang Yinhuai
Published: May 2018

Fast-track surgery (FTS), which includes a series of evidence-based adjustments, is expected to reduce complications, relieve surgical stress reaction, accelerate recovery, and shorten hospitalization, as well as improve safety. The aim of this study was to critically evaluate the safety and effectiveness of FTS in Chinese prostate cancer (Pca) patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). A retrospective analysis was performed on 73 consecutive Chinese Pca patients who underwent RALP and who were divided into two groups: conventional surgery (CS) and FTS. Preoperative clinical data, intraoperative characteristics, postoperative outcomes and incidence of complications were compared between the two groups. No significant differences in preoperative parameters were observed between the two groups. Compared with the CS group, the FTS group showed a significantly shorter time to first flatus, time to regular diet, postoperative hospitalization time, lower incidence of complications, and lower reactions of postoperative stress and pain. Our study demonstrates that FTS is feasible and safe for Chinese Pca patients undergoing RALP and that it accelerates recovery, attenuates surgical stress response, and reduces morbidity compared to CS.
Fertilization shapes a well-organized community of bacterial decomposers for accelerated paddy straw degradation
Authors: Zhan Yushan , Liu Wenjing , Bao Yuanyuan , Zhang Jianwei , Petropoulos Evangelos , Li Zhongpei , Lin Xiangui , Feng Youzhi
Published: May 2018

Straw, mainly dry stalks of crops, is an agricultural byproduct. Its incorporation to soils via microbial redistribution is an environment-friendly way to increase fertility. Fertilization influences soil microorganisms and straw degradation. However, our up to date knowledge on the responses of the straw decomposers to fertilization remains elusive. To this end, inoculated with paddy soils with 26-year applications of chemical fertilizers, organic amendments or controls without fertilization, microcosms were anoxically incubated with 13C-labelled rice straw amendment. DNA-based stable isotope probing and molecular ecological network analysis were conducted to unravel how straw degrading bacterial species shift in responses to fertilizations, as well as evaluate what their roles/links in the microbiome are. It was found that only a small percentage of the community ecotypes was participating into straw degradation under both fertilizations. Fertilization, especially with organic amendments decreased the predominance of Firmicutes- and Acidobacteria-like straw decomposers but increased those of the copiotrophs, such as β-Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes due to increased soil fertility. For the same reason, fertilization shifted the hub species towards those of high degrading potential and created a more stable and efficient microbial consortium. These findings indicate that fertilization shapes a well-organized community of decomposers for accelerated straw degradation.
ORMOSIL–ZrO2hybrid nanocomposites and coatings on aluminium alloys for corrosion resistance; a sol–gel approach
Authors: Smitha V. S. , Syamili S. S. , Mohamed A. Peer , Nair Balagopal N. , Hareesh U. S.
Published: May 2018

Sol–gel derived ORMOSIL–ZrO2hybrid nanocomposites as protective environment-resistant functional coatings on glass substrates and aluminium alloys.
Modified Sauerbrey equation: a facile method to quantitatively probe the conformation of isolated molecules at solid–liquid interfaces
Authors: Du Xianbin , Fang Jiajie , Zhu Da-Ming
Published: May 2018

It is found that a quartz crystal microbalance signal is proportional to the product of mass and intrinsic viscosity of molecules at solid–liquid interfaces, with a constant coefficient. This relationship provides a convenient way to semi-quantitatively probe the conformation of a discrete polymer at solid–liquid interfaces.
A highly sensitive SPRi biosensing strategy for simultaneous detection of multiplex miRNAs based on strand displacement amplification and AuNP signal enhancement
Authors: Wei Xiaotong , Duan Xiaolei , Zhou Xiaoyan , Wu Jiangling , Xu Hongbing , Min Xun , Ding Shijia
Published: May 2018

Herein, a dual channel SPRi biosensor has been developed for the simultaneous and highly sensitive detection of multiplex miRNAs based on SDA and DNA-functionalized AuNP signal enhancement.
Enantioselective Raman spectroscopy (esR) for distinguishing between the enantiomers of 2-butanol
Authors: Rullich Claudia C. , Kiefer Johannes
Published: May 2018

The first experimental application of enantioselective Raman (esR) spectroscopy demonstrates the discrimination of the enantiomers of 2-butanol.
The effects of Sr-incorporated micro/nano rough titanium surface on rBMSC migration and osteogenic differentiation for rapid osteointegration
Authors: Zhou Chuan , Xu An-tian , Wang Dan-dan , Lin Guo-fen , Liu Tie , He Fu-ming
Published: May 2018

MNT-Sr can promote rBMSC osteogenic differentiation and significantly enhance rBMSC migration and homing via activation of SDF-1α/CXCR4 signaling.
Inhibition of tau-derived hexapeptide aggregation and toxicity by a self-assembled cyclic d,l-α-peptide conformational inhibitor
Authors: Belostozky A. , Richman M. , Lisniansky E. , Tovchygrechko A. , Chill J. H. , Rahimipour S.
Published: May 2018

Self-assembled cyclic d,l-α-peptide CP-2 cross-interacts with tau-derived AcPHF6 peptide to inhibit its aggregation, membrane perturbation and toxicity.
Aggregation kinetics of the Aβ1–40 peptide monitored by NMR
Authors: Bellomo Giovanni , Bologna Sara , Gonnelli Leonardo , Ravera Enrico , Fragai Marco , Lelli Moreno , Luchinat Claudio
Published: May 2018

The aggregation of Aβ1–40 was monitored by solution NMR, which showed a trend complementary to the one observed by ThT-fluorescence.
Prominent hydrogenation catalysis of a PVP-stabilized Au34 superatom provided by doping a single Rh atom
Authors: Hasegawa Shingo , Takano Shinjiro , Yamazoe Seiji , Tsukuda Tatsuya
Published: May 2018

A single rhodium atom was precisely doped into a gold cluster Au34 stabilized by poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (Au:PVP) as revealed by mass spectrometry.
Selective formation of heterocyclic trans-cycloalkenes by alkyne addition to a biphenylene-based phosphane/borane frustrated Lewis pair
Authors: Li Jun , Daniliuc Constantin G. , Kehr Gerald , Erker Gerhard
Published: May 2018

A biphenylene based P/B FLP reacts with 1-alkynes through trans-1,2-addition to give heterocyclic E-cycloalkene products.
A cocktail of 165Er(iii) and Gd(iii) complexes for quantitative detection of zinc using SPECT and MRI
Authors: Malikidogo Kyangwi P. , Da Silva Isidro , Morfin Jean-François , Lacerda Sara , Barantin Laurent , Sauvage Thierry , Sobilo Julien , Lerondel Stéphanie , Tóth Éva , Bonnet Célia S.
Published: May 2018

Quantitative zinc determination by nuclear and MR imaging using two Ln3+ complexes, including purified 165Er3+, indispensable for metal ion quantification.
Controlling the crystal growth of potassium iodide with a 1,1′-bis(pyridin-4-ylmethyl)-2,2′-biimidazole ligand (L) – formation of a linear [K4I4L4]npolymer with cubic [K4I4] core units
Authors: Bulatova Margarita , Tatikonda Rajendhraprasad , Hirva Pipsa , Bulatov Evgeny , Sievänen Elina , Haukka Matti
Published: May 2018

The crystal growth of KI was controlled by using the multidentate N-ligand.
Mechanism and modeling of poly[vinylpyrrolidone] (PVP) facilitated synthesis of silver nanoplates
Authors: Thomas Neethu , Mani Ethayaraja
Published: May 2018

A mathematical model to describe the growth of silver nanoplates is presented and quantitative comparison with experimental data is shown.
Heavy carbon nanodots: a new phosphorescent carbon nanostructure
Authors: Knoblauch Rachael , Bui Brian , Raza Ammar , Geddes Chris D.
Published: May 2018

Bromine-containing carbon nanodots, or “Heavy Carbon Nanodots,” display unique phosphorescent emission for potential as pH-sensitive probes for bioimaging or as singlet oxygen photosensitizers.
Synthesis and characterization of a Sb(v)-containing polyoxomolybdate serving as a catalyst for sulfoxidation
Authors: Lu Jingkun , Wang Yaping , Ma Xinyi , Niu Yanjun , Singh Vikram , Ma Pengtao , Zhang Chao , Niu Jingyang , Wang Jingping
Published: May 2018

A Sb-containing Anderson-based polyoxomolybdate cluster, [(CH3)4N]4H8[Na5Sb3(Sb2Mo12O57)]·17H2O [1; (CH3)4N+ = TMA+], has been successfully synthesized by using an aqueous solution method and structurally characterized.
Gold(iii) π complexes
Authors: Blons Charlie , Amgoune Abderrahmane , Bourissou Didier
Published: May 2018

Recent achievements in the preparation, characterization and reactivity of gold(iii) complexes of alkenes, alkynes and arenes are presented and discussed.
Dimethylmagnesium revisited
Authors: Stuhl Christoph , Anwander Reiner
Published: May 2018

Single-crystalline [MgMe2]n is obtained via crystallization from neat GaMe3, the formation of transient Mg(GaMe4)2 being indicated by the serendipitous isolation of octametallic [Mg(GaMe4)(OMe)]4.
Reactive oxygen species generation is likely a driver of copper based nanomaterial toxicity
Authors: Denluck Lindsay , Wu Fan , Crandon Lauren E. , Harper Bryan J. , Harper Stacey L.
Published: May 2018

Determining the specific nanomaterial features that elicit adverse biological responses is important to inform risk assessments, develop targeted applications, and rationally design future nanomaterials.
Electron-driven proton transfer enables nonradiative photodeactivation in microhydrated 2-aminoimidazole
Authors: Janicki Mikołaj J. , Szabla Rafał , Šponer Jiří , Góra Robert W.
Published: May 2018

Prebiotically credible activator of non-enzymatic RNA template-copying, 2-aminoimidazole, is protected from destructive photochemistry by photoacidity.
Curve crossing in a manifold of coupled electronic states: direct quantum dynamics simulations of formamide
Authors: Spinlove K. Eryn , Richings Gareth W. , Robb Michael A. , Worth Graham A.
Published: May 2018

Fully quantum direct dynamics simulations generate the potential surface manifold for the photo-excited dynamics of small organic molecules.
Zinc oxide–black phosphorus composites for ultrasensitive nitrogen dioxide sensing
Authors: Li Qun , Cen Yuan , Huang Jinyu , Li Xuejin , Zhang Hao , Geng Youfu , Yakobson Boris I. , Du Yu , Tian Xiaoqing
Published: May 2018

ZnO–BP composites exhibit high sensitivity, fast response behavior, outstanding selectivity, and ultralow detection limit towards nitrogen dioxide due the large surface area, excellent carrier mobility, and enhanced charge transfer of ZnO–BP in the presence of BP. Moreover, the introduction of ZnO significantly enhances BP environmental stability.
Carbon–TiO2hybrid dots in different configurations – optical properties, redox characteristics, and mechanistic implications
Authors: Liu Yamin , Liu Yun , Qian Haijun , Wang Ping , LeCroy Gregory E. , Bunker Christopher E. , Fernando K. A. Shiral , Yang Liju , Reibold McIver , Sun Ya-Ping
Published: May 2018

Carbon–TiO2hybrid dots in different structural configurations were found to exhibit very different optical properties and photoinduced redox characteristics.
Uranyl oxide hydrate phases with heavy lanthanide ions: [Ln(UO2)2O3(OH)]·0.5H2O (Ln = Tb, Dy, Ho and Yb)
Authors: Zhang Yingjie , Aughterson Robert , Karatchevtseva Inna , Kong Linggen , Tran Toan Trong , Čejka Jiří , Aharonovich Igor , Lumpkin Gregory R.
Published: May 2018

Four iso-structured uranyl oxide hydrate phases containing heavy lanthanide ions have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized.
Synthesis and properties of 5,5′-dinitramino-3,3′-bi(1,2,4-oxadiazole) and its energetic salts
Authors: Cao Yupeng , Huang Haifeng , Lin Xiangyang , Yang Jun , Gong Xuedong
Published: May 2018

In order to develop high energy density materials, 5,5′-dinitramino-3,3′-bi(1,2,4-oxadiazole) (3, DNABO), a new heterocyclic energetic compound, was synthesized by the simple nitration of 5,5′-diamino-3,3′-bi(1,2,4-oxadiazole) (2) with 95% fuming nitric acid.
Real-time probing of mercury using an efficient “turn-on” strategy with potential as in-field mapping kit and in live cell imaging
Authors: Rasheed Tahir , Li Chuanlong , Nabeel Faran , Qi Meiwei , Zhang Yinglin , Yu Chunyang
Published: May 2018

Based on a rhodamine scaffold as a fluorophore and 2-aminothiazole as a receptor, we present a highly selective and sensitive sensor (TS).
Metal- and base-free synthesis of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines through elemental sulfur-initiated oxidative annulation of 2-aminopyridines and aldehydes
Authors: Tan Jing , Ni Penghui , Huang Huawen , Deng Guo-Jun
Published: May 2018

An elemental sulfur-based metal- and base-free system enables oxidative imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine annulations.
Preparation and fire behavior of rigid polyurethane foams synthesized from modified urea–melamine–formaldehyde resins
Authors: Zhu Heng , Xu Shi-ai
Published: May 2018

In this study, a series of ethylene glycol modified urea–melamine–formaldehyde resins were synthesized, and then incorporated into rigid polyurethane foams as a reactive-type liquid flame retardant.
Sepiolite/CNT/S@PANI composite with stable network structure for high performance lithium sulfur batteries
Authors: Yuan Guolong , Pan Junan , Zhang Yaguang , Yu Junxi , He Yanjia , Su Yong , Zhou Qi , Jin Hongyun , Xie Shuhong
Published: May 2018

The cathode composite materials for lithium sulfur batteries with a stable network structure consisting of natural sepiolite powders, carbon nanotubes and conductive polymer were synthesized by vacuum heat treatment and chemical oxidation method.
Vicinal abasic site impaired processing of a Tg:G mismatch and 8-oxoguanine lesions in three-component bistranded clustered DNA damage
Authors: Kumari Bhavini , Jha Pravin , Sinha Kislay K. , Das Prolay
Published: May 2018

The occurrence of 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2′deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), thymine glycol:guanine (Tg:G) mismatch and abasic site DNA damage lesions in close proximity induce repair refractive non-DSB cluster.
Synthesis and biological evaluation of 2-aryl-benzimidazole derivatives of dehydroabietic acid as novel tubulin polymerization inhibitors
Authors: Miao Ting-Ting , Tao Xu-Bing , Li Dong-Dong , Chen Hao , Jin Xiao-Yan , Geng Yi , Wang Shi-Fa , Gu Wen
Published: May 2018

A series of novel 2-aryl-benzimidazole derivatives of dehydroabietic acid were synthesized. Among them, compound 6j was found to be a potent tubulin polymerization inhibitor.
DFT prediction of a novel molybdenum tetraboride superhard material
Authors: Pan Yong , Wang Xiaohong , Li Songxia , Li Yanqiong , Wen Ming
Published: May 2018

In this work, we predict that MoB4 with monoclinic structure (C2/m) and orthorhombic structure (Immm) are potential superhard materials because of the 3D-network B–B covalent bonds. In addition, the hardness of MoB4 is attributed to the B/G ratio and c/a ratio.
Block copolymer compatibilization driven frustrated crystallization in electrospun nanofibers of polystyrene/poly(ethylene oxide) blends
Authors: Samanta Pratick , Srivastava Rajiv , Nandan Bhanu
Published: May 2018

Confined crystallization behaviour of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was studied in electrospun nanofibers of the phase-separated blends of polystyrene (PS) and PEO compatibilized with polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) block copolymer.
Oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene catalyzed by α-MnO2 nanosheets on palygorskite using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant
Authors: Yu Xingming , Han Pingfang , Li Ya
Published: May 2018

Palygorskite (Pal)-supported α-MnO2 nanosheets (Ns-MnPal) combine the adsorption features of Pal with the catalytic properties of α-MnO2 nanosheets.
Preparation and photo-induced activities of water-soluble amyloid β-C60 complexes
Authors: Hasunuma Naoki , Kawakami Masahiro , Hiramatsu Hirotsugu , Nakabayashi Takakazu
Published: May 2018

We have shown that fullerene (C60) becomes soluble in water by mixing fullerene and amyloid β peptide (Aβ40) whose fibril structures are considered to be associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Restrained light-soaking and reduced hysteresis in perovskite solar cells employing a helical perylene diimide interfacial layer
Authors: Yang Liyan , Wu Mingliang , Cai Feilong , Wang Pang , Gurney Robert S. , Liu Dan , Xia Jianlong , Wang Tao
Published: May 2018

An n-type helical molecule perylene diimide (PDI2) has been explored as an efficient interfacial layer between TiO2 and perovskite, which can restrain the light-soaking instability and reduce hysteresis in perovskite solar cells. A champion device PCE of 19.84% has been achieved after incorporating the PDI2 interlayer.
Towards deployable meta-implants
Authors: Bobbert F. S. L. , Janbaz S. , Zadpoor A. A.
Published: May 2018

The first step towards deployable meta-implants: design, manufacturing and proof of concept.
TiO2/(BiO)2CO3 nanocomposites for ultraviolet filtration with reduced photocatalytic activity
Authors: Bogusz Kathrin , Tehei Moeava , Lerch Michael , Dou Shi X. , Liu Hua K. , Konstantinov Konstantin
Published: May 2018

TiO2 nanoparticles are typically used in sunscreens; however, they have been shown to exhibit cyto- and genotoxicity, which is related to the photocatalytic activity and the subsequent formation of reactive oxygen species when exposed to ultraviolet radiation.
Clinical utility of arterial spin labeling for preoperative grading of glioma
Authors: Fu Jun , Li Linchen , Wang Xinjun , Zhang Min , Zhang Yan , Li Zhanzhan
Published: May 2018

There were obvious differences in biological behavior and prognosis between low- and high-grade gliomas, it is of great importance for clinicians to make a right judgement for preoperative grading. We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis to evaluate the clinical utility of arterial spin labeling for preoperative grading. We searched the PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Weipu electronic databases for articles published through 10 November 2017 and used ‘arterial spin-labeling’ or ‘ASL perfusion, grading’ or ‘differentiation, glioma’ or ‘glial tumor, diagnostic test’ as the search terms. A manual search of relevant original and review articles was performed to identify additional studies. The meta-analysis included nine studies. No obvious heterogeneity was found in the data in a fixed-effect model. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 90% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.84–0.94) and 91% (95% CI: 0.83–0.96), respectively, and the pooled positive likelihood ratio (PLR) and negative likelihood ratio (NLR) were 10.40 (95% CI: 2.21–20.77) and 0.11 (95% CI: 0.07–0.18). The diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was 92.47 (95% CI: 39.61–215.92). The diagnostic score was 4.53 (95% CI: 3.68–5.38). The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.91–0.96). Subgroup analyses did not change the pooled results. No publication bias was found (P=0.102). The normalized maximal tumor blood flow/normal white matter ratio obtained with the arterial spin labeling technique was relatively accurate for distinguishing high/low-grade glioma. As a non-invasive procedure with favorable repeatability, this index may be useful for clinical diagnostics.
Playback speech detection based on magnitude–phase spectrum
Authors: Yang Jichen , Liu Leian
Published: May 2018

In current playback speech detection (PSD) Letter, commonly used features are often extracted from magnitude spectrum while phase spectrum information is not used. In order to extract more discriminative information for PSD, the idea of magnitude–phase spectrum (MPS) is proposed. Then a new feature based on MPS is proposed, namely constant‐Q magnitude–phase octave coefficients (CMPOC). The experimental result on ASVspoof 2017 evaluation set using CMPOC indicates that: (i) the performance of CMPOC is better than features extracted not only from magnitude spectrum but also from MPS. (ii) CMPOC performs better than some commonly used features. (iii) Their system gives better performance than some known systems.