bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Receiver optimization on non‐binary joint sparse graph for OFDM system
Authors: Wen Lei , Wang Tong , Lei Jing
Published: January 2017

Low density signature for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (LDS‐OFDM) is a promising technique for multiple accesses in wireless communications, but its performance is not optimal. In this paper, we study a non‐binary joint sparse graph which combines LDS‐OFDM and non‐binary low density parity check (LDPC) codes, namely non‐binary joint sparse graph for OFDM (NJSG–OFDM). Considering the fact that syndrome computing can be utilized to improve the convergence rate of the joint detection and decoding, syndrome nodes are added to the non‐binary joint sparse graph; consequently, an optimized receiver for the NJSG–OFDM is proposed and analyzed by extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) chart. Simulation results show that the optimized receiver has several advantages such as accelerating the convergence rate of the message passing, improving system performance and alleviating near‐far effect. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
GIMPy: a software for the simulation of X‐ray fluorescence and reflectivity of layered materials
Authors: Brigidi Fabio , Pepponi Giancarlo
Published: January 2017

X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis is an established technique for quantitative elemental analysis. Grazing incidence X‐ray fluorescence analysis (GIXRF) extends the application of XRF to thin films because of the improved sensibility. GIXRF shares the phenomenological basis with X‐ray reflectivity, a scattering technique typically used for thin‐film metrology, offering sensitivity to elemental depth. This work presents the GIMPy (Grazing Incidence Material analysis with Python) software developed for the analysis of GIXRF spectra by combining a fundamental parameter approach to quantitative XRF analysis and the electric field calculation in stratified media, which also delivers the total reflected intensity as measured in X‐ray reflectivity experiments. An XRF experiment can be modelled from the source, modulation of the primary beam, interactions with a layered sample, absorption of the emitted fluorescence intensities, and the response function of semiconductor energy dispersive detectors obtaining a simulation of the expected spectrum that can be directly compared with the acquired one. The fundamental parameter part includes signal enhancements by cascade effect and secondary fluorescence. The code offers the possibility to take into account the effects originated by deviations from ideal conditions: non‐monochromatic excitation, beam divergence, beam size and shape, sample‐inspected area, and solid angle of detection. The functionality of the code is demonstrated on a set of semiconductor substrates (Si, Ge, and GaAs) and shallow dopant distributions of arsenic in silicon. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Content and Composition of Total, Free, and Esterified Sterols of Lotus Plumule Oil by GC–MS/FID
Authors: Chen Shuai , Bi Yanlan , Sun Shangde , Chen Jingnan
Published: January 2017

This study investigated the content and composition of total, free, and esterified sterols of three varieties of lotus plumule oil (Hunan lotus, Jiangxi lotus, and Fujian lotus) using GC–MS/FID. The fatty acid composition of sterol fatty acid esters (SFAE) was also analyzed and compared with that of triglycerides. Results showed that total sterol of lotus plumule oil (12.10–14.21 g/100 g) was higher than that of other plant oils (corn germ oil, 1.11 g/100 g; rapeseed oil, 0.78 g/100 g). No significant difference was found among the total sterol contents of the three types of lotus plumule oils (p > 0.05). Most sterol existed in ester forms (81.8–89.1%) rather than in free forms (8.4–10.1%). β‐Sitosterol (71.4–73.4%), and campesterol (6.2–7.5%) were the predominant fractions of free sterols. β‐Sitosterol (41.3–53.7%) and ∆5‐avenasterol (27.1–31.1%) were the predominant fractions of esterified sterols, followed by campesterol (12.1–13.0%) and ∆7‐avenasterol (3.4–3.7%). Linoleic acid (63.6–65.8%), oleic acid (8.3–10.4%), and behenic acid (9.0–9.9%) were the main fatty acids of SFAE, which were different from those of triglycerides. The results from this study suggest that lotus plumule oil may be a good resource of SFAE and can be used as a supplemental ingredient in functional foods.
A two‐year longitudinal study of gender differences in responses to positive affect and depressive symptoms during middle adolescence
Authors: Gomez‐Baya Diego , Mendoza Ramon , Paino Susana , Gillham Jane E.
Published: January 2017

This study aimed to analyze the prospective associations during adolescence between depressive symptoms and response styles to positive affect and to examine gender differences. A longitudinal study was conducted with three waves separated by 1 year each to assess a non‐clinical sample of 622 Spanish adolescents who were 13 and 14 years old (50.2% boys, 49.8% girls). The participants completed self‐report measures of depressive symptoms and responses to positive affect (emotion‐focused positive rumination, self‐focused positive rumination and dampening of positive emotion). The results showed that the increase in depressive symptoms was associated with an increase in dampening and decreases in emotion‐focused and self‐focused positive rumination. Furthermore, girls presented more depressive symptoms, as well as higher dampening and lower self‐focused positive rumination, than boys. The conclusions highlight the need to consider responses to positive affect in explaining gender differences in depressive symptoms during mid‐adolescence, as well as in designing prevention programs.
Non-homogeneous Random Walks
Authors: Menshikov Mikhail , Popov Serguei , Wade Andrew
Published: January 2017

Stochastic systems provide powerful abstract models for a variety of important real-life applications: for example, power supply, traffic flow, data transmission. They (and the real systems they model) are often subject to phase transitions, behaving in one way when a parameter is below a certain critical value, then switching behaviour as soon as that critical value is reached. In a real system, we do not necessarily have control over all the parameter values, so it is important to know how to find critical points and to understand system behaviour near these points. This book is a modern presentation of the 'semimartingale' or 'Lyapunov function' method applied to near-critical stochastic systems, exemplified by non-homogeneous random walks. Applications treat near-critical stochastic systems and range across modern probability theory from stochastic billiards models to interacting particle systems. Spatially non-homogeneous random walks are explored in depth, as they provide prototypical near-critical systems.
A Handbook of Primary Commodities in the Global Economy
Authors: Radetzki Marian , Wårell Linda
Published: January 2017

The 2010s have been a dramatic period for most primary commodity markets. Producers suffered heavily as prices fell in response to new supply facilities going into production, juxtaposed against disappointing demand evolution from China in particular, marking the end of the most powerful and enduring commodity boom since the Second World War. This book is a guide to the primary commodity universe, an increasingly crucial part of the world economy. In this updated edition, Marian Radetzki and Linda Wårell introduce and explain pertinent issues surrounding international commodity markets, including the importance of fossil markets among commodities, price formation, price trends, the shift in primary commodity consumption towards Asia, the increasing reliance on commodity exchanges, new relaxed attitude towards depletion, cartel action, and the revival of nationalism and state ownership. This is an accessible read for graduates, academic researchers, and professionals in the mineral and energy sectors.
Aaron Klug - A Long Way from Durban
Authors: Holmes Kenneth C.
Published: January 2017

The atomic structures of macromolecules provide the key to understanding how life works. Aaron Klug led the way in the development of methods for solving such structures and is one of the pioneers of structural molecular biology. He was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1982 for his work. Illuminating both his personal life and scientific achievements, this unique biography begins with Klug's youth in Durban and his studies at Johannesburg, Cape Town and then Trinity College, Cambridge. Holmes proceeds to explore Klug's career from his work on the structure of viruses with Rosalind Franklin at Birkbeck College, London to his time as Director of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) in Cambridge and as President of the Royal Society. Drawing on their long-term collaboration, interviews and unique access to Klug's archives, Holmes provides a fascinating account of an innovative man and his place in the history of structural molecular biology.
Conceptions of Shari`a and Support for Militancy and Democratic Values: Evidence From Pakistan
Authors: Fair C. Christine , Littman Rebecca , Nugent Elizabeth R.
Published: January 2017

Numerous empirical studies of the relationship between popular support for Islamism and support for democracy and violence have yielded inconclusive results. We suspect that this is largely because scholars have not operationalized support for Shari`a in ways that capture the concept’s multi-dimensionality. In this paper, we employ data derived from a carefully designed survey instrument that casts unique insights into how Pakistanis imagine a Shari`a-based government. We find that formalizing an Islamic government as one that implements Shari`a by providing services and security for its citizens is positively associated with support for democratic values, whereas conceptualizing it as one that implements Shari`a by imposing hudud punishments and restricting women’s public roles is positively associated with support for militancy. These results suggest that it is important to understand how individuals within a particular context construe a Shari`a-based government, and future empirical work should take this.
Alexandria, 1898: Nodes, Networks, and Scales in Nineteenth-Century Egypt and the Mediterranean
Authors: Carminati Lucia
Published: January 2017

In October 1898, the Italian vice-consul in Alexandria charged a group of Italians with participating in an anarchist plot to attack German Emperor Wilhelm II during his planned tour through Egypt and Palestine. This collective arrest produced unexpected outcomes, left a trail of multi-lingual documents, and illuminated specific forms of late nineteenth-century Mediterranean migration. Anarchists were among those who frequently crossed borders and they were well aware of and connected to what was happening elsewhere: they sent letters, circulated manifestos, raised and transported money, and helped fugitive comrades. They maintained nodes of subversion and moved along circuits of solidarity. Similarly, diplomats of Europe, Cairo, Istanbul, and local consular officials operated across borders and cooperated to hunt anarchists down. By following people who were on the move on boats, in post offices, and in taverns, I make a methodological and historiographical argument. First, I examine the Mediterranean as a space of flows and show how theMaghreb/Mashreqdivide in Middle Eastern history has concealed webs and connections. Because anarchists and authorities acted on multiple fronts simultaneously, so must scholarship of this part of the world take account of several histories at once. Second, I look beyond the micro-macro binary to emphasize the interconnections and mutual implications of the micro, the macro, and everything in between. I highlight competing, intersecting, and even contradictory trajectories of some of these anarchist migrants’ belonging. As the affair of the bombs unfolded, all of these contradictions and scales of analysis became visible at once.
Fluid-controlled deformation in blueschist-facies conditions: plastic vs brittle behaviour in a brecciated mylonite (Voltri Massif, Western Alps, Italy)
Authors: MALATESTA C. , FEDERICO L. , CRISPINI L. , CAPPONI G.
Published: January 2017

A blueschist-facies mylonite crops out between two high-pressure tectono-metamorphic oceanic units of the Ligurian Western Alps (NW Italy). This mylonitic metabasite is made up of alternating layers with different grain size and proportions of blueschist-facies minerals.

The mylonitic foliation formed at metamorphic conditions ofT= 220–310 °C andP= 6.5–10 kbar. The mylonite shows various superposed structures: (i) intrafoliar and similar folds; (ii) chocolate-tablet foliation boudinage; (iii) veins; (iv) breccia.

The occurrence of comparable mineral assemblages along the foliation, in boudin necks, in veins and in breccia cement suggests that the transition from ductile deformation (folds) to brittle deformation (veining and breccia), passing through a brittle–ductile regime (foliation boudinage), occurred gradually, without a substantial change in mineral assemblage and therefore in the overallP–Tmetamorphic conditions (blueschist-facies).

A strong fluid–rock interaction was associated with all the deformative events affecting the rock: the mylonite shows an enrichment in incompatible elements (i.e. As and Sb), suggesting an input of fluids, released by adjacent high-pressure metasedimentary rocks, during ductile deformation. The following fracturing was probably enhanced by brittle instabilities arising from strain and pore-fluid pressure partitioning between adjacent domains, without further external fluid input.

Fluids were therefore fixed inside the rock during mylonitization and later released into a dense fracture mesh that allowed them to migrate through the mylonitic horizon close to the plate interface.

We finally propose that the fracture mesh might represent the field evidence of past episodic tremors or ‘slow earthquakes’ triggered by high pore-fluid pressure.
Towards Reforming Nigeria's Secured Transactions Law: The Central Bank of Nigeria's Attempt through the Back Door
Authors: Iheme Williams C , Mba Sanford U
Published: January 2017

In response to the inability of micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs) to access credit to finance their business operations, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria passed the Central Bank of Nigeria (Registration of Security Interests in Movable Property by Banks and Other Financial Institutions in Nigeria) Regulations, No 1, 2015. The purport of this regulation is, among other things, to ensure that MSMEs can use items of personal property to create security. This article critically examines the regulation in the light of the building blocks of article 9 of the US Uniform Commercial Code, which is not only a paradigmatic piece of legislation but appears to be the model on which the Nigerian regulation is based. This critical examination leads the authors to conclude that, although the regulation represents the first steps to reform, much more remains to be done to ensure effectiveness.
Demilitarisation and neutralisation of Svalbard: how has the Svalbard regime been able to meet the changing security realities during almost 100 years of existence?
Authors: Koivurova Timo , Holiencin Filip
Published: January 2017

Norway will soon celebrate that 100 years ago, the former ‘no-man's land’ of the Svalbard archipelago was placed under its sovereignty. However, this paper focuses on another important and often omitted element also brought about by the 1920 Svalbard Treaty regarding its demilitarisation and neutralisation. We ask how has the Svalbard security regime been able to meet the various challenges it has faced over almost 100 years of existence? Also, given that the treaty was drafted at the beginning of the 20th century, are the security provisions of this regime already obsolete or are they seen still as valid, and more importantly functional against the backdrop of rapidly changing security realities? This paper then goes further and while it uses Svalbard as a case study, it tries to assess the role of demilitarisation and neutralisation in the modern context by trying to infer possible lessons from two similar regimes, which apply to Antarctica and the Åland Islands.
Aelfred mec heht gewyrcan: sociolinguistic concepts in the study of Alfredian English
Authors: TIMOFEEVA OLGA
Published: January 2017

This study reconstructs the Alfredian network as consisting of twelve actors. This network is termed acoalition, within which a cluster of Mercian actors is further hypothesised. Historical sources and charter evidence suggest that Mercian scribes worked for West Saxon kings and may even have taken part in the establishment of a proto-chancery at the royal court. This writing office can be conjectured to have ties with the Alfredian coalition and described as acommunity of practice. The whole sociolinguistic reconstruction is supported by three case studies:Angelcynn‘the English people’ andhere‘band, troop’ in historical-political genres, andgretan freondlicein epistolary genres. The diffusion of these Alfredian norms across time, place and genres is linked to the royal chancery and its distribution channels, as well as to the diachronic sustainability of linguistic practices within professional discourse communities and their archives.
Recurrent Sublethal-Dose Selection for Reduced Susceptibility of Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) to Dicamba
Authors: Tehranchian Parsa , Norsworthy Jason K. , Powles Stephen , Bararpour Mohammad T. , Bagavathiannan Muthukumar V. , Barber Tom , Scott Robert C.
Published: January 2017

The management of glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth has been a challenge in southern United States cropping systems. Registration of dicamba-resistant crops will provide an alternative management option to control herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth populations, particularly those having resistance to herbicide Groups 2, 3, 5, 9, 14, and 27. However, repeated use of sublethal doses of dicamba may lead to rapid evolution of herbicide resistance, especially in Palmer amaranth—a species with a strong tendency to evolve resistance. Therefore, selection experiments with dicamba were conducted on Palmer amaranth using sublethal doses. In the greenhouse, a known susceptible Palmer amaranth population was subjected to sublethal dicamba doses for three generations (P1–P3). Susceptibility of the individuals to dicamba was evaluated, and its susceptibility to 2,4-D was characterized. Based on the greenhouse study, following three generations of dicamba selection, the dose required to cause 50% mortality increased from 111 g ae ha−1for parental individuals (P0) to 309 g ae ha−1for the P3. Furthermore, reduced susceptibility of the P3to 2,4-D was also evident. This research presents the first evidence that recurrent use of sublethal dicamba doses can lead to reduced susceptibility of Palmer amaranth to dicamba as well as 2,4-D. Here, we show that selection from sublethal dicamba doses has an important role in rapid evolution of Palmer amaranth with reduced susceptibility to auxin-type herbicides.
Konflikte und Spannungen in der Familie – Die Sicht einer Angehörigen
Authors: Schubert Wiebke
Published: January 2017

Zusammenfassung. Ich habe die Aufgabe gestellt bekommen, mir Gedanken zu einem Artikel mit dem Arbeitstitel „Wir haben Kompetenzen, um Krisen der psychisch erkrankten Angehörigen zu bewältigen – Die Sicht einer Angehörigen am Beispiel von Konflikten und Spannungen“ zu machen.
Häusliche Konflikte der Angehörigen
Authors: Trautmann Caroline , Zechert Christian
Published: January 2017

Zusammenfassung. Familien mit psychisch erkrankten Angehörigen haben Erfahrungen mit belastenden Situationen und Gewalt. Einige dieser Familien müssen über die Jahre hinweg mit Häuslicher Gewalt umgehen. Im Vergleich zum klinischen Management fehlen diesen Familien professionelles Training, ausgebildetes Personal oder strukturierte Anweisungen zur Deeskalation. Stattdessen setzten sie weniger erfolgreiche Strategien ein, um mit Übergriffen und Gewalt umzugehen.
Multiplexed single-mode wavelength-to-time mapping of multimode light
Authors: Chandrasekharan Harikumar K , Izdebski Frauke , Gris-Sánchez Itandehui , Krstajić Nikola , Walker Richard , Bridle Helen L. , Dalgarno Paul A. , MacPherson William N. , Henderson Robert K. , Birks Tim A. , Thomson Robert R.
Published: January 2017

When an optical pulse propagates along an optical fibre, different wavelengths travel at different group velocities. As a result, wavelength information is converted into arrival-time information, a process known as wavelength-to-time mapping. This phenomenon is most cleanly observed using a single-mode fibre transmission line, where spatial mode dispersion is not present, but the use of such fibres restricts possible applications. Here we demonstrate that photonic lanterns based on tapered single-mode multicore fibres provide an efficient way to couple multimode light to an array of single-photon avalanche detectors, each of which has its own time-to-digital converter for time-correlated single-photon counting. Exploiting this capability, we demonstrate the multiplexed single-mode wavelength-to-time mapping of multimode light using a multicore fibre photonic lantern with 121 single-mode cores, coupled to 121 detectors on a 32 × 32 detector array. This work paves the way to efficient multimode wavelength-to-time mapping systems with the spectral performance of single-mode systems.
DNA copy number changes define spatial patterns of heterogeneity in colorectal cancer
Authors: Mamlouk Soulafa , Childs Liam Harold , Aust Daniela , Heim Daniel , Melching Friederike , Oliveira Cristiano , Wolf Thomas , Durek Pawel , Schumacher Dirk , Bläker Hendrik , von Winterfeld Moritz , Gastl Bastian , Möhr Kerstin , Menne Andrea , Zeugner Silke , Redmer Torben , Lenze Dido , Tierling Sascha , Möbs Markus , Weichert Wilko , Folprecht Gunnar , Blanc Eric , Beule Dieter , Schäfer Reinhold , Morkel Markus , Klauschen Frederick , Leser Ulf , Sers Christine
Published: January 2017

Genetic heterogeneity between and within tumours is a major factor determining cancer progression and therapy response. Here we examined DNA sequence and DNA copy-number heterogeneity in colorectal cancer (CRC) by targeted high-depth sequencing of 100 most frequently altered genes. In 97 samples, with primary tumours and matched metastases from 27 patients, we observe inter-tumour concordance for coding mutations; in contrast, gene copy numbers are highly discordant between primary tumours and metastases as validated by fluorescent in situ hybridization. To further investigate intra-tumour heterogeneity, we dissected a single tumour into 68 spatially defined samples and sequenced them separately. We identify evenly distributed coding mutations in APC and TP53 in all tumour areas, yet highly variable gene copy numbers in numerous genes. 3D morpho-molecular reconstruction reveals two clusters with divergent copy number aberrations along the proximal–distal axis indicating that DNA copy number variations are a major source of tumour heterogeneity in CRC.
Super-Coulombic atom–atom interactions in hyperbolic media
Authors: Cortes Cristian L. , Jacob Zubin
Published: January 2017

Dipole–dipole interactions, which govern phenomena such as cooperative Lamb shifts, superradiant decay rates, Van der Waals forces and resonance energy transfer rates, are conventionally limited to the Coulombic near-field. Here we reveal a class of real-photon and virtual-photon long-range quantum electrodynamic interactions that have a singularity in media with hyperbolic dispersion. The singularity in the dipole–dipole coupling, referred to as a super-Coulombic interaction, is a result of an effective interaction distance that goes to zero in the ideal limit irrespective of the physical distance. We investigate the entire landscape of atom–atom interactions in hyperbolic media confirming the giant long-range enhancement. We also propose multiple experimental platforms to verify our predicted effect with phonon–polaritonic hexagonal boron nitride, plasmonic super-lattices and hyperbolic meta-surfaces as well. Our work paves the way for the control of cold atoms above hyperbolic meta-surfaces and the study of many-body physics with hyperbolic media.
Design principles for shift current photovoltaics
Authors: Cook Ashley M. , M. Fregoso Benjamin , de Juan Fernando , Coh Sinisa , Moore Joel E.
Published: January 2017

While the basic principles of conventional solar cells are well understood, little attention has gone towards maximizing the efficiency of photovoltaic devices based on shift currents. By analysing effective models, here we outline simple design principles for the optimization of shift currents for frequencies near the band gap. Our method allows us to express the band edge shift current in terms of a few model parameters and to show it depends explicitly on wavefunctions in addition to standard band structure. We use our approach to identify two classes of shift current photovoltaics, ferroelectric polymer films and single-layer orthorhombic monochalcogenides such as GeS, which display the largest band edge responsivities reported so far. Moreover, exploring the parameter space of the tight-binding models that describe them we find photoresponsivities that can exceed 100 mA W−1. Our results illustrate the great potential of shift current photovoltaics to compete with conventional solar cells.
Optical gating and streaking of free electrons with sub-optical cycle precision
Authors: Kozák M. , McNeur J. , Leedle K. J. , Deng H. , Schönenberger N. , Ruehl A. , Hartl I. , Harris J. S. , Byer R. L. , Hommelhoff P.
Published: January 2017

The temporal resolution of ultrafast electron diffraction and microscopy experiments is currently limited by the available experimental techniques for the generation and characterization of electron bunches with single femtosecond or attosecond durations. Here, we present proof of principle experiments of an optical gating concept for free electrons via direct time-domain visualization of the sub-optical cycle energy and transverse momentum structure imprinted on the electron beam. We demonstrate a temporal resolution of 1.2±0.3 fs. The scheme is based on the synchronous interaction between electrons and the near-field mode of a dielectric nano-grating excited by a femtosecond laser pulse with an optical period duration of 6.5 fs. The sub-optical cycle resolution demonstrated here is promising for use in laser-driven streak cameras for attosecond temporal characterization of bunched particle beams as well as time-resolved experiments with free-electron beams.
Functionally and morphologically damaged mitochondria observed in auditory cells under senescence-inducing stress
Authors: Kamogashira Teru , Hayashi Ken , Fujimoto Chisato , Iwasaki Shinichi , Yamasoba Tatsuya
Published: January 2017

We aimed at determining the mitochondrial function in premature senescence model of auditory cells. Short exposure to H2O2 (1 h, 0.1 mM) induced premature cellular senescence in House Ear Institute-Organ of Corti 1 auditory cells. The transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that damaged mitochondria and autophagosomes containing dense organelles appeared in the auditory cells after short exposure to H2O2. The branch and junction parameters of the skeletonized image of the mitochondria were found to decrease significantly in H2O2-treated cells. A branched reticulum of tubules was poorly formed, featuring coexistence of numerous tiny clusters along with few relatively large entities in the H2O2-treated cells. In terms of bioenergetics, H2O2-treatment led to the dose-dependent decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential in the auditory cells. The fragmented mitochondria (fusion < fission) were in a low potential. In addition, the potential of hyperfused mitochondria (fusion > fission) was slightly lower than the control cells. The short-time exposure of live auditory cells to H2O2 damaged the mitochondrial respiratory capacity without any effect on the baseline ATP production rates. The vulnerability of the mitochondrial membrane potential to the uncoupling reagent was increased after H2O2 treatment. Our findings indicated that the mitochondrial dysfunction due to the decline in the O2 consumption rate should be the first event of premature senescence process in the auditory cells, resulting in the imbalance of mitochondrial fusion/fission and the collapse of the mitochondrial network.
Association of alcohol intake with risk of diabetic retinopathy: a meta-analysis of observational studies
Authors: Zhu Wei , Meng Yi-Fang , Wu Yan , Xu Ming , Lu Jiong
Published: January 2017

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). The associations of alcohol intake with DR risk have demonstrated contradictory results. Relevant studies were identified by searching electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE and Web of Science) until May 2016. We identified a total of 12,875 DR cases among 37,285 participants in 15 observational studies. The pooled estimation of all the included observational studies was 0.91 (95% CI, 0.79 to 1.06) in a random-effect model. Analyses stratified by study design showed no significant association between alcohol intake and DR incidence in cohort, case control or cross-sectional studies. In the subgroup analyses, neither beer nor spirits intake were associated with DR risk. Furthermore, it was interesting to find that protective effects were detected in the wine (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.64 to 0.92) and sherry (OR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.05 to 0.95) groups. In conclusion, this current meta-analysis demonstrated that alcohol intake was not associated with risk of DR. Subgroup analysis by alcoholic beverage types showed that wine consumption would reduce the incidence of DR. In the future, more large-scale prospective studies with detailed alcohol subtypes and contents are still warranted to clarify the association.
A cluster of palmitoylated cysteines are essential for aggregation of cysteine-string protein mutants that cause neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis
Authors: Diez-Ardanuy Cinta , Greaves Jennifer , Munro Kevin R. , Tomkinson Nicholas C. O. , Chamberlain Luke H.
Published: January 2017

Autosomal-dominant adult-onset neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (ANCL) is caused by mutation of the DNAJC5 gene encoding cysteine string protein alpha (CSPα). The disease-causing mutations, which result in substitution of leucine-115 with an arginine (L115R) or deletion of the neighbouring leucine-116 (∆L116) in the cysteine-string domain cause CSPα to form high molecular weight SDS-resistant aggregates, which are also present in post-mortem brain tissue from patients. Formation and stability of these mutant aggregates is linked to palmitoylation of the cysteine-string domain, however the regions of the mutant proteins that drive aggregation have not been determined. The importance of specific residues in the cysteine-string domain was investigated, revealing that a central core of palmitoylated cysteines is essential for aggregation of ANCL CSPα mutants. Interestingly, palmitoylated monomers of ANCL CSPα mutants were shown to be short-lived compared with wild-type CSPα, suggesting that the mutants either have a faster rate of depalmitoylation or that they are consumed in a time-dependent manner into high molecular weight aggregates. These findings provide new insight into the features of CSPα that promote aggregation in the presence of L115R/∆L116 mutations and reveal a change in the lifetime of palmitoylated monomers of the mutant proteins.
Quadriwave lateral shearing interferometric microscopy with wideband sensitivity enhancement for quantitative phase imaging in real time
Authors: Ling Tong , Jiang Jiabin , Zhang Rui , Yang Yongying
Published: January 2017

Real-time quantitative phase imaging has tremendous potential in investigating live biological specimens in vitro. Here we report on a wideband sensitivity-enhanced interferometric microscopy for quantitative phase imaging in real time by employing two quadriwave lateral shearing interferometers based on randomly encoded hybrid gratings with different lateral shears. Theoretical framework to analyze the measurement sensitivity is firstly proposed, from which the optimal lateral shear pair for sensitivity enhancement is also derived. To accelerate the phase retrieval algorithm for real-time visualization, we develop a fully vectorized path-independent differential leveling phase unwrapping algorithm ready for parallel computing, and the framerate for retrieving the phase from each pair of two 4 mega pixel interferograms is able to reach 47.85 frames per second. Experiment results demonstrate that the wideband sensitivity-enhanced interferometric microscopy is capable of eliminating all the periodical error caused by spectral leaking problem and reducing the temporal standard deviation to the half level compared with phase directly retrieved by the interferogram. Due to its high adaptability, the wideband sensitivity-enhanced interferometric microscopy is promising in retrofitting existing microscopes to quantitative phase microscopes with high measurement precision and real-time visualization.
Overcoming the loss of blue sensitivity through opsin duplication in the largest animal group, beetles
Authors: Sharkey Camilla R. , Fujimoto M. Stanley , Lord Nathan P. , Shin Seunggwan , McKenna Duane D. , Suvorov Anton , Martin Gavin J. , Bybee Seth M.
Published: January 2017

Opsin proteins are fundamental components of animal vision whose structure largely determines the sensitivity of visual pigments to different wavelengths of light. Surprisingly little is known about opsin evolution in beetles, even though they are the most species rich animal group on Earth and exhibit considerable variation in visual system sensitivities. We reveal the patterns of opsin evolution across 62 beetle species and relatives. Our results show that the major insect opsin class (SW) that typically confers sensitivity to “blue” wavelengths was lost ~300 million years ago, before the origin of modern beetles. We propose that UV and LW opsin gene duplications have restored the potential for trichromacy (three separate channels for colour vision) in beetles up to 12 times and more specifically, duplications within the UV opsin class have likely led to the restoration of “blue” sensitivity up to 10 times. This finding reveals unexpected plasticity within the insect visual system and highlights its remarkable ability to evolve and adapt to the available light and visual cues present in the environment.
Magma reservoir dynamics at Toba caldera, Indonesia, recorded by oxygen isotope zoning in quartz
Authors: Budd David A. , Troll Valentin R. , Deegan Frances M. , Jolis Ester M. , Smith Victoria C. , Whitehouse Martin J. , Harris Chris , Freda Carmela , Hilton David R. , Halldórsson Sæmundur A. , Bindeman Ilya N.
Published: January 2017

Quartz is a common phase in high-silica igneous rocks and is resistant to post-eruptive alteration, thus offering a reliable record of magmatic processes in silicic magma systems. Here we employ the 75 ka Toba super-eruption as a case study to show that quartz can resolve late-stage temporal changes in magmatic δ18O values. Overall, Toba quartz crystals exhibit comparatively high δ18O values, up to 10.2‰, due to magma residence within, and assimilation of, local granite basement. However, some 40% of the analysed quartz crystals display a decrease in δ18O values in outermost growth zones compared to their cores, with values as low as 6.7‰ (maximum ∆core−rim = 1.8‰). These lower values are consistent with the limited zircon record available for Toba, and the crystallisation history of Toba quartz traces an influx of a low-δ18O component into the magma reservoir just prior to eruption. Here we argue that this late-stage low-δ18O component is derived from hydrothermally-altered roof material. Our study demonstrates that quartz isotope stratigraphy can resolve magmatic events that may remain undetected by whole-rock or zircon isotope studies, and that assimilation of altered roof material may represent a viable eruption trigger in large Toba-style magmatic systems.
Range expansion underlies historical introgressive hybridization in the Iberian hare
Authors: Marques João P. , Farelo Liliana , Vilela Joana , Vanderpool Dan , Alves Paulo C. , Good Jeffrey M. , Boursot Pierre , Melo-Ferreira José
Published: January 2017

Introgressive hybridization is an important and widespread evolutionary process, but the relative roles of neutral demography and natural selection in promoting massive introgression are difficult to assess and an important matter of debate. Hares from the Iberian Peninsula provide an appropriate system to study this question. In its northern range, the Iberian hare, Lepus granatensis, shows a northwards gradient of increasing mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) introgression from the arctic/boreal L. timidus, which it presumably replaced after the last glacial maximum. Here, we asked whether a south-north expansion wave of L. granatensis into L. timidus territory could underlie mtDNA introgression, and whether nuclear genes interacting with mitochondria (“mitonuc” genes) were affected. We extended previous RNA-sequencing and produced a comprehensive annotated transcriptome assembly for L. granatensis. We then genotyped 100 discovered nuclear SNPs in 317 specimens spanning the species range. The distribution of allele frequencies across populations suggests a northwards range expansion, particularly in the region of mtDNA introgression. We found no correlation between variants at 39 mitonuc genes and mtDNA introgression frequency. Whether the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes coevolved will need a thorough investigation of the hundreds of mitonuc genes, but range expansion and species replacement likely promoted massive mtDNA introgression.
The Matrix protein M1 from influenza C virus induces tubular membrane invaginations in an in vitro cell membrane model
Authors: Saletti David , Radzimanowski Jens , Effantin Gregory , Midtvedt Daniel , Mangenot Stéphanie , Weissenhorn Winfried , Bassereau Patricia , Bally Marta
Published: January 2017

Matrix proteins from enveloped viruses play an important role in budding and stabilizing virus particles. In order to assess the role of the matrix protein M1 from influenza C virus (M1-C) in plasma membrane deformation, we have combined structural and in vitro reconstitution experiments with model membranes. We present the crystal structure of the N-terminal domain of M1-C and show by Small Angle X-Ray Scattering analysis that full-length M1-C folds into an elongated structure that associates laterally into ring-like or filamentous polymers. Using negatively charged giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), we demonstrate that M1-C full-length binds to and induces inward budding of membrane tubules with diameters that resemble the diameter of viruses. Membrane tubule formation requires the C-terminal domain of M1-C, corroborating its essential role for M1-C polymerization. Our results indicate that M1-C assembly on membranes constitutes the driving force for budding and suggest that M1-C plays a key role in facilitating viral egress.
Erratum: The Synergy of Double Cross-linking Agents on the Properties of Styrene Butadiene Rubber Foams
Authors: Shao Liang , Ji Zhan-You , Ma Jian-Zhong , Xue Chao-Hua , Ma Zhong-Lei , Zhang Jing
Published: January 2017

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 36931; published online: 14 November 2016; updated: 25 January 2017 This Article contains typographical errors. In Table 1, information for Sample S has been omitted for columns 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7. These should all read ‘0.5’. The correct table appears below. In Equation (2),
Novel approach for the detection of intraperitoneal micrometastasis using an ovarian cancer mouse model
Authors: Alvero Ayesha B. , Kim Dongin , Lima Eydis , Sumi Natalia J. , Lee Jung Seok , Cardenas Carlos , Pitruzzello Mary , Silasi Dan-Arin , Buza Natalia , Fahmy Tarek , Mor Gil
Published: January 2017

Patients with epithelial ovarian cancer have the best overall survival when maximal surgical effort is accomplished. However, despite numerous technological advances, surgery still relies primarily on white-light reflectance and the surgeon’s vision. As such, micrometastases are usually missed and most patients clinically classified as a complete responder eventually recur and succumb to the disease. Our objective is to develop optical enhancers which can aid in the visualization of ovarian cancer micrometastasis. To this end we developed a nanoparticle (NP) platform, which is specifically targeted to the tumor microenvironment. Targeting is achieved by coating FDA-approved PLGA-PEG NP with the peptide sequence RGD, which binds with high affinity to αVβ3 integrins present in both the tumor-associated neovasculature and on the surface of ovarian cancer cells. Administration of the NP platform carrying fluorescent dyes to mice bearing intraperitoneal ovarian cancer allowed visualization of tumor-associated vasculature and its contrast against normal blood vessels. More importantly, we demonstrate the visualization of intraperitoneal ovarian cancer micrometastasis as small as 100 μm with optimal resolution. Finally, we demonstrate that the fluorescent dye cargo was able to penetrate intra-tumorally. Such modality could be used to allow microscopic surgical debulking to assure maximal surgical effort.
Evidence for positive selection and recombination hotspots in Deformed wing virus (DWV)
Authors: Dalmon A. , Desbiez C. , Coulon M. , Thomasson M. , Le Conte Y. , Alaux C. , Vallon J. , Moury B.
Published: January 2017

Deformed wing virus (DWV) is considered one of the most damaging pests in honey bees since the spread of its vector, Varroa destructor. In this study, we sequenced the whole genomes of two virus isolates and studied the evolutionary forces that act on DWV genomes. The isolate from a Varroa-tolerant bee colony was characterized by three recombination breakpoints between DWV and the closely related Varroa destructor virus-1 (VDV-1), whereas the variant from the colony using conventional Varroa management was similar to the originally described DWV. From the complete sequence dataset, nine independent DWV-VDV-1 recombination breakpoints were detected, and recombination hotspots were found in the 5′ untranslated region (5′ UTR) and the conserved region encoding the helicase. Partial sequencing of the 5′ UTR and helicase-encoding region in 41 virus isolates suggested that most of the French isolates were recombinants. By applying different methods based on the ratio between non-synonymous (dN) and synonymous (dS) substitution rates, we identified four positions that showed evidence of positive selection. Three of these positions were in the putative leader protein (Lp), and one was in the polymerase. These findings raise the question of the putative role of the Lp in viral evolution.
Integrated Microfluidic Flow-Through Microbial Fuel Cells
Authors: Jiang Huawei , Ali Md. Azahar , Xu Zhen , Halverson Larry J. , Dong Liang
Published: January 2017

This paper reports on a miniaturized microbial fuel cell with a microfluidic flow-through configuration: a porous anolyte chamber is formed by filling a microfluidic chamber with three-dimensional graphene foam as anode, allowing nutritional medium to flow through the chamber to intimately interact with the colonized microbes on the scaffolds of the anode. No nutritional media flow over the anode. This allows sustaining high levels of nutrient utilization, minimizing consumption of nutritional substrates, and reducing response time of electricity generation owing to fast mass transport through pressure-driven flow and rapid diffusion of nutrients within the anode. The device provides a volume power density of 745 μW/cm3 and a surface power density of 89.4 μW/cm2 using Shewanella oneidensis as a model biocatalyst without any optimization of bacterial culture. The medium consumption and the response time of the flow-through device are reduced by 16.4 times and 4.2 times, respectively, compared to the non-flow-through counterpart with its freeway space volume six times the volume of graphene foam anode. The graphene foam enabled microfluidic flow-through approach will allow efficient microbial conversion of carbon-containing bioconvertible substrates to electricity with smaller space, less medium consumption, and shorter start-up time.
Haemodynamics Regulate Fibronectin Assembly via PECAM
Authors: Chen Zhongming , Givens Chris , Reader John S. , Tzima Ellie
Published: January 2017

Fibronectin (FN) assembly and fibrillogenesis are critically important in both development and the adult organism, but their importance in vascular functions is not fully understood. Here we identify a novel pathway by which haemodynamic forces regulate FN assembly and fibrillogenesis during vascular remodelling. Induction of disturbed shear stress in vivo and in vitro resulted in complex FN fibril assembly that was dependent on the mechanosensor PECAM. Loss of PECAM also inhibited the cell-intrinsic ability to remodel FN. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments revealed that PECAM-dependent RhoA activation is required for FN assembly. Furthermore, PECAM−/− mice exhibited reduced levels of active β1 integrin that were responsible for reduced RhoA activation and downstream FN assembly. These data identify a new pathway by which endothelial mechanotransduction regulates FN assembly and flow-mediated vascular remodelling.
Sb2O3/Ag/Sb2O3 Multilayer Transparent Conducting Films For Ultraviolet Organic Light-emitting Diode
Authors: Song Chunyan , Zhang Nan , Lin Jie , Guo Xiaoyang , Liu Xingyuan
Published: January 2017

A novel UV transparent conducting films based on Sb2O3/Ag/Sb2O3 (SAS) structure, which were prepared by an electron-beam thermal evaporation at room temperature. This SAS exhibits excellent electrical, optical and stable properties. Especially for UV region, the SAS has high transmittance of 80% at 306 nm and 92% at 335 nm, meanwhile achieving low sheet resistance ( ≤ 10 Ω sq−1). The UV OLED based on the SAS show competitive device performance. The UV OLED obtains the peak of UV electroluminescence at 376 nm and shows a very high maximum EQE of 4.1% with the maximum output power density of 5.18 mW cm−2. These results indicate that the potential of SAS applications in deep UV transparent electrodes and large-scale flexible transparent electronics.
Imorin: a sexual attractiveness pheromone in female red-bellied newts (Cynops pyrrhogaster)
Authors: Nakada Tomoaki , Toyoda Fumiyo , Matsuda Kouhei , Nakakura Takashi , Hasunuma Itaru , Yamamoto Kazutoshi , Onoue Satomi , Yokosuka Makoto , Kikuyama Sakae
Published: January 2017

The male red-bellied newt (Cynops pyrrhogaster) approaches the female’s cloaca prior to performing any courtship behaviour, as if he is using some released substance to gauge whether she is sexually receptive. Therefore, we investigated whether such a female sexual attractiveness pheromone exists. We found that a tripeptide with amino acid sequence Ala-Glu-Phe is secreted by the ciliary cells in the epithelium of the proximal portion of the oviduct of sexually developed newts and confirmed that this is the major active substance in water in which sexually developed female newts have been kept. This substance only attracted sexually developed male newts and acted by stimulating the vomeronasal epithelial cells. This is the first female sexual attractiveness peptide pheromone to be identified in a vertebrate.